《Chaos Heir》


 Chapter 1: Nightmare

    Flames raged everywhere. Screams resounded through the air and filled the area with pure terror.


    Buildings continued to crumble. The brittle metal that made the houses in the Slums was unable to endure the high temperatures that landed on its surface.


    The sun was still high in the sky, but black smoke covered the entire district and created a cloud that obscured every street.


    A peaceful day in the Slums of the city of Ylaco had transformed into a hellish scene. An azure mass had fallen from the sky, and everything had turned into the embodiment of desperation.


    Khan knew that he was dreaming. That scene had been his reoccurring nightmare for almost eleven years. His family had lost everything after that tragedy, and he had gained a curse that activated whenever his eyes closed. A simple trip to the Slums had turned his life upside-down.


    It was impossible to stop the nightmare. Khan had tried for many years to force those scenes out of his mind but to no avail. They came back every night and continued until the tragedy of the Second Impact reached its apex.


    ''Hurry up and come out,'' Khan thought during his dream. ''Let me wake up already!''


    An azure halo began to pierce the smoke and redness that had taken control of the scene. That light shone on the debris that covered the area and revealed the amount of destruction caused by the attack.


    Scarlet and liquefied metal ran over the charred crater at the center of the street. Remains of an alien spaceship laid on different parts of the area and released grey smoke that carried faint azure shades.


    The azure halo intensified, and a hand became visible on the edge of the crater. A humanoid creature soon came out of the hole and staggered when it tried to stand on the scorching ground.


    The creature was three meters tall. It had a smooth azure skin capable of suppressing the redness of the fire with its intense light. Two long and massive arms hung from its broad shoulders, and two thick legs supported its brawny torso.


    The creature didn''t have a neck nor hair. The base of its head laid on its shoulders. It didn''t even have teeth, and its nose was nothing more than a pair of cavities placed above its mouth.


    The alien''s eyes resembled the humans'', except that the creature had three of them, with the third placed at the center of its forehead. The three organs also radiated azure light, but they were far brighter than its skin.


    Khan had read about that creature in history books. He had also seen a few perfect replicas in museums visited with his family. That creature belonged to the same alien species that had attacked Earth only five hundred years ago. The humans knew them as Nak.


    The Nak''s eyes were the most vivid detail in Khan''s dream. They carried a series of emotions that he could recognize even when his entire world had fallen apart.


    Khan saw anger, desperation, but mostly fear. The immense terror radiated by the Nak''s eyes seeped into his mind and made him feel pity. It didn''t matter how many people had died during the fall of the spaceship. Khan still felt sympathetic toward that creature.


    Warmth suddenly filled Khan''s mind. His eyes moved away from the alien to look at his chest. A large vertical wound ran through his torso, and an azure halo covered the edges of his injury.


    The Nak began to move, attracting Khan''s attention again. The alien stretched its arms forward, and its azure halo began to morph, taking the shape of branches that ravaged the debris of its destroyed spaceship.


    When the Nak noticed that Khan was alive, it turned in his direction and pointed one of its six fingers toward him. The azure halo gathered around its hand, and the nightmare ended.


    Khan was in his bed when he opened his eyes. Sweat covered his skin and ran down his forehead, but he had long since become used to waking up in that state. He had spent almost eleven years in that condition.


    Khan grabbed the towel placed on the bedside table and cleaned himself while standing up to face the mirror in his room. He had developed a few muscles due to his work in the mines, but the azure scar that cut through his entire torso made him feel disgusted about his appearance.


    ''My face is decent at least, and I guess my height is also fine,'' Khan thought while inspecting his hair. ''Thanks, Mum.''


    A few strands of his short black hair featured azure shades, but Khan breathed a sigh of relief when he confirmed that the color didn''t spread any further. His father had sacrificed a lot to suppress the infection, but Khan still feared it could assault his body again.


    ''Tainted once, Tainted forever,'' Khan thought while inspecting his eyes.


    Their azure color made him think about the Nak, but they didn''t radiate the same glow. They were normal human eyes.


    ''I hope these nightmares will end after I join the army,'' Khan sighed.


    Khan''s room was small, and the same went for his whole house. It was hard to gather enough sturdy materials in the Slums, so most citizens settled for tiny habitations.


    After completing his daily check-up, Khan exited his room and went downstairs. The mines were waiting for him. He had to gather as much money as possible before enlisting in the Global Army.


    "Almost eleven years have passed since the Second Impact," The announcer on the holovision said. "Revolts against the Global Army have never stopped since then. Did we really defeat the Nak five hundred years ago? Are they still somewhere in the universe?"


    "Mute," Khan said once he reached the living room, and the holovision went silent.


    The stench of booze filled the room, and Khan quickly grabbed one of the blankets laid on a broken couch before moving toward the dining table.


    A short man with long black hair and dressed in rags was sleeping between his arms. A series of tools that Khan didn''t recognize filled the table, but he didn''t dare to mess with his father''s work.


    Khan limited himself to cover his father''s shoulders with the blanket before picking and wearing a pair of ragged trousers and a pullover that had a few holes in it.


    "I''m off to work," Khan said as he patted his father''s shoulder and moved to leave the house.


    That was his normal routine. His father, Bret, had been in that condition for many years by then. He had once been the head of the scientific department of the Global Army, but his life had fallen apart after the Second Impact.


    Khan''s mother, Elizabeth, had died when the spaceship crashed on the Slums. Bret only had Khan left, so he had invested all his money and expertise to stabilize his condition.


    The Nak''s mana was toxic for the human body. It usually led to death, but it could also generate mutations in rare cases. Only a small number of people managed to survive the infection, and the world labeled them as Tainted.


    Khan couldn''t feel any anger toward his father. He knew how much Bret had sacrificed to keep him alive. They previously lived past the quarters of the Global Army, inside the bustling core of Ylaco. Yet, they had been forced to move in the Slums due to the expenses for his treatment.

 Chapter 2: Mines

    The Slums'' streets were full of people wearing ragged light clothes even if the temperatures weren''t even close to being warm. Countless small houses built with cheap metal and other random materials filled the sides of the small paths that divided that district.


    Khan walked toward the mines and nodded whenever he met a familiar face. It was still early in the morning, but everyone there was doing their best to reach their workplace in time.


    The houses grew scarcer as Khan approached the mines. Some of them even featured charred marks or bullet holes. They still bore the signs of the battle against the Nak that happened almost eleven years ago.


    A few lines forced Khan to stop. Many fellow workers were waiting for their chance to enter the mines and dig a few valuable materials. Khan knew that it would take him thirty minutes to reach his destination, so his eyes began to wander.


    The mines were nothing more than the debris of the battle against the Nak. The Second Impact had caught everyone by surprise, so the Global Army didn''t have special troops ready for the fight.


    The Global Army could only send the soldiers and robots to fight the threat, but common weapons couldn''t defeat a Nak. That alien was the embodiment of mana, and only humans able to wield that energy could kill it.


    A series of soldiers patrolled the area and handled the lines of workers. They even had a three meters tall two-legged robot that pointed its rifles toward anyone who complained or tried to cause a mess.


    "It''s the same as ever," An old man in front of Khan commented when he saw the soldiers running toward a group that had started fighting for a spot in the line. "The Global Army sees the Slums as nothing more than a free workforce. They control most of the food, and they teach the ways of the mana only to those who enlist. Is this even life?"


    "Shut up, old man," A man nearby whispered. "I''m not losing my position in the line because you felt like complaining this morning."


    "We dig their metal in exchange for food," The old man sighed. "We would even clean their garbage if they asked."


    Khan ignored those complaints. The first rule of the Slums was to mind your business. They were a peaceful place on the surface, but the soldiers intervened only in case of a real mess. Also, most of them were on the payroll of some of the mobsters of the district anyway.


    Khan had learnt how to remain indifferent to the evil that filled those streets. Truth be told, he didn''t care about the Slums or the human race in general. He only wanted to make the Nak pay for the last eleven years of nightmares he had to suffer.


    He planned to gather enough money until he became sixteen, which was the minimum age to enlist in the Global Army. Once he got his hands on the mana, he would join the platoons looking for the traces of the Nak and take care of that threat forever.


    The line moved quickly, and Khan ended up entering the mine in little more than twenty minutes. The familiar pile of debris appeared in his view, and one of the soldiers near the entrance promptly handed him a shovel and a bucket.


    "The Global Army isn''t responsible for injuries, infections, and any type of-," The soldier announced, but Khan cut his line short.


    "I know how it works," Khan said. "I have been doing this for three years already."


    The soldier immediately lost interest in Khan and proceeded to focus on the next worker. Khan also stopped caring about the soldier and crossed the narrow entrance that led inside the pile of debris.


    Pieces of metal and ground had fused to create a dense alloy. The entrance was nothing more than a solid tunnel surrounded by frail materials.


    No one knew how the battle against the Nak had ended, but everyone could see how bloody it had been by the size of those mines. The workers in the Slums had dug through that pile of debris for years already. However, they had yet to reach ground zero. They had yet to uncover the crater that opened during the Second Impact.


    Khan had committed the many tunnels to memory. The workers had also drawn many maps throughout the years, and they had affixed them before every new branch.


    A series of artificial lights hung from the ceiling. Most of those tunnels were relatively safe since the workers had dug away all the frail materials, but their stability signaled the absence of precious metals to seize.


    Khan followed his usual path, ignoring all the workers who tried to use their shovels to pierce the dense alloy. He had found a decent digging spot a few months ago, and he couldn''t wait to return there.


    His poor luck ended up having the best of him. Khan found three middle aged men who were doing their best to enlarge the tunnel when he reached his usual digging spot.


    "This is our spot, kid," One of the men said when he noticed Khan.


    "It''s big enough for all of us," Khan replied before ignoring the trio and choosing a wall that seemed on the verge of falling apart.


    "I think you didn''t hear us clearly," A second man added and stopped digging to near Khan with a menacing attitude.


    However, Khan promptly lifted his pullover and revealed the blue scar on his chest. The man stopped at that sight, and even his companions remained speechless.


    "If we go by right," Khan said, "This mine should belong to the few survivors of the Second Impact."


    The men heard Khan, but they remained frozen in place. They didn''t dare to move, and they trembled whenever his azure eyes darted among their faces.


    "Don''t tell me that you believe that crap about the Tainted," Khan sighed while ignoring the trio and starting to work on his wall.


    The men shot a few glances in his direction before resuming their work. Yet, they appeared tense since someone who had survived a meeting with a Nak was right behind them.


    Khan dug for a few hours, inspecting all the debris captured by his shovel. All the small chunks of metal ended up in his bucket, but the wall fell before Khan could fill it.


    Khan and the three men darted backward. Tunnels could crumble whenever the workers affected the overall stability of the mine, and the four workers didn''t want to risk their lives.


    The four of them knew that the soldiers would never bother to retrieve them if the tunnel were to crumble. Still, they eventually halted their retreat when the tremors went silent.


    Khan exchanged a glance with his newfound companions before exploring the crumbled wall. A branch had opened on that spot, and Khan couldn''t wait to explore it.


    "Hurry up," Khan said while snapping his fingers toward the trio. "Hand me the torch."


    The men didn''t feel good having a fifteen years old boy ordering them around, but Khan was willing to explore that uncharted area, so they quickly handed him one of the electrical torches hanging from the ceiling.


    Khan moved silently, making sure that he didn''t move any of the frail materials around him. He had to use his shovel at times, but that tunnel seemed to have a clear path already.


    ''I must have uncovered another solid layer,'' Khan thought while inspecting his surroundings.


    He was ready to bet that the frail materials around him hid the dense alloy. It wouldn''t make sense for a natural tunnel to form after a wall crumbled otherwise.


    The tunnel led Khan into a familiar place. His feet stepped on charred terrain, and a large crater soon unfolded in his vision.


    ''I found it!'' Khan exclaimed in his mind. ''I found the ground zero of the Second Impact!''


    A faint azure glow suddenly attracted his attention. Khan carefully crouched to seize a small pearl hidden among the black ground, and his eyes widened when he recognized that item.


    ''This is a mana core!'' Khan exclaimed again. ''I wonder if it belongs to one of the enhanced soldiers or the Nak.''


    Humans didn''t have the innate ability to handle mana, but the world had found multiple ways to avoid that issue. The most popular approach consisted of the transplant of mana cores to unlock those skills.


    The Global Army granted mana cores to all its soldiers, but they had to indebt themselves to obtain them. Khan could solve that issue now that he had found one of them.


    A squeaking noise suddenly diverted Khan''s attention from the azure pearl in his hand. He quickly moved the torch into the crater and saw a pair of azure eyes staring back at him.


    Those eyes didn''t belong to a Nak, nor another person. A fifty centimeters tall rat covered in azure fur occupied the center of the crater. Drool came out of the creature''s mouth, and a frenzied expression filled its face. The beast appeared hungry beyond reason.


    Khan had learnt a lot about the properties of the Nak''s mana from his father. He knew that it was easy for animals to mutate under its effects. Those creatures'' innate features would go through a complete transformation, but they would also develop intense aggression.


    ''I need to run,'' Khan concluded in less than a second before leaping backward and running through the tunnel.


    The rat quickly chased after Khan, but he was pretty nimble. He could reach the three men from before in a few seconds, and he crossed them without giving any warning about the Tainted animal.

 Chapter 3: Threat

    Khan didn''t feel guilty for his actions. He didn''t believe himself to be a bad guy, but he wasn''t one of the good ones either. He was only one of the many kids that the environment of the Slums had forced to mature too quickly.


    That situation had even been worse for Khan. The inhabitants of the Slums had never fully accepted him since his family came from the wealthy districts of Ylaco.


    The Slums rarely rewarded acts of mercy. The lack of food and work forced everyone to learn how to surpass others to survive. The mines were relatively safe due to the soldiers, but that didn''t apply in its insides.


    Khan ran as fast as he could. His father had taught him a lot about the Tainteds, so he knew exactly how dangerous they could be.


    Any living being touched by the Nak''s mana would mutate. That infection usually led to death when it came to humans, but the animals had a higher chance to survive and develop enhanced abilities.


    Moreover, Tainted creatures could infect other living beings. That risk depended on how unstable their mutation was. Of course, Khan wasn''t a threat for the others since his father had suppressed the Nak''s mana when he was nothing more than a kid.


    Many workers turned toward Khan when they heard his faint footsteps. They couldn''t guess what had happened to him, but some of them joined him in his escape anyway.


    The mines were mostly stable. Many layers of dense alloy ran through the whole structure and limited the number of materials that could fall during a landslide. Still, they had some dangerous spots, and the workers didn''t dare to take risks in those kinds of jobs.


    A scream eventually echoed through the tunnels and scared the few miners who had decided to continue their work. They didn''t even glance in the direction of those cries before standing up and running toward the exit.


    Khan soon found a few dozens of miners running behind him. He had attracted a lot of attention during his escape. Many workers had decided to follow him even before hearing the screams.


    ''The Army will seal the whole mine if they understand what is happening,'' Khan thought. ''I hope they mind their own business.''


    Screams echoed through the tunnels from time to time, but Khan didn''t let his mind wander. He only wanted to return to his father to show him the mana core.


    The group of escaping miners grew as screams filled the mines. Men and women appeared in front of Khan and forced him to slow down since the tunnels were too narrow for all of them.


    The light coming from the entrance soon overwhelmed the artificial illumination of the electric torches. Khan and the others were almost outside of the mines, but a scream turned the whole situation upside-down.


    "Help! A Tainted animal!" A man from the bottom of the tunnel shouted before screams suppressed his voice.


    Khan cursed before trying to make his way through the crowd, but the workers panicked when they understood the nature of the threat.


    The workers started to push each other in a desperate attempt to exit the mines. Khan was young and full of life, but there were many grown-up men in that group, and he inevitably fell behind.


    "Presence of a Tainted animal confirmed," A mechanical voice suddenly resounded through the mines and made the crowd even more ruthless in their attempts to exit the mines. "Sealing the entrances in three, two, one¡­."


    When the countdown reached zero, the light coming from the outside world stopped shining on the tunnels. Khan and many others gathered in the small hall in front of the entrance and begged the soldiers to open the doors, but no one answered.


    Some of the workers even tried to force the doors open, but their shovels couldn''t even leave a dent on that tough metal. The soldiers had preferred to imprison them with the Tainted creature rather than risk spreading the infection.


    "Damned Global Army! They are always the first to run away."


    "They are nothing more than filthy dogs who only care about money."


    "They always send the worst ones here. Did they forget that the Slums are also part of Ylaco?"


    The workers exploded in loud complaints, but Khan limited himself to crouch on a wall near the entrance. His eyes remained fixed on the end of the main tunnel. He felt that a pair of azure eyes would appear around the corner if he stopped looking.


    "Who is the idiot that called for help?"


    "One of those who remained behind."


    "Are we even sure that there is a Tainted animal back there?"


    "I don''t know. I only followed the crowd."


    "Same for me."


    "Run when you see others run. That''s my motto."


    "I actually followed the kid."


    The complaints echoing through the hall ended up startling Khan awake. When he inspected his surroundings, he saw that the other workers had begun to turn toward him.


    "It was a Tainted rat," Khan explained before he could fall prey to their fears. "I saw its azure eyes."


    The workers fell silent after his revelation, but they quickly took a few steps back when they realized that the animal might have infected Khan.


    Khan decided to show his bare chest to the miners when he noticed that some of them were tightening their grasps on their shovels. He feared what that bunch of scared workers could do if they let their panic take control of their actions.


    "I can''t be infected," Khan said while showing his azure scar. "I''m a victim of the Second Impact, and my infection has stabilized ten years ago. I hope you know that you develop immunity afterward."


    That was common knowledge even among the Slums, but Khan wanted to repeat it to calm down the workers. He was actually scared. He couldn''t do anything if those miners decided to see him as a threat.


    ''This is why I need to enlist and get my hands on the damned mana,'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''Being so powerless is sickening. I can''t even defeat my own nightmares!''


    A scream suddenly resounded through the tunnels and diverted the group''s attention. Khan and the other workers moved their gazes to the end of the main branch, but nothing appeared there.


    "You said it was a rat, right?" One of the burly men in the hall asked.


    "Yeah. A really big rat," Khan replied, using his hands to describe the creature''s size.


    "And you also said that you are immune to the infection, right?" The same man asked, and Khan promptly jumped on his feet when he understood the meaning behind those words.


    Khan promptly grabbed one of the shovels near him and wielded it as if it were a mace. Still, his actions didn''t manage to scare away the three workers who had slowly started to walk toward him.


    "I''m not even sixteen!" Khan complained. "Do you really want to throw me into the tunnel? That''s a damned Tainted animal!"


    "You either go by yourself," One of the miners threatened, "Or we throw you ourselves."


    Khan wanted to complain again. He could see from the desperate look on the miners'' eyes that none of them would ever step up to protect him. Those who were nearing him even wore a crazy expression. Words couldn''t help him in that situation.


    His faint hope that the doors of the mine would open crumbled once the three miners reached him. They were all grown-ups, but they were ready to grab him and throw him into the tunnel if he began to struggle.


    "I can walk," Khan sighed before lowering his shovel and stepping toward the tunnel.


    Every worker dodged his gaze. They felt too ashamed to look at him in the eyes, but they didn''t dare to help him either. His flesh would make them gain some time even if Khan couldn''t beat the creature, maybe enough for the soldiers to reopen the mines.


    Khan walked slowly, but the trio who had forced him to move soon started to throw their shovels toward his back. Khan had to move quickly to dodge those tools, and he soon found himself at the entrance of the first branch.


    ''I killed some rats back at home,'' Khan thought before entering the new tunnel and crouching next to the wall. ''How strong can this one be? Maybe it simply grew in size without obtaining any physical enhancement. I don''t even know for how long it has lived inside the crater.''


    Khan didn''t dare to move from that spot. The workers couldn''t see him anymore, and he was safe from their shovels. He had no reason to take another step into the mines.


    Minutes felt like hours. Khan waited in silence, hoping that the soldiers would reopen the mines quickly. A scream resounded from time to time, but no sound filled the mines otherwise.


    Then, Khan instinctively glanced toward the end of the tunnel. He couldn''t describe what he had felt. He only knew that something was off in that spot.


    His intuition turned out to be on point since an azure halo began to illuminate that corner. The Tainted creature was only a tunnel away from him.

 Chapter 4: Shovel

    ''Come on, stupid brain,'' Khan cursed while the azure light intensified. ''You have made me watch the same damned scene for the last ten years. It''s your job to get us out of this situation.''


    The years spent questioning his father about the Nak flashed in his mind. Bret had always stressed how impossible it was to defeat those aliens without mana, but Khan''s opponent was a simple Tainted animal.


    ''Normal weapons should be able to hurt it,'' Khan thought while slowly straightening his position. ''I can only try to gain the initiative since I lack proper weapons.''


    Khan slowly walked toward the end of the tunnel, paying extra attention to the noises his movements released in the area. He even tried to make his steps match the crawling sounds coming from behind the corner.


    Once Khan reached the corner, he lifted his shovel above his head and prepared. His makeshift weapon was ready to descend as soon as the azure hair entered his vision.


    The azure light coming from the other branch intensified. Khan felt almost able to sense the Tainted animal crawling toward the corner, but he didn''t let his mind play tricks on him.


    His Tainted status didn''t give him any additional ability. Khan was a normal human who had developed an immunity to the dangerous properties of the Nak''s mana.


    A faint tremor ran through his spine, and a chunk of azure hair peeked out of the corner. Khan promptly stepped forward and rotated his body while slamming the shovel on the ground.


    The shovel didn''t land on the tough alloy. No clanging noise resounded through the tunnel. A screech reached Khan''s ears before his eyes could focus on the scene, and his instincts prompted him to slam his weapon again.


    Khan raised the shovel and slammed it multiple times. He used all the strength that his body could muster in the attacks, and bright red blood began to flow on the ground.


    A tinge of excitement filled Khan''s mind. He was doing it. He was killing the Tainted animal!


    His excitement fell apart when he slammed the shovel and saw its wooden shaft breaking in half. Only a small piece of metal and wood remained in his hands, and a curse inevitably escaped his mouth.


    Khan could focus on his opponent now that the frenzy of the assault had ended. His relentless offensive had torn the rat''s head into pieces. He could even see its skull among that gruesome mess.


    ''Did I kill it?'' Khan wondered, but the answer to his question arrived one instant later.


    The rat suddenly raised its maimed head and pointed its azure eyes at Khan. The creature leapt toward him before he could even begin to retreat.


    The beast headbutted Khan''s chest and flung him away. He slammed on the wall behind him, but he managed to protect his head with his free arm.


    The rat didn''t stop attacking. It jumped as soon as it touched the ground and pushed Khan back on the wall again. However, it remained attached to his chest at that time. Its claws had pierced his skin, and its teeth were digging a hole in his shoulder.


    Pain assaulted Khan''s mind and made him unable to think properly. He fell to the ground and tried to push the creature away from his chest, but his efforts only enlarged his injuries.


    The Tainted rat had no intention to move. It would release its grasp only when Khan''s heart stopped.


    ''Dammit! I can''t die here!'' Khan shouted in his mind, but only screams came out of his mouth. ''I promised to myself that I would hunt down the Nak! How can I even die against a mere consequence of their power?''


    Khan steeled his mind and suppressed the pain that he felt. He gritted his teeth as his free hand grabbed the creature''s head and kept it still. Meanwhile, the hand wielding the broken shovel started slamming its pointy side on the exposed skull.


    An intense struggle unfolded. Khan fought against time. He had to kill the rat before its teeth and claws dug too deep into his body.


    The first impact between the skull and the shovel amounted to nothing. The second broke the sharp wooden tip and made Khan decide to use the metal handle. The third opened a crack on that white bone.


    When the shovel landed on the rat''s skull for the fourth time, the bone broke, and the creature began to shake. Convulsions filled its body before it stopped moving altogether.


    Khan quickly moved that corpse away from his chest. He was having a hard time breathing, and a pool of blood had gathered on his chest. The injury on his left shoulder was even worse off. Khan felt on the verge of fainting.


    ''I can''t close my eyes!'' Khan shouted in his mind in a desperate attempt to keep himself awake.


    His struggles didn''t even manage to delay the inevitable. His vision slowly darkened. Khan was about to lose consciousness, but his fear of ending up in the usual nightmare kept him awake long enough to find the pearl hidden in his pocket.


    ''This should contain mana, right?'' Khan thought as he raised the pearl above his head and quoted his father. ''Mana cores allow humans to take the next evolutionary step. They grant us the chance to control the mana in ways that even the Nak can''t imagine. In theory, our peak stands far above that alien species.''


    ''Do something then!'' Khan cursed in his mind, but the mana core didn''t react to his desires.


    Khan could almost sense that the pearl contained a mysterious form of energy, but he didn''t know how to control it. He wasn''t even sure that his sensations were real in that situation.


    ''Some magic items require blood to bind them,'' Khan suddenly recalled a line from his father and placed the pearl in the blood accumulated on his chest.


    The mana core finally reacted to his presence, but it didn''t do much. Its azure halo slightly intensified and shone on Khan, bringing him some warmth.


    ''That''s it?'' Khan complained in mind. ''The core item for next evolutionary step of the human species does less than an electric torch? No wonder we survived the First Impact!''


    Khan began to sense that something was off while in the middle of his frustration. He should have fainted long ago, but his mind was slowly regaining some clarity.


    His free hand wiped some of the blood and uncovered the injuries on his chest. The deep cuts dug by the rat''s claws were closing on their own. Khan could watch his skin healing right in front of his eyes.


    The same applied to the hole on his shoulder. His condition was improving quickly under the azure halo radiated by the mana core. Some liveness even returned in his limbs once all the wounds closed.


    ''Maybe you aren''t as useless as I initially thought,'' Khan sighed happily before glancing at the mana core one last time and putting it back into his pocket.


    Khan slowly stood up. A sense of weakness still filled his body, but he didn''t want to remain in that place anymore. He wanted to see his father and question him about today''s events. He couldn''t let himself be unprepared again.


    ''I guess I will take this with me,'' Khan thought while glancing at the Tainted rat''s corpse. ''The soldiers would never believe me if I don''t show them any proof. They might even reopen the mines immediately.''


    ****


    Author''s notes: I have yet to create a schedule for the novel. I guess I can publish around this hour for the time being. I''ll come up with something precise soon.

 Chapter 5: Mess

    Khan walked back to the entrance of the mines, carrying the corpse of the Tainted rat on his shoulder. He even continued to wield his broken shovel. He didn''t want to separate himself from his weapon so soon.


    The miners screamed in panic when they saw his figure. The sight of the giant rat made them cling to the walls and punch the metal doors. They even resumed begging the soldiers to let them go.


    "Shut up!" Khan shouted while lifting the rat from its tail. "It''s dead. I killed it."


    "Move that thing away from me!"


    "He will infect all of us!"


    "Forgive us! We were only afraid!"


    Khan didn''t obtain the reaction that he desired. He didn''t want cheers from those people, but they didn''t remain silent either.


    "Can you all shut up so I can talk with the soldiers?" Khan asked, but the miners continued to complain.


    Their fear for the Tainted creature made their minds go crazy. They didn''t want to risk being infected, but they had nowhere to run.


    ''The risk of getting infected by a dead Tainted animal is almost nonexistent,'' Khan sighed in his mind. ''They would need to eat its raw meat to find some leftovers of the Nak''s mana.''


    "Shut the hell up, or I throw this animal among you!" Khan shouted again while waving the dead rat through the room.


    His actions finally managed to create some silence. Khan used that chance to reach the entrance and slam his hands on the tough metal door.


    "We can''t open the doors until we secure the area," The soldier on the other side replied in an annoyed tone.


    "I killed the Tainted rat," Khan promptly exclaimed. "It''s here with me. You can peek if you want."


    "Nice try," The soldier replied. "Wait until the enhanced troops arrive. You can show that beast to them."


    ''Damned Global Army,'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''We are in the Slums. The enhanced troops will need an entire day to receive the news of this situation.''


    The Global Army kept its best soldiers near the center of the city. It never deployed specialized troops in the Slums unless a tragedy happened. A simple Tainted animal wasn''t enough to make Khan''s situation a priority.


    ''Though, I would like to see enhanced soldiers in action,'' Khan wondered. ''Dad rarely uses his power in the Slums, so I could never understand what''s the difference between them and normal human beings.''


    Khan heaved a helpless sigh before sitting behind the entrance. The Global Army would probably force him to wait a couple of days inside the mines, so he had to save as much energy as possible.


    The miners didn''t have any food with them, but that wasn''t a problem. The citizens of the Slums could easily go a day or two without eating. The water was a problem, but Khan could use his dead friend to take a few bottles from the workers.


    ''I feel so tired already!'' Khan cursed again before relaxing a bit. ''I guess I should feel lucky that I found a mana core inside the crater. Well, everyone here is lucky that I''m the one who found it.''


    Killing a Tainted rat had been hard enough. Khan didn''t dare to imagine if the mana core were to infect one of the workers. Nak''s mana was usually toxic for humans, but it was enough for one of them to survive and fall prey to the mutations to cause a mess inside the mines.


    ''I need to be more careful from now on,'' Khan thought while closing his eyes to take a nap. ''I can''t allow myself to die so soon. My last ten years of nightmares would have been pointless otherwise.''


    As Khan''s consciousness slipped away, the images of the Second Impact reappeared in his mind. He dreamt about that tragic day again. His nightmare didn''t spare him even in his naps.


    Still, a familiar voice woke Khan up from his nightmare. He suddenly realized that someone was arguing with the soldiers on the other side of the doors. The metal didn''t make him fail to recognize his father''s voice.


    "Open this door immediately, you dumb soldier," Bret shouted. "My kid has already survived an infection. You have no reason to keep him here."


    "The regulations in the eventuality of a leak of Nak''s mana are clear," The soldier replied. "No one gets out until the enhanced troops complete a thorough inspection."


    "I know what the damned regulations say," Bret complained. "I wrote them! There is my signature on those papers! They clearly state that humans capable of resisting the infection can go home."


    "Sure, and I''m Princess Edna''s fianc¨¦e," The soldier mocked. "Go away before I force you to leave."


    Khan had straightened his position during that conversation. His family had to throw away its last name after moving into the Slums. Bret couldn''t even use it to reveal his true identity.


    "Dad!" Khan shouted to interrupt that discussion. "It''s fine. I killed the Tainted rat. We are safe."


    A moment of silence followed his words. Both the solider and Bret didn''t know what to reply to that line.


    "Son, is that you?" Bret asked.


    "Yeah, in the flesh," Khan quickly replied.


    "How did you even kill a Tainted animal?" Bret questioned him.


    "I slammed my shovel on its head really hard," Khan explained briefly. "I repeated the process until it stopped moving."


    Bret knew his son better than anyone else in the world. The Slums had been tough on Khan, and his past as Ylaco''s citizen had always prevented him from establishing friendships with other kids.


    Khan also knew how dangerous Tainted animals were. He wouldn''t decide to fight one of them unless he had no other choice.


    Yet, Khan was a kid among grown-up men and women, and Bret found it strange that his son had been in a situation when he could kill the beast.


    "How did you end up fighting the Tainted animal?" Bret asked in a cold voice.


    Khan recognized that tone, and he glanced at the miners behind him. They all wore scared expressions, but they couldn''t imagine what was about to happen. They had never seen how scary his father could be.


    "I found it," Khan lied, but his father could sense from his tone that he was hiding the truth.


    "I will open the doors now," Bret continued in his cold voice. "Move away from the entrance."


    Khan quickly stepped back while a series of complaints from the soldiers reached his ears. However, choking noises soon seeped through the doors, and a loud bang eventually resounded through the whole mine.


    The miners couldn''t understand what had happened. The doors had caved in. It seemed that a massive hammer had slammed on their surface and had bent their metal.


    A second bang echoed through the mines, and the doors bent further. The screams of the soldiers accompanied that sound, and Khan could only make out the word "warrior" among that noise.


    When the third bang rang through the mines, the metal doors opened, and the stench of booze filled the mines. The miners could see a short man with long black hair standing in front of the entrance and moving his black eyes among the group.


    "Dad, the soldiers will raid our house again now," Khan complained while scratching his head.


    Bret had been the head of the scientific division of the Global Army. He knew how to use the mana, and he had also caused a few problems due to his power.


    "Who cares," Bret shouted. "We only have empty bottles anyway. Let them-!"


    Bret interrupted his line when he noticed the blood on Khan''s torn pullover. He quickly inspected his chest and shoulder, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that his son was in perfect shape.


    "I told you that I''m fine," Khan said while pointing at his pocket with his eyes.


    Bret understood that secret gesture and looked at his pocket. Khan drew the mana core enough to let his father see what it was before putting it back.


    "You are fine indeed," Bret replied while arching his eyebrows. "We should go home immediately. We need to clean before the soldiers come."


    Khan performed a slight nod before following his father outside of the mines. A soldier was lying on the ground near the entrance. He wanted to complain when he saw the duo leaving, but Bret grabbed the rat and threw it toward him.


    The soldier started to scream, and all the other members of the army began to panic. Khan and Bret could easily leave the area while that mess unfolded.


    "Couldn''t we gain something from the Tainted animal?" Khan asked once the duo left the crowded areas. "I thought you were out of booze."


    "A true drunkard is always out of booze," Bret replied while exploding in a loud laugh. "On a serious note, you have been lucky enough to find a pure Nak''s mana core, and I bet you can''t wait to test it out. I don''t think alcohol can make my hands tremble, but I don''t want to risk anything when performing the transplant on my kid."

 Chapter 6: Soldier

    "Tell me what you know about mana cores," Bret asked while tinkering with the azure pearl retrieved in the mines.


    Bret and Khan had returned home after the events with the Tainted rat. They were both getting ready for the transplant, and Bret took that chance to instruct his son about mana.


    "Humans gain access to mana once they obtain a mana core," Khan explained. "They gain the ability to manipulate that mystical energy to enhance physical prowess and create magic."


    "Very basic and not entirely right," Bret sighed. "I guess this is my fault. I didn''t expect you to grow up so quickly. I should have taught you more long ago."


    Bret stopped studying the mana core and raised it toward the artificial light in the room. The pearl shone brighter under that glow, and an azure halo soon covered both him and Khan.


    "This is a mana core that has once belonged to a Nak," Bret explained. "Those aliens are literally filled with mana. They are the closest existence to that form of energy. They are so in tune with that power that this organ has become obsolete for them.


    "Instead, humans need it to activate their connection to the mana that fills the universe. We are an inferior species in terms of evolution, but our foundation is sturdier. Some extraordinary commanders have grown past the Nak and reached levels that those aliens have never touched."


    Khan nodded as excitement built in his mind. He had watched many shows and documentaries that explained those things, but everything felt more real when his father described it.


    "You won''t immediately gain access to mana once the transplant ends," Bret continued. "Humans need training, and body and mind have different methods. You know I can''t say much due to the restrictions of the Global Army, so trust me for now."


    Khan nodded again. His father knew so much that the Global Army had used magic items to apply limits to his knowledge. Bret still recalled everything, but he couldn''t share certain secret topics with the world.


    Bret heaved a helpless sigh when he saw his son''s excitement, but he forced himself to continue the explanation. "The Global Army uses synthetic cores of different quality depending on your talent, rank, and so on. This mana core has lost a lot of power in the last ten years, but it''s virtually intact. You will basically gain the best core on the market."


    Khan could barely contain himself. He only wanted his father to start the surgery, but he respected his desire to explain the subject properly. After all, Bret had often stressed that power was useless without knowledge, especially for humans.


    "You said that you could sense the Tainted rat, right?" Bret asked at some point.


    Khan didn''t hide anything from his father. He had even told him about the faint sensations felt during his hunt for the rat.


    "I don''t know how to describe it," Khan said. "It felt like a tremor inside my bones."


    Bret sighed at those words. "It''s possible that you have developed a sensitivity toward mana after the Second Impact. I did my best to suppress every mutation, but you had been in that state for an entire hour before reaching my lab."


    "Isn''t this mutation a good thing?" Khan asked.


    "They never are," Bret explained. "You would have naturally developed this ability with your training. Well, no point recalling those awful days. I guess you will have a few advantages during your first years in the army."


    An azure halo suddenly came out of Bret''s fingers and enveloped the pearl. The mana core absorbed that energy, and the process captivated Khan.


    "Mana gains an element once it enters your body," Bret continued to explain. "This is an innate feature, but don''t worry. Every element is strong. How you use it makes all the difference in a battle."


    "What element are you?" Khan happily asked.


    "Metal, but I''ve never been too good at magic," Bret replied. "I completed the first level of the warrior training, but the lab was my path. I have never liked fighting."


    ''Those soldiers would say something very different,'' Khan thought before focusing on his father again.


    "I can''t understand your element without the proper tools," Bret explained. "I''m sorry, but you''ll have to wait until you reach the army for that."


    "That''s fine," Khan replied. "What''s the difference between a warrior and a mage?"


    Khan was too interested in that knowledge to care about minor delays. Moreover, he couldn''t wait to learn true magic. Having enhanced physical strength was cool, but nothing could compare to the ability to launch a fireball or similar skills.


    "The training and the abilities," Bret said while scratching his chin covered with an unkempt beard. "Ideally, you should train both body and mind, but you''ll understand that eventually. Turn now. The core is ready."


    Khan quickly followed his father''s directives and turned. Bret kept his neck still and placed the pearl on his nape. Then, a scorching sensation reached Khan''s mind and almost made him faint.


    "Endure it, my son," Bret sighed while using his insane strength to keep Khan still. "You aren''t really burning. What you are feeling is the mana core flowing into your cerebrospinal fluid. Everything will be over soon."


    Khan screamed in pain and punched the air. Bret had smartly placed him on a chair in the middle of the room, so he couldn''t break anything during his struggles.


    Khan couldn''t even hope to escape Bret''s grasp. His father had superhuman strength, something that Khan couldn''t oppose.


    "Almost done!" Bret said, and the scorching sensation that was filling Khan''s mind slowly faded.


    Khan began to calm down. Sweat had covered his body, but he ignored it and touched his nape as soon as Bret retracted his hand.


    There was nothing unusual there. Khan only touched his nape. He couldn''t even find a burn or a piece of missing hair.


    "I''m still good after all these years," Bret exclaimed. "Those butchers in the army would have forced you to remain in bed for an entire week after the transplant. It must feel good to have a genius like me as your father."


    "Do I need to ask you about tonight''s food to make you stop bragging?" Khan asked, and Bret fell silent.


    Khan handled the money and the food in the house. Bret had superior resistance to hunger and similar needs due to his enhancements, but he would have died anyway if his son didn''t take care of his needs.


    "I don''t feel any different," Khan said after testing a few things.


    His thoughts didn''t move items. His eyes didn''t suddenly gain the ability to see the currents of mana in the environment. He didn''t even feel stronger than before.


    "The mana core is only the trigger," Bret explained. "I told you that you need training."


    Bret saw the disappointment in his son''s expression, and determination filled his face. He decided that he would sacrifice himself a bit to make Khan happy.


    "Close your eyes," Bret eventually said, and Khan followed his instruction. "Focus your attention on your nape. Imagine azure energy flowing toward your brain and the rest of your body. Visualize it with your imagination, and remain on that scene until you sense the same tremor you felt inside the mines."


    Khan completed the exercise in an instant. When he focused on his neck, a tremor ran down his spine and gave him a vague idea of the foreign energy that now flowed through his body.


    Khan turned to tell the joyous news, but he saw Bret crouching on the floor and coughing blood. Worry filled his mind, but his father reassured him immediately.


    "Don''t worry," Bret explained. "I broke a small oath by teaching you this visualization technique. I can endure it with my power. You should focus on visualizing the mana inside your body now. The next step consists in moving it according to your desires."


    Bret coughed blood again after sharing that information, and Khan begged him to stop. However, a series of loud knocks suddenly resounded from the entrance and diverted their attention.


    "I am Mark Highroot, first level warrior of the Global Army," The soldier on the other side of the door shouted. "Please, open the door, or I''ll take it down."

 Chapter 7: Jail

    "How do we handle him?" Khan asked while helping his father to stand up.


    "Like we handled the other soldiers sent by the Global Army," Bret said while cleaning the blood on the corners of his mouth with his sleeve. "Pretend to know nothing. They won''t mind you anyway."


    Khan placed Bret on a chair before throwing a dirty towel on the dark-red spot on the floor and walking toward the entrance. When he opened the door, he saw a tall young-looking man who had short golden hair and a pair of piercing brown eyes.


    Mark was quite good-looking, but his cold expression ruined his natural beauty. He didn''t show any emotion even when Khan''s youthful face appeared in his vision.


    The soldier wore a dark-blue military uniform that featured a single white star on his right arm. Khan knew the meaning behind that symbol. It confirmed Mark''s identity as a first-level warrior.


    "What''s the reason for your visit?" Khan asked while feigning ignorance.


    "I''d rather talk about this inside," Mark replied, and Khan quickly moved aside.


    Mark didn''t hide his disgust when he inspected Khan''s home. The floor was dirty, spots filled the various tiles of metal that made the walls, and a mess of clothes covered the chairs and couch.


    "Forgive me for not performing the proper salute," Bret said while struggling to turn toward his guest. "I''m not part of the Global Army anymore. I have no right to act as your equal."


    Bret''s polite words eased Mark''s expression. The soldier didn''t like to be in the Slums, but Bret''s behavior made him believe that his mission would be over soon.


    "I''ll get right to the point," Mark announced while taking a notebook from a pocket on his chest. "The Global Army accuses you of unauthorized use of your powers and attempted biological attack. Do you have anything to say on the matter?"


    Khan had already reached his father and was waiting behind him. The two of them had gone through similar situations a few times, so their act didn''t have any flaw.


    Bret wore a tired expression that became full of love whenever he glanced at his son. Instead, Khan revealed pure shame. Tears had even accumulated in his eyes and were ready to fall.


    "I am guilty of being a horrible father!" Bret exclaimed. "I spend my days drinking while my son works in the mines. Today I had decided to stop drowning my sorrow and act like a real man, but the news of the Tainted animal caught me by surprise. I''m sure you can understand how I must have felt when I discovered that the soldiers had locked my son with that monster."


    Bret''s voice rose whenever he said "son" to improve his performance. On the other hand, Khan lowered his head and sobbed at that signal.


    The duo''s act was perfect. They had managed to send back many soldiers with it. However, Mark appeared unaffected by that scene.


    "What about the attempted biological attack?" Mark asked since Bret didn''t address that matter.


    "I don''t understand the question," Bret replied.


    "You have thrown the corpse of a Tainted animal on a fainted soldier," Mark read on his notebook. "You have threatened the safety of the entire Slums with your actions."


    Bret''s expression froze, and Khan pulled his hair to bring him back into the act. Khan could see that his father was about to explode. The thing Bret hated the most was having to deal with incompetents.


    "A dead Tainted animal threatening the safety of the Slums?" Bret asked before standing up.


    Khan took a step back and shook his head. It was too late. His father had reverted to the head of the scientific division.


    "Do you know what''s the chance of getting infected by a dead Tainted animal?" Bret asked while nearing Mark. "Less than one in a million, and that only if you actually eat the damned thing!"


    "How can you possibly know this?" Mark questioned him while breaking his cold expression.


    Truth be told, Mark was only a low-level soldier. His position in the army was even lower, which was why his higher-ups had sent him to the Slums.


    His knowledge wasn''t great. Mark only followed orders, hoping that his efforts would eventually lead to a promotion.


    "Didn''t they tell you who I am?" Bret asked. "I swear, the new generations of soldiers have become a bunch of idiots powered by synthetic mana. Did you at least study at the Global Army? Don''t tell me that you are another rich boy who wanted superpowers."


    Mark didn''t know what to say. Everything Bret had said was the truth. He had failed most of the courses in the Global Army and succeeded in the first level of the warrior training only thanks to infusions of mana.


    "Dad, stop," Khan pleaded. "They will put you in jail again if you continue."


    "Who cares!" Bret shouted. "I only left the Global Army for ten years. Ten damned years! Look at these new soldiers. They don''t even know how mana works. How can they protect humankind from the next invasion?"


    Khan gave up in trying to calm down his father. Bret was a driven man who had lost his job only to save his son. He would have retained his position and lived happily otherwise.


    "It''s clear that you don''t know your place!" Mark suddenly exclaimed. "You don''t understand the gravity of your actions, but maybe a bit of jail time can fix the situation. Turn and let me handcuff you. I will drag you behind bars personally!"


    Bret snorted but followed Mark''s orders. Still, he didn''t fail to impart a few lessons to his son when he turned.


    "The enlistment period this year ends in two months, but you will become sixteen in one," Bret said. "Focus on the technique I taught you today during this period, and try to enlist only when you became able to move the mana. That should give you a head-start."


    Bret coughed blood while speaking. It seemed that even that information was something that he couldn''t share with people outside of the Global Army.


    "Don''t turn like this idiot," Bret said while Mark began to drag him away. "Study a lot and keep a balance between body and mind. Don''t focus only on one of them because it''s easier or looks cooler."


    Bret said his goodbyes when he was about to leave the house. "I will come to visit you as soon as I can. Don''t do anything stupid. Don''t trust anyone. Don''t jump into battles unless you feel completely in control of your abilities. In short, don''t you dare to die before me!"


    Khan heaved a helpless sigh when his father and Mark disappeared from his view, but Bret''s voice suddenly resounded one last time. "And buy condoms, even if they are expensive!"


    The last line left Khan speechless. Even if he had previously lived in Ylaco, he was a citizen of the Slums now. No girl would approach him so easily.


    Khan eventually closed the door and inspected the house. He had stashed some food to prepare for similar situations. He could always go back to the mines, but that didn''t seem proper since his birthday was coming.


    ''I can enlist once I''m sixteen,'' Khan thought while picking one of the good pillows from the couch. ''The food hidden in the house can last for six weeks. I should stop working right away and focus on the visualization technique until I can join the Global Army.''

 Chapter 8: Training

    After the First Impact, the entire humanity had forsaken their political borders and had joined hands to create a united front against alien threats.


    The wealthiest people on the planet had initially maintained their influence. Still, the enhancements brought by the mana had slowly moved the power over the human race in the hands of men and women who managed to overcome the limits of their species.


    The Global Army slowly came to be after those powerful humans created an alliance and seized the monopoly over everything related to the mana. That organization not only provided the chance to obtain power. It also developed new technologies and techniques that used that energy as their foundation.


    Khan only had a general understanding of the Global Army. The restraints placed on his father had never allowed him to spread its secrets. Khan''s knowledge mostly came from what the news said and from his few memories of the wealthy districts of Ylaco.


    ''I have so many doubts that Dad has never managed to clear,'' Khan thought as he sat on a few pillows placed on the floor.


    The Global Army''s enlistment period happened once a year, but it lasted for a few months. Khan only had a few weeks left to reach the nearest training camp, but he wasn''t in a hurry.


    Khan treasured his father''s words. Bret was the smartest man he knew. Ignoring his teachings and warnings would only place Khan at the same level as the stupid soldiers.


    Moreover, Khan had seen how threatening the Nak were. The Second Impact had shown him that those aliens could survive the crash of a spaceship and still have enough strength to fight entire platoons.


    Khan didn''t want to become a common foot soldier. He had suffered too much to remain cornered in the outskirts of Ylaco, handling people who didn''t even know how mana worked.


    His reoccurring nightmares had made him unable to forget what he had lost during the Second Impact. The Nak had become his curse, and Khan could only think of one way to get rid of it.


    ''I need to hunt to the Nak and get rid of that damned species!'' Khan shouted in his mind to reaffirm his determination.


    Khan didn''t really hate the Nak. They were natural enemies of the human race, but he didn''t feel blinding anger controlling his thoughts. He only wanted to experience dreamless nights and grant a better life to his father.


    The Nak probably were in the way, so Khan had to fight them. He would think about what he really desired after he managed to get rid of the nightmares.


    ''Visualize the mana,'' Khan said in his mind while focusing on his nape.


    His birthday was still a few weeks away, so Khan decided to use that time to improve in the visualization technique. He would then try to move the mana once he mastered the first process.


    A faint tremor ran through Khan''s spine when he focused on his nape. He could sense that foreign energy had accumulated on that spot, but he had yet to see it clearly.


    As Khan maintained his attention, the mana became clearer. He slowly began to see the azure energy stored in his nape flowing toward his brain.


    The effort made Khan sweat. He didn''t know why that simple visualization technique was so tiring, but he would have to suppress his doubts until the enlistment.


    ''How can I feel so sleepy already?'' Khan complained when he reopened his eyes. ''I''m also hungry. Maybe trying to visualize the mana is making me burn more energy than usual.''


    Khan went to open one of the cans in his stash. That was the only type of food available in the Slums unless you were willing to eat the roasted rats in the street stalls.


    His eyes casually fell on the watch near the holovision when he bent to pick a can from his secret drawer. Shock filled his mind when he noticed that he had spent three whole hours deep into the visualization technique.


    ''How is this possible?'' Khan wondered while turning the holovision on and checking whether the watch was wrong.


    The watch on the holovision reported the same time. The visualization technique had only lasted for a few minutes in Khan''s mind, but he had actually spent entire hours meditating.


    ''My perception is completely off!'' Khan exclaimed. ''I should be careful from now on. I know how I am. I might end up spending entire days meditating if I don''t keep track of the passage of time.''


    The reoccurring nightmares had made Khan''s mind quite resilient. He didn''t fear pain, and he didn''t mind exhausting himself as long as he had a purpose. His determination had already surpassed what ordinary fifteen years old kids could have.


    The discovery forced Khan to change his approach. He continued to use the visualization technique, but he set alarms before entering that meditative state.


    Days passed quickly. Khan never left his home. His routine slowly adapted to his training, and he even added a few physical exercises to respect his father''s directives.


    At the end of the first week of training, Khan could visualize the mana in his nape after mere minutes spent meditating. After the second week, Khan could trigger the tremor even without closing his eyes.


    ''I guess I should try to move it now,'' Khan thought once he found himself unable to improve his performance in the visualization technique.


    Khan closed his eyes and focused on the azure energy accumulated in his nape, but doubts soon appeared in his mind. He had no idea how to force the mana to move.


    ''Maybe my thoughts are enough,'' Khan concluded while focusing even harder on that energy.


    Nothing happened, no matter how hard Khan pushed himself. The mana flowed normally toward his mind and body, but he had no power over that energy.


    ''Small steps first,'' Khan thought. ''The mana already moves on its own. I should try to slow down and accelerate its flow before attempting to move it.''


    His new approach didn''t immediately give results, but Khan didn''t give up. He continued to go through long mediations to learn how to overcome that challenge.


    ''Come on!'' Khan cursed after hearing his alarm ringing. ''I will turn sixteen in four days. Give me superpowers already!''


    Khan ignored the alarm and continued to focus on the mana. A sudden tremor ran through his spine, and the energy finally began to flow faster toward the rest of his body.


    A strange sensation filled Khan''s body. A tingling feeling spread through his skin and forced him out of his meditative state.


    Khan didn''t know what had happened. The mana had triggered a reaction in his body after it began to flow faster, but it was unclear whether that was a good or a bad thing.


    ''Well, it moved at least,'' Khan accepted that outcome before ending his training and filling his stomach.


    Khan would have normally wanted to maintain a healthy routine. Yet, he didn''t have to work in those days, and his nightmares made him unwilling to hit the bed.


    The new achievement worsened that situation and made Khan dive even deeper into his training. He slept only two nights in the four days before his birthday. He spent the whole time alternating between meditations and physical training.


    Once his birthday arrived, Khan ate more than usual and began the preparations for his departure. He had an almost intact bag, so he stuffed it with clothes and food cans before sealing the entrance of his home as best as possible.


    Stealing someone else''s house in the Slums was common, but Khan''s father was rather feared. Still, Khan didn''t dare to risk leaving his home open to thieves while Bret was in jail.


    ''It''s finally time to leave,'' Khan thought while glancing at his poor-looking home.


    Khan felt slightly sad that he couldn''t say a proper goodbye to his father, but their relationship went past those things. They would eventually see each other again.


    ''I know in which direction the training camp is,'' Khan thought while inspecting his mental map of the Slums. ''I have a bit less than a month to reach it. I wonder if the soldiers can give me a ride.''

 Chapter 9: Truck

    "Come on," Khan pleaded. "You send trucks to the nearest training camp every day. I only need a ride. I swear I''ll shrink and be silent."


    Khan had followed his initial plan to ask the soldiers in the Slums a favor. He had reached the nearest station and found people willing to listen to him, but his pleads were leading him nowhere.


    "We can''t give rides to civilians," The soldier replied. "You can walk or pay someone who owns a car."


    "We are in the Slums!" Khan complained. "People barely have food here. Come on. I''m like one hundred and seventy centimeters. I can fit on your lap if I make myself really small."


    The soldier shot an angry glance toward Khan, and the latter felt forced to add something to his previous statement.


    "Of course, I''d rather not do it," Khan added while lowering his head and wearing his saddest expression.


    "Don''t try to appeal to my mercy," The soldier replied coldly. "You should go now. You might even reach the training camp in time for the enlistment period if you run for twenty days in a row."


    The soldier exploded into a laugh, and his colleagues did the same. They had all stopped working when they noticed that interesting conversation, and they didn''t miss the opportunity to mock Khan.


    "I didn''t want to use this," Khan sighed while a determined expression appeared on his face.


    Khan lowered his bag and pulled a can out of it. He lifted it on the soldier''s face and made sure that he could read its label.


    "This is spicy chicken, my most valuable asset," Khan announced while pulling back the can and holding it between his arms. "I''m willing to give it to you in exchange for the ride."


    The soldier watched Khan hugging the can with utmost care. The kid almost appeared to have feelings for that food.


    "You should go home now," The soldier sighed while massaging his temples.


    "Fine then," Khan said while pulling something else from his bag. "I''m willing to offer you two food cans! The second one is spicy soup."


    The soldier didn''t know how to answer. He almost felt pity for the kid, but he had no intention to accept the trade.


    Khan could see that his bargain wasn''t going well, but he didn''t give up. He bent to pick a third food can from his backpack, but a tremor suddenly ran down his spine, and his hand shot behind him.


    A second soldier, a tall, brawny bald man, had tried to grab Khan''s shoulder. Still, Khan had sensed him, and his hand had promptly shot toward him.


    Khan slowly turned his head. He had trapped the soldier''s wrist in his grasp, and the big man didn''t manage to free himself.


    A surprised expression appeared on the three of them. The soldiers and Khan didn''t expect that show of physical might.


    ''When did I become so strong?'' Khan wondered, but he suppressed that question for the time being.


    That sudden burst of power had given Khan the chance to use a different act. He had enough experience in that field to change his character according to the situation.


    "You know," Khan said in a cold voice without letting the soldier go. "I''m the son of a first-level warrior, the same man who barged into the mines only a month ago."


    "That man is still in jail," The first soldier replied. "Let go of my companion immediately before I put you in the cell next to him."


    "Do you think the jails in the Slums can contain a first-level warrior?" Khan threatened. "He has also been the head of the scientific division of the Global Army. Do you really want to displease such a man?"


    Both soldiers started to show hints of concern. Even the other men and women in the station began to ignore the conversation for fear of eventual repercussions.


    "Imagine what this man would do when he learns that his only son has lost his chance to enlist because of you," Khan continued. "I wonder how long it will take to rebuild this place."


    The soldiers completely fell for Khan''s act. His words alone weren''t a problem, but they had both read the reports about the incident in the mines. Also, Khan appeared quite threatening in that situation.


    Khan was keeping a soldier almost twice his size locked in his grasp. Both men could only use the mana to explain his unnatural strength, which made them even more worried.


    "The next truck will depart tonight," The first soldier sighed, giving up on the matter. "You will have to sit among the provisions. Mind you. We will cut your hands if you steal anything."


    Khan quickly dropped his cold expression and revealed a smile. He also let go of the soldier behind him who didn''t know whether to punish the kid or run away.


    "You lost your chance to get two food cans," Khan said while glancing at the hesitant soldier behind him. "I was even willing to add another one!"


    The first soldier shook his head and led Khan into a waiting area, where he immediately opened one of his cans and started eating. The man didn''t want to start another discussion, so he ignored the kid and went back to work.


    ''I guess I should maximize my training time,'' Khan thought while glancing at the soldiers in the station. ''I can''t trust them, but the previous act should have scared them enough to warn me once the truck is ready.''


    Khan inspected his hands. The strength from before had left him speechless. He knew that the workout in the last month and his job in the mines weren''t enough to give him that power.


    ''The mana did something,'' Khan quickly concluded in his mind. ''The visualization technique shouldn''t have anything to do with this strength. It can only be the mana core, the forceful acceleration of its flow, or both of them.''


    Khan realized how little he knew about the mana and how dangerous that energy was. He had trained for little more than a month, but he could already see significant improvements.


    ''Is it like this for everyone?'' Khan wondered. ''I might be talented or something. These fast improvements might even come from the quality of the mana core.''


    Khan eventually decided to suppress his questions and resume his training. It was pointless to waste those precious hours over doubts that he couldn''t solve. The Global Army would soon give him answers anyway.


    His focus went on his nape, and a few trails of sweat fell from his forehead while he accelerated the flow of the mana. Khan had gotten the hang of that procedure in the last days, and he had even become used to the tingling sensation that followed it.


    "Hey, kid," A soldier eventually interrupted Khan''s mediation.


    Khan opened his eyes and noticed that the night had already arrived. It was time to leave the Slums, so he didn''t hesitate to follow the soldier.


    A truck was waiting in front of the station. It was one of the old models that couldn''t go higher than ten meters. It even had wheels in case the flying mechanism stopped working.


    The transport also looked quite dirty. Mud and terrain covered its wheels and front. It seemed that the truck had needed to move on the ground recently.


    ''I hope this thing doesn''t kill me before reaching the training camp,'' Khan thought before climbing on the truck''s back, where a simple fabric covered various cans and some bottles.


    ''Why do they even bring so much food back to the training ground,'' Khan wondered. ''I thought they were rich there.''


    Khan couldn''t lose himself in his thoughts because a female voice resounded from the bottom of the container and startled him.


    "Our agreement stated that I would have been alone here!" A young-looking girl with red hair and green eyes shouted.


    Khan didn''t know what to answer, but he didn''t stop climbing inside the truck either. He even moved the cans and created an uncomfortable chair under the livid gaze of the girl.


    "Change of plans," The soldier replied while sealing the fabric and closing Khan and the girl inside the container. "Don''t try to open this while the truck is in the air."


    Khan slowly turned toward the girl and took a can from his backpack. An honest smile appeared on his face as he handed the food to his travel companion.


    "It''s spicy chicken," Khan said in a polite tone. "I can share it if you give me your name."


    The girl didn''t even bother to reply. She snorted before turning toward her corner of the container and falling silent.

 Chapter 10: Enlisting

    Khan didn''t manage to make the girl talk, so he limited himself to resume his training. The mana flowed faster toward his brain and body under his attention, and the tingling sensation never stopped running through his skin.


    The ride on the truck went by quickly. The transport only took a few hours to reach its destination since it flew above the Slums. When it landed, a couple of soldiers unsealed the fabric covering the container and told Khan and the girl to jump off.


    A spectacular scenery unfolded in Khan''s vision. He had the familiar Slums on one side and a tall structure on the other. The entrance to the domain of the Global Army resembled a massive metal palace surrounded by towering walls.


    The walls were black and protected Ylaco''s central districts. They surrounded the actual city and the various training grounds. The Slums were only dumps built around those defenses.


    ''I remember this scene,'' Khan thought while inspecting the defensive walls and the tall structure.


    Khan didn''t recall much about his life inside Ylaco, but he had often visited his father at work with his mother back then. The structures of the Global Army shared a similar style, so he could sense a certain familiarity in that scene.


    "Just enter the building and fill the forms," One of the soldiers said to Khan and the girl. "Enlisting is easy. What comes after not so much."


    The girl performed a proper military salute. She placed both arms behind her waist and straightened her back, but the soldier ignored that gesture.


    ''Her situation must be similar to mine,'' Khan guessed. ''Maybe her family still has ties with the Global Army.''


    The people in the Slums rarely joined the Global Army. That force promised power and training, but it also imposed obligations and dangers.


    The Global Army could compel its best soldiers to defend specific outposts on distant planets or go to war against threatening creatures born from mana. That job had a high death ratio. Most of those who enlisted from the Slums directly refused the mana core to remain on Earth.


    Moreover, the citizens of the Slums didn''t trust the Global Army enough to put their lives in its hands. The behavior of the soldiers in those districts made them lose any desire to become part of that rotten system.


    Of course, Khan had no intention of becoming one of the lazy soldiers pretending to enforce order in the Slums. He wanted to travel to different planets and hunt for the Nak, even if that would turn him into a slave of the army.


    The girl immediately ran toward the entrance of the tall structure, and Khan slowly followed her. He wasn''t in a hurry to enter the training ground since the enlistment period would still take a few weeks to end.


    A few soldiers stopped both of them at the entrance. They didn''t bother to ask for documents since Khan and the girl clearly came from the Slums. Still, they took their signature and registered their fingerprints before allowing them inside the building.


    "Hold on a second!" One of the soldiers suddenly said after Khan registered his fingerprints. "You are already in the system, but your last name has been erased. You must come with me."


    Even the girl stopped to look at the scene. It wasn''t too rare for the people in the Slums to have a relatively important past, but the erasure of the last name was a serious matter.


    Khan inspected the soldier, ignoring most of her features. His focus was on her uniform. The woman had a star on both arms.


    "Have you ever heard of Bret, the previous head of the science division?" Khan asked.


    His identity wasn''t a secret. The Global Army already knew who he was, but Khan wanted to avoid wasting time. The soldiers would have to ask many authorizations to find the censored files connected to his last name.


    The woman''s eyes lit up. She didn''t know Bret personally, and she had never met him. However, she knew the story about the scientist who lost everything after the Second Impact.


    "I''m his son," Khan added when he noticed the changes in her expression.


    The soldier wanted to add something, but the details of that story began to fill her mind. A holoscreen came out of her watch, and she pointed it at Khan while whispering a few faint words.


    The screen quickly became green, confirming Khan''s story, and the soldier let him proceed without asking further questions.


    ''I hope Dad didn''t make people too angry here,'' Khan sighed while proceeding through a large hall.


    The soldier would definitely warn the higher-ups about Khan''s arrival, but he couldn''t do much about it. His identity would have come out sooner or later anyway.


    Technology that Khan had never seen filled the hall. A dark metal almost made the entirety of the furniture, and electric torches shone on the tall ceiling. A series of desks featuring holoscreens occupied half of that room, while comfortable chairs stood on the other side.


    Khan neared one of the desks and completed his enlistment. The soldier on the other side used his watch to check Khan''s age before handing him a series of digital sheets to sign.


    After reading through those sheets, Khan signed the documents and officially became part of the army. The easy part was over. He had to go through the training camp now.


    "Follow the corridor," The soldier said once Khan had completed all the steps. "It will lead you to your quarters, where you can rest until the enlistment period ends. Someone will then pick you up and bring you to the training camp."


    Khan followed those instructions and quickly found a small room that featured a bed, a bathroom, a chair, and a table. That wasn''t much, but it was far better than his house in the Slums.


    ''I guess they will take care of the food,'' Khan thought while putting his bag on the ground and eating one of his last cans.


    The door of the room closed automatically, and a series of menus appeared on its surface. Khan inspected them and discovered that the habitation offered many services to help him get through that period.


    ''They have games, food, movies, books, but nothing related to the mana,'' Khan understood after a quick inspection of the services. ''I guess they won''t let me roam freely through the building. I''m stuck here.''


    The news didn''t bother Khan. That room was a paradise compared to how he had lived in the last eleven years. His training and the free food would make him go through the isolation in a blink.


    Khan began to meditate after choosing a few plates on the menu. The food arrived thirty minutes later, accompanied by a new set of clothes and a series of clean towels.


    ''I bet that Dad''s cell isn''t as comfortable,'' Khan thought while changing his clothes.


    His bag was pointless now. Khan could get a new one through the menus on the door. He could also obtain multiple sets of clothes for free.


    After upgrading his equipment, Khan threw himself into his training, alternating light workout to long meditations. He didn''t sleep much, but he went all-out when it came to eating.


    The enlisting period ended quickly. Khan kept track of the passage of time through the digital watch on the door-menu, so he made sure to be wholly rested on his last day of isolation.


    During the afternoon of that day, writings suddenly covered the walls of the room, and a mechanical voice soon resounded inside it.


    "The device is ready to depart," The voice announced. "Brace yourself for launch."


    The writings on the wall said the same thing, but they also had a timer that was dangerously reaching zero. Khan quickly leaned next to the bed before pressure fell on him and made him crouch on the ground.


    The pressure soon vanished. It lasted for less than an instant, but the event had been too sudden. Still, that was nothing compared to the surprise that Khan felt when part of the door became transparent and showed him what was happening in the outside world.


    ''This thing is flying!'' Khan shouted in his mind when he saw the scenery from the window.


    The whole room had set off from the tall structure and was flying toward the training camp. From his position, Khan could also see a few more rooms flying behind him.


    The travel took a few hours. The landing ended up being quite awful, but the doors finally opened afterward. A dark corridor appeared in Khan''s view. The illumination worked, but someone had purposely created a dark environment.


    Khan peeked out of the door. The girl from before and a short boy were doing the same from their respective rooms. They were all in the same place with no idea what to do.


    A series of arrows suddenly lit up on the ground and pointed toward a side of the corridor. Khan, the girl, and the boy quickly took their belongings and exited their rooms to follow those marks.


    The arrows led the trio into a large hall that featured some more young boys and girls. There were seven of them there, and none of them seemed to go past eighteen years old.


    Khan was about to ask something to those people, but a metal door closed behind him and sealed the hall. Writings then appeared on the walls before a mechanical voice resounded through the room.


    "You will all perform a quick test now," The voice said. "You should pick some weapons. You will need them."


    Part of the walls opened when the voice finished its line. Weapons of various sizes and nature came out of them, attracting the attention of the ten in the room.

 Chapter 11: Test

    The writings on the walls featured a one-minute countdown that started as soon as the mechanical voice completed its line.


    The boys and girls immediately panicked, and only a few of them managed to remain calm. Khan, a short girl with long dark hair, and a tall, slender boy with short grey hair didn''t let that news alter their mood and began to study the situation.


    ''The Global Army accepts everyone,'' Khan thought while inspecting the weapons. ''This test must influence part of our life in the army. Maybe its purpose is to assign us to different platoons.''


    The answer to his doubts arrived after the slender boy clapped his hands and claimed everyone''s attention.


    "Calm down!" The boy shouted. "My name is Luke Cobsend, and my family has served in the Global Army for generations. This test will make the higher-ups understand our starting point and potential."


    His words didn''t have the expected effect. Those who had begun to panic became even more anxious. They didn''t want a surprise test to determine their entire life in the army.


    "Don''t worry," Luke continued. "As I already said, this is only for our starting point. They have to understand who knows how to fight and how they behave in front of danger. The higher-ups will decide our mandatory courses according to our results."


    The boys and girls finally began to calm down, but the countdown had never stopped nearing zero. Luke had to do something quickly if he wanted his group to be ready.


    "There is no time to exchange names," Luke quickly explained. "Which one of you already has a mana core?"


    A few hands rose. Luke, the black-haired girl, Khan, and the skinny boy announced that they owned a mana core.


    Evident disappointment appeared on Luke''s face, but he quickly steeled his determination.


    "That will be enough!" Luke exclaimed. "Those without mana core should choose long weapons or shields. The four of us must handle the frontlines. Pick swords or anything that you are comfortable with."


    Khan didn''t mind following those directives. Luke seemed to know something about the test and the mana cores, so it was better to listen to him in that situation.


    Still, a problem soon appeared. Khan didn''t receive any training, and the hall didn''t offer even a single firearm.


    ''Do I have to pick a sword and improvise?'' Khan wondered until he found something familiar hidden behind a shield.


    Luke had quickly grabbed a sword and had turned to inspect his companions. A satisfied smile appeared on his face when he saw that they had all followed his instructions, but his expression froze at some point.


    "Where did you even find a shovel?!" Luke asked when he noticed Khan in the corner of the hall.


    "It was behind this old shield," Khan explained, purposely ignoring the real meaning behind Luke''s words.


    "How do you even plan to fight with that?!" Luke questioned him.


    "It''s better than picking a weapon that I can''t use," Khan replied plainly. "These things are really sharp. I might end up hurting someone due to my inexperience."


    Luke remained speechless. Khan''s words made sense, but they still didn''t justify his choice in that situation.


    "Who do we have to fight?" The black-haired girl asked while rotating her hammer.


    The scene was quite peculiar. The black-haired girl was barely one hundred and sixty centimeters tall, but her hammer was as big as a man''s chest. Yet, she could wield it at ease.


    ''Physical enhancement!'' Khan thought while inspecting the girl. ''I guess mana cores do that for everyone.''


    Luke sighed before explaining what he knew. "Our opponent should be a Tainted animal. The creature won''t be able to infect anyone, and the army must have also affected its overall aggression. No one can die in this test, but we still have to do our best."


    Luke''s words had almost made his companions anxious again, but he had been smart enough to add those last details. The boys and girls could finally realize that they didn''t have to fear for their lives.


    The countdown eventually hit zero, and the weapons quickly disappeared into the walls. A door opened on the side of the hall, and the writings transformed into a large picture.


    The picture depicted a tall boar with shining azure eyes. Azure fur also covered its body, and long tusks grew from the corners of its mouth.


    "It doesn''t seem dangerous!"


    "There are ten of us here! How can a simple animal defeat us?"


    "We will ace this test!"


    Cheers resounded among the group, but Khan, Luke, the black-haired girl, and the skinny body remained silent. Khan even ended up exchanging a meaningful gaze with those three.


    ''They have also faced a Tainted animal before,'' Khan concluded in his mind.


    Only idiots would rejoice in front of a Tainted boar. Khan had seen a Tainted rat killing grown-up men with a few bites. He didn''t know what that animal would be capable of after the Nak''s mana tainted it.


    "Let''s go out!" Luke suddenly shouted. "Remember. The six of you must remain behind us and provide support. Let those who have a mana core take risks."


    The six nodded, and Luke took the group''s lead while gesturing to Khan and the other two to follow him in the frontlines.


    A green field unfolded in the group''s view once they exited the hall. The sun shone high in the sky and revealed every detail about that environment.


    A few trees occupied a small spot in the distance. Everyone in the group guessed that the boar was there since they couldn''t see it in the prairie.


    "I guess that you have faced Tainted animals before," Luke whispered to his three companions.


    Khan, the girl, and the skinny boy nodded without adding details. It was clear that they didn''t want to talk about that during the test.


    "The folks behind us will be useless," Luke continued. "It''s up to us to kill the animal. What''s the tier of your mana core? My family managed to get me a synthetic A-tier."


    Both the girl and the boy showed surprised expressions at that revelation, and Khan imitated them. He didn''t even know that mana cores had tiers, but he decided to play along.


    "Organic B-tier," The girl explained. "My grandfather died serving on Istrone, so the army compensated my family with it. I am Martha Weesso, by the way."


    "I''m Jay," The skinny body replied while tightening his grasp on his shortsword. "Synthetic C-tier."


    Luke whistled when he heard Martha, but his expression froze after Jay spoke. Khan studied the changes in his behavior and developed a theory about the differences among mana cores.


    ''Organic should be better,'' Khan concluded in his mind. ''Does mine count as organic since it comes from a Nak?''


    Khan had to focus on the real world when he saw his three companions looking in his direction.


    "I''m Khan," Khan said while wearing a na?ve smile. "I don''t really know the quality of my mana core. I had the chance to obtain it, and I didn''t refuse."


    "It must be synthetic," Luke explained. "Organic cores are quite rare, and they have compatibility issues. Maybe you had luck and got your hands on a B-tier. It will be less of a pain to upgrade it."


    Khan limited himself to nod and feign ignorance, and Luke soon lost interest in him. Instead, he gave voice to polite compliments directed at Martha, but she ignored them.


    An awkward silence fell among the four in the group''s lead, and Khan almost felt saved when they reached the trees. He preferred to fight than seeing Luke hitting on Martha.


    Luke made a hand gesture that no one behind him understood. Even Khan and Jay ignored the meaning behind that, so they simply imitated him.


    "The four of us ahead," Luke eventually decided to whisper. "You follow closely but slowly."


    Everyone nodded, but a tall figure suddenly appeared among the trees. It resembled an azure shadow that was running at high speed toward the group.


    "Shields!" Luke shouted before jumping to the side.


    Khan and Jay did the same, but Martha tried to swing her hammer toward the creature. Still, the boar ignored her and crashed on the six in the backlines.

 Chapter 12: Evaluation

    The Tainted boar didn''t hesitate to show how fast it was. It was even quite nimble for its size since it managed to avoid Martha to focus on the weaker part of the group.


    Khan turned to inspect the outcome of the impact. Two of his coreless companions were on the ground. Their shields and weapons had shattered after the clash with the boar, but they appeared to be fine. Their bodies only featured a few bruises.


    Two among the other four had dropped their weapons and were running away as fast as they could. The boar had scared them to the point that they wanted to drop out of the Global Army.


    The other two were doing their best to suppress their fear. Khan could see their fingers becoming white due to their tight grasp on their weapons.


    ''How are they even alive?'' Khan wondered when he looked in the distance.


    The boar didn''t stop its charge after the impact. The beast had continued to run through the field without minding its opponents. Still, it eventually stopped and turned.


    Khan could see the Tainted boar in its entirety now. The creature was almost two meters tall. It had a massive body and wore metal collars on its tusks.


    A red light flashed from those collars, and the boar squealed whenever that glow reached its eyes. The creature seemed angry at those items.


    "That''s restraining gear," Jay commented after he straightened his position. "They must control the force that it''s able to generate in the impact. I bet that they activate whenever the boar nears human skin."


    Jay''s explanation made sense. The Global Army would never put kids without training and mana cores against a Tainted animal unless it took precautions.


    "It can''t hurt us then!" Luke exclaimed before taking his position near Jay.


    Martha had also turned to stand next to the trio. She seemed almost excited about the fight, but a foul smell soon reached her nostrils and suppressed her feelings.


    Khan and the other three turned toward the boy lying on the ground. A wet patch had appeared on his trousers, but that didn''t seem the only thing happening in his pants.


    No one dared to joke about that event. Khan even believed it to be a normal reaction after a two-meters tall animal threatened to kill you.


    ''I wonder how strong I have become,'' Khan thought while inspecting his shovel. ''This doesn''t have wood in its structure. It won''t break so easily.''


    Khan had no idea how strong he had become after his training. That unclear feature about his own body annoyed him, so he wanted to use the boar to test himself.


    ''I killed a Tainted animal before obtaining the mana,'' Khan thought. ''How hard can it be now?''


    The Tainted boar didn''t let the group reassemble or prepare a strategy. It ran toward the two escaping kids, and Luke almost shot ahead to help them.


    "No!" Khan promptly shouted while placing the shovel on Luke''s chest to stop him. "They have decided to leave us. Let''s use this time to prepare a plan."


    "But-," Luke tried to say something and push away the shovel, but Khan''s arm didn''t move.


    "They have abandoned their position and put us in danger," Khan said before Luke could continue speaking. "You don''t help those who backstab you."


    "How sure are you about the collars?" Martha asked once Luke accepted Khan''s reprimand.


    "I''m rarely wrong about tech stuff," Jay said without showing any emotion.


    "Perfect," Martha replied. "You two act as baits. Khan, Luke, and Jay will focus on its legs. I''ll keep the hammer ready."


    No one dared to reject her idea. Even the two kids with no mana core soon started to slam their weapons on their shields.


    The Tainted boar quickly caught up with the two fleeting opponents. The creature slammed its tusks on their back and flung them away without managing to leave severe injuries.


    Then, the beast heard the noise caused by the rest of the group and began to change in its direction.


    Having that boulder of muscles and fur running toward them didn''t cause the best feelings. However, Khan and the others didn''t let their fears take control of their minds and remained in their position.


    "Jump!" Martha shouted when the boar was about to reach the two without mana cores.


    The duo jumped on the side and dodged the charge of the animal. The boar was almost about to hit Khan and the others, but they quickly activated their plan.


    Khan ducked, Jay imitated him, and Luke tried to side-step the attack. Only Martha remained still since she had to wait for her opportunity.


    Jay wasn''t fast enough. The boar slammed its tusk on his chest and flung him away. The beast also turned and hit Luke''s side with its head, but the boy managed to stab its neck before flying away.


    Khan slammed his shovel on the beast''s front leg. A massive force ran through his arms and landed on his shoulders, but Khan did his best to fight it.


    The Tainted boar was stronger than Khan, but he stabbed the shovel on the ground. The beast stumbled when its rear leg hit that tool, but it seemed about to recover its balance in the following instant.


    ''It won''t fall like this,'' Khan thought while watching the scene from the ground.


    Khan didn''t have the time to stand up and reach the boar, but his legs were still in its range. A kick landed on the beast''s rear end and destabilized its charge other than preventing it from recovering its balance.


    The boar slammed on the ground and slid on the terrain due to the momentum accumulated in its charge. Martha was waiting for the creature, and she promptly swung her hammer toward the center of its head.


    Blood immediately came out from the boar''s eyes, ears, and mouth. The creature had definitely felt that blow, and Martha gave voice to a happy cry at that sight.


    Yet, the boar suddenly moved again and tried to jump toward her chest. Martha couldn''t dodge that attack. She was too close to the beast, and her hammer was still on its head.


    Then, a sword flashed in her vision and stabbed the beast in the back of its head. When Martha raised her head, she found Khan sitting on the creature and wielding Luke''s weapon.


    Khan saw blood coming out of the creature''s head and tainting his trousers, but he ignored that. He quickly raised the blade and stabbed the beast again.


    "Can you take away that hammer?" Khan asked before attaching a third time.


    "I think it''s dead," Martha said while pulling her weapon back.


    "I don''t take chances with the Tainted animals," Khan replied before stabbing his sword again and again.


    Khan stopped only after he felt sure that the boar had died. His clothes had transformed into a gory mess, but he felt happy about that achievement anyway.


    "Thank you," Martha said while a tinge of shame seeped into her voice.


    "No problem," Khan replied while raising the sword. "This wasn''t so hard to use in the end."


    "Killing is rather easy once you obtain the mana," An unfamiliar voice suddenly resounded through the area.


    Khan and Martha immediately turned toward the source of that voice. A hologram depicting a middle-aged man wearing the military uniform had appeared next to them.


    "I''m Lieutenant Rupert Unchai," The hologram said. "I''m here to evaluate your performance."


    A few small drones flew over the field and brought away the two who had fainted after the first attack. Jay and Luke simply stood up and reunited with Khan and Martha when they saw what was happening.


    "The two up there will get a C," Rupert announced. "Rough and bad reflexes. You don''t need a mana core to jump away from an imminent threat."


    "The two who ran away will get a D," Rupert continued. "The Global Army forbids me from giving an F in this test. They would get it otherwise."


    "You two without mana cores get an A," Rupert said after pointing at the two baits. "You are weak, but you are brave. Work hard, and you''ll become someone in the army."


    "The skinny one will get a B-plus," Rupert announced while pointing at Jay. "Nice catch on the collars, but I have never thought that someone with a mana core could be so clumsy."


    "The tall one there will get A-minus," Rupert evaluated Luke. "You did well calming down the others. You also have a good heart, but that isn''t always a good thing during wars."


    "The girl will also get an A-minus," Rupert moved on to Martha. "Nice guts, but way too reckless."


    "Now you, shovel kid," Rupert sighed while fixing his eyes on Khan. "I''m really tempted to give you a D for being stupid enough to bring a shovel into a battlefield."


    "I have a sword now," Khan announced while wearing a broad smile and waving Luke''s weapon.


    "And also a loose screw," Rupert sighed again before wearing a professional expression. "Incredible reflexes and instincts. Good decision-making in the middle of the battle. You show your worth when it matters. Time will tell whether you are a natural-born fighter or not. A-plus."

 Chapter 13: Doctor

    "The Global Army has dormitories all around the training ground," Rupert explained while leading Khan''s group toward a structure in the distance. "You will have to share the room with other people, but you can rent entire flats if you have enough Credits."


    Khan didn''t even bother to listen to those words. He was completely broke. He didn''t even have any food left.


    "The lessons will begin in a week," Rupert continued. "You will have theoretical subjects in the morning and physical training in the afternoon. There is also a curfew at ten pm with severe punishments for anyone who breaks it."


    Rupert went on, explaining all the different features of the training camp. The canteen was in the same building as the lessons, while the other structures mostly had training purposes.


    "You will get Credits for completing missions and similar events, but it''s too early to talk about this stuff," Rupert concluded.


    The structure resembled a warehouse that featured tall metal doors. One of them opened and revealed a series of large platforms that floated a few centimeters above the floor.


    "Follow me," Rupert said before jumping on the platform.


    The others imitated Rupert, and the platform began to move, leading them outside the warehouse and higher in the sky.


    Khan and the others could notice that other identical transports were flying through the sky. They all carried young boys and girls and a lieutenant toward a large series of buildings surrounded by fields that featured different environments.


    Khan saw a forest, a lake, a small hill, and a plain covered with tall grass. A few warehouses stood next to each environment, and the other platforms seemed to come from them.


    "This test is nothing more than a skimming process," Rupert explained. "We place the recruits in a foreign environment and make them face a Tainted animal. The results of the tests allow us to create classes suited for your current level, but they won''t affect your grades."


    Luke and Martha turned toward Khan when Rupert mentioned the grades. He had gained an A-plus, so the Global Army believed that he was stronger than his companions.


    Khan didn''t fail to notice those glances. He had always been a foreigner in the Slums, so he had become used to that behavior.


    ''I hope they don''t resent me,'' Khan thought while pretending to ignore the duo. ''I don''t want to have enemies inside the camp already.''


    "You can always gain access to the superior class if your growth is promising," Rupert continued. "Also, a few courses are mandatory for every class. You will even gain access to optional courses once you enter the second semester."


    The platform seemed to have a force field that blocked the wind. The transport was flying quite fast, but Khan and the others didn''t feel anything.


    The platform eventually landed in a parking lot at the edges of the training ground. The group jumped off and continued to follow Rupert, but their eyes darted through the environment to study their new home.


    ''This is so clean,'' Khan thought while studying the training camp.


    The streets among the various structures were immaculate. A few robots ran through them and took care of any spot or trash left on the ground.


    Signs and maps appeared at every crossroad. They featured detailed explanations on how to reach every building, and they even had a screen where the soldiers could call for help.


    The buildings appeared as the most futuristic structures in the world. Azure light ran among their metal tiles, and large windows allowed to see their ample and clean insides.


    Rupert stopped once he led the group in front of the dormitories. They were large buildings surrounded by a short metal fence and a large gate.


    Soldiers protected the gate and took care of a stand placed on its sides. Rupert pointed at them and made his group apply for a room. In a few seconds, Khan obtained a glass-like card with the number "C501" written on its surface.


    "Don''t lose your phones" Rupert gave the last instructions. "The canteen is already active, and you all have to see the doctor during this week. Your phones will notify when it''s your time to visit him."


    The Slums were so out of touch with technology that Khan had almost failed to recognize the phone. He quickly pressed his fingers on the screen, and a series of menus came out in the form of holograms.


    The phone contained information about the various courses, the time at which they occurred, and they even gave a brief description of the professors.


    Khan soon discovered that he could book the training areas in the camp by paying a set number of Credits. Of course, his phone only showed the number zero when he checked his balance.


    ''This must be one of the latest models,'' Khan thought while patting Jay''s shoulder.


    Jay turned, and Khan quickly grabbed his wrist. Then, he placed Jay''s hand on his phone, but the screen didn''t light up.


    "It has a genetic scanner," Jay explained. "You could have asked."


    "I haven''t held a phone since I was five," Khan tried to justify himself.


    "The Global Army gets the good stuff," Jay replied while waving his phone. "The factories are in this area. I heard that they even have soldiers stationed outside of them."


    "Less gossip and more moving," Rupert said before pointing at the gate.


    Khan and the others quickly went toward their respective buildings. It didn''t take them much to find where their rooms were since they could check the maps on their phones.


    They were all in building C, so they walked part of the road together. Many boys and girls of a similar age or older strolled among the different structures and occupied the small park next to them, but they didn''t seem to care about Khan and the others.


    The group divided once they reached building C. Khan''s room was on the fifth floor. A metal door featuring the number "01" and a small screen eventually appeared in front of him, and a simple touch made it unlock.


    ''The door also has genetic scanners,'' Khan exclaimed in his mind. ''This place is centuries ahead of the Slums!''


    The room didn''t match Khan''s expectations. It was small and had only three rooms. One had two bunk beds, the other was a bathroom with a toilet and shower, and the last was a laundry area.


    ''Well, it''s still the army,'' Khan sighed before placing his bag on one of the bottom bunks.


    Khan didn''t care about fighting for the top bunk. He would rather give it up now and avoid discussions with his roommates.


    His phone rang as soon as he placed his bag on the bed. Khan saw that his appointment with the doctor was in half an hour, so he quickly left the dormitory to reach the medical bay.


    Khan met many young soldiers along the road. He mostly ignored them to study the camp, but they shot strange glances at him.


    Truth be told, Khan didn''t have the time to shower after his fight with the Tainted boar. He didn''t even wear the clean uniforms in the laundry area due to the habits gained in the Slums.


    Reaching the medical bay turned out to be easy. The staff there didn''t only feature soldiers. Men and women wearing white coats and scrubs walked through the corridors without ever looking away from their phones.


    "Who would you be?" One of the soldiers at the entrance asked, but Khan promptly showed the notification on his phone.


    The soldier accompanied Khan toward one of the labs where his meeting would happen. The woman knocked on the door before opening it and gesturing to Khan to enter.


    A series of tools that Khan didn''t recognize unfolded in his view. Microscopes, scanners, and other types of machinery filled the large room.


    "Khan, right?" A middle-aged man asked from behind his desk.


    The man had short black hair and an unkempt beard. His small glasses covered his green eyes that had large eyebags under them.


    "Yes," Khan replied while inspecting the room.


    "You might want to start adding a "sir" at the end of your lines from now on," The doctor said. "Welcome to the army. I am Doctor Ian Parket, and I will test your mana."


    "Will I discover my element today?" Khan asked as his eyes lit up.


    Doctor Parket shot a glance toward Khan, and the latter quickly gave voice to a faint "sir".


    "Not only that," Doctor Parked explained while leaving his chair. "I will also test your current max capacity and attunement. They both are important qualities for mana users."


    Khan nodded even if he didn''t know much about those topics. He only wanted to see his element as fast as possible.


    "You already have a mana core, right?" Doctor Parket asked while picking what resembled an electric thermometer.


    "Yes, sir," Khan replied.


    "Let''s see what you have then," Doctor Parket approached Khan and placed the tool on his nape.


    A series of holograms quickly appeared on the table. They depicted Khan''s nape, but the images suddenly changed as a few beeps came out of the tool.


    The holograms began to inspect the insides of the nape and illuminate the mana flowing through Khan''s body.


    "How long did you have your mana core for?" Doctor Parket asked.


    "A few months," Khan replied honestly.


    "Not bad," Doctor Parket commented before a few beeps resounded and the images changed again.


    The holograms stopped depicting Khan''s nape and made a list of qualities. A loading icon rotated next to them since the tool was still studying Khan''s mana core.


    "What?!" Doctor Parket exclaimed when the stats appeared on the holograms, and a mechanical voice soon listed them. "Mana core quality: Organic A-tier; Element: Chaos; Attunement: 10%; Mana capacity: error."

 Chapter 14: Similarities

    ''It was organic A-tier then,'' Khan thought while reading the stats, but he didn''t forget to question Doctor Ian about his previous exclamation.


    "Is something wrong, sir?" Khan asked while turning his gaze toward the Doctor.


    Ian wore a confused expression when he read the stats. He checked the electric thermometer and tinkered with it for a while before repeating the test. However, the holoscreen ended up showing the same results.


    Khan began to worry. He trusted his father too much to believe that he had messed up with the transplant, but Doctor Ian''s expressions made him feel that something was wrong.


    "Is my mana core ok, sir?" Khan asked.


    The stats didn''t seem to have anything wrong, except for the mana capacity. Still, Khan had already visualized and moved that energy, so he knew that he had no problem in that field.


    "Nothing is wrong," Doctor Ian eventually announced before turning Khan and inspecting his features.


    Doctor Ian paid a great deal of attention to his eyes and hair. He seemed very interested in the few azure strands on his head, and his gaze soon fell on the rest of Khan''s body.


    "I''m starting to worry," Khan said while taking a step back to leave Doctor Ian''s grasp.


    "Don''t get the wrong idea," Doctor Ian replied before switching the topic. "Are you a Tainted?"


    The question took Khan by surprise, but he felt no reason to hide that feature from the army doctor. He grabbed the collar of his sweaty uniform and lowered it to reveal part of the azure scar on his chest.


    "I''m one of the survivors of the Second Impact," Khan explained. "Did the infection affect my mana?"


    Even Bret had failed to notice that a few mutations had escaped his attention. Khan only needed to inspect Doctor Ian''s expressions to understand that the infection had affected other parts of his body.


    "It''s impossible to remain completely unaffected by the Nak''s infection," Doctor Ian explained. "Even the great Bret can''t do miracles."


    "Do you know my father?" Khan asked as his eyes widened in surprise.


    "It''s hard to find soldiers who didn''t hear about him," Doctor Ian gave voice to a faint laugh. "Good man. What happened to him was a tragedy. I still think that the Global Army has been too hard on him."


    Khan didn''t know the specifics behind his father''s retirement. He was completely unaware of how the higher-ups of the Global Army worked, and Bret had never had the chance nor the ability to describe them.


    "Did the Nak''s mana threaten my chances of becoming a mage?" Khan asked as his worries intensified.


    "Not at all," Doctor Ian quickly reassured him. "It has simply affected your nature. Your status as a Tainted explains these stats."


    "Care to explain them to me?" Khan asked, and Doctor Ian shot a cold glance toward him that made him recall the word "sir".


    "The issue is in the element," Doctor Ian explained when he saw that Khan lowered his head. "The chaos element is almost impossible to find in humans, but it''s very common among Nak. Your Tainted status also explains why your normal body has been able to fuse with an organic A-tier core without any special training."


    Khan suddenly recalled Luke''s words about the compatibility of organic mana cores, and a cold idea formed in his mind.


    His mana core belonged to a Nak, but his body didn''t oppose the transplant. His father didn''t argue about the procedure either. The reason behind those details seemed obvious now, but Khan didn''t want to understand it.


    ''It can''t be,'' Khan thought as the images of his reoccurring nightmare flashed in his eyes.


    "I would need to perform more tests to confirm anything," Doctor Ian continued, "But the Nak''s mana may have given you some aspects of that alien species. My machine can only test the human capacity, so it can''t give an accurate stat for you."


    "Are you implying that I''m a Nak, sir?" Khan asked as a hint of coldness seeped into his voice.


    Doctor Ian failed to notice the change in his tone and continued the explanation. "You are a fully-fledged human. You only have certain mutations that make my tools not work since you have developed similarities to that species."


    Khan didn''t answer. Doctor Ian''s explanation didn''t satisfy him. The Nak had been his curse for eleven years, but he had discovered that he carried similarities with that species now. His mood had never been worse.


    Khan turned to leave. He wanted to remain alone for a while. That discovery had turned his world upside-down, but Doctor Ian stopped him before he could reach the door.


    "I have yet to explain the attunement," Doctor Ian announced, and Khan decided to suppress the awful feelings that had filled his mind for the time being to hear those teachings.


    "Mana fills the entirety of the Nak''s bodies," Doctor Ian explained. "That''s an attunement level that goes beyond one hundred percent. You must aim to do the same, but I''m sure that you''ll learn about all of this soon."


    "Can I go now, sir?" Khan asked.


    Doctor Ian could see that something was wrong with Khan, and he didn''t take much to understand the nature behind his foul mood.


    Khan had survived the Second Impact. It was normal for his feelings toward the Nak to be unpleasant, and learning about the similarities with that species wasn''t ideal.


    Of course, Doctor Ian didn''t know about Khan''s nightmares, so he underestimated the intensity of those feelings. He didn''t do anything to cheer Khan up, and his hand soon pointed toward the door.


    "One last thing," Doctor Ian said before Khan could leave the room. "You aren''t the first human with the chaos element. The army won''t mistreat you, but I can''t say the same for the other soldiers."


    ''Even better,'' Khan exclaimed in his mind before ignoring that issue.


    Khan knew that he couldn''t do anything about his situation, but he couldn''t decide how to feel about it. He had to be alone and slowly accept that discovery.


    Doctor Ian didn''t stop Khan from leaving the room. The latter walked out of the medical bay without bothering to look at his surroundings. He continued to march until he found a bench laid at the side of a street.


    ''I''m not exactly a Nak,'' Khan told himself while sitting on the bench. ''I''m only similar to that species in some aspects. My element and my mana core are only tools. I bet that I will use spells meant for humans.''


    Khan was trying to lift his morale. He resented the Nak deeply, so he had to find a way out of that reasoning to avoid hating himself.


    ''Who knows?'' Khan thought. ''These mutations might even benefit me. My attunement is already at ten percent. That can''t be a bad starting point.''


    A few kids gathered around Khan while he remained immersed in his thoughts. Four boys between sixteen and seventeen years old noticed his clothes and decided to surround his bench.


    "Hey, you!" The boy in front of Khan suddenly shouted. "We have a bet in place. My friends think that you are from the Slums, but I want to believe that you simply don''t like to clean yourself."


    Khan glanced at the four boys, but he soon lowered his head again. He had gone through similar situations in the Slums, and he had no intention to fuel them during his first day in the Global Army.


    "Look at his hair," One of the boys behind Khan said. "He has a few azure strands. It can''t be simple dye."


    "Did we find a Tainted at our first try?" Another boy asked. "He must be from the Slums then. Pay up!"


    "He has yet to confirm that!" The first boy complained.


    "Come on," The fourth boy laughed. "There hasn''t been an infection in Ylaco in centuries. Only the Slums don''t have the equipment to deal with it."


    "The Second Impact has also happened in the Slums," The boy behind Khan added.


    "Hey, you!" The first boy shouted again while crouching toward Khan. "I''m talking to you! Are you from the Slums or Ylaco?"


    Khan continued to ignore them, but the first boy eventually grabbed his hair and forced him to raise his head.


    "You really don''t know how to leave people alone," Khan whispered.


    "I want an answer-," The first boy shouted, but Khan stabbed his fingers in his eyes before he could finish his line.


    "What are you doing?!" The boy behind the bench asked and tried to grab him, but Khan promptly stood up and kicked the blinded guy to the ground.


    The boy near Khan tried to approach him from the side, but he pushed a hand forward to block his vision.


    The boy tilted his head to see what was happening behind the hand, but a sharp pain suddenly filled his entire body. His companions covered their mouths when they saw that scene. Khan had used that chance to kick him in the groin.

 Chapter 15: Fight

    "That''s fighting dirty!" One of the boys behind the bench shouted, but Khan ignored him.


    Khan used that chance to turn and take care of the blinded boy. He was still covering his eyes, so he couldn''t react to the precise kick that hit his groin.


    The two boys behind the bench covered their mouths again. They didn''t expect Khan to go after their already hurt friend, but they had to admit that his tactic worked well.


    Khan didn''t stop there. The four boys had given him the chance to vent his foul mood. Another kick fell on the blinded guy''s belly while his two friends were still trying to reach him.


    The two boys eventually reached Khan. One of them tried to grab him, but Khan swiftly took a step back and dodged his arms. However, the second kid approached him from the side and managed to throw a punch on his face.


    Pain spread on Khan''s face, but he didn''t lose his focus. He pretended to stumble on the grass near the street, and the two boys promptly tried to exploit that chance. However, their vision went dark when Khan threw a handful of dirt in their eyes.


    "Watch your balls!" Khan shouted, and the two blinded boys quickly covered their groins.


    Khan''s left fist hit one of them on the nose and made him stumble on the ground. The boy instinctively protected his head during the fall, so Khan''s kick could reach his groin without any obstruction.


    "You''ll pay for this!" The fourth boy shouted after he managed to regain his vision.


    Khan fell to the ground as the boy jumped on his back. A series of punches landed on his face and forced him to use his arms to block them. Yet, more lies came out of his mouth.


    "Do you think that sitting on top of me is a good idea?" Khan asked, and the boy stopped his offensive to check his opponent''s legs.


    Khan''s hand promptly reached the boy''s face at that point. He used all his strength to slam his opponent on the ground, and a faint cracking noise reached his ears.


    ''What?'' Khan shouted in his mind while crouching on the ground to check the boy.


    His ears didn''t lie to him. The boy had fainted after his head had slammed on the ground, and blood flowed out of his mouth. Something had broken during the impact, and Khan began to panic at that sight.


    ''This one needs a doctor,'' Khan quickly concluded and grabbed his phone.


    Khan searched through the various menus to find something that could make him call a doctor, but a faint worry made him stop his actions.


    ''Can they even expel me for this?'' Khan wondered for an instant, and his priorities soon took control of his actions.


    Khan stored his phone and began to search the fainted boy''s pockets. He quickly found a phone, and he didn''t hesitate to grab his hand to pass through the genetic scanner.


    "Put your arms behind your head and lie on the ground," A metallic voice suddenly resounded behind him.


    Khan let go of the phone and followed those orders. He slowly turned before lying on the ground, and three short robots appeared in his vision.


    Those robots were identical to those in charge of cleaning the streets. They were rectangular and white, and two pairs of large wheels allowed them to move freely through the training camp. However, two arms had come out of their body at that time.


    The arms wielded small tasers pointed toward Khan. He had no option but to obey those orders, but he didn''t miss the chance to improve his situation.


    "That boy needs a doctor," Khan explained. "I think he fell on a rock or something."


    "We have already recorded the entire violation," One of the robots said with its usual mechanical voice. "A lieutenant is currently reviewing the tape. You all must remain in custody before the verdict."


    ''Dad would be proud of me,'' Khan laughed in his mind.


    The robots put handcuffs on Khan and the four boys. Then, they activated scanners to inspect their injuries. It didn''t take much before a small drone flew above the fourth kid and lifted it in the air through a yellow light.


    Similar drones arrived above Khan and the others, but they didn''t use the same care. They magnetically attracted the handcuffs and forced the four to fly across the camp while hanging from their surface.


    The direction of the two groups was also different. The fourth boy flew toward the medical bay, while Khan and the others went toward the outskirts of the camp, where the ground opened to reveal a large basement.


    Four holes opened on the basement''s roof before the drones dropped their prisoners there. Khan suddenly landed in a small cell that featured metal bars covered by azure light.


    The handcuffs automatically opened once the hole in the roof closed, and tremors spread through the cells as the basement returned underground. Only the faint light of the electric torches continued to illuminate the area, but everything appeared quite dark nonetheless.


    ''What a beautiful first day in the army,'' Khan thought while giving voice to a faint laugh.


    A warm sensation moved his attention away from the cell. Khan checked his face and discovered that a line of blood was falling from his nose. A few bruises had also appeared on his cheek and corner of his right eye, but none of them seemed serious.


    ''I''ve become quite tough,'' Khan concluded.


    The fourth boy had landed many punches on his face, but he had endured the blows quite well. Still, thinking about his strength reminded him of the cracking noise.


    ''I should be careful,'' Khan thought while inspecting his hands. ''I don''t know how strong I am. I should avoid getting into fights until I learn to control myself.''


    Khan sighed before sitting on the bench inside his cell. The battle wasn''t his fault, but he had still let his feelings take control of his actions. He could have run away after knocking the first two boys unconscious and avoid that mess.


    ''The robots have recorded the fight,'' Khan thought. ''I should be fine unless the Global Army is as corrupt as the Slums.''


    His background was quite messy, while the boys seemed to come from Ylaco''s wealthy districts. Khan didn''t know what to think about the army, but he didn''t feel too anxious. His father would give him a hand if something unfair were to happen.


    Khan inspected the basement, but the dim light didn''t allow him to see much. Two rows of identical cells occupied the sides of the building, but he couldn''t find other prisoners except for the three boys.


    His hand eventually went into his pocket. Khan drew the phone and smiled when he saw that it worked even from inside the cell. His fingers quickly tapped on the smooth screen and browsed through the menus to find the army''s regulations.


    ''The punishment for the fights inside the camp consists of a few hours of work inside one of the buildings,'' Khan read. ''That''s not bad. You can also pay a small number of Credits to avoid the work, but I can''t do much in my case.''


    The regulations described specific cases that could aggravate the punishment, and Khan read through all of them. He wanted to memorize those rules before returning to the camp.


    The three boys eventually woke up, and loud complaints resounded from their cells once they understood where they were. Some of them even gave voice to threats that featured their family name, but no one cared about them.


    Their attention soon fell on Khan. The three boys could see that he was quietly browsing through his phone, and their anger didn''t allow them to remain silent.


    "This is all your fault!" One of the boys shouted. "Who is so stupid to fight inside the camp?"


    "You, apparently," Khan replied without moving his eyes from the phone.


    "Where is Samuel?" Another boy asked.


    "I think the drone flew him to the doctor," Khan honestly explained.


    A second of silence followed that revelation. The boys were angry, but they didn''t forget that Khan had beaten them. The fact that their friends had ended up needing medical care made them also feel a tinge of fear toward him.


    "You just wait," The first boy whispered. "We have underestimated you today, but we still have a long time together. Be sure to watch your back, and start covering your groin."


    Khan wanted to bicker some more, but a loud snore suddenly resounded through the basement. The noise came from the other side of the building, where a table, chairs, and a series of clothes occupied the area.


    A figure slowly began to move among the clothes. A tall man who wore only a pair of trousers stood up and began to browse through the pile under him.


    The man cursed and snorted whenever he failed to find what he was looking for. He went through all the uniforms in the pile of clothes, but he remained unsatisfied.


    "Sir! Sir!" The first boy shouted once the man turned toward his cell. "There has been a mistake. I''m Bloke Seylor. I''m sure you are aware of my family."


    "I can barely remember where I put my damned uniform," The man snorted before inspecting the various cells.


    "Sir! Sir!" Bloke continued. "Please, listen to me. I shouldn''t be here. We were only playing around."


    "What kind of game makes you lose a brawl in such fashion?" The man replied without bothering to stop his search. "I''ve seen the battle. I have to admit that I laughed at times."


    "Are you the Lieutenant in charge of our case, sir?" Khan asked when he heard those words.


    "I''ve already given my verdict," The man replied while approaching the other side of the basement. "You are in the clear, young man. You fought well."


    Khan wanted to thank the Lieutenant, but the Bloke spoke before him. "How could you do that? He sent Samuel to the medical bay!"


    "Who cares," The man snorted.


    "I will definitely tell my father about this!" Bloke continued. "You are only a Lieutenant. I bet that the Global Army will strip you of your rank!"


    The man ignored those words, and his eyes lit up when he found a uniform hidden in the corner of a cell. He quickly wore it, and the four boys remained shocked when they saw three stars on both shoulders.

 Chapter 16: Trade

    Everyone in the world knew the meaning of those stars. The Global Army was so important that even the citizens of the Slums could evaluate a soldier from that feature.


    The Lieutenant had three stars on each shoulder. He was a third-level warrior and a third-level mage. He had the shape of a human, but he hid enough power to earn the label of a monster.


    Bloke didn''t dare to speak anymore. His surprise slowly vanished to make room to regret. The boy knew how the ranks in the Global Army worked, so he had never expected that a mere Lieutenant could wield so much power.


    "You must be pretty strong," Khan commented while feigning naivety.


    "I won''t buy your act," The man snorted. "Remember that I''ve watched your fight."


    Khan smiled, but he didn''t add anything. The man could see right through him. Pretenses were useless in that situation.


    "How can you be a simple Lieutenant?" Bloke eventually asked. "You can become a Major at your level. I can''t understand how you can even accept to be a mere guard in the prisons of the camp."


    "You are too young to understand the intricacies of the politics," The man sighed. "I''m a simple soldier. Fighting is what I do best."


    "Wait a moment," Another boy said while nearing the metal bars. "I think I''ve heard about you. You are Carl Dyester, the butcher of Istrone."


    Khan limited himself to listen to that conversation. He had heard about Istrone from Martha, but he was completely unaware of the events that involved that place.


    "That''s impossible," Bloke replied. "I''ve also heard those stories. The crisis on Istrone happened forty years ago, and Carl Dyester had already become a Major by then. Look at him. He is too young!"


    The man was tall and burly. Khan didn''t manage to inspect his skin because the light of the electric torches was too dim. Still, he wouldn''t give the Lieutenant more than forty years from his facial features.


    "Mana can keep you young if used correctly," The man sighed. "I didn''t think kids these days could still learn stories about that mess."


    "How could we not?" The second boy asked. "You have singlehandedly suppressed a revolt. The Global Army would have lost the planet if it weren''t for you."


    Carl suddenly punched the door of an empty cell. A clanging noise resounded through the basement as the metal bars bent and shattered under the might carried by his arm.


    Everyone fell silent at that scene, but Carl soon understood that he had gone too far. He scratched the corner of his eyes before explaining his reasons. "Stories rarely are accurate. I had my entire platoon on Istrone. I wouldn''t have been the only survivor of the crisis if it weren''t for my troops."


    Silence spread through the basement, but a beeping noise quickly broke it. Carl took his phone and browsed through the notifications before nearing the screen to Khan''s cell.


    "You can go," Carl explained as the cell unlocked. "The others must remain here a bit longer."


    Khan left the cell, but he didn''t immediately leave the basement. A soldier who had been on other planets was right in front of him, and he couldn''t waste that chance to satisfy his curiosity.


    "Did you ever see a Nak?" Khan asked without bothering to add the annoying "sir".


    The sudden question took Carl by surprise, but he still shook his head to answer.


    "Do you think that they are still out there?" Khan continued to question him.


    "They must be," Carl replied while moving back to his table. "We have learnt a lot from those aliens, but there are immense blank spots in their history."


    "What do you mean?" Khan asked.


    The entirety of the human race had studied those aliens for more than five hundred years. The Global Army had also developed methods to deploy their power and surpass their peaks. It was impossible to know everything about them, but Khan still believed that there couldn''t be many doubts left.


    "The Second Impact has shown us that some of them still live," Carl explained while picking a pack of cigarettes from the pocket on his chest.


    "You didn''t mean this with your previous words," Khan replied, and Carl inspected him for a few seconds before placing a finger on the cigarette to light it up.


    "Do you promise to go away if I give you my honest opinion?" Carl asked while taking a drag off the cigarette, and Khan promptly nodded.


    "How did we defeat the Nak during the First Impact?" Carl asked. "We had rifles, bombs, and planes, but no mana. How did we win the war against those aliens?"


    The images of the mines in the Slums ran through Khan''s vision. He had seen what a single Nak could do against weapons that didn''t use on mana.


    The First Impact had theoretically involved the main force of those aliens. The entire planet Earth had suffered from the invasion, but humankind had won the war anyway.


    ''How did they win without mana?'' Khan wondered. ''How did I never consider this part of the story?''


    It was hard to be accurate about something that had happened more than five hundred years in the past, but Khan felt stupid anyway. That aspect of the war featured a massive flaw that no one in the Slums had ever questioned.


    "My take on the matter is that the Nak were a suicidal bunch," Carl laughed while stretching his legs on the table and tilting his chair. "Only the higher-ups know the real story, but they never reveal proper details. You might gain access to those reports if you make it to Colonel."


    Khan respected the promise and left the basement. The sunlight still illuminated the camp, but it was clear that the day was about to end.


    ''Suicidal?'' Khan asked himself while reviewing everything that he had learnt about those aliens. ''The greatest enemy of humanity is a suicidal bunch? That can''t be.''


    Khan agreed with Carl, but he didn''t share the same opinions. The Global Army was definitely hiding a secret, but he knew too little to formulate conclusions.


    ''Colonel is too far away for now,'' Khan thought while moving his reasoning on another topic. ''I don''t even know how to become a first-level warrior. I can only stick to Dad''s training until the lessons start.''


    Khan could easily find his way back to the dormitory with his phone. The machine seemed unable to exhaust its battery, so it accompanied him through the entire day.


    It took Khan one hour to return to his room. The other beds were still empty, so he had the entire flat to himself.


    Khan decided to take a shower and change. He even studied the instructions for the laundry and tested his first cleaning. Everything went well since most of the functions were automatic.


    It was too late to visit the canteen, but Khan didn''t mind skipping a meal. Becoming aware of Carl''s power had given birth to a tingling sensation in the back of his head. He wanted to become stronger quickly to enter that seemingly immense world featuring aliens, mages, and other planets.


    ''I could order something directly from my room if I weren''t broke,'' Khan sighed in his mind before sitting on his bed and trying to enter a meditative state.


    The mana appeared in his vision. That azure energy flowed from his nape and expanded through his entire body. Yet, a sudden noise resounded in the room and pulled Khan out of his meditative state.


    Khan opened his eyes and turned toward the source of that noise. His mouth broke into a smile when he saw the boy standing in front of the entrance of the room. A dense cream covered the left side of Samuel''s face and tried to hide his surprised expression.


    Samuel''s face had turned pale when he recognized Khan, but the latter didn''t focus too much on him. The boy had dropped his backpack, and Khan had clearly heard food cans among that noise.


    "Do you happen to have food there?" Khan asked without dropping his smile.


    Samuel seemed frozen in fear, but he still managed to perform a faint nod.


    "Let''s make a trade then!" Khan exclaimed. "I''ll give you the top bunk for your food."


    Samuel looked around the room. Both top bunks were empty, but Khan was still using them to take his food. However, something told him that he had to accept that trade.

 Chapter 17: Conversation

    Life inside the training camp was quite boring before the beginning of the lessons, especially for those who didn''t have the Credits to spend on recreational activities.


    Khan spent most of his time inside his room, while Samuel often decided to leave to avoid the tension that fell whenever the two of them were together.


    Khan pretended not to notice that behavior. The most significant interaction with Samuel had been on the first night when he took his food, but the duo didn''t speak at all during the following days.


    Samuel was too scared to interact with Khan. His mandatory daily visits to the medical bay reminded him that Khan was quite strong, and the memories of the scuffle confirmed that his battle experience didn''t match his roommate.


    On the other hand, Khan didn''t care about his roommate. He spent his time training and visiting the canteen as he waited for the lessons to start. Samuel probably knew more than him when it came to mana, but Khan didn''t trust the boy enough to question him.


    The week went by quickly, and no other roommates arrived in Khan''s room. It seemed that the camp had far more dormitories than needed, and Khan could only feel happy about that extra space.


    On the night before the beginning of the lessons, Samuel returned to his room five minutes before the curfew. That was his usual routine. He wanted to limit being with Khan as much as possible, but some curiosity had eventually appeared in his mind.


    Samuel left early in the morning and came back late at night, but he always found his roommate in a meditative state. Khan woke up before him to train, and he never went to sleep before him.


    Samuel had never seen Khan sleeping in an entire week. That behavior was unnatural for a sixteen years old boy who had just arrived in an environment filled with girls of a similar age. He often held back his curiosity due to the awkwardness of the situation, but that feeling ended up exploding on the night before the beginning of the lessons.


    "Why do you work so hard?" Samuel asked when he saw Khan interrupting his meditation and opening his eyes.


    Khan''s eyes widened at that sudden question. He didn''t mind the silent awkwardness that filled the room, so he had respected Samuel''s behavior.


    Bullying Samuel would have also been easy in that situation, but Khan didn''t want to become like the scum that filled the Slums. Moreover, the regulations harshly punished theft and similar activities, so Khan preferred to stay out of trouble.


    "Have you finally stopped fearing me?" Khan laughed while bending to pick one of the food cans obtained in the canteen.


    "I''m not afraid of you!" Samuel promptly shouted.


    "Sure, sure," Khan said while opening the can and slurping the cold soup contained inside it.


    "Why do you never heat it?" Samuel asked. "We have a microwave in the laundry area."


    Khan simply shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat.


    "You are a strange one," Samuel sighed before climbing on the bunk bed on the other side of the room.


    Khan finished the can and glanced at the boy. He also had a few doubts about Samuel''s behavior, but he hesitated to establish a peaceful relationship with someone who bullied the citizens of the Slums.


    ''I should probably give him a chance to atone,'' Khan thought. ''He is just a kid. He has never experienced my desperation.''


    "I have the same question for you," Khan said while crossing his legs and placing his back on the wall. "I''m quite sure that you don''t train outside. Your friends don''t seem the type to care about that stuff. Do you plan to remain on Earth?"


    Samuel raised his head and revealed a confused expression. He straightened his position to sit on the bed and give a plain answer. "My father would kill me if I remained on Earth. I need to become a second-level warrior at least."


    "Why don''t you train then?" Khan asked. "I bet your family has taught you something before coming here. How can you become a second-level warrior if you spend time bullying lone kids?"


    Samuel lowered his eyes in shame at that remark. It was easy to feel proud about bullying others among his friends, but the reality of his behavior became evident in front of his victims.


    "Our families are close," Samuel explained. "Hanging out with them is a political necessity. I don''t enjoy what we do to kill time."


    "I don''t care about your excuses," Khan snorted. "Don''t pretend to be a victim."


    The shame on Samuel''s face intensified, and an awkward silence fell on the room. The boy didn''t know what to answer, and Khan didn''t care enough to continue the conversation on his own.


    "You can purchase mana if you have enough Credits," Samuel said when he saw that Khan was about to enter the meditative state again. "Training is useless when you can get infusions."


    Khan had heard about mana infusions, but his father had never been able to describe their purpose. He could vaguely understand that having more mana was better, but he didn''t believe that Credits could grant power.


    "Your training raises the attunement with mana, right?" Samuel asked, and Khan decided to nod even if he weren''t sure about that.


    "You can obtain similar effects through infusions," Samuel explained. "Injecting mana into specific body parts raises the attunement with that energy."


    "My father would never teach me something useless," Khan replied.


    "The normal training has benefits," Samuel continued. "The infusions use synthetic mana, which can ruin your potential depending on its quality. The top-tier product can even cost a fortune since you can remove its impurities in a few years."


    That explanation left Khan with even more doubts. He suddenly felt curious about the whole topic, but he believed that Samuel didn''t know much. Also, his knowledge could be inaccurate.


    "Relying only on the mana core provides a slow but flawless improvement," Samuel explained. "Yet, the process can be really slow depending on the quality of the mana core itself. It''s also overall boring compared to the simple infusions."


    "I bet your family will buy you infusions," Khan commented.


    "I already have a few ready," Samuel proudly announced. "I only need to raise my attunement with mana to twenty percent before starting the process. Becoming a second-level warrior should be quite easy for me."


    "What about magic?" Khan asked.


    "The training to become a mage is far harder," Samuel sighed. "Warriors only need tough bodies and knowledge over a few martial arts. Instead, magic has no shortcuts. Even improving your mana capacity can''t help you there."


    Khan''s doubts increased again. Samuel definitely knew far more about him, but his knowledge seemed too vague to give precise details about those fields.


    "So, what do you want to do after becoming a second-level warrior?" Khan asked when he saw Samuel yawning.


    "Get to a safe planet and try to climb the ranks there," Samuel explained while lying back on the bed.


    "Don''t you want to discover new planets and interact with alien species?" Khan asked.


    "What''s the point?" Samuel laughed. "The war is long since over. The universe only has alien species with a weaker foundation. Humankind will eventually submit all of them even without my help. I only want to avoid being a disappointment for my family."


    Khan didn''t ask anything else. It was clear that Samuel was too different from him. Most of the soldiers probably shared the same feelings since they had never experienced any real danger in their life.


    ''Humans have become lazy,'' Khan thought while crossing his legs to enter a meditative state again.


    His first lesson would start early in the morning, so he set the alarm to avoid training all night. Some excitement even formed in his mind and tried to stop Khan from calming down.


    ''I have "history of mana" and "basics of mana cores" tomorrow morning,'' Khan read on his phone once his training ended and he prepared himself to sleep.


    Both subjects seemed interesting, but Khan couldn''t move his eyes from the description of his afternoon lessons. The Global Army would finally teach him how to use mana!

 Chapter 18: Lessons

    Khan woke up early in the morning and left before Samuel. He didn''t want to see if his friends had prepared something for him, and the conversation from the previous night wasn''t enough to make him trust the boy.


    The canteen was already open by then. Only a few recruits and soldiers roamed through the building at that hour, so Khan could enjoy his breakfast alone and review his schedule.


    ''History of mana in two hours,'' Khan read on his phone. ''Basics of mana cores will come right after. Both of them are mandatory courses, so my poor knowledge shouldn''t be a problem.''


    Khan had scored A-plus in the initial test. Some of his courses differed from the other recruits since the Global Army placed his foundation above them.


    Khan had feared that his initial success could eventually hurt his instruction, but it seemed that the Global Army had planned everything perfectly. All the courses that involved knowledge about the mana were mandatory. His good grade only affected the physical lessons.


    Waiting those two hours felt hellish to Khan. He spent the first ten minutes after his breakfast roaming around the building, but he eventually found an isolated spot and entered a meditative state.


    Training was the best method to kill time. A single session could last for hours, and Khan would barely sense it.


    Khan had obviously set the alarm, but a familiar voice interrupted his training before his phone could ring.


    "What are you even doing here?" Martha Weesso asked when she saw Khan sitting cross-legged in the corner of a park near the building.


    "Long time no see," Khan scratched the corner of his eyes before standing up and revealing a broad smile.


    Martha wasn''t alone. Two girls were with her and inspected Khan from head to toe, and he could see from their expressions that they didn''t like what they saw.


    "Is he a friend of yours?" One of the girls asked.


    "Why is he sitting on the ground?" The other girl added.


    ''I guess people can understand my background even if I shower every day,'' Khan sighed in his mind. ''Well, I probably won''t need condoms.''


    "You can go ahead," Martha said without bothering to answer her friends. "He is a classmate from the special courses. I have something to discuss with him."


    The two girls widened their eyes at those words. Only the recruits who had scored A in the initial tests had access to the special courses. Their opinion of Khan changed immediately, and they even shot smiles toward him when they left.


    Khan waved his hand toward the girls before turning toward Martha. An honest smirk appeared on his face as he gave voice to his thoughts. "Thank you, but don''t worry. I don''t need your help."


    "You definitely do when it comes to girls," Martha laughed. "Luke might be a bit pushy, but he has some charm at least."


    "Don''t I have charm?" Khan laughed before wearing a serious expression and placing his hand under his chin.


    "You still have some dirt on your trousers," Martha laughed while covering her mouth.


    Khan suddenly noticed the few brown spots on his dark-blue uniform and proceeded to clean them up. Martha continued to laugh while she watched the boy patting his butt in the attempt to remove the dirt.


    "You are hilarious," Martha commented when Khan finished cleaning himself and showed her his thumbs.


    "I guess I don''t see the need for formalities," Khan commented. "The Slums are better in that sense. They are dirty and dangerous, but you could always understand the intentions of those around you."


    "Can''t you understand mine?" Martha replied while wearing an innocent expression.


    "I have seen what you can do with hammers," Khan snorted. "And you can''t beat the master of pretense here."


    "I should perfect my art in the Slums," Martha continued. "The best training ground for actors."


    "You got that right," Khan laughed.


    "Come on," Martha said while pulling Khan''s uniform. "The first lesson will start in ten minutes. I don''t want to be late on my first day. Also, give me your number. I can''t believe that I have to ask for it."


    "It''s part of my charm," Khan replied while making the previous face, but Martha simply laughed and took out her phone.


    The duo walked around the tall building. A crowd made of many young recruits had gathered around the entrance. The boys and girls chatted happily and exchanged numbers as they waited until the last second to join the lesson.


    "Why don''t they enter already?" Khan asked.


    "The first lessons have nothing important for them," Martha explained. "Most of their families have already taught them a lot. Some of them don''t even consider mana as a miracle. It''s simple normality for them."


    "Are you like them?" Khan asked, and he didn''t fail to notice the faint sadness that appeared on Martha''s face after his words.


    "My family is relatively poor," Martha explained. "I live next to the training camps, in the worst districts of Ylaco. I have my grandfather to thank for my mana core. I would have had to opt for a synthetic C-tier otherwise."


    Khan didn''t answer. Martha''s face told him that it wasn''t the time to crack jokes. He knew how important silence could be in those situations.


    A group of four boys suddenly appeared in the corner of Khan''s vision. He recognized Bloke, Samuel, and the other two who had tried to bully him one week ago, and the four also noticed him.


    Bloke revealed a cold smile, but Khan limited himself to wink at him. He even scratched his groin and turned when he saw angry expressions appearing on the group.


    "Friends of yours?" Martha asked when she noticed that interaction.


    "I''m everyone''s friend," Khan laughed.


    The duo entered the building and reached the staircase near the canteen. They quickly found the room for the lesson through their phones, and a large hall filled with seats soon unfolded in their vision.


    The hall was immense. It featured a series of screens on one side and many elevated seats on the other. Khan guessed that the room could contain more than five hundred students, and the sheer size of that place left him slightly dumbfounded.


    "Let''s take a seat," Martha said while climbing the steps that led to the rows in the back.


    "Won''t we have problems hearing the professor from there?" Khan asked.


    "The desks have many functions," Martha laughed. "Following the lesson won''t be a problem. You can even watch it on your phone later on. The Global Army makes sure to put everything on its network."


    Martha''s explanation left Khan speechless, but he quickly recovered and followed her in the back rows. Students soon began to walk inside the room, and Luke eventually appeared in the distance.


    "Mind if we join you?" Luke asked as a boy remained behind him. "He is Bruce Eerly, another recruit who scored A in the initial test."


    Bruce was shorter than Luke but taller than Khan. He had a slender physique, short black hair, and dark eyes. He was slightly less good-looking than Luke, but a noble aura surrounded his figure.


    Martha and Khan didn''t oppose the duo, and the lesson started after they exchanged a few casual words.


    A middle-aged fat man called Andrew Conche quickly entered the room. He wore a military uniform that featured a star on both shoulders. The class automatically activated a few functions at his arrival, and the screens behind him lit up before the beginning of the lesson.


    A series of menus suddenly appeared on Khan''s desk. He could zoom on the professor, draw headphones to listen to his words, or read from a screen that automatically transcribed his lines.


    ''This is way too perfect!'' Khan thought as he drew headphones and zoomed on the professor to make sure that he didn''t miss a single word.


    The lesson was quite boring, but Khan didn''t dare to get distracted anyway. Professor Conche described the events right after the First Impact and reviewed the initial accomplishments of the humans with mana.


    ''This is quite vague,'' Khan thought while listening to the lesson. ''It doesn''t make any technical descriptions. He is basically reading a list of feats.''


    The lesson couldn''t end quickly enough. Most of the recruits had utterly given up on listening to Professor Conche by the end of the class. Only Khan and a few students continued to pay attention for its whole duration.


    "That was incredibly boring," Luke exclaimed once the lesson was over. "Any reporter can do a better job in explaining this stuff."


    "They already do," Bruce laughed. "I''m pretty sure the professor is reading the scripts of one of the recent documentaries."


    "And we have to listen to him even for the next lesson," Martha sighed.


    The ten-minutes break went by quickly. Very few recruits left their seats, and even Professor Conche only limited himself to do a short walk outside of the room.


    The second lesson was far more interesting for Khan, even if most recruits still found it boring. Professor Conche reviewed the main differences among mana cores, a topic that most boys and girls knew thanks to their families.


    "Both synthetic and organic cores have weaknesses," Professor Conche explained. "Synthetic cores take longer to raise the attunement with mana, and they eventually break since their fusion with the human body isn''t perfect. Still, organic cores are far rarer, and a body requires specific training to accept them. The surgery with organic cores also is riskier since the fusion is tighter, so replacing them can lead to long-lasting injuries."


    Khan felt like a sponge that absorbed every bit of knowledge that reached his ears. The second lesson was clearing most of his doubts involving the differences among mana cores.


    Satisfaction soon filled his mind. Professor Conche had confirmed that he would never need to change mana core throughout his life. Khan wouldn''t have to mind one of the greatest issues for soldiers.


    The lesson eventually ended, and the recruits quickly left to flood the canteen. Khan soon noticed that the younglings around him stared at his group in awe, and the girls even shot smiles at their passage.


    "Luke has told everyone that he made it to the special courses," Martha explained when she noticed Khan''s confused expression. "All the camp will guess that we belong to the same class since we are with him."


    "Is it important to score A?" Khan asked. "Lieutenant Unchai said that everyone could reach the upper courses."


    "But very few do it," Bruce explained. "Most of the recruits even have to skip the initial physical lessons to recover from the transplant. Our current status says that we''ll go far in the army as long as we don''t mess up."


    ****


    Author''s notes: Do let me know if the chapters become boring or something. I''m trying to keep a quick pace, but I must slow down to build the world at times. Also, do you like this current release time?

 Chapter 19: Basics

    Khan had been at the center of attention during his life, but for very different reasons. He had been a foreigner in the Slums, so everyone used to glare at him.


    The situation in the training camp was far different. The boys would show awe and respect, and the girls tried to wear their best smiles whenever their eyes met. Luke and Martha got most of the attention, but Khan and Bruce also had their share of fans.


    ''I''ve become a celebrity!'' Khan shouted in his mind, but the unusual situation didn''t make him forget about the incoming lesson.


    The Global Army would teach the practical uses of mana in the afternoon, and Khan couldn''t wait to be there. His new friends didn''t share his excitement due to their background, but they still felt slightly restless.


    "I heard that our next professor is a second-level mage and warrior," Bruce revealed while browsing through the menus of the canteen. "We got quite lucky this year."


    "I don''t think we''ll learn anything important today," Luke added. "Our attunement level is still too low. Our bodies have yet to fully develop in the end. The professor will probably show a few martial arts and a spell."


    "It''s still great to see how to deploy mana," Khan commented while devouring a chicken wing. "I''ve only seen physical enhancements for now."


    Martha and the others tried not to look at Khan, but they couldn''t avoid that after his phrase. Two empty plates stood by his side, and he was proceeding to order a fourth meal even before finishing the third.


    "How much do you even eat?" Martha asked while sipping her juice.


    "Bad habits from the Slums," Khan honestly revealed. "You must always fill your stomach since the next meal might never arrive."


    "I think the Slums made you grow a few additional stomachs," Luke commented.


    "I still can''t believe that a citizen of the Slums managed to score A," Bruce said while inspecting Khan. "Maybe that environment has given you experience in fields that we can''t even approach."


    Khan didn''t hide his background after his group sat in the canteen. He didn''t explain everything about his father and the Second Impact, but he found no point in keeping a secret that he came from the Slums.


    "I''ve learnt a few tricks," Khan replied while gulping the last piece of meat and smiling when his new order came out of the table. "Still, I think you are better off. I knew almost nothing about mana cores and soldiers a week ago."


    "But you were meditating this morning," Martha pointed out. "Who taught you that technique? How did you even find someone for the transplant in the Slums?"


    "You can find almost everything in the Slums as long as you know where to look," Khan lied while wolfing his fourth plate.


    "Well, don''t refrain from contacting us whenever you have doubts," Luke announced. "We should look out for each other. It''s very likely that the army will send our entire class on missions and similar tasks. Dealing with your lack of knowledge will benefit our group."


    Luke''s speech made sense, but Khan didn''t miss the faint flicker in Martha''s expression. There seemed to be more to the whole matter, and Khan noted in his mind to question her later.


    Khan''s group needed to wait a few hours for their last lesson. The Global Army would take care of the classes made by recruits who had scored less than A first. That long break was a reward for the good grade, but Khan only saw it as a pointless waste of time.


    The group separated after leaving the canteen. Bruce returned to his flat to take a nap, and Luke tried to hit on Martha before giving up on the matter and contacting other friends in the camp.


    Khan and Martha remained alone, and that gave him the chance to question her about her previous reaction.


    "How did you even notice that?" Martha asked.


    "Force of habit," Khan simply replied.


    The duo had stopped in a park. Both of them had decided to sit on the ground to meditate for a few hours before the last lesson, but their conversation was delaying their training.


    "It''s not inherently a bad thing," Martha explained. "The Cobsend family is quite wealthy, so Luke will definitely reach high ranks in the army. A leader needs trustworthy and capable underlings, but it''s rare to find soldiers from the special courses willing to serve. They usually have a good background, so they can all aim for similar high positions."


    "The same doesn''t apply to me," Khan replied.


    "I''m usually the best these wealthy kids can strive for," Martha continued. "Poor family, but with a decent foundation. You surpass me in that field. Your foundation is even better than mine, and you have virtually no backing."


    "I''m the golden goose for rich kids who want to establish a platoon," Khan summarized.


    "Exactly," Martha sighed. "Luke isn''t half-bad as a leader, and his family has a good reputation. He can be a good option once we graduate."


    "Is there a way out of this system?" Khan asked.


    "You can gain achievements in dangerous planets," Martha replied. "Go there, serve for a few years, and maybe you''ll start to climb the political ladder."


    "I just want to obtain superpowers," Khan laughed before lying back on the ground.


    "You''ll get dirty again," Martha shook her head.


    "Who cares," Khan smirked. "I''m about to learn how to use mana. Nothing else matters today."


    Martha observed Khan for a few seconds, but she shook her head again when she understood that he had entered a meditative state. A faint sigh escaped her mouth as she crossed her legs and imitated her friend.


    The sound of an alarm interrupted Khan and Martha''s mediation. The duo noticed that the sun had started to disappear on the horizon. Their last lesson was about to begin.


    Khan and Martha returned inside the main building and moved toward the underground floors. Lines of recruits walked in the opposite direction to return to their dormitories, and the duo couldn''t help but notice that many of them had bruises on their arms and face.


    "Maybe we aren''t as lucky as Bruce thinks," Martha commented while inspecting the dispirited recruits that walked past her.


    Khan didn''t speak at all during the walk. He couldn''t contain his excitement anymore. His mind couldn''t even formulate words since his imagination had begun to run wild as he approached the lesson.


    Their phones led them inside the third basement, which was an immense hall. A soft carpet covered the floor, and pillows reinforced the walls. The ceiling had a series of artificial torches that illuminated the entire room, but the soft fabric around them carried a menacing meaning.


    ''Can we even end up on the ceiling?'' Khan wondered while moving toward the small group that had gathered in front of a large elevated stage.


    A young woman had her back on the wall as she sat on the stage''s floor. A fuming cigarette was in her mouth, and her eyes moved among the electric torches as she waited for the last class to gather.


    The woman was quite beautiful. She had short blonde hair and a pair of tired dark eyes. Her uniform featured two stars on each shoulder, but it seemed too large for her slim body.


    "That''s Professor Linda Norwell," Luke whispered when he arrived behind Khan and Martha. "I heard that she obtained this job after performing a few successful missions on Onia."


    "Isn''t that the planet with the Ef''i?" Martha asked while keeping her voice down.


    "Exactly," Luke explained. "My father told me that she managed to win the annual tournament against the Ef''i. This job is her reward."


    Khan''s gaze moved between Martha and Luke. Evident confusion filled his expression, and his friends eventually decided to explain the matter.


    "The Ef''i tried to fight the humans about three hundred years ago," Luke explained. "However, we soon discovered that they also hated the Nak, so the higher-ups ended up establishing an alliance. They are quite peculiar as an alien race."


    "Onia has many mines of Faswite," Bruce continued after appearing behind Luke. "It''s one of the main minerals in the creation of synthetic cores. The Ef''i like to gamble some of their mines in annual tournaments, so winning them is quite important for the army."


    Khan repeatedly nodded whenever a new piece of information reached his ears. His knowledge of the many planets touched by the Global Army was basically non-existent, but he was slowly expanding his mental map of the universe.


    "I guess we are all here," Professor Norwell exclaimed after a few recruits entered the basement. "I''m Professor Linda Norwell, and I will take care of teaching how to deploy mana this semester. Specific courses will start in six months after all of you have met the right requirements."


    "You need an attunement with mana above twenty percent to deploy martial arts and spells," Martha promptly whispered in Khan''s ear, and the latter showed a grateful expression toward the girl.


    "I will still teach you the basics and some advanced stuff if your attunement reaches the intended percentage," Professor Norwell continued. "However, at least for today, I will limit myself to teach you a few moves and show what you can do with mana."


    Professor Norwell stood up and stomped her foot on the stage. The floor suddenly opened and revealed a metal training dummy.


    The ceiling right above the dummy opened, and a metal sphere fell on its head. The ball managed to cave in the puppet''s metal, but the damage wasn''t significant.


    "This vaguely is what a normal human can do with a weapon," Professor Norwell explained before throwing a kick on the dummy''s chest.


    The metal bent under the power released by her attack. The training dummy''s chest caved in and broke until a hole appeared on the other side.


    Professor Norwell didn''t show any satisfaction when she heard the surprised gasps of her student. She limited herself to take a drag from her cigarette while pulling her leg out of the training dummy.


    "Martial arts are quite powerful," Professor Norwell explained. "They are easier to learn than spells, and most slackers can perform them after a few infusions. These techniques also have different abilities and levels of expertise, but we''ll come back to them later."


    Professor Norwell took a few steps back before pointing her hand toward the training dummy. A scarlet light slowly covered her fingers, and the air in front of them suddenly took fire.


    The flames began to rotate until they took the shape of a fiery vortex. Professor Norwell then stretched her fingers, and the attack flew toward the training dummy.

 Chapter 20: Exchanges

    An explosion followed the impact between the fiery vortex and the training dummy. Defensive screens appeared on the edges of the stage and blocked the fuming scraps of metal and flames that flew after the detonation.


    A vent promptly appeared on the ceiling and drained the smoke and fire lingering on the stage. Khan and the others soon became able to see the state of the training dummy, and their mouths inevitably opened in surprise.


    The training dummy was no more. It initially featured only half of a human torso, but the spell had left it with a small patch of melted metal that hung from a short stick.


    ''This destructive power is incredible!'' Khan shouted in his mind.


    Only Luke and a few recruits didn''t show any surprise at the scene. They had already seen mages in action thanks to their background, so they knew how powerful spells could be.


    "I think you all can understand why becoming a mage is harder and has no shortcuts," Professor Norwell announced. "Spells are far stronger than martial arts, but they have significant drawbacks. Casting these abilities requires more time, and it usually depletes far more mana."


    The explanation made sense in everyone''s mind. There had to be a higher price to pay for such a mighty ability.


    "Let''s start with the basics now," Professor Norwell shouted while jumping off the stage. "Divide yourselves into groups of two. We''ll go over a few simple moves that usually work for every martial art. Many of you have already received physical training, but it won''t hurt to review them."


    Luke immediately turned toward Martha, but she touched Khan''s shoulder before anyone could approach her.


    "Let''s see how good you are with proper techniques," Martha smiled when Khan turned, but the latter didn''t seem too excited about the matter.


    ''What do we have to learn if we can''t use mana?'' Khan wondered as Martha led him to an isolated spot of the hall.


    The various pairs did the same. They all separated and took ample empty areas for themselves.


    Professor Norwell nodded when she saw how swiftly her students took their places. She eventually cleared her throat to claim their attention, and a tall hologram of herself soon appeared at the center of the hall.


    "I''ll teach you footwork and attacks for the first lessons," Professor Norwell announced. "Keep in mind that these are nothing more than basic moves. Real martial arts might require complicated forms, but it''s not bad to have these as your foundation."


    Professor Norwell bent her legs before performing a quick movement with her ankle. Her figure seemed to stretch. She left an afterimage as she slid on the floor and performed a quick side-step.


    "This is the shadow step executed with advanced proficiency," Professor Norwell explained. "This form is the most basic footwork in the army, but it can match better techniques if performed with higher proficiency."


    Professor Norwell then bent her legs again before her waist performed a sharp movement. Her right arm shot forward, and her palm released a low noise when it hit the air.


    "This is the palm force executed with advanced proficiency," Professor Norwell announced. "This attack is the same as the shadow step. It''s a very basic technique backed with high proficiency."


    The tall hologram at the center of the hall began to repeat both techniques, and menus appeared under every pair. Khan briefly played with the various icons and discovered that they could mark where his feet had to be to perform both techniques.


    "There are four stages of proficiency for each martial art," Professor Norwell continued. "You are all novices right now since you can''t use mana. The higher proficiency levels are competent, advanced, and expert. You can reach them by obtaining mastery over the forms and the correct flow of mana."


    ''I get it now,'' Khan summarized in his mind. ''Memorizing the forms now will give us an easier time once we become able to move mana at will. I can''t slack then.''


    The excitement that had started to vanish returned stronger than ever. Khan was ready to give his everything.


    "Don''t hold back," Martha whispered, but she quickly noticed that Khan wasn''t listening to her.


    His eyes moved between the marks on the floor and Professor Norwell''s hologram. He seemed completely absorbed by the training. He even started to test some of the moves while listening to the explanation.


    The floor revealed a red color whenever Khan failed to perform the movement correctly. Writings that described his mistakes even appeared among that shade.


    Martha revealed a smile when she saw Khan''s serious expression, but a tinge of annoyance filled her mind when she realized that he was ignoring her.


    "You will alternate between attacking and dodging," Professor Norwell ordered. "Alternate hands and feet according to your companion, and don''t hold back. Hit each other! Pain will improve your reflexes and quicken your learning experience. I''ll become your training partner if I notice any slacker."


    A second of silence followed that order before Professor Norwell gave voice to a loud "begin". Khan raised his head to plan the training with Martha, but a palm suddenly hit his chest and forced him to take a step back.


    Martha wore a satisfied expression when Khan raised his head. Instead, Khan had no idea why Martha had attacked him so suddenly.


    "Let''s start with the right," Martha said before Khan could question her about her previous behavior. "It''s your turn to attack."


    Khan scratched his head before quickly giving up on the matter. He inspected the hologram while studying the instructions on the floor and taking his position.


    "Ready?" Khan asked.


    "This training also focuses on enhancing our reflexes," Martha explained. "Let''s not announce our attacks. We should start as soon as our feet reach the intended position."


    Khan rotated his waist and stretched his arm as soon as Martha finished speaking. His palm hit her shoulder and made her stumble backward, but the floor still showed a red light.


    ''What did I do wrong?'' Khan wondered while reading the writings on the floor. ''Back foot didn''t rotate enough, and my arm didn''t follow the waist correctly.''


    "You definitely hold grudges," Martha snorted while standing up to resume her position.


    "I don''t know what you are talking abou-," Khan had to interrupt his line to dodge an incoming palm strike.


    His body rotated and successfully side-stepped Martha''s attack, but the floor still revealed a red light. The same happened for Martha, and both of them lowered their head to understand their mistakes.


    ''No technique at all?'' Khan read from the floor. ''I guess I just tried to dodge the attack without trying to perform the move.''


    "I won''t ignore you anymore, okay?" Khan laughed when he raised his head.


    "You aren''t as dense as I thought," Martha commented while revealing a smile. "Sure. Let''s focus on the exercise."


    Martha and Khan stopped minding each other and focused entirely on their forms. They even gained speed after a few exchanges since they established a proper progression of the moves.


    Khan initially had many difficulties, especially when it came to the shadow step. He had trained his instincts in the Slums, so his body automatically tried to dodge Martha''s attacks without bothering about the actual technique.


    Martha had it easier since she had already received some training. However, her techniques were inaccurate and needed far more practice according to the menus on the floor.


    Khan slowly managed to overcome his instincts and focus only on the moves. That approach allowed Martha to hit him many times, but he didn''t care about pain as long as his technique improved.


    Khan''s determination seemed to affect Martha since she also stopped running away from pain and focus on the menus'' teachings. Both of them ended up hitting each other many times in the two hours of the lesson.


    "Enough!" Professor Norwell eventually shouted, and the floor went dark.


    The hologram disappeared while Professor Norwell returned on the stage to pick a cigarette from the pack that she had left on the floor.


    "No wonder you are the special class," Professor Norwell explained. "I had to stop after only one hour with the last recruits. All of you have also succeeded in turning the floor green a few times."


    Khan and Martha exchanged a glance. He raised his hand to show four fingers while she lifted both of them to reveal six fingers. Martha had surpassed Khan when it came to the number of green lights.


    "There''s no need to keep track of today''s achievements," Professor Norwell continued. "This mandatory lesson will happen every afternoon. Your focus has to be on perfecting your moves in a short time."


    Some of the recruits showed ugly expressions. That training was hellish and painful, but Professor Norwell wanted them to do it every day.


    "Some of you will already reach twenty percent attunement with mana in the next months," Professor Norwell revealed. "I suggest you use your nights to rest or meditate to keep up with your classmates. The Global Army will leave every slacker behind. You might have families ready to back you up, but I want to remind you that they are useless on a battlefield."


    Professor Norwell then waved her hand and pointed toward the exit. "Go now. Don''t waste any more of my time."


    Martha and Khan sighed and turned toward the exit after Professor Norwell dismissed them. Luke and Bruce quickly reached them, but their eyes widened in surprise when they saw their friends.


    "What the hell happened to you?" Luke asked.


    Khan and Martha turned toward each other and noticed that their faces were full of bruises. They had also torn their uniforms in various spots during the training.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I have the first dose of the vaccine tomorrow. I might not feel well, so don''t panic if you see delays.

 Chapter 21: Two faces

    "Did you try to kill each other?" Bruce asked when he noticed Khan and Martha''s state.


    "It''s just training," Khan replied while inspecting the two boys. "What about you? Did you even try to perform the moves?"


    A faint laugh escaped Martha''s mouth at that comment. Luke and Bruce had a few spots on their uniforms, but they were perfectly fine otherwise.


    "These are only basic techniques," Luke snorted. "It''s almost pointless to learn them since our future martial arts will most likely ask us to modify our habits."


    "He is right," Bruce added. "Our families have already purchased martial arts suitable for our physique, and I bet that Martha also has something similar. Learning these low-level moves is quite pointless."


    Khan turned toward Martha, and the latter nodded while revealing a helpless expression.


    "My situation is a bit different," Martha explained. "My family has a few martial arts, but they don''t really suit my height. I plan to change it here."


    "Height?" Khan asked.


    "I learnt how to use hammers!" Martha released a helpless sigh. "Both men and women in my family are usually tall and burly, so those weapons are fine for them. However, I need to match it with a martial art that has exceptional footwork to use it properly."


    Martha was shorter than Khan. She was among the shortest in the special class. Hammers usually didn''t have a good range, so her height could be an issue in a battle.


    ''I see,'' Khan commented in his mind. ''She is preparing her body for the new martial art.''


    "Where can I get one of those?" Khan asked. "I''ve never seen a martial art. I don''t even know what it should look like."


    "Martial arts usually are a series of moves that culminate into special techniques," Martha explained while the group began to leave the building. "The Global Army will provide you with a low-level one for free once your attunement with mana reaches the intended level."


    "I suggest you avoid them," Luke quickly contradicted Martha. "You will only develop bad habits. It''s better to start directly with a high-level martial art. You won''t have to force your body to forget most of your training in that way."


    "How can I even put my hands on high-level martial arts?" Khan asked.


    "There are a few ways," Martha explained. "You can purchase them from the army through Credits or merits, find masters willing to take you under their wing, or-."


    "Or you can ask me," Luke interrupted Martha. "My family has a large collection of martial arts. You should come to Ylaco with me when the semester ends. I''m sure I can find something suitable. You can even ask me for a loan and go in specialized shops otherwise."


    Martha pretended not to see that interaction, and Bruce also let his gaze wander through his surroundings. Khan didn''t miss their behavior, but he still pretended to be completely overwhelmed with gratefulness.


    "That would be so great!" Khan exclaimed while wearing one of his brightest smiles. "I''ll definitely rely on you then. Don''t you dare to go back on your words."


    Khan and Luke laughed after that exchange of words. They both felt satisfied with that interaction.


    Luke ended up believing that Khan was already in his pocket, while the latter managed to keep that door open without establishing any deal.


    "I''ll return to my flat now," Luke announced. "We have a long day tomorrow, and I''m sure that Professor Norwell''s lessons will only get harsher."


    "I''ll come with you," Bruce replied. "My flat is in the same direction anyway."


    Khan maintained his smile and waved his hand as his friends turned, but Luke seemed to recall something at the last second.


    "You should both visit the medical bay," Luke said. "Our bodies might be resilient, but it''s better to deal with your bruises before tomorrow''s physical lesson."


    Luke and Bruce left after that reminder, and Martha and Khan waited for them to disappear around a corner before exchanging a glance. The duo ended up exploding into a laugh, but they still decided to follow that advice.


    Martha and Khan chitchatted during the walk to the medical bay. It was already quite late, so they tried to hurry. Luckily for them, they found many free nurses inside the building, and they quickly applied a few cold lotions on their bruises.


    Khan didn''t get the chance to visit Doctor Ian Parket. He had a few questions about the attunement with mana, but he gave up on the matter after learning that the man had already left.


    Martha waited for Khan outside of the medical bay, which slightly surprised him. He didn''t expect her to refuse the chance to hit the bed sooner.


    "You didn''t have to wait for me," Khan laughed. "It''s already nine pm. You can''t go to the canteen anymore now."


    "Only you would think about your stomach at this hour," Martha snorted.


    "I don''t need to," Khan replied while wearing a proud expression. "I already have a stash of food in my room."


    "You are helpless!" Martha shouted, but she ended up exploding into a laugh in front of Khan''s funny expression.


    ''I have enough time to eat, meditate, and sleep,'' Khan thought while looking in the direction of his dormitory.


    Thinking about his bed worsened Khan''s mood. His day had been fantastic, but his reoccurring nightmare would inevitably ruin it.


    Martha noticed the sharp change in Khan''s expression. The event left her sightly dumbfounded, especially since they were both laughing and joking just a second ago.


    "How much of you is an act?" Martha said, but she quickly covered her mouth and tried to justify her words. "I didn''t mean to do that. That had to remain in my head."


    "What do you mean?" Khan snapped back to reality and revealed a fake smile. "I''m always myself."


    Martha and Khan had yet to have a deep conversation. They had known each other for a mere week, and they had interacted for less than a day. Their friendship had barely begun.


    "I''m too blunt at times," Martha tried to dodge that topic. "You don''t have to think too much about my words."


    "You are my sparring partner," Khan laughed. "I think I need to know a bit to trust you."


    Martha frowned. Khan had basically said that he didn''t trust her. She stopped caring about the politeness of her words at that point and began to speak her mind.


    "You have two faces," Martha explained. "You often are the simple boy from the Slums who can''t take anything seriously. Yet, you turn into a completely different guy whenever we talk about mana or aliens."


    "I''m just curious," Khan laughed while trying to lie his way out of that topic. "You all know so much, and that''s even normal for you. How can I not pay attention when you disclose some of your knowledge?"


    Martha''s eyes sharpened. She inspected Khan, paying special attention to his gestures. She couldn''t find anything off in his behavior, but her instincts told her that something was off.


    "I''ve been your sparring partner," Martha announced. "I have seen how you handle pain. You don''t run away from it. You coldly accept it when it''s necessary."


    "Isn''t that normal?" Khan laughed again.


    "What did you even experience in the Slums?" Martha sighed. "I hope you''ll trust me enough to tell me one day."


    Khan wished to say something, but Martha raised her hand while shaking her head. She didn''t want more lies. The girl even began to walk in the direction of her dormitory without caring if Khan was following her.


    ''Women are so sharp,'' Khan sighed in his mind as he watched Martha''s figure disappearing in the distance. ''I should just tell her about the Second Impact. That might keep her satisfied for a while.''


    Martha was right, and Khan knew that. Part of him had broken after spending every night of the last eleven years dreaming about the worst day of his life.


    His determination to learn how to use mana came from his desperation. Khan wanted to put an end to those dreams, but he was out of options. He had to meet the minimum requirements for the missions in the foreign planets and search for the remaining Nak.


    That alien species was also incredibly strong, so Khan needed the power to hunt them. Working hard to obtain it seemed completely normal in his mind since his sanity was on the line.


    ''I''ll try to find the right chance to reveal my Tainted status,'' Khan decided in his mind.


    Khan didn''t feel any shame about his Tainted status, but he preferred to avoid disclosing that news. The recruits were different from the citizens of the Slums, but they would still treat him differently after learning about his role in the Second Impact.


    ''I guess I only want to feel normal,'' Khan laughed in his mind. ''A normal sixteen years old boy who has survived the attack of a Nak and dreams about it every night.''


    Khan ended up revealing a weak smile while starting to walk toward his dormitory. He didn''t even know how to explain his nightmares to his peers. His mind went to war every night, and he always lost.

 Chapter 22: Attunement

    The lotions eased Khan''s bruises in a single night. He could barely see them when he inspected himself after his usual morning shower.


    The scar and the azure strands in his hair had remained the same. Khan could let go of the matter and leave the room to hit the canteen before the classes.


    It was still early in the morning, so Khan didn''t meet any of his friends. He could go to his familiar corner in the park near the main building while he waited for the lessons to start.


    Martha didn''t interrupt his meditation at that time, but he found her, Luke, and Bruce inside the first class. She had left a chair next to her empty even after the small discussion from the other day, and Khan could only smile at that sight.


    "Don''t think too much about yesterday," Martha whispered once Khan sat. "I always end up ignoring my friends'' feelings when I get angry."


    "Will you vent during the physical lesson?" Khan asked while revealing an honest smile.


    "Definitely," Martha replied while showing her tongue, and the duo soon had to stop talking to focus on the lesson.


    Professor Conche resumed his lesson about the history of mana. He went over a few interesting topics that the documentaries often ignored. He explained how the first wealthy families came to be.


    "The Global Army had yet to establish political boundaries back then," Professor Conche explained. "It didn''t have proper backers. It was just a name that humankind had created after the First Impact."


    Luke and Bruce cracked some jokes about Professor Conche''s belly, but Khan couldn''t hear them through the headphones. Instead, Martha glared at them since she didn''t want to end up in trouble.


    "Ten large companies had survived the First Impact," Professor Conche continued. "Earth was nothing more than a wasteland back then, and those corporations held almost all the wealth available on the planet. The Global Army developed through them, and the world slowly returned to its previous splendor."


    Professor Conche picked a pen from a drawer under him before snapping his fingers. The item flew across the vast hall and hit Luke at the center of his forehead.


    "I don''t care that the Cobsend family has ties with the ten noble families," Professor Conche grunted. "You will be silent during my class."


    A wave of laughter spread through the room, and Luke hid his face in shame. Instead, Khan reevaluated Professor Conche after that throw. The soldier was only a first-level warrior and mage, but his power was far from human.


    ''Reaching the first level must feel great,'' Khan commented in his mind while the lesson resumed.


    "The world had transformed after the First Impact," Professor Conche explained. "The mana had changed the human society to its very core. The ten companies also had to wear a new face, so they became families. They obtained the "noble" title only after more families appeared on the planet."


    The lesson quickly ended after that topic, but Professor Conche remained in the hall to prepare for his next class.


    The second lesson covered the mana cores again, and Khan could add new information to his mind. Professor Conche went over specific details about the organic and synthetic cores, and he even showed stats that explained other important matters.


    ''Wow,'' Khan exclaimed in his mind when he inspected the graph on his desk. ''Synthetic cores last ten years at best, but organic cores have a thirty percent chance to leave long-lasting injuries during an upgrade.''


    Those numbers worsened when it came to multiple transplants. A soldier who wanted to get the second upgrade of an organic core would have a fifty percent chance to remain severely injured.


    ''No wonder the army tries to push everyone toward the synthetic cores,'' Khan noted in his mind. ''The surgery is safer since they never completely fuse with the nape. The only problem is their cost and the slower pace in attuning a body with mana. Also, only the best A-tier can last for ten entire years.''


    In theory, Khan didn''t have to worry about mana cores. He already had the best on the market. However, it didn''t hurt to improve his knowledge in that field, especially since he could lose his mana core during battles.


    The second lesson eventually ended, and Bruce returned to his flat to take his usual nap. Luke imitated him while Martha and Khan hit the park near the main building and entered a meditative state without wasting time.


    The duo moved to Professor Norwell''s lesson once their alarms rang. The soldier made her class repeat the same exercise as the last time, and Khan and Martha ended up full of bruises again.


    "You two are incredible," Luke commented after the end of the lesson when he noticed Khan and Martha''s state.


    "You didn''t even sweat," Martha snorted. "I can''t wait to see how you perform during our first mission."


    "We''ll already have access to mana by then," Luke laughed. "Everything will be different. Training so hard will make more sense."


    "What''s your attunement level anyway?" Bruce asked. "I have been sitting at seven percent for an entire week. I guess I''m not working hard enough."


    Khan''s eyes lit up at those words. He couldn''t wait to hear what his friends had to say about that stat.


    "Eight percent," Luke revealed proudly. "My professor back in Ylaco says that my growth has slowed down the attunement, but it should pick up speed now. I should hit twenty percent in a little more than a month."


    "Ten," Martha revealed while wearing a taunting smile. "I checked it in the medical bay yesterday. I gained two whole points in a week."


    Luke and Bruce showed surprised expressions, and Khan didn''t forget to imitate them. Yet, various thoughts surged in his mind as he reviewed that conversation.


    "Having an organic core sure sounds nice," Luke commented. "It even causes fewer problems since it develops with your body."


    "Sounds like we are all going to gain access to mana in a bit more than a month." Bruce laughed. "I wonder how our classmates are. Maybe we should socialize a bit more."


    "How did you even check your attunement yesterday?" Khan asked while interrupting that conversation and moving the attention on himself. "I thought Doctor Parket wasn''t in the medical bay."


    The trio wore helpless expressions when they heard those words. Luke even shook his head and heaved a loud sigh to express his feelings.


    "You don''t need the Doctor to check that," Martha decided to explain. "Any nurse can handle the scanner. It takes less than a minute."


    "Please, Martha, help this poor boy," Bruce said in a poetic tone. "Show him the wonders of technology. You are going to the medical bay anyway, right?"


    "I''ll lead the way," Martha sighed before leaving toward the medical bay, and Khan followed her while waving his hand toward his friends.


    "I''ll ignore the fact that you switched topic before revealing your attunement with mana," Martha said after the duo remained alone.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about," Khan laughed. "You forgot about me. Your fault."


    "I was actually waiting for that," Martha smirked. "I don''t even know the quality of your mana core."


    "My pride doesn''t allow me to give up so easily," Khan sighed while placing a hand on his chest. "You hurt my little heart by ignoring me earlier."


    "I''m starting to hate you," Martha snorted. "You know that we''ll see the nurse together, right?"


    Khan''s expression froze for a second, and Martha laughed at that sight.


    "What about privacy?" Khan asked.


    "They literally scan you in a corridor," Martha continued to laugh.


    "I''m ashamed of my body," Khan continued.


    "You don''t have to remove your clothes," Martha could barely spell words among her laughs.


    "This is definitely abuse," Khan snorted while picking his phone. "Harassment in the Global Army is a serious matter. I can read the punishments if you want."


    "What do you even have to hide?" Martha asked while taking deep breaths to suppress her laughs. "You should have a decent attunement even if your core is weak. You always meditate!"


    ''That''s the issue,'' Khan said in his mind.


    Even Doctor Parket had remained surprised by his stats. Khan didn''t dare to imagine what Martha would say when she saw them. He could sense that she was still pissed at him for keeping secrets and that feeling would only intensify if his attunement turned out to be too high.


    "Just, promise me that you won''t reveal the results to anyone," Khan said in an honest tone. "I have no backing, and Luke is already trying to recruit me in his future platoon. I want to keep some secrets until I know who I can trust."


    That burst of honesty left Martha stunned. She didn''t know how to react when Khan was serious. It was easy to talk with him when he acted like a sixteen-year-old boy, but she felt overwhelmed by his maturity during his stern moments.


    "Does it mean that you trust me now?" Martha asked.


    "I have confirmed that you don''t have hidden intentions toward me," Khan laughed and reverted to his previous act.


    Martha felt slightly disappointed that boy-Khan had returned, but she nodded to express her compliance. The duo remained silent during the walk toward the medical bay, and Martha quickly summoned a nurse to perform the scan once they arrived.


    Khan felt slightly anxious even if he had no real reason to hide his talent. Still, the Slums had taught him that wealthy people with no protections were easy targets, and he felt like that inside the Global Army.


    Khan didn''t have money, but he was a valuable asset. Also, his nape hid an A-tier organic core. The training camp seemed peaceful, but he didn''t know if some families would try to obtain it through illegal methods.


    Truth be told, Khan knew almost nothing about Ylaco''s political environment. The camp seemed the complete opposite of the Slums, but human nature didn''t change according to the environment.


    Bad men could exist everywhere, and Khan was all alone. His father couldn''t do much in his position, so he preferred to remain careful about his interactions with the other wealthy kids. The scuffle on the first day had been a mistake that he didn''t want to repeat.


    "There must be a problem with this device," The nurse said while reading the scanner in her hand. "I''ll take a new one and perform the scan again."


    Khan''s anxiety increased after that announcement, but Martha remained clueless about the whole situation. She simply waited for the result while wearing a curious expression.


    The nurse eventually returned and performed the scan again. She moved her device across Khan''s back, and a beeping noise finally came out of it.


    "Oh," The nurse exclaimed while reading the device, but she remained silent afterward.


    "What is it?" Martha asked as her curiosity was about to burst.


    "It says here that his attunement is already past fifteen percent," The nurse explained. "It should reach sixteen tomorrow at this pace."

 Chapter 23: Revelations

    "There must be some kind of mistake," The nurse said while inspecting the scanner. "You are too young for this attunement level."


    Khan could see that the scanner displayed many details about his body, including his age. He was among the youngest inside the training camp, so his numbers were off the charts.


    The attunement with mana depended on the development of the body. Khan didn''t learn about that from the lessons. He had reached those conclusions after talking with Luke and the others.


    It made sense for a body to require more time attuning with mana when it was still growing. Yet, Khan understood to be an exception after the scan, and his mind quickly generated a lie to calm down the nurse.


    "My body has stopped growing since I was fifteen," Khan explained while wearing an honest smile. "I could start training with mana far sooner than my peers. I''m actually behind if I consider the time spent with my mana core."


    The nurse stared at Khan for a while, but she eventually fell for his lie. Her worries mostly concerned an illness related to mana, but Doctor Parket wouldn''t have missed something like that.


    "We''ll take our leave now," Khan said while placing a hand on Martha''s shoulder and pushing her toward the exit of the medical bay. "The curfew is almost up. We have to return to our dormitories. Anyway, thank you for your time."


    The nurse wanted to say something, but Khan dragged Martha away before she could give voice to any word. The duo exited the medical bay in a blink and continued to walk until they reached an isolated spot.


    The training camp still had many recruits walking through its streets. It was impossible to force boys and girls to return to their dormitories so soon, even if the curfew was approaching.


    Most of them would mostly make a run for their flat to avoid punishments. Some would even decide to sneak out and hang with their friends inside the fence that encircled the buildings.


    Khan knew about all of that because he could hear noises coming outside of his flat every night. His eyes revealed a tinge of sadness whenever a group of recruits entered his vision. Part of him wanted to have a normal life, but his desperation never allowed him to rest.


    "Are you ready to talk?" Khan asked when a group of recruits disappeared in the distance.


    "Are you ready to tell the truth?" Martha asked after snapping out of her astonishment.


    "Partially," Khan laughed.


    "I''ll take the partial truth then," Martha sighed before walking outside of the street and sitting on the ground.


    "There is a bench just over there," Khan commented.


    "But you prefer to be in the park," Martha replied, and Khan fell silent.


    ''She actually understood that after only two days,'' Khan sighed in his mind before sitting in front of Martha.


    Silence fell among the two. Martha didn''t speak, and Khan waited for her questions. Still, various thoughts appeared in his mind due to the recent increase of his attunement with mana.


    ''Fifteen percent!'' Khan exclaimed in his mind. ''I gained almost six points in a mere week! Increasing the attunement with mana should become harder, but I think I can manage to reach twenty percent by the end of the week at this pace.''


    Reaching an attunement of twenty percent would unlock what Khan had desired even before his enrollment. He would become able to deploy mana for martial arts and spells. His journey as a soldier would finally begin at that point.


    "What was your starting point?" Martha eventually broke the silence. "How much did you gain in this week?"


    Martha was staring deep into Khan''s eyes. She didn''t want to lose the slightest change in his expression. She desired to learn the difference between boy-Khan and man-Khan.


    Khan tried to reveal an honest expression, but his smile slowly faded under Martha''s inspection. She had started to learn how to see through him. Simple lies and a few jokes wouldn''t get him out of that situation.


    "Ten percent," Khan revealed as a helpless sigh escaped his mouth. "I think I''m quite talented, but I know nothing about Ylaco''s political environment. I don''t want to put myself into a mess."


    "Why would your talent even cause problems for you?" Martha asked. "It would open countless possibilities at best! This isn''t a matter of Luke anymore. You might become a special soldier inside the Global Army and avoid all the families altogether."


    "Are you implying that Ylaco can''t be dangerous for a boy without backing?" Khan asked.


    Martha wanted to reply right away, but she bit her lower lip before giving false hopes to her friend. After all, she was a promising member of a poor family. Many young boys had tried to approach her romantically to establish political relationships.


    "You still shouldn''t have anything worthy of illegal activities!" Martha tried to console Khan. "The rich families aren''t completely decent, but they usually respect the soldiers and the Global Army as a whole."


    Khan felt that the conversation had hit a wall. He wouldn''t learn anything else unless he revealed part of his secrets. He couldn''t even confirm his worries at that point.


    Khan heaved a deep sigh and began massaging the corner of his eyes. Martha continued to inspect him, but she couldn''t understand the reason behind that behavior.


    Khan''s internal struggle eventually culminated with a question. "How much can I trust you? I''ve understood that you don''t have ill intentions in these two days, but I can''t see a reason to believe in you right away."


    Martha frowned, but she decided to suppress her annoyance. Khan seemed on the verge of lowering his barriers, and she wanted to find a way to gain his trust.


    Her desire had no hidden intentions. She was just a girl talking with her first friend in the Global Army. Khan was even her sparring partner, and their backgrounds shared many aspects.


    "I can''t prove anything," Martha explained while deciding to change her approach. "It takes time to gain trust, and we''ll probably get there after the first missions. I understand that you can''t open yourself completely, but you should consider an important aspect of our friendship."


    "Which is?" Khan quickly asked.


    "I''m your best bet," Martha explained while shrugging her shoulders. "You don''t know anything about planets, aliens, and soldiers. The Global Army will eventually fill those blank spots, but you need someone to help you with those matters in the meantime."


    Khan couldn''t help but widen his eyes at those words. Martha was completely right. There was a limit to how much he could learn through lies and pretenses, and his only connection with the army had limitations that prevented him from revealing important information.


    Luke and Bruce were untrustworthy since they had hidden intentions. Their actions usually had political meanings, and Khan couldn''t bother to deal with that until he learnt more about the world.


    Martha really seemed his best option. She was direct, honest, and she didn''t belong to wealthy families. She could still betray him, but only by selling his personal information to others.


    The benefits of having a trustworthy friend who was aware of his situation and the various families far outweighed the risks. Martha could truly help Khan, and he only had to give up on his fears to accept her.


    "You actually relied on tricks to make us reach this point," Khan laughed.


    "What tricks?" Martha replied while wearing a proud smile. "I''ve only understood that I couldn''t get through you with normal methods. I had to show real benefits."


    "What do you even find in me?" Khan honestly asked. "I understand trying to avoid Luke and Bruce, but there must be a better friend than me out there."


    "You make me laugh," Martha revealed. "And you make me train harder. I''m using you to become a better soldier."


    "You are a bad liar," Khan smirked.


    "I''m sure I''ll learn to do that if I stick around you," Martha scoffed.


    Silence fell between the two. Khan shot a glance at his watch to see how much time they had before the curfew.


    Khan then inspected his surroundings. There didn''t seem to be anyone around them except for a small group in the distance. Still, those boys and girls seemed too focused on flirting to notice them.


    "Come closer," Khan whispered while pointing his knees on the ground and bending toward Martha.


    Martha didn''t know how to react to that sudden gesture. Khan was moving his chest toward her face, and his hand was even lowering his collar. She couldn''t help but blush at that sight, and she instinctively began to retreat.


    However, her gaze sharpened when she saw the first trace of the azure scar appearing behind Khan''s uniform. It was pretty dark outside, but she could immediately understand the meaning behind that color.

 Chapter 24: Week

    Khan ended up revealing a few aspects of his life to Martha. She learnt about his tainted status and his role in the Second Impact. Khan also disclosed that he had a good organic mana core, but he didn''t say anything about its quality.


    Martha could understand part of Khan''s story by herself. She knew that he had lied to the nurse, so his mana core had to be quite good. She felt sure that her organ was inferior, but she never gave voice to those thoughts to maintain some secrecy.


    Martha didn''t speak anymore after those revelations, and the curfew arrived before the duo could chat some more. Still, Khan could understand that her previous annoyance toward his unclear behavior had disappeared.


    ''I hope she doesn''t change,'' Khan sighed while entering inside his flat and preparing himself for a training session. ''I don''t want her to treat me as a victim.''


    Samuel was already sleeping. It seemed that the harsh physical training had disrupted his usual routine. Khan had also learnt that it was hard to wake him up. He basically had the room for himself all the time.


    ''Fifteen percent,'' Khan thought as excitement built in his mind.


    Khan was so excited about his attunement with mana that he didn''t bother to change his dirty clothes before sitting on his bed and entering a meditative state.


    He couldn''t wait to reach the point when he could deploy mana. That would mark his transition from a normal human to an actual mage and warrior. Khan didn''t expect that moment to come so soon, but he gladly accepted that surprise.


    ''I wonder if I reached sixteen percent already,'' Khan thought when he exited the meditative state.


    The clock on his phone signaled two am. His meditation had lasted longer than usual since his excitement didn''t allow him to stop training.


    Khan noticed his dirty bed at that point, but he ignored it and lay down to sleep. He had been in far worse places during his life. Those small patches of ground on his sheets wouldn''t disturb him at all.


    His phone rang as soon as his head hit the pillow. Khan picked the device and saw that Martha had sent him a message.


    ''I forgive your lies,'' Khan read on his phone. ''That girl sure knows how to hold a grudge. Don''t tell me that she has been awake until now thinking about my story.''


    Another message from Martha suddenly arrived on the phone. The text read "I didn''t stay awake because of you", and Khan couldn''t help but smirk when he read it.


    ''She sure is something,'' Khan thought before sending a simple "goodnight" and wearing a helpless expression. It was time to sleep. His nightmare was about to begin.


    .


    .


    .


    Khan happily noticed that Martha didn''t change her behavior toward him the following day. The duo met before Professor Conche''s lessons and spent an hour meditating before walking together toward the class.


    Luke and Bruce were already inside, but Khan and Martha quickly noticed that something was off. Their two friends weren''t alone. A boy and a girl from the special class were sitting next to them.


    "Meet April and Jacob," Luke explained when Martha and Khan climbed the steps to reach the back lines. "They are from the Rotston family."


    "You sure didn''t waste time," Martha commented. "I knew you wanted to know more recruits from the special class, but I didn''t expect you to be so fast."


    "Having good social skills is mandatory for me," Luke laughed. "I actually had a few professors about this subject in Ylaco."


    "Why am I not surprised?" Martha whispered before glancing at Khan.


    Khan understood the meaning behind her gesture and sat next to Bruce, allowing Martha to have her left side on the stairs that led to the back lines. Yet, he didn''t fail to inspect the unfamiliar recruits in the process.


    April and Jacob both had red hair and green eyes. Their facial features were quite soft and shared many similarities. Khan could quickly understand that they were siblings or cousins.


    Jacob was slightly chubby. He wasn''t fat, but he didn''t have a slim physique either. April was the same, but she seemed to care about that feature more than her brother since she buttoned the belt of her uniform quite tight.


    ''How can she even breathe?'' Khan wondered before ignoring the matter and drawing the headphones from the desk.


    "Is he for real?" Jacob asked when he saw Khan''s action.


    "Meet Martha Weesso and Khan," Luke explained. "They are the most workaholic soldiers in the entire camp. I''m surprised they didn''t kill each other during Professor Norwell''s lessons."


    Luke, Bruce, Jacob, and April continued to talk while Martha and Khan paid attention to the lesson.


    Professor Conche didn''t talk about anything interesting. His first lesson covered the financial evolution of human society after the creation of the ten noble families. Even Khan struggled to remain focused on those topics.


    The second lesson ended up being worse than the first. Khan didn''t believe that the mana cores could become a boring topic, but Professor Conche left him speechless.


    Professor Conche threw countless numbers toward his class. He talked about many data gathered throughout the years. His explanation involved risks and benefits of the cores, differences among their qualities, and data concerning injured soldiers.


    The lesson would have been interesting if it weren''t a mere pile of graphs. Khan did his best to study them, but it was hard to commit so many numbers to memory. He limited himself to save them on his phone to read them whenever he needed something.


    "How can he even spend two hours like that?" Luke complained once the lesson ended and the group hit the canteen. "No one cares that the new synthetic cores have gained half of a point of attunement speed. They are still inferior to the organic."


    "He has to fill those two hours with something," Bruce commented. "Endure for this week. The next lessons should become more interesting."


    The group quickly moved toward the basement after they finished their lunch. Professor Norwell''s lesson proceeded as usual, and Khan and Martha ended up revisiting the medical bay once it ended.


    The schedule for the first week never changed. Khan soon became used to that routine, and every day began to resemble the previous one.


    The only differences in his days were the different topics in Professor Conche''s lessons and his conversations with Martha. Luke and Bruce managed to bring new friends from the special class from time to time, but Khan didn''t care much about socializing during that week.


    Even some of Professor Conche''s interesting topics couldn''t distract Khan from his excitement. He would probably gain access to mana after the end of that week, and his mind didn''t manage to think about anything else.


    Sunday eventually arrived. The camp wouldn''t have any lesson that day, but the medical bay would function as usual. Khan had even questioned the nurses beforehand, so he knew that Doctor Parket would be in the building during the morning.


    Martha decided to accompany Khan to the medical bay that day, but she remained outside of Doctor Parket''s office. Khan could be alone with him, and the latter didn''t hesitate to express his confusion.


    "I don''t understand why you asked for a visit," Doctor Parket announced. "I visited you two weeks ago. You didn''t learn enough about mana to worry about specific issues connected to your status."


    "It''s about my attunement with mana, sir," Khan politely replied. "I think it''s better if you check it."


    "Any nurse can do that job," Doctor Parket complained.


    "But I don''t know if the nurses respect my father enough to take care of his son, sir," Khan explained, and Doctor Parket remained speechless for a second.


    Doctor Parket scratched his beard and adjusted his small glasses before heaving a helpless sigh and standing up from his chair. He grabbed a scanner from a desk in the corner of his room and proceeded to scan Khan''s attunement.


    A faint gasp resounded behind Khan. He turned to see Doctor Parket staring at the scanner with wide eyes. He didn''t seem able to believe the number displayed on the item.


    "Did it reach twenty percent?" Khan asked, and a second wave of surprise engulfed Doctor Parket.


    "Were you aware of your development?" Doctor Parket asked.


    "I found out about that only recently," Khan explained. "I figured that you could tell me how to handle my situation."


    Doctor Parket inspected Khan''s fake innocent face before heaving a deep sigh. He sat back on his desk while placing the scanner in Khan''s direction. The latter could clearly read that his attunement with mana had reached twenty percent.


    "A Tainted boy with an A-tier organic core that belonged to a Nak," Doctor Parket sighed. "I shouldn''t even feel surprised about this. You are also a survivor of the Second Impact. I bet that you meditated like a madman in these weeks."


    Khan didn''t answer. The Doctor wasn''t really asking him anything.


    "Your improvements will slow down from now on," Doctor Parket explained. "Your body has finally accepted mana as part of yourself, but the process will be harsher now. The mana has to become predominant, and that can lead to painful training sessions."


    "I don''t fear pain," Khan replied in a steady tone.


    "I bet you don''t," Doctor Parket said. "Still, your body will try to fight the mana. It will consider it like cancer taking over your flesh."


    "Can I use the same training method as before?" Khan asked.


    "Yes, but the effects will be different," Doctor Parket explained. "You probably have yet to learn about this, but your attunement has to reach fifty percent to become a first-level warrior. The process won''t be easy, and I don''t think you should rely on synthetic mana either."


    "Why is that?" Khan asked, putting in the back of his mind all the other information disclosed by the Doctor. "I heard that it has no negative effects at its best quality."


    "It would be a waste in your case," Doctor Parket explained. "Your body has the chance to hold the purest mana among the army. You might end up rejecting the synthetic mana since it doesn''t match your standards."


    Khan didn''t know what to do with those explanations for now. They definitely broadened his understanding of mana, but they didn''t tell him much about his current situation.


    "What should I do now, in your opinion?" Khan asked, hoping that Doctor Parket''s respect for Bret would force him to recommend something.


    "The Global Army will give you a martial art if you prove that your attunement has reached the intended level," Doctor Parket explained, "But I think you should avoid that for now. I''m not asking you to put your training on hold either."


    "So?" Khan continued.


    "Do you know of a man named Carl Dyester?" Doctor Parket asked. "He handles the prison of the camp."

 Chapter 25: Istrone

    Khan came out of Doctor Parket''s office with many unanswered questions in his mind. He had learnt quite a lot from that conversation, but he still felt like a foreigner to the world of mana.


    ''That was a lot,'' Khan summarized in his mind. ''The attunement must reach fifty percent to become first-level warriors, I should avoid synthetic mana, and the meditations might become painful from now on.''


    Doctor Parket didn''t say anything about mages, but he sent Khan away before the conversation could reach that topic. Still, he had also revealed a path that didn''t involve the Global Army.


    ''Did he ask me to avoid the Global Army due to the weak martial arts?'' Khan wondered while Martha waved at him from the other end of the corridor. ''Or is there something else?''


    Khan didn''t have the answers to his doubts, but he didn''t let those thoughts distract him from his next task. He had to visit the prison of the camp, but he needed a plan first.


    ''Carl Dyester might give me the chance to learn a good martial art,'' Khan thought as the memories of his short interaction with the soldier appeared in his mind.


    Khan wasn''t completely aware of that, but he had developed a keen instinct in judging people after spending years in the Slums. He had a few theories about Carl, and none of them depicted a favorable situation.


    ''He has definitely suffered a terrible loss on Istrone,'' Khan thought. ''He even seems to despise normal recruits. I don''t know if he hates their wealth or their inexperience, but my money is on both.''


    A plan slowly developed in Khan''s mind, and he sighed when he understood that no lies would work. Carl seemed the type of soldier who would respect a direct approach, but Khan had to go past that to become his disciple. He had to create a connection between their traumatic experiences.


    "Can you hear me?" Martha shouted while waving her hand in front of Khan''s face.


    "I was thinking," Khan explained after snapping back to reality. "I need to go to the prison of the camp. That might be my best chance to avoid the bad martial arts of the army."


    "Sure," Martha shrugged her shoulders. "Let''s go."


    Martha began to walk toward the exit of the medical bay, but Khan promptly grabbed her arm to stop her. The girl turned to show a confused expression, and an explanation soon reached her ears.


    "I need to see Carl Dyester," Khan whispered. "He was a Major on Istrone. That''s where your grandfather died, right? I don''t think you should be there."


    Martha froze for an instant when those words reached her ears. Khan was asking her to remain behind due to her connection with Carl. He had the chance to exploit their friendship for his benefit, but he had decided to warn her instead.


    "One more reason for me to come, right?" Martha snorted while freeing herself from Khans'' grasp and turning toward the exit. "He might get all sentimental if I''m there."


    Khan scratched his head when he saw the girl walking toward the exit. Martha sounded pissed for some reason, even if he had done the right thing. He felt unable to understand her feelings in that situation.


    Martha made sure that her back faced Khan on purpose. The sudden burst of worry of her friend had made her blush, and she didn''t want him to notice that.


    "Wait for me," Khan eventually said before running after her.


    The duo walked toward the peripheral areas of the camp. Martha used her phone to check the path, but Khan recalled where the prisons were. It took them half an hour to reach a seemingly empty spot with perfectly kept lawn grass.


    "Are we sure it''s here?" Martha asked in front of the empty area.


    "It goes underground," Khan explained while knocking on the ground. "Is anybody here? Lieutenant Dyester? I have a question for you."


    "How do you know these things?" Martha asked as puzzlement appeared on her face.


    "I came here on the first day," Khan revealed. "Nothing serious. I got into a fight."


    "How can you even get imprisoned on the first day?" Martha laughed.


    "It wasn''t my fault!" Khan snorted. "Some bullies wanted to pick on me because I was from the Slums. Don''t worry. I busted their balls."


    Martha gave voice to another laugh, unaware that Khan had been literal with his words. Meanwhile, the boy continued to knock and call for the Lieutenant.


    "Are you sure that he is here?" Martha asked after the duo spent more than five minutes in that condition. "Maybe it''s his day off."


    "He doesn''t seem the type to take breaks," Khan explained before straightening his position and starting to stomp his feet on the ground. "He''s probably sleeping."


    "And you think that waking him up is a good idea?" Martha laughed, but she went silent when she noticed that Khan had worn his man-Khan expression.


    Martha didn''t think that the matter would be so important for Khan. After all, he would eventually manage to get his hands on a good martial art with his talent. She couldn''t understand how desperate he was to start his journey as a soldier.


    Khan continued to stomp his feet until a mechanical noise resounded from under him. He quickly jumped backward, and a trapdoor slowly opened in his previous spot.


    "Just blame me if something goes wrong," Khan announced before crouching to lift the trapdoor and descend a short staircase.


    Martha wore an annoyed expression before following him inside the dark basement. Curiosity soon filled her face, but her eyes eventually fell on a tall man sitting on a table at the end of the staircase.


    "What do you want, kid?" Lieutenant Dyester asked while scratching the corner of his eyes. "Why would you even come here on purpose?"


    Khan took those words as a good sign. He had clearly woken up the Lieutenant, but the latter didn''t sound pissed about it.


    "My attunement with mana has reached twenty percent," Khan went straight to the point. "I have no backing, but I don''t want to waste years training in an inferior martial art. You are strong, right? Can you teach me something?"


    "I can teach you to respect your superiors," Lieutenant Dyester snorted. "These matters usually involve money or other benefits. What do I have to gain from teaching you? Why would I even accept?"


    "Because you like me very much?" Khan asked as a broad smile appeared on his face.


    "I definitely liked watching you beating those wealthy kids," Lieutenant Dyester chuckled, "But that''s not enough."


    "What can be enough?" Khan asked.


    "A million of Credits for each lesson," Lieutenant Dyester announced before exploding into a laugh.


    Lieutenant Dyester then raised his head to look at Khan and enjoy his expression, but the latter disappointed him. The soldier only wanted to scare him away, but Khan''s reaction left him speechless.


    "Is that a lot?" Khan whispered while turning toward Martha, and the latter shot a helpless glance toward him before nodding.


    "How poor are you?" Lieutenant Dyester asked as disbelief filled his tone.


    "Completely broke!" Khan laughed. "I don''t even recall how Credits look like. Food was the only currency in the Slums, so¡­."


    Khan shrugged his shoulders, and Martha covered her eyes in shame. Her friend was completely hopeless.


    "Credits don''t have a form," Martha explained while keeping her voice down. "They are a digital currency accepted by all the planets connected to the Global Army. Even aliens know about this."


    "The aliens should try to live in the Slums," Khan snorted. "You can buy a house with twenty food cans, but you are better off stealing an empty one while the owners are working."


    Both Lieutenant Dyester and Martha didn''t know what to say. The Slums didn''t even seem to belong to their same world.


    "My answer is still no," Lieutenant Dyester eventually broke the silence. "Disciples and underlings can only cause trouble, and my days are full. I barely have free time."


    Khan and Martha turned toward the cells. They were all empty. Lieutenant Dyester could sleep all day since he didn''t have cases to review.


    "I really have no one else," Khan honestly replied while nearing the table. "My mother died during the Second Impact, and my father had to lose everything to save me. He couldn''t even teach me what he knew about the Global Army. I''ll only end up as a tool of the wealthy family if you leave me on my own."


    Khan had dropped all the acts and lies at that point. He had revealed information that even Martha ignored, and a pensive expression eventually fell on her face.


    Khan had undeniably suffered a lot. The trauma of the Second Impact alone was enough to ruin his entire life. Living in the Slums had also been hellish, but he still had the ability to smile.


    Lieutenant Dyester could see all those features in Khan''s face. Part of him even began to pity the boy, which led him to be completely honest with the next answer.


    "I''m only a shadow of myself, kid," Lieutenant Dyester replied. "There''s only death and war in space. I can take joy in the fact that my refusal might force you to choose safe destinations in the future."


    "He won''t," Martha raised her head and joined the conversation. "The missions on the safe planets don''t award many merits, so he won''t go there. It doesn''t matter if his power doesn''t suit the dangerous places."


    "Who are you?" Lieutenant Dyester asked while expressing his confusion.


    "I''m Martha Weesso," Martha revealed. "My grandfather has fought on Istrone with you."

 Chapter 26: Favor

    Lieutenant Dyester inspected Martha for a few seconds before taking a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He drew one of them and lit it up with his forefinger before falling silent.


    Martha and Khan respected that silent moment. It was evident that the soldier was reviewing some emotional memories. Lieutenant Dyester didn''t seem able to move his eyes away from the girl, and his expression grew darker as the seconds passed.


    "Captain Abe Weesso was a good man," Lieutenant Dyester eventually said. "He followed me until the end. He even saved my life a few times. I had to hold his hand when he died."


    Khan and Martha continued to remain silent. Martha''s identity had clearly broken through Carl''s mental barrier, but they had yet to understand where that situation would lead.


    "His granddaughter is in the Global Army now," Lieutenant Dyester scoffed. "Every kid in the world can''t wait to jump in this cycle of death. You come here thinking that war is a game."


    Lieutenant Dyester''s leg began to tap on the floor. The memories of Istrone had made him nervous, and his cigarette didn''t manage to calm him down.


    "I can still hear the screams," Khan decided to speak. "I can still recall the suffocating scent of charred flesh and the revolting images of the corpses. Don''t use your pain to insult me."


    Martha and Lieutenant Dyester shot a surprised glance toward Khan. Martha tried to pull his uniform to remind him of the reason behind that meeting, but the soldier ended up feeling ashamed when he inspected Khan''s face.


    Lieutenant Dyester could see the same pain that afflicted him in Khan''s eyes. Those azure irises didn''t belong to a boy. They created the gaze of a man who knew loss, sorrow, and death.


    "Forgive my words," Lieutenant Dyester suddenly said, and his behavior ended up stunning Martha. "I often forget that I''m not the only one in pain. It wasn''t my intention to insult you."


    Khan sighed before sitting on the steps behind him. His eyes continued to inspect Lieutenant Dyester, and the latter didn''t move his gaze away from him either.


    Martha felt out of place. She was unfamiliar with the tension that had fallen on the basement. Part of her understood that she was the only kid in the room.


    "Weesso girl," Lieutenant Dyester eventually broke the silence. "Your relationship with Abe can force me to grant you any favor. Are you sure that you want to waste it for this kid?"


    Khan didn''t turn toward Martha. He didn''t want to beg her nor ask for any favor. Martha had to decide that on her own.


    Martha looked down toward Khan''s hair. Her eyes went past his physical features and tried to sense the immense struggles he had to overcome to reach his current state.


    The Weesoo family was poor, but it was still inside Ylaco. Martha was incredibly rich compared to every citizen inside the Slums. She only had to overcome minor political issues throughout her life, but she had never experienced actual pain.


    "Do it," Martha announced. "Use this favor for him. Take him under your wing."


    "Are you really sure about this?" Lieutenant Dyester replied. "You won''t be able to take it back once the training starts."


    "He is right," Khan asked while turning toward his friend. "I can always find another way, but this is about your family. You don''t have to use it for me."


    "What are you even saying?" Martha''s face broke into a smile. "I''m only passing his favor to you. You''ll owe me a big one from now on."


    Martha then turned toward Lieutenant Dyester and continued. "He is a tricky one. Don''t ever let him talk if you want to remain safe from his ploys."


    "I''ll make him regret this decision a few times," Lieutenant Dyester smiled.


    "Good," Martha said before turning toward Khan again. "Make sure to get as strong as him, at least. I don''t want to lose value on this investment."


    Khan didn''t know how to thank Martha for that chance, so he limited himself to say a silent "thank you" with his lips. The girl''s smile broadened as she nodded and climbed the staircase back to the surface.


    The trap door opened and let Martha out of the basement before closing again. Only Khan and the Lieutenant remained in the room, and they studied each other in silence for a while before exchanging a few words.


    "You got a nice girlfriend," Lieutenant Dyester said. "Being young sure is fun."


    "She''s only my sparring partner and a friend," Khan explained. "Also, I plan to respect her words. I''ll become stronger than you and repay this favor."


    "You have been in the camp for only two weeks," The Lieutenant laughed. "I bet you know nothing about warriors and mages. You would have more respect for me otherwise."


    "I''ll try not to use my mocking tone when I call you Master," Khan smirked.


    "And I''ll start to call you kid once you become a human being in my eyes," Lieutenant Dyester snorted. "You have a mere twenty percent attunement with mana. Even roaches can reach it, so that will be your new name until you improve."


    Khan didn''t reply. He didn''t care about names or titles. He continued to sit on the step, but his legs began to shake in excitement.


    "Did they teach you some moves already, Roach?" The Lieutenant asked.


    "The shadow step and the palm force," Khan explained.


    "No wonder you wanted to avoid the martial arts of the army," Lieutenant Dyester scoffed. "Did you try using them while deploying mana?"


    "I discovered my attunement only an hour ago," Khan replied.


    "Stand up then," Lieutenant Dyester said while stretching his legs on the table and tilting his chair. "Perform the palm force on the metal bars. The real training will start once you manage to bend them."


    Khan remained speechless. He didn''t even know how to deploy the mana, but Lieutenant Dyester had ordered him to bend metal bars meant to hold soldiers.


    "Go on," Lieutenant Dyester hurried Khan. "It''s still early, but the curfew will eventually arrive, and I''m giving you only one week to succeed in this task. It will be pointless to teach you anything if you can''t pull it off during this period."


    "But I have to attend my lessons on the other days!" Khan complained.


    "Better to start right away then," Lieutenant Dyester laughed while throwing his cigarette away.


    Khan found the request unreasonable, but he didn''t dare to complain again. He stood up and walked toward the nearest cell before visualizing the move he had practiced during the past week.


    ''I still can''t use the right moves every time,'' Khan thought while bending his legs and preparing the attack. ''I can only do a perfect execution half of the time. I bet it will be even less now.''


    Khan took a deep breath before attacking. His waist rotated, and his arm followed that movement before landing directly on one of the metal bars.


    A sharp pain spread from his palm, but Khan didn''t budge. He limited himself to inspect the metal bar before repeating the technique.


    "You aren''t even trying to use mana," Lieutenant Dyester shouted at some point. "That energy won''t magically come out. You need to move it alongside the technique."


    Khan took another deep break before focusing on his nape. He didn''t enter the meditative state, but he still managed to see the azure energy flowing through that spot. Moreover, he noticed that a few parts of his body now featured small azure lumps.


    Khan disregarded that detail to focus on the exercise. He had never tried to move the mana in a specific direction, but that seemed necessary to perform the attack.


    His mana flow started to increase as he opened his eyes and performed the palm force. His hand hit the metal bar again, but a sharp pain spread from his shoulder at that time.


    "Your arm moved too quickly," Lieutenant Dyester commented. "The mana didn''t manage to reach your palm, so it released its power in your shoulder."


    ''Mana is dangerous,'' Khan thought before closing his eyes again.


    Khan tried to test the speed of his mana. He checked how fast it could go before reopening his eyes and focusing on the palm force.


    His control over mana was still lacking. Khan understood that he couldn''t make it match the palm force''s speed. That was simply impossible at his current level.


    ''I need to make a slower version of the attack,'' Khan decided before taking his position and executing his move.


    His focus split between his body and the energy flowing from his nape. Khan moved slowly, trying to make the mana follow his waist and arm.


    A faint low noise came out of his palm when it hit the metal bar, and a tingling sensation spread through his entire arm. He had successfully fused the flow of the mana with his technique, but his target didn''t show any damage.


    "You still need to perform the actual technique to bend the metal bar," Lieutenant Dyester explained. "A flawless execution is useless if it lacks power."


    Khan smiled when he heard those words. The Lieutenant had called his previous execution "flawless". He had basically revealed that Khan was on the right path.


    ''I only need to make it faster now!'' Khan exclaimed in his mind, and the world around him disappeared as his entire focus went on the exercise.


    Hours inevitably passed. A drone brought the lunch to Lieutenant Dyester, and the latter ate while Khan continued to practice.


    The afternoon went by, but Khan was still there. His hunger didn''t make him flinch. He had never stopped trying to deploy the correct palm force, and his speed was slowly reaching the intended level.


    ''His mana capacity is top tier,'' Lieutenant Dyester thought while checking his phone. ''He has been at it for more than ten hours, but he still has mana to waste.''


    The phone marked eight fifty pm. Khan needed almost an hour to return to his dormitory at a normal pace. It was nearly time for him to stop training, and Lieutenant Dyester had also decided to send him away in the next minutes.


    However, a distinct low noise eventually spread through the basement and startled Lieutenant Dyester. The soldier saw Khan crouching on the floor and gasping for air, but he didn''t miss the smile on his face.


    Lieutenant Dyester moved his eyes to the cell at that point. A tinge of disbelief spread on his face when he noticed that one of the metal bars had slightly bent.

 Chapter 27: Words

    Lieutenant Dyester stood up and neared the cell. One of the metal bars had clearly caved in. He couldn''t find any excuse to reprimand Khan about his technique.


    "You might actually have some talent for this," Lieutenant Dyester announced while turning toward the boy crouching under him.


    Khan gasped for breath. He felt exhausted, and his whole body was in pain. His palms had also started bleeding due to the repeated clashes with the metal bar.


    Khan wore a satisfied smile, but conflicting thoughts occupied his mind. On one side, he felt ecstatic about his recent success. On the other, he knew that his last execution of the palm force wasn''t ready for a real battle.


    ''It''s still too slow,'' Khan thought while replaying the scenes of his last attack in his mind. ''The mana has compensated for the lack of speed and strength, but the technique is far from complete. I even committed countless mistakes during the last hours. Only one out of four executions ended up being decent.''


    Khan had to perform a slower version of the palm force to move the mana alongside his body. His last attack had generated enough power to bend the metal bar, but a proper execution would have released far more energy.


    ''I''m better off throwing punches at my current level,'' Khan concluded. ''I still can''t deploy this technique in a fight.''


    "There are four levels of proficiency to each martial art," Lieutenant Dyester suddenly began to explain. "You are a novice now, the lowest level. You must become able to perform a technique without ever committing mistakes to reach the competent level. Of course, you have to do it with mana."


    ''So much only to become competent with one martial art,'' Khan sighed in his mind.


    The process felt hellish. Khan believed that moving mana would become easier in the future, but learning the various moves required by each martial art would remain hard.


    ''I bet a soldier won''t commit more than three martial arts to memory,'' Khan thought. ''There simply isn''t enough time to master more techniques.''


    "Hey, Rat," Lieutenant Dyester called. "What''s your element?"


    Khan arched his eyebrow when he noticed that the Lieutenant had already changed his name. He steadied his breath and coughed a few times before giving a short answer. "Chaos."


    Lieutenant Dyester whistled while expressing evident surprise with his face. Khan inspected that reaction and confirmed that Doctor Parket had been honest with him. The chaos element wasn''t common among humans.


    "I can''t teach you magic then," Lieutenant Dyester explained. "Different elements require different thoughts to activate their power. My knowledge can''t help you there."


    "What''s your element?" Khan asked slowly.


    "Fire," Lieutenant Dyester laughed before drawing the pack of cigarettes from his pocket. "Why do you think I smoke these? Most fire masters force new mages to light them up as their first exercise. You''ll find many fire mages with this addiction."


    ''Who would force kids to smoke?'' Khan scoffed in his mind before putting that matter aside.


    "So, can you teach me anything about magic?" Khan asked. "I like martial arts and everything, but spells are cooler."


    "I''ll teach you a few mental exercises tomorrow," Lieutenant Dyester said while lighting up a cigarette. "I''ll also think about a suitable martial art. You are strong but not too tall. I''ll see what I can find."


    Khan''s eyes lit up at those words. He had been afraid that Lieutenant Dyester wouldn''t have taken the training seriously, but he felt glad to discover that the soldier wasn''t holding back on his connections.


    "Come here once your daily lessons are over," Lieutenant Dyester continued. "I''ll make sure to check on you and correct your moves. Hopefully you can start earning something after the first missions if you get strong enough."


    A wave of gratefulness filled Khan. Lieutenant Dyester was perfect, and he had Martha to thank for that chance.


    "Go now," Lieutenant Dyester ordered. "Try to end up here only by choice."


    Khan nodded and quickly straightened his position. He felt tired, but he had to hurry to avoid breaking the curfew. He immediately moved toward the staircase and left the basement to begin the run for his dormitory.


    ''The chaos element for humans,'' Lieutenant Dyester thought while resuming his position on the table. ''He needs an excellent martial art to compensate for this weakness. I wonder if the higher-ups still remember their debt.''


    .


    .


    .


    Khan returned to his dormitory in a hurry. He had managed to avoid breaking the curfew by mere minutes, and sweat filled his face by the time he entered his flat.


    Samuel was sleeping as usual. Khan had the room for himself, but he felt drained beyond reason. His body begged him to hit the bed, but Khan wanted to try one last thing before going back to his nightmares.


    Khan didn''t bother changing nor taking a shower. He didn''t even take out his shoes before sitting on the bed and entering a meditative state.


    Azure lights shone inside his body. He still had mana available, so he could perform his usual training and try to increase his attunement.


    The mana flowing out of his nape accelerated and spread toward his mind and body, but a sharp pain suddenly appeared and forced Khan out of his meditative state.


    His back had started to scream in pain as soon as the mana had tried to expand there. His flesh had rejected that energy and had pushed it back into the nape.


    ''That''s more painful than I expected,'' Khan commented while standing up and stretching his sore spot. ''No wonder soldiers prefer to use synthetic mana. I would also try to avoid this process.''


    Khan gave voice to a helpless laugh when he thought that. Doctor Parket had been clear. The synthetic mana could be toxic for his body since he had extremely high standards.


    ''I guess I can''t get benefits without accepting drawbacks,'' Khan thought. ''I''m lucky enough to have reached this level and have found a master so soon. I shouldn''t complain.''


    Thinking about Lieutenant Dyester reminded Khan about Martha. He quickly took his phone and sent her a simple message. He thanked her again and confirmed that the soldier had been good to him.


    "I''m glad," Martha immediately replied through a message. "See you tomorrow."


    Khan set the alarm and put the phone back in his pocket before lying on the bed. His body couldn''t resist anymore. He had to sleep and recover enough for tomorrow''s training.


    .


    .


    .


    The next morning, Khan tried to meditate again, but the same pain spread from his back when the mana expanded in that spot. However, he gritted his teeth and continued to force the energy to flow.


    The pain forced Khan to go in and out of his meditative state. His training was far harsher than before, but he believed that he would eventually learn how to handle those hindrances.


    The new issues with his meditations made him decide to reach the canteen later than usual. He didn''t want to train outside of his room and have sudden pains while surrounded by recruits.


    Khan found Martha, Luke, and Bruce in the canteen. A few recruits from the special class were with them, but Khan didn''t bother to learn their names.


    The second week would feature new lessons. The Global Army used the first semester to show all the available courses so that the recruits could consider which ones to pursue during the second part of the year.


    Khan had already decided to ignore "history of mana", and he had yet to make up his mind about "basics of mana cores". His main issue with those courses was Professor Conche since the soldier was incredibly dull to follow.


    The second week had interesting courses taught by a different professor. Her name was Carol Thogett, and she was a first-level warrior and mage.


    Professor Thogett had the appearance of a middle-aged woman with long brown hair and dark eyes. She was short but slender, and she wore a pair of large glasses that featured thick lenses.


    Her subjects were "technology and mana" and "xenolinguistics", but they didn''t manage to appeal to Khan''s interest since his mind could only think about Lieutenant Dyester.


    Khan still tried to pay attention to those lessons, but the first one seemed quite pointless in a world of mages and warriors. Even Professor Thogett repeated multiple times that technology could only support the soldiers but never replace them.


    Instead, the second lesson was quite intriguing. Professor Thogett knew many alien languages, including the Nak''s.


    "The Nak don''t have real words in their language," Professor Thogett explained. "Even their voice is mana, so they don''t need grammar and other rules. They limit themselves to fuse their thoughts with any random sound that comes out of their mouths."


    Professor Thogett opened her mouth, and an azure light flowed from her head to her throat. She then gave voice to a simple sound that the mana intensified and spread through the room.


    "Who can guess what I''ve said?" Professor Thogett asked.


    ''It felt trivial,'' Khan thought. ''Maybe "pay attention" or something along the line.''


    "No one?" Professor Thogett asked before chuckling. "You don''t have to think in terms of words. The Nak''s language is mostly related to emotions. I have thought about you paying attention and used mana to transmit it."

 Chapter 28: Disk

    Khan didn''t want to delude himself. His sensitivity to mana was good even before reaching twenty percent attunement, but that alone couldn''t explain his recent feat.


    ''Was it a mixture of luck and sensitivity to mana?'' Khan wondered as his expression grew severe. ''Did I understand her words due to my similarities with the Nak?''


    Khan didn''t have the answer to his doubts, but xenolinguistics had instantly reached the top of his list after that event. The lesson was almost over now, but he promised himself to pay far more attention from that day onward.


    After the end of the morning lessons, the group hit the canteen, and Khan and Martha eventually remained alone during the break before Professor Norwell''s course.


    "You should talk with Professor Norwell once you get your martial art," Martha explained after Khan described his interaction with Lieutenant Dyester. "It''s pointless to train in those techniques if you have better ones at hand."


    "Isn''t the lesson mandatory?" Khan asked.


    "Not really," Martha continued. "The Global Army can''t force you to attend useless classes. Professor Norwell only has to confirm your attunement and your new martial art to exempt you from her lessons."


    "I will have more time to train with Lieutenant Dyester then!" Khan exclaimed.


    "And I will lose my sparring partner," Martha snorted. "I guess I have to search for a new one. Maybe I should pick a girl and make new friends."


    "I''m sure you''ll be fine," Khan laughed. "Things should change once a few recruits hit the right attunement level anyway."


    "You have no idea!" Martha scoffed. "Girls only talk about marrying guys and other political idiocies. They even have a ranking of the boys in our class."


    "Where am I at?" Khan quickly asked. "I shouldn''t be too low."


    "You aren''t on the list," Martha snorted. "Why would anyone go after the boy from the Slums?"


    "My poor heart will never recover from this," Khan replied while wearing a sad expression.


    "You won''t lose your mind, at least!" Martha shouted. "This is so annoying. I should get my attunement to twenty percent as soon as possible."


    "What will happen once a few of us reach that point?" Khan asked.


    "It depends," Martha explained. "Those without martial arts will get one from the Global Army and continue to train under Professor Norwell''s supervision. The others will probably rent a training room and practice there. Their Masters might also come from Ylaco and manage their exercises."


    "I bet the training rooms cost a lot," Khan sighed.


    "The price depends on the quality," Martha replied. "You can have simple reinforced rooms or large halls with animated training dummies. It''s pointless for you to think about them anyway. You have no Credits at all."


    "You are always so nice to me," Khan said while wearing a wide smile.


    "Shut up," Martha snorted. "I have to spend the next weeks with a bunch of annoying girls, and it''s your fault. Don''t you dare to slack with Lieutenant Dyester."


    "You know I won''t," Khan replied honestly, and Martha heaved a helpless sigh when she saw the man-Khan face.


    "By the way," Khan eventually continued, "When can we get access to spells?"


    "The Global Army should still provide some basic training for each element," Martha explained while wearing a pensive expression. "They will probably happen on holoscreens and similar devices, but most of the wealthy kids will summon Masters right away."


    "Do you have a Master for your element?" Khan asked.


    "The Weesso family is poor," Martha said before wearing a proud smile, "But we always get the same two elements. We already have masters ready. I even ended up with earth like my grandfather, so I can use his notes."


    ''I need to find a way to get Credits then,'' Khan thought. ''I can''t fall behind in my training as a mage.''


    Khan had revealed his problems connected to the meditations to Martha, so the duo had chosen an even more isolated spot during the break.


    They began to mediate once their conversation was over, and the process ended up being far from smooth for Khan. Still, he was slowly getting the hang of it.


    Enduring pain wasn''t an issue for him. The main problem was getting in and out of the meditative state. Khan had to learn how to suppress his instincts and continue to control mana without interrupting his training, and only time could give him that expertise.


    Khan and Martha eventually attended Professor Norwell''s lesson and ended up in their usual messy state. However, Khan didn''t follow Martha to the medical bay at that time. He went straight for the prisons of the camp to see his Master.


    The trapdoor of the prisons opened as soon as Khan stepped on the lawn. He quickly noticed that Lieutenant Dyester wasn''t in his usual sleepy mode. The soldier had a satisfied expression as he stood near the end of the staircase.


    "I can surprise myself at times," Lieutenant Dyester announced while gesturing to Khan to enter the basement.


    The trapdoor closed behind Khan, but he didn''t notice that noise. His eyes remained fixed on the Lieutenant. He could barely hold back his excitement now that his martial art was so close.


    "I had to pull some strings to get it," Lieutenant Dyester explained. "The crisis on Istrone has been a mess. I could have asked the army for the world, but I chose a demotion instead. The higher-ups were obviously happy that they didn''t have to spend Credits on me, so they didn''t hesitate to satisfy my request now that I''ve reappeared."


    "Did you get a good martial art for me?" Khan asked as his figure began to tremble in excitement.


    "I should explain the division among martial arts first," Lieutenant Dyester announced before clearing his throat. "Martial arts can have many labels, which mostly describe their qualities. However, they all have a set potential and a quite clear value depending on their moves."


    Khan nodded, but his body began to move alongside his head. He had basically started to jump on the same spot during the explanation.


    "The army has studied each martial art and has given them a score," Lieutenant Dyester continued. "The ranking goes from one to one hundred. Generally speaking, anything under forty points is a low-level martial art."


    "How many points does mine have?" Khan promptly asked.


    "Seventy-eight!" Lieutenant Dyester revealed before exploding into a proud laugh. "It''s only two points away from being a high-level martial art. I bet that even some of the wealthy kids here won''t get something this good."


    Lieutenant seemed to take some joy from Khan''s impatient expression, and he didn''t miss the chance to brag.


    "You sure are a lucky rat," Lieutenant Dyester announced. "I checked your background, and, oh boy, you wouldn''t have gotten anywhere on your own. Instead, you get to learn a good martial art and have one of the strongest soldiers in this camp as your master."


    "I''m dying here, Master," Khan begged the Lieutenant with a weak voice, and the latter eventually suppressed his laugh to hand a small circular item.


    Khan picked the item and inspected it. Visible confusion filled his face. It resembled a tiny white disk that he could hide with a single finger.


    Lieutenant Dyester waited for his deserved praises, but Khan remained silent. The soldier then looked toward the boy again and noticed that he had begun to smell the disk.


    "What are you doing?" Lieutenant Dyester asked.


    "I don''t know what this is," Khan honestly replied, and the Lieutenant covered his face to suppress the helplessness that he felt.


    "You are a lost cause," Lieutenant Dyester sighed. "Bind the disk before inserting it in your phone."


    "Binding?" Khan asked while picking his phone. "Does this thing have an opening?"


    Lieutenant Dyester had to sit to handle the emotions running through his mind, but he still mustered enough energy to explain how to use the item. "Make a drop of blood fall on the disk to bind it. Then, place it on your screen. The phone will do the rest."


    Khan''s eyes lit up, and he quickly looked around the basement. Lieutenant Dyester handed him a small knife while heaving another helpless sigh, and Khan even forgot to thank him.


    Khan opened a small cut on his forefinger before pressing it on the disk. A red glow suddenly covered the item, but the light vanished in a matter of seconds.


    Then, Khan placed the disk on the phone, and the item began to fuse with the smooth screen. It only took a few seconds to disappear completely.


    Khan glanced toward Lieutenant Dyester in fear, and the latter shook his head before pointing at the phone. Khan unlocked the screen to inspect the menus, and his eyes quickly fell on a new label.


    ''Connected magic devices?'' Khan read the label before pressing it.


    The menu opened, and a long blank list unfolded in Khan''s vision. Only the first spot had something written on it.


    ''Lightning-demon style,'' Khan read on the phone before pressing on the writing.


    A series of images immediately came out of the phone. His device created interactive holograms that depicted a short old man with a long white beard.


    The man was bald, and wrinkles filled his face. However, he had a single big star on both shoulders of his military uniform.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I''m trying to set the word count for Chaos'' Heir, which inevitably affects the cost. I was thinking about 1400-1600 words for each chapter, so 8 coins once they are premium (to give you an idea, both chapters today were 1570 words long). Let me know what you think about it.

 Chapter 29: Holograms

    The hologram had a few options. Khan could start the first lesson immediately or watch a catalog of each different move separately. He could even use the phone to scan himself during the training to find eventual mistakes in the executions.


    The disk contained a program that went over every aspect of the Lightning-demon style. It had everything Khan could think of. It even contained information about the old man and the martial art as a whole.


    "You shouldn''t activate these training programs in the open," Lieutenant Dyester explained and forced Khan out of his amazement. "These magical items are expensive, and they require genetic authorization. In theory, no one can access what you have on your phone unless you allow it."


    "Isn''t it dangerous to have the martial art on my phone?" Khan asked. "Doesn''t it work on the network of the Global Army? The higher-ups should have access to that."


    "Magic isn''t the same as technology," Lieutenant Dyester reassured. "The higher-ups might be able to enter your phone, but they won''t be able to activate the magical devices connected. Mana works past your idea of technology. That''s why the Global Army focuses on training soldiers instead of investing in weapons."


    Khan felt still an outsider in the world of mana. He almost couldn''t believe that the energy could affect programs and similar digital assets.


    "What if someone uses mana to hack the phone?" Khan asked. "Is it possible to go past the protections of the disk like that?"


    "In theory, yes," Lieutenant Dyester revealed. "However, mages with an element able to affect digital protections are rare, and the disk usually wipes itself clean whenever it senses a breach in its defenses."


    "Magical items sound interesting," Khan couldn''t help but exclaim.


    "They are a unique branch of the Global Army," Lieutenant Dyester explained. "They go past the simple fusion of technology and mana. They use mana to create special effects from almost nothing. It''s a marvelous subject, but it requires many years of study and perfect control over your power."


    ''There is so much to learn about the army,'' Khan thought while closing the holograms and the training program.


    "How should I train from now on?" Khan asked.


    His excitement about the new martial art was far from gone, but he wanted to hear Lieutenant Dyester''s opinion before diving into the holograms.


    "I actually can''t have a say on this matter," Lieutenant Dyester revealed. "It''s up to you to decide how much you want to involve me in your training."


    Lieutenant Dyester continued when he noticed Khan''s confused expression. "Our physiques are quite different, so I decided to find you a different martial art. I would have taught you my techniques and followed your training if the higher-ups were to fail me, but you have many options now."


    "Why would I not involve you in my training?" Khan asked. "I don''t even know how most of this technology works."


    "Well," Lieutenant Dyester hesitated before explaining his worries. "I would gain access to this martial art for free if you do. It''s fine now since it''s me, but you shouldn''t do that all the time. Even some of the older soldiers won''t miss the chance to learn something this valuable."


    ''I only need to watch my back then,'' Khan summarized in his mind.


    "I wouldn''t have gotten this martial art without your help," Khan eventually announced. "I even need a place where to train. I definitely need you involved."


    Lieutenant Dyester scratched his head before nodding. He only wanted Khan to understand how dangerous it could be to share such valuable items with strangers. The soldier had no interest in the martial art.


    Khan activated the training program again when he saw Lieutenant Dyester''s reaction. The interactive holograms came out of his phone, and he quickly tried to start the first lesson.


    "Read the general overview of the martial art first," Lieutenant Dyester sighed. "Don''t jump blindly on the moves."


    "And you wanted me to do this on my own," Khan snorted.


    "You are lucky that your Master has no ill intentions," Lieutenant Dyester complained. "I hope you won''t trust hired professors and similar figures so easily in the future."


    "I hope to have enough Credits to hire them in the future," Khan laughed before clicking the label that led toward the overview of the martial art.


    "Lightning-demon style," A mechanical voice suddenly came out of the phone. "Martial art created and explained by Dean Ulluw, an evolved soldier who has opted for a secluded life."


    "Evolved?" Khan asked while turning toward Lieutenant Dyester.


    "It''s when you go past one hundred percent attunement," The lieutenant explained before the mechanical voice resumed its explanation.


    "The forms of the Lightning-demon style rely on speed and precision," The mechanical voice announced. "Ideal for shorter soldiers who don''t shine in raw physical strength. Nevertheless, being strong can help bring out the true potential of the martial art since it features overall complete techniques."


    "Most high-level martial art requires all the relevant physical features," Lieutenant Dyester added. "The program is saying that the techniques focus on speed out of choice rather than necessity."


    "The speed generated by the techniques and the precision required during their execution will force the human body to endure a lot of pressure," The program continued. "Frail physiques should avoid this style. The same goes for soldiers with poor control over their bodies."


    The overview ended after those lines. Khan felt slightly disappointed that the program didn''t tell him anything else, but it was hard to ruin his mood with the various lessons listed on the other side of the hologram.


    "I guess you don''t care about Dean Ulluw," Lieutenant Dyester commented, and Khan showed a shameless smile before skipping the description of the evolved soldier and starting the first lesson.


    The old man at the center of the hologram suddenly began to move, and a raspy voice came out of the phone as it followed his lips. "I bet that those idiots in the army told you that you only need speed and precision for this style."


    Khan and Lieutenant Dyester exchanged a glance. They didn''t know why the Global Army had decided to leave that description after such a specific introduction.


    "Okay, they might be partially right," Dean Ulluw continued. "You can perform this style by relying only on speed and precision, but that would be a waste."


    The area depicted by the hologram began to enlarge. The program''s point of view retreated until it managed to represent both Dean and a humanoid training dummy in the scene.


    "This is what you can do with only speed and precision," Dean announced before shooting toward the dummy and delivering a precise kick to its throat.


    Dean''s speed had been incredible. Khan barely managed to follow his movements. The hologram kept track of the stats connected to the technique, so he could read that the soldier had covered ten meters in less than a second.


    Moreover, the precise kick had ended up cutting the dummy''s head. The power generated by Dean''s momentum had transformed his movement into a threatening attack capable of severing metal.


    "Every mage and soldier would die against this attack," Dean explained while walking back to his previous spot. "You would be too fast for them to react, and defenses can''t do much against a blow backed with such speed. However, humankind has aliens as enemies."


    Something that the holograms didn''t depict replaced the broken dummy with a new one. Dean then took a deep breath before disappearing from his spot.


    A loud noise came out of the phone. Dean reappeared next to the training dummy, with one foot raised toward its chest. Yet, the puppet was no more. The attack had destroyed its back and insides, leaving only a thin layer of metal intact.


    "Mana gives us the chance to overcome our physical limits," Dean explained while turning toward Khan. "In theory, I can push my speed further indefinitely. I only need to be strong enough to endure the physical strain. More power equals to more speed, which equals to even more power if deployed accurately."


    Khan quickly stopped the recording to play with the buttons on the hologram for a few seconds and learn the various functions of the program. He could zoom, go forward, rewind, and save scenes at any time. He could even hide or show the different stats.


    The first and second executions seemed different techniques, but the program contradicted Khan''s opinion. Dean had performed the same move, something that the training would teach later on, but he had used different amounts of power.


    The program also kept track of the mana depleted during the activation of the technique. Khan remained speechless when he saw that Dean had used the same amount of energy in both executions. The difference between their effects came from the sheer physical strength deployed.


    Khan glanced toward Lieutenant Dyester, who had a hand under his chin while he inspected those stats. He didn''t appear as amazed as Khan, but the technique had definitely caught his interest.


    "I guess this martial art has the potential to enter the high level," Lieutenant Dyester explained. "Everything depends on how much you and your body can endure without lowering your accuracy. Some techniques might even require special training, but I''ll make sure to warn you about them."

 Chapter 30: Hesitation

    Khan and Lieutenant Dyester reviewed the first lessons of the Lightning-demon style together. Both wanted to gain a general idea of the martial art before starting the actual training, and a feature eventually stood out.


    The Lightning-demon style heavily focused on footwork. The initial moves featured different techniques that only involved legs, ankles, and waist. They weren''t even attacks. Khan had to learn all the different types of sprints and sudden accelerations before moving to the actual abilities.


    ''They are all so different from the shadow step,'' Khan thought after that inspection. ''No wonder Luke and Bruce didn''t want to learn it. Some of these moves go against that basic technique.''


    The Lightning-demon style''s footwork wasn''t only entirely different from the theory behind the shadow step. It also featured far more complicated moves that involved specific flows of mana.


    One of the first sprints wanted Khan to reinforce his knees and ankles with mana while part of his remaining energy had to flow in opposite directions depending on the dominant leg.


    The palm force had required a straightforward flow of mana, and executing a weaker version of the technique had taken Khan an entire day. Instead, the Lightning-demon style wanted him to make the mana do three different things at the same time.


    "How long did it take you to go past novice with your first martial art?" Khan asked as helplessness filled his mind.


    "One year of constant training," Lieutenant Dyester revealed. "I started with a medium-level martial art. I guess you wanted to know that."


    Khan nodded while his dreams of deploying a few techniques in the next weeks shattered.


    ''I have been too arrogant,'' Khan sighed in his mind. ''The path is harsh for everyone, and my advantage only consists of a few weeks over my peers. Yet, they will most likely rely on synthetic mana and surpass me in no time.''


    Khan felt slightly disheartened when he thought about the long journey and the environment around him, but Lieutenant Dyester soon placed a hand on his shoulder.


    "Talent is useless without training," Lieutenant Dyester announced. "You won''t be able to use training rooms like the other kids, so you need to work harder than them."


    "Don''t forget about the specific Masters," Khan reminded the Lieutenant. "They will also have experts suitable for their elements. Can I even keep up with them?"


    "That depends on you," Lieutenant Dyester explained while going to his chair and lighting a cigarette. "I won''t blame you if you decide to give up now. I have already cleared my debt in the end."


    Lieutenant Dyester gave voice to a loud laugh while stretching his legs on the table.


    "Trust me when I say that remaining on Earth is the best," Lieutenant Dyester continued. "You can bully everyone even if you have little to no power."


    "And remain trapped in an eternal nightmare," Khan sighed, but Lieutenant Dyester ignored the real meaning behind his words.


    The soldier believed that Khan didn''t want to remain on Earth due to the bad memories connected to the Second Impact, and he was partially correct. Yet, he couldn''t even begin to imagine the real drive behind Khan''s action.


    "I''m quite strict as a Master," Lieutenant Dyester eventually added. "I will never allow you to slack if you decide to step on this path. You will wake up in pain for the next months, and you won''t have the time nor the energy to take care of your girlfriend."


    Khan didn''t react to that joke. He continued to inspect the instructions behind the footstep of the Lightning-demon style. Those difficult teachings made him desire to give up, but the images of his nightmare appeared in his vision whenever his determination started to flicker.


    ''Why do I even pretend to have a choice?'' Khan sighed in his mind. ''Giving up because the path is hard is lame. Also, how much can those wealthy kids even endure?''


    Khan had seen how Luke and the others trained during Professor Norwell''s lessons. They had no interest in those weak techniques, but that alone didn''t manage to hide their laziness.


    Instead, Khan could continue to perform the same exercise until his palm bled. His determination wasn''t something that the simple desire to learn better techniques could generate.


    The life in the Slums, the Second Impact, and his nightmares had imprinted that determination inside him. His desperation had given birth to an ability that his peers couldn''t imitate.


    "You said one year," Khan eventually broke his silence. "Can I succeed sooner?"


    "The Lightning-demon style is definitely complicated," Lieutenant Dyester explained. "It''s more difficult than my initial martial art. Yet, you succeeded in performing a decent execution of the palm force in one day. Who knows? You might surprise me."


    Lieutenant Dyester didn''t fully believe in his words. He valued Khan a lot, but there was a limit to how quickly a body could adapt to those moves. His lines only wanted to create a challenge for his disciple.


    "Fine then," Khan announced while weakly slapping his cheeks to disperse his hesitation. "Let''s begin right away. Teach me the mental training that you mentioned yesterday too. I want to learn it now that my body still holds."


    Lieutenant Dyester couldn''t help but smile at that sight. It was normal to hesitate in front of a painful process that could take more than a year to give its first rewards, but Khan had made up his mind in a matter of minutes.


    ''His mindset is his best quality,'' Lieutenant Dyester thought before pointing at the writing on the hologram that marked the first lesson.


    It was time to start the actual training, and they had to hurry since the curfew would give them only a few hours together.


    .


    .


    .


    Returning to the dormitory ended up being extremely hard. Khan''s ankles felt sore, but his expression showed only determination.


    Lieutenant Dyester had managed to teach the mental training to Khan before the latter had to begin his exercises with the Lightning-demon style.


    Khan had initially struggled. He didn''t try to use mana on that night, but he still had to spend some time to forget the habits obtained after training into the shadow step for an entire week.


    ''I need to notify Professor Norwell tomorrow,'' Khan thought as he limped inside his flat. ''I can''t keep training in those techniques. One week has almost rendered a whole night of exercises useless.''


    Luke and Bruce had been right since the beginning, but Khan couldn''t blame himself. He couldn''t predict that he would have found a Master so quickly.


    Samuel was already sleeping, and Khan decided to eat a food can before throwing himself in bed. Still, he didn''t immediately try to rest. Lieutenant Dyester had taught him something that he had to test before returning to his nightmare.


    ''All the spells require control over the mana stored in my head,'' Khan repeated Lieutenant Dyester''s words in his mind. ''This training should theoretically improve my ability to cast spells.''


    Khan entered his meditative state, but he didn''t focus on his nape at that time. His attention went on the small azure lights in his head before he tried to execute Lieutenant Dyester''s teachings.


    ''Up and down,'' Khan thought as his concentration intensified, ''Left and right, and circles in the end. I need to do it without losing control over the mana before moving to a harsher exercise.''


    Khan chose one of the small azure lumps and tried to move it upward. He wasn''t trying to raise his attunement, so the process didn''t hurt. Yet, he still failed to retain control over that small amount of energy.


    Khan didn''t give up and tried multiple times to move that lump of mana in a specific direction. Controlling the energy inside his brain felt different compared to when he executed his techniques. That ability seemed to depend on other factors that he had yet to understand fully.


    ''My thoughts should influence the process,'' Khan exclaimed in his mind. ''Go up! I want you to go up!''


    Lieutenant Dyester had tried to explain to Khan how to handle that training, but everything had sounded too vague. The former had even stated that every mind reacted differently, so part of the teaching might not work for him.


    Only one detail was universal when it came to the mana inside the brain. The first time was the hardest. Khan would be able to memorize the sensation generated by the movement of that energy and try to replicate it until he mastered the procedure.


    ''Come on,'' Khan continued to shout in his mind. ''Do it at least once. I only need you to move up a single time.''


    The mana didn''t listen to him. His thoughts ended up affecting the energy released by his nape instead.


    Khan had set the alarm before beginning that training. Disappointment inevitably filled his mind when his phone rang, but he had yet to succeed in the exercise.


    ''I''ll try again tomorrow,'' Khan sighed before setting another alarm and going back to the meditative state.


    Khan couldn''t ignore part of his training to focus on his martial arts and mental exercises. Doctor Parket had already destroyed his hopes toward the synthetic mana, so he had to work hard on his attunement too.


    ''I waste twelve hours between sleep and morning lessons,'' Khan thought after stopping the second alarm and checking the hour. ''I need to divide the other twelve among the Lightning-demon style, the mental exercises, and the meditations. I can''t leave Martha completely alone either.''

 Chapter 31: Insults

    "Technology and mana" didn''t get any more interesting the next morning. Khan was behind compared to his peers when it came to types of machinery, and everything seemed to favor mana on its own anyway.


    Instead, "xenolinguistics" continued to stir Khan''s interest. He kept guessing right whenever Professor Thogett used the Nak''s language, which forced him to disregard the idea that the event was a simple coincidence.


    Two lessons weren''t enough to make Khan sure about anything, but his doubts inevitably started to transform into reasonable hypotheses. After all, he seemed able to understand the Nak''s language even without paying attention to the few words that Professor Thogett used as examples.


    The peculiar event didn''t let Khan ignore his priorities, especially since he couldn''t get clear answers yet. He had to notify Professor Norwell about his attunement with mana and martial art, but he didn''t forget to spend time with Martha during the usual break.


    "Did you really expect to learn a martial art in weeks?" Martha laughed when Khan told her about his hesitation.


    "I''m a simple man," Khan sighed. "I just want superpowers."


    "You still have to work hard for them," Martha covered her mouth to suppress her laugh. "Even Luke will have to sweat to learn a few moves."


    "That would be a fun scene," Khan joked. "Luke sweating. What a sight!"


    Martha laughed again, but the duo eventually fell silent. They had to start their training to make the best out of the time before Professor Norwell''s lesson, but they both desired to talk a bit more.


    "You shouldn''t worry about the wealthy kids," Martha eventually said before Khan was about to close his eyes. "You can definitely keep up with them even if you don''t have Credits to purchase synthetic mana. They can''t buy determination and experience."


    "I hope you are right," Khan revealed an honest smile. "I wish to reach a decent level before the first missions. I might stand out and gain something if I''m stronger than them by then."


    "I see you have a plan," Martha commented before a tinge of sadness appeared in her eyes.


    Obtaining that level of expertise in less than a semester would be impossible unless Khan spent most of his time training. That would leave them barely any time together. They even had to limit their conversations during the breaks to focus on their mediations.


    "Do you miss me already?" Khan winked toward Martha when he noticed her reaction, and the latter promptly wore an annoyed expression.


    "Stop wasting time and meditate already!" Martha snorted. "We are here to become proper soldiers, not chitchatting."


    "Aye aye, ma''am," Khan chuckled before closing his eyes and moving his focus on the energy flowing out of his nape.


    Martha stared at his earnest expression for a few seconds. She inspected the occasional tremors that ran through Khan''s face whenever his body tried to oppose the expansion of the mana. He had already learnt how to continue to meditate when the pain wasn''t too intense.


    Martha heaved a faint sigh before closing her eyes. She decided to dive into a meditative state instead of sorting the thoughts that filled her mind. Her education and financial situation didn''t give her the time to handle that stuff yet.


    Khan exited the meditative state a few times before the alarm rang and put an end to his training. Martha also woke up, and the duo went toward the basement even if the lesson would take thirty more minutes to start.


    The basement held the class of recruits who had scored B in the initial test. Most of them were already exhausted since the lesson was almost over. Khan even spotted Samuel in the corner of the area.


    Professor Norwell was walking among the recruits. She shook her face whenever she saw a boy or a girl panting on the floor, and she reacted in the same way at the sight of the red lights on various menus.


    Khan raised his hand to attract the Professor''s attention, but some of the exhausted recruits also noticed his gesture. Samuel''s friends were busy sparring with their partners, but they didn''t miss that event either.


    Khan and Martha were members of the special class, and their friendship with Luke made them even more famous inside the training camp. Moreover, the other recruits often saw them meditating together in parks or walking at night through the streets, so rumors had inevitably spread.


    "You can make appointments through your phone if you want to see me," Professor Norwell whispered after she neared Khan and Martha. "I believe every matter can wait until Sunday."


    "My attunement with mana has reached twenty percent," Khan immediately revealed to calm down the Professor. "I''ve also already obtained a martial art."


    Professor Norwell remained speechless for a second. She was aware of Khan''s background, so she immediately doubted that statement. However, Martha nodded as soon as the soldier''s gaze fell on her.


    "Continue sparring!" Professor Norwell shouted after turning back toward the class and gesturing to the duo to go in the corridor.


    Then, Professor Norwell reached Khan and Martha in the corridor to explain her recent actions. "Your feat is quite amazing. Did you consider all your options? I can put you in a special program of the army and give you access to good martial arts."


    "How good are we talking about?" Khan asked while feigning interest in the offer.


    "Are you aware of the classification of martial arts?" Professor Norwell asked before continuing when she saw Khan nodding. "The Global Army will surely treasure your talent. I can probably obtain a medium-level martial art up to sixty points."


    Khan faked slight surprise before lowering his head to pretend to think about the matter. He had already refused that offer in his mind, but he didn''t want to risk ruining his relationship with the Global Army.


    "Do you mind if I continue like this for a while until I learn more about Ylaco?" Khan asked while wearing an honest expression. "I don''t want to lock myself on a single path already. I want to keep my options open for a little more."


    "That''s completely understandable," Professor Norwell announced while revealing a smile. "My offer will stand as long as your talent keeps you above the others. Even matching the growth of your peers will be enough."


    Khan expressed his thanks while Martha remained silent and inspected that interaction. She knew that Professor Norwell would probably call the medical bay to confirm Khan''s attunement, but the soldier still appeared fooled by his honest behavior.


    "You are really great at pretending," Martha commented when she escorted Khan outside of the main building.


    Khan didn''t need to attend Professor Norwell''s lessons anymore, so he could go directly to the prisons of the camp and continue his training with Lieutenant Dyester. Yet, the class would still take ten minutes to start, and he didn''t mind spending that time with Martha.


    "You have already told me that," Khan laughed before teasing the girl. "Are you jealous that my charm has managed to fool Professor Norwell?"


    "She is a beautiful woman," Martha commented, "But you need to get far stronger to get a shot at her."


    "I guess you aren''t in the mood for jokes," Khan sighed.


    "You''ll know the reason behind that in a second," Martha closed her eyes before wearing a broad smile and looking in the distance.


    Khan suddenly noticed that three girls at the end of the street had started to wave their hands toward Martha. Their faces expressed pure joy, but Khan could smell the pretense from his current position.


    "You are always so on time, Martha!" One of the girls exclaimed.


    "She works harder than the entire special class," Another girl said. "We should praise her for that."


    "I have already told you that you don''t have to worry about synthetic mana," The third girl shouted. "My mother will take care of all my friends. It''s a tradition of the Blackdell family!"


    "Female Luke incoming," Martha whispered before raising her voice and greeting the girls with a tone that Khan had never heard.


    "Why don''t you introduce us to your friend?" The first girl asked. "He is the boy from the Slums, right?"


    Martha shot a meaningful glance toward Khan before resuming her pretense. "Sisters, he is Khan."


    "It must have been hard to make the transition from that dirty place," The first girl announced. "Even Martha had started to gain your bad habits before meeting us. I''m Beth Merwood anyway."


    "It''s not his fault," The second girl complained. "He has probably survived eating cockroaches. It''s a miracle that he knows how to take a shower. It''s nice to meet you. I''m Cora Pensloo."


    "The background doesn''t justify someone''s behavior," The last girl snorted. "He is in the training camp now. He should behave like a recruit. I''m Alison Blackdell."


    The three girls had spewed insults before announcing their names and stretching their right hands forward. Martha asked Khan for forgiveness with her eyes. A tinge of shame also appeared on her expression, but she had to endure that behavior due to political reasons.


    Khan looked at the three hands stretched toward him. The girls clearly wanted something from him, but he had no idea what to do. Still, his knowledge about characters made him understand the three girls would never respect him.


    ''I might as well make things easy for Martha,'' Khan sighed in his mind. ''Nothing like a common enemy to improve a friendship.''


    "Is that makeup?" Khan asked while pointing at the girls'' faces. "I''ve never seen it on such young girls. Only the hookers wore it in the Slums, and you never wanted to know what they hid with it. I hope it''s not the same for you."


    The three girls opened their mouths, and anger filled their eyes, but Khan walked past them while they were busy going through his words. A few screams resounded from behind him at some point, but he was quite far away by then.

 Chapter 32: Unlucky

    A message arrived on Khan''s phone while he walked toward the prisons of the camp. Martha had immediately questioned him about his recent behavior.


    ''What was that?'' Khan read on his phone.


    ''I thought she would get it.'' Khan thought before writing an answer. ''Use this chance to look good with your friends. Give them some funny story too.''


    Martha didn''t answer, so Khan could guess that Professor Norwell''s lesson had started. She would probably send a message later, but he wouldn''t be available for the entire night.


    The familiar lawn unfolded in Khan''s vision before the trapdoor opened and revealed the path toward the basement. Lieutenant Dyester was waiting for him, and a lit cigarette was already in his mouth.


    "Don''t waste time," Lieutenant Dyester ordered after the trapdoor closed behind Khan. "You will spend the next months practicing footwork. Get in position! The quicker you memorize the moves, the sooner you can start adding mana and turn them into techniques."


    Khan unlocked his phone, muted the notifications, and activated the training program for the Lightning-demon style. Then, he placed the device on the table before pointing its camera in his direction.


    The scanner of the training program was active. The holograms would tell Khan whenever he failed to perform the correct moves, and Lieutenant Dyester would add tips that came from his experience.


    Khan had the perfect training room. He only lacked countless hours spent sweating and spitting blood now, but he didn''t hesitate to start accumulating them.


    The night went by slowly. Khan never stopped practicing the basic footwork required to begin the proper training of the Lightning-demon style.


    His movement started to grow sluggish as his ankles and overall legs reached their limits. Lieutenant Dyester suggested practicing slower versions of the techniques once the pain became unbearable, and Khan followed his instructions.


    Khan felt barely able to climb the staircase when the training session ended. His ankles were killing him, but Lieutenant Dyester didn''t do anything to help him.


    "I''ll make sure to have some lotions ready from tomorrow onward," Lieutenant Dyester announced while he inspected Khan''s struggles. "You are on your own tonight."


    Khan didn''t bother to answer. He limped out of the basement before walking slowly back to his dormitory. The curfew would still take an hour to arrive, so he could avoid hurrying.


    Khan collapsed on his bed once he reached his room. The pain on his ankles had only gotten worse after the long walk, but he couldn''t allow himself to rest just yet. Two training sessions were still waiting for him.


    ''I''m definitely going to die,'' Khan laughed in his mind before straightening his position. ''Mental training comes first. I can deal with the attunement later.''


    Khan was so busy with his schedule that he almost overlooked Samuel. The boy wasn''t sleeping. Instead, he was staring at him from his top bunk on the other side of the room.


    "What is it?" Khan asked while setting the alarm for the first training.


    Samuel opened his mouth, but no words came out of it. The boy seemed to go through a mental struggle before making up his mind and giving voice to a weak "nothing".


    Khan revealed a faint smile, but his expression grew cold after Samuel lay back on the bed. Something had changed in his behavior, and Khan could only find one explanation.


    ''Visiting Professor Norwell''s class has started something,'' Khan thought.


    Of course, Khan was only considering the worst possible reason behind that seemingly harmless gesture. Samuel didn''t do anything too strange in the end.


    However, Khan didn''t dare to relax. His guess could turn out to be wrong, but he didn''t want to ignore those signals completely and regret it later.


    The conflict in Samuel''s expression could only lead to his friends. Khan didn''t believe that those bullies had forgotten about him, but the lessons on the training camp had kept everyone too busy to plan an act of revenge.


    Still, something might have changed after he visited Professor Norwell''s lesson, and Khan didn''t dare to overlook that possibility.


    Khan put that matter aside for the time being and focused on his training. Hours went by as he obtained an initial success with the mental exercise and continued to endure the usual pain during the meditations.


    After his second alarm rang, Khan lay in bed and prepared himself to sleep, but a sudden thought reminded him about Martha.


    ''She did send something,'' Khan sighed before reading the message on the phone. ''I don''t want to badmouth you to gain the favor of these harpies.''


    ''I thought she knew how to handle politics,'' Khan chuckled before writing an answer. ''Don''t mind me. You might get free synthetic mana with my sacrifice. You can always tell me how great I am when we see each other in secret.''


    Khan couldn''t help but laugh after sending that answer, but his exhaustion inevitably had the better of him. His eyes began to close as he set the alarm for the morning and went back to his nightmare.


    .


    .


    .


    The week went by quickly and without issues.


    Martha accepted the role that Khan had forced her to play, but her pride didn''t allow her to ignore him. She even straight-up refused to hide their friendship. Her new friends questioned her about that behavior, but she justified it by describing Khan''s devotion to his training as his only good quality.


    Professor Thogett''s lessons didn''t get any more interesting during that week, but Khan still decided to put xenolinguistics as one of his possible subjects for the second semester.


    Khan had continued to understand the Professor''s words whenever she used the Nak''s language, so he had to dive deeper into the matter. Moreover, learning alien languages sounded right since he wanted to explore different planets in the future.


    His sessions with Lieutenant Dyester improved after the soldier requested lotions and specific remedies for Khan''s joints. He could stop limping back to his dormitory alone at night, and the lack of pain led to an overall better training experience.


    Khan continued to grow used to the pain felt during the meditations, and his mental exercises also showed some improvements. His ability to move the mana in his brain developed as he piled nights of training.


    Samuel''s strange behavior didn''t lead to any repercussion, but Khan didn''t lower his guard, especially since he found the boy awake at night more often. That situation was strange, and he even saw Samuel peeking at him from time to time.


    Something was definitely up, but Khan decided to pretend to ignore the matter until the bullies made their move. The regulations of the Global Army would protect him as long as he wasn''t the first to attack.


    Sunday arrived and led Khan to have a long training session in the prisons. His body reached its limit on that day, and Lieutenant Dyester felt forced to send him back to his dormitory three hours before the arrival of the curfew.


    The Lieutenant didn''t feel disappointed in his endurance. Instead, he didn''t hold back from giving positive evaluations regarding Khan''s determination, dedication, and talent. In his opinion, the boy was improving far faster than he had predicted.


    Khan couldn''t feel happy about those words since he was still far away from a perfect execution without mana. He had needed only a week to reach a decent level of expertise with the palm force and the shadow step, but the Lightning-demon style required far more training to provide the same results.


    His day instantly improved when he saw Martha waiting for him at the entrance of his dormitory. The duo decided to spend the remaining hours before the curfew together, and laughs often resounded between them.


    Then, before the clock could signal nine pm, Khan''s phone rang. Martha felt immediately interested in the matter since the boy didn''t have many contacts inside the training camp, but her eyes widened when she saw that the message came from the Global Army itself.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to open the message, and Martha even clung to his shoulder to peek at his phone. The communication used the Global Army''s profile, but it came from Professor Norwell. The soldier had notified Khan that he could start his training as a mage in the following week.


    "She must have requested a training program for your element when you notified her about your attunement," Martha explained before wearing an annoyed expression. "Why did it take them so long? Almost an entire week has passed."


    "I have the chaos element," Khan revealed. "I guess it''s rare."


    Martha remained speechless at that revelation. The elements weren''t an important topic among recruits since all of them could achieve similar levels, but there were a few exceptions.


    The chaos element was one of the exceptions due to its connection to the Nak. Humankind didn''t like to see their soldiers wielding the same power as their enemies, and Khan had preferred to keep it a secret for that reason.


    "That''s quite unlucky," Martha announced before continuing when Khan shot a confused glance toward her. "I''ve heard that humans don''t really suit that element. Learning chaos spells might take you a long time."


    ****


    Author''s notes: Part of me feels that this is too slow, but maybe my desire to reach the fighting parts is affecting my judgment. I don''t think I can accelerate the pace without neglecting important details, and I want to avoid that. Still, let me know what you think.

 Chapter 33: Vague

    The morning lessons changed again in the third week. A new professor called Ava Holmer took care of teaching "basics of the society" and "politics". Khan ended up hating those subjects, but he desperately needed to learn them.


    Ava Holmer was an old woman with long grey hair combed in a large bun and cateye-shaped glasses. Her uniform featured a single star on both shoulders, and her demeanor was quite stiff.


    Khan found the lessons incredibly boring, especially since they didn''t involve the fantastic qualities of the mana. The only interesting details in those classes concerned the various relationships between humankind and the known alien species.


    It turned out that the Global Army had mainly established peaceful alliances with four of the intelligent alien species found throughout the universe.


    Obtaining those alliances had required a few battles or compromises during the first meetings, but everything had reached a stable situation now. The last political crisis had been on Istrone when a faction of the Kred had decided to rebel.


    "The Kred are a peaceful alien species," Professor Holmer explained, "But they also worship mana. The radical groups on Istrone believed that humans were tainting that energy with their technology. That eventually led to a rebellion."


    "My professor in Ylaco told me that the Kred struggle to control mana," Luke added while the lesson continued. "Their bodies are better than ours, but we can surpass them once our attunement reaches high percentages."


    Khan never stopped absorbing information about the world. He didn''t care that Professor Holmer''s teaching style could match Professor Conche''s dullness. His attention never faltered, and he promptly lowered his headphones whenever one of his friends added pieces of knowledge to the lessons.


    "It''s a pity that Professor Holmer didn''t say anything about the other cities on Earth," Khan commented once the group hit the canteen. "I hope she teaches something about the social structure of the world."


    "Why would you even wait for a professor to teach you that?" Bruce laughed at those words. "You can learn that from your phone. The network of the Global Army can teach you a lot if you know how to look."


    "The professors will probably skip what they deem as common knowledge," Luke explained. "They only go through those topics when they have classified information to add."


    Khan felt a bit lost. His phone contained some answers to his doubts, but he had never thought to use it.


    "I''ll teach you how to use the network later," Martha eventually sighed.


    Khan revealed a grateful expression when he turned toward Martha, and the other boys and girls on the table couldn''t help but stare at that interaction.


    "It''s quite bold of you to be with him," April Rotston commented. "My mother would kill me if I were to date a boy from the Slums."


    Martha and Khan shot a surprised glance toward the girl. They didn''t think the rumors already saw them as a proper couple.


    "Khan will definitely go far," Bruce added. "He will easily reach high ranks in the Global Army. He is the first in the entire training camp to reach twenty percent of attunement with mana, and he always works hard. Even Professor Norwell wants to rope him into special training programs."


    "The soldiers with poor backgrounds statistically go further in the army," Luke continued. "Many known heroes of the Global Army have started with little more than a few Credits."


    Luke and Bruce''s approach to Khan''s background was directly opposite to Martha''s new friends. The two boys saw Khan''s potential as a valuable asset in future platoons. Instead, the three girls only considered his worth as a spouse.


    "Getting my attunement to twenty percent was only luck," Khan tried to tone down those praises.


    "Don''t sell yourself short," Luke contradicted him. "I know you''ll go far. Who knows? You might even enter the personal guard of the noble families."


    "You are exaggerating now," Bruce laughed. "He must really become a hero to get there."


    "You''ll understand later," Martha whispered, and Khan limited himself to nod.


    Martha didn''t bother to address the rumors. She knew that her words wouldn''t change her friends'' opinion, so she limited herself to finish her meal and leave with Khan.


    Khan could go to the prisons of the camp right away since Professor Norwell had exempted him from her lessons. However, he had to take the training program for his element that day, which would inevitably delay his meeting with Lieutenant Dyester.


    Professor Norwell wouldn''t arrive in the camp''s main building right after lunch, so Khan had some time to kill with Martha. The girl took the chance to walk him through the menus of the phone, and Khan happily discovered that the network of the Global Army was fairly easy to use.


    ''A large group made of ten representatives from the noble families and one hundred diplomats from the other families govern Earth,'' Khan read on his phone. ''The ten noble representatives rarely change due to their privileged position, while the others can vary depending on the political influence of each minor family.''


    The explanation on the network was short and lacked many details, but Khan could gain a general idea of how the Global Army administered Earth.


    Martha explained how the number of spots for each minor family depended on the achievements of their members. They changed every year, and the ten noble representatives handled that decision.


    "The noble families have a lot of influence," Martha revealed. "Building a connection with one of them is the dream of every soldier. They basically have unlimited power on Earth, so even creating a family from scratch wouldn''t be a problem once you gain their favor."


    "That seems complicated," Khan sighed. "I only want to explore the universe. I hope I don''t need to be politically active for that."


    "Humankind isn''t at war anymore," Martha laughed. "Every soldier has political interests. Their priority is to settle and build a decent foundation for their children."


    "Do you have the same ideas?" Khan asked when he heard Martha''s superficial tone.


    "I need to elevate my family''s status and bring it out of poverty," Martha explained. "I''m not willing to resort to political marriages to do that, so I need to serve in dangerous planets and gain merits."


    "How did humanity stop feeling curious about the universe?" Khan asked while looking at a random spot in the distance.


    "Humanity has always evolved through wars," Martha scoffed. "Maybe we''ll go back to who we were during the First Impact if you find a new enemy."


    That topic didn''t lead anywhere, and the duo eventually decided to meditate while Khan waited for Professor Norwell''s arrival.


    The alarm rang and awakened the two, but Martha limited herself to exchange a few words before going back to her meditation. She didn''t need to see Professor Norwell, and Khan would head for the prisons of the camp afterward anyway.


    Khan reached the basement of the main building in an instant. Excitement had started to build inside him as he approached the meeting with Professor Norwell. She would finally grant him access to magic, and he felt restless about it.


    "You are early," Professor Norwell said when she noticed Khan standing in front of the basement.


    "I''m excited," Khan honestly revealed.


    "I would tone down that feeling," Professor Norwell suggested while taking out a small casket from her bag. "This is only an initial training program. It will teach you the basics of your element and one easy spell, but nothing more."


    Khan''s excitement disregarded those words. It continued to fill his mind and forced his eyes to remain glued on the casket.


    "You''ll understand soon," Professor Norwell announced. "I suspect that Lieutenant Dyester has already warned you about your element."


    Khan lowered his head to mask his confusion, but he quickly wore a faint smile that fooled the Professor. Lieutenant Dyester didn''t mention anything specific about the chaos element. Khan had learnt about some of the hindrances through Martha.


    "How did you learn about Lieutenant Dyester and me?" Khan asked while Professor Norwell handed him the casket.


    "The Global Army pays a great deal of attention to potential talents," Professor Norwell revealed before winking at him. "And it''s hard to hide something inside the training camp. I''ve also heard the rumors about the Weesso girl and you. Nice catch, kid."


    Professor Norwell didn''t linger in the corridor any longer and entered the basement. The metal door of the room closed and began to reflect Khan''s speechless figure.


    ''Why does everyone think that we are in a relationship?'' Khan wondered. ''I guess they have too much time to kill. I wouldn''t even know how to put a girlfriend into my current schedule.''


    Khan soon put those thoughts in the back of his mind before running toward the prisons of the camp. The trapdoor opened as soon as he stepped on the familiar lawn, and Lieutenant Dyester greeted him with the usual fuming cigarette in his mouth.


    "You are late today," Lieutenant Dyester snorted before moving his eyes on the casket in Khan''s grasp. "Did you take a look at the mage training yet?"


    Khan shook his head, and Lieutenant Dyester promptly pointed at a spot on the table. Khan placed the casket there and unlocked it before lifting its lid.


    A dark red fabric that featured purple shades covered the insides of the casket, and a tiny disk occupied its center. Khan glanced at Lieutenant Dyester before picking the item when the soldier nodded, and a small knife soon appeared on his shoulder.


    Khan picked the knife and bound the disk before placing it on his phone. The device absorbed the item and added a new magic device to the specific menu.


    ''Chaos element for beginners,'' Khan read on the phone before pressing the icon.


    Holograms quickly came out of the phone, but Khan immediately noticed that they had fewer details than the Lightning-demon style''s training program. They even had fewer options and only a tenth of the lessons.


    "They don''t even give credit to the Professor," Lieutenant Dyester snorted after inspecting the holograms.


    Khan shrugged his shoulders before pressing on the first lesson. The holograms morphed and transformed into a human figure that had vague facial features. The images appeared damaged, but Lieutenant Dyester explained that the program was simply old.


    "Welcome to the basic training for the chaos element, unlucky fella," The slightly mechanical voice of a man came out of the phone. "First of all, my condolences for your Tainted status."

 Chapter 34: Viral

    Khan glanced toward Lieutenant Dyester while stopping the recording, and the latter showed a confused expression.


    "How does he know about my Tainted status?" Khan asked.


    Khan knew that Tainted humans could inherit the chaos element, but he believed that some would have it without the Nak''s influence.


    "The chaos element isn''t natural for humans," Lieutenant Dyester explained. "The only ones who can have it without the influence of the Nak''s are sons and daughters of Tainted men and women. I thought you knew that."


    Khan shook his head, but he let go of the matter and played the recording.


    "Mages usually require specific emotions and thoughts to turn the mana inside their brain into spells," The mechanical voice continued. "Elements have different features, so our minds need to enhance them to summon the magic properties of our energy."


    Lieutenant Dyester nodded and added a few lines to that explanation. "The fire element needs thoughts like heat, fire, and other similar ideas. The emotions can be anger, jealousy, and those that share the same recklessness."


    "The chaos element doesn''t have any of that," The man in the hologram suddenly said. "This power is something that originally belonged to creatures made of mana. The Nak don''t have to think or feel about deploying their power. They only have to desire it, and the mana autonomously takes the intended shape."


    The explanation made sense. Both Khan and Dyester remained silent as they did their best to learn as much as possible from the training program.


    "The chaos element is also unstable," The mechanical voice continued. "It will try to oppose your commands, and it will use every slip-up to escape your control. Only the steadiest minds can learn how to turn this energy into spells without risking their lives."


    Khan scratched his head, and Lieutenant Dyester revealed a helpless expression. The latter knew that controlling the chaos element was hard, but he didn''t believe it to be far harsher than the other elements. After all, they didn''t try to fight their user.


    "I can''t teach you much," The man in the hologram explained. "I dare to say that no other chaos wielder can do that. Every mage with this element has to find a personal path, which mostly requires years of training."


    "Don''t tell me that he won''t teach me anything at all," Khan scoffed.


    "That shouldn''t be the case," Lieutenant Dyester replied, and the training program soon proved him right.


    "However," The hologram continued, "There are a few key points that those with the chaos element must pursue. This training program will teach you many exercises to improve your sensitivity to mana and control over that energy. Also, it will have a simple spell at the end. I suggest you don''t try it until you have completed all the previous steps."


    Khan''s mood improved after hearing those words, and Lieutenant Dyester even patted his shoulder to reassure him. Then, the duo exchanged a meaningful glance before Khan scrolled through the lessons and selected the last one.


    "I see that you have mastered all the exercises," The man in the program exclaimed. "You have reached the level of sensitivity and control required to learn your first spell. Pay attention now."


    The vague figure of the man gained a few details, and stats even appeared around him. Khan and Lieutenant Dyester could read the amount of mana required for the spell and a few examples of thoughts that have worked to activate it.


    The man raised his palm, and a sizzling noise came out of the phone. The hologram showed waves of energy coming out of the soldier''s hand, but Khan couldn''t understand much without the usual training dummy placed as an example.


    The hologram seemed to hear his thoughts, and a training dummy quickly appeared in front of the man. The soldier placed his palm on the puppet before activating the spell again, and the images suddenly became vague for an instant.


    The images stabilized after a second, and Khan could see that the dummy was in pieces. Only the small stick that supported its metal figure had remained in its place. Everything else had crumbled during the spell.


    "The chaos element always causes problems with the recording devices," The man revealed after straightening his position. "Only top-tier gear can get a proper footage of chaos spells, but a few frames end up disappearing anyway."


    Khan quickly tinkered with the recording to reveal all the stats recorded during the spell, and Lieutenant Dyester studied them to give a professional opinion.


    "The sheer destructive power is great considering the small amount of mana required to activate the spell," The Lieutenant announced. "I can''t say the same about the other requirements."


    Khan didn''t take much to understand what Lieutenant Dyester meant. The notes next to the spell were quite vague. They indicated a few thoughts and different movements of the mana that could lead to the same effect.


    The program seemed to be sure only about one stat. Khan could read that the spell required the complete absence of emotions during the casting.


    "It won''t be easy to achieve that level of control," Lieutenant Dyester commented when he read that detail. "Can you even think without feeling? It will take you a while to master that part."


    Khan reactivated the lesson to ignore the feelings that were surging in his mind.


    "This spell is called Wave," The man resumed his explanation. "It can virtually pierce any material, be it metal, human flesh, or alien skin. Chaos has the best destructive potential among the elements, but it often ends up hurting the user. Your previous exercises were necessary to avoid that outcome."


    The recording ended at that point, and Khan scrolled the program back to the initial lessons to count them. He could see twelve exercises meant to enhance his control and sensitivity to mana, and their difficulty increased as they neared the spell.


    "You can drop my mental exercises to focus on this training," Lieutenant Dyester announced while sitting on the steps of the staircase. "They mostly have the same purpose. These even seem more advanced than mine, which only proves how hard it is to control the chaos element."


    "Everyone will have fireballs and other cool stuff while I''ll remain stuck at mental exercises," Khan sighed before turning off the hologram and activating the Lightning-demon style''s training program.


    "The other kids will also have it hard," Lieutenant Dyester replied while lighting another cigarette. "They''ll probably learn to cast spells before you, but that''s the very reason behind your martial art."


    Khan revealed a confused expression, and the Lieutenant exploded into a laugh.


    "Why do you think I''ve contacted the higher-ups?" Lieutenant Dyester laughed. "You needed something good to compensate for your element. The Lightning-demon style even focuses on speed, so you''ll be able to reach most of your peers before they finish preparing their spells."


    Khan remained speechless for a second. Lieutenant Dyester had already considered everything. His experience had allowed him to understand Khan''s flaws and find solutions before even starting the training.


    "I don''t know what to say," Khan honestly whispered.


    "I don''t want words," Lieutenant Dyester snorted. "Pay me back in blood and sweat. Come on! You have been an entire week on the basic footwork without showing any result. I want at least fifty perfect executions before your ankles start to give up!"


    .


    .


    .


    Time inside the training camp moved quickly. The lessons and the many projects filled everyone''s routines and left them with virtually no free time. Only those who slacked on their training had the chance to enjoy the beauty of their youth.


    The end of the third week signaled the arrival of new lessons. The Global Army couldn''t teach only subjects related to mana since it had to give a complete education to its recruits, so a few unrelated courses began to appear.


    Khan had to attend lessons featuring general science, anatomy, chemistry, engineering, and other subjects that could lead the recruits toward specific courses once the second semester started.


    Most of the advanced courses required a mixture of those subjects, so the recruits needed to gain a clear idea before choosing what to do in the second semester. They would still be in time to change their lessons later on, but it was wise to get them right the first time.


    It was rare for unusual events to happen inside the training camp. The Global Army wanted everything to be perfect for the recruits, and that required a stable routine.


    The recruits didn''t need stress or other external influences since they had to focus on their training. The first semester wouldn''t even feature tests for that very reason. Everything had to exist for the sole purpose of creating good soldiers.


    The attunement with mana of some of the recruits from the special class inevitably reached twenty percent as the days passed. Those kids could finally start the real part of their education, and Khan''s social life vanished at that point.


    Khan continued to see Martha, Luke, and the others during the morning lessons, but all of them gained full schedules after their attunement reached the intended level. Masters from Ylaco even arrived in the training camp and began to follow their respective disciples to teach martial arts and spells.


    Khan went through solitary days that consisted of many hours of training and Lieutenant Dyester''s shouts. He didn''t mind that routine, but his mood inevitably suffered from the endless pile of exercises he had to repeat every day. Only his steady improvements allowed him to remain sane.


    The lessons seemed to follow a cycle. The Global Army alternated one month of subjects connected to mana with one month of general knowledge.


    The cycle then restarted, featuring the same lessons that went over more specific subjects. For example, "history of mana" would analyze the many families that had stood out during specific periods after the First Impact.


    Khan often decided to download some lessons on his phone, and his device eventually became a pile of information that he could review whenever he had doubts about certain subjects.


    Memorizing everything in mere weeks was impossible, especially since the army wanted the recruits to focus on their training with mana. Their instruction was secondary, and only those interested in pursuing a career in some subjects would divide their time into both parts.


    Some recruits still decided to use part of their days to hang out with friends or flirt around. They inevitably sacrificed their growth to enjoy their youth, but most of them ignored that aspect of their training since they aimed for eventual infusions of synthetic mana.


    A few recruits had fallen behind their peers in the special class, leading them to go back to the normal courses. Distress and anger inevitably built inside those boys and girls, and their desire to work harder ended up vanishing due to their failures.


    That mood led some of them to make bad decisions to vent their anger and regain some form of superiority inside the training camp. It was hard for some of the wealthiest kids to be considered inferior to poorer recruits, so they felt the need to re-establish the chain of command.


    "Are you sure that we won''t suffer any repercussions for this?" Bloke Seylor asked while Samuel and the other two bullies stood behind him.


    A girl was sitting in front of them on the steps that led to a dormitory. Two girls were behind her, and the three of them were watching the video of Khan kicking the four bullies on the groin.


    "How could you let this go for almost three months?" Alison Blackdell asked.


    "He rarely is alone," Bloke replied. "We have followed him at night from time to time, but he always returns home late. We would risk breaking the curfew to attack him."


    "Lieutenant Dyester is also his Master," One of the bullies added. "He will never let us go if we did something to his disciple."


    "I don''t care how you do it," Alison Blackdell snorted. "I can''t allow a boy from the Slums to remain in the special class when I''m not there. I couldn''t do anything when the Cobsend kid was around him, but everything should be easier now that everyone is busy training."


    "I think we should ignore Khan," Samuel eventually said. "I didn''t think you could develop muscles so quickly. He honestly scares me."


    "You four are still struggling to reach twenty percent attunement!" Alison snorted. "You also have grudges with the kid who dared to compare me to a hooker. You can choose to gain synthetic mana and my protection or see this video going viral. The choice is yours."

 Chapter 35: Vibe

    Ambushing recruits inside the training camp was hard. Drones patrolled the streets non-stop, and groups of boys and girls often occupied the various parks and benches.


    Some of the older recruits even ran from one building to another at random hours. It was almost impossible to find someone completely alone.


    "Does he ever get tired?" Bloke asked his three friends.


    The four bullies had gathered in the corner of the fence that surrounded Khan''s dormitory. Professor Norwell''s lesson had ended just a few minutes ago, so the curfew would still take a few hours to arrive.


    The group had the time to plan their ambush, but Khan''s tight schedule made it almost impossible to find the right moment. He had never changed his habits during those months, but that consistency didn''t help the bullies.


    "I told you countless times already," Samuel complained. "He comes back late and starts to meditate. I swear. I''ve never seen someone training so often."


    "He must sleep or show an opening at some point," Duke, one of the bullies, said.


    "I have been in the same flat for almost three months," Samuel continued, "But I''ve never seen him sleeping. That guy is a damned robot!"


    "How much can someone even learn in three months?" Kyle, the other bully, said. "He has been the first to push his attunement to twenty percent, but martial arts are something entirely different. I bet he can''t use them in battle."


    "He will still be stronger than us," Samuel added, hoping that his friends would change their minds. "He has spent more than two months with attunement above twenty percent, while we have yet to reach that stage. We can''t match his physical prowess."


    "You don''t need to remind me about my attunement," Bloke snorted. "I would have already reached twenty percent if I weren''t still growing! Also, these damned mandatory lessons leave us drained. How can anyone even meditate in these conditions?"


    The three bullies looked at Bloke, and the group exchanged meaningful glances. They were aware that they were lying to themselves, but that was better than accepting the truth.


    Their cores weren''t exceptional, but their routine didn''t help their training either. The four boys had spent their time outside the lessons sleeping or hitting on girls. They even had the chance to bully some of the poorer kids.


    In their minds, the four bullies believed that their families would fix their power through synthetic mana. Yet, they didn''t expect that the complete disregard for their training would have put them in a situation when they couldn''t use that energy.


    The bullies'' attunement had to reach twenty percent to use the synthetic mana. Their failure to achieve that result in almost three months had forced their families to reconsider their priorities.


    The synthetic mana was expensive, and its price rose exponentially depending on its quality. The four bullies had decently wealthy families behind them, but they were losing their claims on that energy due to their lack of progress.


    After all, the families could always wait a few years for a better descendant. Using good synthetic mana on recruits who couldn''t even bother to meditate was a waste since it probably wouldn''t lead to decent achievements.


    The families had to produce results to obtain spots in the government of Earth, so balancing their expenses on their descendants was an essential part of their financial and political experience.


    Samuel and his friends clearly weren''t good material. Their current performance showed that they wouldn''t seize any merits for their families. They were a bad investment.


    However, everything would change if they managed to get their hands on synthetic mana on their own. The four bullies could make up for the time lost during the initial months in the camp and generate wealth for their families.


    The only hindrance in that plan was the hardworking and astute Khan.


    "I still think that this is a bad plan," Samuel almost begged his friends. "Why don''t we all start meditating? I bet we can hit twenty percent in two weeks if we work hard."


    "We will pass the third month in two weeks," Bloke replied. "Our families will never believe in our talent."


    "Face it, Samuel," Duke continued. "We messed up. Getting the help of the Blackdell family is the only way to regain some credit."


    "Our families might even reward us if we establish a decent relationship with Alison," Kyle added. "The Blackdell family has connections with the noble families. We have the chance to hit the jackpot here."


    Samuel bit his lower lip. He didn''t like the plan, but there seemed to be no way out of his situation.


    His friends didn''t share his worries because they didn''t see Khan as often as him. Samuel had studied his roommate in the last months, and he had been one of the few witnesses of his transformation.


    "Alison isn''t a patient girl," Bloke eventually announced. "We should prepare our ambush soon. I think that attacking at night is our only option."


    "Sunday then," Duke added. "That''s the only day when Khan goes back to his dormitory slightly earlier than usual."


    .


    .


    .


    Khan was completely unaware that the bullies from the first week were planning to ambush him. He had even started to forget about them since his training occupied the entirety of his days.


    His demeanor had changed during the last months. The exercises for his element had forced him to develop a firm control over his thoughts and emotions, and his face showed his improvements.


    Moreover, the relentless training with the Lightning-demon style had removed every trace of fat from his body, giving him a slender body that hid firm muscles.


    Khan didn''t do anything special during the past months. He had only alternated the morning lessons to the various exercises featured in his two training programs.


    The training program for the chaos element had made his expression grow aloof since most of its exercises forced him to separate his emotions from his thoughts. Khan''s mind had grown sharper, but his face now lacked its previous vitality.


    Still, his new mindset had ended up benefitting the training in the Lightning-demon style. Khan could focus harder on his martial art since his mind had grown far more resilient, and his emotionless thoughts had even given him a few advantages during the practice of the various moves.


    ''I should be able to succeed in the fifth lesson tonight,'' Khan sighed as he walked back toward his dormitory. ''Then, I have to master it before moving to the sixth. Dammit. I still have seven exercises to complete before the Wave spell.''


    It was the Sunday night before the change of the lessons. The Global Army would resume teaching general subjects unrelated to mana starting from the next week, and that trend would last until the end of the fourth month.


    Khan''s mood was quite poor due to that event. He couldn''t help but find the subjects related to mana far more interesting. He would rather have an entire month of Professor Conche than following math and other boring lessons four hours a day.


    ''I''ll definitely pick xenolinguistics and politics,'' Khan thought as he crossed the familiar streets that separated him from his dormitory. ''I probably need to add something else, but I still have three months and missions before the second semester.''


    Khan had started to gain an idea of what he wanted to become in the Global Army. Remaining a simple soldier that patrolled dangerous planets was a decent option, but he had found a better one thanks to Martha''s help.


    The Global Army needed ambassadors to handle the relationships with the alien races. Those political figures could travel from planet to planet easily, and eventual scouting parties even required their presence.


    It was the perfect job for someone who wanted free access to the map of the universe and priority over interplanetary travels. Also, that role would prevent Khan from becoming a simple pawn in the hands of his superiors.


    Becoming an ambassador would even give Khan merits helpful in the political ladder. He didn''t care about his rank in the army, but he didn''t forget Lieutenant Dyester''s words either. He had to become a Colonel to gain access to the classified files about the First Impact.


    The path was still long, and Khan had yet to understand all the requirements for that political role, but having a goal helped him. He didn''t feel like a foreigner anymore after setting his eyes on a target. He had become like the other recruits who wanted to become someone inside the army.


    Khan checked his phone. It was already half past nine, and a sigh inevitably escaped his mouth.


    ''My body has become used to the Lightning-demon style,'' Khan thought as his dormitory appeared in the distance. ''I barely need lotions anymore, and I can endure a full day of training even on Sunday.''


    Lieutenant Dyester was a severe Master, and Khan was a dedicated disciple. He never skipped a training session, and he always tried to push his limits.


    Khan had basically convinced himself that the wealthy kids would surpass him if he dared to go easy on his training. Losing his spot as a talented recruit would close the doors opened by Professor Norwell, which he wanted to keep open.


    Maintaining the halo of the talented recruit from the Slums could help him becoming an ambassador, and Khan didn''t want to lose that chance. Also, remaining without any clear affiliation would increase his value once offers from other families appeared. Khan only had to hold on to his status until he became a first-level warrior.


    Of course, Khan didn''t think about that on his own. Martha had to walk him through that scheme. It was nothing too complicated, but Khan still felt like a stranger to the political environment.


    A strange sensation eventually hit Khan''s mind. He felt a peculiar fluctuation coming from a dark area in the park next to the end of the street.


    His sensitivity to mana had increased after the training for the chaos element. Khan felt sure that something that contained mana was behind the bushes and trees near the end of the street.


    ''Robots?'' Khan thought, but he quickly disregarded that idea.


    Some of the robots inside the training camp contained mana that Khan could sense. However, the sensation coming from behind the bush and trees was different. He even felt a familiar vibe.


    ''Is that Samuel?'' Khan wondered.


    His sensitivity to mana wasn''t exceptional. It was the best among the recruits but still weak compared to proper soldiers. Yet, he had slept in the same room with Samuel for the past three months, so he couldn''t fail to recognize his vibe.

 Chapter 36: Minutes

    ''What is he even doing here?'' Khan wondered before recalling the many glances and peeks of his roommate. ''Did they finally decide to make me pay for the scuffle from the first week?''


    Khan could sense that Samuel wasn''t alone. His ability didn''t allow him to understand how many recruits were hiding in the darkness, but his knowledge could fill those gaps.


    ''They should still be under twenty percent of attunement,'' Khan thought while stopping his tracks in the middle of the street. ''Martha told me that they have started to hang out with the three harpies now that I think about it.''


    The gossips were one of the best forms of entertainment inside the training camp. Martha, Luke, Bruce, and the occasional friends from the special class who ate with Khan often talked about the other recruits. Alison Blackdell came out often since her demotion to the normal course had been quite a scandal.


    Khan couldn''t make the connection between the four bullies and the three harpies. He considered the possibility that the three girls had enhanced the bully''s anger, but he couldn''t imagine that the latter were trying to ambush him due to a threat.


    Still, his failure in understanding the true reason behind the ambush didn''t change his situation. Khan had to deal with the four bullies, and the clock was ticking. He only had twenty-eight minutes before the curfew.


    Khan suppressed a smirk as he laid his back on a street lamp and took out his phone. He pretended to browse through the menus, but his eyes never left the clock.


    Minutes passed, but Khan didn''t move. The clock inevitably reached twenty to ten pm, but he remained at ease.


    Khan needed less than ten minutes to reach his dormitory with his running speed. Moreover, only Samuel lived in the same block. The other bullies'' flats were elsewhere in the camp, so their time was running out.


    ''They must do something in the next five minutes,'' Khan thought while keeping his eyes on the phone. ''No recruit dares to break the curfew.''


    The bullies proved Khan wrong. Five minutes passed, but they remained hidden in the darkness. None of them seemed willing to move.


    ''What are they waiting for?'' Khan wondered. ''Are they willing to drag me down with them? I have only busted their balls a few times, and that was three months ago!''


    The ambush began to resemble a suicidal plan as time continued to flow. Khan almost considered the possibility that the bullies had fallen asleep in the park when only thirteen minutes separated him from the curfew. However, he didn''t dare to underestimate the boys.


    ''Do they think that their families will get them out of eventual punishments?'' Khan wondered. ''My Master is the damned Lieutenant in charge of the prisons! How can they fail to consider something like that?''


    Khan used another minute to consider every possible option. The plan didn''t make sense unless the bullies had access to some influential figure inside the Global Army who could override Lieutenant Dyester''s authority.


    ''They do have wealthy backgrounds,'' Khan eventually considered in his mind. ''Bloke couldn''t stop mentioning his father in the prisons, and Samuel''s family has already prepared synthetic mana for him. Maybe they can make Lieutenant Dyester powerless.''


    Khan had no proof to back his worries, but he wouldn''t dare to risk breaking the curfew. Yet, the situation would only worsen if he ignored the bullies completely. He couldn''t even touch Samuel inside the flat due to the harsher regulations connected to that type of aggression.


    ''Eleven minutes to the curfew,'' Khan thought while putting his phone back in the pocket of his trousers. ''I would have wasted the last three months if I couldn''t deal with them in three minutes.''


    Khan wore an aloof expression as he left the street lamp and resumed his walk back to the dormitory. He stepped into the dark area after a few seconds, but the bullies didn''t move yet.


    ''Did they really fall asleep?'' Khan wondered without stopping his walk.


    A few faint steps eventually resounded behind him when he crossed the end of the street. The presences sensed by his mind drew near and reached his back in an instant.


    ''I need to let them attack first,'' Khan sighed in his mind before closing his eyes and clenching his teeth to prepare for the imminent blows.


    His arms casually covered the back of his head before sharp pain spread from four different spots. The bullies had hit Khan''s forearms, back, and legs with something other than their punches.


    Khan jumped forward to avoid losing his balance. He turned as soon as his feet stepped on the street, and his swift movement allowed him to face the bullies before they could catch up with him.


    The dim light radiated by a nearby streetlamp allowed Khan to see the faint figures of the four bullies. He recognized Bloke, Samuel, and the other two boys from the first week. They were all wielding long bats made of cheap alloy.


    The bats were already swinging toward Khan. He didn''t have much time to react. He could leap backward to dodge the incoming attacks, but that would only prolong the battle.


    Khan pointed his right foot before twisting his ankle and performing an anticlockwise rotation. His left leg rose while following his body, and his left feet soon met Duke''s shoulder.


    A cracking noise came out of Duke''s shoulder. The boy didn''t have the time to complete his attack, and the impact lifted him from the ground as it pushed him away.


    Meanwhile, three bats landed on Khan''s side and threatened to push him to the ground. However, he endured the pain and completed his form.


    Khan''s right arm shot forward when his leg touched the ground. He rotated his ankles and waist to fill his hook with incredible momentum.


    His punch reached Kyle''s jaw, and a cracking noise resounded after the impact. A few teeth also flew out of his mouth as the boy rotated on himself and fell.


    Only Samuel and Bloke remained on their feet, and the two boys couldn''t help but glance at their companions. Kyle had fainted, and blood was flowing out of his mouth. Instead, Duke was crouching on the ground two meters behind them, and whimpers resounded from his figure as he held his left shoulder.


    Khan flowed directly into another attack. He bent his legs before leaping forward while rising his knee. Bloke promptly defended his chest with his bat, but his eyes widened when he saw his weapon curving and obtaining a V-shaped form.


    Samuel swung his bat toward Khan, but the latter blocked it with his arm. Then, Khan wrapped his hand around the boy''s arm, and his body began to rotate as he waited for his right leg to touch the ground.


    Khan rotated his feet as soon as it touched the ground. The technique filled his body with momentum and gave his raised left leg enough power to reach Samuel''s ear.


    The boy lost his balance and let go of the bat, but he clung to Khan''s arm before falling to the ground. Bloke exploited that chance to swing his oddly-shaped bat toward Khan''s head, but the latter raised his arm to protect himself.


    Bloke didn''t stop attacking, and Samuel did his best to remain gripped on Khan''s arm. The latter couldn''t move freely with that weight disrupting his balance, but he never lowered his arms.


    Bloke suddenly felt unable to move his weapon. Fear filled his face when he saw that Khan had managed to grab the bat during the last swing.


    The boy quickly let go of his weapon and took a step back. His good reaction allowed him to dodge a kick aimed at his stomach, and a tinge of determination appeared on his face when he studied Khan''s situation.


    Samuel was still hanging from Khan''s arm, and the latter had to risk his balance to deliver his kick. Khan was standing on a single leg while enduring Samuel''s weight. It was the perfect moment to push him to the ground.


    Bloke jumped forward and wrapped his arms around Khan''s neck. He used the entirety of his body in a desperate attempt to make his opponent fall, but astonishment filled his mind when he noticed that Khan managed to endure the blow.


    Khan had Samuel hanging from his right arm, and Bloke clung to his neck, but he didn''t falter. His legs could endure the additional weight. He didn''t even sway when the two boys struggled to push him backward.


    Khan grabbed the back of Bloke''s uniform and pulled. The boy did his best to push his waist back on Khan''s chest, but a sharp pain suddenly spread from his groin.


    A sense of weakness filled Bloke. He let go of his opponent and slid on Khan''s knee while falling toward the ground. Khan had raised his leg when Bloke tried to wrap himself around his chest, and his groin ended up hitting the knee.


    Khan turned toward Samuel at that point. The boy had basically fainted. He was continuing to hang from Khan''s arm out of pure willpower.


    ''What a waste of determination,'' Khan couldn''t help but think as he threw a kick on Samuel''s chest and flung him away.


    The battle had been messy, but Khan had successfully defeated his four opponents. Moreover, he had deployed part of the footwork learnt from the Lightning-demon style, and that feat left him happy.


    "You lose," Bloke weakly said while covering his groin. "You will break the curfew."


    Khan promptly drew the phone from his pocket. The device informed him that the curfew would arrive in less than seven minutes. He was late, and even running might not solve the issue.


    ''Why are they so confident about the punishments?'' Khan wondered when he noticed Bloke''s satisfied smile.


    The boys definitely had something in store for Khan, but he didn''t know what to expect. Yet, he wouldn''t risk finding it out.


    ''I can only pull it off one out six times,'' Khan thought as he closed his eyes and bent his legs. ''I also need to prepare for thirty seconds. Still, I don''t see other options.''


    Bloke''s smile froze when he noticed Khan''s serious expression. The boy kept his eyes closed and performed deep breaths as his legs slid on the street.


    Then, Bloke blinked, and confusion appeared on his face when he reopened his eyes. Khan had disappeared. Bloke didn''t even hear his steps.

 Chapter 37: Sliding

    Everything was vague in Khan''s vision. The darkness of the night fused with the dim lights of the streetlamps to create a strange spectacle that dried his eyes.


    Khan tried to keep his eyes open, but a burning sensation forced them to close them every time he failed to control his body. His skin also hurt as the friction with the air scarred the flesh that his uniform didn''t cover.


    The faint image of a building suddenly appeared in Khan''s vision. It disappeared in the next second since his eyes closed, but he still planted his feet on the ground to stop his incredible momentum.


    The same burning sensation that afflicted his skin began to spread on his feet. Khan gritted his teeth, but he lost his balance and fell to the ground.


    Khan kept his eyes closed as his body slowed down. His back began to hurt, but that sensation vanished once he stopped sliding on the ground.


    His eyes opened and struggled to focus on his surroundings. Khan blinked many times to regain his vision, and the world slowly lost its blurriness.


    The fence that encircled the dormitory soon became clear. Khan even noticed two soldiers standing on the sides of the gate and shooting confused stares toward him.


    A satisfied smile appeared on Khan''s face when he glanced at the clock hanging on the side of the gate. The curfew would still take three minutes to arrive. He had reached his destination on time.


    "Do we need to call the medical bay?" One of the soldiers asked when Khan pointed his hands on the ground and struggled to stand up.


    Khan''s condition was far from ideal. His face, neck, and hands featured multiple scarred patches of skin. The sole of his shoes had also vanished during the abrupt stop, and the ground had torn his uniform.


    "I''m fine, I''m fine," Khan promptly said while wearing a fake smile and limping through the gate.


    His feet hurt whenever they touched the ground, but he only cared about returning to his flat. Khan had stored a few lotions during those three months, so he wouldn''t have to skip his usual training to visit a doctor.


    The two soldiers followed Khan with their eyes before disregarding the matter. The clock soon marked ten pm, and the gate closed on its own. The easiest part of their job had finally arrived.


    ''I''m still far away from a complete mastery of this technique,'' Khan complained in his mind as he entered his flat and crouched to take a few lotions from under his bed. ''Still, this move is great. I can''t wait to learn how to deploy it in battle.''


    His mind played the images of the fight against the four bullies while he applied the lotion on his scarred skin. Khan could see how inexperienced he was in that type of battle. His moves were good, but they had yet to become natural. Moreover, he often mixed them with random attacks.


    The images then reached his last technique. Khan could finally understand what Dean Ulluw meant during his explanation of the Lightning-demon style. Expressing more power wasn''t an issue. The problem was that the human body wasn''t always able to endure it.


    His scarred flesh proved how dangerous mana could be if deployed incorrectly. Khan had only performed the simplest sprint of the Lightning-demon style to reach the dormitory, but he didn''t calculate how much mana he had to use.


    It was clear that his body still couldn''t endure that speed. Also, the execution of the technique wasn''t completely perfect, especially during its end.


    ''Mana is so dangerous,'' Khan sighed in his mind as he put the lotion under his bed, ''But it''s so damn cool. How fast did I even go? Those bullies couldn''t even do anything against me. I could break their bones with a few blows!''


    Khan was excited about the path ahead, but he suppressed that emotion when he recalled his schedule. He still had his mental training and the usual meditation to complete.


    ''Fifth lesson here I come,'' Khan shouted in his mind as he crossed his legs on the bed and focused his attention on the insides of his brain.


    His brain contained a few azure specks of light, and Khan focused on the largest. His mind went blank as a few simple thoughts filled him and forced the mana to transform.


    The small azure sphere split. It divided itself into two dots before repeating the process and creating four identical specks. Then, Khan imagined a series of invisible hands pinching their edges and giving them a different shape.


    The spheres slowly stretched to transform into dimmer hexagons. Thin lines grew inside their edges until they reached the opposite sides. Then, more branches grew and tried to give birth to an intricate figure.


    The theory behind the mental exercises of the training program for his element was rather simple. Khan had to manipulate the mana inside his brain to shape it in the form of intricate diagrams.


    The execution of those exercises was far harder. The training program forced Khan to increase the number of diagrams every time he stepped on the next lessons.


    The first lesson only saw one diagram, but the third already wanted two of them. The fifth required four, and the seventh would need six of them.


    Everything had to culminate in the eleventh lesson, where Khan had to create ten diagrams. The process also had to happen at the same time. He couldn''t handle the different figures separately.


    Learning how to manage different diagrams at the same time was a hellish process, but the training program didn''t end there. Every even lesson forced Khan to repeat the previous exercise without involving emotions, which was far more difficult than it sounded.


    Khan shaped the diagrams as described by the training program and kept them in that state for a few seconds before doing the backward process. He dismantled those figures and returned them to their original form of a single speck of azure light.


    ''Again,'' Khan faintly thought before repeating the exercise.


    The training program required Khan to repeat the exercise five times in a row without mistakes to claim complete mastery. He could proceed on the next lesson only after meeting those standards, and he planned to succeed that night.


    Khan started to reshape the mana again, and his second execution succeeded. The third also went well, but his speed diminished when he approached the fourth.


    His mind began to feel tired and sloppy, but Khan pressed on. He didn''t want to find justifications that night. The pain that filled his body couldn''t reach him in that state. He had to succeed because he was dying to reach the Wave spell.


    Khan completed the fourth execution before moving to the fifth. He felt on the verge of falling asleep, but his control didn''t waver. Growing each line on the diagrams took far more time, but that wasn''t a good reason to stop.


    It took an entire hour to complete the fifth execution, but Khan didn''t lose control for even an instant. He built the diagrams before dismantling them one last time and opening his eyes. His back inevitably landed on his bed when the process was over, and an intense sense of weakness filled his body and mind.


    However, excitement raged in his mind. He could finally move to the sixth lesson. He had reached the halfway point before the Wave spell.


    ''It''s already one am,'' Khan thought when he glanced at his phone. ''Doing one hour of meditation will only make me more tired tomorrow morning. I should let my body recover tonight.''


    The fifth lesson of the chaos element''s training had taken far longer than Khan had predicted, so he set the alarm and closed his eyes. He didn''t even glance at the empty top bunk on the other side of the room. He knew his roommate wouldn''t come home that night.


    The nightmare arrived as usual. Khan went back in time and relived the Second Impact. His mental training had allowed him to develop a unique coldness toward those images, but the long scene annoyed him anyway.


    Yet, a sudden noise interrupted the nightmare and awakened Khan. His eyes immediately went on his phone, and a confused expression appeared on his face when he noticed that it was still four am.


    The noise then resounded again. It spread through the entire flat and made some of the walls tremble. Khan inspected the event from his bed, but he eventually heard a few knocks on his door.


    ''Did I get into some trouble?'' Khan wondered as he stood up and opened the door.


    The two soldiers that patrolled the dormitory were standing in front of their flat. The duo wore severe expressions as they waved their phones and confirmed Khan''s identity.


    "Why didn''t you answer your doorbell?" One of the soldiers asked.


    "I didn''t even know this flat had a doorbell," Khan honestly replied.


    "Where were you tonight?" The second soldier asked.


    "I went to the prisons of the camp to train with Lieutenant Dyester," Khan explained. "Then you saw me sliding on my back when I returned to the dormitory."


    "We indeed saw you," The first soldier continued. "Only mana can create that acceleration. Do you know that it''s forbidden to deploy mana outside of training rooms or without supervision?"


    "I''m sorry, sir," Khan scratched his head. "I must correct you. The regulations of the Global Army forbid the use of mana to attack other recruits, but it doesn''t say anything about training in the open, especially in isolated spots."


    Both soldiers remained speechless, and one of them even browsed through the menus of his phone to find the regulations.


    "The technique didn''t even have offensive purposes," Khan continued. "It was an enhanced sprint meant to make me reach the dormitory on time. I was only trying to be a good recruit, sir."


    Khan didn''t share his father''s stubbornness. He could continue to pretend even when the soldiers had clearly missed the mark.


    The soldier found the regulations and showed them to his companion. Khan was right. He didn''t break the rules with his last sprint.


    "What can you tell me about this?" The second man asked while activating a few holograms on his phone.


    Khan saw the battle against the bullies. He didn''t feel surprised that the robots around the camps had recorded it, but he still didn''t see anything wrong with it.


    "They ambushed me," Khan explained while studying the battle. "It was self-defense."


    "The tape is currently under investigation," The first soldier said. "You have been involved in two fights in only three months. I hope you don''t mind if we pay more attention to you from now on."


    "Not at all, sir," Khan continued with his act, but his eyes remained glued to the holograms. "You are just doing your work. I''m happy to comply to improve the situation in the camp. By the way, can I have this tape?"

 Chapter 38: Mistakes

    "A broken shoulder, a shattered jaw, a pierced eardrum, a few cracked ribs, and other minor injuries," Lieutenant Dyester read on his phone while Khan prepared the holograms for his usual training. "They will be out for two entire weeks even if Doctor Parket personally oversees their recovery."


    "They seemed desperate," Khan commented. "I don''t want to say good things about them, but they shouldn''t be so stupid to attack me after three months of training."


    Lieutenant Dyester stepped off the wall and neared Khan to inspect his injuries. The lotions had done a great job on the scarred skin, but he still had a few marks on his face.


    The injuries caused by his sprint couldn''t heal in a single day, even with the great lotions of the Global Army. Khan had to attend the morning lessons in that state, with a constant annoying feeling spreading from his feet. Luckily for him, his friends didn''t investigate further after he justified the marks with his training.


    "Did you watch the battle?" Khan asked after Lieutenant Dyester let him go. "How did I do?"


    "You were awful," Lieutenant Dyester snorted as he picked his phone and activated holograms depicting Khan''s battle. "You have studied it. How many mistakes did you find?"


    "Three," Khan honestly replied. "The front kick against Bloke and the jumping knee come from my bad habits while letting Samuel hang on me was pure inexperience."


    "What about the initial jump?" Lieutenant Dyester asked. "Why did you lower your leg both times? You have practiced techniques in that stance. Why didn''t you flow into them?"


    "I didn''t think about it," Khan said while scratching his head. "These moves still don''t feel completely natural. I kept thinking during the fight."


    Lieutenant Dyester heaved a helpless sigh. He inspected the video again and played with the holograms a bit before lighting a cigarette. There seemed to be some annoyance on his face, but Khan couldn''t understand the reason behind that feeling.


    "You can''t limit yourself to the exercises anymore," Lieutenant Dyester sighed again. "It seems that someone is trying to get to you."


    Khan showed a confused expression, and Lieutenant Dyester didn''t hesitate to continue. "Those boys didn''t fear breaking the curfew. They only cared about forcing you to break it. They were even quite determined. Their reasons probably had nothing to do with you."


    "Why would they even attack me then?" Khan asked.


    "Did you make anyone with some really good background angry?" Lieutenant Dyester questioned Khan.


    "I''m as good as they come," Khan said while wearing a fake smile, but a memory suddenly surged in his mind. "I might have insulted Alison Blackdell and her friends, but that wasn''t much. I wouldn''t even recall her name if she weren''t at the center of the gossips."


    Lieutenant Dyester stared at Khan with a blank expression. The latter even waved his hand on his face since the soldier didn''t seem able to move anymore.


    "What did they even put in that brain of yours?!" Lieutenant Dyester eventually shouted while grabbing Khan from his shoulders. "The Blackdell family has connections with the noble families, and you decided to insult one of its members! She even failed to remain in the special class! I bet she will get back at anyone who dares to speak badly about her."


    "How can anyone remember stuff from months ago?" Khan complained while Lieutenant Dyester continued to shake him. "You are exaggerating. No one has so much free time."


    "She is a kid born in a family with connections with the noble families!" Lieutenant repeated while letting go of Khan and walking through the corridor that divided the cells. "She has never faced a problem in her entire life! What do you think will happen when she suddenly finds issues that her name can''t solve?"


    "Work hard to improve herself?" Khan asked, but Lieutenant Dyester''s face told him that he was wrong.


    "Do you think that honest excuses will calm her down?" Khan asked when he understood that the situation was quite bad.


    Lieutenant Dyester sighed before massaging his temples. He didn''t know what to say in that situation. His disciple wasn''t stupid, but he had yet to realize how the wealthy kids reacted to some interactions.


    "You will only worsen your situation," Lieutenant Dyester shook his head. "She doesn''t seem the type to let go of this stuff, especially in her state. I can only prepare you for the worst."


    "Worse?" Khan didn''t understand what Lieutenant Dyester meant, but the latter suddenly shot forward.


    Khan couldn''t even react to that sudden event. Pain spread from his chest while his feet left the ground. The attack directly flung him toward the wall.


    Khan hit his back and head on the wall. Everything became confused for an instant while he fell on the floor. His vision quickly regained its focus and allowed him to see that Lieutenant Dyester''s foot was about to reach his face.


    Khan instinctively closed his eyes to prepare for the imminent blow, but nothing touched his face. Instead, a low noise resounded from above him, and tremors reached his back.


    "You had it too easy with those boys," Lieutenant Dyester said as he kicked the table next to the staircase away to create some space. "It''s easy to fight against weaker opponents. Let''s see what you can do against me."


    The situation had turned upside-down in an instant. Khan was barely keeping track of the events, but everything became clear when Lieutenant Dyester bent his legs and took a battle stance.


    Khan stood up slowly. His hand went on the back of his head, and a warm sensation spread from his palm. He was bleeding, but Lieutenant Dyester didn''t seem to care about that.


    "I don''t think the other kids train like this," Khan exclaimed.


    "The other kids don''t have to worry about being ambushed at night," Lieutenant Dyester snorted. "Besides, this will teach you how real battles are. The martial arts try to make them appear flashy and precise, but they are messy most of the time."


    "Can I use mana?" Khan asked while taking a battle stance.


    "Of course," Lieutenant Dyester replied as a smirk appeared on his face.


    Khan took a deep breath and summoned the mana in his body. He couldn''t match Lieutenant Dyester''s physical strength, but he might be able to achieve a similar speed since his martial art focused on that feature.


    However, right after part of the mana inside his body started to activate, a sharp pain spread from Khan''s waist and forced him to open his eyes. His back landed on the wall again as he stared at the kick that Lieutenant Dyester had delivered.


    "First lesson," Lieutenant Dyester announced while turning and lighting another cigarette. "Never use something unreliable. I''m faster than your mana, so you can''t rely on it."


    ''It was a trick!'' Khan shouted in his mind before resuming a battle stance.


    "Second lesson," Lieutenant Dyester continued while turning and delivering a fast roundhouse kick that slammed next to Khan''s head. "Study your opponent. I''m a third-level warrior and mage, while your attunement with mana has yet to reach fifty percent. Why are you even trying to fight me?"


    Khan stared at the leg next to his face. Lieutenant Dyester didn''t bother to lower it, and Khan could notice the bulging muscles under the uniform at that distance.


    Lieutenant Dyester''s physique was quite massive. His uniform hid part of his muscles, but Khan understood how much power his body contained in that situation.


    ''How can he be so fast with that body?'' Khan wondered as he gulped and glanced at the trapdoor.


    "That should have been your first thought!" Lieutenant Dyester shouted when he noticed that gesture. "You shouldn''t feel safe because I''m here. Remember that I''ve killed many aliens and even a few humans. You are locked in the same room with a murderer. You should never lower your guard."


    "Who can I trust then?" Khan asked as his face abandoned every expression.


    "Trust your senses," Lieutenant Dyester replied. "Trust your training, your body, your mana, and your achievements. Your situation is different from the other kids. No one would bother to look for your corpse if you were to die somewhere problematic."


    Khan was using the mastery over the fourth lesson of the mental training to hide the mana flowing through his body. He filled his ankles with that energy before moving part of it in different directions.


    "How can I even trust you to trai-," Khan began to say, but his leg moved while Lieutenant Dyester was busy listening to his words.


    Khan launched a frontal kick that aimed at Lieutenant Dyester''s groin. His attack was quick. His leg almost created afterimages as it moved toward the soldier.


    However, Lieutenant Dyester grabbed his ankle before it could reach its target.


    "Masking your emotions was a smart choice," Lieutenant Dyester explained, "But you can''t hide your intentions to my senses, especially since you only mastered the initial exercises."


    Lieutenant Dyester pulled Khan''s leg and forced him to fall on the floor.


    "We''ll do this once a week," Lieutenant Dyester announced. "The next times won''t be complete beatdowns. I''ll give you the chance to use a few moves in battle."

 Chapter 39: Meeting

    Khan''s friends didn''t immediately give much thought to his condition. They would see a few injuries on him or a pale complexion every Monday, but they initially disregarded those features since training with mana could lead to those events.


    Even they would show a few wounds from time to time. They weren''t as evident as Khan''s tiredness, but they still suffered from their training. The presence of proper Masters from Ylaco couldn''t prevent them.


    However, worries inevitably appeared when they noticed that Khan''s situation didn''t improve even after a few weeks passed. Usually, recruits would learn how to avoid suffering injuries as their expertise with mana improved, but Khan didn''t seem to follow that progress.


    "Are you ok?" Luke eventually asked during a Monday afternoon in the canteen.


    "Everything is fine," Khan replied as he wolfed his fourth plate.


    Martha, Luke, Bruce, and the two kids from the Rotston family didn''t buy his plain answer. Khan almost had a sick complexion, and a large bruise encircled his right eye.


    "You come every Monday with a new set of injuries," Martha pointed out. "It has happened for almost two months."


    "Lieutenant Dyester is teaching me how to fight," Khan briefly explained. "His methods aren''t for softies."


    The group didn''t know how to react to that statement. Masters could be harsh, especially during actual combat training, but Khan seemed to go through a beatdown every Sunday.


    "I wouldn''t trust Carl Dyester so much," Luke exclaimed. "I asked my Master about him. The rumors about him aren''t good at all."


    "What can you expect from someone called "butcher of Istrone"?" April Rotston commented. "That guy is the only survivor of a rebellion. Stuff like that leaves deep scars."


    "It''s worse than you think," Luke continued. "My Master knows someone who has reached Istrone right after the crisis. The soldiers had yet to clean the battlefield back then, so he saw the reason behind that title."


    "Which is?" Jacob Rotstone asked.


    "Khan is still eating," Luke replied. "I don''t want to ruin his meal."


    "Go on," Khan promptly said while munching his meat. "Nothing can ruin my appetite."


    Luke glanced at his other friends before heaving a helpless sigh when they nodded.


    "This soldier saw piles of fuming alien corpses," Luke said while lowering his voice. "His platoon found Lieutenant Dyester sitting on one of them. According to the story, he didn''t even notice the reinforcements. He remained there with a cigarette in his mouth."


    "He must have snapped during the battle," April Rotstone sighed. "It a common thing for soldiers on the frontlines. I''m not surprised he decided to lower his rank on purpose and isolate himself in this training camp."


    "I can find you another suitable Master, Khan," Luke revealed while turning toward him. "Your training feels like abuse. Don''t put up with his methods because you don''t see other options."


    "Don''t worry," Khan replied while giving voice to a fake laugh. "Thank you for your concern, but I''m getting better with this training. I know you disagree with his methods, but they are perfect for someone like me."


    "You are hopeless," Bruce laughed while shaking his head. "Both Luke and the Global Army want to give you a hand, but you stick with the traumatized soldier who handles the prisons. Is this another Slum thing?"


    Bruce had always treated Khan with respect. Khan knew that those words carried no ill intention, so he didn''t feel offended by them.


    "It''s about matching characters," Khan explained. "He pushes me to go beyond my limits, and that''s all I want. I need a firm hand to get better."


    Martha''s worries quieted down after that revelation. She was afraid that Khan was enduring that treatment because of her, but there seemed to be more to it.


    Lieutenant Dyester seemed able to appeal to Khan''s true character. The driven and resolute man hidden behind that young face wouldn''t accept sophisticated Masters who barely made him sweat. He needed a warden who taught him the practical uses of his abilities.


    Luke and the others didn''t reach the same conclusions, but they let go of the matter anyway. They wanted to help Khan, but they couldn''t fight his stubbornness. They only hoped that he wouldn''t suffer any permanent injury during that hellish training.


    The group finished eating and began to leave the canteen. All of them had to rest or reach their Masters, but a message arrived on their phones before they could split.


    ''Mandatory meeting in the first basement at three pm,'' Khan read on his phone.


    "This is from the Global Army," Khan exclaimed while turning toward his friends. "Do you know what''s happening?"


    Khan saw surprised expressions on his friends. It seemed that even their knowledge of the Global Army didn''t help in that situation.


    "It''s strange," Luke commented. "There''s more than a month before the end of the semester. This shouldn''t be about the missions."


    "Maybe they want to address Khan''s issue," Bruce added. "They didn''t say anything about the four boys who attacked him two months ago. No one has seen them since then either. The Global Army might give an official statement."


    "The other recruits didn''t receive anything," Jason contradicted him when he inspected his surroundings. "It seems that only the members of the special class received this message."


    "They might still follow a precise order," Martha continued. "Anyway, the meeting is in half an hour. We can wait in the corridor."


    The group changed direction and moved toward the staircase that led to the lower floors. They continued to suggest ideas that could explain the reason behind the meeting, but Khan remained silent during the walk.


    Khan had thought about the four bullies from time to time, especially since Samuel''s bed had remained empty during those months. Even Lieutenant Dyester didn''t know how that matter had ended.


    Still, Khan didn''t suffer from similar events anymore. Two months had gone by peacefully. He had even started to believe that Lieutenant Dyester''s worries about Alison Blackdell were mere exaggerations.


    The group waited in front of the first basement. Other recruits from the special class gathered on that spot, but they weren''t enough to fill the corridor. Less than twenty boys and girls had remained in that course after almost five months of training.


    A familiar figure eventually descended from the staircase. Khan recognized Lieutenant Rupert Unchai, the soldier who had overseen his initial test.


    Khan could finally inspect his features. The last time he had seen the Lieutenant in the shape of a hologram, so he had failed to notice the dark color of his short hair and the clear shades of his eyes.


    "I will hold the meeting," Lieutenant Unchai announced once he stepped off the staircase and made his way through the group of recruits.


    The first basement opened, and Lieutenant Unchai gestured to the group to follow him. The soldier quickly walked toward the stage on one side of the hall and connected his phone to the floor while the recruits simply gathered around him.


    "Let''s make a few things clear first," Lieutenant Unchai announced as a series of holograms appeared on the walls behind him.


    Khan widened his eyes when he saw that the holograms played the scenes of his last battle against the bullies. The images even depicted the damages suffered from the four boys during the various exchanges.


    "The Global Army condemns these actions," Lieutenant Unchai continued once the tape ended. "Your background doesn''t matter here. Your family might have connections with the noble families, but the same goes for the higher-ups of the Global Army. Every soldier is equal. We only look at your achievements."


    Khan pretended not to notice the series of glances that ended on his figure. He had even heard a few surprised gasps while the tape was still running. It seemed that some of the recruits had liked the show.


    "We have expelled the four boys," Lieutenant Unchai explained once the audience focused on him again. "Ylaco''s training camp has even placed an additional fee on their families. I hope this can solve part of the grudges that this shameful event might have generated."


    Lieutenant Unchai didn''t look toward Khan, but it was clear that his words were for him.


    "He is worried that a lack of punishments from the Global Army would have ruined its chances to get you," Martha whispered while tilting her head toward Khan.


    Khan limited himself to nod. He had understood that part. Attending "politics" for another month had given him some insights into that environment.


    ''The real culprit might still be out there,'' Khan complained inside his mind. ''Punishing these four doesn''t prove that I''m safe.''


    "The recent situation has forced the Global Army to understand its flaws," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "It''s rare to have this degree of violence inside the camp, and it''s evident that most recruits lack battle experience. We can''t punish before the actual illicit event, but we can give you the chance to learn some self-defense."


    The audience fell silent at that point. The recruits didn''t know where Lieutenant Unchai''s speech led, but its topic sounded interesting.


    "We can''t offer this to everyone in the camp," Lieutenant Unchai continued. "Only the special class will have access to this. The Global Army is giving you the chance to continue the rest of your lessons on Onia, where you will receive real-combat training."

 Chapter 40: Preparations

    Author''s notes: I will use "[ ]" for the alien language. I hope you enjoy the story.


    ****


    The news left the audience speechless. The Global Army was offering a free journey to Onia where the recruits could get real-combat training.


    Needless to say, whispers began to resound among the recruits. None of them managed to remain silent in that situation. Even the wealthiest kids felt excited.


    "The Global Army can''t pay for your Master," Lieutenant Unchai explained, "But they can join you on Onia if they can cover the expenses of the travel. Yet, some of them will need to obtain permits, so make them contact the related offices."


    The few recruits who still had doubts about that chance felt relieved to hear that. Some of them had strict training programs to follow, and a trip could considerably delay their improvements.


    "Please understand that this is a special situation," Lieutenant Unchai continued. "We must make sure that the members of the special class know how to protect themselves. Also, this travel won''t affect the normal schedule of your lessons. You will still have to face the missions at the end of the semester."


    "What do you think?" Martha asked Khan while keeping her voice down.


    "They are giving me the chance to go to another planet," Khan said while wearing an excited smile. "How can I even miss it?"


    "This sounds so interesting," Martha exclaimed as excitement inevitably seeped into her voice. "I have never been to another planet. We will also get the chance to see the Ef''i!"


    "I wonder how off my accent is," Khan whispered. "I''ve only learnt a few words."


    "I saw you taking notes during Professor Thogett''s lessons now that I think about it," Martha teased him while pulling his sleeve. "Tell me something in their language."


    "[Hello, peace,]" Khan said in a strange language that featured guttural sounds. "I only know these two words."


    "Are they useful?" Martha asked.


    "I hope," Khan laughed before moving his attention back to Lieutenant Unchai.


    The Lieutenant had removed his phone from the floor and had begun to descend from the stage. The recruits opened a path for him, and the soldier raised his voice once more to explain the last details behind that mission.


    "We depart in one week," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Your phones will gain access to a new menu tonight. You must sign it to become part of this event. You can also find other important information there, so read carefully."


    Lieutenant Unchai then made his way through the crowd, but he slowed down when he passed next to Khan. His eyes inevitably fell on him, and a faint smile even appeared on his expression.


    "You were a natural-born fighter apparently," Lieutenant Unchai whispered before going on his way and leaving the basement.


    The recruits remained in the hall, and their voice inevitably rose now that the soldier had left. Everyone was excited. The sole idea of going to another planet made them unable to contain themselves.


    Even the usually calm Luke seemed interested in that opportunity. His fingers tapped on his phone non-stop as he made plans for the imminent mission.


    "What is it?" Martha asked when she noticed Khan''s pensive expression. "I thought you would have loved this chance."


    "I do love it," Khan replied while scratching his head, "But I don''t know how to warn my father about this. He should have gotten out of jail by now."


    Martha''s excitement slightly dispersed when she remembered about Khan''s situation. His father was in the Slums, where contacting a single person was fairly difficult.


    "Try asking Lieutenant Dyester about that," Martha suggested. "He might not be able to find him, but he can warn him if he visits the camp."


    "That sounds good enough," Khan exclaimed. "Thank you, Martha. I don''t know where I''d be without you."


    Khan then left the basement in a hurry. He had to attend his usual training with Lieutenant Dyester and warn him about the mission. His schedule would probably change after that news.


    Martha stared at his departing figure. She remained a bit disappointed that he didn''t even bother to exchange a few more words with her, but the excitement about the incoming mission made her forget about that.


    After all, her entire class would go to another planet. She would have time to spend with Khan.


    Khan ran toward the prisons of the camp, and the trapdoor promptly opened as soon as he stepped on the lawn.


    "You are late, Dog, "Lieutenant Dyester shouted from the bottom of the basement.


    Khan ignored the new fake name that the Lieutenant had chosen for him lately. He ran down the staircase and began to explain the contents of the meeting as soon as the trapdoor closed.


    "A training camp on Onia sounds interesting," Lieutenant Dyester said while lighting a cigarette. "I wonder if they''ll make you fight against Ef''i. Maybe the self-protection thing is just an excuse to prepare you for the tournaments."


    "I didn''t think about that," Khan honestly revealed. "Still, should I go? I can''t miss this chance, right?"


    Khan was almost begging Lieutenant Dyester to share his opinion. His curiosity was exploding, but he would accept the soldier''s words if he happened to be against the travel.


    "You must go," Lieutenant Dyester announced. "You have fought against weaker kids and sparred with me for two months. It''s time to understand your actual level and get a real idea of where you stand compared to your peers."


    "Peers and aliens," Khan reminded him.


    "We should stop sparring then," Lieutenant Dyester continued while ignoring his previous words. "Focus on your forms without using mana. Let''s maximize your muscle memory before the trip."


    "No mana?" Khan asked with a disappointed tone.


    His training with the Lightning-demon style was going well, and the mental exercises only helped in the process. His meditations even strengthened his body and made it able to memorize different moves quickly. Khan had almost reached the point when he could perform a few correct techniques with mana.


    "Mastery beats unstable performances," Lieutenant Dyester snorted. "You have almost removed your bad habits, but your ability must go past that. Stabilize your foundation before building on top of it."


    Khan nodded, but he still felt a bit disappointed. Regular techniques were nice, but their versions with mana were far stronger. He had superpowers ready for him, but his Master wanted him to stick with the basics.


    "You will get there," Lieutenant Dyester said when he noticed Khan''s expression. "You must breathe, dream, and live for the Lightning-demon style. Adding mana will be far easier if you don''t have to think about your movements. Moreover, it will make you less useless in an actual battle."


    Khan nodded again. He understood Lieutenant Dyester''s point. He only felt restless about using mana.


    "Stop looking so depressed if you understand!" Lieutenant Dyester suddenly shouted. "Activate the damned holograms! You have a long day ahead of you. I want at least two hundred perfect executions of the entire training program."


    "I don''t have enough time for that!" Khan complained.


    "Then you keep trying until you make the time!" Lieutenant Dyester shouted. "Go on. Start from the first and reach the end. I hope you won''t commit mistakes during the first cycle."


    .


    .


    .


    Khan''s training became even harsher during that week. Lieutenant Dyester didn''t let him rest for even a second. He wanted to finish imprinting the Lightning-demon style on his body and remove the last trace of his bad habits.


    Khan also mentioned his father during that week. He had no way of contacting him from the training camp, but Lieutenant Dyester promised that he would take care of the matter.


    Lieutenant Dyester didn''t have a good reputation, but that only helped Khan''s cause. The soldier could warn all the buildings that handled the acceptance of guests and similar about Khan''s father. Those in charge of those offices would send Bret to him if he happened to visit the camp.


    The week eventually passed, and Khan prepared for the imminent travel. The new menu on the phone had instructed him about the event. It would last only two weeks, and all the recruits would go directly toward the location of the semestral missions after that period.


    His first semester inside the training camp would end in a mere month, and Khan could already sense how much he had changed during that short period. He had friends now, and his body had never felt so strong.


    On Monday, the special class gathered in a distant area of the training camp early in the morning. No recruit roamed through the streets at that hour, so no one could question the reason for their presence in that place.


    Lieutenant Unchai soon appeared in the distance. The soldier greeted the recruits and led them toward an immense building nearby. The structure resembled a three-story-tall stadium that occupied a large area.


    The group entered the building through large metal doors that slid open as soon as Lieutenant Unchai neared them. They had to go through a series of body scanners and sign a few forms before the soldiers protecting the entrance allowed them in the insides of the structure.


    A series of soldiers wearing white medical coats tinkered with the many consoles placed at the sides of a large circular room. Khan could identify all of them as scientists, but he ignored the reason behind their presence there.


    "I''ve never been to a teleport," Martha suddenly said when she pointed at the large structure at the center of the hall. "They say that everyone pukes on their first time."

 Chapter 41: Teleport

    Khan had read the travel''s schedule on his phone, but he didn''t expect it to involve a teleport. He knew nothing about interplanetary voyages, but his imagination had led him to believe that everything would happen through a spaceship.


    The circular hall featured a large oval platform at its center. Khan studied its feature after Martha pointed at it, and curiosity inevitably spread inside him.


    The platform had two curved pillars growing out of its vertices. Tubes that contained an azure liquid ran through the two horn-like structures and gave them a powerful aura. The pipes experienced random surges of energy that made their light shift from dim to bright and gave them an unstable vibe.


    Similar tubes connected the white platform to the various consoles placed on the walls of the hall. Khan managed to see a few graphs and diagrams on their screens, but he couldn''t understand much. He only recognized some equations mixed with symbols that had no meaning for him.


    "We inherited this technology from the Nak," Luke said without moving his eyes from the teleport. "We rebuilt their spaceships at first, but everything changed when we found the first teleport. Interplanetary travels became far easier after that."


    "Spaceships are far more reliable," Lieutenant Unchai explained while turning toward the special class. "You wouldn''t even think about stepping in there if you knew how many things could go wrong. The amount of synthetic mana required for the teleport is also massive, but the Global Army has made an exception for its brightest recruits."


    The boys and girls in the group couldn''t help but smile at those remarks. The Lieutenant was openly labeling them as the best of their course. Even the wealthiest kids felt good to gain such acknowledgment from a proper soldier.


    "We set the location to the third quadrant," One of the scientists exclaimed while turning toward the Lieutenant. "You can begin to step on the teleport."


    Lieutenant Unchai nodded and stepped on the platform. He gestured to the recruits to follow him, but they took a few seconds to overcome their fears.


    Only a few among them were brave enough to jump directly on the structure. Khan, Luke, and Bruce didn''t even hesitate after Lieutenant Unchai''s gesture. Khan couldn''t wait to experience the teleport, while the other two boys trusted the Global Army too much to feel scared.


    ''Woah,'' Khan gasped in his mind as tingling sensations ran through his spine. ''I have never felt the mana so clearly!''


    The two horn-like pillars seemed able to contain the mana inside the edges of the platform. Khan felt immersed in a dense liquid that caused his bones to experience faint tremors.


    ''This feels different from my mana,'' Khan thought while closing his eyes and immersing his mind into that atmosphere. ''It''s almost dirty.''


    All the recruits eventually stepped inside the teleport, and Lieutenant Unchai inspected his group one last time before nodding toward the scientists.


    "Exit locked in," One of the scientists shouted. "They are ready to receive us."


    "Synthetic mana one hundred percent stable," Another scientist shouted. "Starting the countdown!"


    The shouts awakened Khan from his thoughts. Numbers resounded in the hall and quickly moved toward zero as the azure light radiated by the many tubes intensified and became a blinding halo.


    Then, azure sparks started to run through the horn-like pillars until they connected their sharp tips. The scene only lasted one second since Khan''s vision suddenly went dark.


    A faint pressure appeared inside Khan. That feeling intensified until pain started to spread through his abdomen. His internal organs churned, and he inevitably held his breath to endure that process.


    Luckily for him, the sensation only lasted for a few seconds. Other feelings appeared as soon as the pressure afflicting his abdomen started to fade. He felt cold spreading from his knees and palms as retches tried to reach his mouth.


    Khan suppressed that sensation and struggled to open his eyes. The same white metal of the teleport appeared under him, but he soon noticed that something was off when he glanced past the platform''s edges.


    A green metal covered the surroundings of the teleport and ended on walls that carried similar shades. Consoles that had different shapes from those seen in the training camp filled that circular hall, and unknown faces handled them.


    Khan found himself kneeling on the platform, but his curiosity didn''t give him the time to stand up. He had caught a glimpse of something strange, and nothing inside him dared to move until he focused on that scene.


    The scientists inside the new hall were mostly humans, but there were a few strange figures that he had only seen through his phone. Khan had obviously searched the Ef''i on the network, but seeing them with his own eyes caused a completely different reaction in his mind.


    The Ef''i were a humanoid alien species with pale-brown skin that featured a few yellow patches on their back. Their faces were almost human, except for their stretched four eyes, pointy ears, long heads, and complete lack of hair.


    Their hands had five fingers, but black claw-like nails grew from them. The few alien scientists in the hall kept them short, but Khan knew that they could stretch them at will.


    The Ef''i had large feet but a slim physique. Still, their most iconic feature was the pointy tail growing from the bottom of their back. The white medical coats of the alien scientists had a hole in that spot where that limb could come out.


    Khan forced himself to straighten his position after he got a clear view of the aliens. His insides were still churning, but he was managing to hold back the desire to vomit.


    The same didn''t apply to most of his companions. The recruits couldn''t contain themselves and began to puke directly on the platform. Yet, a thin azure layer appeared whenever those substances tried to reach the white metal and burned them in an instant.


    "The first teleports always broke because of this," Lieutenant Unchai whispered when he noticed that Khan was inspecting that scene. "Imagine billions of Credits wasted because the soldiers couldn''t close their stomach."


    A faint laugh came out of the Lieutenant before he made his way through the crouching recruits and jumped off the platform. One of the alien scientists stepped forward to greet the soldier, and the two exchanged a firm handshake and polite smiles.


    "[It''s a pleasure to be back here]," Lieutenant Unchai said in the Ef''i''s language.


    "No need to be so formal," The alien scientist replied in perfect human language. "Our alliance has lasted for centuries already. You are welcome here anytime you want."


    Khan was still in a daze. The Ef''i moved and behaved like a human, but his physique made all those gestures odd to watch. Its tail even moved whenever it tried to express a new emotion.


    ''This one should be a female,'' Khan thought while recalling the information found on the network. ''Our sexual organs aren''t compatible, but I can differentiate them from the size of the chest. Female Ef''i usually have a smaller torso.''


    Khan ignored why the network of the Global Army contained those descriptions, but he felt glad that he could recognize the sex of the alien thanks to them. He would be able to avoid making wrong impressions if a conversation with an Ef''i ever happened.


    Lieutenant Unchai and the alien turned toward Khan when they saw him stepping off the teleport. His companions were still trying to stand, but he was only slightly pale after the process.


    "You have a resilient one," The Ef''i exclaimed.


    "He should have the highest attunement with mana among them since the others have yet to receive synthetic mana," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Khan! Come and greet Tetli!"


    Khan snapped out of his daze and marched toward the duo. He stretched his hand forward as a strange "[hello]" stuttered out of his mouth.


    "That wasn''t too bad," Tetli laughed while shaking his hand. "Try it again. Like this: [Heeellloooo]."


    Khan found the sharp change in her voice quite spectacular. Tetli went from having a harmonious human voice to the guttural sounds iconic of the Ef''i''s language.


    Khan nodded while committing to memory the sensations felt when he touched the alien''s rough skin. He cleared his throat before trying to say the same word slowly.


    Both Lieutenant Unchai and Tetli nodded when they heard Khan''s second attempt. His accent was still off, but they could understand the meaning behind his word.


    "You can proceed forward," Tetli eventually said while pointing at the exit from the circular all. "We''ll take care of the other recruits."


    "Thank you!" Lieutenant Unchai exclaimed while placing a hand behind Khan''s back and pushing him toward the exit with him.


    A long corridor that featured multiple body scanners and other scientists unfolded in Khan''s vision. He had to go through that procedure again, but excitement inevitably began to build inside him.


    Khan would be on a different planet once he exited that structure. He couldn''t wait to go past that inspection and see the new environment with his own eyes.


    "I thought you would be the thickheaded battle-oriented type," Lieutenant Unchai revealed as the duo walked through the scanners. "It turns out that you have something inside that shovel-shaped brain."


    "I wish to become an ambassador for the Global Army one day," Khan whispered. "I know that my background isn''t much, so I need to compensate by working hard."


    "An ambassador?" Lieutenant Unchai gave voice to a surprised gasp. "That might take a long time. Still, it''s far from impossible, especially if you show some talent in xenolinguistics."


    Khan had revealed that information on purpose. Only Martha and Lieutenant Dyester knew about his goal, but he wanted to spread that idea inside the Global Army now.


    Professor Norwell wanted to rope him into the Global Army, so Khan didn''t want to give her too many hints. Instead, Lieutenant Unchai didn''t seem to have hidden intentions. Revealing his goal to the soldier sounded like the best way to spread rumors among the higher-ups.


    The duo crossed the last scanner before approaching the exit. Khan could already see barren red-brown ground past the few windows near the edges of the structure. His curiosity was about to explode, but Lieutenant Unchai suddenly placed an arm in front of him.


    "They need to give you a pill to endure the new atmosphere," Lieutenant Unchai explained.


    "Sir?" A human soldier who held a digital notebook called Lieutenant Unchai when he heard those words. "The boy doesn''t need the pill. His attunement with mana is already past thirty percent."

 Chapter 42: Barren

    Khan wasn''t aware of the connection between mana and the foreign atmosphere, but he felt slightly disappointed when he heard about his attunement.


    ''Five months of training to gain a mere ten percent,'' Khan sighed in his mind. ''Improving through meditations is so slow.''


    Lieutenant Unchai didn''t share his disappointment. He shot a surprised glance toward Khan before taking the digital notebook from the soldier''s hands.


    The Lieutenant read through the results of the scans while mumbling a few words. Khan didn''t manage to understand much. He only heard the number thirty-one among those unclear lines.


    Truth be told, Khan didn''t have the time to check his attunement with mana in the past months. His schedule occupied the entirety of his days, and Lieutenant Dyester even took care of refilling his stash of lotions.


    Khan didn''t have any reason to visit the medical bay. He also knew that becoming a first-level warrior could take entire years, so he didn''t bother to keep track of his attunement. After all, the first important checkpoint was already behind him. Other percentages had no meaning until he reached fifty percent.


    "Did you say ambassador before?" Lieutenant Unchai asked while handing the digital notebook back to the soldier.


    Khan limited himself to nod, and the Lieutenant wore a pensive expression while his hand reached his chin. The man sized Khan with his eyes while various thoughts filled his mind.


    "Try to perform well in the semestral missions," Lieutenant Unchai eventually exclaimed. "There might be something for you if your talent doesn''t drop."


    Khan''s eyes lit up. He didn''t expect his faint hint from before to give results already, but he didn''t refuse that outcome. Yet, his doubts about the alien atmosphere remained in his mind.


    "Can I breathe Onia''s air with thirty percent attunement?" Khan asked while turning toward the Lieutenant.


    "It''s not a matter of breathing," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Your body has already gone past normal human limits at this point. The mana will naturally help you absorb what you need from the air. You also have lower requirements. Give it a few hours and you''ll barely notice the difference with Earth."


    Khan nodded, and the duo began to walk toward the exit. His excitement was about to burst out of his body when the metal doors slid open, but the first contact with the alien air ruined the moment when he stepped on the red-brown ground.


    Khan bent his back forward as he gasped for air. He could sense his lungs expanding and shrinking whenever he breathed, but they didn''t seem to provide any oxygen to his tissues.


    Instead, he felt like a dense liquid was trying to fill his lungs and seal his throat. He was suffocating even with his breathing working as usual. The strangeness of the sensation and the fear felt in those moments were impossible to put into simple words.


    However, his lungs slowly became used to that change. The liquid that seemed to fill his organs grew lighter and lost part of its density as Khan continued to breathe.


    Some life eventually returned to his flesh. Khan still felt weak and out of breath, but he wasn''t dying anymore. Moreover, his condition seemed to improve whenever he concluded a breathing cycle. His body was getting used to Onia''s atmosphere.


    "Welcome to Onia," Lieutenant Unchai exclaimed when he saw that Khan could straighten his back and focus on the environment. "The planet seems barren on the surface, but its underground world is rich in life and vegetation."


    A red-brown spectacle unfolded in Khan''s vision. His eyes went past the various black buildings that filled his surroundings. He focused on the environment outside of the settlement and saw a series of short mountains stretching in the distance.


    The Global Army had built the camp on a plain that featured many pieces of cracked ground. The site''s layout resembled Ylaco''s training camp, even if it seemed to lack a few core buildings. It was also smaller, and a tall fence reinforced with mana encircled the various structures.


    The ground and the mountains in the distance feature the same red-brown terrain. There didn''t seem to any change in that environment.


    ''It''s quite hot,'' Khan thought while moving his eyes toward the sky.


    Onia was far warmer than Earth. His uniform didn''t seem to suit that hot environment. Sweat even accumulated on his back, but everything became meaningless when he noticed the two suns illuminating the sky.


    "Don''t turn yourself blind," Lieutenant Unchai shouted. "Onia only has two hours of darkness, and the days here last for thirty hours. The Ef''i have superior stamina due to the harsh conditions of their planet. They are quite strong."


    "Stronger than humans?" Khan asked.


    "We get stronger after the evolution," Lieutenant Unchai laughed. "You can say that humans are late bloomers. Yet, some of our talents can still rival the best Ef''i even before surpassing one hundred percent attunement."


    Lieutenant Unchai couldn''t help but glance at Khan when he said those words. Winning the tournaments on Onia was important for the Global Army, and finding new talents was vital for that part.


    A jeep eventually ran from the other side of the camp and stopped in front of the duo. The soldier riding it jumped off and performed a military salute before climbing back into the vehicle.


    Lieutenant Unchai entered the jeep and gestured to Khan to hop in. Khan sat with him in the backseats, but he still glanced toward the previous structure in confusion.


    "Shouldn''t we wait for the others?" Khan asked.


    "They will be out for a bit," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Tetli and the others can take care of them. I honestly didn''t expect to have company during this part of the trip."


    Khan limited himself to nod before continuing with his questions. "Where are we going?"


    "This camp only has the teleport and a few structures meant for the other soldiers," Lieutenant Unchai said while patting the front seat. "We must go to another training camp. This place isn''t suitable for recruits."


    The jeep soon left the camp, and Khan didn''t bother to question Lieutenant Unchai anymore. Onia''s environment had captured his entire attention. That red-brown stillness was quite plain, but it gained a mystical vibe since it belonged to an alien world.


    The car trip lasted for a couple of hours that Khan spent meditating once he grew tired of the environment. A larger training camp unfolded in his eyes once the group was about to reach their destination. The Global Army had built the site at the base of a short mountain, with some structures dug inside the red-brown rocks.


    The camp didn''t only feature the classic architecture of the Global Army. Humankind had moved toward functional but majestic buildings during the five hundred years after the First Impact. They had left behind part of their artistic sense to focus on the wonderful fusion between technology and mana.


    However, some of the structures inside the camp had a completely different color. They didn''t use the iconic black metal of the Global Army. They relied on the same green alloy around the teleport.


    The style of the green buildings was also completely different. Humankind preferred smooth surfaces that featured multiple large windows, but the green structures had vast arrays of spike-like items on their entire exteriors. Their windows were even fairly small. They seemed to have battle purposes rather than a purely aesthetic nature.


    "Are we going to live with the Ef''i?" Khan asked when he finished studying the green buildings.


    "Smart lad!" Lieutenant Unchai exclaimed. "The Global Army thought to use this chance to give you an idea of the Ef''i. Getting used to facing aliens early on is for the best."


    ''Lieutenant Dyester might have been correct,'' Khan thought while Lieutenant Unchai exploded into a laugh. ''The Global Army might have planned to prepare us for the tournaments.''


    Khan didn''t mind those hidden intentions. He simply didn''t like that his organization had to keep some evident purpose a secret.


    The jeep entered the training camp, and Lieutenant Unchai and Khan jumped off the vehicle. The soldier in the car then did an inversion and left the site to return to his position.


    "I''ll show you where you will stay," Lieutenant Unchai announced. "There won''t be lessons today, so you can rest and make yourself at home."


    "[Look at them]!" An alien voice that spoke the Ef''i language suddenly resounded behind the two. "[The Earthlings have arrived]!"


    Khan and Lieutenant Unchai turned and saw a tall Ef''i followed by a series of younger aliens belonging to the same species. His face expressed a bit of arrogance that the differences from the humans couldn''t hide.


    "[Teco]!" Lieutenant Unchai suddenly shouted. "[I didn''t expect to find you here on my first day. Did you manage to produce some good students this year]?"


    "[Our batches only get better]," Teco scoffed. "[The Ef''i don''t get lazy after victories. Humans do]."


    "[Why don''t we test it out then]?" Lieutenant Unchai proposed. "[Your best against my best]."


    Teco snorted before giving voice to a guttural sound. The tallest Ef''i among his group stepped forward and joined his fists to perform a polite salute.


    "Go on," Lieutenant Unchai said while pushing Khan forward. "Go greet your opponent."


    "Opponent?!" Khan asked in a surprised tone.


    Khan didn''t understand anything about the previous conversation. He even ignored the meaning behind those tones.


    "The Ef''i take pride in their strength," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "The best way to win their respect is to face them in a fight. You wanted to become an ambassador, right? Use this chance to establish your first alien relationship."


    Khan felt that everything was moving too quickly, but he didn''t turn his back on the fight. He actually felt curious about his current power.


    Khan stepped forward and placed his arms behind his back before performing a military salute. His eyes didn''t move from the tall Ef''i during the process. He inspected his opponent from head to toe during those short seconds.


    His opponent was two meters tall and was clearly a male due to his broad chest. He was still quite slender, but a few bulging muscles ruined his harmonious physique.


    "What are the rules of the fight?" Khan asked.


    "Knock him unconscious," Lieutenant Unchai explained.


    "I meant about man-," Khan wanted to ask, but Teco suddenly gave voice to a guttural sound and suppressed his question.


    The tall Ef''i immediately bent his legs and began to summon his mana. Khan could sense his power increasing. The alien was trying to perform a complete technique.


    The instincts that Lieutenant Dyester had forced his body to memorize kicked in. Khan bent his legs and shot forward in an instant. He didn''t even bother to try to summon his mana.


    The Ef''i was still in the process of gathering his mana when a sharp pain spread from his abdomen. His feet also left the ground as he flew back into his group.


    Khan had closed the distance between the two in an instant. His leg had landed on the alien''s abdomen before he could complete his technique!


    Yet, the Ef''i stood up and cleaned the blood that had appeared on the corners of his mouth. The alien had endured Khan''s blow. He was ready to resume the battle, and an excited smile even appeared on his face.

 Chapter 43: Blood

    Khan''s battles after he had obtained mana had been completely one-sided. The bullies couldn''t help but suffer severe injuries every time he hit them, while Lieutenant Dyester was simply unbeatable.


    The tall Ef''i was the first opponent who could put up a decent fight, and Khan ended up feeling excited about it. The alien could show him his current limits and give him a clear idea of his current prowess.


    ''He definitely felt it,'' Khan thought when he looked at the green spots of blood that remained on the corners of the alien''s mouth.


    The Ef''i gave voice to a few guttural sounds before patting his chest. Khan didn''t understand what he said, but a clear word eventually resounded while the alien pointed at his face.


    "Citlalli!" The alien shouted while pointing at his face multiple times.


    Khan finally understood what he meant. The Ef''i was announcing his name, and Khan happily imitated his gesture.


    "Khan!" Khan shouted while pointing at his face.


    The two exchanged an excited smile before resuming their battle stances. Citlalli didn''t try to summon his mana at that time. He bent his legs and stretched one arm forward. His claws grew by a few centimeters, and his tail arched until it pointed at Khan from above his shoulder.


    Khan suddenly recalled about the Ef''i''s pointy tail. He didn''t forget about that limb, but he didn''t consider that the alien could use it in battle until then.


    ''Their martial arts should be different,'' Khan realized in his mind.


    The different physique of the Ef''i opened the path for techniques that humans couldn''t perform. Those aliens had access to normal martial arts due to their humanoid figures, but they could also go past them thanks to their additional features.


    Khan inspected Citlalli''s body before giving up on trying to understand his fighting techniques from those glances. He wouldn''t need to find it out if he executed the Lightning-demon style correctly.


    Khan took a deep breath as his body bent forward. He seemed about to fall to the ground, but his figure shot ahead when his knees were only a few centimeters from the red-brown terrain.


    Faint afterimages materialized behind Khan as his light steps generated an incredible acceleration. He reached his opponent in an instant, but he suddenly pointed his right foot and twisted his ankle to rotate his body and shift his momentum on his rising leg.


    The tip of Khan''s foot dug the terrain as he performed a roundhouse kick aimed at Citlalli''s stomach. The alien couldn''t react to his incredible speed again, but determination appeared on his face when he noticed the arrival of the attack.


    The claws coming out of Citlalli''s naked feet stretched and curved until they pierced the terrain. Khan''s kick landed on his torso at that point, and the immense power carried by his attack pushed the alien backward.


    However, Citlalli pointed his sharp feet to avoid flying away. His claws dug the terrain and made him stop after sliding for only two meters. His limbs couldn''t reach Khan at that distance, but the same didn''t apply to his tail.


    Citlalli''s tail shot forward and aimed for the center of Khan''s chest. That limb was slim and quick, and Khan felt forced to cross his arms to block it.


    An immense force fell on Khan''s arms and spread through his shoulders. His body inevitably slid backward, and a deep wound appeared on his right forearm.


    ''That''s crazy sharp!'' Khan shouted in his mind before taking a step back to exit the alien''s range.


    Khan inspected his forearm and found a two centimeters deep cut where the tail had hit him. Citlalli wasn''t holding back his deadly force at all. Things might have gotten dangerous if Khan didn''t manage to block the attack.


    ''Is he trying to kill me?'' Khan wondered, but his expression froze when Citlalli showed a disappointed face.


    The alien had seen the surprise and fear that had appeared in Khan''s face, and the event let him down. Citlalli believed to have found a worthy opponent, but it seemed that Khan was only a scared kid.


    ''They don''t simply value battles,'' Khan understood after noticing that disappointment. ''They worship them!''


    Khan then took another deep breath and let go of his restraints. He had aimed both times for Citlalli''s torso because Lieutenant Unchai had only ordered to knock him down. Yet, his previous approach wouldn''t work since the Ef''i''s idea of battle was far different.


    The fear, surprise, and excitement that ran through Khan''s face disappeared. He abandoned every emotion as his expression grew cold.


    The Ef''i might have trained Citlalli to consider every battle as a matter of life and death, but Lieutenant Dyester had done the same. Moreover, Khan had experienced a level of mental torture due to his nightmares that normal kids of his age couldn''t even imagine.


    Citlalli seemed ready for his first war, but Khan had already witnessed it every night of the last eleven and a half years. The Ef''i''s honorable approach to pain came from the beliefs of his species, but it couldn''t compare to Khan''s mindset. He had accepted desperation as his normality a long time ago.


    Khan shot forward again. He performed his usual acceleration, but Citlalli had grown used to that technique by then. His four eyes even allowed him to follow the quick movements of his opponent, and his tail promptly pierced the air to intercept the sprint.


    Yet, Khan flowed into another attack when he noticed the incoming tail. His body had already begun to rotate, but he put more strength on the foot stabbed on the ground.


    The tail pierced Khan''s figure, but Citlalli suddenly realized that he had only hit an afterimage. Khan had jumped without interrupting his rotation. His body continued to spin mid-air and moved the power accumulated with his momentum toward his right leg.


    Citlalli couldn''t do anything to stop that attack. He had noticed the second technique too late. His four eyes could only watch as Khan''s horizontal figure delivered a descending kick at the top of his long head.


    The Ef''i gritted his teeth to endure the blow, but the kick inevitably flung him downward. His knees and palms hit the ground as everything grew confused in his vision.


    Khan couldn''t help but respect the Ef''i''s resilience when he saw that Citlalli struggled to stand up while his body finished descending toward the ground. However, those thoughts only affected the back of his mind. His legs moved as soon as his feet touched the terrain.


    A knee filled Citlalli''s vision when he managed to regain some focus. The alien had just begun to straighten his position, but Khan didn''t let him rest.


    Green blood fell from Citlalli''s nose and mouth as Khan''s attack straightened his back and exposed his torso. Khan noticed the Ef''i''s tail flying toward him with the corner of his eyes, but his experience told him that his next kick would land before it.


    Khan bent his body backward to give power to his leg. His knee was already in the air due to his previous attack, so he only had to tilt his shinbone to make his heel hit the alien torso.


    Citlalli flew backward again. The alien fell among his group, but Khan didn''t let him go even at that point. He jumped among the Ef''i and stomped both feet on the chest of his confused opponent.


    The other Ef''i didn''t dare to affect the battle. Their companion was lying among them, and Khan was jumping on his chest, but they didn''t move.


    Khan didn''t care about his surroundings either. Citlalli had decided to have a battle to the death, and he would happily play along.


    Images of his nightmare flashed in Khan''s vision whenever he jumped on Citlalli''s chest. The alien spat green blood every time the entirety of Khan''s body weight fell on his abdomen. His senses were about to give in, but the relentless assault suddenly stopped and gave him the time to breathe.


    Khan found a sharp tail wrapped around his left arm. Teco had stepped in to interrupt the battle. Disappointment flashed on his face when the Ef''i glanced at his student, but that feeling didn''t hide his respect toward Khan.


    "Good battle," Teco exclaimed with a guttural accent.


    Khan nodded and stepped off Citlalli. His aloof eyes fell on his bleeding opponent one last time before he turned and walked back to Lieutenant Unchai.


    The Lieutenant patted his shoulder. Khan heaved a helpless sigh as he suppressed the violent images of his nightmare. He didn''t lose control of his actions, but the coldness shown during the last part of the battle had scared him.


    ''I was ready to kill him,'' Khan thought while mustering his courage to turn toward the alien group.


    Citlalli had clearly deserved that beatdown, and the Ef''i even saw it as a necessary procedure due to their customs. Yet, Khan was a human, so his ideals were different. He didn''t feel good after attempting to kill one of his future sparring partners.


    Teco gave voice to a guttural sound, and the group of Ef''i quickly grabbed Citlalli to drag him toward one of the green buildings. Those young aliens nodded when they crossed Khan''s gaze. They seemed unable to avoid showing their respect toward him.


    Even Teco abandoned his previous fervor and exchanged a polite handshake with Lieutenant Unchai before following his students. The group left in a matter of seconds, and Khan soon remained alone with the soldier.


    "Did I do well?" Khan asked as doubts raged inside his mind.


    "You did well, kid," Lieutenant Unchai sighed when he saw Khan''s conflicted expression. "The first contact with an alien species is always peculiar. Your first had to be the Ef''i, so you''ve learnt how reckless they are when it comes to battles."


    "Are they all ready to die over these pointless fights?" Khan asked.


    "They aren''t pointless for them," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Learn the alien traditions, but don''t let them get to your head. You have only adapted to their culture. No need to overthink your actions."


    Lieutenant Unchai then led Khan toward his habitation, but his mood didn''t improve during the walk. A reoccurring question deafened the rest of his thoughts and forced him to accept the reality of his previous actions.


    ''What would I do in front of a Nak?'' Khan wondered while moving to the foreign building and entering the first empty flat that he found.


    Khan didn''t want to think anymore. He only wanted to dive deep into his training and ignore the recent events until he understood himself better.

 Chapter 44: Answers

    Khan had a lot of time for himself inside his new habitation. He didn''t bother to study the insides of the black building due to his poor mood, but its style resembled his dormitory, so finding a flat wasn''t an issue.


    The building didn''t even have soldiers patrolling its corridors, so Khan had only needed to find an empty flat before sitting on a bed and starting his usual training.


    The other recruits didn''t arrive anytime soon. Khan could focus on the mental training for his element. He had just completed the seventh exercise, so he had to repeat it without emotions to clear the eighth.


    Khan studied a relatively large lump of mana inside his brain as he tried to think about many small hands meant to modify it. However, the process was far slower than usual since a faint azure barrier was isolating his target.


    Every even mental exercise required him to repeat the previous lesson without using emotions. The process forced him to create a barrier made of thoughts and mana that isolated every feeling.


    Only emotionless thoughts could affect the mana inside the barrier, but Khan''s control over them was lacking. He was basically using less than half of his mind in the exercise, which inevitably slowed down the entire procedure.


    Khan found it even harder to approach the exercise that morning. His barrier continued to open whenever he tried to manipulate the mana. Images of his battle against Citlalli appeared in his vision when the emotions invaded his thoughts. He saw himself jumping on the alien''s chest and feeling nothing but coldness.


    That interruption happened a few times before Khan gave up on his mental training. He would get nowhere until he fixed his mindset, but proper answers still struggled to arrive.


    Part of him still belonged to a sixteen years old boy who wanted to live a normal life. Yet, there was a mature man who had become used to experiencing true desperation on the other side.


    Boy-Khan wasn''t ready to take a life. He only wanted to bathe in the wonders of mana and explore the universe. His desires were quite childish, but they were also appropriate for his age.


    Instead, man-Khan went through the nightmare of the Second Impact every night. He had grown used to the sight of charred and maimed corpses. His life in the Slums had also forced him to develop a faint paranoia toward his peers.


    Khan tried to sort his thoughts and find a middle ground between those two sides, but the quest appeared impossible. Moreover, his personality was naturally shifting toward man-Khan as his training and age advanced.


    ''Will I turn into a cold murderer?'' Khan wondered while recalling Lieutenant Dyester''s words. ''Do I already have that tendency?''


    The aspect that made Khan hesitate the most was his lack of regret toward that trend. He could understand the negative features connected to a cold and uncaring personality, but everything seemed justified in front of his desperation.


    Khan remained on his bed while his mind went through those chaotic thoughts. He didn''t bother to meditate, and even his appetite struggled to arrive. Lunchtime had already passed, but he didn''t feel like standing up and understanding how to find food in that alien training camp.


    A familiar figure then walked past his flat. Khan only managed to catch a faint glimpse of familiar dark hair before a face decided to peek inside his flat.


    "You are here," Martha exclaimed when she noticed Khan on the bed.


    Khan inspected his friend. Martha was still pale even after many hours had passed since the teleport, but she could stand easily, at least. Also, excitement filled her face due to her first trip on an alien planet.


    "What happened to you?" Martha asked when she noticed that Khan''s mood was quite poor.


    Martha didn''t even hesitate to enter the flat and sit on Khan''s bed. She felt comfortable around him, and the duo had never tried to move their relationship past friendship anyway.


    "I fought against one of the Ef''i," Khan revealed while staring at the wall in front of him.


    "And?" Martha asked as her eyes widened in surprise.


    "And I beat him, hard," Khan continued.


    "That''s great!" Martha shouted. "You have already established a good foundation for your future connections on Onia. The Ef''i will continue to respect you for years!"


    Martha almost couldn''t believe that Khan had fought an Ef''i while she was recovering from the teleport, but she felt truly happy for her friend. After all, she knew how that feat could improve his path to become an ambassador in the future.


    "I was ready to kill him, Martha," Khan added while keeping his voice down. "I think something inside me is broken."


    Other recruits began to walk through the corridor connected to Khan''s room. Many of them inevitably noticed the scene, and faint laughs escaped from their mouths when they saw the two sitting on the same bed.


    Chatters resounded through the corridor. The special class would definitely keep that gossip alive for many months, but Khan and Martha barely noticed their noise.


    Martha slowly realized that Khan was going through a difficult moment, and helplessness filled her mind when she understood that her words wouldn''t do much in that situation.


    She knew something that Khan had failed to realize during his days in the training camp. Man-Khan already had the mindset of an experienced soldier who had served on the frontlines, but that couldn''t suit a boy.


    "You are ahead of us," Martha eventually sighed and caught Khan''s attention.


    "We will all learn how to gain your mindset," Martha continued when Khan fixed his eyes on her. "That usually happens during our first real battle, or when we take a life for the first time. However, all of us will inevitably reach your point."


    Khan didn''t answer. He continued to listen to Martha and review her words. There was truth in her lines, even if they seemed to carry a great sadness.


    "Recruits always tend to forget that the Global Army is teaching us how to kill," Martha scoffed. "The known universe might be at peace, but we remain soldiers. Take Lieutenant Dyester, for example. The next crisis might be behind the corner, and we might end up in the middle of it."


    "Should I just look at the positive side then?" Khan asked.


    "I think you should find the path that doesn''t make you regret things," Martha replied while putting her back on the wall and staring at the other side of the flat. "You have years to find your answers. We won''t start to search for them until the traumatic event actually happens."


    Khan continued to look at Martha''s face before her words finally managed to seep inside his mind. He then released a meaningless growl while lying on the bed and stretching his legs on Martha''s lap.


    "Take these dirty things away from me!" Martha snorted while trying to move away Khan''s legs, but the latter forced them to remain above her.


    "Weren''t you comforting me?" Khan began to laugh. "I''m comfortable now."


    "Shut up and move!" Martha complained, but she eventually started to laugh too while fighting against Khan''s legs.


    "Fine!" Martha eventually gave up when she understood that she couldn''t get rid of those nimble limbs. "Just for a few minutes!"


    "We are lucky the other recruits have already gone past the room," Khan laughed while putting his hands behind his head and staring at the ceiling.


    "You are actually enjoying this!" Martha pouted while pinching Khan''s arm.


    Martha suddenly noticed a red spot of blood when her move forced Khan to retract his arm. The cut caused by Citlalli''s tail was still there, but the wound had started to close.


    "Why did you worry so much about your intentions when the Ef''i wanted to kill you?" Martha asked as her hand gently touched Khan''s forearm and kept it still to inspect the injury.


    "It''s nothing," Khan exclaimed without retracting his arm any further.


    Some warmth spread inside his mind as Martha''s fingers circled the edges of the cut. She appeared really concerned about the wound, and Khan couldn''t help but stare at her serious face during the process.


    "You are quite stunning," Khan eventually said in a plain voice. "How did you even end up taking care of me?"


    Martha''s blushed and prepared herself to hit Khan, but her hand stopped when she noticed that he was wearing his serious expression.


    "Try not to change when the trauma hits you," Khan continued. "I''ll help you take care of that matter once it happens, but remain the same. It would be a pity."


    Martha continued to remain stunned. Her hand was still on Khan''s forearm, and faint tremors ran through it as she kept staring at those azure eyes. Yet, a sudden growl resounded from Khan''s abdomen and ruined that romantic scene.


    "Shut up, idiot," Martha said in a slightly high-pitched voice before retracting her hand and moving Khan''s legs away.


    The girl jumped off the bed and neared the entrance of the flat, but she stopped her tracks when she was about to return to the corridor.


    "I know I can count on you," Martha whispered before shooting a glance toward Khan and leaving the room.


    Khan remained alone inside the flat. Everything had grown colder after Martha had left, and the images of the battle against Citlalli reappeared in his vision. Yet, they didn''t seem too grim anymore. Instead, Khan managed to see their positive side.


    ''I''m strong,'' Khan realized in his mind before closing his eyes and going back into his brain.


    The eighth exercise was waiting for him, and something told him that it would go far better now.

 Chapter 45: Training hall

    The recruits spent the first day on Onia inside their flats. Most of them had to rest to recover from the negative effects of the teleport. Some of the soldiers inside the camp even opted to bring food directly into the building since the younglings didn''t have enough energy to stand.


    Khan remained alone in his flat. The special class had the entire ground floor of the building for themselves, so some managed to claim rooms for themselves. Still, that mostly happened to the wealthy kids, while Khan''s situation came from the gossips that ran among his peers.


    The other kids wanted to give him the chance to remain alone with Martha if the situation required it. Of course, Khan didn''t learn about that on his own. Martha had to explain it through a message.


    The Global Army''s network worked fine on Onia. The soldiers had occupied the planet for centuries already, so they had many structures meant for those services. Almost every training camp worked as a station for the signal.


    Khan ate, meditated, spent hours in his mental training, and repeated the various forms of the Lightning-demon style inside his flat after sealing the entrance. His day went by quickly, and he soon hit the bed to return to his nightmare.


    Khan had set the alarm early as usual, but his phone didn''t have the time to ring the next morning since a loud siren echoed through the entire building and forced all the recruits to wake up.


    ''It''s four am!'' Khan shouted in his mind when his sleepy eyes fell on his phone. ''Wait. Do Earth hours even count here?''


    Khan browsed through the various menus and discovered that his phone had already adapted to Onia''s time. He could see that the device considered the days thirty hours long now, but the Global Army didn''t use that additional time to let him sleep a bit more.


    "All recruits must gather outside of the building in five minutes," Lieutenant Unchai''s voice resounded through the entire floor. "Don''t be late. I don''t want to show you my punishments so soon."


    The recruits didn''t have much choice after those threats. Khan quickly donned one of the clean uniforms inside his flat and washed his face with a cold liquid in the bathroom that resembled water before diving outside the building.


    Khan was one of the first to arrive outside. Lieutenant Unchai was already waiting for them in front of the building. His eyes moved between his phone and the recruits as he kept track of the passage of time.


    One recruit ended up arriving a mere ten seconds after the countdown reached zero. She was a tall girl with long blond hair and a sleepy face that Khan vaguely knew as Iris.


    "Do five laps around the camp," Lieutenant Unchai ordered. "Report to me once you are done."


    Iris widened her eyes, but she didn''t feel too saddened about that punishment. After all, a mere five laps were nothing for the body of someone with attunement past twenty percent. However, Lieutenant Unchai soon shattered her dreams.


    "The Global Army considers the mountain part of the training camp," Lieutenant Unchai added in a severe tone. "Don''t get lost. It''s hard to find recruits on Onia. Only the Ef''i can differentiate between the mountains."


    Iris'' expression froze, and she even tried to complain, but no words came out of her open mouth when she focused on Lieutenant Unchai''s stern face.


    All the recruits remained silent during those seconds. None of them dared to exchange glances with the girl. Iris could only walk toward the exit of the camp and start her punishment.


    "The environment on Onia is harsh," Lieutenant Unchai announced once he confirmed that Iris had started her first lap. "We are only four hours into the day, but the temperatures are already high."


    Lieutenant Unchai pointed at the sky to emphasize his words. The light radiated by the suns made the scene feel like one of the hottest days on Earth, but that was only a regular early morning for Onia.


    "Longer days might sound like more breaks in your lazy minds," Lieutenant Unchai continued, "But I only see them as a chance to train more. You must abandon your human schedules during these two weeks. You''ll live as Ef''i and work harder than them."


    "What about our Masters, sir?" Luke politely asked after performing a military salute.


    "They are still handling the paperwork for the travel," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "You are completely mine for the next few days."


    Luke''s expression froze, but he didn''t dare to show any unpleasant feeling. He limited himself to break his salute and wait for the Lieutenant to give orders.


    "Your new schedule will feature physical training, lessons, and more physical training," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Your Masters can take care of the second physical session once they arrive here, but you''ll remain mine for the first. Is everything clear?"


    The recruits shouted a loud "yes, sir" at the same time, and the Lieutenant nodded before pointing at a large building near the mountain.


    "You''ll fight there," Lieutenant Unchai. "I''ll use the first week to evaluate, fix, and improve your combat style. The best of you will have the chance to fight against Ef''i during the second week, so work hard."


    Excitement inevitably spread through the recruits. The various training sessions were nothing unusual, but the chance to fight aliens was priceless. That feat would end up on their profile and improve their value in the eyes of the Global Army.


    "Khan has been kind enough to defeat the best Ef''i in the other group while you were out," Lieutenant Unchai suddenly announced. "The aliens can''t wait to face you all, so work hard."


    All the recruits immediately turned toward Khan. They still recalled how hard it had been to recover from the harmful effects of the teleport, but their companion had managed to fight and defeat one of the Ef''i during that time.


    ''Did he really need to say it out loud?'' Khan sighed in his mind while forcing himself to ignore those glances.


    Khan knew that Lieutenant Unchai didn''t have bad intentions, but being at the center of the attention was quite bothersome for someone who spent most of his time training. His political skills were still too poor to handle all the wealthy kids.


    "You have watched enough," Lieutenant Unchai announced. "Move! March toward the arena and start warming up! I''ll reach you in a few minutes."


    All the recruits started to walk toward the arena, and Lieutenant Unchai oversaw their march. Yet, he placed a hand on Khan''s shoulder to stop him and separate him from the rest of the group.


    Many noticed that scene, but they ignored it after shooting a few curious glances. Only Martha inspected that action a bit more, but she turned when Khan nodded at her.


    "Do I get to skip morning training after beating the Ef''i?" Khan asked after the other recruits were far away.


    "In your dreams," Lieutenant Unchai snorted while leading Khan toward a different part of the camp. "I can''t put you against the other recruits until I understand how strong they are."


    "Will I have to fight you?" Khan asked as his mind silently prepared him for a beatdown.


    "I have something better," Lieutenant Unchai exclaimed while revealing a proud smile. "You have never been inside a training hall, right?"


    Khan''s eyes lit up before looking around in excitement, and his gaze soon focused on a large building in the distance since there didn''t seem to be anything else relevant on his path.


    The building was two stories tall, and part of its large base was inside the mountain. It didn''t have any window, but faint azure flashes ran through its black surfaces.


    Lieutenant Unchai led Khan inside the building and tinkered with a few menus after the entrance to register Khan''s genetic signature.


    Ample insides unfolded in Khan''s vision. The corridor after the entrance could contain a group of thirty people, and the many halls connected to it seemed as big as the various basements in Ylaco''s training camp.


    "I bet you don''t even know how the training halls work," Lieutenant Unchai sighed while leading Khan into one of the rooms.


    Khan limited himself to shake his head. The amount of space available in those halls already outclassed the cramped area of the prisons of the camp. That alone made his eyes shine in excitement.


    Still, the surprises were far from over. Lieutenant Unchai tapped his foot a few times, and a series of menus lit up on the floor. He browsed through them with his legs and eventually arrived at a label that said "free advanced combat training".


    Lieutenant Unchai pressed that label, and a mechanical noise immediately spread inside a wall in the distance. Gears and drills moved on the other side of the black metal, and a cavity soon slid open.


    A humanoid puppet slowly walked out of the cavity. Wires and tubes that contained azure energy detached from its body during the process before returning inside the wall. The hole then closed, and white writings appeared on the wall as a mechanical voice resounded inside the hall.


    "Level zero," The mechanical voice announced while the puppet took a simple battle stance.


    "It won''t start fighting until you attack it," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Defeating it will make the training program move to the next difficulty level. Don''t hold back. The Global Army makes them to take blows."

 Chapter 46: Levels

    Dark-silver metal made the entire exoskeleton of the puppet. The training dummy was a few centimeters short of being two meters tall, and it featured large spheres instead of fingers and hands.


    White light shone from the puppet''s joints and made it visible in the faint darkness of the training hall. The neon and the glow of the writing on the wall were the only forms of illumination inside the area, but they were bright enough to avoid any issue linked to vision.


    "Can I break it?" Khan asked as his legs started to itch.


    "You must to get to the next level," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Don''t bother thinking about the cost of these things. The Global Army will pay for everything during these two weeks."


    "What level should I reach?" Khan asked while stretching his arms and legs.


    "You must be a first-level warrior to handle the levels past ten," Lieutenant Unchai replied. "Reaching that point means that you have achieved a competent proficiency level with your martial arts. Of course, that evaluation only involves the base techniques, not their version with mana."


    "No mana then?" Khan asked as a tinge of disappointment seeped into his voice.


    "The puppets capable of testing actual proficiency levels are far more expensive," Lieutenant Unchai announced. "The Global Army can''t give them for free, especially for a recruit who can''t control mana correctly. You have to stick to the base techniques this time."


    Khan nodded and prepared himself to fight, but Lieutenant Unchai continued to explain the puppet''s features. "The training program will analyze your fighting style and try to counter it as you advance through the levels. Its system contains hundreds of martial arts that reach up to fifty points, and it can mix them if needed."


    Lieutenant Unchai''s words were a sweet melody that entered Khan''s ears. Lieutenant Dyester had stressed the importance of training halls, but Khan had never managed to understand how useful they were. However, everything became clear when he heard those explanations.


    "The system resets every time you exit the training program," Lieutenant Unchai added. "I suggest you work your way through the various levels and learn the different functions before creating targeted exercises. You might be unable to cross the fifth level after starting from zero, but things can go differently if you go directly to that difficulty."


    Lieutenant Unchai glanced at Khan to see if the boy had understood his words, and the latter nodded. Everything was quite clear, and Khan even tapped the floor to review the various options and commands that the training program had to offer.


    Khan only had access to a few menus with his genetic signature, so browsing through them was extremely easy. The meaning behind Lieutenant Unchai recent explanation became clear after he reached the list of martial arts in the training program. The various levels became harsher depending on how much time the system had spent adapting to his battle style.


    "I''ll see where the system stops me before trying to reach my highest," Khan announced, and Lieutenant Unchai nodded at those words.


    "That''s for the best," Lieutenant Unchai continued. "Every martial art has positive and negative matchups. Try to focus on the overall level of the puppet to gain an idea of your proficiency. Remember that this only serves to give you battle experience in different fields. A lot will change once you start relying on mana."


    Khan nodded before starting to jump on the spot. He was ready, and Lieutenant Unchai sensed his excitement. The soldier turned to approach the exit before giving some last directives.


    "The training hall will automatically warn you when the lessons are up," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "You can spend as much time as you want inside here after them. I''ll only bother you if some of your companions turn out to be suitable opponents or when it''s time to fight the Ef''i."


    "Can I order food from here?" Khan asked before the Lieutenant could leave the training hall.


    "Just connect your phone to the floor," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "The soldiers can''t bring much here, but I don''t think that''s an issue for you."


    "Not at all!" Khan shouted, and his expression grew aloof when he heard the metal doors sliding behind him.


    Khan took his phone out of his pocket and placed it inside an opening on the floor. Menus lit up there, but he ignored them for the time being.


    Khan removed his shoes and took off the upper part of his uniform. His opponent couldn''t die or suffer permanent injuries. He could finally go all-out without worrying about nasty consequences.


    ''Defeating level ten will put the proficiency of my basic techniques on competent,'' Khan thought before taking a deep breath and bending forward.


    Khan shot forward, deploying one of his best acceleration. The puppet began to move its arms around its chest to prepare for the imminent clash, but a kick landed on its head before it could even understand where Khan was aiming.


    The puppet flew backward as the metal on its head bent. A heel-shaped mark had appeared on its face, and the writing on the wall immediately turned green.


    ''Did I win already?'' Khan wondered, and the training program soon confirmed his guess.


    The puppet crawled back toward the wall, which opened and started to modify its limbs and damaged parts. Khan could see many metal arms tinkering with the machine before the zero on the wall transformed into a one.


    "Level one," The mechanical voice announced inside the training hall while the puppet walked outside the wall. "Enhanced reflexes."


    A red light had appeared at the center of the puppet''s face. A harmless beam shot out of that new feature and pointed at the center of Khan''s chest.


    ''Is it scanning me?'' Khan wondered, but he didn''t let his doubts waste his time.


    Khan shot ahead again and raised his leg to deliver a precise attack toward its head. However, the dummy managed to lift its arms and cover its face before the arrival of the kick.


    ''Still slow,'' Khan thought while his raised leg continued to rotate instead of landing on the metal arms.


    Khan''s roundhouse frontal kick transformed into an airborne circular attack that used his other leg to hit the uncovered part of the puppet''s head.


    The attack flung the puppet away. Khan had amassed far more momentum while flowing in the second technique, and the metal carried proofs of its power. His shinbone had pierced the side of the dummy''s head and had disfigured its face.


    Even the red eye had broken after the kick. The puppet seemed unable to work properly while the training program announced that Khan had cleared the level. The dummy couldn''t move back inside the wall due to the damages suffered in the exchange.


    ''Do I have to push it inside now?'' Khan wondered, but a metal rope suddenly shot out of the wall and attached itself on the puppet''s back.


    The rope seemed to have a magnetic field that kept the puppet stuck to its surface. The gears inside the wall then spun to retract the cord and bring the dummy inside the workshop.


    "Level two," The metallic voice shouted. "Enhanced reflexes, enhanced mobility, enhanced resilience."


    The new puppet that came out of the wall was far different from before. It now had three red eyes, and new joints had appeared on its wrists, elbows, shoulders, and knees. Its dark-silver metal also appeared darker after the modifications.


    Khan didn''t bother to take a few steps back. Testing one of his most efficient techniques over and over again was pointless. He was there to improve, and that approach wasn''t working.


    His ankles twisted to make him sprint toward the puppet''s side. The three red eyes followed Khan and made the dummy tilt its guard according to his position.


    ''He can follow my movements now!'' Khan shouted in his mind when he saw that the puppet''s actions had no delays.


    His figure performed a sharp turn and made him approach the puppet frontally. Khan raised his leg to deliver a circular kick aimed at the dummy''s head, but metal arms appeared on the trajectory of his attack.


    Khan immediately flowed into another technique at that point. His waist spun until it faced the ground and altered the trajectory of his leg.


    His attack transformed into a descending kick that aimed at the puppet''s right leg. The sharp turn during his technique accumulated more momentum than before. Khan felt almost confident in cutting through the metal with that power.


    Yet, the puppet suddenly raised its leg and made its metal shinbone collide with its leg. Khan''s attack bent that limb, but the dummy seemed to have reinforcements in that spot.


    The puppet didn''t waste that chance. Khan was standing on one leg, and his almost horizontal body was facing the ground. His side was completely open.


    The dummy''s arms tilted forward as its torso bent. The metal spheres on top of those limbs were about to land on Khan''s side, but the latter quickly pulled with the leg still connected to the metal shinbone.


    Khan''s leg arched until his foot touched the back of the puppet''s legs and pulled it forward. The dummy inevitably lost its balance and began to fall on its back.


    Khan put power on the foot connected to the floor to jump. His horizontal body spun mid-air as it crossed the puppet''s body and delivered a kick to its face before it could complete its fall.


    The entirety of the puppet''s face shattered when it collided with the floor. Khan had stomped its head so hard that shards of metal and wires flew everywhere in the hall. Even the second level couldn''t make him sweat.

 Chapter 47: Superior

    "Level three," The hall announced. "Superior reflexes, superior mobility, superior resilience."


    Khan noticed the change in the adjectives used to describe the features of the training program, and he immediately stepped off the scraps of metal to return to the center of the training hall.


    The metal rope shot out of the opening in the wall and dragged the puppet inside the workshop. A few short cubical robots also came out of the cavity and cleaned the various debris left after the exchanges.


    Khan didn''t let those robots sway his focus. The training program had announced something different at that time, and it was even taking longer to rebuild the puppet. Something told him that the next level wouldn''t be so easy.


    The cleaning robots returned inside the opening as a tall puppet came out of the wall. The dummy still had its three eyes, but their red light blinked while they inspected Khan. Moreover, its shades had moved toward even darker colors.


    The puppet immediately took a battle stance different from before. It stretched its front leg forward and lowered its body to improve its stability. One of its arms pointed toward Khan while the other waited behind the back of its head.


    That was an obvious defensive stance, but the puppet had never taken such a complicated form before. The dummy had limited itself to raise its arms and prepare a counterattack in the previous levels, but things had changed in ways that Khan couldn''t predict now.


    ''It has started to counter the Lightning-demon style,'' Khan concluded in his mind before bending forward and sprinting ahead.


    There was no reason to change his approach or study his opponent further. The Lightning-demon style focused on quick moves meant to take out enemies before they could deploy their techniques. Improvements and martial arts wouldn''t matter as long as Khan succeeded in preserving the upper hand in the battle.


    The puppet''s guard had openings in its front leg, face, and side. Khan reached his opponent and pointed his left foot on the floor before spinning on his leg to perform a roundhouse kick aimed at the dummy''s head.


    The three red eyes continued to flash and inspect his movements. The puppet didn''t miss anything even if Khan''s speed went beyond what its structure could reach.


    The puppet moved its rear arm on the kick''s trajectory, but Khan promptly tilted his leg to aim for its exposed chest. Yet, the dummy suddenly bent its front leg and closed the distance from its opponent while its free arm shot toward Khan''s face.


    That move had been too sudden. The puppet had managed to reach Khan''s speed since its stance allowed it to shift its weight forward in less than an instant and stretch its range by a full meter.


    Normally, Khan''s face was safe during his roundhouse kicks because his body tilted backward to give more power to his legs. However, the puppet had bent its stretched front leg to cover a lot of distance and reach otherwise protected body parts.


    The metal sphere that the puppet had as a hand flew toward Khan''s ear. The attack would hit at the same time as his foot, but Khan would definitely take more damage if he decided to trade blows.


    His foot was also off-target now that the puppet had moved forward. Khan would only hit its arm, which wouldn''t bring him closer to victory in the slightest.


    ''I''m still stronger!'' Khan shouted in his mind as the leg on the floor bent.


    Khan let himself fall. His kick lost power and only managed to make the puppet tremble, but his movement made the punch miss his face.


    The puppet promptly lowered its arm in an attempt to follow Khan''s face, but the latter twisted his ankle to perform a short jump and accelerate his fall.


    Khan''s body rotated mid-air. His back quickly approached the floor as his legs went upward. The puppet couldn''t reach its opponent after that acceleration, but it still followed his fall to exploit that seemingly defenseless situation.


    However, Khan quickly grabbed his opponent''s arm and used it as a handhold. His shoulder withstood the entirety of his weight as he stabilized his rotation and pointed his feet on the puppet''s rear arm.


    Khan''s back hit the floor, and he used that chance to pull the puppet toward him. The dummy bent forward before Khan released the power accumulated in his legs.


    The puppet lost its foothold as Khan pushed it upward. The dummy ended up flying toward the ceiling, but it stopped before hitting the black metal.


    Still, Khan spun while the puppet started to descend. His hands glued themselves on the floor as he rotated his entire body to deliver a roundhouse kick toward his falling opponent.


    The puppet couldn''t take any defensive stance in the air. It raised its arms to block the incoming attack, but its structure couldn''t match the sheer might gathered in that kick.


    Khan''s heel landed on the puppet''s arms and bent the dark metal that reinforced them. The limbs didn''t shatter, but they didn''t manage to remain in their position either. They crashed on the dummy''s head while Khan continued to push it toward the floor.


    Khan completed his move by sitting on the floor. His heel had never let go of the puppet during the technique. His attack slammed the dummy on the black metal and flattened its head.


    The writing on the walls turned green, and the metal rope quickly shot out of the opening. Khan barely had the time to stand up before the puppet returned inside the workshop.


    "Level four," The hall announced. "Superior body, medium-level martial arts."


    The new puppet that came out of the wall was completely black, with azure neon blinking in specific spots of its body. A fourth red eye had appeared on its face, and lights flashed from those artificial organs.


    The metal spheres were no more. Metal hands and fingers had replaced those parts, and the puppet didn''t hesitate to raise them to take a simple defensive stance.


    ''Let''s see these martial arts,'' Khan thought before shooting forward.


    He quickly arrived on the puppet and delivered a direct kick aimed at its chest. Still, the dummy''s arms flashed and hit his limb while the foot landed on its body.


    A sharp pain filled Khan''s leg, but he gritted his teeth to complete his attack. The puppet flew backward, but it didn''t fall. His kick had dug a foot-shaped mark on the metal, but the dummy had managed to land on its feet.


    Still, a sense of numbness spread through his leg when he tried to bend it to flow into the next technique. Khan glanced at his limb and noticed that two holes had appeared on its trousers. One of them pointed at the lower side of his thigh, while the other was near the center of his shinbone.


    ''What''s this?'' Khan wondered as he stomped his foot multiple times to push away that numbness.


    Khan''s knowledge of martial arts was quite poor. He didn''t know that some techniques could target his pressure points and temporarily affect his movements.


    The situation left him speechless, but the puppet didn''t give him time to think. The dummy had managed to endure the kick with its new body, so it could shoot directly toward Khan since the latter didn''t attack.


    Khan found himself on the defensive side for the first time since the beginning of the training program. The puppet was slower than him, but it still covered the few meters that separated it from him in less than a second.


    Its metallic fingers shot forward. Those nimble arms resembled snakes that were about to bite his body. It was hard to keep track of them, but Khan''s martial art had forced him to grow used to quick and sudden changes in his vision.


    Khan''s arms shot forward. His right hand failed to stop the enemy attack, and two metal fingers landed on his shoulder. However, he succeeded in grabbing the other metal wrist and prevent the other half of the technique.


    A sense of numbness spread through his entire shoulder. Khan felt unable to raise his arm, and his left leg also struggled to follow his orders. Yet, the puppet was in his grasp now, and he didn''t dare to let it go.


    Khan pulled the puppet closer before using his numb leg to support his rising knee. A powerful blow hit the dummy''s torso, but that attack didn''t seem to be enough to knock it down.


    The puppet tried to attack with its free arm, but Khan pushed it on the side without releasing his grasp. The attack missed his numb shoulder, and Khan could use that chance to lift his knee again.


    Khan repeated the process multiple times. He had transformed that training program into a mere scuffle between brutes, but he didn''t care as long as that approach could bring him to victory.


    The puppet managed to deliver a few attacks from time to time, but Khan always hit its chest. It didn''t take much before the dummy''s movements began to slow down, and its neon started to lose their light.


    The dummy went limp after Khan hit it with his knee for the twelfth time. He let his opponent fall to the floor while he stepped backward and decided to sit.


    The writings on the wall became green, and the metal rope appeared again, but Khan shouted a command before the training program could step on the next level.


    "Time-out!" Khan shouted, and everything stopped.


    The gears inside the wall stopped turning, and the writings remained stuck on unclear letters. Khan could only see the faint number five hidden behind the disappearing green light.

 Chapter 48: Pressure points

    Khan inspected the collapsed dummy and the metal rope attached to its body before lying on the floor. He closed his eyes to enter the meditative state, and mana flowed from his nape to spread through the rest of his body.


    The process hurt. Khan''s flesh didn''t want the mana to take over, but he had grown used to that pain. His mind remained steady as he pushed that energy forward and forced it to weaken the numbness that afflicted his leg, shoulder, and side.


    Khan didn''t remain in his meditative state for too long. The fifth level was waiting for him. He only wanted to restore his condition enough to approach the next battle.


    ''These training programs are so useful,'' Khan couldn''t help but exclaim in his mind when he exited his meditative state. ''They don''t only force me to improve. They also allow me to face different battle styles. Nothing in the real world can make me gain experience so quickly.''


    Khan didn''t know that martial arts capable of targeting his pressure points existed before the previous battle. He was completely unaware of the existence of those spots even.


    One incomplete training session with the program had been enough to expand his knowledge in ways that his usual fights against Lieutenant Dyester couldn''t accomplish. Even his battle against Citlalli didn''t give him that amount of experience.


    Moreover, the training program''s adaptive features had underlined the weaknesses of the Lightning-demon style. A martial art with seventy-eight points was clearly outstanding, but it had flaws that Khan couldn''t help but notice after defeating the fourth level.


    ''My hands are kind of useless,'' Khan thought without bothering to straighten his position. ''They help me balance and give power to my kicks, but I don''t have many blows that rely on my arms. I guess only proper high-level martial arts don''t have evident flaws.''


    Relying mostly on his kicks wasn''t an inherent weakness, but Khan understood that he could improve in some fields. His body was even quite strong compared to his peers, so limiting his fighting style to half of his limbs seemed a waste.


    Memories about Martha''s situation appeared in his mind during that reasoning. She also had a good martial art inherited from her family, but she had to improve it by fusing it with another style.


    Khan believed that the same went for most soldiers. Lieutenant Unchai had stressed how every martial art had good and bad matchups, so the best approach was to fuse a few of them and obtain a complete set of abilities.


    ''Look at me,'' Khan eventually thought while a helpless laugh escaped from his mouth. ''I have the chance to use a training hall freely, and my martial art is among the best for recruits, but I''m still unsatisfied. Not even six months outside of the Slums, but I''ve already lost my humbleness.''


    Khan straightened his position and sat on the floor. He rotated his right arm to check his shoulder, and he also bent his leg for the same reason. The numbness had almost completely dispersed. He was ready to approach the fifth level.


    "Resume!" Khan ordered, and the training program immediately activated.


    The gears spun again and dragged the puppet back inside the workshop. The writings on the walls also moved to the fifth level, and the mechanical voice soon resounded in the hall.


    "Level five," The training program announced. "Superior body, medium-level martial arts, superior aggression."


    Khan''s eyes sharpened at those words, but he didn''t need to wait long before understanding their meaning.


    The puppet charged ahead as soon as the wires and tubes detached from its body. It wasn''t letting Khan gain the upper hand right away anymore.


    Khan didn''t let that sight scare him. He shot toward the incoming puppet and prepared for the imminent clash. Part of him even preferred that approach.


    The puppet''s arms shot forward and performed strange movements that tried to trick Khan''s eyes. However, he disregarded them and crouched to slide under his opponent.


    The dummy''s attacks missed as Khan kicked its legs and made it fall forward. The two of them were close, so the puppet tried to stab its fingers toward him. Yet, Khan rolled on his back and pushed with his hands once his feet aligned with his opponent.


    Khan resembled a spring when he used his arms to push his whole body toward his opponent. He didn''t need to see the puppet to know where it was. There wasn''t much that it could do while it was falling toward the floor.


    The blow pushed the puppet away and made it fly for a few meters. Khan''s feet touched the floor while the dummy was still mid-air, and his ankles twisted to make him turn in an instant and give him enough power to shoot toward his opponent.


    The puppet quickly stood up, but Khan''s kick arrived before it could resume any battle stance. His shinbone hit the dummy''s head and flung it away again.


    Khan chased after his opponent. The black metal seemed able to endure his blows now, but he would press forward until that material shattered.


    His leg rose when the puppet entered his range. The dummy raised its arms to block the incoming kick, but Khan missed them on purpose. Instead, his descending blow made his heel and his opponent''s foot collide.


    The puppet''s foot bent upward. It wouldn''t be useful as a foothold anymore in that condition, but Khan lost his momentum after completing the attack.


    His rear leg rose to deliver a kick on the puppet''s side, but the latter disregarded the incoming blow and launched its arms toward him.


    Khan''s kick and the puppet''s fingers hit at the same time. The dummy''s side caved in, but its hands landed at the center of his chest and hit two different pressure points.


    Khan found himself unable to breathe for a second. He struggled to maintain his balance, and the puppet didn''t hesitate to exploit that chance. One of its hands clung on Khan''s side while the other created a fangs-shaped figure with its fingers that flew toward his collarbone.


    Khan pushed himself backward, uncaring that his balance was completely off. He fell on the floor and dodged the incoming attack, but the dummy promptly jumped toward him.


    The puppet tried to slam its feet on Khan''s chest, but the latter rotated to the side. The dummy''s attack landed on the floor, and Khan used that chance to perform a sweep.


    The dummy promptly jumped to dodge the incoming leg, but it didn''t manage to perform it correctly due to the damage suffered by its foot. Only half of the puppet''s body escaped from Khan''s range, so his shinbone successfully hit its leg.


    The power released by the sweep made the puppet rotate on itself and remain in the air. Meanwhile, Khan continued to spin until his leg returned behind him and became a suitable foothold.


    Khan waited until the puppet turned upside-down mid-air before leaping forward and raising his knees toward its head. The dummy managed to protect itself with its arms, but their metal bent beyond recognition after the violent blow.


    Khan planted his hand on the puppet''s waist while both of them fell. He was ready to smash his opponent on the floor and overwhelm it with a relentless series of techniques, but a sense of numbness suddenly spread from his legs when they touched the black surface.


    The puppet had hit the pressure points on his ankles during the fall, and Khan couldn''t avoid losing his balance. He bent backward, but his hand promptly grabbed the dummy''s leg and dragged it with him.


    Khan gave voice to a battle cry as both his arms grabbed the puppet''s leg and pulled until it slammed behind him. The dummy tried to point its arms on the floor to stand up, but their damaged structure made it lose its balance and fall again.


    Khan rolled on his back. His ankles would be useless for a few minutes, so he had to use gravity to his advantage. His legs bent as he performed a handstand on the puppet''s limb before moving the entirety of his body weight toward his knees.


    Popping noises came out of the puppet when his knees hit its torso. Something had clearly broken inside the dummy, but it continued to struggle. Its arms were quite useless, but its fingers still worked, and they immediately tried to reach Khans'' legs.


    Khan rotated on his knees and delivered a hook to the puppet''s head. The dummy tried to stand up and use its arms to protect its face, but Khan unleashed a rain of punches that barely cared about their targets.


    Most of those attacks landed on the damaged arms, but some managed to reach its face. Moreover, those limbs continued to bend until the metal finally cracked.


    Khan couldn''t feel anything. The shards of metal were cutting his knuckles, but his punches continued to fall. He wouldn''t stop until his opponent went limp.


    The arms eventually broke and left the puppet defenseless. Khan punches could finally target its head without hindrances, and the battle ended in a few seconds. The dummy barely had a face anymore when the writings on the walls became green.


    "Time-out!" Khan shouted without any hesitation.


    The puppet had brought him to his limits at that time. His chest and ankles hurt, and his hands were bleeding. The battle had been relatively even, which made Khan worry about the sixth level.


    ''I''m almost completely certain that I can''t surpass it,'' Khan thought while lying on the floor.


    There was a high chance that Khan would lose once the training program moved to the next difficulty. Continuing to fight would most likely lead to a beatdown. Recruits would usually stop there and call it a day, but Khan hesitated to make the system reset its data.


    ''I can learn what might cause me to lose in the future,'' Khan thought as a helpless sigh left his mouth.


    His mind had already understood which approach would provide the most benefits, and he could only accept that while he let his body recover. Escaping from pain now would only cut his gains short.

 Chapter 49: Life and death

    ''I can''t waste time meditating now,'' Khan thought as a helpless sigh escaped from his mouth.


    His chest hurt, his ankles were killing him, and his knuckles had many cuts that made them unsuitable for another battle, but the lessons would arrive soon. Khan actually expected the training hall to interrupt him in the next minutes.


    ''I''ll just fix the ankles,'' Khan decided before entering his meditative state and forcing the mana to expand toward his legs.


    Khan didn''t rely only on his nape at that time. Sparse lumps of mana had appeared in other parts of his body after five months in the training camp. Moving them through his flesh was troublesome, but some of them were closer to his ankles, so they were perfect for his needs.


    The numbness that afflicted his ankles slowly dispersed, but that feeling was still there when he left the meditative state and struggled to stand up.


    ''This will have to do,'' Khan sighed in his mind before giving the order to the training program.


    A metal rope immediately shot out of the wall and dragged the broken puppet inside the workshop. Cleaning robots also came out of the cavity to remove all the scraps and shards from the floor. It didn''t take much before the entire training hall returned to a perfect state.


    Khan closed his eyes and took deep breaths as he waited for the arrival of the puppet. His mind was ready for the imminent beatdown, but he had no intention to go down easily.


    "Level six," The training program eventually announced. "Superior body, superior techniques, superior aggression, battle instincts."


    A clanging noise spread through the training hall as the puppet stepped out of the workshop. Khan opened his eyes and saw four blinking red eyes fixed on him. The neon had also turned red and had given a menacing aura to the dummy.


    Khan mustered all the power he could find in his body to shoot ahead. His sprint was inevitably slower compared to before, but he still appeared quite fast.


    However, the puppet seemed able to follow his movements perfectly. It raised its arms before Khan could reach it, and its fingers took fang-like shapes while its entire body crouched forward.


    Khan raised his leg as soon as the puppet entered his range. He didn''t dare to use potentially dangerous techniques like his roundhouse kicks. He limited himself to launch his foot forward while keeping as much distance as possible from the dummy.


    His foot seemed about to clash with the puppet''s face, but the latter suddenly bent on the side. Khan promptly spun his waist to turn his front kick into a circular attack that followed his opponent''s head, but his leg never managed to hit its target.


    The puppet''s arms had never stopped moving. They had flown toward Khan''s leg while the dummy bent on the side, and its fingers ended up hitting three pressure points.


    The attack didn''t only spread an intense numbness through Khan''s leg. It also pushed it back to interrupt his technique. It seemed that puppet was able to match his physical strength in the sixth level.


    Khan gave voice to a battle cry as an ugly expression appeared on his face. He gritted his teeth and frowned to endure the pain and jump forward by releasing the power accumulated in his rear leg.


    His condition was far from optimal, and the puppet had even managed to neutralize one of his legs in a single exchange. He knew that the battle would be over right after completing that technique, so he couldn''t let it end so soon.


    The puppet''s arms shot forward, but the suddenness of Khan''s reckless action made it unable to launch precise attacks. Its metal fingers hit his abdomen and chest, but only one of them landed on a pressure point.


    Khan lost his breath for an instant, but he didn''t let that sensation surprise him anymore. His whole body was flying inside the puppet''s guard, and his arms quickly grabbed its neck as he used his leg to cling on its chest.


    The puppet didn''t let that reckless attack disrupt its forms. Its arms shot toward the leg clung on its chest and turned it numb in an instant. Still, Khan endured the pain and began to assault its head.


    Khan had relied on a sudden move that didn''t follow any technique. His chances of winning that battle through martial arts were basically zero, so he had to do something that the dummy couldn''t predict.


    His fists slammed on the tough dark metal and began to bend its fabric. The puppet raised its arms and started to aim for the pressure points on his side, and Khan soon lost his balance as numbness spread through his whole torso.


    Yet, Khan clung on the metal head with one arm and continued to use the other to throw punches. The puppet started to miss attacks since Khan was behind its head, but metal fingers still landed on his limbs and side from time to time.


    Some of those attacks eventually hit pressure points. Khan felt his thumb going numb and threatening to release the grip on the puppet, but he promptly bent forward to regain his balance.


    Still, that gesture exposed him to the blinking red eyes. Khan couldn''t move as he wished in that position, so he didn''t manage to avoid the metal finger aimed at the center of his forehead.


    Everything went dark for an instant. Khan barely had the time to sense the cold sensation carried by the puppet''s finger before his back hit the floor.


    His senses slowly focused on his surroundings, and disappointment inevitably spread through his mind. He had fallen. The battle was over.


    A dark figure appeared in his vision. Metal legs landed on his arms and locked him on the ground while threatening fingers fell toward his face.


    Then, the fingers stopped. The puppet interrupted its attack as soon as it touched Khan''s face.


    "Defeat," The training program announced as the puppet straightened its position and stepped off Khan''s arm to return inside the wall. "Analyzing performance. Do you require additional actions?"


    "Send everything to my phone," Khan ordered. "I''ll close my eyes for a while."


    Khan didn''t bother to think about the battle anymore. His whole body hurt, and only his mediations could make him able to stand in time for the morning lessons.


    A sudden noise resounded inside the training hall before Khan could even begin meditating. He glanced at the wall and sighed when he read that the lessons would start in less than twenty minutes. Luck wasn''t on his side that day.


    Khan tried to stand up, but his body didn''t follow his commands. His legs, sides, and right hand were still numb. Even his head hurt. Only his left arm worked properly, but that wasn''t enough to bring him to the lessons.


    ''How mad can they even get if I skip these lessons?'' Khan wondered while his eyes closed. ''This is the sixth month. They won''t have anything related to mana.''


    Khan was only justifying himself in his mind. He had already understood that he was in no condition to move. Meditating was the only process that could restore his body enough to make him walk.


    Time always moved quickly during the meditations, but it only seemed to last one second for Khan. He had started to use mana to disperse the numbness in his body, but a voice suddenly reached his ears and forced him out of his training.


    "I should have seen this coming," Lieutenant Unchai scoffed while standing next to Khan.


    "I just went a little overboard," Khan said in a fake sleepy voice. "Can I marry this training hall? I think I am in love."


    Lieutenant Unchai shook his head, but a laugh escaped his mouth and ruined his pretense. The soldier didn''t manage to hide the faint respect that had appeared inside him, so he tapped the floor to change the topic.


    The summary of Khan''s performance appeared on the floor, and Lieutenant Unchai''s face froze when he read through the various details. Khan also turned to look at the various writings, and a pleased smile inevitably spread on his expression.


    ''This is so detailed,'' Khan thought before reading the summary. ''Good execution of the techniques, incredible resolve, good instincts.''


    Each of those labels led to a different menu that explained the reasons behind that evaluation. It even featured key moments that had led to that assessment.


    Lieutenant Unchai studied everything. He didn''t let a single label go and inspected every key moment recorded by the training program. His hand ended up covering his mouth while he read through the various descriptions, and his confused words failed to reach Khan''s ears due to that cover.


    "How does it look?" Khan asked while turning his head to stare at the soldier standing next to him.


    "Sad," Lieutenant Unchai said in a plain voice.


    Khan''s eyes widened. The training program only showed positive evaluations. A few labels did have excellent grades, but that came from Khan''s overall inexperience. After all, he had only trained for five months, even less if he considered the actual time with the Lightning-demon style.


    "You are good, really good actually," Lieutenant Unchai continued without glancing at the boy lying at his side. "You are progressing far faster than I imagined, and you didn''t even have access to these tools before. Still, I''m worried about this resolve of yours. You shouldn''t treat a training program as a matter of life and death."

 Chapter 50: Pens

    Khan fell silent at that remark. He knew exactly what Lieutenant Unchai meant, but his real character wasn''t something that simple pretenses could hide, especially with the summary in front of them.


    "You aren''t dumb," Lieutenant Unchai sighed. "You try to appear na?ve and stupid, but that''s not your real nature, isn''t it?"


    Khan opened his mouth, but no words came out of it. His experience in lies and pretenses was useless when Lieutenant Unchai could read what had happened in the fifth level.


    "You could have stepped away here," Lieutenant Unchai pointed at the green sign marking the fifth level. "Instead, you chose to jump in a battle that you couldn''t hope to win, and you didn''t even rest properly before it. I guess you still wanted to make it to the lessons."


    Khan turned on his back. He didn''t know what to say, especially when the people around him showed concern.


    "Guess what?" Lieutenant Unchai snorted. "You only hurt yourself and failed to attend the lessons on time. You are lucky that these are mere general courses, or maybe you have chosen to rest for that very reason."


    Khan gulped, and Lieutenant Unchai finally decided to look at him. He wanted to maintain a stern expression, but he could only shake his head at the sight of the injuries.


    Khan''s body was full of red bruises. His skin carried the marks of the clashes with the metal fingers. Multiple holes had even appeared on his trousers.


    "Did you learn something at least?" Lieutenant Unchai asked.


    "I have a lot to improve," Khan promptly replied. "I''m not talking only about the executions of my techniques. I mainly lack battle experience, and the nature of my martial art doesn''t help in the matter."


    "What do you plan to do about it then?" Lieutenant Unchai continued with his questions.


    "Fight with as many different martial arts as possible in the fifth level," Khan explained, "Test the sixth level with favorable matchups after training for a few days, and see how far I can push my limits."


    "That''s the correct approach," Lieutenant Unchai nodded. "However, it''s clear that you are a danger to yourself, so I''ll set a few rules."


    "I have only gone overboard, sir," Khan attempted to appease the Lieutenant''s anger with polite words. "It won''t happen again. I was so excited about the training hall that I couldn''t hold back, but I know my limits now. Don''t limit my time here."


    Khan was obviously worried that the Lieutenant could limit his time inside the training hall due to his reckless approach, but the soldier only smiled when he saw the regret in his face.


    "I won''t," Lieutenant Unchai announced, "But I can''t give complete freedom to someone who has no care for his own body. I''ll give you one last chance before applying proper limits to your time here."


    "I won''t disappoint you, sir!" Khan happily shouted, but the soldier''s smile suddenly vanished.


    "You can''t be late to lessons anymore," Lieutenant Unchai ordered. "I''ll let today pass, but punishments will arrive if you fail to attend them regularly."


    "I won''t miss a single day!" Khan shouted again.


    "Good," Lieutenant Unchai exclaimed. "Go now. You can still catch the second hour of chemistry."


    Khan''s expression froze, and Lieutenant Unchai did his best not to explode into a laugh. Instead, he proceeded to explain the real meaning behind his previous words.


    "I''ll let today pass," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "I didn''t say that you could skip today''s lessons altogether."


    Khan stared at the Lieutenant before glancing at his body. Everything still hurt, but his limbs had started to regain some power. He couldn''t move properly, but he was a bit better.


    Khan glanced at the Lieutenant again and understood that the soldier had no intention to let the matter go. He seemed ready to glare at Khan with his severe gaze until the boy left the training hall.


    "I''ll leave now," Khan whispered while turning on his belly and pushing with his left arm.


    He had to perform multiple slow movements to get back on his feet. Khan pointed his knees, then raised one leg before spreading his arms to control his balance while lifting his whole body.


    A sense of dizziness spread inside his mind when he went back on his feet. Something inside Khan told him that it was too early to stand up, but he suppressed that feeling and turned toward the exit.


    "What about your phone?" Lieutenant Unchai asked while pointing at the corner of the training hall. "How did you plan to reach the building with the lessons without it?"


    Khan inspected Lieutenant Unchai''s stern face before moving toward his phone. He supported himself on the wall and gave voice to a faint groan when he bent to pick his device, but he managed to maintain his equilibrium during that walk.


    Then, Khan finally left the training hall and proceeded to walk alongside the wall of the corridor to exit the building. His phone was already on the menu that showed a blueprint of the camp with all the various activities. Finding the way to the lessons wasn''t a problem.


    "You forgot your uniform," Lieutenant Unchai''s voice suddenly resounded from behind him, and Khan suppressed a loud curse.


    Khan was still shirtless and without shoes. He had completely forgotten about the rest of his uniform since he was using most of his concentration to remain on his feet.


    Lieutenant Unchai had no intention to bring those clothes to Khan, so he had to walk back inside the training hall and crouch again to pick them up. He almost fell during the process, but the soldier didn''t mock him.


    "I''m off then, sir," Khan announced while suppressing a few grunts while he wore his uniform and supported himself on the wall to handle his shoes.


    Khan managed to get out of the building without interruptions at that time. He even felt slightly better after going up and down through the corridor. His ankles still hurt, but they had regained most of their steadiness.


    The training camp wasn''t big, but Khan still took a while to reach the building where the lessons happened. He walked quite slowly, and his destination was near the center of the site.


    The hot environment didn''t help his struggle. The two suns were higher in the sky now, and the temperatures had risen. The red-brown ground radiated scorching sensations that managed to get past the sole of Khan''s shoes and tried to force him to walk faster.


    Khan couldn''t comply with that instinct. His legs weren''t able to accelerate in that situation, so he had to endure the heat accumulated on his feet while he made his way through the camp.


    The temperatures completely changed once Khan stepped inside the building. The metal floor was cold, and the air flowing inside the corridors relieved him from the struggles of his recent march.


    Khan felt tempted to sit in a corner and meditate. His mind seemed unable to accept that he had to go through hours of boring lessons, but he feared Lieutenant Unchai''s threats too much to skip them.


    His priority was to use the training hall as much as possible since the benefits connected to that technology were simply massive. Spending a few hours listening to boring lessons was a fair price to pay for his current benefits.


    Khan found the room meant for his lessons in an instant, and he slowly slipped inside it while an unfamiliar professor read through notes on his interactive desk. A large hall with hundreds of stands unfolded in his view, but his eyes only searched for his friends.


    Some of the recruits sitting on the stands noticed Khan moving silently on the staircases that ran among the seats, and a hand eventually rose from the crowd. Khan''s eyes lit up when he saw Martha and an empty chair next to her.


    "What has even happened to you?" Martha asked in a worried tone, but she found it hard to suppress her laugh when she inspected her friend.


    Khan had a large red spot at the center of his forehead. His uniform was untidy and full of holes. He didn''t even tie his shoes.


    "The training halls are amazing," Khan announced while keeping his voice down. "I don''t know how I''ll survive once this trip is over."


    "I don''t know if you''ll survive the trip," Martha joked about his state. "The Lieutenant has given you the chance to use a training hall then. That''s great. We did nothing but perform our techniques on dummies and spar a little."


    "Did you win?" Khan asked while revealing a curious smile.


    "Of course," Martha replied while wearing a proud expression. "Everyone was too scared to fight for real, but I suspect that Lieutenant Unchai will start punishing them this afternoon."


    Khan nodded, but two shadows suddenly appeared in the corner of vision. His hands instinctively shot forward since his mind was still in battle mode, and his grasp closed on two digital pens.


    Khan raised his eyes and noticed that the entire class was staring at him. Even the professor in the distance couldn''t help but show his surprise at that scene.


    ''Did he throw them because we were talking?'' Khan wondered before standing and walking down the staircase to give the pens back to the professor.


    Then, he climbed the steps to return to his seat. A faint smile appeared on his face after confirming that his ankles were far better now, but he quickly wore a regretful expression since the professor was still staring at him.


    "You are the kid who defeated the Ef''i, right?" The professor asked, interrupting the silence that had fallen in the hall.


    Khan nodded, and the professor couldn''t help but reveal a proud smirk. He picked one of the pens that Khan had brought back and stared at the boy for a few seconds before resuming the lesson.

 Chapter 51: Trick

    Khan could return to the training hall right after the lessons ended. A few members of the special class tried to exchange some polite words, but he didn''t have time to waste during that week.


    Lieutenant Unchai didn''t say anything about the second week. Khan had understood that he would have to face the Ef''i, but he was oblivious to everything else.


    One week with the training hall wasn''t enough to learn much, but Khan planned to do his best to improve his battle style. After all, he felt that it would be a long time before he obtained a similar chance.


    Khan had already developed a faint schedule. He required a bit more info about the training hall to perfect that plan, but he believed that everything would become clear after the afternoon.


    ''I should be able to test different martial arts today,'' Khan thought while entering the training hall and plugging his phone into the floor. ''I must take full advantage of the longer days.''


    Khan ordered some food before tapping his foot on the floor and browsing through the menus to select his training program. The system had countless martial arts in store, and it even gave brief descriptions of their style.


    The system also described the points of each martial art. Khan immediately found those which had achieved a fifty or slightly lower score and proceeded to pick the first one on the list. Then, he selected the fifth level, and the gears inside the wall activated.


    A tall puppet with multiple reinforcements on its arms, legs, torso, and neck came out of the wall and took a defensive stance. That dummy was far bigger than the other, and it didn''t appear nearly as fast.


    Khan shot ahead and began to release a storm of kicks. The puppet didn''t budge and endured all the blows, and his arm eventually shot forward when it found an opening in Khan''s guard.


    Khan had left that opening on purpose. The puppet finally gave him a chance to pierce its guard with a flying kick that required a horizontal spin.


    His leg slammed on the puppet''s head and bent its metal, but the dummy seemed able to endure the blow. Its arms shot toward the airborne Khan and tried to grab his feet.


    Khan planted his feet on the puppet''s chest and performed a backflip to dodge the incoming attack. He landed on the floor perfectly, and the dummy quickly resumed its defensive stance.


    ''I''ll take it down nice and slow,'' Khan concluded in his mind before resuming his offensive.


    The fifth level appeared far easier now that the system didn''t choose good matchups against the Lightning-demon style. Khan could learn to face different martial arts without suffering many injuries. It was perfect for him.


    Khan''s new schedule soon took form. He practiced inside the training hall for the entire afternoon and gained a general idea of how difficult the fifth level was without data about the Lightning-demon style. He even tested his power against different martial arts, but the list was still long.


    The experience gathered during the afternoon made Khan understand that he could use the mornings to continue testing his power against the fifth level since it didn''t inflict many injuries. That would allow him to attend the lessons and leave him with an entire day to push his limits.


    Khan had the flat for himself, but his friends came to visit him once he returned inside the building. He was exhausted, but Luke, Bruce, and Martha wanted to hear more about the Ef''i.


    "Their tail is dangerous," Khan revealed. "They are also quite strong, so I suggest you meditate a lot during this week."


    "How did you even get the chance to fight one of them?" Luke asked. "We only saw the Ef''i when we came out of the teleport. They act as ghosts here."


    "They must train underground," Bruce revealed. "I''ve seen a few tunnels inside the mountain. I bet we''ll go there if Lieutenant Unchai selects us."


    "How strong can the others even be?" Khan wondered. "I should have defeated the best among them. They shouldn''t be able to do much in a mere week."


    "Maybe they have something in store," Martha suggested. "The Ef''i are an honorable warrior race, but they also aim for victory like every other species. I wouldn''t be surprised if they made you fight the second strongest or even less."


    "Who is paranoid now?" Khan mocked Martha, but the latter ignored him.


    "Well, Khan should be able to improve with the training hall," Bruce announced. "I suspect he''ll be far stronger after this week."


    The boys and girl eventually left Khan alone and gave him the time to approach his meditations and mental exercises. He still had the eighth lesson to clear, and improvements struggled to arrive.


    The week went by quickly. The schedule of the recruits was quite dull and tiring since they had to become used to having thirty hours in a day. Still, their endurance inevitably improved due to Lieutenant Unchai''s hellish training method.


    Khan felt like he was in heaven. He could use the training hall every day, and his combat abilities inevitably improved. He even got the chance to clear some of the sixth levels when the puppet''s martial arts were a favorable match-up for the Lightning-demon style.


    The constant stress and gathering of battle experience sharpened his mind and benefitted his mental training. Pain and struggles could improve the resilience of his brain, especially since Khan didn''t forget about the mental exercises when fighting.


    Lieutenant Unchai gathered the recruits in front of their dorm on the first day of the second week. The soldier wore an angry expression that didn''t seem to target Khan and the others. He was livid, but the kids ignored the nature of that feeling.


    "I made a mistake," Lieutenant Unchai suddenly announced. "Teco has tricked me. I showed the strongest of you to his group, but he didn''t do the same. I don''t like losing discussions, so let''s avoid the topic altogether."


    Khan shot a glance toward Martha. She had ended up being correct about the Ef''i, but she didn''t appear happy about the matter.


    "Let''s move now," Lieutenant Unchai shouted. "The Ef''i have prepared a surprise for us. I don''t want you to be late."


    The recruits felt excited, but they remained silent during the trip. It seemed that Lieutenant Unchai would bring all the kids to the Ef''i, but their destination remained unclear until they approached the mountain and a tunnel unfolded in their vision.


    The Lieutenant led the recruits inside the tunnel. The red-brown rocks and terrain seemed darker there, and vegetation even appeared.


    Khan didn''t know what to say in front of the strange plants that filled the tunnel. Even the grass was red, and a few purple flowers occupied random spots in that scenery.


    The scent radiated by those plants was quite intoxicating. It made the recruits'' eyes red and forced them to shed tears. The mana inside their bodies activated to fend off the negative effects of that odor, but some of the kids with low attunement didn''t manage to regain their senses even after a few minutes passed.


    Lieutenant Unchai promptly took a series of pills and shoved them inside the mouths of the recruits that had yet to grow used to the scent. Their complexion immediately improved after that event, so the group could proceed on their march.


    A large arena eventually appeared after the corridor. A series of Ef''i were already waiting for their opponents on one side of the underground hall, and they didn''t hesitate to perform polite salutes when they saw Khan.


    Some of the aliens revealed shame when they glanced at a tall Ef''i sitting at some distance from their group. Khan moved his attention on him, and the latter eventually opened his eyes when he heard the arrival of his opponents.


    "[They are thinner than I imagined]," The unfamiliar Ef''i announced while standing up and patting his broad chest. "[I hope they can put up a decent fight]!"


    Teco came out of one of the tunnels connected to the arena and slapped the unfamiliar Ef''i head. He wasn''t pleased about his arrogant behavior, but his focus soon moved on Lieutenant Unchai.


    "[I hope this is enough to forgive me]," Teco announced. "[Humans are winning too often lately]."


    "[Just show me the goods]," Lieutenant Unchai replied, and the Ef''i took out a small metal sphere from his pocket.


    "That''s faswite!" Luke suddenly announced at the sight of the silver mineral, and the entirety of his group showed interest in that material.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I have a pretty harsh fever. I thought I could just endure it, but I can barely suppress the tremors with meds. I''ll do only one for chaos and one long for demonic sword until I feel better.

 Chapter 52: Tournament

    "That chunk of faswite should be enough to create five or six synthetic cores," Luke announced while turning toward Khan. "You have to win. Gaining access to training halls back on Earth won''t be a problem if you defeat them."


    Khan''s eyes lit up at those words. He felt interested in facing the unfamiliar Ef''i, but that additional reward made everything far more appealing.


    "The rules of the tournament are simple," Lieutenant Unchai suddenly announced. "You will fight every day until you face all the recruits in the enemy group. The side that gets more victories will obtain the faswite."


    Tension began to build among the recruits on Khan''s side. They didn''t expect their role to be so important. Most of them wanted to rely on Khan, but that system would require everyone to do their part.


    "There is an exception," Lieutenant Unchai added. "A group will automatically win the tournament if one of their recruits wins every battle. Remain unbeaten, and the Global Army will reward you."


    The tension that had accumulated previously quickly vanished. Khan ignored the many glances that landed on his figure, but he realized how important his role had become. The tournament wasn''t a matter of personal gains anymore. The Global Army as a whole would benefit from his victories.


    Lieutenant Unchai walked toward Khan and lowered his head before whispering something to his ear. "You and the new alien will fight on the last day of the week. I''ll also notify you whenever he steps on the arena, so make sure to come back here to watch him."


    Khan understood what Lieutenant Unchai wanted him to do. He would need to fight only two times every day since each group contained less than twenty recruits. Khan could go back to the training hall once he completed his battles.


    Still, learning how his final opponent fought was as essential as his training. Khan limited himself to nod at those orders. He didn''t like to be at the center of the attention, but having so much value in the eyes of a Lieutenant could only benefit his plans.


    "Go in then," Lieutenant Unchai announced before pushing Khan toward the centers of the arena.


    Khan turned toward the Lieutenant, and the latter didn''t hesitate to explain the schedule that he had prepared for him. "You''ll fight early in the morning for the entire week except for the last day. I believe you can handle two battles in a row."


    Khan spread his arm before shaking his head. That schedule was quite efficient, so he couldn''t complain about it.


    "[An honorable warrior should avoid resorting to tricks]," A female Ef''i stepped forward and crossed the circular area marked by a series of purple plants. "[Yet, honor alone can''t win wars. Forgive us, but get ready]."


    Khan glanced toward Lieutenant Unchai, and the latter promptly translated those words. "She is sorry for tricking you."


    Khan scratched the side of his head before ignoring the matter. He didn''t really care about that ploy since it wouldn''t help the Ef''i. His battle style had improved by leaps and bounds after an entire week spent inside the training hall.


    "[Get ready]!"


    "In position!"


    Teco and Lieutenant Unchai shouted, and Khan and the Ef''i immediately performed their guard. Khan limited himself to raise his arms and crouch forward while the alien lifted her clawed fingers in front of her head and pointed them at her opponent. Her tail even curved above her shoulder to prepare for the imminent attack.


    "Fight!"


    "[Fight]!"


    The two leaders shouted, and Khan shot forward. The Ef''i''s tail promptly shot forward, but Khan spun on the side and went airborne. His momentum allowed him to rotate two times and slam his heel on the alien''s head.


    The Ef''i flew away and slammed on the wall after the arena. She then fell on the floor as blood began to flow from her mouth and ear.


    Everyone fell silent. They expected Khan to be strong, but that instant victory still surprised them. Also, the sheer power released by his kick made all of them reevaluate how powerful he actually was.


    Khan''s prowess didn''t only rely on his speed. He also had a strong body that could overpower aliens in sheer physical might.


    "Don''t bother stepping out," Lieutenant Unchai announced as a second Ef''i walked inside the arena.


    His second opponent was a tall male Ef''i who announced something in his language. Khan turned toward Lieutenant Unchai to get a translation, but the latter limited himself to shake his head. The alien didn''t say anything meaningful.


    "Fight!"


    "[Fight]!"


    The Lieutenant and Teco announced the beginning of the battle, and Khan didn''t hesitate to shoot ahead. However, his opponent did the same and spread his long arm to prevent movements at his sides.


    His tail also shot forward once the two were about to clash. The alien wanted to force Khan into a frontal clash, but the latter promptly slid under him and swept the Ef''i''s legs.


    The alien lost his balance and fell forward, and Khan didn''t hesitate to turn before leaping forward. He jumped on the back of the falling Ef''i and planted his foot on the back of his head.


    The Ef''i tried to protect himself with his arms, but the power released by Khan''s kick made him faint even if his face didn''t directly hit the ground.


    Lieutenant Unchai patted Khan''s shoulder when he exited the arena and pushed him toward the tunnel that led to the camp. He had to return to the training hall and make the best out of his day.


    .


    .


    .


    Khan didn''t have to modify his schedule too much with the ongoing tournament. He still gained experience in other martial arts with the fifth level of the training program in the morning and tested his limits in the afternoon. He only had to run toward the mountain twice a day to fight and watch his fated opponent.


    A few doubts had appeared in Khan''s mind after he understood how the tournament had to unfold. In theory, the fact that everyone had to fight multiple times rendered the advantage gained with the ploy useless. After all, the human side would see how the new Ef''i fought during that week.


    However, everything became clear after Khan inspected a few battles of the new alien. The tall Ef''i seemed unable to suffer damage. His skin could endure every blow. He basically exhausted his opponents without performing any proper technique.


    Even the strongest among the human side couldn''t do anything against that tough skin. Martha, Luke, and others who had a decent percentage of attunement with mana couldn''t hurt him.


    "Everything would be different if I could use my hammers," Martha snorted.


    "It''s all up to Khan now," Luke laughed. "Make sure to bring honor to humankind!"


    "I still wonder why you always end up in my flat," Khan snorted while eating a strange soup inside a food can.


    "I have similar doubts about your stomach," Bruce announced while pointing at the food can. "You do realize that you are eating alien food, right?"


    "It''s good," Khan exclaimed. "And they made sure that humans can eat it, so I don''t see the problem."


    The four of them had gathered inside Khan''s room. It was the night before their last day on Onia. Khan would have to fight that seemingly unbeatable alien tomorrow.


    "How can you be so relaxed?" Bruce asked.


    "I''ve finally managed to defeat the sixth level of the training hall," Khan announced as a broad smile appeared on his face. "The matchup was also even, so I guess I''m good. I did my best in these two weeks."


    "Sixth level?!" Luke shouted. "Didn''t you practice your martial art for less than six months?"


    "So?" Khan asked while shrugging his shoulders.


    "That''s an outstanding achievement, Khan," Martha explained. "No wonder you are the best of our group."


    "My grandfather would kill me if he learnt about you," Bruce laughed. "I''m still stuck at the fourth."


    "Maybe it''s a matter of attunement with mana," Khan said while trying to move the attention away from him.


    "That definitely helps," Martha exclaimed, "But the proficiency with the martial art is undeniable. You must have trained like a madman."


    The four continued to talk for a few more minutes before leaving Khan to his training. Tomorrow would be an important day. Khan and the seemingly unbeatable alien would finally face each other.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I woke up with 39.5 today. I''ve used meds to keep the fever down, but it keeps rising. I don''t know if I have to hit the hospital, but you can pretty much guess that I''ve gone there if you don''t see chapters.

 Chapter 53: Mana

    The next morning the two groups gathered inside the mountain as usual, but they only held meaningless battles since most of the focus was on Khan and the new Ef''i.


    The two of them were the only recruits who had yet to face a loss, so they could both aim to win the tournament without counting the victories of their sides. Of course, the matter was far more important for Khan since his group had often lost against the aliens.


    Khan and the Ef''i had to fight one last time against different opponents that morning, and they both achieved overwhelming victories. Still, the alien appeared far stronger due to his apparent immunity to direct blows.


    "How can he be so tough?" Khan asked Lieutenant Unchai when his group left to attend the lessons.


    "I''m not sure," Lieutenant Unchai sighed. "The Ef''i are a warrior race. Some of them can develop a higher muscle density due to a lucky combination of genes. The issue might even be mana-related due to the rules of the tournament."


    "What do you mean?" Khan promptly asked.


    "It''s not forbidden to use spells or techniques before a battle," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "He might be able to reinforce himself with mana before jumping into the arena. It would still take a genius to perform a flawless execution every time, but it''s a possibility."


    ''That might be troublesome,'' Khan thought as his group moved toward the building that would hold the lessons. ''I don''t have techniques with mana that I can prepare beforehand.''


    Khan wanted to win, but he didn''t know how possible that feat was. He even felt unclear about the alien''s power since they had never fought.


    "Just focus on doing your best," Lieutenant Unchai said when he noticed Khan''s conflicted expression. "I didn''t expect their course to have such a strong recruit either. It seems that Earth will have some problem securing enough faswite in the next years."


    "Can a single soldier affect the tournaments so much?" Khan asked as curiosity inevitably seeped into his voice.


    "I already told you that the Ef''i are generally stronger than us before the evolution," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "The arrival of a new talent can turn the previous balance upside-down. Also, our soldiers fight here to obtain rewards while the Ef''i only want to defend their natural resources. None of us remains on Onia for too long."


    Khan nodded as his understanding of the political environment on Onia grew. The Lieutenant then left the group of recruits since their lessons were about to begin, but none of them seemed in the mood to pay attention.


    Most of the boys and girls shot silent glances toward Khan during the lessons. They could sense the anxiety of that situation, and they couldn''t help but express their feelings through their gestures.


    Even Luke and Bruce decided to ignore Khan to avoid breaking his concentration. Their friend was their most valuable asset on Onia right now.


    Only Martha continued to treat Khan normally. She knew how thickheaded he could be. She would actually feel surprised to see him getting anxious.


    "They shouldn''t put so much pressure on you," Martha whispered during the lessons.


    "Let them do it," Khan said while giving voice to a faint laugh. "I''m not fighting for them anyway."


    "Let me guess," Martha smirked. "You want the Credits connected to this achievement."


    "I only want more training halls," Khan whined. "They are so cool. I can fight so often against so many different opponents. They don''t even stink of smoke like Lieutenant Dyester."


    "You seem to like them very much," Martha laughed, but she promptly covered her mouth for fear of alerting the class.


    "A simple like can''t express my feeling," Khan announced in a dramatic voice while taking Martha''s hands between his palms. "This is the purest form of love. Only food stands above it."


    Khan almost didn''t hold back his voice during his last announcement. Most of the other students were paying attention to him due to his role in the tournament, so everyone could pick up the word "love" spoken while he held Martha''s hand.


    Even the professor noticed that scene, but he decided to ignore it due to the importance of Khan''s role in the tournament. He limited himself to clear his throat to suppress the giggles that had begun to resound inside the hall.


    "I suspect that you do this on purpose at times," Martha snorted while retracting her hand, "But then I remember that you are an idiot."


    "I really do love the training halls," Khan whispered while laying his torso on the desk and waiting for the end of the lessons.


    Lieutenant Unchai didn''t allow Khan to go to the training hall that afternoon. The soldier wouldn''t risk his best shot at getting faswite to suffer injuries or arrive at the battle tired.


    Khan had to follow his class back to the mountain after the lessons, and he limited himself to meditate while the rest of the battles unfolded.


    The awaited moment eventually arrived. Lieutenant Unchai kicked Khan''s crossed leg and awakened him from his meditation. Khan wanted to complain, but the sight of the tall Ef''i inside the arena reminded him of his purpose there.


    "[Me is Khan]!" Khan shouted in a bad accent while standing and jumping into the arena.


    He had used part of his free time on Onia to improve his Ef''i''s language, but he had only managed to commit a few words to memory. Still, he could now complete a few short phrases.


    "[Your name has no meaning]," The Ef''i grunted while patting his chest. "[I won''t waste time memorizing opponents who can''t make me flinch]."


    "Slow down a bit," Khan exclaimed while trying to mimic the meaning of his words with his hands. "Slow. Ehm, [egg]! That''s the word for slow, right?"


    Khan turned to look at Lieutenant Unchai, but the latter shook his head and shattered his hopes.


    "He won''t bother to learn your name until you beat him," Lieutenant Unchai translated while pointing toward the alien.


    Khan scratched his head before turning toward his opponent. The Ef''i didn''t move at all. He didn''t even bother to enter a defensive stance.


    Teco and Lieutenant Unchai exchanged a glance before raising their arms and announcing the beginning of the fight.


    Khan immediately shot forward and delivered an impressive direct kick aimed for the center of the alien''s chest. That wasn''t one of his strongest attacks, but it still hit the Ef''i with a great amount of power.


    The Ef''i didn''t move at all. Khan felt as if his foot had hit an immovable wall. His battle experience even revealed something tragic to his mind. He could feel that no attack in his arsenal could achieve better effects against that opponent.


    ''There must be a trick,'' Khan thought while rotating on himself and going airborne to deliver a descending kick toward the alien''s head.


    The Ef''i didn''t even try to dodge the attack. He endured the kick and continued to smile while he grabbed Khan''s leg and threw him on the other side of the arena.


    Khan slammed on the rocky wall before falling on the terrain. The clash didn''t hurt too much, but he would eventually lose if he let the situation continue like that.


    ''It shouldn''t be a matter of muscle density,'' Khan thought as he stood up and returned inside the arena. ''His physical strength isn''t great. Only his defense is off the charts, and the mana might explain that feature.''


    A conclusion quickly reached Khan''s mind. Nothing in his arsenal would work against a defensive technique fueled by mana. He would have to execute something similar to gain a chance to win.


    ''How long does it even take me now to perform a complete technique?'' Khan wondered as his body crouched forward. ''Can I even succeed on the first try?''


    Khan shot forward while taking a handful of terrain with him. The Ef''i didn''t notice that quick gesture, so he continued to smile as he waited for his opponent to reveal an opening.


    Khan performed a short jump followed by a front flip that made the Ef''i think about a descending kick. The alien was ready to receive the attack, but terrain suddenly covered his vision and blinded his four eyes.


    The alien began to give voice to angry guttural noises, and the same went for the audience outside the arena. The Ef''i didn''t like that behavior, but Khan didn''t have time to waste in that situation.


    Khan took a step back as soon as his feet touched the ground. His eyes closed as his body crouched forward, and his attention went on the mana flowing through his flesh.


    The Ef''i quickly cleared his eyes from the terrain and noticed what his opponent was up to. An angry noise came out of his mouth as he jumped toward Khan while stretching his claws and cracking his tail forward.


    The tail was the Ef''i''s fastest limb. It reached Khan in an instant and began to pierce his right shoulder. The alien''s claws arrived right after, but a loud noise spread through the arena before they could stab Khan''s skin.


    The Ef''i figure suddenly disappeared as tremors started to spread through the walls around the arena. It seemed that an earthquake was making the entire mountain shake, but those events had a far shorter range.


    Khan had changed his stance. Only Lieutenant Unchai and Teco had been able to follow his movements, but the other recruits didn''t understand what had happened. They didn''t see when Khan had straightened his left leg forward and performed a direct kick.


    Green trails fell from Khan''s shoe. The recruits on both sides widened their eyes when they saw that feature, and their gazes inevitably followed the trajectory of his kick.


    A second wave of surprise filled their minds when they saw that a large hole had appeared on the rocky walls of the arena. A few green spots had even tainted those dark-red shades.


    ****


    Author''s notes: The fever has gone down. I hit 38 this morning, but it has never gone above 37 for the rest of the day. I hope you understand that I still don''t want to risk returning to the normal schedule until I''m fully healed. Give me a day or two before going back to the proper number of chapters.

 Chapter 54: Tomorrow

    Everything was silent. No one dared to speak in front of that surprising spectacle. Khan had flung the Ef''i away, and the latter had dug a hole into the wall during the impact.


    The drops of green blood falling from Khan''s foot and the wall''s edges added a menacing feeling to the scene. Even Khan began to worry after he lowered his leg. He feared that his attack might have killed his opponent.


    ''He must be alive, right?'' Khan wondered as pain started to spread from his right shoulder. ''He must have had mana as protection!''


    Khan instinctively glanced toward Lieutenant Unchai, but the soldier wasn''t looking at him. Everyone in the area was staring at the hole, waiting for the Ef''i to show some trace of life.


    Some debris eventually fell out of the hole and hinted at movements in its insides. Khan kept his eyes fixed on that spot until the familiar alien figure became visible.


    Khan heaved a sigh of relief, but his expression froze when the alien crawled out of the hole and straightened his position. The Ef''i had a deep foot-shaped injury at the center of his torso, which leaked blood over his body.


    That gory sight made most of the recruits divert their eyes, and even some of the Ef''i couldn''t help but cover their gazes. Only Khan, Lieutenant Unchai, and Teco didn''t blink at that sight. They could see part of the alien''s internal organs through that injury, but the scene didn''t cause any reaction in their minds.


    The Ef''i glanced at his injury before wearing a wide smile. He placed a hand on his chest and gave voice to a clear word that Khan recognized as his name. "Eztli!"


    Khan didn''t show any happiness at that event. Eztli had suffered a severe injury, but he appeared unwilling to abandon the fight. Even Teco wore a complicated expression but remained silent in front of his student''s determination.


    ''The Ef''i are crazy,'' Khan thought when he saw Eztli lowering his arm, closing his eyes, and tensing his body.


    Eztli''s muscles bulged from under the tight open garments that covered his shoulders and the side of his torso. Khan could see the flow of blood intensifying during that process and tainting his short tight trousers.


    The muscles seemed to follow a precise rhythm that Khan could only connect to a technique. Eztli wanted to perform a move that used mana, and Khan''s expression inevitably lost every trace of emotion at that sight.


    Khan jumped off the arena to shoot toward Eztli. A kick flew toward the alien before he could complete gathering the energy for his technique and sent him back inside the wall.


    Eztli wasn''t immune to his blows anymore. Khan had kicked his face and had easily flung him inside the hole. The alien had left a trail of green blood during his flight, but everyone could still see his legs coming out of the wall.


    "Make him surrender!" Khan shouted while turning toward Teco, but the latter didn''t even bother to look at him.


    Khan turned toward Lieutenant Unchai at that point, but even the soldier appeared conflicted about the matter. Different emotions filled his face, with sadness being the most intense.


    "What am I supposed to do?" Khan asked. "Do I have to kill him if he doesn''t give up?"


    "Teco won''t stop the battle since faswite is on the line," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Try to knock him down. Nothing will happen to you if he dies in the process."


    ''That''s great!'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''Killing someone when I''m not even seventeen can only do good things to my already broken mentality!''


    Khan began to feel angry and annoyed, but he didn''t back down from that situation. The army wasn''t a playground. He didn''t want to kill Eztli, but the alien wasn''t helping him in the matter.


    ''Just stay down,'' Khan begged in his mind, but Eztli didn''t listen to his silent request.


    Eztli''s legs twitched while he tried to crawl out of the hole. His tail and claws eventually pointed at the wall and helped him sliding out of the wall, but Khan delivered a kick as soon as he saw his head.


    The alien flew back inside the hole as more blood came out of his injury. Khan maintained his aloof expression when he inspected the scene, but a tinge of sadness inevitably seeped into his gaze. Killing felt so pointless there, but he had to continue fighting for humankind.


    Khan was even aware that backing down from the fight might lose him the respect of the Ef''i. His position inside the Global Army would also improve after winning the battle. Everything depended on whether he had the guts to pursue that path until the end.


    The images of the nightmare inevitably appeared in Khan''s vision. He felt cold and devoid of any motion as the Ef''i struggled to come out of the hole and showed his head.


    Khan delivered a powerful kick to the Eztli''s head as soon as it entered his vision. The alien flew deeper into the hole at that time, and his belly ended up hitting the upper parts of the small tunnel. The impact with those rocks made some of the blood flowing out of the injury splash and fly on Khan''s face, but he barely felt that.


    Lieutenant Unchai''s sadness intensified as he kept track of Khan''s actions. He could see the man ready for war hidden behind those young features. A simple tournament was forcing Khan to grow used to that side of him, and the soldier partially blamed himself.


    The other recruits had different reactions. Many humans still found it hard to inspect the scene, but those who could began to look at Khan in fear. They could barely believe that one of their companions was capable of such coldness.


    Instead, the aliens had all managed to focus on the scene by then. They had abandoned the anger caused by Khan''s dishonorable actions and had worn solemn expressions. None of them dared to make a sound while their friend was suffering a beatdown.


    Khan''s eyes flickered when he saw that Eztli''s injury worsened and started to release more blood. The muscles on his abdomen began to bulge and hinted at the summoning of mana for another technique.


    Khan promptly grabbed Eztli''s foot and dragged him out of the hole while throwing him back into the arena. The alien lost his concentration and dispersed the accumulated mana, but he landed on his knees and avoided sliding on the ground.


    However, the sudden dispersion of mana made his injury lose even more blood. Eztli created a small green pool under him while he remained crouched on the ground, and his complexion paled. He seemed on the verge of fainting, but his sheer will was keeping him awake.


    Khan couldn''t allow Eztli to stretch that battle any further. The alien had to faint now, or he would become a murderer.


    Eztli tried to stand up, but Khan arrived above him in an instant. His body was already airborne by the time Eztli planted his first foot on the ground.


    Khan''s leg rotated until his heel landed on Eztli''s neck, and the impact slammed the alien on the ground. More blood flowed out of his injury and enlarged the green puddle, but the Ef''i''s eyes finally closed after that attack.


    ''Finally!'' Khan shouted in his mind before noticing that his situation wasn''t ideal either.


    Blood had continued to flow out of his shoulder during the battle. His uniform had gained a large dark patch that didn''t mix well with his slightly pale complexion.


    Khan wanted to turn toward Lieutenant Unchai, but he stopped when he heard a splashing noise coming from his feet. The puddle of green blood had reached his shoes, and a wet sensation was spreading under his heels.


    "[The humans win],"


    "We won the tournament!"


    Teco and Lieutenant Unchai suddenly announced while Khan was busy staring at his shoes. They had initially been dark-blue, but the green blood had covered them with a completely different shade. That sight had also filled his eyes with helplessness.


    Luke and Martha forced themselves to give voice to excited cries and clap their hands, but the other recruits weren''t in the mood to show their support toward Khan after that gruesome scene.


    Khan showed a weak smile toward his two friends before nodding toward his proud Lieutenant. Then, he exchanged a series of polite and respectful glances with the Ef''i. Teco even stepped into the arena and shook his hand before crouching toward Eztli to inspect his injuries.


    "Take this," Teco said in a bad accent before Khan could leave the arena. "Give it to your leader."


    Khan glanced at the small lump of faswite before grabbing it with great care. The silver mineral was cold and incredibly light, even if it was only a tiny piece. It radiated a strange scent, similar to the plants seen at the beginning of the tunnel, but Khan didn''t spend time confirming that vague guess.


    "You did good," Lieutenant Unchai announced when Khan handed the faswite to him. "Make sure to perform well in the missions, and the Global Army will prepare something for you in the second semester."


    "When do the missions start?" Khan asked when he recalled about that event.


    "Officially?" Lieutenant Unchai laughed. "Tomorrow!"


    ****


    Author''s notes: I''m far better. The fever is down, and the throat has also stopped hurting in the last hours. I think I''m ready to go back to full speed, so you can expect more chapters from tomorrow onward. Today it will be the usual one for chaos and a long one for demonic sword.

 Chapter 55: Women

    The first semester was about to end. The last two weeks of the sixth month usually marked the beginning of the missions that would evaluate the overall growth of the recruits and their different aptitudes, and Khan''s class had just approached them.


    "Do we have to use the teleport again?" Khan asked as the excitement that he felt helped sweep away part of the sadness that had taken control of his mind.


    "Yes, but I can''t disclose your destination," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "The Global Army doesn''t want to give anyone time to prepare for the different environment."


    The training camp had many wealthy recruits who could purchase or ask their families for suitable equipment once they discovered the location of the missions. Khan felt glad to learn that the Global Army was trying to prevent unfair advantages.


    Soft grunts suddenly resounded behind Khan. Teco was turning Eztli, and more blood fell out of the foot-shaped injury on his abdomen during the process. Yet, Teco promptly tore a piece of his peculiar robe to put a patch on it.


    Azure energy flowed out of Teco''s hand and sealed the piece of his robe to the injury. His mana also made it waterproof and stopped the bleeding, but his expression didn''t appear relieved in the slightest.


    "There are many spells that don''t require much concentration," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "The Global Army barely considers them as spells. You can give special features to your mana once you learn how to control it. It''s not a vital skill, but it can help in many areas, especially on the battlefield."


    Khan nodded while he watched Teco lifting Eztli and carrying him into a tunnel that led deeper into the mountain.


    "Will he be okay?" Khan asked while following the duo with his eyes until they disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel.


    "He should," Lieutenant Unchai announced. "Mana can heal almost every injury. I once met a soldier with the flesh element who could rebuild entire human tissues. Surviving is easy. You just have to be careful about what you''ll become in the process."


    Khan lowered his eyes and remained silent for a while before heaving a deep sigh. Everything was in the past now. It was time to focus on the future.


    "Can I go to the training hall now?" Khan asked as his voice gained a shameless tone.


    "You should enjoy your last day ther-," Lieutenant Unchai exclaimed before approaching Khan''s shoulder to pat him, but the dark patch on his uniform suddenly reminded him about his injury. "You aren''t going anywhere! Some of you drag this idiot to the medical bay. Don''t let him sneak away."


    Martha promptly stepped forward, and Luke grabbed Bruce by his uniform before following his friend. The trio encircled Khan and quickly escorted him outside of the mountain.


    "You don''t have to do this," Khan said once the sunlight hit his eyes. "We can make a deal. I''ll let you use the training hall once if we all go there."


    "How magnanimous of you," Martha laughed.


    "I think I have enough Credits to live inside a training hall," Luke commented while scratching his chin.


    "The most expensive training hall in Ylaco''s camp even," Bruce scoffed.


    "You aren''t any different, Bruce," Luke complained. "The Cobsend family has a higher status because of its connection with the noble families, but the Eerly family isn''t poor at all. I might even say that you have as many Credits as me."


    "That might be true," Bruce laughed, "But we both know that connections are more important than Credits at some point."


    "Can we go back to my topic?" Khan asked. "The entire camp knows that you are rich. They literally know me because I''m with you."


    "And because you stole Martha in mere weeks," Bruce said while clearing his throat to cover his words.


    "I need to bring my hammers around more often," Martha snorted, but she lowered her head to hide her faint blush.


    "Khan, I''ll try to make it simple," Luke announced. "You have just secured a small chunk of faswite for the Global Army. The higher-ups will definitely make you attend a few missions here once we become proper soldiers. They want you to win tournaments, so they will invest in your training without asking anything in return."


    "Will they?" Khan asked as his eyes lit up.


    "Think it through," Bruce continued. "The Ef''i are generally stronger than us before the evolution, but you already are better than them. The Global Army will pay any price to send you here again."


    "Is faswite so important?" Khan eventually asked.


    "Organic cores are rare and inconvenient," Luke explained. "The future of the Global Army is with synthetic cores. The demand of faswite is nigh-endless due to all the recruits and ongoing experiments."


    The conversation went on until the group reached the medical bay of the alien camp. It was a short building with large windows that showed its white insides filled with soldiers wearing white medical coats. All of them appeared to be human.


    "We can leave him to you, right?" Bruce asked while looking at Martha.


    "I''m not his nanny," Martha snorted.


    "I hope not," Luke winked before the two boys left the area in a hurry and left Khan and Martha alone.


    Khan turned to show a pleading expression toward Martha, but she gave voice to a low curse before pushing him inside the medical bay. A few nurses quickly arrived when they noticed the patch of blood on his uniform, and they immediately dragged him into one of the corridors.


    One of the nurses took out a small knife that released a faint white light from its sharp edge and began to cut the dirty uniform. Khan wanted to complain, but he found himself shirtless in less than an instant.


    "I could have taken it off," Khan complained. "No need to ruin an almost perfect uniform."


    "Please be silent and don''t move," One of the nurses ordered. "The injury has stopped bleeding, but the cut is quite deep. Also, you have multiple untreated contusions everywhere."


    The second nurse cut away his trousers, which left Khan in pants in the middle of the corridor. Only the two nurses, Martha, and Khan were there, but he still felt a bit exposed.


    "Wasn''t there a room available?" Khan complained while scratching the side of his head.


    "We use them only in essential situations," One of the nurses explained. "This is a medical bay in an alien camp. We must always be ready for a crisis."


    The atmosphere in that medical bay was far different compared to Ylaco''s training camp. Everything was tenser and handled quickly. The nurses and doctors didn''t take their work as a simple job. They were on a mission there.


    "Stay here and don''t move," One of the nurses said before both of them pushed Khan on a bed and left to grab a few meds.


    "They feel more like soldiers," Khan laughed while turning toward Martha, but he suddenly noticed that she was avoiding his gaze.


    "What is it?" Khan asked. "Is something wrong?"


    Martha glanced at Khan from the corner of her eyes, but she quickly moved her gaze away. Khan was basically naked. His pants covered his manhood, but they did a poor job at hiding its shape.


    Martha managed to get a good look at Khan''s body even with those glances. She could see how defined his muscles were. Khan was barely sixteen and a half, but his physique had already reached an incredible and quite appealing state.


    "Are you ok?" Khan continued to ask.


    Khan wasn''t dense, but too much had happened that day. His mind could barely go past the events with Eztli, and the issues with the incoming mission waited for him afterward. He didn''t have enough room to consider that Martha could feel shy seeing him almost naked.


    The nurses suddenly reappeared at the end of the corridor, and Khan waved his hand to claim their attention.


    "Can you take a look at my friend?" Khan shouted. "She doesn''t seem too good."


    The nurses quickly moved toward Martha, and understanding smiles appeared on their faces when they saw her blush.


    "Can you handle him on your own?" Martha asked while keeping her voice down.


    "Are you sure that you want to miss this?" One of the nurses teased her, but Martha promptly turned and left the area.


    "Don''t tell me that it''s my fault," Khan sighed when the two women turned their smiles toward him.


    "Young boys shouldn''t ignore their ladies," The first nurse exclaimed.


    "Everything seems complicated at this age," The second nurse continued, "But it really isn''t. I bet you two have yet to clarify your situation."


    ''Women are sharp!'' Khan shouted in his mind before lying backward and placing his back on the wall. ''I guess I should talk to her, but what can I even say. The missions will start tomorrow. Neither of us has time to handle feelings now.''

 Chapter 56: Wolf

    The nurses ended up applying some stitches on Khan''s shoulder and a few lotions on the various contusions that afflicted his body. They even left him with clear orders. He couldn''t do any physical training that night if he wanted to heal by the next morning.


    The medical bay gave him a new uniform before ordering him to return to his dormitory. Khan unwillingly followed those directives, but surprise filled his expression when he saw a cheerful horde of recruits waiting for him near his rooms.


    It seemed that everyone wanted to celebrate his victory in the tournament, and Khan decided to play along. He wouldn''t refuse the additional food that his companions were throwing at him, but he didn''t forget that most of them were unable to look at him just a few minutes ago.


    Khan often searched for Martha with his gaze, but he always found her busy talking with her friends. Khan never found the opportunity to free himself from the constant attention that the other recruits were shooting toward him, so he accepted that the chance to talk with Martha would never come that night.


    The other recruits threw a storm of questions toward him. They wanted to know the secret behind his power or eventual tricks to perform during their training. However, Khan couldn''t give them anything. His ability came from constant exercise and a good mindset built in the Slums.


    The desperation caused by his nightmares had played a crucial role in his training, but Khan wasn''t willing to reveal that. He limited himself to give vague answers until he found a way to return to his flat and seal the entrance.


    A heavy sigh escaped his mouth when the silence of his flat filled his ears. He had finally managed to leave the crowd. His mind could take care of reviewing the last battle and sort his emotions while he prepared to start his usual training.


    His belly was full, and he barely felt his wounds. His condition was perfect for his mental training and meditations, and he still had many hours left in front of him. Khan could make full use of the additional time without sacrificing his sleep.


    The eighth mental training was still a challenging opponent. Khan had made some progress in that exercise during those two weeks, but he had yet to feel confident in clearing it.


    Still, he felt glad to discover that each aspect of his training seemed to benefit his overall growth. His battles against the puppets helped him gain a firmer grip on his emotions, which subsequently improved his execution of the eighth mental exercise.


    The same happened backward, and everything eventually flowed into his meditations. Khan''s ability would take a step forward as a whole whenever one part of his training experienced improvements. Even his recent execution of a proper technique with mana came from the convergence of his various feats.


    The alarm rang, and Khan stopped draining his mind over the eighth mental exercise. He felt tired, but he still had many hours available for his meditation, so he didn''t hesitate to switch to his second training.


    However, Khan noticed that Martha had sent a message when he unlocked the phone to set the next alarm.


    ''Where did you get those muscles?!'' Khan read on his phone before wearing a smile.


    Khan had finally understood why Martha had been so strange for the entire afternoon, and the explanation left him laughing on his bed for a whole minute.


    ''Did you like what you saw?'' Khan wrote and sent before continuing to laugh.


    Martha''s answer was almost immediate and left Khan''s speechless. He almost couldn''t believe his eyes when he read the simple "yes" written on his screen.


    ''What do I even answer now?'' Khan wondered as a faint blush appeared on his face.


    He didn''t expect such a direct answer. His knowledge in matters related to love and relationships was non-existent, and having to handle that situation through the phone was even slightly annoying.


    Khan stared at the screen in silence, unclear about what to answer. The desire to see Martha made its way inside his mind. Still, she sent another message before his thoughts could explore the topic any further.


    ''Don''t overthink it and finish your daily routine quickly. We have the semestral missions tomorrow.'' Khan read on the phone before heaving a deep sigh.


    ''I think I can confirm that she likes me, right?'' Khan thought while lying on the bed and closing his eyes.


    He couldn''t ignore the happiness that had appeared in his mind, but that feeling struggled to find enough room to exist among his other thoughts. The matters with the Global Army, his nightmares, and his training were already too heavy. Khan didn''t know if he could add a potential relationship to his life, but he would definitely try to do it.


    ''Don''t tell me that dad was right,'' Khan laughed in his mind. ''Do I really need to find condoms?!''


    .


    .


    .


    A siren sounded through the entire dormitory early in the morning. Lieutenant Unchai''s orders quickly followed that noise and forced all the recruits to pack up and gather in front of the building.


    The Lieutenant was already waiting for them, and he quickly led the group toward the camp''s exit.


    Khan didn''t miss the chance to approach Martha, who was yawning in the corner of the group. The girl wore a complicated expression at that sight, but she eventually showed a slight smile.


    "What''s with those eyebags?" Martha asked as she suppressed a faint laugh. "You went to sleep late."


    "The meds are to blame," Khan snorted. "I didn''t think my body would naturally absorb the stitches. I actually had to search it up in the network before being able to sleep."


    "Look at you," Martha laughed. "You can use the network on your own now. I''m so proud."


    "You don''t look too rested either," Khan tried to go on the offensive. "Did you think about something in particular?"


    Khan uncovered his abdomen to use his uniform as a fan. He pretended to be hot, but he was clearly teasing the girl next to him.


    "Cover yourself before the Lieutenant sees you," Martha laughed while covering his mouth. "I''m not like that, okay? You just took me by surprise."


    "What if I were like that?" Khan asked.


    "Do you lust after muscular bodies?" Martha asked. "No wonder you spend so much time with Lieutenant Dyester."


    "You know what I meant," Khan smiled while adjusting his uniform and making sure that Martha watched the scene. "And you also know that one of us had to say it."


    "Shut up," Martha whispered. "We would need to live on a planet where the days last fifty hours just to consider that."


    "I''m considering it anyway," Khan announced.


    "You are an idiot who needs a phone to rule the length of his training sessions," Martha rebuked.


    "We can use the phone for that too!" Khan exclaimed.


    "We won''t use a phone for that," Martha quickly refuted Khan''s idea.


    "Something is there then," Khan smiled.


    "The whole training camp can''t be completely wrong, can it?" Martha said before a faint blush appeared on her cheek. "Focus now. The semestral missions are here."


    "Can we talk about this properly once we are back?" Khan asked.


    "No," Martha immediately replied before lowering her head. "Maybe."


    "Maybe is enough," Khan announced before continuing to walk next to her in silence.


    Luke and Bruce had noticed that interaction by then, but they didn''t dare to approach the duo. The two boys had been with Khan and Martha far longer than the other recruits of the special class, so they could sense that something was off.


    Martha and Khan had always spent a lot of time together, and they had clearly shared a few secrets. However, they had never obtained the romantic aura that new couples usually had.


    Still, that feeling was surrounding the duo now. Luke and Bruce could almost sense that their relationship had taken a step forward. Something had changed during the two weeks on Onia, but the two boys couldn''t understand the reason behind that event.


    A long truck and a jeep were waiting for the recruits at the exit of the training camp. Lieutenant Unchai quickly ordered everyone to jump in, but the class of Ef''i suddenly appeared in the distance and delayed their departure.


    Khan felt happy to see that Eztli was among them. He needed the help of one of his companions to stand up, and his waist had many green patches, but he was alive.


    Teco forced his students to form a line in front of the human class and perform a military salute. Then, Lieutenant Unchai''s voice roared behind Khan and the others and ordered them to reply with a similar gesture.


    The two groups exchanged their polite salutations, and Khan didn''t miss how Eztli''s gaze never left him. Khan couldn''t help but smile at that sight, but the Lieutenant soon made them break the ranks and go toward the truck.


    "It''s hard to believe that we have been on another planet," Khan sighed as he kept his eyes on the openings of the trucks to memorize Onia''s desolate environment.


    "Your body will remind you of the difference once we go back on Earth," Martha laughed, and her gaze often fell on Khan''s curious expression.


    The truck didn''t take much to get back to the camp that held the teleport. Lieutenant Unchai made all the recruits jump off the vehicle before leading them toward a familiar structure.


    Scanners and green floors unfolded in Khan''s vision as he returned to the first alien building seen during that travel. It was time to leave, but the recruits had yet to learn about their destination, and Lieutenant Unchai had no intention to reveal it to them.


    "I won''t follow you there," Lieutenant Unchai announced once everyone gained access to the circular area with the teleport. "A different Lieutenant will take care of handling the semestral missions. Be sure to use the valuable battle experience you have gathered here to make your training camp shine. Bring honor to Ylaco."


    "Do you mean that we''ll have to fight against other training camps?" Khan asked, and everyone fell silent before turning toward Lieutenant Unchai.


    The soldier didn''t say anything else. He showed a wide smile before giving the order to the scientists. The teleport activated, and all the recruits jumped on the oval platform.


    Khan could feel the area of synthetic mana gathering around him again, but another sensation suddenly spread through his arm. His eyes went on that spot and noticed that Martha was holding his hand.


    "The first time wasn''t too nice," Martha briefly explained.


    Khan limited himself to tighten his grasp on Martha''s hand and nod. No one could see their gesture since everyone was busy worrying about the side effects of the teleport. Yet, the machine activated before any of them could even think about preparing their minds.


    Everything went dark before a few sensations appeared among that darkness. Khan felt cold spreading from his knees, but his left hand was warm. His vision then returned and allowed him to see that he was kneeling on a white platform surrounded by glowing blue plants.


    Martha was crouching at his side, and the other recruits were in a similar situation. Some of them still puked, but the white surface of the teleport took care of that waste.


    Khan wanted to help Martha, but a huge figure suddenly filled his vision. A more than two meters tall humanoid creature walked toward the group of recruits and showed a displeased expression when it noticed their state.


    ''Isn''t that a Kred?'' Khan wondered when he inspected the creature.


    The alien was massive. Its furry skin didn''t manage to hide the tight array of bulging muscles. The creature had the face of a wolf that had inherited a few human features, and its fingers ended with sharp claws.


    "You are another disappointing bunch," A female human voice came out of the Kred. "Welcome to Istrone. I will be your Lieutenant for the semestral missions."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I''m back.

 Chapter 57: Plain

    "I''m Lieutenant Sehlolo of the Global Army," The humanoid wolf-like alien announced. "I will handle the special class of Ylaco''s training camp. Other Lieutenants will manage the other groups from your city and the other training camps. We can move once you stop puking on the teleport."


    Khan never blinked as he kept his gaze on the Kred. He had only seen a few images of that alien species on the network due to their connection to Lieutenant Dyester, but the real deal gave off a completely different vibe.


    The Kred were creatures that humans often saw as evolved animals due to their stark resemblance with the fauna on Earth. Lieutenant Sehlolo was the perfect example of a wolf who learned how to stand on two feet and talk.


    Their language didn''t have fixed grammatical rules. The Kred used cries that reflected their apparent connection with the animal species on Earth, but they could understand each other even if their sounds were different.


    A wolf-like Kred could understand a lion-like Kred and so on. The reason behind that feature was an innate mental connection among the members of their species. They were a spiritual bunch, and humans could communicate with them only if they managed to tap on that mental environment.


    Khan had tried to understand more during his lessons of xenolinguistics, but Professor Thogett had never focused on a single alien language during the first semester. Rumors said that accessing that mental connection was possible only after accepting the innate feral side, but Khan didn''t know how to take that information.


    ''She definitely looks wild,'' Khan commented in his mind while trying to find any feature that could hint at her sex.


    Dark-blue fur covered the entirety of Lieutenant Sehlolo''s body. A few white strands of hair appeared under her long chin and seemed to stretch through her chest, but Khan couldn''t confirm that due to her uniform.


    Her right shoulder featured two stars, while the left only one. She was a second-level warrior and a first-level mage, but Khan wondered whether those symbols had the same value on a Kred.


    ''I didn''t know that the Global Army had aliens in its ranks,'' Khan thought while planting a foot on the teleport. ''They should have a better body, but they can''t handle mana as well as us.''


    Khan reviewed the little information about the Kred learnt during the past months while he prepared to stand up. He recalled their devotion to mana and their rebellion, but his knowledge ended there.


    Martha was still holding his hand, and she had yet to find the strength to stand up, but her complexion was far better than the other recruits. She seemed ready to leave the teleport, but she clearly needed some help.


    Khan crouched toward her ear before whispering a few words. "I''m going to help you stand now."


    Martha frowned before performing a weak nod. Her grasp on Khan''s hand tightened before relaxing and releasing it completely.


    Khan took that as the signal that she was ready to stand. He took her hand and placed it on his shoulder before wrapping his arm behind her back and slowly pull her up.


    Khan would be lying if he said that he wasn''t enjoying that moment. He didn''t like seeing Martha in that state, but the warm sensation spreading from the hand clutched at her waist was quite intoxicating.


    He had heard his peers talking about hormones, but he had never felt them so clearly. Part of him wanted to hold Martha right away, but he suppressed that instinct to focus on helping her.


    Martha clutched her hand on Khan''s shoulder, but her grasp slipped away. She had to reach for his neck to gain a good handhold, and her short nails inevitably tried to pierce his skin.


    The duo eventually ended up on their feet, and Khan remained in that position until Martha found her balance. The process took a few seconds, and Martha''s hand soon left his neck to slide through his back and return to her side.


    Khan did the same once Martha nodded, and the duo exchanged an understanding gaze afterward. They both had performed a few useless moves just to touch their friend''s back a bit longer, but they let that knowledge remain silent.


    The other recruits were doing worse than them, but Bruce and Luke showed signs of recovery. The two kids from the Rotston family were in a similar situation. It would only take a few minutes before all of them could stand on their feet and leave the teleport.


    Martha and Khan jumped off the platform and started to study the area. The teleport was almost identical to the others seen on Earth and Onia, but the rest of the building was completely different.


    The floor didn''t have metal tiles. Instead, ground and glowing blue plants surrounded the oval platform. Walls made of a black material that seemed able to store electricity separated that hall from the outside world.


    Many consoles and soldiers wearing white medical coats handled the various consoles attached to the black material, and a dark corridor connected the hall to the rest of the building.


    There wasn''t much metal in the hall. Most of the materials used for the walls and tubes that brought electricity and mana seemed to come from natural substances. Only the consoles and the teleport had a completely different technology, which required various alloys.


    The recruits slowly stood up and gathered around Lieutenant Sehlolo. The Kred grunted before turning toward the corridor, and the kids instinctively followed her.


    The same black walls unfolded in their vision. Pale azure glows shone from behind that strange material and made the recruits fear that everything could crumble at the slight tremor. After all, that black substance seemed to have the same fabric as Onia''s terrain.


    "Humans always rely on their metal," Lieutenant Sehlolo snorted when she saw the reaction of the recruits. "You are completely unaware of the potential of natural resources, but your power allows you to thrive in your ignorance."


    "I''m sorry, ma''am?" One of the recruits asked after mustering enough courage. "Why did you decide to join the Global Army then?"


    "We can do better together, humans and Kred," Lieutenant Sehlolo explained. "Istrone has been the home of the most recent rebellion, but the Kred believe in peace and cooperation. It''s only logical for some of us to join the Global Army and try to change things from the inside."


    "Change what, ma''am?" Another recruit asked.


    Lieutenant Sehlolo didn''t seem too scary after her first answer. She had a threatening appearance, and a wild aura surrounded her, but her voice hid a peculiar kindness. Her behavior was rude compared to human standards, but Khan began to accept that the Kred simply were extremely honest.


    "Humans exploit the mana without caring about the consequences on the environment," Lieutenant Sehlolo explained. "Mana can empower everyone and have enough power left for the world, but the humans don''t know how to contain themselves. They need a Kred to learn harmony."


    The group went through the usual scanners and signed the familiar forms before going out of the building. Khan discovered that even Martha, Bruce, and Luke didn''t require to use pills to breathe anymore, and he couldn''t help but feel happy for them.


    A proper jungle unfolded in their vision once they left the building. Tall trees that had greenish trunks and blue leaves stood all around the structure. Their large and thick crowns covered the sky, but a yellowish halo seeped through them anyway.


    Azure glows ran through the terrain and ended in various plants that trembled when that energy spread through their structures. Violet flowers blossomed right in front of the group''s eyes, and new vegetation appeared from those spots.


    Khan and the trio who didn''t need the pills took a few minutes to accept the change of atmosphere. The air there was dense and wet but also powerful. Khan could feel mana everywhere. It seemed that every inch of Istrone had grown with that energy.


    "The days last twenty-six hours here, with an almost perfect division between day and night," Lieutenant Sehlolo explained once Khan and the others became able to breathe. "Don''t underestimate the vegetation, humans. Most of the plants here have a will of their own and have gained special abilities through mana. You can consider them Tainted creatures."


    Everyone immediately became wary of their surroundings. The recruits had yet to see a spot of Istrone that lacked plants, so their worries inevitably intensified.


    "There aren''t many paths on Istrone," Lieutenant Sehlolo continued. "Only the natives here can avoid losing themselves in this everchanging environment. Follow me closely. The area for the first mission is right ahead."


    The group followed Lieutenant Sehlolo across uneven paths that had many hindrances on their way. They had to move roots, branches, bushes, and even entire plants at times to proceed forward, but a large plain eventually unfolded in their eyes.


    Khan could finally see the single sun of Istrone once his group left the tight array of trees. The star radiated a pale-yellow light that kept the temperatures relatively low. He wasn''t freezing, but he felt like in autumn on Earth.


    Crowds of younglings filled the immense plain and surrounded the various metal platforms in the area. Those structures were thirty meters wide and two meters tall, but they had stairs on their side, which hinted at some special purpose.


    Khan recognized some of the students from Ylaco, but he also saw many unfamiliar faces. However, the uniforms were all identical. The location of their training camp didn''t matter. They all belonged to the Global Army.

 Chapter 58: Flare

    Shouts and peculiar roars resounded through the plain as the various Lieutenants handled their groups. Khan saw other Kred wearing the dark-blue uniforms of the Global Army among them. He managed to identify a horse-like and a lion-like alien before Lieutenant Sehlolo forced his teammates to focus and walk toward one of the platforms.


    A group of recruits was already there, but Khan didn''t recognize any of those faces. They seem to belong to a different training camp, and a tinge of curiosity inevitably appeared in his mind.


    Khan had never been past Ylaco on Earth, and he didn''t even remember much of the city''s insides. His planet was a mystery, and his curiosity eventually tried to make him speak with the other recruits.


    However, Martha promptly pulled his sleeve and gestured to bend toward her.


    "They might be our opponents in the missions," Martha whispered. "Don''t try to make new friends now."


    "We have become very touchy since our conversation," Khan teased her, completely ignoring her previous statement. "I must say that I like it."


    "Shut up and focus on the missions," Martha snorted, but a smile appeared on her face even if she wanted to show an annoyed expression.


    "Someone also likes it," Khan commented while straightening his back and glancing at Lieutenant Sehlolo.


    "You said it, not me," Martha promptly replied before following his gaze.


    Lieutenant Sehlolo had climbed on the platform to meet the two soldiers in charge of the other groups. The three exchanged words that Khan and Martha didn''t manage to hear, but they didn''t fail to notice that the trio often glanced toward the sky.


    "Do they really expect us to do the missions in this condition," Luke asked while looking in the same direction. "Most of us can barely stand, and we are the special class. I bet the other recruits are far worse off."


    "They must have a reason for this gathering," Bruce joined the conversation. "These platforms seem landing spots. They might want to transfer us somewhere before starting the missions."


    "Are we going to fly?" Khan asked as his eyes lit up.


    "Didn''t you fly before?" Martha asked. "We flew together when Lieutenant Unchai brought us to the training camp."


    "A mere platform and an old truck don''t count," Khan complained. "I want to see a proper spaceship in action."


    "I don''t think they''ll deploy actual spaceships for the missions," Luke explained. "Those things run on synthetic mana. You can''t expect them to waste it like this."


    "My Credits are on helicopters," Bruce added. "Nothing is cheaper than them."


    "Nothing is older than them," Martha scoffed. "I believe they''ll send small troop carriers. They should be perfect for this environment."


    The four friends eventually fell silent since they could only wait to see the answer to their doubts. Clouds covered the sun as the minutes passed, and a thin rain even started to fall at some point.


    The Lieutenants did nothing to shield the recruits from the rain. The semestral missions had already started, and enduring the harsh conditions of the environment was one of the requirements. Moreover, it was hard for bodies empowered by mana to catch a cold or a similar illness.


    The minutes slowly transformed into an hour, but nothing happened. Other groups of recruits had entered the plain during that time, but their Lieutenants had only divided them across the various platforms.


    "I think it''s time to give a few instructions," Lieutenant Sehlolo suddenly announced once another group entered the plain. "We will divide all of you and create mixed groups. You''ll end up with recruits from other training camps. Working together is the key to get through the first mission."


    A wave of surprise filled Khan''s group. They didn''t expect the mission to force them to work with unfamiliar recruits, especially when they came from other training camps. They had initially thought that the tasks would be a competition between cities due to Lieutenant Unchai''s words, but they seemed to be deceiving.


    "The performance of the group won''t affect your individual score," Lieutenant Sehlolo continued. "You might gain access to the second mission even if your team fails to complete the first. The Global Army has already activated a scanner in your phone to keep track of your actions, so don''t worry about unfair treatments."


    Khan immediately picked his phone and noticed that most of its functions had gone dark. It only marked the hour and depicted a vague map now.


    The other Lieutenants on all the platforms were explaining the same things to their respective recruits. Khan guessed that the first mission was about to start, and the appearance of large vehicles in the sky confirmed his hypothesis.


    Khan opened his mouth in surprise when he saw dark-gray planes descending toward the platforms. Those vehicles had two wings and a large cockpit. Their tail was short and thick, and engines that released an azure light stood right at the center of the whole structure.


    The engines had the shape of circular gears that contained levitating azure spheres. They only needed to turn to change the direction of the released energy.


    The carriers slowly descended toward the platform and turned their engines off. Their tall doors opened and showed their ample insides. They could contain up to eight grown-up soldiers in their central section.


    "I''ll form groups of four now," Lieutenant Sehlolo announced. "Make sure to memorize the name I''m calling. They will be your teammates and your first opponents. We plan to eliminate half of you as soon as you land."


    Another wave of surprised gasps spread through the recruits, and a notification appeared on everyone''s phone. The details of the first mission became a menu on the devices.


    The first mission was relatively straightforward. Each troop carrier would bring two teams to an isolated location and force them to fight. The winning group would then have to return to the plain with nothing more than their vague map.


    "The Global Army has already freed a few Tainted animals in this area," Lieutenant Sehlolo continued. "They can''t infect anyone, and they will have reduced offensive abilities, but they can still kill you. This isn''t training anymore. You are on the battlefield now."


    Lieutenant Sehlolo then started listing names. Groups of four formed and walked toward their assigned carried before the soldier moved to the next team.


    Khan eventually heard his name and walked toward the stairs while whispering a faint "good luck" to Martha. The girl did the same, and the two exchanged a quick smile before focusing on the mission again.


    Three unfamiliar recruits gathered around Khan before Lieutenant Sehlolo sent them to the carrier. The four spots next to them remained empty since the Lieutenant had yet to call their opponents.


    "I bet we didn''t hear our names due to this annoying rain," One of the girls in Khan''s group announced while wearing a smile. "Memorizing them now is also pointless since we might never see each other after these missions. Why don''t we name ourselves after our cities?"


    "Good idea," The boy next to Khan announced. "I''m Flurris."


    "Ylaco," Khan promptly added.


    "Etherdale," The second girl exclaimed.


    "Perfect," The first girl said as her smile broadened. "I''ll be Reebfell then. Nice to meet you all."


    The rain intensified during the wait, but a second group of recruits eventually arrived in Khan''s carrier and occupied the seats next to his team.


    The tension inside the carrier immediately intensified as the two groups inspected each other. They would fight as soon they landed, and the losers would fail to join the second mission if they didn''t show anything worthy of consideration.


    The other group didn''t speak. Khan felt lucky that his team had the chance to say something before that inevitable awkward silence. Still, now he couldn''t wait for the mission to start.


    Martha eventually climbed on the platform and moved toward one of the carriers. Khan didn''t manage to make their gazes meet under that heavy rain, but he still followed her with his eyes. His other companions soon did the same and took place on different carriers, and some of them had to walk toward other platforms even.


    Each platform could only contain three carriers, which took care of twenty-four recruits. Many kids had to move toward other platforms or wait for vehicles to rise in the air and leave their spots open.


    The carriers on Khan''s platform ended up going into the sky to leave their spot to other vehicles. They didn''t fly toward the beginning of the mission yet since it would be unfair toward the other recruits. They simply hoovered in the sky and waited for all the kids to take their place.


    Khan kept track of Martha''s vehicle. He wondered if he could meet her team in Istrone''s harsh environment, but he knew that those were delusions.


    His mind had to be on the mission, but he couldn''t stop thinking about his return to Earth. He could actually gain a girlfriend if everything went well.


    The other troop carriers soon flew in the air and floated in a circle above the edges of the plain. Everything was ready for the beginning of the mission. The pilots were only waiting for a signal from the Lieutenants.


    Then, one of the Lieutenants shot a flare at the center of that airborne circle, and the various vehicles departed in different directions.


    Khan and the others peeked from the windows to memorize the layout of the thick vegetation under them. They wanted to obtain an advantage in the second part of the mission, but everything seemed the same from the sky. Also, the rain covered most details so, they didn''t manage to understand much.


    However, many red lights suddenly lit up among the thick trees. Scarlet trails and smoke also came out of those spots. It seemed that someone had launched other flares, but their trajectory seemed off.


    "Brace yourselves!" One of the pilots shouted through the communicator inside the carrier before a firework of red light filled Khan''s vision.


    He saw multiple explosions happening in the distance, and one of them seemed to come from the direction of Martha''s carrier. Still, Khan didn''t manage to think about much since an explosion eventually resounded under his vehicle and made the pilot lose control.

 Chapter 59: Corpses

    Everything became a mess. The troop carrier started to spin and turn as the pilots failed to regain control of the vehicle. Khan and the other recruits weren''t wearing seat belts, so they began to smash on the various surfaces of the plane during the fall.


    The other recruits panicked and tried to grab anything that resembled a handhold, but Khan was calmer than his companions. That wasn''t his first crisis, so he knew that letting his emotions take control of his mind wouldn''t help.


    Khan flew and slammed on the other kids and insides of the carrier until he managed to grab one of the seats. His veins bulged as he forced himself to wrap the seat belts around him in a desperate attempt to reduce the damage from the imminent crash.


    Then, the troop carrier hit the ground, and everything went dark. Khan had sparse moments of awareness filled with pain and a buzzing noise that didn''t make him understand where he was, but his vision slowly gained some clarity.


    A familiar scene unfolded in his eyes. Khan saw fuming debris and metal slabs mixed among the thick vegetation. Some of them were on fire, but the plants on Istrone seemed too resilient to burn.


    Some of the other recruits were absent. The carrier was on its side, and its doors had disappeared. The same went for three kids, and one of them was from his team.


    The recruits inside the carrier weren''t in good condition either. They didn''t manage to fasten their seat belts, so they had suffered many injuries during the crash before amassing on the broken side that touched the ground.


    Khan didn''t manage to understand the nature of their injuries from his position, but his survival instincts didn''t allow him to prioritize their well-being. He had clearly ended in an unforeseen situation, and the only ones who could know more about the whole situation were in the front of the troop carrier.


    ''I must talk with the pilots!'' Khan immediately concluded in his mind and lowered his head to remove the seat belt.


    Khan''s expression froze when he saw that a sharp slab had pierced his left shoulder. The cut was deep, and a lot of blood flowed out of it. The injury appeared relatively serious, but he managed to see the positive side in that situation.


    ''My legs are fine at least,'' Khan sighed before wearing a determined expression and tinkering with the seat belt to remove it.


    The seat belt unlocked, and Khan gave voice to a grunt when he grabbed the edge of the broken door to avoid falling on the other side of the carrier.


    Only his right hand worked properly, so Khan had to wrestle with the various unstable footholds inside the vehicle to get out of it. His new position didn''t improve his point of view. The vegetation was too thick to see past ten meters in every direction.


    ''Deal with the injury first,'' Khan ordered to himself as dizziness tried to take control of his mind.


    He was bleeding too much, but the global army had managed to give a few lessons that could help him during anatomy. Khan knew that he had to cauterize the injury, and his eyes grew cold when he set his gaze on a fuming metal slab right under the vehicle.


    Khan grunted again when he jumped off the carrier, and a tinge of hesitation appeared in his mind when he sensed the heat radiated by the piece of metal.


    ''I have gone through the Second Impact,'' Khan reminded himself. ''How bad can this be?''


    The upper part of his uniform only had a few holes, but Khan ripped it apart to create a thick cover for his right hand. Then, he took another piece of fabric and folded it a few times before putting it in his mouth.


    His teeth bit hard on the piece of uniform before he took the sharp metal out of his shoulder. Pain filled his mind, and dense patches of black blood came out of the injury, but he quickly moved to the next phase to preserve his momentum.


    Khan threw the bloody shard away and crouched to grab the scorching metal slab. The protection didn''t manage to block all the heat, but it was enough to make his hand endure it until the procedure ended.


    Khan took a few deep breaths and applied everything he had learnt during his mental training to separate his mind from his emotions. The scorching slab released sizzling noises when it touched his shoulder, and a massive wave of pain tried to tear down his determination, but Khan only pushed the metal with more intensity.


    Khan counted the seconds in his mind and threw away the metal slab once he reached three. His knees immediately hit the ground at that point, and his eyes closed to help him enter the meditative state.


    The adrenaline released during the fall seemed to give Khan more control over his mana. A similar crisis had given birth to his desperation and determination in the end. It was as if his body had returned home and could finally show its true power.


    Mana flowed out of his nape and converged toward his left shoulder. The injury had been losing too much blood, so Khan wasn''t sure that a simple cauterization could solve everything. He had to rely on the miraculous energy that flowed inside his body to fix what he could.


    Waves of mana attacked the injured spots and filled them with power. The intensity of the pain slowly decreased, and Khan even began to feel better. The dizziness vanished, and his left hand started to shake whenever he tried to move it.


    Khan remained inside his meditative state until he became able to close his hand into a fist. It would take a while to obtain a full recovery, especially without meds, but that was enough for now.


    ''The pilots now,'' Khan ordered to himself before standing and moving toward the front of the carrier.


    The scene that unfolded in his eyes would make most recruits puke. The tip of the carrier had completely caved in. Its metal had created a series of spikes that had pierced the two pilots. Blood covered their corpses, and confused expressions filled their faces.


    Khan sighed before wearing a cold expression. He kicked the shards of glass that were still in one piece and slipped inside the pilot cabin to remove the seat belts from the two corpses. Then, he dragged the dead bodies out of the vehicle and made sure not to leave anything important behind.


    Of course, his definition of important was relative. Khan was still incompetent when it came to tech. The vehicle probably had a communicator or something similar that could reach the Global Army, but he didn''t even know what it looked like.


    Khan recalled about his phone after glancing at the destroyed console of the pilot cabin. His device was still in his pocket, and it seemed to have survived the impact. Yet, most of the menus were dark. It seemed to be completely offline.


    ''This can''t be part of the missions, right?'' Khan wondered. ''These corpses are real, just like my injuries. Testing our ability to survive a plane crash is way too much.''


    Dark thoughts filled Khan''s mind as he approached the two dead soldiers. He could only think the obvious since he was on Istrone, but that wasn''t the time to make a point of his situation yet.


    The soldiers didn''t have much on them. Their phones had broken during the crash, and the same went for anything that could resemble a radio. Khan even inspected their shoulders to get an idea of their power, but neither of them had stars there.


    ''We are fucked,'' Khan cursed in his mind before mustering his strength and moving back inside the vehicle.


    Climbing was annoying due to the condition of his left arm, so he entered the pilot cabin again and kicked open the door that separated it from the central part of the vehicle.


    The four injured recruits were still unconscious, and Khan didn''t hesitate to grab them to drag them outside of the vehicle. Most of them had amassed on the side of the carrier, so he uncovered the central part by pulling them away.


    A large puddle of blood unfolded in Khan''s vision when he grabbed the last recruit lying on the ground where the carrier''s door was supposed to be. Other slimy materials filled that red pool and led to under the vehicle.


    Khan dragged the recruit outside of the carrier and returned inside it to inspect that spot, but his eyes immediately closed when he crouched to see what it hid. He had found one of the lost kids.


    ''Where are the other two?'' Khan wondered while inspecting the area, but his search didn''t produce any result.


    The carrier had slid on the terrain for a few hundreds of meters. Yet, the vegetation on Istrone had already started to fill the long hole created during the crash.


    Khan could barely see that path anymore. The trees around the destroyed area had stretched to fill the hole, and the mana flowing through the terrain was giving birth to other plants every second. It was a mystical scene that he didn''t manage to appreciate due to the severity of his situation.


    Khan didn''t dare to go too far during his exploration. He wouldn''t risk getting lost to find the two missing recruits. He only committed the direction of the broken path to memory before returning to the other kids.


    Thoughts inevitably surged at that point. Khan had retained a small brim of hope before. He wanted to believe that everything was part of the test, but the corpse of the recruit under the carrier had shattered that belief.


    That situation was outside of the Global Army''s control. It was an unforeseen crisis, something that Lieutenant Dyester and his platoon had faced forty years ago.


    Martha''s face appeared in Khan''s mind. He was worried about her, but he forced those emotions to vanish. Feelings wouldn''t help him survive. The time to grieve or shout in joy would come after he got out of that situation.

 Chapter 60: Panic

    The heavy rain quickly took care of the small fires around the destroyed troop carrier. Khan spent his time tending the recruits'' injuries, but their situation didn''t look good.


    Flurris and Reebfell''s injuries were lighter since they had been on the side that didn''t slide across the ground. Their bodies were full of bruises and cuts, but their wounds had already stopped bleeding after hours spent unconscious.


    The other two recruits were worse off. The boy had patches of scarred skin across the entire left side of his body. His uniform was also in pieces, and many metal scraps had ended up piercing his left arm, leg, and side.


    The girl was in a similar situation, if not worse. Her body didn''t suffer the same extensive injuries as her companion, but her right hand had turned into a bloody mess. Her fingers had bent toward unnatural angles, and her wrist had taken the same density of a jelly.


    Khan couldn''t do much while they remained unconscious. He proceeded to tear pieces of their robes to create bandages and cover their injuries. He even removed some of the metal shards stuck inside their bodies, but he left those that still released blood in their place.


    Khan had placed the four recruits under a spot covered by the rain, but he regretted his decision when he saw that they continued to sleep. His patience eventually ran out, and he began to deliver light slaps to those who seemed better off.


    "What is-," Flurris began to ask in a weak voice, but Khan placed a hand over his mouth and made him remain silent.


    Khan then pointed at his various injuries and made it realize what had happened. The boy immediately started to panic while trying to break free of Khan''s hand, and his struggles threatened to worsen the other recruits'' injuries.


    Khan rolled his eyes and dragged Flurris under the rain. The boy could finally see the entirety of the crash site, and his panic intensified. Retches even climbed down his throat when he saw the corpses of the pilots on the vehicle''s side.


    ''He will need a while,'' Khan sighed in his mind before approaching Reebfell and starting slapping her face.


    The girl slowly woke up, and her reaction was almost identical to Flurris, so Khan dragged her under the rain too. The coldness of the water falling on her face and injuries seemed to bring some clarity in her case, but everything fell apart when she saw the two dead pilots.


    Khan shook his head when Reebfell puked a mixture of saliva and blood. She would also need a bit to recover from the trauma, which brought his attention to the other two recruits.


    ''I can''t wake them up before gaining their help,'' Khan concluded when he reviewed the state of the boy and girl still under the vehicle''s cover.


    Their injuries were too deep. They would only worsen their condition if they fell prey to their panic like the other two recruits. Khan couldn''t risk that, especially when he lacked the means to restrain them.


    "Someone attacked us," Khan announced after turning toward the two recruits under the rain. "We crashed. We are the only survivors."


    Khan partially lied, but he didn''t care. He didn''t know the location of the other two recruits, but he needed his group to believe that returning to the plain was a priority.


    After all, Khan had every reason to believe that Tainted animals and rebels of the Kred species were roaming that jungle. There was even a high chance that they were hunting survivors.


    The two awake recruits froze when they heard those words, and Khan couldn''t help but recognize their expressions. Their whole world had turned upside-down. They were experiencing the same emotions that had afflicted him after the Second Impact.


    "You need to calm down and meditate," Khan explained. "Stabilize your condition and help me with the other two. We aren''t safe here."


    The confidence and calm carried by Khan''s voice helped the two recruits accept their situation. The Global Army had trained them to be soldiers for six months in the end. Part of them already knew what to do in those situations.


    Flurris and Reebfell sat under the rain and closed their eyes to enter a meditative state. The falling water didn''t disturb their concentration at all. The duo actually felt glad that their bodies could still sense something after everything that had happened to them.


    Khan glanced at the two recruits sheltered by the broken vehicle and heaved a deep sigh. He was doing the best he could to keep the situation under control, but his power had clear limits. His knowledge was the same, especially when it came to the medical and technological fields. He wasn''t the right person to be in command of the group.


    A growl suddenly resounded among the trees and alerted his senses. Khan instinctively turned toward a seemingly random spot of the jungle and felt a chaotic mass of mana nearing his position. Something big was coming, and his two awake companions were in the way.


    "Wake up and hide behind the carrier!" Khan shouted while stomping his foot near the two meditating recruits.


    The two recruits instantly woke up, but they didn''t understand the reason behind his words. Yet, they saw a large figure moving through the trees when they looked in the direction of Khan''s gaze, and they quickly crouched to crawl behind the vehicle.


    Khan remained in his position, and his mana started to flow through his legs. His mind had never been clearer. His emotions were in a separate part of his brain that didn''t have any access to the side handling the technique.


    A massive bear slowly came out of the jungle and stepped into the crash site. The creature was three meters tall and stood on its rear legs. Azure fur covered its entire body, and its drooling mouth hung open as its glowing eyes moved among Khan and the other recruits.


    ''Did the rebels remove the suppression from the Tainted animals?'' Khan wondered when he saw that the bear didn''t have any device meant to reduce its offensive ability.


    Its long claws were in the open, and its paws hung on the side of its body. Its teeth were sharp, and its movements didn''t show any trace of restraints.


    ''I''m not a kid scared of Tainted animals anymore,'' Khan thought as his body crouched forward.


    His left shoulder hurt when he tried to move his arms to balance his body, but nothing reached his mind. Khan was only thinking about his technique and his opponent. Everything else had disappeared.


    The Tainted bear descended to stand on four legs before charging ahead. It closed the distance from Khan in two long jumps, and one of its paws swung toward his head once he entered its range.


    The paw never managed to hit Khan. The bear''s head shook as an invisible strike landed on its side and flung the entire creature away.


    Khan had delivered a kick so fast that it didn''t even create afterimages. His left leg had only trembled for an instant before stopping moving. The attack had taken place during that short second.


    The bear crashed on the ground and slid for a few meters. The side of its head had turned into a bloody mess, but its resilience was off the charts. The creature straightened its position and released an angry roar, but its vision soon went dark.


    Khan had flowed into another technique instead of stopping to inspect the creature''s condition. He had deployed mana while the bear was sliding on the ground. The preparation for his move had taken even less at that time.


    A scorching sensation spread through his skin as the sole of his foot landed on the bear''s eyes and dug through its skull. His shoes broke during the attack, but he barely felt anything. Khan didn''t even sense the blood and brain matter falling on his naked skin.


    Khan didn''t lower his leg, and the Tainted bear fell on the ground. Tremors ran through its body before life completely abandoned its eyes. The animal died, and Khan dispersed the accumulated mana while lowering his leg.


    ''I can fight with mana,'' Khan concluded in his mind. ''The techniques aren''t completely reliable yet, but I''m getting there. I might be able to have an even fight with the seventh level of the training program now.''


    Khan''s success with the previous executions of the proper Lightning-demon style came from his completely calm mindset. He felt like a robot that gave orders to his body and managed his mana. Mistakes seemed impossible when his emotions didn''t play a part in the battle.


    Flurris and Reebfell had inspected the battle from a hidden area behind the troop carrier, and complete shock filled their minds after witnessing such a clean fight. Khan had taken care of a huge Tainted animal in two mere blows, but the surprises weren''t over.


    Khan had been shirtless since they awakened, but the two recruits had been too confused to notice the azure scar on his chest. However, they couldn''t miss it now that he turned to walk toward them.


    Khan''s defined body, coupled with the azure scar and the hideous burn on his shoulder, removed every trace of youth from his figure. The lack of shoes and his broken trousers also gave him a wild aura. Reebfell even blushed when his azure eyes met her glance.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Ok, real talk. Webnovel has accepted my contract, so I''ll go premium soon. I''ll tell you more about the locked chapters later on. I want to settle the matter of the word count now.


    I''m finding it hard sticking between 1401 and 1600 words. Almost none of the previous chapters are like that. Only this one is 1595 (the others are longer, the previous is 1714 for example). Still, I don''t want to lock myself behind the need to write chapters between 1601 and 1800 words out of fear of creating fillers. What would you say if I kept the length of the chapters between 1401 and 1800 words? (It means that the price will vary between 8 and 9 coins depending on the size)

 Chapter 61: Knife

    The situation was tragic in the crash site, but some awkwardness had inevitably fallen among the awake group. Khan had to rip the recruits'' uniforms apart to create bandages and tend some injuries, so everyone was partially naked.


    Khan had a better time ignoring Reebfell''s uncovered skin and exposed sports bra. His mind was forcing his emotions in a part of his brain that didn''t affect his body. Also, that wasn''t his first time seeing women in that state anyway.


    The Slums didn''t give Khan the chance to have relationships, but he had lived among complete poverty. Torn clothes were the norm there, so he had often seen women roaming the narrow streets and going to work with little more than a few rags on them.


    Moreover, everyone knew the locations of the brothels, and the hookers didn''t even try to hide their bodies. Khan had often walked past completely exposed chests that attracted many men willing to trade their meals for a few hours of pleasure.


    The same didn''t apply to Flurris and Reebfell. They didn''t complain about Khan''s actions, especially after he had saved their lives, but their eyes often fell on their companions to snatch quick peeks.


    Flurris was quite evident in his attraction toward Reebfell. She was as tall as Khan, and her sports bra didn''t manage to hide her well-developed chest. Her long blonde hair and large green eyes were even perfect for the slender body and firm curves that the training of the Global Army had forced her to obtain.


    Flurris wasn''t ugly either. He had an average face, with short black hair, dark eyes, and thick eyebrows. It was clear that a beard had even started to grow on his chin, but he seemed to shave often.


    The boy was taller than Khan and had a decent layer of muscles. His chest was quite hairy, but his broad shoulders gave a mature vibe to his figure. However, Reebfell barely looked at him. Her eyes seemed unable to leave Khan and his scarred chest.


    ''It''s almost time to wake up the other two,'' Khan concluded in his mind after spending a few hours meditating under the heavy rain.


    Khan quickly inspected the two recruits before moving to the duo sleeping under the vehicle. Their condition was getting worse, especially when it came to the girl''s hand. A dark-red shade had appeared on the tip of her fingers, which forced Khan to consider a harsher approach.


    ''Don''t tell me that we have to amputate her hand,'' Khan wondered before standing up to check the two unconscious recruits.


    "Ylaco, right?" Reebfell asked as soon as she noticed that Khan was on his feet. "I think we should drop these codenames. You know, in case some of us don''t come back."


    Khan showed a confused expression, but Flurris quickly supported the girl''s argument. "The survivors must warn the families about their dead descendants."


    Understanding dawned upon Khan at that point. That topic made sense, and he didn''t hesitate to follow their suggestion. "I''m Khan."


    "Dorian Aiyti," Flurris announced while slapping his chest in pride and moving his gaze toward the girl next to him.


    "Cora Ommo," Reebfell exclaimed without even glancing at Dorian. "Just Khan?"


    "I''m from Ylaco''s Slums," Khan promptly replied. "Dorian, you seem to be fine now. Help me with this girl. She must wake up and meditate. I think she might lose her hand."


    Dorian and Cora widened their eyes when they learnt about Khan''s background. Every large city had Slums around them, so they could immediately understand his situation. Yet, they couldn''t explain how he could be so strong with the evident lack of backing.


    "Dorian?" Khan repeated, and the boy snapped back to reality before standing up.


    Cora imitated Dorian, but both Khan and the boy shot a confused glance toward her. She was still tending her bruises and cuts, and her help appeared unnecessary in the matter.


    "How do you think she''ll react in front of two half-naked boys?" Cora explained, and Khan promptly moved to the side to make room for her.


    Dorian and Cora walked toward Khan''s position, but only the girl crouched next to him. She blushed a little when her naked shoulder touched Khan''s, but she remained focused on her task. Meanwhile, the other boy remained behind them to oversee the situation.


    Cora lightly slapped the girl a few times, but she increased her strength when she failed to wake up. The unconscious recruit eventually opened her eyes, and a painful scream immediately left her mouth.


    "Calm down!" Cora shouted while trying to restrain the girl, but the latter was in too much pain.


    She struggled to get out of Cora''s grip, and her eyes often fell on her broken hand. Her mindset didn''t improve when she gained a clear understanding of how bad its condition was, and her screams became louder after that.


    "Move aside," Khan whispered while placing a hand on Cora''s uncovered waist and pushing her away.


    Cora slightly jumped when she sensed his firm palm pushing her away, but she complied with his orders. She waited for Khan to grab the screaming girl''s elbows before moving to her legs and keeping them still.


    Khan dragged the girl under the heavy rain and shook her a few times until she decided to suppress her pain for a few seconds. She sobbed as her tears mixed with the falling water and her bloodshot eyes focused on Khan.


    "You need to meditate now," Khan explained in a steady voice. "Your hand is in bad shape."


    Khan didn''t bother to spend time explaining the crash or his other hypotheses. He only wanted the girl to be combat-ready as soon as possible and leave the area.


    The girl seemed to calm down after his words. She nodded, and Khan slowly left her elbows. She shook when her injured hand fell to the side of her body, but she managed to sit and enter the meditative state after taking a deep breath.


    Khan sighed and turned toward the boy. Cora moved farther away and left her spot to Dorian, who carefully grabbed the unconscious recruit''s arms from areas that didn''t feature injuries.


    Khan nodded and began to slap the boy. The latter woke up quickly, and his first reaction was to throw his legs in the air. One of them hit Dorian''s side, while the other wanted to aim for Khan''s face.


    "Calm down!" Khan shouted while grabbing the boy''s ankle before the kick could reach his face. "We crashed, the mission is over, and you are injured."


    The boy''s ragged breath slowed down as he moved his eyes among the three recruits and the crash site. His head eventually performed a nod, and Khan let his leg go.


    The boy inspected his left side and noticed the many injuries and bandages. His eyes quickly went on Khan and the others before he nodded again and closed his eyes to meditate.


    ''Finally a smart one,'' Khan exclaimed in his mind.


    "Let''s rest a little longer," Khan ordered. "You can''t fight right now, and I can''t handle all the threats hidden here by myself. I''ll definitely need your help."


    Dorian and Cora nodded before sitting and closing their eyes to meditate. Both of them understood that their struggle to survive would start once everyone was ready, so they had to abandon every distraction.


    Khan also sat to meditate. His shoulder still needed care, but it got better with every training session. He guessed that everything would be perfect after a week, but he hoped to regroup with the Lieutenants before that.


    Hours passed under the heavy rain. The group of recruits didn''t have food, but the falling water seemed drinkable. Khan even tried to taste a few drops to see if they caused strange reactions inside his body, but everything seemed fine.


    Managing the hunger wasn''t an issue for Khan, but the other recruits'' stomachs inevitably started to growl after meditating for so long. Yet, they could only endure that feeling and continue to heal their bodies with mana since they had nothing else at hand.


    The world eventually went dark, and the insides of the jungle became even harder to inspect. Khan and the others had to stay close to keep track of their position, and their heightened senses couldn''t do much in that environment.


    ''We must wait until the sun is up again,'' Khan concluded while inspecting the darkness. ''Exploring during the night is pure madness.''


    The other recruits also woke up when they sensed that Khan had started to inspect the perimeter again. That gave the two unknown kids the chance to introduce themselves and group up to make a point of their situation.


    "We must regroup with the Global Army," George Ildoo announced after Khan explained everything. "I hope your attunement with mana is high enough to make you last on Istrone without breathing pills."


    George Ildoo had a mature vibe around him. He was shorter than Dorian, and his body was slender, but his sharp eyebrows and calm gaze made him appear stronger than the boy.


    The rain forced his long black hair to fall on his azure eyes, but he promptly created a bandana with pieces of his uniform to keep his gaze clear.


    "We mus-," Ethel Fensee began to speak, but the pain coming from her hand forced her to stop for a second. "We must hurry. The Global Army technically controls Istrone, so the Kred will aim to destroy its bases."


    Ethel was shorter than Khan. She even looked younger than her companions. It was clear that her body had yet to develop fully, but her short brown hair gave her a soldier-like appearance.


    "We should take care of your hand first," George pointed out. "You can''t move in this condition."


    "Wha-!" Ethel spoke, but her pain forced her to stop again. "What can we do about it? Even my mana can''t fix it."


    Khan had kept track of the condition of his companions during his breaks. Dorian and Cora were mostly fine by now, and George had stabilized his most severe injuries. He was even suppressing the pain released by the other wounds during the meeting.


    Instead, Ethel didn''t improve. Her bruises and small cuts had mostly healed, but her right hand didn''t recover at all. It was actually getting worse, and the dark-red shades were stretching past the wrist. Black spots had even appeared on the tips of her fingers after those hours.


    "I have a bit of medical knowledge," George announced. "Your hand is too far gone. It''s developing gangrene that will spread through your arm. Your mana might slow down the process, but you''ll never get better until we remove it."


    "You are talking about my hand here!" Ethel shouted.


    "One hand is better than your life," Khan commented while scratching the azure scar on his chest. "I bet that the Global Army will even give you a good prosthesis once we get back to our training camps."


    The recruits fell silent when Khan spoke. Ethel and George had learnt about his background during their introduction, and they didn''t take much to connect the azure scar to the Second Impact. After all, the reappearance of the Nak had shaken the entire world.


    "But-," Ethel whimpered as another wave of pain spread through her body. "It''s my hand!"


    "Keep your voice down," Khan reminded her while glancing at the dead Tainted bear in the distance.


    The corpses of the pilots and the dead Tainted animal seemed to remind Ethel about the gravity of the situation. She was only a burden in that condition, and her chances to survive were even quite low due to the constant pain released by her hand.


    The best approach was clear in her mind, but tears still flowed out of her eyes. Ethel was only seventeen, but she had to prepare herself to lose such an important part of her body.


    "How should we cut it?" Dorian asked. "I''ve seen some sharp slabs, but I don''t know if they''ll be enough."


    "I think I can handle that part," George exclaimed before closing his eyes and starting breathing at an odd rhythm.


    Everyone felt confused in front of that scene, but no one spoke. George had only shown a mature personality until then, so he had earned a bit of trust.


    Khan and the others grew suspicious after minutes passed, but an azure light suddenly appeared between George''s hands and made them gasp in surprise.


    The light condensed and morphed while changing color. It grew darker and obtained silver shades as it transformed into a small knife.

 Chapter 62: Guard duty

    Khan and the others remained speechless in front of George''s ability. They had understood what the boy had done, but the event was still too surprising to put into words.


    George had activated a spell. His mana had taken the shape of a small dark-silver knife. The weapon had clear ethereal features, but none of the bystanders dared to underestimate its power.


    "Don''t look at me like this," George exclaimed as a weak smile appeared on his face. "I need complete calm and entire minutes to cast this simple knife. My mana capacity doesn''t even allow me to materialize it more than three times a day, so it hardly feels like an achievement."


    George''s words didn''t manage to suppress the others'' amazement. He had been a recruit for as long as them, but he could already cast spells.


    "What element are you?" Khan asked as evident curiosity filled his mind.


    "Spirit," George revealed before deciding to explain a bit more when he saw that the answer didn''t seem to satisfy his companion. "It''s pretty rare, but also rather plain. It''s one of the most flexible elements, but that feature depends on the user. I''ve trained with swords during my life, so this is the only shape that I can create."


    Khan remained surprised at how different the elements could be. Lieutenant Dyester''s words made more sense in his mind after hearing George''s explanation. Only someone who shared the same type of mana could know how to use it. The behavior of that energy could simply vary too much.


    "It''s stable now," George suddenly continued while grabbing the knife. "You should probably find something to cauterize her forearm before I cut her hand."


    Khan looked around the crash site. Everything was drenched due to the incessant heavy rain. He knew how to start a fire with random tools, but he couldn''t find anything to burn.


    Dorian and Cora seemed completely useless in that situation. They imitated Khan, but they didn''t come up with anything to help in the matter.


    "You can use the almost intact engine to heat a slab," Ethel explained while suppressing the waves of pain running through her body. "Just tear it apart and bring it here. I''ll tell you what to do."


    Khan immediately stood up and moved toward the wreckage. The left engine had lost its external circular layer, but the wires in its insides appeared in one piece.


    ''I should probably tear the whole thing from its base,'' Khan concluded since he didn''t know what parts he had to preserve.


    Mana flowed into his legs as his body crouched. Khan delivered a few kicks at the bent base of the troop carrier and continued until his foot pierced the metal. He didn''t always manage to activate the techniques correctly, but his success rate was above eighty percent.


    Khan repeated the process until the whole engine hung from a small piece of metal. He pulled the entire thing at that point while tilting the device on both sides until the slab gave in.


    Khan then brought the entire engine back to his group and dropped it among them. He had initially failed to notice their astonished expressions, but they became impossible to miss after getting rid of the large machine.


    "What is it?" Khan asked.


    "Did you just dig a hole in a troop carrier with your legs?" Dorian asked.


    "I used mana," Khan honestly replied. "It has even taken a while."


    "That''s what they are sayin-!" Ethel explained before her pain interrupted her line. "Perfect executions should be quite rare, but you have a high success rate. Also, you don''t look tired at all after performing so many techniques."


    "My attunement with mana is pretty high," Khan tried to play it humble. "That wasn''t even a battle, so I could focus easily."


    "What about the Tainted bear?" Cora asked.


    "Luck," Khan promptly explained before changing the topic. "What now?"


    "There should be a circular piece," Ethel explained. "You have to rotate it when I say so. Hopefully I can redirect all the involved wires outside and don''t activate the flying device."


    Ethel bent forward and frowned whenever her hand moved. She used her left arm to tinker with the various wires of the engine and took most of them outside. Then, she ordered to get a suitable metal slab.


    ''The teams appear very balanced,'' Khan thought when he inspected Ethel and George.


    The two recruits had initially been in the opposing team. They both had talents that shone in that difficult situation, and their mindset was also generally mature.


    Instead, Dorian and Cora didn''t seem to have any special talent or favorite subject. Khan had yet to see them fight, but George could literally cast a spell. They couldn''t be better than him.


    ''The Global Army has probably put weaker recruits in my team to balance me,'' Khan thought while Ethel continued to give orders, and Dorian executed them. ''The other team must have had stronger recruits for the same reason. It''s a pity that one of them has suffered a major injury.''


    Dorian began to rotate the circular piece of metal. Energy accumulated on the device and flowed toward the wires at that point. Sparks came out of those cables, and Cora placed a metal slab over them.


    Khan promptly took Cora''s hands and pulled them closer. The girl jumped again at that sudden physical contact, and her face became red when she saw Khan ripping off part of his trousers.


    However, everything became clear when Khan took her hands from the slab and covered them with the fabric. Cora had forgotten to protect herself while heating the piece of metal.


    Ethel, George, Dorian, and Khan pretended not to notice Cora''s evident blush, especially since they were about to cut one of their companion''s hands. The situation was tragic. Some of them even cursed in their minds when they saw that Cora could waste time thinking about that stuff.


    Khan glanced at George. It was time to amputate Ethel''s hand, but the two boys reached a silent understanding when their eyes met. It was clear that they were the strongest of their group, so it was up to them to return to the plain.


    "It''s better if you bite something," Khan said while tearing a pierce of Ethel''s robe and folding it.


    The girl didn''t show any shyness when Khan uncovered even more of her body. She even opened her mouth when he neared the piece of fabric to her face. Her mind was elsewhere. She was doing her best to muster her courage before the procedure.


    "Ready?" George eventually asked when he saw that the metal slab in Cora''s hand had begun to change color under the relentless attack of the sparks.


    Ethel nodded before stretching her arm. George grabbed her forearm and placed his dark-silver knife right above her wrist. Then, he pushed the weapon down, and the blade severed Ethel''s arm without meeting any resistance.


    ''Powerful!'' Khan commented in his mind.


    Cutting a human arm was hard, even with sharp blades. Yet, George had barely needed to put strength in his movement to sever Ethel''s hand.


    Ethel gave voice to a grunt, and tears quickly followed. She continued to scream while her teeth bit hard on the piece of folded fabric and her left hand covered her mouth to suppress her noise.


    The magic knife dispersed as George grabbed Ethel''s injured arm and forced it closer to the scorching slab. The girl wasn''t in control of her actions, and she opposed the body with kicks and pulls.


    Cora''s hands trembled when she saw the bleeding arm. The girl froze and found herself unable to push the scorching metal forward, but Khan promptly grabbed one of her wrists to help her.


    Khan also grabbed the bleeding arm and helped George getting Ethel closer to the scorching slab. The two eventually met, and a sizzling noise resounded among the heavy rain.


    Cora almost puked when that noise and Ethel''s suppressed screams reached her ears. She had to close her eyes and let Khan guide her through the process.


    "You can drop it now," Khan eventually whispered, and Cora saw that her arms pointed inside the engine among the recruits now.


    The girl gave voice to a short cry when she sensed heat going past the protection on her hands. She instantly dropped the metal slab, and she instinctively hid her face on Khan''s side. Her fingers also tried to stab his abdomen and back as she clung to him.


    Khan almost lost his composure, but a helpless expression appeared on his face when he heard Cora''s sobs. The last part had been too much for her. She had tried to suppress her emotions until now, but she was only a seventeen-year-old girl whose world had turned upside-down.


    "You can''t fall apart yet," Khan sighed while gently patting the back of Cora''s head. "We have a long way to cross, and dangers might be waiting for us. Put your emotions on hold until we get past this."


    Cora began to calm down under Khan''s caresses. The girl eventually left his side and sniffed one last time before nodding.


    "Thank you," Cora whispered while closing her eyes and moving on her side to try to sleep.


    George dragged Ethel next to her and let her sleep by her side. The girl had fainted after the procedure, and only a long night of rest could help her with the trauma of losing her hand.


    "Should we establish guard duty?" George asked while turning toward Khan.


    Khan took out his phone, and a few calculations happened in his mind. The device had synchronized with Istrone''s time after the teleport, so its hour was still accurate. Khan didn''t know how long its battery would last, but the group could use the alarms for now.


    "Let''s wake everyone up before dawn," Khan ordered. "I want Ethel to spend a few hours meditating before starting the march. Walking at night is out of the question, so we have to use every hour with the sun to get closer to the plain."


    "Who wants the first round?" Dorian asked before glancing at his two companions and heaving a helpless sigh. "I''ll take it, but my phone is broken."


    "Don''t worry," Khan replied while setting the alarm and placing his phone among them. "I''ll meditate a bit more before sleeping. Shout if you see something off."


    "I''ll do the same," George announced before nodding toward Khan when the latter shot a worried glance at him. "I still need to recover, and we need power more than ever now."


    Khan couldn''t change George''s mind, and the trio soon created a simple schedule for the guard duty. Dorian then started his task while Khan and George began to meditate. Still, the duo exchanged a few words when their companion jumped on the vehicle to gain a complete view of the crash site.


    "How strong are you?" George asked without opening his eyes.


    "I''m strong," Khan replied.


    "Some of us won''t make it," George added.


    "I know," Khan whispered. "I''m no stranger to death."


    "But can you leave someone behind if the situation requires it?" George continued.


    Khan didn''t answer anymore at that point. He didn''t want to let others die, but he wouldn''t lose his life to play hero either. Still, revealing that information to George could lead to adverse situations, so he preferred to leave the boy in the dark.

 Chapter 63: Failure

    The group went through an uneventful night, and Khan woke everyone up a few hours before dawn. His phone had lasted for the entire guard duty, and he had taken the last shift to make sure that the others wouldn''t lose track of time even if his device turned off.


    The recruits'' condition was far better after a long night of sleep and multiple meditations. Dorian and Cora almost appeared at their peak when the sun rose, and George also felt far better. His left side was still a mess, but it didn''t seem to hinder his movements.


    Ethel was Khan''s main concern, but the girl''s complexion had improved after removing her wounded hand. Her mana didn''t have to slow down the gangrene anymore, so it could focus all its efforts on healing her body. She was far from ok, but she could stand and walk without slowing down her teammates.


    "We have to move now," Khan ordered while pointing toward the direction that he had committed to memory after the crash. "The plain is in that direction."


    The recruits followed Khan''s hand, but they didn''t see anything peculiar when they looked at the jungle. The traces of the crash had disappeared under the trees'' stretched branches and thick vegetation born due to the mana flowing through the ground.


    "Are you sure about that?" Dorian asked. "Everything looks the same for me."


    "I memorized the spot before taking you out of the troop carrier," Khan revealed. "That''s the right direction. Not getting lost is up to us."


    "Some of our phones are still working," Cora said while keeping her voice down. "The compass should be active since the devices aligned with Istrone''s magnetic field."


    Cora felt awkward due to her previous actions. She had completely lost it after cauterizing Ethel''s arms, and her mind had yet to recover. Also, she had basically exposed her feelings, which made her shy toward her teammates.


    "For how long can we rely on them?" Khan asked when he noticed that Cora seemed to know a bit about those devices.


    "The battery won''t be a problem," Cora explained with the same tone as before. "Our phones only need one day under the sun to fully charge, and they can last for a bit more than a week if used correctly. The sparse rays that pierce the crowns should prevent problems."


    Khan and the others instinctively lifted their heads. The trees'' crowns were thick and left almost no room for the sunlight, but some ray still managed to reach the ground.


    ''What if it rains all the time?'' Khan wondered.


    The rain had stopped after the long night, but Istrone seemed to experience that bad weather often. The thick vegetation couldn''t only come from the mana in the end.


    ''We must hurry,'' Khan concluded before tinkering with the phone and finding the compass.


    His new knowledge about the devices didn''t change the team''s situation. They had to regroup with the Global Army as soon as possible since the forest might hide dangers that they couldn''t face. Spending time in the wilderness only increased their chances of dying.


    Khan didn''t know much about compasses, but he soon understood that using them wasn''t too hard in his situation. He didn''t have to learn Istrone''s cardinal directions. He only needed to make sure that the arrow on the screen remained in the same spot while traversing the jungle.


    The group quickly began to move through the wilderness. Khan and Dorian took the lead of the team while George remained at its end. The two girls were in the middle since they had yet to become combat-ready.


    Everything looked the same in Khan''s eyes. The plants and trees seemed to repeat themselves in his vision. The only proof of his correct direction was the compass depicted on his phone.


    Istrone appeared empty. Khan had never been in an environment full of vegetation before, but he had heard about it from documentaries and other shows. He knew that a forest on Earth would normally have many animals, but the alien planet didn''t respect that rule.


    ''Even the Slums had cockroaches and rats,'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''How can this planet have nothing at all?''


    The foreign environment didn''t make sense in his mind, but he didn''t dare to share his thoughts with his teammates. The group had silently decided to limit their noise to avoid attracting threats, and the lack of the heavy rain made them even more careful about that approach.


    The jungle was silent, and only the cracking noise of the roots breaking under the recruits'' feet resounded in the air. The vegetation was too thick to allow wind in its insides, so the group couldn''t even hear the fluttering of the leaves and plants around them.


    The complete silence was deafening. Khan and the others had only doubts in their minds, and the lack of noises made them louder. It was impossible to avoid thinking about the countless things that could go wrong in their journey, but they had to suppress them anyway to pay attention to the environment.


    The recruits only knew that their direction was on point. Everything else was a mystery, starting from the most worrisome features of the whole situation. There was a chance that the rebels had captured the Global Army''s headquarters, which would leave Khan and the others without a destination.


    "Stop," Khan whispered, and his word reached even George in the back of the group due to the complete silence around them.


    Khan had sensed something while moving through the jungle. It was a familiar sensation by then. Two masses of wild mana were moving among the trees ahead, but they had stopped when the recruits halted their steps.


    ''They know we are here,'' Khan quickly concluded before turning toward Dorian.


    Khan didn''t know how strong the boy was, but it was better to learn about his prowess now that he could handle the threat on his own. Making plans would become far easier afterward, and the experience might even benefit Dorian.


    "There are two Tainted animals ahead," Khan whispered while lowering his body. "They know we are here, but they are hesitating. The mutations must have worked pretty well for them."


    Tainted animals usually fell prey to their aggression, but the two creatures in front of the group were showing signs of intelligence. That behavior broke the pattern and led Khan to believe that their mutations had led to stable forms.


    "What should we do?" Dorian asked while imitating Khan.


    The boy''s martial art was completely different, but he instinctively imitated Khan''s actions due to his anxiety.


    "I''ll quickly take one out," Khan explained. "You take care of keeping the other busy until I arrive. Of course, kill it if you can."


    Dorian gulped, but he forced himself to nod. A real battle was finally in front of him, so he had to deploy all the teachings that his Master had forced him to memorize.


    "I''ll give the order," Khan continued. "Be sure to keep up with me."


    Dorian nodded, and the tension in the air intensified as Khan started a countdown. Even the three recruits behind him felt anxious about the imminent battle.


    The countdown eventually hit zero, and Khan shot ahead. Dorian quickly imitated him, but disbelief appeared in his eyes when he stopped seeing his companion.


    Khan was too fast, and that feature became even more evident during a fight. His sprints were one of the Lighting-demon style''s core aspects, and his speed reached insane levels during those techniques.


    Khan''s skin burnt due to the friction with the stale air. His body could barely endure the incredible acceleration gained during the sprint. Still, he had to keep his eyes open to avoid all the roots and hindrances on the uneven terrain.


    Two large figures quickly unfolded in his vision. A Tainted bear and a Tainted wolf-like creature were standing in a spot that didn''t feature many trees. It seemed that they had chosen a battlefield that would benefit their size, but Khan was going too fast to let those thoughts enter his mind.


    Khan didn''t have much time to choose his target. It would take him less than an instant to land on the two Tainted animals, and he had to use part of that time to complete his technique.


    His eyes and body quickly turned toward the strange wolf. The creature had two rows of teeth on both sides of its mouth and a forked tail, but it appeared frailer than the bear.


    Taking out one Tainted animal with a single blow would significantly simplify the battle, and Khan didn''t hesitate to pursue that approach.


    Khan planted his right foot on the ground when he arrived in front of the two Tainted animals. His leg dug the terrain as his body spun and deployed a roundhouse kick aimed at the wolf''s head.


    The attack landed on the creature before it could do anything about that sudden threat. Even the bear remained still when Khan''s figure materialized in its vision. Both animals had only seen a shadow even if they had prepared for the incoming opponents.


    ''Dammit!'' Khan cursed in his mind when he saw the wolf flying away and releasing a trail of blood from its nose.


    Khan had become aware of something tragic after completing the technique. He had executed everything perfectly, but he had lost control of his mana at the last instant.


    The wolf had flown away due to the momentum accumulated during the inhuman sprint, but his technique didn''t express its full power. The animal''s head would have exploded otherwise.

 Chapter 64: Exploration

    ''I have been too confident in my ability,'' Khan quickly concluded in his mind when he realized that he had failed to execute his technique.


    The Tainted bear didn''t give him much time to think. The animal recovered from its surprise and raised its paws to launch an attack toward its opponent.


    However, Khan''s emotions were still in a separate part of his brain. His surprise and disappointment in front of the failed technique didn''t slow down his body. His leg was already in the air, and his shinbone was even pointing at the bear''s side.


    Mana flowed through Khan''s body according to the teachings of the Lightning-demon style. The bear''s paws were getting closer to his head, but his eyes barely registered them. His mind could only think at the instructions that he had reviewed and practiced countless times already.


    The bear''s paws filled Khan''s vision. The sharp claws descended until they were at a mere inch from his face, but the whole creature disappeared when he completed his technique.


    A loud noise spread through the area as the bear slid on the ground and created a long hole before slamming on the nearest tree. The plant shook to no end as the beast crouched on its trunk, and a cloud of blue leaves fell after the impact.


    The Tainted wolf returned to its feet and fixed its angry eyes on Khan. Its nose still hurt, but taking care of its opponent had the priority.


    The creature gave voice to a loud howl before charging ahead. Khan prepared for the imminent impact, but a battle cry suddenly resounded in the area before Dorian ran past him to face the wolf.


    Dorian''s posture was clearly off, and sweat already covered his body. He wasn''t trying to perform any special technique. His assault was a reckless charge driven by fear and panic, but those emotions didn''t make him forget his task.


    The wolf quickly changed its target and leapt toward Dorian. Its teeth stabbed the boy''s shoulder, but they didn''t dig his skin too deeply due to the pain that spread through its mouth after the attack.


    Dorian barely felt pain in his frenzied state. His mind only registered that the one-and-a-half-meter tall wolf was on him before his fists started to slam on its figure.


    Khan almost felt bad about Dorian''s Master after seeing those pitiful attacks, but the boy completed his role with his messy approach. The two Tainted animals couldn''t work together anymore.


    The Tainted bear roared as Khan turned toward the creature. It seemed that the tinge of intelligence from before had disappeared. The huge animal fell prey to its aggression and went on its four legs to charge toward Khan.


    Blood flowed out of the creature''s mouth. The previous technique had hurt its insides in ways that normal animals and humans couldn''t endure. Yet, the mana flowing through its body allowed it to launch a reckless offensive that Khan welcomed with calm eyes.


    ''I got too cocky before,'' Khan thought as the bear''s charge slowed down in his eyes. ''Mastery doesn''t come after a few good days of perfect executions. My proficiency will increase only after these techniques won''t require me to concentrate anymore.''


    Khan took a deep breath and let the bear get close. The huge creature leapt toward him once he entered its range, but its claws didn''t manage to hit anything.


    The bear grew confused even in its frenzied state. Khan''s figure vanished as its body pierced it. The boy had moved so quickly that its eyes still saw his afterimage.


    A faint pressure then appeared on its head. The bear couldn''t see what was happening there, but the trio in the distance witnessed the entire scene.


    Khan seemed to have teleported on top of the bear''s head. The tip of his left foot touched the creature''s forehead as he stood above it.


    Khan felt weightless. His body seemed able to use the very air as footholds with his faint steps, but even mana couldn''t make him ignore gravity. Still, he had no intention to remain in that state forever.


    The mana in Khan''s body suddenly fell and converged toward the tip of his foot. The bear sensed an immense force pushing it down and slamming its head on the ground.


    The attack was so sudden that the head dug the ground before the rest of the body could follow it. A cracking sound eventually resounded in the area when the bear''s belly landed on the terrain, but Khan''s foot continued to pierce downward.


    A wet sensation enveloped Khan''s foot when the ground managed to stop his attack. He took his leg out of the hole and noticed that a dark-red liquid and other slimy materials had covered everything under his ankle.


    The Tainted bear didn''t move anymore. The attack had crushed its skull after giving birth to a spectacular scene.


    ''The other now,'' Khan turned and shot toward Dorian without bothering to inspect the situation behind him beforehand.


    Vague images appeared in his vision, but they didn''t stop Khan from focusing on his target. The Tainted wolf and Dorian were still stuck in a messy grapple that didn''t seem to lead anywhere, and their situation made it hard for Khan to intervene.


    The wolf had its teeth stuck inside Dorian''s shoulder. An abrupt attack could worsen the boy''s injuries. Khan even risked hurting his companion if he delivered a proper kick to the creature, so his approach couldn''t follow his usual style.


    Luckily for Khan, Lieutenant Dyester had gone all-out to pick an excellent martial art. The Lightning-demon style had earned seventy-eight points, so it featured techniques useful in every situation.


    Khan stopped when he reached Dorian. His body seemed to move slowly in the boy''s vision, but he soon linked that impression to the effects of a technique.


    Khan was moving slower than usual, but he was still quite fast. That apparent slow-motion came from the peculiar flow of the mana inside his body. The energy wasn''t accompanying his rising leg. It was actually trying to push it in the opposite direction.


    Air slowly flowed out of Khan''s mouth as he placed his foot on the wolf''s head. He didn''t put any power into that move, but a loud noise still followed that action.


    Dorian''s eyes widened when blood started to flow out of the wolf''s face. The creature even went limp and hung from his shoulder after the attack. The boy quickly grabbed its head to throw it to the ground, but pure disgust filled him when he sensed that the creature''s skull had gained the same texture as a jelly.


    The wolf''s corpse fell on the ground as Dorian let go of its head. The boy held his hand as his breath grew ragged, but Khan promptly squeezed his arm to make him focus on something else.


    "It gets easier," Khan explained before turning to the three companions that had just come out of the trees. "I''ve never seen such calm Tainted animals."


    "They probably are the result of some experiment," George suggested. "The Kred might even be involved. I''ve read that their connection with nature can unlock fields unknown to humans."


    George managed to suppress his amazement after exchanging a glance with Khan, but the two girls couldn''t do the same. Ethel stared at him with wide eyes before shaking her head and regaining her concentration, but Cora appeared completely in a daze.


    "Wake up," Ethel suddenly whispered while lightly hitting Cora''s side with her elbow. "We have to move."


    Cora snapped back to reality at that point, and an evident blush appeared on her cheeks. Khan pretended not to see that event and shot a glance at Dorian''s shoulder before ordering to resume the march.


    The group walked for all the hours with the sunlight, but they had to stop once heavy rain arrived and blocked their only source of illumination. They had managed to march for almost a quarter of a day before Istrone decided to hinder their vision, and Khan could only order to stop at that point.


    A few training sessions and the guard duty made the group go through the night quickly. They didn''t speak much due to the unsettling hunger accumulating in their minds. Sleeping was the only approach that temporarily suppressed that feeling.


    The rain was still falling the next morning, but it wasn''t as heavy as the previous day. The clouds past the trees weren''t even completely dark either, so the recruits could see the path ahead and resume their march.


    An uneventful day went by, but the group got lucky at that time. The weather never worsened, so they could walk for thirteen hours straight without taking any break.


    The effort pushed their bodies to their limits. Exhaustion wasn''t a problem, but their intensifying hunger was dulling their senses and slowing down their movements.


    Only Khan appeared unaffected. He filled his stomach with the falling water and endured his hunger perfectly even after almost three days of complete starvation. Yet, it was clear that his teammates needed a solution to that issue.


    None of them knew much about Istrone''s vegetation, so they could only test the plants blindly. The recruits chose to use Dorian as a guinea pig and feed him different roots after removing their most hideous parts.


    Most of the tests didn''t go well. The human body rejected most of those plants, but some didn''t cause any reaction.


    The group took note of the harmless plants and started gathering their roots before feasting. Ethel became the official supplies carrier of the team since her condition wouldn''t allow her to fight for a few more days, but there was a limit to how many resources she could hold with a single hand and the lack of a bag.


    Dorian skipped the guard duty that night since his body had yet to expel all the toxins eaten during the tests. Nothing serious happened to him. He only experienced severe diarrhea that his mana managed to fix in a few hours.


    The next day featured some illumination again, but rain still fell. The group felt better after taking care of their hunger, so they marched at a good pace through the jungle, hoping that they could return to the plain without meeting any danger.


    Yet, Khan had to stop his companions after marching for a few hours. A strange sensation that he couldn''t completely describe had suddenly reached his mind and had alerted his senses.


    "How are you feeling, George?" Khan whispered while trying to understand what was happening among the trees.


    The strange sensation told Khan that the danger didn''t come from Tainted animals. He needed another reliable fighter in that unknown situation, and Dorian didn''t fit those requirements.


    "I can fight," George replied in a firm tone before drawing a thick and long branch from a hole in his trousers.


    The boy had picked that branch in the past days, and no one had questioned him about that action. Everyone could understand that it had something to do with his martial art.


    "Dorian?" Khan asked.


    "I''m ready," Dorian answered while trying to imitate George''s tone.


    "Cora?" Khan continued to question his group.


    "I''ll follow you closely but remain hidden," Cora said with a slight tremor in her voice. "I''ll jump out and support you if the situation goes out of hand."


    Khan nodded even if curses resounded in his mind. Cora''s role was quite important, but he didn''t know if the girl would freeze in a real battle. She could do the same during her task, but she wouldn''t be in the way at least.


    "Follow me," Khan eventually whispered before crouching and moving through the trees.


    A few figures soon appeared behind some large trunks. Khan recognized two bear-shaped Kred standing around three fainted humans. His eyes couldn''t help but widen at that point. Luke was among that group.

 Chapter 65: Surprise

    The Kred exchanged growls that Khan couldn''t understand. Those noises were perfectly clear due to the deafening stillness of the jungle, but the aliens weren''t using words. They sounded like animals exchanging a deep and complicated conversation.


    ''They didn''t notice us,'' Khan thought even if the event left him surprised.


    That jungle was the Kred''s native environment. It felt strange that Khan had managed to sense the two aliens and get that close without alerting their senses. After all, no one in his group knew how to move silently, and they had stopped at only ten meters from them.


    Khan wanted to believe that his group had gotten lucky, but the nature of the situation didn''t make him feel like that. Luke and the other two recruits didn''t feature heavy injuries, but flexible roots tied their hands and legs.


    The three recruits were prisoners, which put Khan into an annoying situation. He had to decide whether to attempt to save those three or avoid the issue altogether.


    The Kred seemed unaware of Khan''s group, so running away was an option that he didn''t dare to disregard. The aliens'' prowess was an unclear variable that he couldn''t underestimate.


    Doubts filled Khan''s mind while his companions remained silent. They were waiting for his orders, and tension inevitably built among them.


    Only George could consider all the available options like Khan. The other recruits in their group had immediately thought that a rescue mission would start once their leader came up with a plan.


    ''Kred have better bodies but struggle to increase their attunement with mana,'' Khan reminded himself while inspecting the area. ''The Ef''i are a stronger species, and I''ve defeated them, but they look like adults.''


    It was hard for Khan to judge the actual age of the Kred. Their inhuman features didn''t show marks that he could recognize, but their aura lacked any childish vibe.


    The Kred appeared mature, determined, and driven. Their inhuman eyes carried no mercy when they stared at the fainted recruits under them. They didn''t waver as they coldly inspected the young prisoners.


    ''Facing them is madness,'' Khan eventually concluded in his mind.


    His opponents could have years, if not decades, of training more than him. They might be experienced soldiers who had already gone through many deadly battles. The two bear-shaped Kred might be as strong as Lieutenant Dyester, which would leave Khan no chance to succeed in an eventual rescue mission.


    "Let''s leav-," Khan turned and began to give his order, but his eyes widened when he saw that a third bear-shaped Kred was silently approaching his group from behind.


    Khan and the alien looked at each other for less than a second, but that moment felt like an eternity. The two went over countless ideas in the span of an instant before reacting to the surprising event.


    The Kred began to roar. Its hairy mouth opened and started to give voice to a low cry, but Khan put everything he had in his bent legs and reached the alien one second after its warning spread into the environment.


    Dorian, George, Cora, and Ethel divided Khan from the Kred, but his faint steps barely affected them when he walked on their shoulders and heads.


    Khan flew after walking over his companions. His airborne figure appeared in front of the alien with a knee pointed toward its open mouth. He had taken only one second to complete the technique. His mana was already in the right place. The sudden danger had allowed him to complete his fastest execution yet.


    The Kred''s eyes widened as its body bent backward, but it didn''t seem to have the power to dodge Khan''s attack. His knee hit the alien''s nose and made it cave in until it reached its forehead. A cracking noise even resounded from its skull, but Khan didn''t hear it due to the grunt that followed the interruption of the warning cry.


    Khan directly flowed into another technique. His attack had pushed the Kred backward, but his knee was still attached to its face. He took a deep breath as mana gathered in his torso before falling toward the tip of his joint when he exhaled.


    The Kred''s vision had grown blurry after the first attack, but it could sense that a massive weight had suddenly appeared on its face. Still, everything was happening too quickly. The alien tried to raise its clawed arms, but the back of its head hit the ground before it could even attempt to touch Khan.


    The ground shattered as Khan slammed the tall alien down and forced the entirety of his bodyweight to converge on his knee. His leg dug the terrain as he continued to push the Kred downward. The crash made a lot of noise, but Khan could only think about defeating that opponent now.


    The noise alerted the other two Kred and forced the four recruits to turn. Everything had happened too quickly for them too. They realized the nature of the threat only when the tall body of the alien appeared in their vision.


    ''Can I really defeat them?'' Khan wondered while rolling on his back to exit the hole created by his attack and turn toward his astonished companions.


    The Kred didn''t move anymore. Khan had clearly beaten it, but he didn''t know if he could accomplish the same feat without taking the aliens by surprise. Still, another issue appeared in his mind when he realized that escaping would cause other problems now.


    ''We can''t lose our path,'' Khan understood in his mind when he saw two tall figures moving quickly among the trees.


    Escaping when two natives were on his tracks was hard, but Khan could pull it off with his speed. However, he risked getting lost in the process, and no compass could help him if he walked out of his path.


    Fighting seemed the only chance at that point, but his companions had yet to understand what had happened. Khan''s sudden actions had made them turn toward him and show their back to the other aliens. They didn''t know that the Kred were already on the move.


    "Behind you!" Khan eventually decided to shout.


    The four recruits turned and noticed the two tall bear-shaped Kred hurrying toward their position. Their size didn''t seem to be a hindrance in that thick vegetation.


    George was the first to react to that threat. He was already wielding his branch, and his mind had been ready to fight since the group found the Kred.


    George took a deep breath as mana flowed out of his body and entered the branch. The greenish weapon began to radiate a faint light while the boy sat on his knees and acted as if he was sheathing a sword on his side.


    Dorian quickly stood up and prepared himself for the imminent impact, and Cora imitated him while using her body to hide Ethel.


    Khan made sure to reinforce the mental barriers on his emotions before shooting ahead. He circled the group and prepared himself to support George since he had the highest chances of delivering a proper attack to the Kred. Yet, he slowed down on purpose to make the two aliens clash on the group.


    One of the Kred quickly approached George and waved both its arms toward his head. However, the alien promptly retracted them when the boy drew the branch by his side and swung it in the air.


    The Kred''s reaction had been almost immediate, but the tip of George''s branch had managed to hit its targets anyway. Two superficial cuts opened on the alien''s forearms, and red blood started to flow out of them.


    Dorian charged ahead once the second Kred became too close. His palms slammed on the alien''s chest to push it, but the latter didn''t budge. Instead, it delivered a swift attack with its left arm that flung the boy away and opened four deep cuts on his side.


    Khan arrived at that point. The injured Kred shot an angry glance toward George, but a kick landed on its side and forced its body to bend unnaturally.


    George didn''t miss that chance. His branch promptly slashed at the Kred''s head, and a long injury opened on its face. The weapon even cut part of its exposed hairy chest and made dark-red patches spread from those spots.


    Khan jumped to rotate his body mid-air and slam his heel on the back of the Kred''s head. The impact made the alien fall forward and gave George the chance to launch another attack. However, the boy lost his concentration, and his branch broke when its tip touched his opponent''s chest.


    Khan prepared himself to launch another attack, but he stopped when he noticed that the Kred had fainted. His eyes moved toward the other alien at that point, and he found it waving its arms toward Cora.


    The girl seemed to panic when the two massive clawed arms swung toward her, but her body instinctively moved to accompany the alien''s attack.


    The claws stabbed her side, but they didn''t dig too deeply. She imitated their movements and rotated behind the Kred once it completed its attack.


    The Kred felt surprised in front of that strange technique, but Cora shared its emotions. Her breath became ragged, and pure fear appeared on her face when the creature turned toward her.


    However, a figure suddenly materialized above the Kred''s head. Cora saw Khan rotating in the air before slamming his heel on the alien''s forehead.


    The attack stunned the Kred and allowed George to reach its position. He still wielded his broken branch, but the weapon didn''t fail to pierce the side of the alien''s chest at that time.


    The alien spat blood, but Khan''s shinbone suddenly slammed on the side of its head. Its jaw broke after the technique, and the alien fell to the ground. It was still awake, but it seemed unable to stand up.

 Chapter 66: Daughter

    ''Did we win?'' Khan wondered as a tinge of excitement managed to seep past his mental barrier.


    Khan almost couldn''t believe the recent event. The three huge Kred appeared threatening and scary, but they were all lying on the ground now. A team made of inexperienced recruits had defeated them in only a few exchanges.


    The third Kred struggled to stand up, but it seemed unable to restore its balance. It pointed its huge arms and knees on the terrain, but it always fell, and a puddle of blood eventually gathered under its figure.


    Khan took a deep breath to force his emotions away and handle the situation coldly. He quickly grabbed Cora''s shoulder and lifted her arm to inspect her injuries.


    The girl blushed when she sensed Khan''s gaze on her uncovered side. The Kred''s claws had pierced part of her sports bra, and Khan even touched the areas around that spot to inspect her injuries. However, he quickly let her go when he noticed that they were nothing more than superficial cuts.


    Ethel shook her head when she saw Khan turning toward Dorian without saying a single word to the embarrassed girl, but Cora glared at her to make her stop. Khan noticed that reaction, but he completely ignored it to inspect the wounded boy.


    Dorian had been the only one in his group to endure the direct attack from one of the Kred. He had managed to sit on the ground after the clash ended, but a large bruise had appeared on his whole right side.


    Moreover, four deep cuts had appeared on that injured spot. Blood flowed out of them and created red trails on his back, but the bleeding didn''t seem to be a severe issue.


    "Start meditating now," Khan ordered before turning toward George. "Can we do anything else for this injury?"


    George shook his head before glancing at his broken branch and throwing it away. The images of the fight were running through his vision during that peaceful moment, and they put Khan above him in terms of battle prowess.


    That conclusion disappointed George. He had acted humbly before, but he felt quite confident in his ability. His entire training camp on Earth knew about his talent with mana, but Khan''s battle prowess had reminded him that his skills were useless if he couldn''t deploy them during an actual danger.


    Yet, George quickly put away his feelings and focused on his surroundings again. Having such a strong teammate was a good thing in that tragic situation. Khan could be the key to save everyone''s life.


    "Cora, untie the three recruits and wake them up," Khan continued with his orders. "Ethel, grab something useful to tie the aliens. George, guard these two a bit. I''ll go take the other."


    No one spoke after the orders. Everyone got to work while Khan crossed a few trees to return toward the first alien.


    The first Kred''s head was inside the ground, and the same went for part of its shoulders. Khan had slammed it hard on the terrain, so debris and plants had ended up covering part of its body.


    Khan crouched toward the hole to check the alien''s condition, but his movements froze when he saw that a puddle of blood hid its face. The wet surface even lacked bubbles. The whole scene depicted complete stillness.


    Khan''s eyes slowly moved toward his left knee and saw that a large dark-red patch and fur had tainted his skin. His hands then slowly grabbed the Kred from its shoulder and lifted it out of the hole.


    The puddle released disgusting noises while Khan lifted the Kred and lay it on the intact ground. He could see its crushed head at that point, but his attention moved to its broken nose and mouth.


    The mental barrier that kept his emotions away struggled to remain intact while Khan inspected the alien. Its forehead, nose, and upper side of the mouth had caved in, but that scene carried a feature that made his thoughts freeze.


    The Kred wasn''t breathing. No air moved the wet fur on the sides of its nose, and the same went for its mouth. The alien had died in the last exchange.


    Khan timidly stretched a hand over the alien''s nose and mouth, but he didn''t sense anything. It didn''t matter how many times he inspected and tested the scene. His seemingly frozen mind could only reach one conclusion. The Kred was dead, and he had killed it.


    Lieutenant Dyester''s voice inevitably resounded in his mind. Khan heard the soldier say "murderer" in that complete silence. That word echoed through his frozen thoughts and became the only noise in his ears.


    ''Put it away,'' Khan ordered to himself. ''Hide it in the corner of your mind. Reinforce the mental barrier. You can''t fall now.''


    The mana in Khan''s brain moved as he gave himself orders. He reinforced the mental barrier learnt in his training before creating a second layer on top of it.


    That method didn''t seem to be enough to keep locked away the tumultuous emotions trying to take control of his mind. Khan had to create a third layer and add a fourth before his thoughts grew calm.


    Pure emptiness filled Khan''s mind now. He could think and create plans, but he felt devoid of everything. He was nothing more than a puppet ruled by survival instincts and simple thoughts, but that was fine by him.


    That emptiness was better right now. Khan couldn''t sort his emotions in that situation. Surviving had to come before the cracks in his personality.


    Khan searched the Kred''s robe. The alien was wearing a simple layer of fabric that covered its belly and thin trousers with no pockets. There wasn''t anything useful there, so he quickly stood up and left the area.


    "Where is the other?" George asked when he noticed that Khan was back.


    Cora was tying the two Kred to a three under George''s strict supervision. Meanwhile, Ethel was talking with the three recruits in a different spot. Luke and his group were awake, and pure happiness filled their faces.


    "She isn''t a problem," Khan announced while moving his gaze toward the two prisoners.


    "She?" Cora asked when she noticed that Khan had stopped addressing the Kred as a simple alien.


    Khan had discovered the Kred''s sex during the inspection, and his mind didn''t allow him to consider her as a simple opponent anymore. Even his mental barriers couldn''t help him with that.


    "Did you let her go?" Cora continued when Khan failed to answer her.


    "Enough questions, Cora," George suddenly exclaimed. "Finish tying them up and help Ethel. I bet she desperately needs you."


    Cora felt confused at that sudden burst. She glanced at Khan''s aloof gaze before nodding and hurrying with her task. Then, she straightened her position and walked toward Ethel to help her handle the three recruits.


    Khan and George exchanged an understanding gaze before nearing the two aliens tied to the tree. A quick inspection revealed that they weren''t carrying anything either, but that process allowed the boys to understand their sex.


    The male among the two growled when he opened his eyes and noticed the two boys glancing at him. The cut on his face had stopped bleeding by then, but a deep mark remained and gave his expression a threatening appearance.


    "Dorian, you can leave if you want," George explained. "You might not want to see what''s about to happen."


    "Don''t worry about me," Dorian replied while interrupting his meditation and moving his eyes toward Khan. "We are at war, right?"


    "What do you know about the attack?" Khan asked the male Kred. "Is this another rebellion?"


    The Kred roared, and Khan didn''t manage to understand anything from those animal cries. Still, the alien often glanced at his fainted companion with an expression that seemed to express worry and anger.


    Khan crouched toward the female Kred. George''s branch had broken after the mana inside it dispersed, and the blood flowing out of her broken jaw had eventually forced her to faint. The bleeding had yet to completely stop even, so the other alien had reasons to be worried.


    The male Kred''s roars became louder when Khan approached his companion, but he barely looked at him. Khan limited himself to grab the fur on her forehead and lift her face to inspect her injuries.


    The female Kred woke up during the process, and growls immediately came out of her mouth. Yet, her broken jaw released a wave of pain when those vibrations ran through it.


    Khan let her go and stood up again. He had to make the aliens talk, but they appeared pretty resolute.


    "How do we know that they can speak our language?" Khan asked while turning toward George.


    "Istrone isn''t like Onia," A familiar voice resounded from behind the three boys, and Khan couldn''t help but nod when he saw Luke walking toward them.


    The boy and girl in his group followed closely behind, and Ethel and Cora made sure that the new group didn''t fall due to their exhaustion. Everyone had gathered around the tied Kred now.


    "Humans and Ef''i have a peaceful and respectful relationship," Luke explained while nearing Khan and patting his shoulder, "But the Kred are different. Istrone is under the strict control of the Global Army after the last rebellion. All of them must learn how to communicate with humans."


    "You understand what we want then," Khan continued while turning toward the two prisoners. "Tell us what you know, and we''ll spare your lives."


    The male Kred snorted and spat toward Khan, but he sidestepped the grume of saliva. Instead, the female alien growled again before trying to gaze past the recruits.


    "Are you looking for something?" George asked, and the male Kred promptly glared at his companion.


    That gesture wasn''t enough to stop the female Kred. Her worry increased, and faint understandable sounds eventually came out of her broken mouth.


    "Whele ish she?" The female Kred asked in a young voice. "Wheke ish ay dauthel?"


    The broken jaw made it hard for her to speak, but the group understood what she meant. The third Kred was her daughter, and Khan felt his mental barrier tremble when he heard that.


    George glanced at Khan from the corner of his eyes while Cora directly stared at him. Everyone soon understood that only he had the answer to that question, but his cold face didn''t show any hint.

 Chapter 67: Execution

    Khan was already struggling to dehumanize the Kred. He couldn''t see them as simple enemies anymore after discovering their sex, and realizing that they had families added blows to his mental barrier.


    Khan wasn''t only a murderer anymore. He had destroyed a family, just like the Nak had done to him during the Second Impact.


    ''Concentrate, dammit!'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''They have attacked first anyway. Keep your cool.''


    Khan maintained a cold expression while the group turned toward him. Raging emotions wanted to fill his brain, but he slowly pushed them back during his silence. His eyes didn''t waver during the process either. They remained on the two aliens who had inevitably started to look at him after noticing the reaction of the other recruits.


    "Tell us everything you know first," Khan eventually said in a plain tone. "We''ll talk about your daughter after that."


    The male Kred roared again before turning toward his companion. It was clear that he didn''t want to reveal anything about the situation, but the female alien''s determination was on the verge of crumbling.


    "I ant to see ay dauthel fist," The female alien said and revealed her resolve to share information, but Khan couldn''t show any flaw in his pretense.


    "Your story first," Khan repeated.


    Desperation appeared on the female Kred, and tears even fell from her animal eyes. She turned toward her companion, and sad cries came out of her mouth.


    She seemed to beg her companion, and the latter was clearly struggling to preserve his resolve. The male Kred''s expression remained stern for a few seconds before slowly relaxing to wear a sad face.


    "Do I have your word that you''ll let us talk with our daughter afterward?" The male Kred asked in a raspy voice while turning toward Khan.


    A hammer hit Khan''s mental barrier and made it tremble to no end. The three Kred belonged to the same family, and the two in front of him sounded quite young.


    Khan didn''t know much about the Kred''s anatomy, but part of his thoughts inevitably started wondering about their customs and growth speed.


    How young were they when they set up families? How quickly did they obtain their iconic tall bodies? How old was the Kred that he had killed?


    "How old are you two?" Khan couldn''t help but ask when one of his many doubts seeped past the mental barrier.


    The two Kred and his companions didn''t understand the reason behind that sudden question, but the two aliens couldn''t remain silent in that situation.


    "In Earth years?" The male Kred asked before quickly calculating his age in his mind. "We are both twenty. Our daughter will be ten soon."


    Khan knew that his values couldn''t apply to that alien species. The three Kred had mature bodies even if they were pretty young. It seemed that they only required ten years to develop completely, which made even the dead daughter an adult.


    However, the differences between the two species didn''t change the reality of the facts. Khan had taken a life who had barely been in the world for ten years. That realization forced him to fall silent and reinforce his mental barrier again while his companions shot confused glances toward him.


    "You have my word," Khan eventually announced. "You''ll both see your daughter if you tell us everything you know."


    Something broke inside Khan when he said those words, but his mental barrier held strong and kept the part of his mind in control of his actions calm and cynical.


    The male Kred appeared disappointed when he inspected Khan''s cold expression, but a glance at his tied partner''s begging face forced him to pursue that approach. He had to cooperate for the sake of his family.


    "The three of us are simple foot soldiers," The male Kred revealed. "We only know that some of the rebellious factions have decided to strike back to restore Istrone''s independence."


    "Why would you rebel again?" Luke asked. "Didn''t you learn your lesson forty years ago?"


    "The ground still carries the scent of our fallen," The Kred said as growls fused with his human words. "Humans might be able to move on easily, but our planet doesn''t allow us to forget. This debt will remain as long as Istrone lives."


    George and Luke exchanged a meaningful glance before turning toward Khan. That story wasn''t going anywhere. It explained part of the Kred''s mentality, but it didn''t help the recruits at all.


    "Tell me about your targets and other useful details," Khan ordered. "How many Kred rebelled? How many of you are patrolling the jungle? Why did you attack innocent recruits instead of taking the battle to the real culprits of your suppression?"


    "None of you is innocent," The Kred scoffed. "You thrive by feeding on Istrone''s natural resources. You pillage our planet and exploit our teachings to destroy nature. This ground is our future, and you are destroying it. We have only decided to pay you back with the same approach."


    There was an immense gap between their species. Simple words couldn''t make them reach an agreement. The Global Army had a financial approach to war, especially in the last years, but the Kred saw defeats as curses that remained stuck to their very species.


    That feeling wasn''t reasonable. The Kred could actually smell the scent of their fallen, according to the male prisoner. Istrone constantly reminded them of their defeat, and Khan could relate to that situation. He experienced the same reminder every night.


    Khan could understand that the Kred wouldn''t stop rebelling as long as Istrone continued to drive them crazy. He wouldn''t either if he were in their situation, but his task wasn''t to relate with the aliens.


    "Targets, number of rebels, and troops deployed in this area," Khan reminded the Kred with his emotionless voice.


    "I already told you that we are mere pawns in this rebellion," The male Kred replied as a tinge of anger seeped into his voice. "Our role was to take care of all the human survivors and use them to bargain with the Global Army."


    "Where did you have to bring them?" Khan asked.


    "Nowhere," The Kred snorted. "There has never been a fixed gathering point. We had to keep an eye on them until our leaders showed up."


    "Leaders?" Khan continued to question the alien. "Also, I don''t care if you don''t know the exact number. Just give me a rough estimate."


    The Kred was losing his patience under the storm of questions. His partner was growing worried about their daughter, but the answers never seemed enough to Khan.


    "We resemble animals on Earth, right?" The Kred eventually asked. "Those like us are rebels. Our connection with the planet is stronger, so we have it harder resisting the desire to fight."


    "Only those that look like you?" Khan asked.


    "Yes," The Kred sighed. "We don''t have prejudices, but we still divide ourselves into factions depending on our aspect. Some of them knew that the attack was coming, but none cooperated."


    Luke and George revealed a grim expression. The situation was worse than they had initially thought. Istrone seemed to have many rebels, and some factions had even decided to remain silent about the attack.


    Traitors could lurk everywhere. Istrone wasn''t a safe destination anymore. The entire planet had become a battlefield, and the Global Army had yet to learn about that.


    "There can''t be many of us here!" The Kred shouted when he saw that the recruits were losing interest in him. "I bet that only a few groups of Kred and Tainted animals are patrolling the crash areas. I know that the leaders didn''t expect many of you to survive."


    "Why are you dodging the questions about the leaders?" Khan asked.


    "Because e can''t sheak about hem," The female Kred suddenly revealed before receiving a glare from her partner.


    "She is telling the truth," The male Kred sighed after staring at his partner for a few seconds. "Recognizing our state as underlings puts mental restraints on our minds. We can''t say much about them."


    Khan turned toward Luke, but the latter shrugged his shoulder. The recruits didn''t know how true those words were, but they had no way to prove them.


    The interrogation was over. The Kred had revealed everything they knew. The attack didn''t seem to aim to capture specific bases of the Global Army. It was a pure act of revenge dictated by the very planet.


    "Can we see our daughter now?" The male Kred asked. "We told you everything we know! Please!"


    "You all go ahead," Khan whispered while turning toward Cora, Ethel, and the two new recruits. "I need to speak with them in private."


    Cora and Ethel didn''t like that decision, but they still followed Khan''s orders. Instead, the other two recruits seemed about to complain, but the two girls promptly stopped them and pushed them away.


    Khan took a few steps back, and the three boys followed him until they reached the spot with the third Kred. Dorian and Luke''s eyes widened at the sight of the corpse, but George''s gaze barely flickered.


    "We all know what we have to do," George exclaimed while they remained around the corpse. "How long will it take before they free themselves? We can''t risk having two angry Kred behind our back."


    "Can''t we take them as prisoners?" Dorian asked. "They can guide us, and the Global Army might even manage to learn something with proper interrogations."


    "How do you plan to convince them when their daughter is dead?" Luke sighed. "They have decided to join a rebellion because the planet told them so. What do you think will happen when they learn about this?"


    "There are two of them," Khan coldly announced. "Only two of us have to kill."


    Those words forced the three boys to think about the actual act of killing someone. That feat sounded easy in their minds, but the resilient and huge bodies of the Kred told them otherwise.


    "I-," George began to speak, but he had to stop and take a deep breath before proposing his idea. "I can fill two branches with my mana and turn them into sharp weapons. That should be enough to pierce their heads."


    Luke nodded toward the boy. A clean kill was better than a gory beating. However, they had to decide who would perform the actual deed.


    "Khan, did you kill this one?" Dorian asked as a tinge of shame appeared on his expression.


    "I''ll kill one of them," Khan exclaimed to put an end to the hesitation that was filling his companions. "You decide who has to take care of the other. I won''t force this on you."


    "There''s no need to force it," George sighed. "I''ll make the weapons anyway. I''ll take care of the other."


    Khan and George exchanged a nod before the latter approached the nearest tree. He didn''t need to find special branches at that time. Two random ones would be enough for the task.


    George ripped two short branches and closed his eyes. The blue leaves on those greenish items fell as his mana flowed inside their insides and strengthened their structure.


    A faint dark-silver halo came out of the two branches once George completed the technique. He handed one of them to Khan, who didn''t hesitate to wield it, and the duo slowly turned to get back to the prisoners.


    Luke and Dorian followed the two recruits out of respect for their task. The Kred began to complain and growl when they saw the group returning with two glowing branches, but the recruits ignored them.


    The scene didn''t promise anything good, but their words didn''t seem to reach the four recruits. The four boys approached the tied aliens with slow but firm steps. There was evident hesitation in their eyes, but they didn''t stop anyway.


    "Keep their heads still," George ordered, and Dorian and Luke crouched next to the aliens.


    The two boys grabbed their heads and made them turn toward their friends. Khan and George could point their enhanced branches at the center of the prisoners'' forehead at that point. Everything was ready for the actual killing.


    George, Luke, and Dorian began to exchange glances. Their hesitation was about to take control of their actions. None of them had the guts to take part in that execution, but Khan suddenly shouted to restore some firmness in their hands.


    "Now!" Khan shouted before pushing his branch forward.


    George almost panicked, but he imitated his companion, even if his eyes closed at the sight of the red blood. The other two boys also turned their faces away from the scene, but they couldn''t do anything about the disgusting noises that reached their ears.

 Chapter 68: Destination

    The group resumed their march after dealing with the Kred. The new recruits had the chance to introduce themselves, but the conversation stopped there since the team''s mood was as heavy as it could get.


    The two recruits'' names were Abel Tairnu and Jill Ranster. The boy was as tall as Khan, while the girl was shorter. They both had black hair, respectively long and short, and their bodies appeared quite frail even after six months of training.


    It was clear that the Global Army had used those weaker recruits to balance Luke''s talent and wealth. The boy had gotten quite strong after his time on Onia. He wasn''t like Khan and George, but he surpassed the average by a lot.


    Khan and the others didn''t explain what had happened to the two prisoners, but the other recruits understood anyway. They had even talked among themselves and heard the Kred''s pleas, so everything was quite clear in their minds.


    Still, no one dared to say anything about the matter. Some felt glad that the Kred were dead, while others realized how scary their companions could be. After all, they had to sleep alone and without supervision with recruits who could deploy lethal force. Being worried about their safety was only normal, especially when it came to the girls.


    Panic and desperate situations could lead to disgusting outcomes. Ethel and Jill tried to distance themselves from the boys since they were aware of that fact, and they even warned Cora about that issue.


    However, Cora trusted Khan too much to decide to take precautions against him. She didn''t even care if some of the boys snored loudly during the night. She felt safe next to him, and she even tried to walk close to him during the march.


    Khan was far from ok. Yet, his face didn''t show any emotion even after days passed from the events with the Kred. He appeared cold, detached, and confident, which only increased his status as a group leader.


    George, Luke, and Dorian wore similar expressions during the travel. Some of them were only trying to imitate Khan, while others were really managing to suppress their emotions.


    The interactions among the group grew scarcer as the days passed. They didn''t talk, and they even ignored the suppressed sobs of some of their companions when the night arrived. The roots could provide nutrients, and the bad weather gave water, but all of them were reaching their mental limits nonetheless.


    The cooperation among Khan, Luke, George, and Dorian grew tighter and smoother. Killing the Kred had created a bloody connection that they couldn''t ignore. The four boys instinctively relied on each other whenever a Tainted animal or other issues appeared on their path.


    Ethel, Jill, and Abel remained apart, at least mentally. Knowing about the killing had created a wall among them even if some agreed with the four boys'' decision. Yet, their lacking battle prowess demoted them to mere walking backpacks for supplies. Khan and the others didn''t even trust them for the guard duty.


    Only Cora tried to act as a bridge between the two groups, but her efforts didn''t lead anywhere. She even managed to muster her courage and talk with Khan multiple times during the days, but she didn''t manage to achieve anything.


    The main issue with that division was the acceptance achieved by the various recruits. All of them could understand that the current layout of the group expressed its full potential, and no one was willing to change anything since everything was going smoothly.


    The lack of communications ended up benefitting Khan. No one dared to bother or contradict him. His new companions didn''t even try to question him about the azure scar on his chest. He could wholeheartedly focus on maintaining his mental walls.


    Cora was an issue that Khan did his best to ignore. She wasn''t annoying. Actually, her concern and efforts were quite heartwarming, but Khan couldn''t let her behavior endanger his mental barrier. He went along with her and made sure to reassure her about her state, but their interactions stopped there.


    The anxiety among the group began to build as more days passed inside the jungle. Their phones were still working, but they had crossed the one-week mark by then. Only a few rays of light had reached the surface in that period, so the devices felt ready to turn off.


    The many days of travel had even created doubts among the group. Some recruits started to think that they had lost their way at some point, and the deceiving scenery of the jungle didn''t help their mindset.


    All the trees looked the same after more than a week of travel inside the jungle. Gaining familiarity with the environment made them doubt their path. Every bush could represent an already crossed area, but they could never confirm if their worries were real issues or simple tricks of their minds.


    The heavy atmosphere among the group ended up preventing internal fights. Everyone remained silent even if doubts filled their minds. The recruits limited themselves to follow Khan, whose determination appeared unbreakable.


    The doubts, worries, and heavy atmosphere vanished when a large plain unfolded in their vision. The familiar metal landing areas brought immense joy to their minds. They had done it. The recruits had returned to their starting point.


    Yet, the area was empty. Khan didn''t even manage to sense anything. The complete stillness that had filled most of his days of travel covered the spot and brought a new wave of worries to the group''s mind.


    "Where is everyone?" Dorian asked while keeping his voice down.


    "We should check the teleport," Khan ordered.


    All the recruits had reached Istrone through the same teleport. The location of their training camps on Earth didn''t affect the matter, so Khan''s group had a vague idea of how to return to the structure.


    The vegetation on Istrone had already changed by then. The recruits couldn''t find anything familiar in the path that they had originally taken to reach the plain, but they knew the general direction of the teleport, and that was enough.


    The group had to rely on their compasses again and work together to ensure that they covered all the possible areas where the teleport could be. The changed environment played with their memories, so they could only overcome the issue through many attempts.


    Resting at night remained mandatory under Khan''s leadership, but the group managed to find the building with the teleport in only two days of exploration. Yet, their hopes shattered when they saw that the structure featured large holes and many crumbled walls.


    It was clear that the Kred had assaulted the building, but that knowledge didn''t help Khan''s group. They were out of options now. They didn''t know anything else about the planet.


    "What now?" Ethel asked, giving voice to the question in everyone''s mind.


    The recruits turned toward Khan, but he had no plans or answers for them. He had hoped that the plain and the teleport could be valid destinations, but the rebellion seemed to have spread more than expected.


    Still, his senses suddenly warned him about masses of mana moving at some distance from the building. Khan could identify them as Kred even if he couldn''t see the actual source of that power from behind the thick layers of trees, but he also noticed that something was off.


    The Kred weren''t alone. Other fainter presences moved behind them. The pace of the group was even slow, which made Khan consider a few possibilities.


    The fainter presences didn''t belong to Tainted animals, but they didn''t seem Kred either. Khan couldn''t get closer for fear of exposing himself, but he had an idea that sounded quite reasonable.


    Istrone didn''t seem to have a fauna, so Khan could only think about one type of living being that didn''t belong to Kred and Tainted animals. There was a high chance that the aliens in the distance were dragging humans.


    "Follow me," Khan suddenly whispered before crouching. "Try not to make sounds, and make sure not to bump into me. I don''t know if this will work, but I can''t think about anything else."


    The recruits had doubts, especially since they couldn''t sense the Kred hidden by the trees, but they decided to follow Khan''s orders anyway. He was the only one who could save them in that desperate situation.


    Khan began to follow the Kred. He moved slowly among the trees and made sure to keep enough distance from the aliens. He remained at the edges of his mental range, accelerating and holding his steps according to the movements of the group ahead.


    The group had to advance like that for hours, and they couldn''t stop even after the night fell. Khan had officially forced his companions outside of every known path, but his teammates were too desperate to mind that.


    Khan suddenly stopped at some point, and George inevitably slammed into his back. The same happened for the recruits behind the boy, but everyone managed to maintain their balance and avoid creating unnecessary noises.


    Khan''s sudden actions came from the arrival of an area completely devoid of trees. The forest stopped and created an empty zone that featured only short vegetation and a narrow cave that seemed to lead underground.


    The faint figures of a bear-shaped Kred who dragged two young humans inside the cave had appeared in Khan''s eyes during the abrupt stop. He didn''t know what that structure contained, but it looked like a gathering point for prisoners.

 Chapter 69: Cave

    Khan stopped sensing the Kred and humans once they entered the cave. Istrone''s ground created a wall that his senses couldn''t pierce. The darkness of the night also hindered his vision and prevented him from gaining a clear understanding of the whole area.


    Only the faint azure lights running through the ground and some glowing plants illuminated the area and created shadows that Khan could study. Still, they weren''t enough to allow a proper inspection of that empty spot in the middle of the forest.


    Some of Khan''s companions had noticed the Kred entering the cave with the prisoners. They didn''t see much, but they managed to confirm that Khan wasn''t leading them across the jungle blindly.


    The scene made them reach similar conclusions that they didn''t hesitate to whisper among the group. There was a high chance that the cave was one of the locations meant to hold the survivors of the attack.


    Another realization quickly followed that understanding. The Kred didn''t explain much, but they had given important information that the recruits could connect to that scene.


    Only the leaders of the rebellion knew where to bring the prisoners, which implied that the cave had more than simple foot soldiers. That structure would probably contain strong Kred.


    "We have to go in, right?" George asked after the group remained silent for a while.


    "We must save the others!" Luke exclaimed while keeping his voice down.


    "I agree," Dorian added. "We can''t leave them there."


    The other recruits remained silent since it wasn''t their role to make decisions in the group. They had different views about the issue, but they waited for Khan to make a decision. Their only option was to follow him.


    Khan remained silent while those words reached his ears. Saving others wasn''t even close to being a priority in his mind, but he was out of options. He didn''t know anything else about Istrone, and hiding wasn''t really a possibility due to the foreign environment.


    The humans and aliens inside the cave could reveal a path that his poor knowledge ignored, but an eventual raid required thorough preparations.


    "Let''s remain here for a couple of days," Khan ordered. "We need to study their routine before attacking."


    "Days?" Luke asked. "People might be dying there!"


    "The forest isn''t safe for us either," George added. "You are the only one who can sense the Kred hiding among the trees. We''ll be in the dark whenever you lose focus."


    "I won''t," Khan replied with his firm voice. "Everyone will remain inside the range of my senses, and we''ll alternate ourselves to spy the cave. I''ll handle the guard duty on my own."


    "You can''t stay awake for so long right before attacking!" Cora exclaimed while keeping her voice down, but everyone could sense the worry in her tone.


    "She is right," George continued. "You are the strongest among us. You should be at your peak before the attack, not the opposite."


    "I can handle it," Khan revealed, "And I will. We don''t have other options, so let''s skip the complaints. We''ll have time to worry after we return to Earth."


    Khan didn''t give anyone the chance to argue, but the recruits slowly understood that the situation was quite helpless. Attacking the cave blindly was too reckless, and only Khan''s senses could ensure their safety during the inspection.


    Khan gave a few instructions before leaving the edges of the forest and moving in a spot at the center of his companions'' activities. He could cover the kids busy with the surveillance and those tasked with gathering roots from there, so he sat on the ground and began to meditate.


    His senses had grown sharper after spending so long in the jungle, and the constant suppression of his emotions made him quite responsive to the fluctuation of the mana in his surroundings. Khan could meditate without lowering his guard, but his task didn''t allow him to do anything else in that situation.


    The other boys and girls had to study the cave and gather food without alerting the Kred moving through the area. Khan wouldn''t normally trust all of them for those tasks, but that had to do due to the helpless situation.


    The group began their silent surveillance of the cave while Khan didn''t move from his spot. No one spoke, and those spying on the target did their best to avoid making noises.


    Cora took care of bringing food to Khan every few hours, and the latter often forgot about thanking her since his mind was elsewhere. He paid attention to the surrounding area even while munching roots and moving mana through his body.


    The girl didn''t mind that lack of attention. Her worries about Khan even intensified as time passed. His companions could sleep and rest, but he had to remain alert for the whole time to make sure that no Kred approached their position.


    Khan spent two days in that condition. He had sensed Tainted animals, Kred, and fainter presences getting close to his position, but none of them had threatened to discover the group. He had never needed to alert everyone to force them to change location.


    Two days of surveillance weren''t enough to understand the complete behavior of those living inside the cave, but that time had to do. Khan''s resilience was inhuman, but it had limits that a longer time in that condition would definitely make him reach.


    "Multiple groups of Kred go out before dawn," George listed what he had learnt in the past days once the group gathered. "Many of them return empty-handed late in the night, but some bring prisoners. Others even carry corpses back."


    "We attack once they leave then," Khan quickly concluded before glancing at the openings in the blue crows above him.


    His phone had died since heavy rain had never stopped falling in the last two days. The group still had a few working devices, but they preferred not to waste their energy to check the hour.


    The almost two weeks spent in the jungle had made them grow used to Istrone''s time, so they didn''t have any problem keeping track of the passing hours. The recruits had even learnt how to alternate the guard duty without using alarms in the last period.


    "Do you want to rest for a few hours?" Luke asked once Khan lowered his gaze. "The Kred have already returned inside the cave. We can handle the surveillance without you for a bit."


    "Let''s not take risks," Khan replied. "Focus on preparing. The attack will start in less than four hours."


    The order forced all the recruits to realize that the beginning of the mission was close. Many of them closed their eyes to meditate and bring their condition to the peak, while others made sure to relieve themselves before the attack.


    Tension accumulated among the group as time passed. Every minute felt like an eternity in their minds, and that feeling even interrupted their meditation multiple times. Only the four boys involved with the execution of Kred managed to remain calm and prepare themselves correctly.


    The sky past the blue crowns grew brighter as dawn approached. Small teams of Kred began to leave the cave and disperse in the jungle to resume their daily patrol, and Khan made sure that none of them walked toward his direction.


    The group waited until the morning arrived before leaving the forest and approaching the cave. Khan obviously led the group, and the other recruits created a line behind him as per his instructions.


    The lack of information concerning the insides of the cave had prevented the group from creating a proper plan. Still, they had gone through some possible situations before leaving the forest. They had decided how they would react to specific issues beforehand to avoid freezing in front of the actual danger.


    Khan was in front of the group because his attacks were incredibly fast. He could take care of any threat before eventual alarms and warning cries rang.


    George followed closely behind him while wielding a thick branch already empowered with mana. His role was to deal with the enemies that Khan failed to handle or crossed.


    The recruits behind George had the same task. The group''s priority was to move forward, even at the cost of running past some opponents. Everything would be fine as long as one of the kids in the line took care of them.


    Khan didn''t show any hesitation when he reached the entrance of the cave. The narrow passage went downward and didn''t feature stairs, but it had rocks that could become useful footholds.


    The lack of enemies past the entrance made Khan descend through that unstable path right away. His agility allowed him to go through that narrow passage in no time, and a long tunnel unfolded in his eyes once he landed on stable ground.


    Blue and purple plants filled the insides of the tunnel and illuminated it with their faint glow. Khan could see everything perfectly, and he didn''t fail to notice a few holes dug on the walls.


    Khan approached the holes while his companions descended through the entrance, but his eyes grew colder when he inspected their insides. The cavities weren''t big, but the Kred had managed to store human corpses inside them anyway.


    All the recruits ended up inspecting the holes as Khan walked forward. He even had to stop at some point when he heard Abel puking in the corner of the passage.


    Jill and Ethel made sure to remind Abel about their situation, and the boy quickly suppressed his retches to proceed with the mission. His complexion had paled, but a newfound determination had appeared on his expression. There seemed to be even hatred on his face now.


    The passage led to another descending path that ended up in a large hall filled with glowing plants and holes. Still, those cavities featured wooden sticks arranged to create what seemed to be the bars of a cell.


    Khan peeked inside one of the cells and noticed that it contained a young girl tied with a few roots. Her eyes slightly opened when she saw the boy, but Khan promptly put a finger in front of his mouth to make her remain silent.


    The faint sound of steps then echoed from the end of the hall. Khan turned and saw that a tall figure had appeared in the passage that connected the cave to the next area, and his vision immediately grew blurry.


    Khan didn''t hesitate for even an instant. The mana flowing through the many plants around him dulled his senses, but he didn''t fail to link that tall figure to a Kred. He shot forward and arrived in front of the alien before it could open its mouth in surprise.


    ****


    Author''s thoughts: I''ll go premium on the 29th, with chapter 75. I''ll keep the length variable to have some flexibility, so the cost of the chapters will vary accordingly. Moreover, the mandatory privilege will go online on the same day. It will cost 1 coin and contain 2 chapters.

 Chapter 70: Prisons

    The bear-shaped Kred tried to growl and launch a warning cry, but Khan''s foot slammed on its throat before any noise could come out of its mouth. A snapping sound echoed from its neck, but it didn''t manage to get past his mental barrier.


    The alien began to fall, but Khan promptly grabbed it and put it on the ground while limiting the noises in the process. The Kred exhaled its last breath in his embrace, but he suppressed everything and turned to look at the passage.


    The cave descended again, but Khan could see the shadows of tall figures created by the glowing plants. None of them seemed aware of the intruders, but taking eventual opponents by surprise would still be tricky since there was only one way.


    The other recruits quickly reached Khan and ignored the corpse next to him. Their eyes tried to fall on the dead Kred, but they forced them to remain on their leader.


    "There are others down there," Khan whispered before turning when he saw that his companion nodded.


    They had prepared for that situation. They didn''t need to add other words.


    Rescuing the starved and weak recruits inside the cells was pointless since they wouldn''t be able to help in the battle. Khan decided to shoot ahead and enter the second hall at full speed to take care of every threat before dealing with the prisoners.


    A hall identical to the first unfolded in his eyes, and Khan only had the time to notice the lack of other tunnels before focusing on the four bear-shaped Kred in the area.


    His vision was blurry, but he managed to stop in front of the first Kred and deliver a roundhouse kick with his right leg that slammed the alien''s face to the wall.


    The wall caved in and released a noise that alerted the other aliens. Growls began to resound through the hall, but Khan was already on the move again by then.


    Khan quickly approached the second Kred while it was busy turning toward the invaders. A kick landed on its side, but the attack only managed to push it into the wall.


    Khan had failed to deploy mana correctly, but that realization didn''t slow down his movements. He promptly left the second alien in its place and shot deeper into the hall to approach the third.


    The Kred had begun to move toward the invaders by then, but the third alien suddenly saw a shadow materializing in the air. Its eyes soon managed to identify Khan''s rotating figure, but a descending heel filled its vision before it could raise its arms to block the attack.


    The heel hit the Kred at the center of its forehead and made it fall on its back. Khan had executed the technique correctly at that time, but the third alien seemed more resilient than its companions since no cracking noise followed the impact.


    However, Khan didn''t stop for even an instant. It didn''t matter if his opponents survived or not. He had to press forward and deal with every alien on his path. His companions would deal with the Kred who managed to remain awake after his blows.


    Khan reached the last Kred in an instant. The fourth alien had to spend some time to stand up, but its guard was in place by the time its opponent arrived. Its arms were ready to stop the incoming kick aimed at its head, but Khan''s leg became blurry right before the impact.


    Khan''s heel suddenly hit the Kred''s right foot. He had decided to perform a feint since the alien was ready to block his attack, but he flowed into a second technique after his blow hit his target.


    Khan''s figure rotated and went airborne as he jumped on the Kred''s foot to deliver a circular kick aimed at its head. His leg was barely visible while it cut the air to reach its target, but a clawed hand suddenly appeared on its path.


    "You are too cocky," The Kred growled in a deep male voice while showing a cold smile.


    The alien had managed to grab Khan''s right leg and stop the attack. Khan couldn''t avoid that from his airborne position, and his body quickly tensed in a desperate attempt to use the Kred''s hand as a foothold to deliver a second kick.


    The Kred blocked the second kick too. His grasp on Khan''s ankles tightened, and his claws even stabbed his skin. Red trails started to flow out of the injuries, but Khan didn''t give up.


    Khan tensed his abdomen and crouched toward the Kred while pointing his fingers toward the animal eyes. He couldn''t deploy proper punches without the help of his legs, but he knew that he could do a lot of damage if his attack hit.


    The Kred snorted and turned to slam Khan on the wall. Tremors ran through his body after the impact, but the alien didn''t let him go and continued to wave his arms to make him crash on every surface.


    Blood accumulated in Khan''s mouth as the alien continued to play with him. He was nothing more than a child in the Kred''s grasp, and his consciousness even threatened to fade as he continued to slam on the wall and ground.


    ''The thumbs!'' Khan shouted in his mind before crouching toward the alien again.


    His target wasn''t the alien''s head at that time. His hands went for the clawed thumbs holding his ankles.


    The Kred slammed Khan on the wall again, but he endured the pain as his hands reached the furry thumbs. Khan mustered all the strength that his body was capable of at that point and lifted the fingers to create an opening in the alien''s grasp.


    Khan pushed from the alien''s thumbs, and his legs slid over the sharp claws as they existed that firm grasp. Four deep cuts opened on Khan''s ankles and feet in the process, but he finally freed himself.


    Khan jumped backward as soon as his feet touched the ground. He didn''t manage to control his movements due to the panic that was trying to fill his mind, so he ended up slamming on one of the cells behind him.


    The impact destroyed the wooden bars and made Khan fall inside the cell. His mental barrier quickly fended off the emotions that were trying to take control of his movements. Even the pain radiated by his injured legs remained outside and didn''t affect his thoughts.


    The Kred didn''t immediately jump on him. He remained near the wall at the end of the hall and wore a cruel smile.


    Khan tried to straighten his position, but his hand suddenly touched soft fur. He turned, and a familiar figure unfolded in his eyes.


    "You shouldn''t have come," Lieutenant Sehlolo sighed while looking at Khan.


    The wolf-shaped Kred didn''t feature any injury, but her military uniform had broken in many spots. Khan couldn''t see her stars anymore, but he also noticed that she didn''t have roots restraining her legs and arms.


    "Did you think you could rescue your friends?" The male Kred sneered. "Even your Lieutenants turned their backs on you!"


    Khan moved his eyes back on his opponent at that point. He noticed that the Kred''s foot was almost completely fine. His previous attack didn''t manage to break its bones.


    "How strong is he?" Khan asked without turning toward Lieutenant Sehlolo.


    The answer scared Khan. Lieutenant Sehlolo was a second-level warrior and first-level mage, but she was in prison. In theory, her warden had to be stronger than her.


    Yet, Khan had learnt how scary warriors could be after training with Lieutenant Dyester. His Master was so strong that a single attack could make him faint, but the alien didn''t even come close to him.


    "I''m what you earthlings call a first-level warrior," The Kred laughed while pointing his clawed forefinger toward Lieutenant Sehlolo. "She had to be in charge of this prison camp, but her determination crumbled at the last second. She is nothing more of a coward who chose to seal herself behind bars."


    "Why don''t you help us instead of remaining here?" Khan asked while turning toward the Lieutenant.


    "Kids have died because of me," Lieutenant Sehlolo said while dodging Khan''s gaze. "I didn''t know. How can innocent blood wash our grudge clean? I don''t want to have anything to do with this rebellion anymore."


    "Your decision will only make more of us die," Khan coldly added.


    "I''ve made up my mind," Lieutenant Sehlolo replied while turning her head to face the back of the cell. "I can''t spill blood anymore."


    ''She is useless,'' Khan cursed in his mind before taking a deep breath and exiting the cell.


    His feet hurt when he straightened his position, but he ignored the pain to focus on his opponent and surroundings. His companions were fighting the two weaker Kred, and they appeared close to defeating them. It wouldn''t take much before they could come to Khan''s aid.


    Instead, the strong Kred didn''t move. He was waiting for Khan to make his move while wearing his cruel smile.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Just to avoid confusion, I''ve started using "he" instead of "it" for the alien after making his sex clear.


    Anyway, to add info on the privilege for readers who don''t know how it works. Privilege is a monthly subscription that will allow you to be ahead of normal releases. However, you will get new chapters only the first time. Paying in the following months will only make you preserve your advantage over normal releases. Moreover, you won''t be able to use fast passes on the chapters inside the privilege, so keep that in mind. Do purchase it if you want to support me, and don''t hesitate to ask stuff through comments or discord if you have other doubts.

 Chapter 71: Anger

    Khan inspected the Kred and tried to get a read of his actual power. The glowing plants around him hindered his senses, but the alien was standing right in front of him. Something eventually reached his mind.


    The alien was a dense mass of mana. His entire body featured shining lumps of energy that empowered his already incredible innate features. There were empty spots, but they didn''t create any weakness in that massive array of muscles.


    Khan''s eyes fell on the alien''s foot. He had delivered a complete technique on that spot, but he had failed to inflict significant damage. However, a second inspection revealed that the body part had swelled. It was clearly bigger than the other foot.


    ''I can damage him,'' Khan concluded in his mind.


    His attunement with mana was pretty high, but it had yet to reach the fifty percent mark and allow him to claim the status of a first-level warrior. Still, he appeared close to that level since his blows could affect the Kred.


    ''I might be able to defeat him once the others arrive,'' Khan thought as a few images flashed in his mind.


    The Kred''s reaction time was incredible, but Khan had managed to get past his defense and land a blow. The nature of the Lightning-demon style gave him a slim hope to avoid ending up in the alien''s grasp again. In theory, Khan could slowly exhaust his opponent with a hit and run tactic since he was faster.


    ''I can''t allow him to grab me again,'' Khan sighed as pain continued to spread from his ankles and tried to seep past the mental barrier.


    His plan could work only if the alien didn''t catch him again. Khan knew that his body couldn''t endure another beating since his insides already hurt. Moreover, the Kred had a high chance to damage his legs again since Khan''s offensive relied on those limbs, and suffering severe injuries there would put an end to the battle.


    Khan needed to go past perfection to handle the Kred. Simple speed wasn''t enough. He had to perform feints and predict his opponent''s reactions to always stay a few steps ahead in the battle.


    Success in that approach wouldn''t even ensure his victory. The Kred were innately more resilient than humans, and his opponent''s body even had more mana. Khan was on the losing side when it came to sheer strength, endurance, and probably battle experience. He could only rely on his speed and companions in that situation.


    ''I don''t have many choices,'' Khan cursed before bending his body forward.


    The alien''s smile widened at that sight, and he raised his arms to prepare for the imminent attack. He pointed his palms toward Khan, and his sharp claws became ready to pierce the boy''s skin.


    Khan removed everything useless from his senses. The noises caused by the battles of his companions didn''t reach his ears anymore. The various cells and prisoners became mere shadows in his eyes. The Kred''s features also vanished and transformed him into a mere training dummy in his mind.


    Khan shot ahead once his concentration reached its peak. Mana flowed freely through his body and accompanied his movements. A kick quickly flew toward the Kred''s head, and the alien raised his arms to block that blow, but Khan''s leg suddenly curved as his blurry figure crossed his opponent.


    The Kred sensed his feet leaving the ground when Khan''s shin hit his abdomen. The boy had relied on a feint again, and the power behind his blows seemed to have increased. The alien couldn''t help but feel some discomfort on his belly, but his arms still swung after his opponent.


    Khan saw sharp claws flying toward him and aiming for his face. He had stepped behind the Kred to complete the attack, but his opponent didn''t lose track of him.


    Khan jumped backward and distanced himself from the Kred. A claw managed to touch his cheek and open a small cut, but he barely felt that.


    The Kred landed on the ground and gave voice to an arrogant grunt. He appeared completely unaffected by the recent attack, but Khan expected as much.


    Khan shot ahead as soon as the Kred tried to restore his guard. His leg quickly rose and aimed for the alien''s head again, but he performed a feint as soon as he saw the huge furry arms appearing on his path.


    His heel fell on the already injured foot, but Khan didn''t flow into another technique. He put power into his legs and jumped backward before the alien could launch his arms forward.


    The Kred gave voice to an angry roar when he saw his opponent escaping his range again. Khan was slippery and hard to follow even with an enhanced body, but his blows felt like mosquito bites in the alien''s mind.


    Still, the Kred inevitably grew angry about that situation. He was stronger than Khan, but his power would be useless as long as he failed to catch him.


    Moreover, it felt strange to fight against Khan. Warriors would show some reaction during a battle. Their species didn''t affect that feature. Pain, anger, and other sensations were inevitable when exchanging blows powered by mana.


    Yet, Khan''s face appeared empty. It didn''t show anything at all. The Kred could barely explain how he felt against that opponent. Staring in Khan''s dead eyes made his spine tremble.


    "You are a strange human pup," The Kred couldn''t help but exclaim, but his words didn''t reach Khan.


    Khan shot ahead as soon as the Kred closed his mouth. His leg went for the alien''s head again, and its shape grew blurry as soon as furry arms appeared on its path.


    The Kred didn''t fall for that tactic again. He swung his arm toward the base of Khan''s leg to interrupt every feint and technique. After all, Khan had to slow down his offensive to chain two attacks in a row and trick his opponent. The alien wanted to use that window to take care of his threatening speed.


    Yet, the plant of Khan''s foot suddenly hit his nose while his claws were converging toward the leg''s base. The Kred didn''t manage to maintain his composure due to the surprise that filled his mind, and his body inevitably bent backward.


    Khan had faked his feint. He had pretended to flow into another technique, but his leg had only imitated his previous movements, which didn''t make him waste much time.


    The Kred''s calculations ended up being off. He would have been able to reach Khan''s leg if he feinted, but he fell short of a small instant since Khan''s kick had continued to fly forward.


    Tears accumulated in the alien''s eyes. It didn''t matter how powerful his body was. Every living being had vulnerable spots that mana could only cover partially.


    The Kred roared in anger again as he wiped his eyes and tried to clear his nose, but a kick hit the lower part of his mouth and made some of his teeth crack. Khan didn''t stop there, and multiple attacks fell on the alien''s abdomen and injured foot while the latter remained in his confused state.


    The alien eventually regained his vision and swung his claws forward, and Khan felt forced to jump backward. Two long horizontal cuts opened on his chest and divided his azure scar, but those injuries were too superficial to affect him.


    "Enough jumping around!" The Kred shouted while spreading his arms and shooting forward. "Come here!"


    Khan couldn''t help but rejoice at that scene. The alien had finally lost his cool and had decided to launch a reckless assault.


    The Kred closed his arms on Khan when he reached his position, but his figure vanished when those furry limbs touched his skin. Khan ducked at the last second, and his body rotated on his feet to cross the alien and deliver a kick on his back.


    The alien bent forward, but he managed to preserve his balance and turn while swinging his arm. Khan jumped to dodge the attack, and his airborne figure spun to slam his heel on the Kred''s head.


    The Kred wanted to use his other arm to grab Khan now that he lacked footholds, but the latter pointed his free leg on the alien''s chest and pushed himself away.


    Khan performed a backflip and returned to his feet, but the alien didn''t give him any time to breathe. The Kred immediately charged ahead and forced Khan to slide under his figure to dodge the incoming claws.


    The alien wanted to turn, but a sharp pain suddenly spread from his groin and forced him to halt his movements. Khan had punched the alien''s manhood while sliding between his legs, and he even followed the attack with a double kick performed by pointing his hands on the ground.


    The Kred ended up losing his balance after the attack hit his back. He slammed on the wall at the end of the hall before slowly turning to face his opponent. Immense anger filled his eyes at that point, but Khan only took note of the various spots that had swollen.


    Khan had landed blows on his opponent multiple times by then, but the latter didn''t slow down at all. The Kred had suffered injuries on his foot, head, back, and abdomen, but nothing seemed able to affect him. The fast offensive had only managed to increase his anger.

 Chapter 72: Blood

    Khan''s breathing began to show signs of growing ragged. He still had mana available inside his body, but his muscles were starting to give in to the immense stress.


    Instead, the Kred appeared at his peak condition. He had a few bruises on his body, and intense anger filled his face, but he stood straight and without showing the slightest trace of exhaustion.


    Khan gulped and tried to steady his breath while the alien turned to face him. The Kred was livid, but he had abandoned his recklessness. He raised his arms and bent his legs before sliding on the terrain and approaching his opponent through short movements that didn''t reveal any opening.


    The Kred was using the forms of simple martial arts, but he didn''t seem too confident in those techniques. His steps were slow, and his eyes often fell on his limbs to ensure they were in the correct position.


    Khan had learnt a bit about martial arts during his intense training on Onia. His knowledge still had many blank gaps, especially when it came to styles that had earned many points. Yet, he had started to develop a faint battle instinct, which told him that the Kred didn''t train much in those techniques.


    Khan had also noticed that during the previous exchanges. The Kred''s fighting style was messy and wild. It mainly relied on his physical superiority and natural features, but it didn''t deploy mana to empower specific techniques.


    ''Do Kred outside of the Global Army even use martial arts?'' Khan wondered as the alien closed on his position.


    The lack of knowledge about that alien species was annoying. Khan ignored most of their customs and abilities, so his evaluation had many uncertainties.


    However, it didn''t make sense for the Kred to hold back, especially after Khan started to hit him often. Something was definitely off, and it seemed to benefit Khan.


    ''Maybe he only knows a few techniques,'' Khan wondered as his figure bent to prepare for the imminent exchange. ''He might even be bad at them. Still, a martial art deployed by a first-level warrior should completely destroy me. I can''t risk getting hit.''


    The change in the Kred''s behavior didn''t affect his approach. Khan only had one valuable tactic in that situation. He had to wear the alien down with quick and safe attacks without ever exposing himself since a single hit from his opponent could put an end to the battle.


    Khan waited until the Kred entered his range before launching his attack. His body turned to the side while his leg flew toward the alien''s head.


    The alien didn''t care about the incoming attack. His arms moved forward as his muscles bulged. He appeared ready to endure the kick, and Khan didn''t hesitate to put strength in his rear foot to jump backward.


    The Kred''s arms stretched before descending toward the ground. His claws stabbed the terrain and dug it until his hands disappeared among the roots of the glowing plants.


    Cracks spread through the ground after the attack ended, and a slight tremor even reached Khan''s feet once he landed. His eyes inevitably widened when he realized how powerful that technique was. He didn''t know if his body would remain in one piece after getting hit by that blow.


    "How far can you run?" The Kred snorted while retracting his arms and resuming his battle stance. "The jungle benefits my species, and you can''t move as much as you want inside this cave. You have no chance to survive the rebellion."


    Khan hated to admit that the Kred was right. He could always escape back into the forest, but that wasn''t even close to being a solution. Also, the cave wasn''t small, but it still restrained Khan''s movements, which inevitably affected his high mobile martial art.


    The new technique revealed by the Kred limited Khan''s options since the attack could turn frontal blows and attempts to attack his sides into deadly situations. Khan could only attack his back now, but that made him predictable.


    A solution eventually reached his mind as the Kred started to approach him again. Khan blinked before focusing on the incoming alien and waited for his opponent to launch his offensive before moving.


    The Kred didn''t fear Khan''s blows, so he could deploy all his energies on attacking. It didn''t matter if his techniques landed or not. Khan would still exhaust himself before him.


    The alien launched his arms forward, and his claws pierced Khan''s figure. Yet, the latter turned out to be nothing more than an afterimage.


    The Kred managed to follow Khan''s movements, but that knowledge didn''t change his approach. He continued to perform his technique until his hands stabbed the terrain and caused a slight tremor to spread through the ground.


    Khan ran around the alien and delivered his kick after his opponent completely bent. He wasn''t trying to damage him too much in that situation. His priority was to push the Kred forward.


    The Kred''s feet left the ground after the impact. The alien flew for a few meters and turned as soon as he stepped back on the terrain, but the sole of a foot suddenly filled his vision.


    Khan delivered a kick to the alien''s face and ducked to avoid the incoming slashing arms. He had successfully disrupted the Kred''s pace, but his plan didn''t end there.


    Khan rotated after crouching and swept the Kred''s legs to make him fall on his back. The alien was incredibly steady, but his body had already bent backward after the kick, so the attack separated him from the ground.


    A heel eventually landed on the Kred''s groin before slamming him on the ground. Khan had connected three techniques in a row and had performed them with mana, but the alien tried to straighten his position as soon as his back hit the terrain.


    That resilience left Khan speechless. He was doing his best. He had never fought so well in his entire life. However, the Kred was too strong.


    Still, his plan wasn''t to defeat the Kred alone. He didn''t pay attention to the environment at all, but he recalled how big the second hall was.


    The first attack had pushed the Kred among the recruits. They were still dealing with one of their opponents, but some of them noticed the arrival of the new alien and didn''t hesitate to turn their offensive toward him.


    George and Luke had dealt with their opponent and had begun to help their companions with the stronger Kred, but they suddenly noticed Khan throwing another alien among them.


    The two boys immediately turned to help Khan since they valued him far more than the other recruits. George pointed his enhanced branch toward the Kred''s chest while Luke threw a kick aimed at the alien''s head.


    The alien couldn''t dodge the incoming attacks. He had been too caught in the battle to notice the crowd next to him. Also, his focus had been on standing up, so he didn''t see the two boys.


    George''s branch pierced the right side of his chest and made him grunt in pain. Then, Luke''s kick arrived and broke some of the already damaged teeth.


    Khan attacked again at that point. His figure became weightless as he stepped on the alien''s abdomen and deployed his technique. The entirety of his bodyweight converged on the tip of his foot and fell on the Kred.


    George tilted his branch while making sure not to lose control of the mana inside it. The Kred instinctively grabbed that weapon and squeezed it until it broke, but the event only worsened his situation.


    George didn''t lose his balance when the branch broke. Instead, he continued to make mana flow in its insides while he crouched to stab it on another side of the furry chest.


    The Kred raised his other hand to stop the boy, but Luke kicked him again and made him lose sight of the incoming attack. George successfully stabbed the alien, and Khan''s attack followed.


    The three boys unleashed a relentless offensive that didn''t let the Kred stand up. Luke and Khan''s attacks didn''t do much since the alien''s sheer resilience could make him endure those blows, but George was deadly with his branch.


    Even that strong body couldn''t do much against a proper weapon. George''s branch ignored the thick layers of muscles and pierced everything on its path. The Kred couldn''t help but suffer severe injuries during those exchanges, but the boys never let him regain his breath.


    The beating continued even after the Kred stopped moving. George and Luke were in a frenzy, and they had to wait for Khan''s orders to understand that the battle was already over.


    "He''s dead!" Khan shouted before turning toward the last standing Kred, but he halted his steps when the images of the other battle unfolded in his eyes.


    Dorian, Ethel, Cora, Abel, and Jill were standing around the corpse of the last Kred. Most of the alien''s face had turned into a meat paste, and Khan didn''t fail to notice the blood falling from the recruits'' hands.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Friendly warning about this novel going premium. I publish before China time, so chapters 75 and 76 will remain free for some hours. You might find them unlocked if you read them near release.

 Chapter 73: Help

    The sudden stillness of the scene was oppressing. The recruits found themselves unclear about what to do in front of the now silent cave. The noise caused by the blood falling to the ground became deafening, and only the ragged breath of the boys and girls managed to overcome it.


    Khan''s group had done it. They had cleared the cave and killed every Kred. They could move to the next step of their plan, but everyone required a second to snap back to reality.


    "Break the bars and free the recruits," Khan ordered when he saw that some of his companions were still in a daze in front of the bleeding corpses. "We can''t stay here."


    The orders forced the recruits to ignore the cold and scary feelings surging inside their minds. They all began to move and focus on other tasks to keep themselves busy, but some of them didn''t miss that Khan went straight for the end of the second hall.


    The cell containing Lieutenant Sehlolo soon unfolded in Khan''s eyes. The wolf-shaped Kred was still facing the end of the hole when he arrived, but she turned when she heard noises coming from behind her.


    Khan had crouched in front of the cave, and his emotionless eyes inspected the Kred. Lieutenant Sehlolo couldn''t help but compare that gaze to the memories in her mind. Only a couple of weeks had passed since the beginning of the semestral missions, but Khan had already transformed.


    "We need to talk," Khan announced when he saw a tinge of regret appearing in the Lieutenant''s eyes.


    Lieutenant Sehlolo opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She tried to say something a few times, but her eyes eventually fell to the ground.


    She couldn''t stand to look at Khan in the eyes. The stark change in his behavior reminded her of the blood spilled during the rebellion.


    "Do you regret what you did?" Khan asked when he saw that scene.


    Khan''s words transformed into sharp blades when they reached Lieutenant Sehlolo''s ears. She tried to speak again, but she ended up turning her face on the wall to hide from the living reminder of her actions.


    "The situation will only worsen if you don''t do anything," Khan explained. "These prisoners are nothing more than targets among the trees. The Kred will kill all of them, and their blood will be on your hands."


    Khan made sure to use his entire knowledge concerning human interactions during his speech. He relied on his previous talks with Lieutenant Sehlolo to choose words that could make her mind give in. It was clear that regret was eating her insides, and Khan wanted that feeling to grow.


    Feelings seeped past the mental barrier during that speech. Khan had to be cruel during the past two weeks, but he had never enjoyed that behavior. However, a warm sensation spread inside him when he saw Lieutenant Sehlolo suffering due to his words.


    Still, Khan decided to suppress that dark feeling too. Revenge was useless in that situation. He had to get the Lieutenant''s help to have a chance to survive the crisis.


    "You can still save us," Khan continued. "You can remain inside your cave and wallow in your regret, but we need something. We are basically stranded on Istrone unless you tell us how to get out."


    Khan didn''t know how the Global Army behaved in that situation. Part of him even feared that the higher-ups were busy solving greater issues since nothing in the last two weeks had hinted at the arrival of reinforcements. He needed the Lieutenant''s knowledge to understand what to do and devise a plan to get him back on Earth.


    Lieutenant Sehlolo opened her mouth, but no sound came out of it again. Still, Khan waited in silence at that time. He let her experience the pain that her species had inflicted on the young recruits while his cold gaze remained on her.


    George and the others had started to free the imprisoned recruits, and noises inevitably spread throughout the cave. Most sounds were suppressed sobs or painful cries, but a few angry voices also reached the end of the underground structure.


    Lieutenant Sehlolo heard everything. Each sob made her body shake. Her hand trembled whenever one of the prisoners exploded into tears, and her eyes flickered whenever curses reached her ears.


    The prisoners were reminding her of the pain that her species had caused. The rebellion had destroyed the innocent excitement of mere kids and had transformed it into despair and anger. Those recruits would turn into soldiers who hated the Kred. The grudge between the two species had only intensified.


    "You can help them," Khan added when he felt that the Lieutenant was ready to break. "You can save them and help your species. Wars will inevitably happen, but your actions can reduce the damage. Talk and help both species."


    Those words tore Lieutenant Sehlolo''s insides apart. Khan''s eyes remained still when he heard the Kred clearing her throat. He didn''t need anything else to know that he had succeeded.


    "The rebellious factions have destroyed the teleport and blocked the communications with the orbit," Lieutenant Sehlolo explained. "The Global Army has a space station around the planet, but its sensors can''t find much without receptors on the surface. The mana in Istrone''s vegetation creates a shield that stops every attempt to inspect the planet."


    "The higher-ups should still see the blank spot on their scanners, right?" Khan asked. "Why didn''t they send someone at its edges and inspect the whole area?"


    Khan didn''t know how the scanners for Istrone worked, but it didn''t make sense for the Global Army to be completely in the dark. After all, the soldiers must have known where the semestral missions happened. The complete lack of reinforcements in that area left him speechless and worried.


    "The dark area isn''t as small as you think," Lieutenant Sehlolo revealed. "The rebellious factions have deactivated the sensors in many sites."


    "They should still know where we are," Khan continued.


    "Not really," Lieutenant Sehlolo said while turning her face toward Khan. "The army makes sure that only a few trusted soldiers are aware of the location and details of the semestral missions. The families would find a way to help the recruits otherwise, and the Kred know that."


    "I bet these soldiers aren''t on the space station," Khan said.


    "Leaving them there could create a breach in the security," Lieutenant Sehlolo explained. "All of them were on Istrone, and my species has taken care of them before the rebellion."


    The situation appeared quite grim after that explanation. The higher-ups didn''t know where the recruits were, and the Kred had even disabled many structures.


    Convincing Lieutenant Sehlolo to become a guide for the group wouldn''t help since Khan and the others would have to cross a long distance to reach the first working structure. The soldier could even be unaware of the actual size of the blind spot, which only worsened the overall situation.


    "Do you think they are looking for us?" Khan asked.


    "Definitely," Lieutenant Sehlolo revealed. "I wouldn''t be surprised if many experts from the Global Army and the various families had already reached Istrone through the teleports outside the blind zone. They must be already on their way. I believe they''ll converge here in a few weeks."


    "But the Kred know that," Khan added when he saw that sadness had appeared in Lieutenant Sehlolo''s voice during the end of her line.


    "Yes," Lieutenant Sehlolo continued. "They are ready to move all of you soon."


    Khan sat on the ground as he went through the issue in his mind. There wasn''t much that the recruits could do. Even obtaining Lieutenant Sehlolo''s full cooperation would still leave them in the middle of the rebellious factions.


    "Do you think their sensors are pointing toward the blind zone?" Khan asked as a vague idea formed in his mind.


    "Of course," Lieutenant Sehlolo replied, "But you would need something big to appear on their screens. Simple flares won''t be enough."


    Khan nodded before standing up and leaving the cave in silence. A grim spectacle unfolded in his eyes. His companions had freed most of the imprisoned recruits by then, but that wasn''t enough to soothe their pain.


    George, Cora, and the others had recruits clung to their shoulders and arms. Loud sobs came out of their hidden faces. Most of them were actually fine after spending so long inside the caves, but their minds were far from ok.


    "What should we do now?" George asked when he noticed Khan. "Most of them aren''t ready to move, and having such a large group inside the jungle will only turn us into a loud target."


    "We need to get louder," Khan explained before claiming Dorian and Luke''s attention. "Move everyone out and seal each passage. I don''t want to see if she reacts in the wrong way."


    Most of the prisoners knew that Lieutenant Sehlolo was inside a cave. The wardens had often mocked them about that, and Khan''s companions had learnt everything from the cries that had reached their ears.


    It was clear that Khan had something in mind. His worry about the Kred also hinted at something that the alien species wouldn''t appreciate, so his companions decided not to probe further until they left the range of Lieutenant Sehlolo''s ears.


    It took a while to move all the recruits outside the cave. Dorian and the others even had to make sure that none of them overreacted in front of the sudden freedom. Calm was necessary, and Khan even needed everyone''s help to deploy his plan.


    The empty area around the cave unfolded in Khan''s vision once he stepped out of the cave. Even that spot featured rich vegetation, but most of those plants barely reached his ankles.


    Mana flowed inside those plants and made them quite resilient, but they were far from sturdy. A firm pull could break them, and fire could burn them if deployed correctly.


    "What do you have in mind?" George asked when he saw that Khan remained silent while inspecting the various trees and plants around the cave.


    "We need to create a signal," Khan explained. "I hope that a big fire will be enough."

 Chapter 74: Fire

    It took a while to make the former prisoners understand that Khan''s group required their help. George and the others needed even more time to convince them to stand up and start working.


    Starting a fire on Istrone wasn''t an easy task due to the mana flowing inside the plants. The constant bad weather didn''t help with the matter either, but Khan was out of options.


    Some of the prisoners turned out to have experience with fires that involved wild vegetation. They had received special training from their families to help them with similar situations, and the other recruits did their best to follow their instructions.


    Moreover, two prisoners had the fire element. They couldn''t cast spells, but their training had taught them how to heat their mana. Their ability quickened the gathering and preparation of the materials required to start the fire and allowed the group to be ready many hours before the arrival of the night.


    Luke, Dorian, and other recruits sealed the various passages in the cave with branches, wood, and rocks. That method couldn''t stop Lieutenant Sehlolo''s eventual outrage, but it could buy them some time, especially since it prevented the smell from reaching the end of the underground structure.


    Khan even kicked the narrow entrance until it crumbled. The recruits showed astonished expressions when they saw him hitting rocks for almost half an hour, but the cold aura surrounding him stopped any desire to talk to him.


    The rain didn''t stop falling, so the group had to create a fire that could resist it. They gathered many piles of dry branches under the trees behind the cave and lit them up through rudimental methods and fire mana before waving makeshift fans toward the flames.


    The resilient vegetation and the relentless rain fought the flames, but Khan had made sure to prepare enough dry materials for the task. The group had a time limit, so they had to succeed on their first try.


    A few trees eventually took fire. Their large crowns ended up working against them since they blocked part of the rain, and the flames reached the falling water once they were too intense.


    Also, the group was lucky enough to witness a strange reaction. The mana made the trees more resilient, but it transformed into powerful fuel for the flames once the plants died.


    Starting the fire turned out to be the only hurdle in the task. The flames grew intense once the mana burnt, and the reaction became unstoppable after that event.


    The flames spread once entire trees took fire. The recruits limited themselves to throw more dry materials and dig holes on the ground to keep the cave away from that destructive force.


    Black smoke rose in the sky and created a long trail that spread high and wide. The beacon was in place, but everyone in the area could see it. The Kred who had gone hunting couldn''t miss that, and Khan knew that they would hurry back to the cave to punish the culprits behind that horrendous act.


    Khan didn''t do much after the fire began to spread on its own. He sat near the cave and entered the meditative state to relieve his muscles of the stress accumulated during the battle.


    He felt beyond exhausted. Khan had been awake for almost three days and had endured the blows of a first-level warrior. His insides hurt, his feet were sore, and his eyes begged him to sleep, but he didn''t relax just yet.


    The Global Army might arrive after the Kred, which would force the recruits to fight again. Khan couldn''t allow himself to rest before such a significant event.


    Anxiety built among the recruits as the minutes passed. The noise caused by the falling rain and the crackling of the fire filled their ears and prevented them from concentrating.


    The recruits were basically warning the Kred about their successful rescue mission, but everyone knew that Khan''s plan was their last real hope to leave the planet. Still, they couldn''t help but shake as worries and fears built inside them.


    The Kred had captured many of those recruits right after the crash. Those who had managed to put up a fight were too injured or inexperienced to achieve any result. They had no confidence in their ability, but a deadly battle was approaching, and they had to make the best out of that time.


    A loud noise suddenly resounded while the group stared at the fire, meditated, or conversed to disperse the pressure that had filled their minds. The event startled them and even awakened Khan from his meditation, but the latter didn''t move when he sensed that the sounds came from under him.


    Slight tremors ran through the ground. The recruits quickly understood that Lieutenant Sehlolo was trying to escape the cave and prepared for the imminent battle, but confused expressions appeared on their faces when they saw that Khan remained in his spot.


    Khan had faced the first-level warrior Kred and had sparred with Lieutenant Dyester for months. He knew how dangerous empowered soldiers could be, and Lieutenant Sehlolo was even a mage.


    The chances of the group to defeat Lieutenant Sehlolo were non-existent. The situation wouldn''t change even if all the recruits were at their peak condition and didn''t have fears hindering their movements. Their opponent was a second-level warrior and a first-level mage. Only death waited for them if the soldier decided to kill them.


    The entrance of the cave exploded and sent rocks and debris forward. Lieutenant Sehlolo''s tall figure came out of the new opening before jumping next to Khan in an instant.


    Her mouth opened when she looked at the massive fire raging through the forest. She appeared in pain at the sight of the burning trees, and blood even flowed out of her palms when she tightened her grasp.


    "Your species has a good nose," Khan exclaimed without turning toward the Kred.


    His eyes remained on the fire. He was too tired to pretend or beg for his life. The mental barrier kept out his unreasonable feelings and made the cold and cynical part of his mind accept his death.


    "It wasn''t the smell," Lieutenant Sehlolo revealed while gritting her teeth. "I heard the ground screaming in pain."


    The Lieutenant was experiencing an internal battle, and her expression allowed the recruits to keep track of her predominant feelings. Flares of anger would often appear in her eyes, but a helpless sadness always suppressed it.


    "I hope this works as a beacon," Khan sighed.


    "I could still gain the Kred''s favor if I killed all of you," Lieutenant Sehlolo threatened at the sight of Khan''s uncaring attitude.


    Humans couldn''t understand Istrone''s pain. They couldn''t hear its screams and desperate requests. They didn''t feel anything in front of the fire, and Khan embodied that feature in his current state.


    Lieutenant Sehlolo couldn''t help but feel hatred toward him and the recruits around her. Part of her wanted to go wild and kill everyone. However, her rational side knew how pointless that action would be.


    Those recruits weren''t guilty of anything. They had simply reacted to the rebellion. Burning the trees was a last desperate attempt to save themselves from a hatred that didn''t belong to them.


    "Can you promise me something?" Lieutenant Sehlolo suddenly asked as resolve overcame her sadness.


    "Depends," Khan vaguely replied.


    "Don''t tell the Global Army about my involvement," Lieutenant Sehlolo announced. "I''ll hold back the Kred if you promise me to remain silent."


    The recruits couldn''t hear Lieutenant Sehlolo from their position, and they didn''t dare to get closer to the alien. They limited themselves to inspect the scene from behind the heavy rain and hope that Khan could handle the situation.


    "Do you fear for your faction?" Khan asked after he thought about the reasons behind that request.


    The Global Army would definitely retaliate against the Kred, and the culprits behind the rebellion would suffer a grim fate. Lieutenant Sehlolo wanted to save the wolf-like aliens from that.


    "I do," Lieutenant Sehlolo revealed.


    "Were they involved in the rebellion?" Khan asked.


    Lieutenant Sehlolo replied after hesitating for a few seconds, "Some of them."


    Khan fell silent and didn''t let any of his thoughts affect his expression. Lieutenant Sehlolo often glanced at his cold eyes, but she didn''t manage to understand what was going on in his mind.


    "Fine," Khan eventually exclaimed. "Protect us, and I''ll tell everyone that you had nothing to do with the rebellion."


    Lieutenant Sehlolo glanced at the various recruits staring at her in fear. She didn''t know if Khan could make all of them remain silent, especially after they experienced such a traumatic experience. Yet, she had to help her faction, even if that meant placing her hopes in a bunch of kids.


    The Kred didn''t say anything else. She placed a hand on the ground and closed her eyes before moving toward a side of the jungle. Everyone inspected her actions, but no one dared to stop her.


    George walked toward Khan once Lieutenant Sehlolo stopped in front of the jungle''s edges. His confused gaze clearly expressed his desire to understand what had happened during that interaction, but Khan shook his head before closing his eyes again.


    Time flowed, and tall figures eventually appeared among the trees in front of Lieutenant Sehlolo. Angry Kred jumped out of the thick vegetation and set their bloodthirsty eyes on the various recruits.


    Khan could sense that some of them had the same amount of mana as his previous opponent. That group of aliens featured multiple first-level warriors, but none of them dared to advance with Lieutenant Sehlolo on their path.


    Roars and other animal cries resounded among the group of aliens. Lieutenant Sehlolo and the other Kred discussed in a language that the recruits couldn''t understand even if they got closer to them. Their anxiety inevitably intensified at that scene, but all of them knew that they were powerless.


    One of the Kred suddenly roared in anger and shot forward. The alien tried to run past Lieutenant Sehlolo and reach one of the recruits, but the soldier appeared on its path in an instant and pushed it back into the forest with a mere wave of her hand.


    The Kred showed ugly expressions at that sight. Lieutenant Sehlolo''s actions had proven her determination to the group, and the aliens couldn''t help but hesitate.


    Lieutenant Sehlolo was too strong, but there were many of them. They could reach some of the recruits if they charged at them together. A single soldier couldn''t stop all of them.


    Yet, the loud noise released by a series of engines suddenly pierced the rain and crackling fire. Everyone looked toward the sky at that point, and broad smiles appeared on the recruits when they noticed a few spaceships descending toward their position.

 Chapter 75: Camp

    The Kred lost their desire to fight when they saw the spaceships descending toward the zone devoid of trees. Some of them took a few steps backs in fear, but the vehicles reached their destination in mere seconds.


    The sudden acceleration of the spaceships left almost everyone on the scene speechless. Khan had struggled to follow their movements through the sky. They had been nothing more than faint dots hidden among the rain before, but they had transformed into huge figures that hovered above the cave just one instant later.


    The spaceships were different from the troop carriers. They had an oval shape and didn''t feature wings or tails. Three large rotating engines on their sides and back controlled their altitude and speed, but they stopped releasing noises once they stopped moving.


    The front of the spaceships featured three large screens that hid the insides of the cockpits, and their size was almost the same as the troop carriers. Those vehicles couldn''t carry many soldiers, but the recruits could understand that numbers didn''t matter anymore.


    The Global Army had found the recruits. The space station in the orbit would now learn about the position of the lost kids, and the news would reach the worried families. Khan only needed to inspect the reactions of the Kred to understand that he was safe.


    "Get on the ground and place your hands behind your head," A mechanical voice resounded from one of the four spaceships hovering in the sky. "Any attempt to resist the arrest will authorize the use of lethal force."


    The Kred were a driven species due to their tight connection with Istrone. The aliens in the area would rather try their chances than ending up in the Global Army''s hands.


    The time that the Global Army had required to find the recruits proved that the environment was in their favor. The Kred had a high chance to escape as long as they played their cards right, but their hesitation in following the orders forced the spaceships to act.


    A trapdoor opened under one of the spaceships, and a human figure jumped out of it. A man fell for more than twenty meters, and the terrain shattered during the impact, but he appeared completely unaffected by the event.


    The soldier wasn''t tall, and his physique didn''t feature any evident muscle. He had short black hair, a pair of cold green eyes, and a well-kept short beard that covered a good chunk of his stern face.


    The seemingly middle-aged man sent to handle the Kred appeared rather plain. Some of the first-level warriors among the aliens radiated a wilder aura even. Yet, Lieutenant Sehlolo couldn''t help but show an astonished expression and perform a military salute when she recognized that soldier.


    "Welcome on Istrone, Captain Foxnor, sir!" Lieutenant Sehlolo shouted during her salute, and her voice was so loud that everyone in the area heard it.


    The recruits paid more attention to the soldier at that point. The heavy rain still tried to hinder their vision, but the gales generated by the four spaceships dispersed part of it and allowed the kids to inspect the man properly.


    Needless to say, astonishment and surprised gasps spread through the area at the sight of the four stars on each shoulder of the soldier''s military uniform. The Global Army wasn''t playing around. It had sent a monster to deal with the Kred.


    Khan had noticed Captain Foxnor''s power sooner than his companions. His face had remained unaffected by the event, but rumbling emotions were attacking the mental barrier in his insides.


    His senses couldn''t miss the intense energy contained in the Captain''s body. Even those with poor sensitivity to mana could sense the threatening power that the plain man carried. He was a beacon that almost obscured the other presences in Khan''s mind due to his intense glow.


    "You have three seconds to get on the ground," The soldier said in a plain voice.


    His tone was firm, but it didn''t carry any peculiar emotion. It almost sounded peaceful even.


    The Kred hesitated while inspecting the stars on Captain Foxnor''s shoulders. They had to run away now if they wanted to have a chance to preserve their freedom.


    The Captain closed his eyes while raising his right arm. His gesture seemed to match the time that he had given to the aliens. It would stretch completely once the three seconds passed.


    One of the aliens suddenly took a step back, and that gesture triggered a mass reaction. The other Kred quickly turned toward the trees and began their escape, but three seconds passed before they could dive deeper into the jungle.


    Captain Foxnor snapped his fingers once his arm completely stretched, and pale-white flashes suddenly illuminated the area. Multiple lightning bolts had materialized above the escaping Kred and had fallen on their heads without giving them any chance to dodge the attack.


    The result of that spell was incredible. All the Kred except for one first-level warrior fell dead on the ground. Dark smoke came out of their figures as their fur and skin continued to burn even after the attack ended.


    That scene left everyone surprised and worried. A single gesture from the Captain had been enough to take care of a threatening platoon of Kred. His attacks had even been so precise that the surviving alien didn''t suffer any injury. The soldier had a scary level of control over his power.


    "I''m not going to repeat myself," Captain Foxnor exclaimed in his calm voice.


    The Kred looked at the dead companions and turned its body in anger. Pain filled its mind as the blood of the aliens flowed into the ground. Its suffering made it prefer death over imprisonment.


    The alien shot after Captain Foxnor. It didn''t care if its action was pointless due to the vast disparity in power. Its charge was an expression of the Kred''s determination!


    Captain Foxnor prepared himself to snap his fingers again, but Lieutenant Sehlolo jumped on the Kred before he could complete the spell. She pushed the alien on the ground and held its arms behind its back while sitting on them.


    "I''m sorry for interrupting you, sir," Lieutenant Sehlolo explained while restraining the alien. "I believe you wanted to interrogate her, sir."


    Captain Foxnor''s eyes slightly flickered, but he lowered his hand and turned to walk under one of the spaceships. Khan stared at him for the entire time, but the soldier never wasted time inspecting the area.


    A metal rope fell from the trapdoor, and the Captain grabbed it before being dragged back inside the vehicle. Meanwhile, two spaceships landed in relatively empty spots near the trees before their doors opened, and a series of soldiers jumped out of them.


    Some of the soldiers ran toward Lieutenant Sehlolo and helped her restraining the Kred with metal handcuffs. Instead, others hurried toward the recruits while carrying lotions and bandages.


    "Handle the others first," Khan announced when one of the soldiers tried to approach him. "I''m fine."


    Khan was obviously far from fine, but he didn''t want to relax yet. The mental barriers would crumble as soon as he allowed himself to feel safe, and he couldn''t let himself experience the many suppressed emotions in that situation.


    There would be time on Earth to deal with the mess in his mind, but he had to endure for a little more now. He would have to go through interrogations and other procedures before going back home, and showing weakness during them could ruin part of his achievements.


    Khan knew that what he had accomplished on Istrone was terrific. He had saved his group, survived in the jungle for two weeks, and rescued many prisoners. The Global Army would definitely reward him after learning of his actions, and he suspected that even the families of his companions wouldn''t hold back from showing their gratitude.


    Everything was benefitting his plan to become an ambassador. His current cold mindset was perfect for seizing many favors from the Global Army and gaining a privileged status among the families. He felt nothing like a hero, but he only needed the higher-ups to see him in that way.


    Lieutenant Sehlolo and a few soldiers dragged the prisoner into a spaceship, and the vehicle immediately set off while carrying the whole group.


    Another spaceship landed in that spot after a few minutes. That vehicle was bigger than the others, and the soldiers that came out of it carried multiple devices that they didn''t hesitate to place on the ground.


    Items with the shape of small suitcases transformed into large azure tents that could fend off the rain. The Global Army built a camp in minutes, and the soldiers moved to handle the other issues afterward.


    A few soldiers ran toward the fire and began to suppress it. A woman with a star on her left shoulder controlled part of the falling rain and made it accumulate above her figure before throwing it toward the burning trees.


    Another soldier helped her while firing a device with the shape of a machinegun that launched a slimy substance. The flames immediately vanished when they touched that dense green material.


    Another group began to carry the injured recruits toward the various tents that had appeared around the cave. Most of the kids didn''t need anything special. A few nights of rest and light meds were enough to tend their condition.


    Instead, others required immediate special care. Some soldiers escorted Ethel and two other kids who had a pale complexion into the spaceship, and the vehicle set off before dispersing into the sky.


    Other spaceships descended and departed as the soldiers enlarged the camp and dealt with the kids. Khan''s turn soon arrived, but he didn''t let the soldier do much. He accepted the lotions for his cuts, but he refused further inspections.


    Glances eventually started to fall on him. Khan had remained in his spot near the cave since it was clear that the group wouldn''t leave soon, but the soldiers had started questioning the recruits in that period.


    The prisoners didn''t say much, but the core members of Khan''s group were quite loud about his merits. A group of soldiers had even gathered around Luke when they became aware of his background, and he didn''t hold back from praising Khan as much as possible during that interaction.


    The rumors spread so quickly that a soldier with three stars on each shoulder eventually left the cockpit of a spaceship and walked toward Khan.


    "I think it''s time we have a talk," The slightly old man announced when he reached Khan. "You can address me as Captain Godman. I''m in charge of this rescue mission, and I can''t wait to hear your version of the story."

 Chapter 76: Mark

    Khan didn''t hold anything back, but he made sure to tell his version of the story in a calm and precise way to show his ability to maintain a collected mind even after the mission ended.


    Captain Godman had a few wrinkles on his face, but his eyes were lively, and his body radiated a steady vibe. His uniform couldn''t hide his bulging muscles, and his short grey hair didn''t manage to give him an old appearance.


    The soldier appeared in his prime, but the stars on his shoulders clearly stated his inferiority to Captain Foxnor even if they shared the same rank. He seemed slightly weaker than Lieutenant Dyester, but Khan couldn''t feel sure about that from a simple inspection.


    Khan told everything to the Captain. He even managed to play it humble without forgetting to mention his many feats. He relied on his entire knowledge about human interactions to create a perfect image of himself without bragging.


    Captain Godman often adjusted his black mustache with his fingers while listening to Khan''s story. He remained silent for the whole speech and only nodded from time to time when he heard certain decisions that he approved.


    The soldier didn''t ask anything about Lieutenant Sehlolo, but Khan guessed that the Global Army would question him about that during the official interrogation. He mentioned her presence inside the cave, but he didn''t give all the details about their private conversation since that situation didn''t let him exploit the information properly.


    The Captain took out a pack of cigarettes when Khan''s story ended. The heavy rain had finally stopped, so he could pull an electric lighter from his pocket and smoke without worrying.


    The soldier offered a cigarette to Khan, but the latter refused it. His curiosity about smoking had waned when he had seen people in the Slums trading cans of food to keep up with that bad habit.


    "It''s regretful that you didn''t know more about Istrone," Captain Godman eventually announced while blowing smoke above him. "Your background even worked against you, but I can see that you did your best."


    "Do you know about my history, sir?" Khan asked while turning toward the soldier.


    "We checked you up since the Cobsend kid didn''t stop narrating your deeds," Captain Godman said while giving voice to a short laugh. "You made good friends in the army already. I''ve seen soldiers undermining their companions to improve their chances of getting a promotion, but none of the recruits here dared to forget to mention your name."


    "I wouldn''t have survived without them," Khan promptly added to make sure that his pretense remained in place.


    "And they wouldn''t have survived without you," Captain Godman continued. "Still, you could have played it better, but you should blame the army for that."


    "How so, sir?" Khan asked.


    "You could have realized that the kid''s families would have hurried on Istrone after the mission went sideways," Captain Godman explained while drawing something on the ground with his foot. "You could have avoided the patrolling Kred if you moved toward the edges of the blind zone. The Global Army would have even learnt about the rebellion earlier if you met the reinforcement deployed on Istrone."


    Khan followed the Captain''s foot with his eyes. The soldier was drawing a simple scheme of Istrone''s situation to explain the different approaches that Khan could have taken.


    The edges of the blind zone were farther away from the crash site than the plain, but they were safer. Also, those areas had soldiers from the families and the Global Army busy searching for traces of the recruits.


    The Kred didn''t make the plain the center of the blind zone to mislead the army, so Khan would have had a high chance to meet the reinforcements in a single week. In theory, he could have helped to deal with the rebellion far faster.


    "I didn''t think about that," Khan honestly announced when he understood the Captain''s point of view.


    "Of course you didn''t," Captain Godman snorted. "You had no idea of the actual situation of the teleport, and you didn''t know how the sensors on Istrone worked. You couldn''t see the best course of action without that knowledge."


    Khan turned toward the Captain again at that point. He didn''t say anything, but even his aloof face couldn''t hide his confusion. He didn''t see the point of that speech.


    "I''m not saying this to worsen your mood," Captain Godman explained. "Take my words as a special lesson for talented recruits. You have a high chance to end up in a position of power one day, and this might allow you to save lives."


    "Thank you for your kindness, sir," Khan exclaimed as his eyes widened.


    Khan didn''t know how the Global Army would value his feats, but Captain Godman had basically revealed how important they had been. Even such a high-ranked soldier had acknowledged that Khan could end up leading platoons.


    "It''s rare to find good soldiers at such a young age," Captain Godman eventually said while standing up and patting Khan''s shoulder. "Keep working hard and serving well, and you''ll get somewhere. Wear something now. You''ll have to stay on Istrone a bit more, and I bet you don''t want to spend that time in pants."


    Khan suddenly realized that he had yet to change into the clean uniform that one of the soldiers had brought him. He was only wearing the torn trousers that had accompanied him in the last two weeks.


    Khan promptly stood up and performed a military salute before taking out the uniform from its cover and walking toward a tree to change himself. The mud, blood, and dirt that had accumulated on his trousers and pants made them hard to take off, and he ended up tearing them apart to quicken the process.


    Remaining in the open was pointless now that the army had built a proper encampment. The soldiers had prepared enough tents for all the recruits, so Khan picked an empty one and allowed himself to rest. The exhaustion accumulated after staying awake for three days almost made him look forward to his familiar nightmare.


    Khan slept for a long time while the troops on Istrone continued their tasks. The rescue missions were still ongoing, and the lack of sensors in the blind zone made the exploration of the forest slow.


    The camp could communicate with the space station and the entirety of the Global Army through the spaceships, so multiple vehicles landed on the planet in the following days.


    Each spaceship could only cover a small area, but the army used them to create checkpoints inside the blind zone. Moreover, the space station sent technicians toward the broken structures, and they worked day and night to restore the sensors.


    Khan didn''t do much during those days. George, Luke, Dorian, and Cora often visited him due to the habits developed in the previous weeks. The recruits spent a lot of time meditating together and exchanging faint jokes to relieve the pressure accumulated during their journey.


    The soldiers brought other recruits into the camp as the days passed, but those scenes were a rarity. The troops returned with metal coffins most of the time since the Kred preferred to kill their prisoners before escaping deeper into the jungle.


    Khan stood up whenever he saw soldiers returning into the camp with coffins or stretchers. He didn''t forget about his friends after the traumatic experience. Bruce''s location was still unknown, and the same went for Martha.


    George and the others noticed his behavior, but they also acted in a similar way. They had lost friends too.


    Still, Cora felt more emotional than the others. She came from Reebfell''s training camp, so the return on Earth would inevitably separate her from Khan. Also, seeing the boy so interested in the dispersed recruits made her heart ache.


    Cora couldn''t muster the courage to question Khan about eventual romantic relationships, but the same wasn''t true for Luke. The latter was easy to talk to and open about gossips, so she got her answers from him in no time.


    Learning about Martha made Cora feel bad for Khan. She already had immense respect for the boy, but understanding that he had led them to safety while his girlfriend remained dispersed made her fall even harder for him.


    Khan didn''t share his pain with anyone, but he had endured his companion''s suffering like a true leader. Cora couldn''t find any flaws in his character, deeds, and appearance, but she felt unable to help him.


    The desire to lift Khan''s mood intensified as the days passed and the date of their return on Earth grew close. Cora didn''t want the two of them to separate as simple acquaintances, but leaving a mark on him required all her courage.


    Cora made up her mind one morning and reached Khan''s tent when she knew that he would have been alone. The sun had just appeared, but she was aware that her friend was already meditating.


    Khan opened his eyes and closed them as soon as he recognized Cora. It was unusual for her to come in his tent so early, but he had grown used to his friends going in and out of it freely, so he disregarded the matter.


    Yet, ignoring Cora became impossible after she stood in front of him for entire minutes.


    "What is it?" Khan eventually asked while interrupting his meditation.


    "Do-," Cora began to speak, but she had to take a deep breath before she could say the entire line. "Do you trust me?"


    Khan noticed the slight blush on the girl''s face, but he also saw that she was struggling to say those words.


    "Of course," Khan replied in his emotionless tone.


    "Then close your eyes for a bit and don''t move," Cora exclaimed as her voice gained a begging tone. "I need to check something."


    Khan knew that the girl had a crush on him. He even felt glad that his group had such a heartwarming presence during the travel through the jungle.


    Cora had done her best to lift Khan''s morale since the crash, and the latter couldn''t ignore her efforts. His mental barrier still hid his emotions, but he could understand when he had to play along.


    "Sure," Khan said while closing his eyes.


    Silent seconds passed while Cora reaffirmed her courage. She took a while to bend toward Khan and place her hands on his cheeks.


    Khan instinctively retreated when he sensed the warm sensation spreading on his face, but his eyes remained close to respect his promise with the girl.


    "Don''t move!" Cora complained, and Khan gave voice to a weak "sorry" before bending forward again.


    A warm and slightly wet sensation then spread from his lips. Khan couldn''t help but open his eyes at that point, and Cora''s face filled his vision. The girl had kissed him.


    "You opened your eyes!" Cora shouted while retreating as soon as she noticed that Khan was looking at her.


    The girl''s face became completely red, and she hurried toward the exit of the tent, but she suddenly stopped before lifting the azure fabric.


    "Don''t forget about me, ok?" Cora asked while keeping her voice down and glancing at the boy staring at her in surprise.


    "How could I?" Khan replied while wearing a warm smile, and the girl quickly escaped from the tent after seeing that scene.


    Khan''s expression returned cold when the girl left, and his fingers instinctively went on his lips. That had been his first kiss, and he had to admit that it had felt good.


    The entrance of the tent suddenly opened while he remained immersed in his thoughts. Khan initially thought that Cora had returned, but the appearance of Luke''s figure made his eyes sharpen.


    Luke was wearing a conflicted expression. Worry and sadness filled his face while his eyes moved between the ground and Khan. Still, the boy didn''t take much to steel his resolve and explain the reason behind his visit. "They have found Martha."


    ****


    Author''s notes: The privilege will activate once the novel goes premium, so I can''t drop the additional chapters now. I''ll see if they lock my chapters while I''m still awake. You''ll have to wait for me to wake up otherwise, so don''t panic if you can''t purchase the privilege. I''m either sleeping or editing.

 Chapter 77: Change

    Khan''s mental barrier shook when Luke''s words reached his ears. Cora''s kiss vanished from his thoughts as he jumped off his simple bed and ran to his friend.


    Luke quickly led Khan toward one of the large medical tents built near the center of the camp. The soldiers didn''t usually let anyone inside, but they moved away when they saw the boy with connections to the noble families and the famous kid who had created the signal for the army.


    The two boys walked among the various beds containing injured recruits. Only those in severe conditions or deep need of rest could occupy those spots, so the scene was quite grim.


    Khan ignored the severed limbs, bleeding bandages, and infected injuries that reached his eyes while searching for his friend. A familiar figure eventually appeared in his vision, and his mental barrier couldn''t help but shake again.


    Martha was sleeping in a bed near the end of the large tent. The soldiers with specializations in medical fields were still tending her injuries, so Khan could witness the entirety of her wretched state.


    Large patches of burnt skin and missing flesh filled the entirety of Martha''s right side. Even her face had turned into a mess of charred flesh.


    Luke halted his steps when he saw Khan slowly walking toward Martha. The doctors had to undress the girl to apply many lotions and bandages to cover the burnt flesh, so they didn''t notice the boy walking around them and approaching Martha''s intact side.


    Khan remained silent while the doctors patched Martha up and covered her with special blankets that radiated a warm orange glow. He completely ignored the ability of that item, but his mind barely produced thoughts in that situation.


    "Can I?" Khan asked once the doctors straightened their position and heaved a helpless sigh.


    Khan''s sudden appearance startled them a bit, and concerns about his actual reasons even appeared in their minds. After all, the boy could have been in front of the naked girl for despicable motives. Yet, the evident sadness in his eyes made them drop their guard.


    "Make sure not to touch the bandages," One of the doctors said. "Are you a relative?"


    "No," Khan whispered as his hesitant hand slowly touched Martha''s hair. "I''m just a friend."


    The two soldiers exchanged a glance after witnessing that sad scene. They could sense the care in Khan''s actions even with the mental barrier suppressing most of his emotions.


    "She has been awake for a while after the crash," One of the doctors explained once she couldn''t stand to watch Khan''s helpless expression anymore. "She has managed to stabilize her condition before falling into a coma. They found her near the wreckage of her vehicle with her mouth pointed toward the sky."


    Khan nodded as his hand reached Martha''s intact cheek. She felt soft and warm, but he didn''t manage to appreciate those sensations with the overwhelming sadness trying to fill every corner of his mind. Even the naked scenes from before had barely managed to enter his vision since he could only focus on her injuries.


    "Will she wake up?" Khan asked, and the doctors didn''t fail to notice how he didn''t mention anything about her appearance.


    "It''s very likely," The other doctor announced. "Her coma is only a defensive measure of her body, but she should wake up once the damage retreats and nutrients flow again. It might take her a while to heal completely, but she is out of danger now that we found her."


    "We''ll move her to the space station in less than an hour," The first doctor continued. "You can remain here if you don''t hinder our work."


    "Thank you," Khan simply replied without moving his eyes from Martha.


    The doctors didn''t know what else to say to improve Khan''s mood, but they didn''t have time to waste there either. The soldiers continued to bring injured and half-dead recruits to the camp, so they had to deal with their patients quickly in order to have enough room for everyone.


    The duo left Khan alone, and Luke showed a complicated expression before turning to leave the medical tent. Cries of pain and loud orders resounded inside the structure, but Khan barely heard anything while his attention remained on his friend.


    ''Thank you for not dying,'' Khan sighed in his mind.


    Everything about the situation was awful, but Martha was alive. That was the only positive aspect of the rebellion. Both of them had survived.


    ''What should I do now?'' Khan thought as if asking Martha. ''We didn''t even get the chance to talk.''


    The promise to talk about their relationship became a sweet memory in Khan''s mind. Looking at Martha in her current condition made him realize how important she had become in his life.


    Martha had been a wonderful friend for almost six months. She had allowed him to get Lieutenant Dyester''s training, and she had always helped him when his ignorance or doubts tried to affect his actions.


    Moreover, Martha had never asked anything in return. She was nothing more than a young girl, but her maturity and cheerfulness had been one of the pillars on which Khan had founded his life in Ylaco''s training camp.


    The two of them had rarely gotten chances to see each other outside the lessons in the last period due to their packed schedules, but they had managed to grow closer on Onia. They had clearly liked each other for a while, but it had taken them six months to conclude that they couldn''t remain simple friends, even if the army didn''t give them much free time.


    Khan almost heard Martha''s replies in his mind. He could imagine her telling him to focus on his training and his goal to become an ambassador.


    Khan then imagined how fun it would be to tease her about Cora. Martha would definitely pretend not to care about the event, and Khan would have to work hard to find her real feelings.


    ''I really wanted to see you jealous,'' Khan eventually sighed again.


    The hideous injuries didn''t manage to ruin his mental image of the girl. Khan barely cared about them after everything that he had gone through. He only wanted to hear her voice and almost always correct ideas again since part of him felt utterly lost.


    ''I would have found a way to buy condoms for you,'' Khan couldn''t help but smile when he thought that.


    Martha''s angry face even appeared in his mind when he imagined her reaction. He knew it would have been fun to experience those moments with her, but the world didn''t seem to like the idea of the two of them ending together. Actually, part of Khan started to believe that he was the issue in the matter.


    ''Maybe I attract problems,'' Khan thought. ''What are the chances of experiencing the Second Impact and Istrone''s second rebellion in a single life?''


    Martha would scold him if she knew about those thoughts. She would remind him of how the world could simply be unfair at times. Having suffered once didn''t save anyone from future traumas.


    Khan eventually took Martha''s hand in his grasp and waited in silence. His mind continued to be a mess, but only his memories of the girl managed to seep past the mental barrier.


    The hour went by in an instant. Not even the meditations could make time flow so quickly. Khan didn''t seem able to grow tired of staring at her, but the doctors eventually took her away and moved her toward a spaceship.


    Luke neared Khan when he noticed him staring at the spaceship disappearing in the sky. George and the other friends limited themselves to gaze at him from their tents. Khan had taken care of them in the jungle, but they didn''t know how to do the same for him.


    The rain started to fall again by the time Luke patted his shoulder, but Khan barely felt that interaction. Seeing the spaceship leave made him feel as if part of him had ultimately vanished. That departure seemed to deliver a killing blow to the boy-Khan that his mental barriers kept away from his brain.


    "She''ll wake up in no time," Luke said while trying to cheer Khan up. "Not even the Kred can make that girl stay put."


    "I''m not worried about her," Khan honestly revealed without adding anything else.


    Luke showed a confused expression, but he didn''t find the time to say anything since Khan quickly turned to go back into his tent. George and the others wanted to show their support when looking at that scene, but they felt that Khan wanted to remain alone for the time being, so they didn''t move.


    Khan had spoken the truth before. He wasn''t worried about Martha. She would definitely wake up one day, and everything would be almost the same in her mind. However, Khan didn''t know what could change inside him in that period. He wasn''t even sure if she could recognize him right now.


    Most of those worries were paranoias enhanced by his sorrow and unstable mental state. His raging emotions were about to burst past the barrier, but he didn''t let it fall. It even appeared sturdier after the time he spent with Martha.


    Khan entered his tent and sat cross-legged on his bed. He didn''t want to think anymore. His attention quickly moved on the mana in his brain before starting the eighth mental exercise.


    Needless to say, Khan finally completed the exercise and moved to the ninth. He only had three lessons left to master left before the Wave spell.

 Chapter 78: Interrogation

    Life in the camp on Istrone was peaceful but temporary. The recruits ended up spending two entire weeks in the various tents while the soldiers rescued and took care of the lost kids before the Global Army decided to start moving some of them.


    Captain Godman reappeared on the camp and started managing the departures of the recruits who didn''t feature any severe injury. A large spaceship landed in the area burnt by the fire, and the soldiers ended up moving Khan, George, and many others inside it.


    The army had found Bruce in those two weeks, but the boy had many open injuries that his body didn''t manage to heal due to a dangerous infection. His life wasn''t in danger, but he couldn''t join the first batch of recruits meant to return on Earth.


    The spaceship set off once Captain Godman filled its seats with recruits. The vehicle''s insides were vast but cramped due to the many rows of chairs meant to carry soldiers.


    That vehicle could hold up to twenty people in its central part, and most of the recruits sitting inside it felt slightly excited when they fastened their seatbelts. Only Khan and a few others didn''t let their first trip to space improve their mood.


    The spaceship set off a few minutes after the recruits took their place. Khan felt a faint pressure landing on his body and pushing him down, but the sensation vanished quickly. Mechanical noises resounded from outside the vehicle at that point, and its doors eventually opened to reveal a dark-grey environment.


    Khan left his seat and peeked out of the spaceship. The scenery had completely changed in a matter of minutes. He had gone from the simple tents and the flourishing vegetation of Istrone to a metal chamber full of glowing wires and beeping sounds.


    Captain Godman quickly left the cockpit and walked in front of the central doors. A faint smile appeared on his face when he saw that Khan was already inspecting the outsides of the spaceship, but he didn''t say anything until the rest of the recruits stood up.


    "Gather up and get in line," Captain Godman eventually ordered. "Follow me closely and don''t touch anything. Your families wouldn''t be able to repay this beauty even if they sold the entirety of their resources."


    "He''s exaggerating," Luke whispered while walking next to Khan. "Space stations are old tech unless they have some special weapon. They have become rather obsolete after humans perfected the teleports."


    Khan nodded and jumped off the spaceship to follow the Captain walking toward one of the corridors connected to that docking bay. Other vehicles filled the area, and he recognized the troop carriers and the smaller spaceships from before.


    His lungs cheered in joy when he breathed inside the space station. Khan immediately recognized Earth''s air, and energy filled his body after bathing inside it. Something inside him immediately felt at home.


    The other recruits experienced similar sensations when they jumped off the spaceship. Their bodies felt relieved to experience Earth''s atmosphere again. Mana made them able to breathe on foreign planets, but it couldn''t alter their natural habitat.


    "Don''t waste time!" Captain Godman shouted from the end of the corridor. "Why would you stop to enjoy this fake air when you are about to get back on Earth?"


    The Captain''s words forced the recruits to snap back to reality. The fear of disobeying direct orders was intense, but nothing could beat their desire to go back on Earth.


    Khan and Luke ended up leading the line of recruits behind Captain Godman. The soldier moved among the intricate array of corridors quickly and without showing any hesitation. He had memorized those paths long ago, and he had no interest in letting the kids inspect the insides of the space station.


    A large hall that featured many desks and soldiers eventually unfolded in the group''s vision. Khan felt that the area''s layout was quite familiar, but it took him a while to connect that scene to the station in the Slums.


    "We''ll go over an official interrogation now," Captain Godman explained while the soldiers in the hall stood up and activated the holograms on their desks. "You, come with me."


    Khan suddenly found Captain Godman pointing at him. He didn''t know why he was receiving special attention, but he didn''t mind it. That privileged status was a requirement for his goal.


    Captain Godman led Khan inside a separate room that contained a table, a few chairs, and a window that showed the outsides of the space station.


    Khan couldn''t help but lose his focus when he saw the darkness of space expanding from the window. The spectacle was breathtaking, and he instinctively moved closer to that transparent material to inspect every corner of that scene.


    A blinding star shone in the distance and almost hid the small white dots that disrupted the darkness of the void. A giant blue planet filled the lower part of the scene and multiple pieces of the space station that Khan didn''t recognize occupied its sides.


    Istrone was the most captivating part of that scene. Khan almost couldn''t believe that he had been on that blue planet just a few minutes ago. The flight with the spaceship didn''t make him experience much, but that large window compensated for that.


    "You''ll grow used to that eventually," Captain Godman announced. "You''ll start to see every alien species as a potential threat instead of a chance to marvel at the vastness of the universe. A soldier''s life isn''t easy."


    "I know that, sir," Khan replied while showing a sad smile.


    The Captain almost regretted saying those words. Khan had just gone through hell on Istrone, and he had even survived the Second Impact. He had probably experienced more pain than some of the soldiers in the space station.


    "Sit," Captain Godman eventually ordered. "I must warn you that the Global Army will record everything you say inside this room, so be careful. Still, don''t worry either. Just make sure to tell the truth."


    "Of course, sir," Khan promptly answered while taking his seat.


    "I can vouch for your version of the story," Captain Godman said while sitting in front of Khan. "You don''t need to repeat it since the higher-ups will hear it multiple times from your friends. I''m only interested in what you know about the rebellion."


    "In general or about specific details?" Khan asked.


    "I''m talking about potential traitors inside the Global Army," Captain Godman exclaimed. "Many former prisoners claim that Lieutenant Sehlolo has been involved with the rebellion. That would make her entire faction a potential threat to the army. I know that you have talked with her alone two times. I want to know if you have learnt something more than rumors spewed by wardens."


    Khan pretended to hesitate. He had already made up his mind about that topic, but he wanted the Captain to see a struggle inside him. The time for the partial lies had arrived, and he had to betray Lieutenant Sehlolo''s trust without appearing untrustworthy in the soldier''s eyes.


    "I convinced Lieutenant Sehlolo to talk after defeating the first-level warrior inside the cave with the help of my team," Khan explained, making sure that his feat inside the cave ended up in the tape. "She had clearly been aware of the attack, but she didn''t seem to know the actual target of the rebellious factions."


    "Continue," The Captain said without showing any emotion.


    "I had to find about the disabled sensors and blind zone from her before coming up with the idea of the fire," Khan added. "She even helped us by keeping the Kred at bay while we waited for reinforcements, but I had to promise not to say anything about her involvement to make her cooperate."


    "Why are you telling me this now, then?" Captain Godman asked. "Does your word have no value when you give it to an alien?"


    "It''s not about that, sir," Khan replied while lowering his head and making sure to keep his voice down. "I had to keep my companions safe, and ¡­."


    "And?" Captain Godman pressured Khan to continue.


    "And they killed my friends, sir," Khan concluded. "I don''t hate the Kred in general, but I can''t remain silent when questioned about the rebellious factions. The Global Army has to be aware of the potential threat to make sure that something like this doesn''t happen again."


    "Do you know what''s best for the Global Army now?" Captain Godman scoffed.


    "I didn''t mean that, sir," Khan replied while raising his head to stare at the soldier. "I''m not saying this out of hatred. I only want the army to know that these traitors exist."


    "Oh?" Captain Godman said in a surprised tone. "Why would you reveal this then? I didn''t offer you anything in exchange, so I can only think that you want us to punish Lieutenant Sehlolo and her faction."


    "That won''t solve the issue, right?" Khan exclaimed. "I don''t know much about the Kred, but I''ve learnt about their resolve in these weeks. They will never accept their loss, and humans don''t have a proper way to discover moles. However, everything might be different if their spies were to double-cross them."


    Captain Godman''s expression froze before he exploded into a loud laugh and slammed his hand on the table.


    "Do you want us to blackmail Lieutenant Sehlolo''s faction to gain spies capable of infiltrating the Kred''s society?" Captain Godman asked.


    "Isn''t that the best path, sir?" Khan questioned the soldier. "Unless I''m missing core information again."


    "No, you got it figured out this time," Captain Godman announced. "Good thinking. The army was already planning something like that, but it''s hard to obtain valuable leverage on the Kred. We have it now."


    Khan opened his mouth to speak, but the soldier raised his hand to interrupt him.


    "The army won''t mention your name," Captain Godman explained. "Putting a target on your back isn''t a good reward for your loyalty and service. Be sure to talk with Linda Norwell once you get back in Ylaco. I can understand why you are refusing to join the special training program right away, but that shouldn''t prevent you from getting something."

 Chapter 79: Return

    Captain Godman let Khan go after that short interrogation, but the other recruits didn''t have it so easy. The soldiers had to record everything in the official tapes of the army, and the process ended up taking almost an hour.


    The soldiers then led the entire group into a waiting room and provided some food while preparing everything for the return on Earth. It turned out that the space station had a teleport in its insides, but the Global Army preferred to avoid using it due to issues connected to the synthetic mana.


    Many structures, machines, and vehicles inside the space station used synthetic mana as fuel, so the army preferred to avoid depleting its stashes. The teleports even consumed a lot of energy, so using those on the planets prevented eventual issues caused by a shortage of power.


    Still, the situation was atypical due to the chaos on Istrone, and the army didn''t want to send the recruits back on the planet after everything they had experienced. Using the stashes of synthetic mana in the space station was the least they could do to improve the kids'' return.


    Captain Godman didn''t reappear. A simple soldier took care of leading the recruits across the intricate corridors of the space station until they reached a familiar circular area that contained an oval structure at its center.


    Khan had grown used to that scene already. All the teleports looked the same. The only differences were in the materials that surrounded the actual structures.


    The same dark-grey metal floor of the space station surrounded the teleport, and white consoles filled the edges of the circular hall. Many soldiers wearing white medical coats worked on those spots and tinkered with the holograms to ensure that everything worked perfectly.


    The teleport still scared some of the recruits, but they didn''t show any hesitation at that time. The soldier divided them according to their training camp, and each group jumped on the white platform as soon as they heard the order ringing in their ears.


    Khan, Cora, George, Luke, and Dorian used that chance to say goodbye. That separation would make it impossible for them to meet for many years due to the training in their respective camps. They could contact themselves through their phones, but they all knew that their packed schedules wouldn''t leave time for that.


    "I guess we''ll see each other around," Dorian announced while wearing a sad smile. "The Aiyti family isn''t too wealthy, but you''ll always have a friend there."


    "The same goes for me," Cora continued while shooting shy glances toward Khan. "Make sure to give me a call if you ever end up near Reebfell. Also, who knows? We might find ourselves in the same platoon one day."


    "I doubt any of us wants to be on the battlefield again," Luke laughed. "Though, I won''t forget that you saved me. Make sure to contact me if you ever need something."


    "We''ll still belong to the same organization," George explained. "I think we''ll definitely meet each other again."


    "It''s very likely as long as we chase similar goals," Khan added. "Take care of yourselves. I can''t always be there to save your asses."


    Khan''s mental barrier was still in place, but he didn''t want to ignore that moment completely. Taking good care of social relationships was necessary for his goal, and those recruits had even shared tragic moments with him. The group had grown close through pain.


    "I don''t think I like arrogant-Khan," Dorian laughed.


    "He has every reason to be like that," Luke replied. "I bet our entire training camp will start to worship him once we return."


    Khan couldn''t help but show a complicated smile at those words. The Kred had managed to kill many recruits during the attack. There weren''t many first years left to worship him.


    That reaction reminded Luke of the tragic situation. He was still struggling to accept that new normality. Going back to Ylaco wouldn''t solve anything since most of his friends were now inside coffins. Even the special class didn''t have many survivors.


    Luke''s mistake was understandable. Every recruit was trying to get back to normality, and the most common approach was to pretend that nothing had happened.


    However, it was impossible to ignore that their entire world had turned upside-down. Their very minds carried memories that had changed them completely.


    Some recruits had matured during the rebellion. Others had discovered their true nature and talents after their struggles. Many more had fallen apart, and it would take them years of therapy and time among loved ones to recover.


    Khan could see those changes in his friends. Luke had grown distracted after experiencing the near-death experience. Cora and Dorian had found their confidence and courage. George had gained a broader knowledge of the many talents inside the army, and he had also accumulated battle experience that allowed him to deploy his abilities correctly.


    Khan had also changed, but he couldn''t study his transformation as long as his emotions remained bottled in his mind.


    Those bottled emotions would trigger changes that Khan couldn''t predict, and the time to lower his mental barrier even drew near as the soldier continued to send recruits to the teleport. It was almost time to experience those raging feelings, and Khan didn''t look forward to that.


    "Flurris!" The soldier eventually shouted, and Dorian showed an honest smile before walking toward the teleport.


    A skinny girl with a pale complexion who had remained alone for the entire time also moved and joined Dorian on the teleport. She also was from Flurris'' training camp, but it was clear that her mental condition was far from optimal after the events on Istrone.


    The teleport lit up, and the two recruits vanished. The soldier quickly called another city, and the recruits belonging to that training camp walked toward the structure while the technicians changed the coordinates.


    Cora''s time eventually arrived. The girl wanted to say many things, but it was impossible to talk with Khan alone in that situation, and she didn''t really know how to face him after the kiss.


    The girl limited herself to exchange polite words with Luke and George before jumping forward to hug Khan. The latter could avoid that gesture, but he didn''t.


    "I won''t forget," Khan swore when he saw the girl leaving his arms and trying to say something.


    Cora revealed a broad smile before walking happily back to the teleport. No one else in the group of recruits moved since she was the only survivor from Reebfell.


    George and Luke shot curious gazes toward Khan, but none of them said anything. It was complicated to discuss Cora''s matters when Martha was in a coma. Both boys knew that teasing him wasn''t the right thing to do.


    "Thank you for everything," George announced when it was his time to reach the teleport.


    The boy didn''t say anything else and hurried to the teleport. A few recruits joined him, and the structure soon made them vanish.


    Luke and Khan''s time arrived right after George. They were the only ones from Ylaco who could return on Earth right away since the other survivors were too injured to endure the teleportation. Bruce and Martha were somewhere inside the space station, and they would need a bit more to recover.


    The scene felt lonely when Khan inspected the almost empty platform. The first year of Ylaco''s training camp had less than one hundred and fifty recruits before the semestral mission, but only a dozen of them had survived the rebellion.


    The army had yet to find traces of many lost kids, but everyone knew that the chances of finding survivors diminished as time passed.


    The Kred''s rebellion might have failed in the end, but the aliens had succeeded in their goal. The Global Army had lost more than ninety percent of its six-month-old recruits. The damage suffered in those short weeks was immense.


    Synthetic mana surrounded Khan and Luke before their vision went dark. The two reopened their eyes in a familiar circular hall. Some discomfort spread from their bodies, but that feeling didn''t manage to suppress the slight relief that they experienced when gazing at the room seen before their trip to Onia.


    "Welcome back!" An elderly man with long white hair and a grey goatee announced while fixing his eyes on Luke.


    "It''s nice to see you too, Master Ivor," Luke exclaimed while jumping off the teleport.


    Khan connected that elderly but lively figure to Luke''s hired Master. The two even appeared quite close since they exchanged a hug once Luke left the platform.


    Khan also jumped off the platform and limited himself to perform a quick inspection before fixing his eyes on the corridor that led to the exit. Lieutenant Dyester wasn''t there, but he didn''t feel bad about it since he knew about his history.


    The soldiers in the building made the duo go through the usual scanners and inspections before letting them off the hook. A few surprised gasps resounded when the technicians read the machines'' results, but Khan limited himself to take note of that event before hurrying outside the structure.


    "Do you need anything?" Luke asked when his Master began to walk toward the boy''s dormitory.


    "I''m fine," Khan replied while wearing a fake smile. "I only want to see my bed again."


    "I''m the same!" Luke laughed. "My dad wants me to do a complete check-up with better scanners, but I think I''ll ignore him until I get a proper night of sleep."


    "See you soon then," Khan said while waving his hand and going on his way.


    Luke didn''t have the time to say much due to Khan''s sudden departure, but he let go of the matter after heaving a helpless sigh. His friend had every reason to act as he wanted after Istrone''s events.


    Khan''s smile vanished when he felt sure that Luke couldn''t see his face anymore. It wouldn''t take him much to return to his room, but he wanted to go somewhere else before dealing with his emotions.


    His phone had started to work again after the soldiers on Istrone provided charges. Khan could read on the screen that it was almost time for lunch, but he didn''t feel hungry at all. He only wanted to talk with someone who could understand him.

 Chapter 80: Emotions

    Khan walked the familiar empty streets until he reached the lawn that hid his training area. The trapdoor opened before he could knock on the ground, and the scent of smoke filled his nose when he approached the descending staircase.


    Lieutenant Dyester had moved the table near the wall on the other side of the staircase, and he was sitting over it with his legs stretched. A fuming cigarette was in his mouth, and a bottle that contained a light-brown liquid was at his side.


    "Have you been drinking?" Khan asked when he smelled the familiar scent of booze after the trapdoor closed.


    It wasn''t hard for Khan to recognize that scent. The same smell filled his home in the Slums.


    "Bad memories, Khan," Lieutenant Dyester replied in a hoarse voice without using any special nickname. "I bet you have new ones now."


    "Did they tell you about Istrone already?" Khan asked while sitting on the steps.


    "Just the rumors," Lieutenant Dyester revealed. "I haven''t watched any official interviews yet. I don''t know if I will."


    Khan didn''t have a good reply for those words. Part of him felt that Lieutenant Dyester had every right to act like that, especially since he had already gone through a similar crisis forty years ago. However, another side of him wanted the soldier to behave like a proper grown-up and help him with his struggles.


    Lieutenant Dyester didn''t speak anymore, and Khan also remained silent. The former finished his smoke and immediately lit another one while taking sips from his bottle. Instead, Khan tried to sort his thoughts to find questions that could give him helpful answers.


    "How was it?" Lieutenant Dyester eventually asked when the silence became too unbearable.


    Khan believed that the soldier was questioning him about the rebellion, so he gave a short explanation. "Tiring, dirty, and bloody."


    "They didn''t change after forty years," Lieutenant Dyester commented before taking another sip from his bottle.


    "I-," Khan began to speak before taking a second to choose his words and continuing. "I did some things there."


    "Obviously," Lieutenant Dyester. "I bet you were the only one who didn''t shit his pants. Still, I don''t know how positive that is."


    "I managed to survive because of that!" Khan complained.


    "You are sixteen," Lieutenant Dyester scoffed. "Being able to remain calm among blood and corpses only hints at your pain. It''s tragic that you have already grown used to it."


    "I actually don''t know how comfortable I am with it," Khan revealed. "I had to rely on the mental exercises to remain in control."


    Lieutenant Dyester was the only man inside the entire camp who knew about Khan''s training. He had helped him whenever the programs on his phone weren''t clear or in front of bottlenecks, so he could immediately understand what technique Khan had used.


    "Is the mental barrier still up?" Lieutenant Dyester asked.


    The soldier was about to grab his bottle again, but he stopped when he realized that Khan was seeking his help. The effects of the abuse of the mental barrier became evident in his vision at that point. Khan didn''t have a foul mood. His face was dark because his emotions couldn''t reach it.


    "I would have done the same if I had access to a similar technique back then," Lieutenant Dyester sighed while picking the bottle and staring at its almost empty insides. "Emotions can break you, especially when friends die in front of your eyes. Yet, life would be pointless without them."


    "What should I do?" Khan asked in a helpless tone.


    Khan felt lost, and he acknowledged that one of his suppressed emotions was his fear of the imminent changes. It was scary to sense the many feelings ready to eat him up while he had yet to find proper answers.


    "It''s pointless to speak about right or wrong," Lieutenant Dyester sighed while blowing smoke. "I won''t give you speeches about the morality of your actions and the greater good of humankind."


    Lieutenant Dyester stared at the almost empty bottle for a few more seconds before throwing it away. The item flew across the entire basement and shattered when it hit the wall on the other side.


    "Humans have created ideas of right and wrong, but that doesn''t mean that they don''t exist," Lieutenant Dyester continued. "Still, spending your life thinking about that is a waste of time. You should decide what you want to be and do everything in your power to stay on that path."


    "Is that what you did with your life?" Khan asked as a vague mocking tone seeped into his voice.


    Khan didn''t like that advice. A simple "be yourself" wasn''t enough.


    "I''m old, kid," Lieutenant Dyester sighed. "I might not look like it, but I''ve already lived a full life. I''ve become the hero of the Global Army and paid the price for my success. I''ve achieved my dreams, but I''ve realized too late that I didn''t really care about them. I had to lose my friends to understand that they were the core of my happiness."


    Khan remained silent. His contained burst of anger vanished behind the mental barrier. He felt able to see Lieutenant Dyester''s true face in that situation. The soldier was a broken man who had lost everything and had no interest in trying to rebuild his life. He only wanted to punish himself.


    "I know what I want already," Khan eventually revealed.


    "That''s not the point," Lieutenant Dyester replied. "Dreams are lies. They don''t reflect the real world. Instead, the path to reach them is everything, and you must decide how to walk it."


    "What do you mean?" Khan continued to question the soldier.


    "You can keep that mental barrier up," Lieutenant Dyester. "I believe you have enough talent to make it permanent. A life like that is easy, and it will even provide great results."


    "I hope there is a but coming," Khan said.


    "Not really," Lieutenant Dyester laughed. "The other path sees you facing your emotions. It will have many low points and only a few highs, and it will probably create many issues along the way. As I said before, you only have to choose what you want to be."


    Khan couldn''t help but nod after that explanation. He had understood what Lieutenant Dyester meant at that time. A bit of confidence had even appeared inside him. Part of him felt ready to open his mind.


    "Thank you," Khan whispered.


    "Don''t thank me yet," Lieutenant Dyester snorted. "The hard part arrives once we are alone with ourselves, but I believe we both have to face that now."


    "I can''t delay it any further," Khan sighed while standing up and climbing the staircase.


    The trapdoor opened, but Khan didn''t immediately exit the basement. His eyes turned toward the broken bottle near the wall, and a memory of his father suddenly filled his mind.


    "You shouldn''t drink that brand," Khan revealed. "My father has always avoided it because the family in charge of its production exploits workers from the Slums. You don''t want to know what they do to retaliate."


    Khan left the prisons of the camp at that point, and a speechless Lieutenant Dyester stared at the trapdoor closing to restore some darkness in the basement. His eyes slowly moved toward the light-brown liquid that had tainted the floor, and a gulp inevitably resounded from his throat.


    Khan walked toward his dormitory in a hurry. The emptiness of the streets reminded him of the many dead recruits on Istrone, and those thoughts made his mental barrier tremble. It felt harder to keep it intact now that he had decided to take it down.


    The soldiers guarding the gate of his dormitory showed surprised expressions at his arrival. They seemed about to say something, but Khan crossed them without waiting for their words.


    His empty flat soon unfolded in his eyes, and Khan threw away his clothes before approaching his bed. He sat and watched the scene that had kept him company for almost six months before a few images appeared in his vision.


    Khan reviewed his usual nightmare. He had committed those images to memory long ago, so it didn''t take him much to imagine the tall Nak standing in front of him. The pain of the Second Impact seemed to fill his body, and desperation spread inside him, but he felt unable to found his life on those feelings.


    ''Finding the Nak is my goal,'' Khan confirmed in his mind, ''But I don''t want to make it the sole meaning of my life. I can''t let this desperation drive my every move.''


    Martha''s injured face suddenly appeared in his vision. Khan had desires that went past his desperation. His goal to find the Nak was mandatory due to his nightmares, but he was already letting them control his nights and most of his days. He didn''t want the entirety of his life to depend on them.


    Khan sighed, and the mental barrier slowly crumbled. An intense flow of emotions filled his brain and made him feel dizzy. His vision grew blurry, his hands started to tremble, and his body fell to the side as his breathing became ragged.


    The first wave of emotions mainly carried pain. Khan experienced all the suffering that he had suppressed during the travel across the jungle in mere seconds, but that felt rather easy to withstand.


    The other feelings weren''t as easy to endure. An intense sorrow filled his mind and made tears appear in his eyes. His hands continued to shake as he experienced anger caused by the unfairness of the world. He felt hatred toward the Kred who had hurt Martha and made him survive through hell.


    Khan screamed and punched the wall of his flat. A dent appeared on the resilient metal before he jumped off his bed and started kicking the furniture around.


    His attacks deployed mana on their own. He had grown so used to rely on that energy that he threatened to perform proper techniques even as he vented the intense feelings that had taken control of his actions.


    The anger, hatred, and sorrow were nothing compared to the third wave of emotions. The corpses of the Kred killed by his kicks suddenly filled his vision. Khan felt able to recognize the differences among those inhuman faces when his mind reminded him that he was a killer.


    The raging feelings were easier to handle. Khan could punch and kick stuff to vent them. However, the emptiness felt in front of the death perpetrated by his own hands was unbearable. It made him fall on his knees, and lay his side on the floor as he continued to see the faces of his victims.


    The sensations felt during his first kill came back stronger than ever in his mind. Khan still recalled his faint excitement during his successful knee attack. He had felt truly happy about his power back then, but now those feelings caused only disgust inside him.


    Fighting with mana wasn''t a game. People could die whenever those attacks hit their target correctly. His techniques were lethal weapons, and it had taken him six months to acknowledge their dangerousness.


    The emptiness didn''t go away even after minutes passed. Khan straightened his position and placed his back on the wall as he sat on the floor. The cold of the metal felt nice. He liked sensing something when his body was so devoid of emotions.


    A realization slowly dawned upon his mind as he remained in that state. Khan understood that there was no solution to the emptiness that he felt. He could only wait until he grew used to that condition and fused with it.

 Chapter 81: Requests

    Khan didn''t sleep much. His bed was perfect, and the flat was dead silent, but his eyes opened before dawn, and his brain didn''t let him close them anymore.


    The awakening ended up being quite messy. Khan jumped off the bed and placed his back on a wall while crouching his body to enter one of the few defensive guards described in the Lightning-demon style. The mess of his flat had startled him, and it took him some seconds to realize that no danger would come out of the corridor.


    Khan felt slightly lost when his arms lowered. He wasn''t on Istrone anymore, but his mind still felt battle-ready. His senses were alert, and the slight change in his vision could make him trigger the fighting instincts built inside the jungle.


    More sweat than usual covered his body. Khan had gone from his usual nightmare to a battle stance, and his skin had reacted accordingly. Even his breath seemed about to grow ragged, but his resilience didn''t allow his lungs to end up out of air.


    ''I''m really back,'' Khan sighed when he managed to calm down.


    It felt strange to be back inside the training camp. Khan had spent two weeks developing survival instincts and being alert for twenty-six hours straight every day, but he needed to forget those habits now. Still, he didn''t know how easy that process would be.


    The emptiness reappeared when he recalled everything that had happened. That emotion filled his mind and made him desire to go back to bed, but his body acted before he could even think about remaining still.


    The bunk beds were lying on the ground together with other pieces of furniture. The walls of his bedroom featured some caved-in spots, and shards of wood and metal filled the floor. Khan started to sort everything out once he calmed down, and his flat regained some order after a few minutes.


    Khan grabbed his phone and browsed through the menus at that point. He didn''t have the right tool to clean everything, so he wanted to check where to get them. Yet, he soon noticed that most of the services that had required Credits in the past were now free.


    ''I guess the army wants to make it easy for us,'' Khan concluded before tapping a few digital buttons to activate a few services.


    The door of his flat soon opened on its own, and a cubical cleaning robot entered the corridor before scanning the whole area. Its mechanical voice announced every item that needed replacements and damage that the bedroom had suffered, but its questions managed to surprise Khan.


    "Fixing the walls will require time," The robot announced. "Do you wish to change flat?"


    Khan scratched the side of his head at those words. The Global Army would normally make him pay for the damages, but the robot didn''t even mention Credits. It was clear that he was receiving special treatment after Istrone''s event.


    "It''s fine," Khan eventually replied. "I only need the floor clean."


    The robot beeped a few times before proceeding with its task. Khan could take a shower and wear clean clothes during the process, and he noticed that the moving cube had left by the time he was over.


    The robot didn''t limit itself to remove the shards of metal and wood from the floor. It also replaced the sheets and pillows on each bed, cleaned the corridor, and did laundry. Khan couldn''t believe that it had done everything during his short shower, but he could only accept it as another special treatment after his feats.


    Another robot entered the flat at that point. The machine brought a lunch box inside and left it on the bedside table before leaving in a hurry. Khan had ordered the best available breakfast since he was at it, but he didn''t expect the army to deliver it so soon.


    A complete breakfast that featured sweets, snacks, cereals, and other delicious meals unfolded in Khan''s eyes when he lifted the lid of the lunch box. That sight would have normally made him drool in hunger, but he maintained his composure now.


    Khan soon noticed that he couldn''t fully appreciate the delicious tastes and appealing scents that filled his mouth and nose during the meal. He could sense them in their entirety, but no happiness spread inside him when eating them.


    The emptiness inside Khan devoured everything. It didn''t let him enjoy the best meal of his life, and he could only heave a helpless sigh when he finished eating. It would take him some time to relearn how to appreciate those small things, but he didn''t know if his plans would allow him to do so.


    Khan performed his usual meditation and morning exercises out of habit. He didn''t even need to think about them to sit on his bed and start training.


    The Global Army didn''t give him a new schedule for the lessons and didn''t notify him about special events, so he had the entire day for himself. He would have usually spent it inside the prisons of the camp before, but his return on Earth compelled him to attend more important matters.


    Khan checked the list of professors on the phone and requested an appointment with Linda Norwell. He expected the network to require a few hours to plan the matter, but a notification reached his device mere minutes after filling the digital form.


    His phone announced that he could find Professor Norwell in one of the basements under the canteen. The device didn''t even set precise hours for the event. It only stressed to attend the meeting before the arrival of the curfew.


    Khan didn''t waste time and exited his flat. The soldiers guarding the entrance of the dormitory followed his figure with their eyes when they saw him departing toward the lessons building. They appeared conflicted and sad, but they didn''t say anything.


    Khan walked slowly. He could reach his destination in less than half an hour, but the emptiness of the training camp felt quite overwhelming. The streets devoid of recruits were a constant reminder of the tragedy that had unfolded on Istrone, and it inevitably brought tragic memories to his mind.


    The faces of his victims would flash in his vision whenever he blinked. Khan didn''t feel able to appreciate the newfound peace around him. That silence came from death, and the safety of the training camp appeared fake after his time in the jungle.


    Khan had learnt to treat the training camp as his new home in the last six months, but that feeling wasn''t inside him anymore. He saw clean streets, well-kept lawns, and comfortable benches, but they seemed to express a fake idea. They failed to convince him that peace existed after everything that he had gone through.


    The main structure of the camp eventually unfolded in his vision, and Khan didn''t hesitate to walk toward the basement. He met Professor Conche on his way, but the latter only revealed a surprised expression at his sight.


    Khan found Professor Norwell inside the basement that the recruits had used in the last six months. She was sitting at the edges of the platform with a fuming cigarette in her mouth, and her gaze seemed lost when she inspected the large empty hall.


    "I thought you would have taken a few days of complete rest," Professor Norwell exclaimed when Khan entered the basement. "It''s not wise to make decisions right after what you''ve been through."


    "I can''t stay in my flat for too long," Khan revealed.


    "I bet it must be suffocating," Professor Norwell announced. "These crises are unusual on allied planets, but I''ve seen soldiers coming back from the frontlines. What you are experiencing is completely normal."


    "I know," Khan replied. "This isn''t my first time."


    Professor Norwell seemed about to say something, but she decided to remain silent. She was aware of Khan''s background. He had experienced far more tragedies than her in less than seventeen years. Her words would be nothing more than noise in his ears.


    Khan entered the hall and noticed that a few menus lit up whenever he stepped on the black floor. The basement was active, and it showed many programs that even the training area on Onia didn''t allow him to pick.


    "You have complete clearance on most services in the training camp," Professor Norwell explained. "They are free for you and the other survivors. You can use them while the higher-ups decide what to do for the rest of the year."


    Khan nodded while browsing through the various menus. That training hall didn''t have puppets at its disposal, but a map of the camp opened on the floor and marked the buildings that could offer that service.


    The Global Army was even allowing him to train with puppets that used mana. The programs were relatively simple, but they were something useful nonetheless.


    "I''m sure you are here to talk about your rewards," Professor Norwell exclaimed after Khan had remained silent for a few minutes. "Captain Godman has told me to satisfy all your requests, but I suggest you don''t name anything too unreasonable. Pick something that suits your efforts on Istrone without going overboard."


    "Can I pick two things?" Khan asked without raising his eyes from the floor.


    "Of course," Professor Norwell replied. "Still, as I said, bleeding the army out now will only turn you into a greedy hero in the higher-ups'' eyes. Try to avoid asking for too many injections of synthetic mana."


    "I don''t want synthetic mana," Khan revealed while lifting his head and walking toward the Professor.


    The announcement surprised Professor Norwell. After all, the best that recruits in Khan''s situation could ask for involved synthetic mana and cores. They were the most expensive resources available to them.


    "What does the special training program include?" Khan asked before stopping right under Professor Norwell. "What benefits will I get if I decide to join it?"


    "You will instantly have access to better martial arts," Professor Norwell explained as her eyes lit up. "The army will also do its best to find suitable training programs for your element. You will even gain the chance to complete a few missions and earn Credits."


    "Is this special training program on Earth?" Khan asked.


    "It will be for a while," Professor Norwell explained. "The army might deploy you to handle a few missions throughout the planet, but most of the training will happen here."


    "That''s not enough," Khan replied, and his words startled the Professor. "I don''t want to remain on Earth."


    Professor Norwell opened her mouth to speak, but she stopped when she realized how serious Khan was about the matter. He didn''t feel attached to the training camp. That structure wasn''t his home anymore.


    "I''ll see what I can do," Professor Norwell sighed. "I know that the army has training camps on some alien planets, but they are elite stuff. I don''t know if I can get you inside with your merits."


    "It doesn''t have to be a prestigious location," Khan continued. "I just want the best training program that the army is willing to offer. I bet all of them are outside Earth."


    Professor Norwell couldn''t help but nod at his words. Gathering battle experience on other planets was the quickest way to improve. Earth was too safe and comfortable to offer the best training programs.


    "Anything else?" Professor Norwell asked after taking out her phone and tapping a few buttons.


    "I want a new martial art," Khan announced. "Something for my hands and suitable for the Lightning-demon style. I''d like it to feature weapons and have more than eighty points.

 Chapter 82: Nitis

    Khan had made his decision to leave Earth again during his walk toward the basement. He didn''t want to live in the constant reminder of Istrone''s rebellion, and having to face everything without Martha felt pointless.


    He knew that Lieutenant Dyester would understand his decision. The soldier had been a great Master, but Khan had to prioritize his mental state. Also, he felt that it was time to announce a proper collaboration with the Global Army.


    His feats on Istrone would definitely attract the attention of the other families, so the Global Army would satisfy all his requests to rope him in. Khan had only decided to sell himself now that his value had reached its peak.


    Instead, the decision concerning the new martial art had been in his mind since Istrone. Khan didn''t forget how George could hurt the first-level warrior Kred with his enhanced branch. The boy''s attunement with mana was lower than Khan, but the fact that he used a weapon allowed him to injure stronger opponents.


    Khan wanted something similar, but he had to make sure that the army provided something suitable for the Lightning-demon style. He could already imagine how strong he would become if he fused his fast movements with deadlier attacks. Even stronger opponents would find it hard to defeat him in that case.


    "Above eighty points, you say," Professor Norwell whispered while glancing at Khan.


    She didn''t find any hesitation in his words and eyes. Khan was perfectly calm and confident. He knew exactly what he wanted, and Professor Norwell could only start typing on her phone after that realization.


    "I''ll keep you updated," Professor Norwell announced when she stored her phone. "I don''t know if the Global Army will give you everything you asked, but I believe you''ll remain satisfied nonetheless."


    Khan nodded and performed a military salute before turning to leave the basement. Still, Professor Norwell''s words make him stop his tracks.


    "There won''t be lessons for the entire month," Professor Norwell explained. "This training camp doesn''t have enough recruits to fill the classes anymore. Use this time to think about your decision to leave. No one will mock you if you decide to change your mind."


    Khan nodded before leaving the basement and exiting the building. He had doubts about his decision to leave Earth again, but they vanished when his eyes fell on the empty streets again.


    Remaining there was pure torture. Khan had Lieutenant Dyester, but everything else felt empty. The soldier wasn''t in his peak condition either, so there was a limit to how supportive he could be.


    Ylaco''s training camp appeared unable to give him a reason to stay. Khan even knew that his father would approve his trips to other planets.


    ''How do I even tell him about this?'' Khan wondered before heaving a helpless sigh.


    Bret could still be in prison as far as he knew. He wasn''t the type to behave quietly, and not having Khan around would only intensify those flaws.


    ''I''ll have to rely on Lieutenant Dyester for that,'' Khan concluded before moving toward the medical bay.


    The staff of the medical bay was still in place, but Khan didn''t see anyone running around. The nurses were exchanging lazy conversations with the soldiers, but everyone turned and revealed surprised expressions when they saw Khan entering the building.


    "Is Doctor Parket inside?" Khan asked. "I didn''t set an appointment, but I figured he could be free."


    "He is in his office," One of the nurses exclaimed. "I''ll tell him about your arrival."


    Khan only had to wait a few minutes in front of the entrance before a soldier escorted him toward Doctor Parket''s office. Glances fell on him, and whispers resounded through the corridors as he walked through the structure, but he ignored everything and entered the room once the man gave the okay.


    Doctor Parket was in his usual spot behind his desk. A series of digital reports filled the table, and he lazily browsed through them with his fingers.


    The Doctor didn''t immediately raise his eyes when the door closed behind Khan. He continued to check the various reports before heaving a deep sigh and taking out his glasses.


    "You have saved many lives," Doctor Parket announced. "You should be proud of yourself."


    "I just did what I thought was right," Khan explained while remaining in front of the entrance.


    "That''s more than enough most of the time," Doctor Parket said while swiping on the table.


    A series of reports transformed into holograms that floated above the desk. Khan could recognize some of the names on them. They were the written version of the interrogations on the space station.


    "All these kids are alive because of you," Doctor Parket said in a calm voice. "Soldiers tend to focus only on the ugly part after a traumatic experience. They often fail to see the good that has come out of their actions."


    Khan nodded, but he didn''t feel any better. He had been ready to abandon most of those recruits if the situation required it. Even freeing the cave had been nothing more than a necessity in his efforts to survive.


    Moreover, the Kred were harder to blame than the Nak after witnessing their suffering. Their connection to the planet almost forced them to rebel. They had committed nefarious acts in the name of their hatred, but Khan actually understood their feelings.


    Khan felt angry about what happened to Martha, but he knew the Kred''s desperation far too well. Blaming them would force him to question himself, and he had no intention to dive deeper into his complicated psyche.


    "Why are you here?" Doctor Parket eventually asked when he saw that Khan wasn''t paying much attention to the reports. "I can summon a specialist in post-traumatic stress disorder if you need, but that''s not my field."


    "I only wanted you to check that everything was fine with my body, sir," Khan revealed. "I like to keep eventual mutations in check."


    "You can drop the formalities for today," Doctor Parket sighed before standing up and wearing his glasses.


    The Doctor picked his scanner and approached Khan''s nape. The holograms above the table transformed before depicting the insides of his neck.


    A series of words soon replaced the holograms before a mechanical voice resounded from the desk. "Mana core quality: Organic A-tier; Element: Chaos; Attunement: thirty-eight percent; Mana capacity: error."


    Khan read the familiar lines while ignoring Doctor Parket''s surprised gasp. It was clear that he was growing quickly. He only needed to add twelve points to his attunement to become a first-level warrior.


    "No trace of mutations," Doctor Parket announced after leaving Khan''s nape. "Still, your growth is amazing. Your similarities with the Nak are making your body attune with mana far faster than I predicted."


    Khan had to close his eyes for a second to sort his thoughts. He couldn''t help but feel a tinge of irony in the whole situation, and the urge to explode into a laugh was even trying to make its way through his brain.


    The Second Impact had turned his life upside-down and had left him with reoccurring nightmares. However, that tragedy had given him a body that could adapt to mana faster than his peers.


    The rebellion on Istrone had made him advance in the mental training, and it had even given him important battle experience. Yet, it had also forced Khan to realize his similarities with the Kred.


    ''Am I even human?'' Khan scoffed in his mind. ''My body tries to imitate the Nak, and my desperation is similar to the Kred. I should study the Ef''i thoroughly. I might find something else about myself in them.''


    Doctor Parket could sense part of the complicated emotions running through Khan''s mind, but he didn''t say anything anyway. He didn''t have words that could make him feel better. The boy had to find a way to overcome that mindset on his own, or the Global Army would break him.


    "Thank you for your time, sir," Khan eventually announced before turning to leave.


    "Kid," Doctor Parket suddenly said and forced Khan to stop, "Be sure to tell me if you need anything. Also, try not to be alone."


    "There is something," Khan said while turning toward the doctor. "Can you send my father to Lieutenant Dyester if he ever comes to visit?"


    "Of course," Doctor Parket promptly announced.


    Khan showed a slight smile before leaving the office and hurrying outside of the medical bay. It was still too early to have lunch, but he didn''t feel like eating. He had taken care of everything in less than three hours, so he had the entire day for himself now.


    Khan took his phone and sent a message to Lieutenant Dyester before checking the map of the camp. He quickly found the location of the best training halls available to him, and he didn''t hesitate to walk there.


    A large black building that didn''t feature any window soon unfolded in his eyes. Khan moved his eyes between his phone and the structure while inspecting the many corridors and halls.


    Khan quickly found a training hall that suited his needs and activated it with his genetic signature. Many menus appeared in his eyes, and he promptly initiated the same program that he had faced on Onia.


    That training program didn''t want Khan to use mana. It only tested the proficiency with his martial art, and he soon confirmed that he could clear the seventh level at ease.


    Then, Khan tested the programs that required him to use mana, but he felt disappointed when he realized that the training hall only kept track of his power output. It used resilient targets meant to give a score to Khan''s strength.


    Khan went back to the previous training program and alternated fights with perfect executions that used mana. He even connected his phone to the structure and ordered large meals to take breaks.


    Lieutenant Dyester didn''t come to the training hall, but Khan didn''t blame him. He was fine alone. The intense fights with the metal dummies even managed to make him forget about the emptiness eating his insides.


    Then, his phone rang when it was almost time to return to his dormitory. A message from the Global Army had arrived, but Khan quickly read that it came from Professor Norwell.


    ''I didn''t think they would act so quickly,'' Khan read on his phone. ''The Global Army has agreed with your requests. You''ll teleport to Nitis in two weeks. You''ll get the new martial art there.''

 Chapter 83: Snapping

    ''They must really want me,'' Khan scoffed in his mind. ''I guess I''ll know how badly once I see the value of the martial art.''


    Khan could understand how on point his guess had been from that quick answer. He knew that his value had increased a lot after Istrone''s rebellion, but he remained a mere sixteen-year-old boy who had yet to complete his first year in the training camp.


    There had to be a limit to how much the Global Army was willing to invest in Khan. Yet, the rapid answer from Professor Norwell confirmed that the situation was quite grim and that the higher-ups wanted to secure him before other families could attempt to buy his loyalty.


    ''Two weeks,'' Khan thought while picking his clothes and leaving the training hall. ''Maybe the Lieutenant will come if he knows that I''m leaving.''


    Khan didn''t have anyone else in the training camp. Luke was a friend, but they had never deepened their relationship due to the boy''s obvious hidden intentions. Only Lieutenant Dyester knew Khan''s true face now that Martha was away.


    ''I''ll teleport to Nitis in two weeks to join a special training program,'' Khan wrote on his phone to send a message to his Master. ''I''ll be in the fifth training hall of building N in these days.''


    Khan didn''t want to force the Lieutenant to face his pain. Everyone reacted differently to those intense emotions. However, he had decided not to let his desperation rule the entirety of his life, so he had to put some effort to preserve his only meaningful relationship left in the training camp.


    It had taken Khan an entire day inside the training hall to make up his mind. The desire to isolate himself and let his sorrow thrive was strong, but he didn''t want to have regrets before his departure. Lieutenant Dyester''s help even came from Martha, so it didn''t feel right to leave things like that.


    Khan didn''t let his thoughts linger on the matter anymore after the message. He had done everything in his power to make things right. The rest was up to the Lieutenant.


    The dormitory soon appeared in his eyes. The soldiers guarding the gate were half-sleeping during their shift, but Khan ignored them and continued on his path.


    Yet, the sound of hurried steps suddenly resounded from behind him, and Khan couldn''t help but jump ahead while spinning mid-air to land with his face turned toward the gate.


    Mana flowed through Khan''s body and prepared him to deploy his martial art. He had become ready to fight in less than an instant, but confusion appeared on his face when he saw the two soldiers shooting complicated gazes at him.


    "We didn''t want to frighten you," The first soldier said.


    Khan''s eyes moved among the two men. His senses quickly evaluated them and gave him a vague understanding of their power. His chances to win the battle appeared non-existent, so he started to look for a way out of that situation.


    "We wanted to say that we are sorry for the last time," The second soldier announced while raising his hand to express his harmlessness. "You didn''t deserve that behavior."


    The mental barrier had already formed inside Khan''s brain. He had become ready to fight and kill if the situation required it, but the soldiers'' reaction surprised him.


    His eyes moved among the scene. The streets, the gate, and the buildings in the distance entered his vision and reminded him of his location. That wasn''t Istrone. He was in Ylaco''s training camp, so those soldiers weren''t enemies.


    Khan identified the soldiers at that point. They were the same men that had questioned him after his second fight with the four bullies. His brain then understood their words and connected the past events to his current situation.


    ''What am I even doing?'' Khan cursed in his mind before straightening his position and letting the mana disperse inside his body.


    Khan took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and disperse the mental barrier. His mind was clear now, so he quickly came up with polite words. "Don''t worry. You were only doing your job."


    Too much had happened in the last six weeks. Khan had gone on Onia before facing the rebellion on Istrone. He had almost forgotten about the issues connected to the Blackdell girl. That problem sounded so pointless after everything that he had gone through. He didn''t even know if she was still alive.


    "We still feel sorry," The first soldier repeated while performing a military salute. "Please, accept our apology."


    "Please," The second soldier exclaimed while performing a military salute too.


    "You can be at ease," Khan nodded. "Everything is in the past."


    The two soldiers heaved a sigh of relief before revealing a smile and turning toward the gate. They wanted to add a few words, but it was clear that Khan was in no condition to receive them.


    Khan stared at the soldiers'' backs and turned when they crossed the gate. He felt unable to move his gaze before confirming that they had resumed their patrol.


    ''Dammit,'' Khan cursed in his mind while hurrying toward his flat.


    It didn''t take him even a second to understand what had happened. His mind had snapped at the first unclear event. It had directly connected the loud steps to potential dangers and had made him ready to fight.


    ''I can''t stay here anymore,'' Khan thought while the door of his flat closed behind him. ''I''m dangerous.''


    That realization made Khan wish that Martha was awake. She might not know what to say in that situation, but her words would still help.


    Lieutenant Dyester would also be able to say something useful, but he was unreliable right now. Khan didn''t even know if he had read his message.


    The lack of options made Khan rely on his training schedule to suppress those thoughts. His meditation and mental training were the only stable pillars on which he could found his remaining time in the camp. Everything would change traveling to Nitis. He hoped that at least.


    .


    .


    .


    Khan felt slightly better when he woke up. He still jumped out of bed as soon as he opened his eyes, but he had managed to rest a few more hours that night.


    Breakfast arrived in his room while he performed his usual training. Khan ate everything before leaving the flat and walking toward building N.


    A slight smile inevitably appeared on his face when he saw Lieutenant Dyester sitting in front of the building. A fuming cigarette was in his mouth, and his uniform grew dirty while he remained on the street, but he didn''t seem to care about anything.


    "Give me an actual hour next time," Lieutenant Dyester scolded when he noticed Khan. "I have waited here for two hours already."


    "You could have sent me a message," Khan calmly replied, but the Lieutenant limited himself to snort before standing and entering the building.


    Khan followed him, and the two entered the training hall without exchanging any word. It was clear that both of them wanted to talk, but neither seemed willing to make the first step.


    "So," Lieutenant Dyester eventually said when Khan started to browse through the training programs, "Did the nightmares arrive?"


    "They never left," Khan replied while giving voice to a short laugh.


    Lieutenant Dyester took his words as a half-joke meant to hide the true state of his mindset, and Khan let him believe that. Only his father knew about the nightmares, and Khan preferred to leave it like that.


    "I snapped yesterday," Khan revealed after Lieutenant Dyester fell silent. "I heard steps and went full kill or be killed. I guess part of me is still in the jungle."


    "Is that why you chose to leave so soon?" Lieutenant Dyester asked. "Did peace become suffocating?"


    "What was I supposed to do?" Khan snorted. "The streets are empty, the canteen is silent, and everyone treats me as a hero. I''d rather spend my time fighting than having to go through that for months."


    Khan''s foot quickly found his usual training program and pressed on the eighth level. He wanted to use those two weeks to approach the competent proficiency level, but he still struggled to advance.


    "Do you use the mental barrier during battles?" Lieutenant Dyester suddenly asked when he read the difficulty level.


    "I''m better with it," Khan revealed. "I don''t commit the same mistakes."


    "But you experience only half of the battle like that," Lieutenant Dyester added. "Cutting away your emotions might have been necessary on Istrone, and the training for your element might even require it, but you need to learn how to control them. You need to lose this bad habit."


    "Do you want to make me weaker before my departure?" Khan asked while spreading his arms.


    "A training dummy feels no happiness in a victory," Lieutenant Dyester sighed. "It doesn''t even care about winning at all. It only does what the programming tells it to do. It doesn''t commit mistakes, but it can''t go beyond its limits either."


    Lieutenant Dyester continued while pointing his forefinger toward Khan. "The mental barrier helps you express everything you have learnt without committing mistakes, but it might become a wall that prevents your improvements in the future. I''m not saying that you shouldn''t rely on it if your life is in danger, but you definitely must not abuse it."


    "What should I do then, Master?" Khan tried to mock the soldier, but the latter didn''t fall for his words.


    "Go to the previous difficulty level," Lieutenant Dyester ordered. "You''ll fight every day of the next two weeks to get rid of that bad habit. You''ll feel weaker for a few days, but you''ll know that I''m right by the date of your departure."


    Khan didn''t completely understand Lieutenant Dyester''s words, but his metaphor with the training dummy made sense, so he followed his orders.


    "For your information," Lieutenant Dyester added after Khan turned, "This isn''t only to prevent your growth from becoming stale. You need to feel to accept your emotions again. You need to stop treating your feelings as something that you can ignore whenever you want. They would lose every meaning in your mind otherwise."

 Chapter 84: Sharing

    Khan didn''t completely agree with Lieutenant Dyester''s words, but he followed his directives anyway.


    It felt good to have someone watching over him during his training. Lieutenant Dyester pointed out many mistakes that Khan had started to absorb in his battle style. They would have become bad habits in the long run, but the soldier had caught them before that.


    The lack of the mental barrier made Khan slightly weaker due to various undesired reactions during the battles, but he started to notice unexpected improvements after a few days.


    Being emotional during a fight was a disadvantage, but learning how to control those feelings helped Khan''s mindset. Moreover, his combat instincts developed faster when he used the entirety of his mind against the puppets.


    His success rate in the perfect execution diminished before slowly rising again. Khan managed to hold his ground against the ninth difficulty level after thirteen days spent familiarizing himself with his emotions. His mindset inevitably grew colder, but he began to feel better. He even started to appreciate his small achievements.


    "Did they tell you when you have to leave tomorrow?" Lieutenant Dyester asked while eating a soup ordered through Khan''s phone.


    "I bet they''ll send me a message in a few hours," Khan replied while wolfing a chicken wing. "What is it? Do you miss me already?"


    "Hurry up and leave," Lieutenant Dyester snorted. "You ruined my perfect sleeping schedule! If only I didn''t accept her-."


    Lieutenant Dyester suddenly interrupted his line. Khan and the soldier had become able to exchange jokes again after spending two entire weeks together. They had healed part of their respective pain, but some topics still hurt too much.


    The soldier had read the reports of Istrone''s rebellion during those days. He was aware of what Khan had to overcome to return to Earth alive, and he also learnt about Martha''s injuries.


    His connection with Martha''s family made him sad about the girl''s situation, but he knew that Khan felt far worse.


    "It''s fine," Khan sighed while placing the chicken wing on the lunch box. "She will wake up and get back on her feet in no time."


    Khan had been the one who benefitted the most from those two weeks. Part of his playful character had returned, even if he showed it only with Lieutenant Dyester. The emptiness that spread from his insides didn''t feel too overwhelming anymore either.


    Khan still lost himself in his thoughts. His regular face had also become cold and detached. He didn''t feel as helpless as before, but the idea of remaining inside the training camp remained unbearable.


    Leaving was mandatory in his mind. Peace was suffocating. Lieutenant Dyester didn''t hide his worry concerning Khan''s feelings, but their conversation about that topic didn''t go anywhere.


    Lieutenant Dyester eventually realized that only Khan could decide when to accept peace again. The soldier believed that Martha''s awakening could trigger that event, but he had no power over the matter. He only hoped that Khan would miss Earth after spending more time on other planets.


    "Khan," Lieutenant Dyester broke the silence that had fallen between the two.


    "What is it?" Khan asked while sealing the lunch box and putting it away.


    "Do you want to talk about it?" Lieutenant Dyester asked. "I might not be the most suitable listener for your situation, but I know what it''s like to remain alone with your thoughts after a tragedy."


    "What can talking even do?" Khan asked before heaving a helpless sigh. "I did what I needed to do to survive. I know that Martha''s condition isn''t my fault. The situation is just sad."


    "You are young," Lieutenant Dyester commented. "You''ll still be young when she wakes up. You only lost some time."


    Khan stared at the black floor when Lieutenant Dyester forced him to think about his situation. His fears had never concerned Martha''s health. His worries involved the changes in his character.


    "She liked a joyful boy who could spit non-sense just to make her laugh," Khan eventually revealed. "She might not like the cold-looking me who can''t even sleep properly."


    Lieutenant Dyester remained silent at that point. Khan had started to speak. He only needed to give him enough room to continue.


    "I didn''t think that the aliens could be so different, you know?" Khan revealed after a few silent seconds. "I''m not talking about their aspect. Their morals, customs, and mindsets are different. I expected something similar, but¡­."


    "But?" Lieutenant Dyester asked when he noticed Khan''s complicated expression.


    "The Kred are big. You know that," Khan said while standing up and lifting his arm to describe how tall the aliens were with his hand. "They reach physical maturity quickly. You basically can''t differentiate between a kid and an adult unless you are an expert in the field."


    "I do know that," Lieutenant Dyester revealed. "They are a strong species. Male and females are ready to jump into battle after little less than ten years of life."


    "We were hiding behind trees one day," Khan continued while using his hands to describe the layout of the jungle. "I had sensed two Kred in front of us. They were with Luke and other recruits, but here I am. I see those tall aliens and decide that escaping is better."


    "You had never faced a Kred before," Lieutenant Dyester commented. "You had also just learnt how to use your senses. Retreating when you don''t know your odds is a good choice."


    "I turn, right?" Khan exclaimed while crouching and replaying the scene with his body. "I turn and see this tall Kred trying to sneak up on us. I didn''t sense her, but I attack right away. My knee hits her face before slamming her on the ground. Two perfect executions in a row. I was ready for the third, but she doesn''t move."


    Lieutenant Dyester held himself back from commenting. He had noticed how Khan had started using "her" to describe the alien. He knew that something was up.


    "The other two Kred attack us," Khan continued, "But we deal with them. They turn out to be pretty weak, so the others tie them to a tree while I get the third. I had to spend a whole minute to understand that she was dead."


    "Was she your first?" Lieutenant Dyester asked. "That''s a good first. You didn''t kill her on purpose. She had misjudged the power of your group."


    "Of course she did," Khan snorted. "She was damned ten. Those three aliens were a young family who happened to be on patrol duty for the mighty higher-ups."


    Lieutenant Dyester understood why that matter weighed on Khan''s mind so much. He had basically killed a kid according to human standards.


    "You can''t use human morals to study the event," Lieutenant Dyester promptly replied. "The Kred are adults at that age. Don''t see her as a kid."


    "They begged us to see their daughter," Khan sighed. "They told us everything they knew for her, even if she was lying dead some meters away."


    "You couldn''t leave two angry Kred behind you," Lieutenant Dyester explained. "You wouldn''t have been here otherwise."


    "They were a desperate family," Khan shook his head while sitting back on the floor. "They are a desperate species. I know that feeling far too well, but I showed no mercy."


    "Kid," Lieutenant Dyester sighed at the sight of Khan''s sad face, "That''s how the army works. You can avoid that nasty stuff by earning a position in a safe place, but wars will always exist around you. You should get away now if you worry about falling apart."


    "That''s not the issue," Khan struggled to say. "I''ve seen those who risked falling apart. I''ve seen recruits completely broken by the event even. I didn''t."


    "You had the mental barrier," Lieutenant Dyester replied.


    "You can cut away emotions," Khan commented. "You can''t cut away your true nature. I fear that I might be perfect for that stuff."


    Khan didn''t fear danger. He wasn''t too worried about death either. Yet, his desperation scared him. He didn''t know what that feeling would make him do if he grew too used to killing.


    "Most of my platoon was dead by then," Lieutenant Dyester suddenly said while looking toward an empty spot in the training hall. "I was marching alone toward a large prison camp when I saw that the Kred had executed all my remaining friends."


    Khan couldn''t help but focus on the Lieutenant at that point. He had never thought that the soldier would reveal stories of the crisis from forty years ago.


    "I get mad and start launching spells," Lieutenant Dyester scoffed. "It''s hard to care about your actions when you have nothing left to lose. I kill freely, burning every Kred that tries to charge at me or run away. I am unstoppable, and the aliens eventually realize that.


    "They start falling on their knees and putting their hands behind their heads. Do you believe it? They have the beheaded corpses of my friends around them, but they still try to surrender."


    Lieutenant Dyester showed a dark expression, and his eyes fell on his hands. He started inspecting his palms and fingers while a faint disgust appeared on his face.


    "You should never lose control of your emotions," Lieutenant Dyester exclaimed. "Mana gives us the chance to be gods among normal men. It makes killing too easy. I realized what I had done only after I couldn''t find anyone else to burn."


    Khan gulped. His situation had been completely different. He had never lost control of his actions during Istrone''s rebellion.


    "You might have more talent than me at this," Lieutenant Dyester revealed. "Killing will become easier, but don''t let it grow meaningless in your mind. The ugly feelings that you experience after taking a life are part of what makes you human. Only those who can suffer can also experience love and happiness. Never forget that."


    "Do you still suffer?" Khan asked.


    "You shouldn''t worry about me," Lieutenant Dyester said before giving voice to a faint laugh. "I''m a defective training dummy. I''ve tried to be a monster, but my mind opposed my programming."


    The conversation ended with those words. Both Khan and Lieutenant Dyester had problems that they could only solve on their own. Still, Khan made sure to memorize the soldier''s teachings and accept them in his mind.


    His words still resounded in his mind by the time Khan returned to his flat. All of a sudden, his emptiness and sorrow didn''t feel too bad anymore. They proved that he wasn''t a mindless killer.


    ''Get better at killing without growing used to it,'' Khan summarized in his mind before a notification reached his phone.


    The Global Army had finally given him the schedule for his trip to Nitis. He would have to depart early in the morning. The message even said that he would spend the remaining months of the first year of training there.


    ****


    Author''s notes: The first volume will end here. See you tomorrow at the beginning of the second.

 Chapter 85: Purr

    Khan had obviously studied Nitis on the network during the two weeks of intense training with Lieutenant Dyester. The Global Army had landed on the planet for the first time only seventy years ago, which made it one of the last worlds discovered during the expansion of the human species.


    Nitis was a cold planet mostly surrounded by pale darkness. The network described it as a world stuck in the last hour before dawn. Its distant star and its peculiar orbit never allowed it to bathe under the sunlight.


    The planet was the home of an intelligent species called Niqols. They were quite similar to humans, except for their dark-blue skin, pale irises, and white hair. The network described them as a peaceful kind with a great understanding of mana and a deep enmity with the Nak. It seemed that they had also gone through something similar to the First Impact in the past centuries.


    Khan did his best to memorize a few useful lines of the Niqols'' language during his spare time, but his knowledge remained poor when the day of his departure arrived.


    The main issue was that the Global Army''s network didn''t describe too much. Khan couldn''t access most of its information due to his low clearance level. He could only learn a few basic features of the planet, the Niqols, and their language before exhausting what his phone had to offer.


    Faint excitement built inside Khan when he approached the teleport. Those emotions mixed with his tragic memories, but he didn''t let them take over his mind.


    His conversation with Lieutenant Dyester had helped. Khan had slowly started to see his bad feelings as a sign that he wasn''t a mindless killer. That realization didn''t make him feel atoned for his actions on Istrone, but it allowed him to accept them and begin to move on.


    Professor Norwell was waiting for Khan in front of the building with the teleport. She threw away her cigarette as soon the boy entered her vision, but she showed a confused expression when she saw that he was alone.


    "Will Lieutenant Dyester show up for your departure?" Professor Norwell asked.


    "We said everything we needed to say yesterday," Khan explained.


    "Good," Professor Norwell exclaimed before leading Khan across the insides of the familiar building.


    "Our young relationship with the Niqols makes this training camp quite experimental," Professor Norwell explained while Khan went through the usual scanners and forms. "The Global Army took the liberty to choose lessons connected to your goal, but you can modify them if you change your mind. The Captain on the site will be your only connection with the rest of humankind, so rely on her whenever you need something."


    Khan memorized everything and nodded from time to time. He felt happy to see that he was looking forward to that experience. Also, thinking about leaving Earth made him ignore part of the silence that filled Ylaco''s training camp.


    Forsaking peace forced Khan to focus on his next task. He didn''t go full battle-mode, but most of his useless thoughts disappeared in front of the potential dangers of an alien planet.


    "Remember that your actions might have a political impact due to the young relationship with the Niqols," Professor Norwell explained as the duo entered the circular hall with the teleport. "These aliens are very similar to us. I hope this is enough to explain how bad things can go if you offend their species. You might be a hero for now, but the Global Army wouldn''t hesitate to use you as a scapegoat to preserve this relationship."


    "I understand, ma''am," Khan replied in a firm voice.


    "The soldiers on the camp will brief you after your arrival," Professor Norwell continued. "We don''t have many classes there. You will complete the fourth. Still, you''ll learn everything in detail after the travel. I don''t know much about Nitis either. What I explained comes from a summary that the army has pressed me to say before your departure."


    Khan''s eyes flickered at those words, but he didn''t show any evident reaction. It seemed that Nitis'' matters were classified even for the professors. He didn''t know if the same applied to the Lieutenants, but he started to gain an idea of how frail the relationship with the Niqols was.


    Professor Norwell didn''t follow Khan on the teleport. She pointed at the platform once everything was ready, and he jumped on it. The soldiers wearing white medical coats shouted numbers and coordinates, and synthetic mana soon filled the oval structure before activating its functions.


    Darkness unfolded in Khan''s vision before a pale blue light allowed him to study his surroundings. He found himself on a grey teleport surrounded by black consoles and grey walls. A small team of soldiers wearing white medical coats handled the various machines, and a young man stood in front of him.


    "You must be Khan," The man didn''t hesitate to say while his eyes studied Khan. "The Global Army has sent us some redacted reports of the Istrone''s rebellion. Great fucking job."


    Khan inspected the soldier too. The man appeared to be in his twenties. He had slightly long blonde hair, large green eyes, no beard, and an aloof face. He seemed to look down on Khan with his uncaring gaze, but the latter felt that he wasn''t doing that out of arrogance.


    The man was slightly muscular and a bit taller than Khan. He kept his arms behind his back during the inspection, and a calm aura surrounded him.


    "Thank you, sir," Khan promptly replied while moving his eyes on the boy''s shoulders.


    The uniform featured a star on each shoulder. The man had managed to become a first-level warrior and mage at his young age, which made him an elite even among talents.


    "I''m just the second year in charge of the new class," The man replied. "Don''t bother with the formalities. I don''t want to feel old when I''m barely nineteen."


    Khan nodded before jumping out of the teleport. That was the first building on a different planet where he didn''t see any aliens. That feature hinted at how the relationship between the two species had yet to solidify, but his reasoning couldn''t go further.


    "I''m Paul Stratbert, but don''t bother checking my family on the network," The man announced while turning and starting to walk toward the corridor connected to the circular hall. "Families don''t matter much here. Only talent and achievements can get you into the special classes."


    Khan couldn''t help but notice how the structure appeared almost empty. He didn''t see the usual soldiers handling scanners to check the newcomers. He had to pass through a rectangular machine that listed some of his important features on a nearby screen, but that was it.


    "Almost thirty-nine percent attunement with mana when you aren''t even seventeen," Paul whistled. "And they called me a talent."


    "I have been lucky," Khan said to tone down those compliments.


    "Lucky my ass," Paul scoffed. "You have the same numbers as someone who has received the first infusion of synthetic mana. Are you implying that everyone else has been unlucky?"


    "I didn''t mean that," Khan promptly replied while lowering his gaze.


    "Then be proud about it!" Paul snorted. "This isn''t a training camp on Earth. Playing it low will only make the army forget about you."


    Khan felt surprised by how easily Paul could read through his behavior. The soldier had probably dealt with similar situations already.


    "I''m the best of the best," Khan announced in an emotionless tone while inspecting the structure and avoiding Paul''s sudden glance.


    "Everyone is the best of the best here," Paul eventually explained when he understood that Khan wouldn''t reply to his gaze. "Nitis even requires an attunement above thirty-five percent to breathe freely. The Global Army sends only true elites who have the potential to climb the ranks here."


    "Do you plan on using this experience to get a promotion?" Khan asked as the exit of the building drew near.


    "I have a shot at becoming a Lieutenant by the end of the year," Paul exclaimed as a tinge of pride appeared on his aloof face. "The final evaluation of the class under my management will influence the test a lot, so don''t make me lose face."


    "Noted," Khan said while a dark environment unfolded in his vision.


    A dark-blue sky made the entirety of the scenery dark, but a faint radiance managed to reach the surface anyway and create unclear shadows.


    An uneven plain spread from the lonely building and stretched in the distance until it met a short mountain chain. Dark grass grew from the ground and filled the scene with an eerie vibe.


    Nitis was completely different from Istrone. The former lacked tall trees and featured small bushes at best. Narrow cracks and short elevations filled the plain, and a few paths cut right among them.


    Khan saw a series of buildings in the distance. He wouldn''t normally be able to notice them due to the faint darkness that covered the entirety of the scene. Still, those structures radiated azure light that almost managed to reach his position while they shone on the plain.


    "Humans didn''t want to mess with Nitis'' layout since they didn''t know how the Niqols would react," Paul explained. "I think the higher-ups of both species are discussing the purchase of lands, but the aliens don''t seem to like that."


    "It''s still their planet," Khan couldn''t help but comment while keeping his voice down.


    "I agree," Paul announced. "Imagine if the same happened on Earth. Do you think humans would ever sell parts of their planet to an alien species? We are lucky enough that they let us stay here."


    "Do they fear us?" Khan asked.


    Paul clearly knew a lot more than the network, so Khan didn''t hesitate to use him as a source of knowledge.


    "They actually like us," Paul laughed. "We are really similar. They are above us when it comes to understanding mana, but we surpass them in the technological fields. They only want to make sure to keep clear walls between our species."


    "How do we reach the training camp?" Khan asked when he didn''t see any vehicle around him.


    The teleport stood alone in the middle of the plain, and the area didn''t feature anything else man-made. Only the city in the distance showed the presence of other intelligent living beings, but it was too far away to reach it on foot in a reasonable time.


    "You''ll eventually understand how things work here," Paul commented before putting his thumb and middle finger in his mouth to give voice to a loud whistle. "Remember that the Niqols have developed with mana as their foundation. They have a peculiar approach to most stuff."


    The ground under Khan and Paul suddenly began to tremble. Two presences that carried dense mana became clear in his senses and made him lower his gaze.


    Khan instinctively jumped backward as cracks opened around a fissure a few meters from him. Two large Tainted animals quickly crawled out of the ground and approached Paul.


    The animals resembled giant moles. They had long black fur, unusual long limbs, and pale-grey claws. Their grey noses were quite long and hid sharp teeth, and loud barks came out of their mouths as they charged toward Paul.


    Khan prepared himself to fight, but a confused expression appeared on his face when Paul gestured to him to stop. His feeling then transformed into pure astonishment when he saw the Tainted animals stopping next to the soldier and purring under his caresses.

 Chapter 86: Liiza

    Paul petted the two large Tainted animals. They were as tall as him, but their bodies were almost three meters long. Still, they appeared harmless once their purr resounded in the area.


    "They like to play a lot," Paul said as a faint laugh escaped his mouth whenever the animals tried to lick his face. "You can see them as large dogs if you want."


    Khan''s eyes fell on the creature''s claws. Their nails were razor-sharp knives as long as his hands. He couldn''t see a dog anywhere in those dangerous animals.


    "Come here and let them know your scent," Paul ordered.


    "Do I have to?" Khan asked without moving his eyes from the sharp claws.


    "You must unless you want to walk to the city," Paul laughed. "They are our rides."


    Khan blinked before scratching the side of his head and taking a few timid steps forward. The two animals noticed his movements and stopped playing with Paul to inspect him. They appeared curious about the new boy, and their noses trembled as they tried to catch a hint of his scent.


    "We call them Ugu," Paul explained while continuing to pet the two animals. "They are quite docile. They only need to memorize you."


    "Aren''t they Tainted animals?" Khan asked while taking a few steps forward and stretching his hand toward the nearest Ugu.


    "Animals have evolved differently here," Paul replied. "Technically, they are Tainted creatures, but they didn''t mutate through the Nak''s mana. The energy in Nitis has made all the animal species here gain strange features."


    The explanation made sense in Khan''s mind. It was the same as Istrone''s vegetation. Those planets didn''t need the First Impact to gain mana. Their flora and fauna had developed with that energy.


    The first Ugu continued to sniff the air until it reached Khan''s hand. The second creature soon joined its companion in the inspection while Khan remained alert.


    "I think you can try to pet them now," Paul suggested when he reached the two animals. "You don''t need to be soft. They are quite resilient."


    Khan nodded before slowly moving his hand past their noses to reach the furry forehead of the first Ugu. His fingers almost touched the creature, but it suddenly lowered its head and started growling toward him.


    The second Ugu quickly imitated its companion. Khan found himself in front of two huge animals that appeared ready to jump at him.


    "Calm down!" Paul shouted while grabbing the fur behind the second Ugu''s head, but his order didn''t stop the first creature from leaping toward Khan.


    The huge shape of the creature tried to slam on Khan, but the latter had been ready to fight since he sensed the two animals. His figure disappeared when the Ugu pierced him. Khan reappeared on the side of the beast with his knee raised to his chest, but he didn''t launch any attack.


    "How should I act?" Khan asked, and Paul couldn''t help but remain surprised in front of the coldness of his actions.


    The Ugu had tried to kill Khan, but he had dodged the attack easily without responding to that offensive. He remained ready to deliver a powerful blow, but he managed to withhold his technique and wait for Paul''s orders.


    "Don''t hurt it," Paul quickly ordered. "I''ll call someone. Can I leave you on your own for a minute?"


    "No problem," Khan replied while lowering his leg and jumping on his side when the Ugu waved its long claws at him.


    Paul continued to pull the second Ugu''s fur while wrestling with his pockets. A phone eventually came out of his trousers, and he didn''t hesitate to tap on its screen a few times before nearing the device to his ear.


    "Yes? Miss Liiza?" Paul shouted while continuing to pull the animal from its fur. "There is a problem with the Ugu. Yes! [Thank you very much]!"


    Khan continued to dodge the first Ugu''s assault. Its movements appeared slow in his eyes. The dummy in the ninth level of the training program was far faster, so the animal never managed to touch him.


    Paul stored his phone and opened his mouth to say something, but the words remained stuck in his throat when he saw how easily Khan was dealing with the Ugu. The boy didn''t show any expression while dodging the relentless assault. He almost appeared bored about the whole process.


    ''Five times,'' Khan counted in his mind. ''Six, seven, eight. These creatures are quite clumsy.''


    Khan kept track of his chances to deliver techniques toward the animal during its assault. The Ugu was quite fast for its size, but its attacks were too straightforward to endanger Khan.


    The quick movements of the Lightning-demon style would have allowed Khan to deliver many direct blows during the openings showed by the Ugu. He was only keeping track of his chances during a defensive approach even. Everything would be different if he decided to gain the upper hand.


    Khan had to remain in that situation for entire minutes, and Paul showed a complicated expression at that scene. Part of him felt guilty about that outcome, but that emotion couldn''t suppress the surging respect growing inside of his mind.


    Paul had seen the recruits that the Global Army allowed to join the training camp on Nitis. He had been one of them even. They were all geniuses or special talents.


    The background couldn''t affect the Global Army''s selection since the situation on Nitis was still unclear. Only the best of the best could go there and help reinforce the relationship between the two species.


    Still, Khan appeared above that level. His moves were almost perfect, but his calm mindset was the most outstanding aspect of his character.


    Khan wasn''t using the mental barrier. Lieutenant Dyester had forced him to relearn how to fight without it in the past two weeks, and his training had worked perfectly.


    Every dodge gave new insights on the Ugu''s movements to Khan. He learnt how to punish those straightforward attacks quickly, and he also improved his dodges accordingly.


    A loud screech eventually resounded in the area and made the second Ugu tremble in fear. Even Khan''s opponent stopped moving and hid its head into the ground.


    Khan glanced at the animal one last time before turning in the direction of the screech. His eyes went toward the dark sky, but he struggled to find the source of that cry. However, the glow of the city in the distance eventually revealed a huge figure diving at high speed toward the ground.


    The figure appeared faster than Khan during its dive. He couldn''t help but jump backward when he saw it approaching his position. Then, a gale engulfed his body and threw debris and dust in his eyes, but he protected them with his arms.


    A large animal unfolded in Khan''s vision when he lowered his arms. A creature that resembled an eagle with dark-grey feathers showed its large wings toward the two Ugu before giving voice to a second screech.


    The Ugu raised their heads before putting them back into the ground. Their bodies never stopped shaking, and yelps eventually resounded from their figures.


    "It wasn''t my intention to disturb you so early," Paul promptly announced while joining his hands in front of his chest and performing a short bow toward the eagle. "The Ugu have reacted poorly to the newcomer, but I ignore the reason behind their odd behavior."


    Khan inspected the animal while showing evident confusion. He noticed that the creature had three eyes during his second examination, but he remained perplexed.


    ''Is he talking to the animal?'' Khan wondered, but the huge eagle suddenly lowered its body and revealed a dark figure sitting on its back.


    Khan couldn''t help but remain dumbfounded. A female Niqols was sitting on the eagle. Her smooth dark-blue skin seemed to glow under the darkness of the scene, her white eyes released a faint radiance that illuminated her face, and her long white hair enhanced her slender figure when it fell on her shoulders and back.


    The Niqols were practically humans. Khan struggled to find differences in their facial features and bodies. The aliens'' skin, eyes, and hair had different shades, but they were overall identical to the men and women from Earth.


    Those similarities made Khan unable to ignore the Niqols'' striking beauty. The alien was wearing a white tank top and tight trousers that enhanced her curves. Her chest wasn''t big, but it highlighted the harmony brought by her slender figure.


    The words "compatible sexual organs" read on the network during his study of the alien species inevitably appeared in Khan''s mind. The Niqols seemed only a few years older than him, and he couldn''t help but feel attracted by her.


    ''I can add my dumb taste to the things that make me less human,'' Khan cursed in his mind while controlling himself.


    Martha''s face appeared in his mind and helped him control his emotions. Khan didn''t let anything appear on his face. He maintained a cold expression while joining his hands, performing a slight bow, and speaking a few alien words trained during the past two weeks. "[I''m honored to make your acquaintance]."


    Both Paul and the Niqols raised their eyebrows in surprise when they heard Khan. The alien language featured short syllables and clear sounds, and Khan''s pronunciation was only slightly off.


    "You are guests on Nitis," The alien said in a perfect human accent. "The honor is mine."


    "Miss Liiza, let me express how sorr-," Paul began to say, but the alien raised her hand to stop him.


    Liiza jumped off the eagle and patted its neck before walking toward Khan. He could see that the alien was as tall as him at that point, and he didn''t fail to notice that her beauty was even more striking up close.


    The Niqols bent toward Khan, and he instinctively retracted his head. Yet, the young woman shot an admonishing glance toward him, which forced him to resume his previous position.


    Liiza sniffed Khan''s face before placing her slim fingers on his forehead. Her skin felt cold, but that feature didn''t surprise him since he had read about it on the network. The Niqols'' average body temperature was nine to ten degrees lower than humans, which suited the planet''s coldness.


    Liiza closed her eyes while keeping her face near Khan''s forehead. He couldn''t help but think about Cora''s kiss at that point. Part of him felt that he should divert his gaze, but he ended up inspecting the Niqols'' face anyway.


    The young woman eventually opened her eyes. The azure irises met the glowing white ones, and they didn''t separate even after Liiza pulled herself back.


    Paul''s eyes widened at that interaction, and he quickly stepped in to question Liiza about the recent event. "Do you know why the Ugu reacted like that?"


    "Yes," Liiza revealed while diverting her eyes from Khan. "It''s quite simple. He smells like a Nak, and the Ugu hate them."


    Paul shot a confused glance toward Khan, and Liiza also turned toward him at that point. The Global Army didn''t warn the soldier about Khan''s Tainted status since it didn''t think that the topic was relevant. However, it became clear that Khan had to explain himself now.


    Khan sighed before unbuttoning the superior part of his uniform and revealing the azure scar on his chest. His left shoulder even featured a patch of redder skin due to the cauterization on Istrone, but Paul and Liiza didn''t notice it since the azure mark caught the entirety of their attention.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I have the second shot of the vaccine tomorrow. I might slow down with the releases if I fall ill.

 Chapter 87: Flight

    The incidents on Earth that involved the Nak''s mana were quite famous, and Paul also knew that Khan came from Ylaco''s training camp. It didn''t take him much to link the azure scar to the Second Impact, which also helped explain why Khan was so good compared to his peers.


    Liiza appeared curious about the scar. She neared Khan again and lifted her arm toward his chest without showing any hesitation.


    Khan instinctively grabbed Liiza''s hand to stop her action, and the two exchanged a long gaze again. Paul''s eyes widened when he saw that scene. He quickly prepared a series of polite words, but they didn''t get the chance to leave his throat since Khan released his grasp.


    Liiza''s slid her fingers through Khan''s palm and forearm before reaching the left side of his chest. Her black fingernails softly scratched Khan''s skin and went over the red patch on his left shoulder before reaching the edges of the azure scar.


    The Niqols traced the scar''s edges with her fingers before going over its insides. It was rare for Khan to have someone else touch that part of his body, but Liiza felt gentle and firm. She didn''t cause him any discomfort.


    Liiza eventually placed her whole palm at the center of his chest. She felt Khan''s beating heart while her eyes moved on his face. Their gazes met again, and they remained fixed on each other for a few seconds.


    The alien eventually retracted her hand and inspected her palm. Khan didn''t know what she was thinking during the process, but he didn''t feel the need to ask questions.


    "He won''t be able to ride the Ugu," Liiza eventually explained while fixing her eyes back on Khan''s face. "They will never accept him."


    "Will he have to walk?" Paul asked as a complicated expression appeared on his face.


    It didn''t matter how talented Khan was. The Global Army would deem him unfit for the training camp on Nitis if he couldn''t use some of its core features.


    "He needs to tame a [Aduns]," Liiza announced before pointing at the eagle behind her. "I believe you call them Aduns."


    "We don''t have the clearance for that," Paul politely replied. "With all due respect, your superiors have been quite clear."


    Khan wanted to inspect Paul to study his reactions, but his gaze remained glued to Liiza''s eyes. She appeared to be in the same situation, and her expressionless face barely moved when she gave her answers.


    "They won''t be able to say anything if an Aduns chooses him," Liiza explained. "I''ll get him to a nest right away."


    "We have yet to brief him!" Paul complained, and Liiza finally moved her eyes away from Khan to glare at the soldier.


    Paul clearly regretted raising his voice. He lowered his head, and polite words came out of his mouth. "He doesn''t know much about Nitis. Please, forgive him if he offends you by mistake."


    Liiza limited herself to nod and return to her ride. She patted the eagle''s neck, and the creature lowered its wing to make her jump on its back.


    "What are you waiting for?" Liiza asked when she noticed that Khan had yet to move from his spot.


    "Go," Paul whispered while approaching him and pushing him toward the Aduns. "This is your chance to remain on Nitis, but don''t do anything stupid. Are we clear?"


    "Yes, sir," Khan promptly replied while approaching the creature.


    The eagle followed his movements with its three eyes. Khan couldn''t help but notice the differences with the Nak''s organs. The Aduns'' third eye was vertical and slightly bigger than the others, but it didn''t radiate any light.


    The Aduns didn''t seem to like that Khan had to climb on its back, but it accepted the event with impeccable decorum. The creature appeared quite smart and well-trained. It didn''t flinch for even an instant when Khan stepped on the dark feathers and arrived behind Liiza.


    The Aduns appeared even bigger from that position. The creature was almost three meters tall, and its wings could cover a six meters large area when unfolded. Its back had enough space for multiple people, but Khan still struggled to find where to sit.


    Khan studied Liiza''s stance and tried to imitate her. Her hands were on the feathers on the eagle''s neck, and she had wrapped her slim legs around the wings'' base.


    Khan couldn''t do the same from his position, so he sat and tried to tighten his legs on the Aduns'' back while grabbing the feathers right in front of him. He obviously put some distance between Liiza, but he was still close enough to touch her back if he crouched.


    The eagle suddenly gave voice to a quiet high-pitched cry, and Khan instinctively tightened his grasp. Yet, his handhold vanished since his hands ripped a few feathers.


    Khan''s eyes widened when he saw the dark-grey feathers in his grasp. Panic built inside him. He had actually hurt a creature that seemed to hold an important place in the Niqols'' mind.


    Liiza didn''t reveal any emotion. She released her grasp and bent backward to grab Khan''s wrists. He let her lead him closer to her back, and Paul almost fainted when he saw the alien putting Khan''s arms around her waist.


    "You can''t hold Aduns from there," Liiza quickly explained before crouching forward again.


    Khan had to lie on her to remain attached to her waist. His chest was on her back, and her white hair often fell on his face.


    Khan turned toward Paul and noticed that the soldier was holding his head while staring at the whole scene. His eyes were wide open, but they transformed into an admonishing gaze when they fell on Khan.


    "I''ll send him to the camp once we are done," Liiza announced. "Don''t look for him if he doesn''t return."


    Paul wanted to say something, but the Aduns suddenly unfolded its wings and waved them, creating gales made of dust and terrain.


    Khan couldn''t help but tighten his legs on the creature''s back, and the same went for his arms. His face soon touched Liiza''s back, and the coldness of her body spread through her clothes to reach his chest and cheek.


    The Aduns gave voice to a loud screech before flapping its wings again and separating from the ground. The creature seemed to struggle to set off now that it had two people on its back, but it slowly managed to gain height anyway.


    Khan couldn''t express what he was experiencing with simple words. His legs kept losing their grip on the eagle''s back whenever it pushed him upward. The fear of falling threatened to take control of his mind, but Liiza''s firm figure managed to reassure him.


    Liiza barely moved while the Aduns went up and down in the sky. She seemed part of the creature during the flight, and Khan instinctively relied on her to avoid falling.


    His embrace tightened, and his body grew closer to her. Khan was basically lying on her, and his unstable foothold often made his chest collide with her back.


    Khan couldn''t express how worried he was about his actions, but he did his best to regain some composure quickly. His legs continued to search for a stable foothold and eventually found it right above the wings'' base. His grip on Liiza''s waist never became rough either. He did his best to keep it gentle.


    The wind grew more intense at some point, and Khan peeked past the immense wings to study his situation. His expression froze when he noticed that the Aduns was high in the sky already. Paul had even disappeared from his vision.


    Talking with that intense wind blowing on his face was troublesome, and Khan didn''t want to disturb Liiza anyway, so he remained silent and enjoyed the travel. That wasn''t his first flight, but it felt like it. Using a vehicle couldn''t even come close as an experience.


    The eagle was alive. It reacted to Liiza''s short but firm movements. The creature would turn to the right whenever the Niqols pulled the right side of its neck, it would go up when her legs tightened, and it accelerated when she crouched closer to its neck.


    Khan couldn''t help but admire such mastery in her flying skills. His body was practically on her, so he could sense when her muscles tensed or relaxed.


    The awesome scenery from high in the sky and the incredible experience of flying on top of an alien creature made Khan ignore the inevitable arousal triggered by the situation. He focused on learning Liiza''s moves instead of paying attention to her soft curves. Those sensations still reached his mind, but he made sure to isolate them in the corner of his mind.


    The Aduns flew toward the mountain chain, but it avoided getting close to the shining city. Khan managed to see various dark buildings that featured strange symbols on their surface, but the creature turned before he could get a better sight of the Niqols'' architecture.


    The temperature fell as Liiza led the eagle toward a mountain peak covered by a grey material that resembled snow. Khan tried to get a better view of the area, but the Aduns suddenly started to fly higher in the sky.


    The creature''s stance went completely vertical from time to time, which forced Khan to focus the entirety of his efforts on not falling. His legs managed to cling on the Aduns'' back, but the animal eventually folded its wings and turned its head toward the mountain below.


    ''Don''t tell me!'' Khan barely had the time to curse in his mind before the eagle dived toward the mountain.


    His legs lost their grip on the creature''s back at that point. Khan''s body stretched into the air and managed to remain attached to the Aduns thanks to Liiza firm figure.


    Everything disappeared inside Khan''s mind. He could only think about tightening his grip on Liiza while the Aduns accelerated. The mountains grew dangerously close in his vision, but the creature suddenly folded its wings and resumed its horizontal flight right before crashing on the dark-grey rocks.


    The sudden deceleration made Khan slam on Liiza''s back, but she managed to remain in her position even after that intense impact. Still, Khan''s face ended up peeking above her shoulder and lay next to her head.


    "Did you really need to do that?" Khan couldn''t help but ask while his cheek touched the alien''s forehead.


    "The Aduns do what they want," Liiza replied before giving voice to a faint giggle.


    The event surprised Khan and make him turn to face her. Liiza''s smiling expression unfolded in his vision, but she limited herself to glance at him before turning her head.


    "You are still on me," Liiza eventually said, and Khan promptly slid on her back to resume his previous position.


    The Aduns didn''t do anything dangerous anymore. It continued to fly among the mountains until it gave voice to a loud screech and turned toward a rocky structure that featured a series of cavities.


    The creature''s screech echoed among the mountains, and other similar cries resounded in the area. Multiple Aduns peeked out of the cavities and welcomed the eagle back into the nest.


    Liiza relaxed her legs, and the Aduns gently descended until it landed at the base of one of the mountains. The Niqols straightened her back at that point, and Khan imitated her movements while retracting his arms.


    "I know that humans don''t handle the cold as well as us," Liiza exclaimed while turning toward Khan, "But mana makes you able to endure this much, right?"


    Khan couldn''t help but memorize the moment when Liiza lifted her legs to turn toward him. He knew how soft they were, and his knowledge made the scene quite captivating.


    "Cold shouldn''t be a problem," Khan revealed while moving his gaze toward Liiza''s face. "Can I really ride an Aduns without putting the humans at risk?"


    "The Aduns are¡­ I think humans would call them holy animals," Liiza explained. "My superiors won''t be able to complain if you manage to tame one of them before they learn about it."


    ****


    Author''s notes: Just one today. I ended up feeling quite down after the second shot of the vaccine. I even feared that a fever would arrive, but luckily I avoided that. Everything should go back to normal tomorrow.

 Chapter 88: Test

    Liiza revealed how her idea to make Khan tame an Aduns wasn''t completely legal. However, a quibble could make him avoid eventual punishments and troubles.


    "What do I need to do to tame an Aduns?" Khan eventually asked while his gaze moved toward the dark mountain at his side.


    The dark sky hid the nests seen during the flight. They were at some point in the upper half of the mountain. High-pitched screeches echoed from time to time, but Khan couldn''t see any winged figure above him.


    "Climb the mountain and reach the nests," Liiza explained.


    Khan couldn''t help but shoot a confused glance toward Liiza. Her question about the cold suddenly made sense now.


    "I don''t have the proper equipment with me," Khan complained without mentioning that he had no idea how to climb mountains. "I don''t have food either. How am I supposed to reach the nests?"


    "That''s your problem," Liiza replied in a plain tone. "The Aduns won''t accept you if they don''t see your struggles. The mountain is a test."


    Khan hesitated. His eyes moved between Liiza and the mountain. He knew that his body had surpassed normal human standards already, but the journey could kill him anyway. He wasn''t immune to cold and exhaustion.


    "I might die," Khan commented.


    "Then you have to understand how strong your desire to remain here is," Liiza continued. "Humans can''t bring their vehicles here since their noise scares the animals. I believe your army won''t let someone who can''t use rides stay on the planet."


    Liiza clearly knew a lot about the Global Army and its relationship with the Niqols. Khan started to wonder whether she was an important figure inside her species, but his thoughts soon returned to the main issue.


    ''I might die if I try to climb the mountain,'' Khan thought, ''But I will have to return on Earth if I don''t acquire a ride.''


    Thinking about Earth made him recall the empty feelings that devoured his insides. Khan suddenly realized that his mind had never lingered on those memories after teleporting on Nitis. His arrival on the planet had made him forget about the issues that troubled him.


    ''Coming here has actually helped for a short while,'' Khan sighed in his mind before jumping off the eagle.


    "How do I know that the Aduns won''t reject me like the Ugu?" Khan asked without looking at Liiza.


    The alien felt surprised by Khan''s sudden change. He had been unable to stop looking at her before, but he seemed to care only about the mountain now.


    "The Aduns aren''t cowards," Liiza explained. "They respect strength, which is why you need to surpass this test. Also, you have a high chance to tame one of them even if you don''t belong to my species."


    "Why is that?" Khan asked.


    "You survived the Nak," Liiza explained while lowering her gaze when Khan turned to look at her. "I felt your pain. They will too."


    The Niqols eventually raised her gaze again and found Khan still staring at her. Cold winds blew through their hair and made them flutter, but neither of them seemed to care.


    "I''m Khan, by the way," Khan eventually announced while revealing a faint smile. "Let''s fly together if I get an Aduns."


    Khan turned toward the mountain without waiting for the Niqols'' reaction. He stepped toward the steep rocky surface and started to climb the tall structure.


    Liiza showed a complicated expression after that offer. She revealed a faint smile that Khan couldn''t see, and she inspected him while he made his way through the steep surface.


    It was clear that Khan knew nothing about climbing mountains. He limited himself to rely on his physical strength to drag his body upward without caring about proper footholds or studying the path ahead.


    He would jump on a rock as long as it felt stable. His steps were even light, so they never caused a landslide. Khan was nimble among that cold and unfriendly environment. He had trained his legs to be the strongest and swiftest parts of his body.


    ''I basically asked her out,'' Khan thought while jumping from rock to rock. ''She even seems important here. Damn my hormones.''


    Khan knew that he had to behave appropriately on Nitis, but he couldn''t hold back in front of the seemingly deadly quest. Truth be told, he wasn''t even sure whether he could flirt with someone properly so soon after Martha''s events.


    However, Khan couldn''t control his tastes, and the quest made him forsake part of his restraint. He even ignored the possible repercussions that his actions could have on the Global Army since Liiza didn''t seem the type to rat him out.


    Khan didn''t notice the emptiness inside him anymore when he started the climb. He didn''t even realize that the feeling had stopped affecting his mind. The mission on a foreign world and the faint anticipation surging inside his mind made him ignore everything that didn''t involve his current quest.


    After all, he would get the chance to fly again if he succeeded. Anyone would be excited about that.


    The sound of flapping wings eventually reached his ears. Khan saw Liiza and her Aduns leaving in the distance. They had left him alone in the middle of the mountain chain, which only intensified the danger sensed by his mind.


    Khan continued to climb for a bit before stopping on a relatively large platform that came out from the mountain''s surface. His phone quickly appeared in his hands, and his fingers tapped on its screen until he found instructions that could help him.


    ''Prepare your equipment carefully,'' Khan read on the phone, ''Study the path thoroughly, partner up with experienced climbers, set your pace according to your endurance. Well, I''m doomed.''


    Khan couldn''t help but laugh when he realized that he had gone against every advice. He was alone, in an unknown environment, and without any gear. He could have won a prize for the least prepared climber in every alien world.


    ''Maybe this wasn''t meant to happen,'' Khan sighed when he reviewed the issue thoroughly. ''I bet I can still contact someone on Nitis and get back to the teleport since my phone works.''


    Khan tried to find ways out of that option, but risking his life only to remain on Nitis seemed a bit too much. The army would find other suitable planets since the issue wasn''t his fault. He would have only lost some time if he retreated now.


    Yet, something peculiar eventually appeared in his vision. Khan noticed a relatively large path on the side of the mountain. The route was clearly artificial, and it seemed connected to the base of the structure. He couldn''t see it because it started from behind his landing spot.


    ''Did Liiza leave me at some distance from the passage on purpose?'' Khan wondered while scratching his head.


    Khan didn''t know anything about the Niqols'' customs and personality. He would have already claimed that Liiza liked him if she were a human. However, the differences between their species made Khan hold back from coming up with possible delusions.


    ''Was she testing me?'' Khan wondered while straightening his position and jumping from rock to rock until he landed on the path. ''Did she want to see if I would have given up before finding the path?''


    His surroundings appeared clear. Khan couldn''t see anyone, and even his senses didn''t pick any odd trace of mana. He was completely alone with the cold wind, so his thoughts about Liiza slowly vanished.


    Khan started marching toward the upward path that led him around the mountain. The wind grew stronger as he reached higher spots, but his body was able to fend it off, and his uniform managed to help him ignore the cold.


    Mana flowed through his body whenever the cold tried to seep past his skin. Khan happily realized that he could endure that unfriendly environment easily, even if his situation worsened as he kept climbing.


    The path grew narrower, the winds continued to intensify, and the temperature never stopped dropping. Khan felt forced to sit and meditate from time to time to disperse the cold, but the harshness of the situation didn''t make him decide to turn back.


    Hours passed, but Khan struggled to notice the flow of time due to the constant darkness covering Nitis. Still, his endurance was inhuman, and he barely grew tired even after walking for half a day.


    A series of cavities eventually appeared in his vision. The high-pitched screeches even grew louder. Khan knew that he was getting closer to his destination, but a new series of problems arrived in that part of his journey.


    Large amounts of grey snow would fall on the path every once in a while and forced Khan to crouch near the wall to avoid falling. Some rocks were too slippery to be suitable handholds, so he had to put his full strength on his legs and push his back on the uneven surface of the mountain to remain on the track.


    Cuts inevitably appeared on his back during the process. Khan couldn''t risk falling from that height when the snow engulfed him, so he had to ignore the sharp rocks that pierced his uniform and skin during the small avalanches.


    Khan noticed that the Aduns had something to do with the avalanches after experiencing a few of them. Their loudest screeches always preceded them. They seemed to do that on purpose since they had noticed the boy climbing the path.


    The avalanches started to happen more often as Khan kept climbing. Aduns even flew at high speed next to the path to distract him and generate gales that could make him lose his balance. They never attacked him directly, but they didn''t help him either.


    ''Damned birds!'' Khan found himself cursing multiple times.


    His senses had become able to predict the arrival of those creatures after experiencing their methods a few times. They even flew so close to the path that Khan could attack them without leaving it if he wanted. Yet, he held back from hurting the animals that could allow him to remain on Nitis.


    The path eventually opened in a relatively large area that featured multiple cavities. Clear signs of nests filled those holes in the side of the mountain, but Khan had to get closer to them to inspect their insides.


    Still, a series of Aduns flew out of the holes as soon as he became too close. The winds generated by the flapping of their wings pushed Khan backward and made him fall from the area.


    Panic built inside Khan as his hands shot toward the side of the mountain. Cuts opened on his palms as they slid on the rocks, but Khan didn''t dare to pull them back.


    His fingers eventually landed on an almost dry and stable rock, which allowed him to stop his fall. Pain filled every inch of Khan''s body, but he activated the mental barrier to cut everything away and gain a detached approach to his issue.


    Khan inspected his surroundings and decided to descend to return to the path rather than risking climbing back on the flat area. He lost an entire hour of march, but his feet eventually stepped on the safe road again.


    The mental barrier vanished once Khan resumed his march toward the nests. His body hurt in every spot, and his uniform was in pieces. Multiple cuts had opened on his torso, arms, and legs, but they were only superficial injuries that didn''t hinder his walk.


    The Aduns that had made him fall began to hover above him. Their screeches seemed to mock his efforts, but Khan didn''t mind them. He had invested too much in that task to fall prey to those taunts.


    Khan eventually returned to the flat area and crouched when approaching the nests. The Aduns followed his movements and continued to fly in a circle above him without ever falling silent. Faint tremors started to spread through the mountain at that point, and Khan quickly jumped inside one of the caves when he sensed them.


    His quick reaction made him able to dodge the massive avalanche that covered the entire flat area and the caves. Meters of grey snow covered the entrances and made him unable to see anything. Only darkness filled his vision, but he didn''t lose track of his position.


    Khan sat inside the dark cave and meditated for a few minutes to stabilize his condition before approaching the snow that blocked the entrance. He started to dig through that soft grey material with his fingers, and cold inevitably seeped past his skin.


    Khan forced the mana to flow through his body and disperse part of the cold trying to affect his joints while he dug through the snow. He made sure to have the side of the mountain behind him during the process, and cold wind eventually hit his hand when it came out of greyness.


    Climbing through the snow was hard, but Khan used the mountain''s surface to pull his body past the layer of greyness that covered the flat area. His foothold was unstable, but he became able to inspect the site once he came out in the open.


    The Aduns in the sky had disappeared by then. Khan couldn''t even hear their screeches anymore. Yet, a silent white figure gently descended at some distance from him and landed on the snow without falling inside it.


    Khan couldn''t help but remain in a daze at the sight of the white Aduns. The creature felt like a stranger in that dark world. It was just like him.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I only feel slight discomfort on my arm for now. Hopefully it will stay like this.

 Chapter 89: Snow

    The white Aduns didn''t look at Khan. It used its beak to scratch the feathers on its wings before inspecting the environment and giving voice to short screeches.


    Khan didn''t know what to do in that situation. Liiza didn''t give him any instruction, but something told him that the test was over.


    The Aduns standing on the grey snow was the first white creature that Khan had seen during his climb. All the other eagles featured darker shades, spanning from grey, blue, or completely black. The event didn''t feel like a coincidence when Khan considered his situation.


    ''A white eagle for the alien boy,'' Khan thought while struggling to find a decent foothold on the mountain''s surface. ''It sounds proper.''


    Khan studied his surroundings and showed a complicated expression when he realized that he didn''t know where the mountain ended. Snow had submerged the entire flat area and had made walking over it dangerous.


    The snowy surface was even frail. Khan didn''t know how the eagle could avoid falling inside it. The creature was slightly smaller than the other Aduns seen during the climb, but it was still quite big compared to humans.


    The Lightning-demon style gave Khan the ability to perform soft steps. He could reach the Aduns even in that environment, but he would risk falling inside the snow once he stopped.


    "Hey!" Khan called. "Come here! Let''s fly away together!"


    Khan tried to contain his voice, but a few tremors still spread above him and made him slam his back on the mountainside. His fear of another avalanche caused an instinctive reaction developed during his climb.


    No snow arrived, but the white Aduns also ignored him. The eagle had yet to turn toward Khan since its landing on the grey area.


    ''Do I have to jump on it?'' Khan wondered.


    He didn''t like the idea of performing reckless actions, especially since the Aduns seemed to be his only way out of that situation. It would be hard to find the previous path with all that snow on the flat area, and the risk of falling was high. Going up appeared far easier.


    ''I hope it doesn''t drop me mid-way,'' Khan sighed in his mind while preparing for the imminent sprint.


    Liiza had spoken about taming the Aduns, but Khan didn''t know if the meaning in her mind matched his. Still, he was out of options, so he bent his body and let himself fall forward.


    Khan never fell on the grey snow. His figure vanished as faint footprints appeared on the soft surface. The Aduns suddenly felt a foreign weight landing on its back, and a loud screech inevitably escaped its beak.


    The Aduns started to fall inside the snow due to the additional weight, but it promptly flapped its wings to lift its body in the air. However, legs suddenly clawed themselves at the base of the wings.


    Khan had studied Liiza thoroughly. He couldn''t avoid memorizing the position of her legs and arms when the two flew across the sky.


    "Calm down!" Khan shouted from the eagle''s back. "Let''s be friends!"


    The eagle didn''t seem to like that approach. It gave voice to a loud screech when Khan wrapped his arms around its neck. The cry generated another avalanche, but the Aduns set off before more snow could fill the area.


    The environment changed in an instant. The wind blew on Khan''s face while the Aduns flew around the mountain, and the sight of the distant surface made him tighten his arms and legs on the creature''s neck and wings.


    The Aduns gave voice to a painful cry before rotating on itself to get rid of the unwanted presence on its back. The world in Khan''s vision spun, but he did his best to suppress his fears and soften his grip.


    "I''m sorry, ok?!" Khan shouted. "I didn''t want to hurt you!"


    The Aduns ignored his words and tried everything in its power to make Khan fall. It rose high in the sky before diving at incredible speed and stopping only when the ground became too close. It spun mid-air so often that it almost affected its balance. It even tried to slam Khan on the mountain''s side, but nothing worked.


    Khan endured everything without releasing his grip. It didn''t matter that his skin started to burn due to the scorching friction with the air. He didn''t care that his insides seemed about to shoot out of his mouth. He even ignored the clashes with the rocky mountainside.


    Deep injuries ended up opening on his back and shoulders after the Aduns slammed Khan on the rocky side multiple times. Most of the blood flowing out of his wounds dispersed in the sky as the eagle accelerated, but some of it fell on the white feathers and tainted the previously spotless creature.


    The eagle didn''t appear bothered by the blood falling on its feathers. It actually stopped slamming Khan on the mountainside and limited itself to spins and sudden dives.


    The Aduns eventually grew tired and stopped trying to get Khan out of its back. It continued to fly among the mountains at a moderate speed and avoided performing sudden movements.


    Khan didn''t trust the eagle at first, but a bit of confidence formed inside him after flying for almost an hour. He tried to imitate Liiza''s movements to see if the Aduns followed his orders, and a broad smile inevitably appeared on his face when he succeeded.


    Lightly pulling the feathers on the Aduns'' neck would make it turn left and right. Tightening and relaxing his legs would trigger ascensions and dives. The eagle reacted to those simple gestures, and Khan slowly grew used to the strength he had to exert to avoid hurting the creature.


    The Aduns still opposed Khan''s orders from time to time, but they felt like jokes. The creature was only playing around at that point. It had already accepted its pilot.


    A grey figure eventually flew toward Khan. Liiza and her Aduns appeared among the dark sky and began to follow him.


    "This is great!" Khan shouted, but his words lost themselves in the intense winds that enveloped him.


    Liiza shook her head and showed a slight smile before pointing at the base of a mountain. Her Aduns folded its wings and began to dive toward that spot, and Khan promptly followed them.


    Liiza''s landing expressed how nimble those creatures could be. Her Aduns unfolded its wings when it was less than two meters from the ground, and the sudden move managed to put an end to the incredible momentum accumulated during the dive.


    Khan was on his first flight, so he approached the landing carefully. He kept tightening his legs whenever his Aduns gained too much speed, and the creature ended up performing a spin before reaching the ground just to piss him off.


    "Give me a break," Khan complained when the eagle gave voice to a happy screech. "It''s only my first time. I''ll let you go as fast as you want once I get the gist of this."


    The Aduns seemed to understand the meaning behind his words, but it replied by folding its wings and rolling on the ground before straightening its position. Snow covered Khan when the eagle went back on its claws, and his expression revealed how helpless he felt.


    "You got a playful one," Liiza announced while continuing to wear her faint smile. "It must be young."


    Liiza jumped off her eagle and neared Khan. Yet, her eyebrows arched when she saw that he wasn''t leaving his Aduns.


    "I thought you would have wanted to talk," Liiza exclaimed as her smile vanished. "I''ll lead you to your camp now."


    "Wait!" Khan exclaimed when Liiza turned to jump back on her Aduns. "Won''t it fly away if I jump off?"


    Liiza turned and understood the reason behind Khan''s hesitation. She even realized that the misunderstanding was her fault since she had forgotten that Khan had been on Nitis for less than a day.


    "The Aduns has already accepted you," Liiza explained while pointing at the white creature. "It won''t allow others to ride it as long as you are alive."


    "Oh," Khan couldn''t help but exclaim while turning toward his eagle. "Aren''t you sweet?"


    Khan started to pet the eagle, but the creature saw that moment of distraction as the chance to roll on the ground again and cover Khan with another layer of snow.


    Liiza covered her mouth to suppress a laugh when she saw Khan covered in snow. The scene seemed exhilarating, but Khan decided to get right to the point.


    "How can I call it if I''m on the ground?" Khan asked while removing some snow from his shoulders and head.


    "Come down, and you''ll see," Liiza announced while crossing her arms.


    Khan and the eagle exchanged a glance, but he eventually released his grip and jumped off the creature''s back. Liiza had no reason to lie to him. She had even gone against her superior to help him.


    The white eagle didn''t fly away. It shook for a bit to remove the snow accumulated on its body, but it soon lowered its head to face Khan.


    "Put your forehead on its vertical eye," Liiza explained. "Think of a name in the meantime."


    Khan nodded without turning toward the Niqols. His hand reached the side of the eagle''s head before his face bent toward its forehead. The Aduns closed its third eye when Khan''s skin touched its feathers, and a strange event followed.


    A foreign presence entered Khan''s mind. He could sense a vague weight becoming part of his thoughts and releasing a series of faint sensations.


    ''Snow,'' Khan thought, and the sensations solidified and fused with a small shard of mana inside his brain.


    Khan''s eyes widened when foreign emotions spread through his brain. They carried some tiredness but also sincere respect.


    "Am I sensing its mind?" Khan asked while separating himself from the eagle and taking a few steps back.


    "It''s a mental connection," Liiza explained. "It consumes mana to remain active and send words to the other side, but you can sustain it since you passed the test."


    "Wow," Khan exclaimed while testing the mental connection.


    Sending thoughts on the others side felt almost instinctive. It didn''t need training, but the Aduns didn''t understand everything he said. The same went for Khan since the eagle could only speak through sensations. Yet, the creature clearly expressed that it liked the name Snow.


    "I''m starting to like this planet," Khan laughed while returning near Snow and rubbing its feathers.


    Khan turned at that point. An honest smile appeared on his face as the memories of the flight crossed his vision. Liiza had made him experience one of the most amazing things in his life, and he wanted to express his deep gratitude.


    "Thank you for everything you have done for me," Khan exclaimed while performing a slight bow. "I hope I can repay this favor in the future."


    "Don''t thank me yet," Liiza commented as her expression became stern. "You still have to face your superiors."


    ****


    Author''s notes: Just one today. I ended up feeling quite down after the second shot of the vaccine. I even feared that a fever would arrive, but luckily I avoided that. Everything should go back to normal tomorrow.

 Chapter 90: Politics

    "I thought the issue was with your superiors," Khan complained as worries appeared in his mind.


    "I''m always in trouble," Liiza shrugged her shoulders, "And your situation is different."


    "You are important then," Khan exclaimed.


    "Just a bit," Liiza explained while rolling her eyes when she saw that worries appeared on Khan''s face.


    Khan noticed that reaction, but he didn''t know what to think. He had yet to figure out Liiza''s character, and the recent events didn''t help with his evaluation.


    Liiza had appeared cold during the first meeting, but she had started to laugh after the two spent a few hours together. Khan also had doubts about the Niqols'' customs, so he never trusted the faint guesses that appeared in his mind.


    "Did I make you angry now?" Khan asked while moving to her side and reappear in her gaze. "I don''t know much about the Niqols, so forgive me if I don''t understand stuff at times."


    Khan''s direct honesty slightly startled Liiza. None of the other humans on Nitis had ever acted so casually. Khan had been the first to behave without minding status and politics.


    "It''s fine," Liiza revealed. "It''s just strange to talk with a human without seeing bows."


    Khan frowned before a faint idea appeared in his mind. He still had his doubts due to the different customs between the species, but the only way to confirm his guesses was to question the alien.


    "Could it be that you don''t like politics?" Khan asked.


    Liiza avoided his gaze and shrugged her shoulders again. The crossed arms on her torso enhanced the curves revealed by her tank top, but Khan only looked at the alien''s glowing white eyes.


    "Is that a bad thing for the Niqols?" Khan asked. "I thought you''d be more carefree."


    "Why would you think that?" Liiza asked as her gaze finally returned on Khan.


    "Well," Khan said while scratching the side of his head, "You ride animals. Isn''t that an expression of freedom?"


    "How are those things connected?" Liiza asked while showing a perplexed face.


    The two remained in silence. Khan believed that he had found one of the topics he couldn''t explain due to the Niqols'' different customs, while Liiza remained curious about that.


    "Okay, see it like this," Khan tried to explain, and his hands followed his words to create a better image of the topic. "Animals don''t have politics, right? Being so close to them can hint at freedom."


    "Animals have tight hierarchies and many rules," Liiza replied while tilting her head. "Aren''t they a form of politics?"


    Khan opened his mouth to reply, but his hand went under his chin when he realized that Liiza''s words made sense. Animals didn''t have proper verbal rules, but their instincts created environments that could feature basic forms of politics.


    "You might be right," Khan revealed. "Humans have it all wrong."


    "Why did you move your arms so much?" Liiza asked while pointing at his hands. "Is that another human thing?"


    "Is this your first time seeing someone gesticulating?" Khan asked while explaining the meaning of the word by moving his arms.


    "Humans never move their arms when they talk to me," Liiza announced while stepping forward and inspecting Khan''s arms from different perspectives. "Is that what Paul was doing before? Why was he gesticulating?"


    Khan couldn''t help but recall Paul''s glare at that point. He quickly drew his phone from his pocket and noticed that he had already spent more than fourteen hours on the test. Nitis'' days lasted twenty-four hours, so it was already night by human standards.


    "Do you have to go?" Liiza asked, but she didn''t show any sudden or strange reaction at that time.


    "Returning now might increase my chances of remaining on the planet," Khan laughed. "Can you tell me how to take care of the Aduns before setting off? I don''t want to be completely lost when you aren''t around."


    Khan''s honest concern about Snow surprised Liiza again, and she didn''t hesitate to explain what she knew. It turned out that the Aduns were quite independent, so Khan only had to take his eagle for a flight once a week to strengthen their relationship.


    "I have another reason to fly with it, don''t I?" Khan laughed once the explanation ended. "It gives me the chance to hang around with you."


    "Fly often then," Liiza said while revealing a faint smile and jumping on her eagle. "Don''t lose track of me."


    ''You heard her,'' Khan sent through the mental connection, and Snow gave voice to a proud screech when it sensed his intentions.


    Khan jumped on his eagle and took the riding position, but Liiza shot in the air before he put both his legs under the creature''s wings.


    Snow promptly flapped its wings to follow the grey Aduns, and Khan released a loud curse while using the entirety of his strength to cling on his eagle and stabilize his position.


    Liiza shot upward and tried to disappear among the dark sky, but Snow managed to catch up with her. Khan saw that Liiza laughed when she turned and noticed that he had yet to grow used to the flight. She was having so much fun that she didn''t hesitate to make things harder for him.


    The grey eagle suddenly dived toward the ground, forcing Snow to imitate it. Khan didn''t even try to give orders during that situation. He let his eagle handle everything while he focused on preserving his life.


    Liiza revealed her vast experience during the flight. She commanded her Aduns to ascend, dive, spin, and pass through narrow paths inside the mountain chain. Khan often cursed loudly as Snow followed her, but he eventually began to laugh when he saw that Liiza seemed truly happy.


    The two circled the city and flew toward a small settlement nearby. Khan didn''t recognize the architecture of the structures in that place, but Liiza''s sudden dive confirmed that they had reached their destination.


    The settlement featured a few windowless black buildings with strange glowing symbols and a tall structure near its edges. A tall fence that released a faint azure glow surrounded the entire site, and holes filled with white worms occupied the areas immediately past the barrier.


    Khan could see Ugu coming out of the ground and approaching the holes, but the Aduns'' cries forced them to look toward the sky and retreat. Liiza made her eagle land in those feeding spots, and Snow imitated her.


    Paul and other young recruits hurried outside of the buildings and started to run toward the two Aduns. Meanwhile, Liiza and Khan jumped off their rides and petted them while they fed on the worms in the holes.


    "You definitely have fun making things hard for me," Khan commented before giving voice to a short laugh.


    "It''s your fault for being so expressive," Liiza smiled while trying to gesticulate, "But this thing that you do is still strange."


    "I''ll stop then," Khan sighed dramatically and performed a bow. "I can''t have such an important Niqols displeased about my behavior."


    "No, keep doing that," Liiza answered as her smile became strangely honest. "It''s cute."


    Khan''s eyebrows arched in front of that sudden honest reaction. He couldn''t help but fix his eyes on Liiza''s face, and the Niqols did the same.


    Paul had reached the two quickly enough to hear Liiza''s last line. The scene that unfolded in his vision made him grab his hair and widen his eyes.


    "What does that mean?" Liiza asked when she noticed Paul. "He did it again."


    "I''ll tell you once I understand that," Khan replied while turning toward Paul and pointing at Snow.


    Paul didn''t know what to think about the situation. Liiza seemed to have lost part of her detached demeanor, Khan was full of injuries, and the Global Army had gained its first Aduns rider. Moreover, Khan and Liiza seemed to be in flirting terms, which could cause many problems considering the frail relationship between the two species.


    "Thank you for everything you have done, Miss Liiza," Paul eventually announced while performing the polite bows used by the Niqols.


    Other recruits arrived behind him and imitated his gesture. Liiza found a small group showing their utmost respect toward her, and her expression gradually grew colder as she inspected that scene.


    Liiza glanced at Khan at that point. He was staring at her and inspecting her reactions. She felt that he had noticed the gradual saddening of her face during the event.


    "Khan!" Paul suddenly shouted, and Khan noticed his admonishing glare when he turned toward the soldier.


    Khan showed a complicated smile before bowing toward Liiza. He knew that she had noticed his reaction, but her face still grew colder even if he peeked at her whenever Paul didn''t look at him.


    "It''s only normal to help our guests," Liiza eventually exclaimed in an emotionless voice. "I hope this event will bring Niqols and Humans closer together."


    Liiza then turned to jump on her Aduns. The eagle wanted to eat some more, but she patted its neck and forced it to set off.


    Khan straightened his position and gazed at Liiza''s disappearing figure, but the sound of multiple steps forced him to turn. An angry Paul unfolded in his vision, but the soldier calmed down when he saw that Snow stopped eating to glare at him.


    "They are friends," Khan explained while turning toward Snow.


    Khan had felt a bit of anger flowing out of the mental connection. Those emotions had created a warm feeling inside him since they confirmed Snow''s concern, but he still had to stop the eagle.


    The recruits showed surprised expressions when they noticed that Snow dived back to its worms after Khan''s words. The creature was really listening to him.


    "Leave us," Paul ordered after heaving a helpless sigh, and the recruits returned toward the camp.


    Khan couldn''t help but inspect those recruits. They were all young, but they had steady auras around them. Their bodies even contained a decent amount of mana. They were clearly above average as assets.


    "Of all the recruits that the army could send here," Paul began to shout once the recruits returned inside the camp, "The damned womanizer had to end up in my team! What did you do with Miss Liiza for an entire day? Don''t tell me that you have been inappropriate!"


    "Does she like me then?" Khan asked as his eyes lit up. "It''s hard to understand her reactions at times."


    "I have no damned idea," Paul snorted, "But you are forbidden from touching, teasing, and fucking flirting with her. We don''t want to cause a scandal."


    "Is she so important?" Khan asked while wearing a stern expression and straightening his position to perform a military salute.


    "You''ll learn more about the Niqols'' political system during the briefing," Paul sighed as his anger waned. "Consider her as a princess for now. Her parents are pretty important in the relationship between the two species."


    "Yes, sir!" Khan exclaimed, and Paul studied his expression to understand if he was just pretending.


    Khan''s face didn''t show any flaw. He appeared as the most devoted soldier in the entire Global Army, so Paul ended up letting him off the hook. He had no idea that Khan was already thinking about his next flight with Liiza.


    "Come inside the camp now," Paul ordered in a calm voice. "It''s too late to brief you, but Captain Erbair wants to see you. She said that she has to give you something."

 Chapter 91: Divine Reaper

    Khan had almost forgotten that he had yet to receive the entirety of his rewards. The Captain on Nitis had to give him his new martial art, and some excitement inevitably built inside him.


    However, that reminder also brought negative emotions since it made Khan recall Istrone and the very reason behind his current situation.


    The faces of the Kred that he had killed on Istrone ran through his vision. Khan recalled that he had paved his way to Nitis with blood. The new planet had made him feel like his first day in Ylaco''s training camp, but the situation was far different, and his personality had also changed.


    ''Can I really enjoy all of this when Martha is in a coma and blood still taints my hands?'' Khan wondered while following Paul inside the camp.


    Khan had already found an answer to that question but applying it felt hard. He had to move on without forgetting, but reminders of his actions always appeared. Still, Nitis was succeeding where Ylaco''s training camp had failed. The alien planet held the potential to make him happy.


    Paul led Khan in front of the tall building. Strange symbols that gave off a cold feeling glowed on its black surface, and the lack of windows surrounded it with an eerie aura.


    "I''ve brought Khan, ma''am," Paul shouted while performing a military salute.


    Khan imitated him, but the sight of a white figure shooting through the sky distracted him. The mental connection allowed him to confirm that Snow had left, but his mind suddenly sensed a dense pressure and made him turn toward the building again.


    A tall woman had come out of the sliding metal doors of the building. Her military uniform enhanced her muscular physique, and her short scarlet hair didn''t manage to distract Khan from her glowing bionic left eye. She had three stars on each shoulder, but Khan felt that she was even stronger than Lieutenant Dyester.


    Captain Erbair had a long scar that ran through the entire left side of her face. It was clear that she had lost her left eye due to that injury, but the army had patched her up nicely. The only issue with that machine was that its red light conflicted with the natural green color of the right eye.


    The Captain walked toward Khan until she was right in front of him. Khan couldn''t help but notice that she was at least thirty-five centimeters taller than him. She was the tallest person that Khan had ever seen in his entire life.


    "How can this wren be the same recruit who solved the mess on Istrone?" Captain Erbair asked while scratching a spot next to her bionic eye.


    "I didn''t solve anything, ma''am," Khan promptly replied. "Captain Foxnor and the rest of the Global Army have handled the situation. I only set a piece of the jungle on fire."


    "He is even humble," Captain Erbair commented before turning toward Paul. "Didn''t you make your usual speech about pride?"


    "What do you mean by usual, ma''am?" Paul asked while keeping his eyes on the building. "I did it, but that doesn''t mean that I do it often."


    "He does it often," Captain Erbair whispered when she turned toward Khan. "Still, he is right. You get nothing by being humble here. Are you implying that you don''t deserve the reward that the Global Army has sent here before your arrival?"


    "I totally deserve it, ma''am!" Khan exclaimed as his eyes lit up. "I''ve been crucial in saving lives and putting an end to the Kred''s rebellion."


    "Good boy," Captain Erbair said while patting Khan''s head with her huge hand. "Follow me inside now. We have to talk about the Aduns and your relationship with the Niqols girl."


    Captain Erbair turned to walk inside the building, and Khan shot a glance toward Paul to see how he reacted to those words. However, Paul shook his head and showed an innocent expression at that gaze. He didn''t mention the inappropriate interactions between Khan and Liiza in his report.


    Khan could only follow Captain Erbair inside the structure at that point. It became evident that the Global Army didn''t build that place once he could inspect its insides. The building featured the same smooth surfaces and almost-absent d¨¦cor iconic of the human architecture, but it had glowing symbols instead of electric torches and digital menus.


    Captain Erbair didn''t give Khan the chance to stop and inspect the various peculiarities of that structure. She directly led him to the second floor and into a large room, where she sat on a large couch before pointing at an armchair.


    Khan couldn''t help but notice how the familiar furniture created a stark contrast with the room''s functions. The overly large couch didn''t match the mystical symbol on the ceiling that filled the area with a faint azure glow. The armchair''s style was too intricate for the simple rotating square on the wall that seemed to represent the Niqols'' version of a digital menu.


    The color of the furniture enhanced that stark contrast. The couch and armchair had pale-yellow shades, which disrupted the faint dark environment that the room was trying to create.


    "You''ll grow used to everything quickly," Captain Erbair announced. "You have lived in Ylaco''s Slums for eleven years. This change can''t affect you too much."


    "It won''t, ma''am," Khan answered while taking his seat on the armchair. "I have a lot to learn about the Niqols, but they appear quite similar to us. I can''t wait."


    "I hope your impatience doesn''t involve getting into Miss Liiza''s pants," Captain Erbair snorted while taking a metal casket from the side of the couch. "Also, yes, Niqols wear pants."


    "My interest is purely academic, ma''am," Khan announced while ignoring the last part of her speech.


    "You aren''t the first boy to fall for her," Captain Erbair revealed. "The others only got the chance to learn their place before meeting her."


    "Is she so important?" Khan asked as his eyes fell on the casket.


    "Her mother called me when she didn''t return home on time," Captain Erbair explained. "She has enough authority to call the leader of the human troops on Nitis. That should be enough to explain how important her daughter is."


    Khan didn''t reveal any expression, even if his thoughts were running wild. Part of him felt glad that Liiza appeared unreachable since it would give him an excuse to remain focused on Martha. Yet, he knew that Martha would want him to live his life, especially due to her unclear condition.


    ''I guess I can only see how things go and adapt,'' Khan thought while his eyes remained on the casket. ''I don''t know if she likes me, and my feelings are still too messy to think about relationships.''


    Captain Erbair took his behavior as an expression of his curiosity toward the reward. A proud smirk appeared on her face as her fingers started to tap on the metal casket with her fingers.


    "I want you to take this as proof of the Global Army''s goodwill," Captain Erbair continued. "The higher-ups have understood how valuable you can be, and they are willing to reward you properly. I hope you can keep up with our expectations."


    Khan limited himself to nod. Other words wouldn''t matter now.


    Captain Erbair lifted the casket''s lid and revealed the small white disk contained in its insides. Still, Khan could immediately notice how the fabric around the item appeared as luxurious as it could get.


    Khan glanced at the Captain before timidly picking the disk. His hand was already pulling out his phone in the meantime, and he quickly put the item on the screen to make his device absorb it.


    "Get out now," Captain Erbair ordered before Khan could check the list of magic devices connected to his phone. "Paul will show you where you''ll sleep. The briefing is tomorrow at five am. Don''t be late."


    Khan stood up to leave the building, but the Captain added a few lines before he could exit the room. "Good job with the Aduns, by the way. Your feat might actually convince the Niqols to give us more freedom. Make sure to treat that beast well."


    A loud "yes, ma''am" came out of Khan''s mouth before he turned again to leave the building. The Captain''s words would basically give him the chance to take Snow out for a flight often, which meant spending more time with Liiza.


    Curiosity tried to make him pull his phone to check the new magic device, but he eventually decided to wait until he arrived in his room. Paul was waiting for him in front of the building. The two moved toward one of the large structures while remaining silent for most of the walk.


    "Telling you stuff now would be pointless," Paul announced when they entered the building. "The briefing tomorrow will explain everything you need to know about Nitis. Also, I couldn''t help but notice that you are quite good. You''ll do well if you don''t listen to your dick."


    Khan nodded while ignoring the obvious meaning behind Paul''s words. The soldier led him in front of a small room with a simple bed and a hole surrounded by glowing symbols. The habitation didn''t feature anything else.


    "The building already has our language," Paul explained while tapping on a rotating azure square on the room''s wall.


    The cube opened to reveal multiple options that Khan could activate if he filled his fingertip with mana. They were similar to the menus on Earth, but they founded their functioning on mana rather than technology.


    The hole in the ground turned out to be the bathroom. The various symbols around its edges activated different functions, and one of them even made dark-blue water fall from a spot on the ceiling.


    "See you tomorrow," Paul announced before leaving Khan alone in his new room.


    The cramped space and the strange bathroom didn''t leave Khan disappointed. Eleven years in the Slums had made him learn to accept everything he got, and he felt happy as long as the area didn''t appear too peaceful.


    Khan closed the metal door and browsed through the menus to seal it. His phone immediately appeared in his hands at that point, and the wall seemed to react to the device.


    ''Do you want to charge your device?'' Khan read a writing that had suddenly appeared on the wall.


    Those words didn''t take much to make sense in his mind. Nitis experienced almost complete darkness every day. Devices powered by sunlight wouldn''t last much in that environment, so they required a different type of fuel.


    Khan followed the instructions and placed his phone on the floor to activate the charger and connect the item to the room. He could reach the list of magic devices directly from the wall at that point, and he didn''t hesitate to tap on the black metal to see what the Global Army had decided to give him.


    ''Divine Reaper,'' Khan read right under the Lightning-demon style and the beginner''s training for chaos element users. ''What an arrogant name for a martial art.''


    Khan quickly opened the training program and noticed that it featured as many lessons as the Lightning-demon style. It even had the same detailed options that could introduce and overview the martial art before approaching the actual teachings.


    A hologram came out of the phone and filled the center of the room. Khan saw a woman wearing a strange military uniform that featured a large star on each shoulder. He had to inspect her figure to understand her sex since a hood and a piece of cloth left only her eyes uncovered.


    "My name is classified," The woman announced once the summary began, "But you aren''t here to learn names. I''ll teach you one of the deadliest knife techniques in the world, so use it carefully. You might kill someone by mistake with the instincts that the training program will force you to develop."


    Khan couldn''t help but feel excited. The Global Army seemed to have respected all his requirements. He only wanted to know the points earned by the martial art to be completely satisfied.


    "The Divine Reaper doesn''t work well alone," The woman continued. "The Global Army has assigned it sixty-five points when used on its own. However, its value can surpass ninety points when matched with a suitable style. I hope your decision to learn it has come after an accurate study of your needs."


    Khan could barely believe his ears. The Global Army had given him a martial art with immense potential. Yet, some doubts remained in his mind since he didn''t completely understand how a style could gain more than twenty-five points if paired with suitable techniques.


    Silence fell in the room as Khan waited for the summary to continue, but loud knocking suddenly resounded from his door and forced him to close the training program.


    Khan worried when he noticed that it was pretty late. He hoped that his actions with Liiza and the Aduns didn''t cause any major issue, but his fears disappeared when he unlocked the room and saw a familiar face unfolding in his view.


    "I hurried here as soon as they told me that you had also come to Nitis," George explained while wearing an honest smile at the sight of Khan''s surprised expression. "I didn''t expect us to meet again so soon."

 Chapter 92: Briefing

    "I didn''t expect this offer," George explained after the duo entered Khan''s room and started conversing about their situation. "Apparently, the Global Army sent all the survivors in different training camps. I simply got the best due to my feats on Istrone."


    Khan couldn''t help but nod at those words. George could already cast spells, and his battle prowess was way above average. It wasn''t surprising that his profile suited Nitis'' training camp after Istrone''s crisis.


    "What about you?" George asked once his story ended. "I thought you would have remained on Earth to take care of your girl."


    "I can''t do much for her," Khan sighed while lying on his bed, "And everything was too peaceful. I was losing my mind there."


    Khan gave an honest reply. George had already seen his ugliest face. He had no reason to hide his real feelings. Yet, he decided not to talk about Martha in detail since the topic was hard to explain.


    "Trust me, I get you," George sighed while laying his back on the wall and stretching his legs on the floor. "I have guards at home, right? One of them approached me from behind when I was meditating inside the woods near the mansion. I almost took out his eye."


    "Do all recruits have mansions?" Khan asked.


    "That''s just the holiday home," George explained. "Some members of the main family always live in the central districts. My father thought that a messy city wasn''t ideal in my condition."


    "But they still sent you here," Khan laughed.


    "I flew between the training camp and the holiday home every day after I returned," George commented. "I was going crazy, and my family even wanted to hire private professors until the Global Army came up with something. I basically escaped when I heard that I could go to Nitis."


    "Did they brief you already?" Khan asked. "What did they say about the Niqols?"


    George revealed a shameless smile when he noticed Khan''s interest. He lowered his voice before announcing something that made Khan divert his eyes. "I heard some rumors. There seems to be a newcomer who made Miss Liiza laugh."


    "He must be a handsome and virtuous man," Khan suggested.


    "Cora and your girl in Ylaco weren''t enough," George teased him. "You also had to hit on a Niqols. Did they tell you that she is basically a princess here?"


    "First of all, Martha and I are only friends," Khan eventually decided to clarify his position. "We have probably liked each other for a long time, but the packed schedule inside the training camp never left room for feelings. We had decided to talk about us right before the semestral missions, but you know how it ended."


    George suddenly felt bad about his last tease. He didn''t think that Khan had been so unlucky. He clearly liked Martha a lot, but Istrone had ruined their hopes of ending up together.


    His lack of reactions in front of Cora''s feelings also made more sense now. Khan had spent his time on Istrone waiting to understand if he had a girlfriend, but Martha''s condition had put that matter on hold.


    "I''m sorry to hear that," George sighed. "Luck only pretends to be on your side. You never had the chance to appreciate what you had."


    Khan shrugged his shoulders. He didn''t have a proper answer to that statement. The two fell silent as they remained on the bed and floor with various thoughts running inside their minds.


    "What about Miss Liiza then?" George eventually asked. "Is that a misunderstanding?"


    "Well," Khan exclaimed while diverting his eyes again. "We flew together twice. I don''t think there''s much more. I don''t even know how the Niqols handle that stuff."


    "Do you mean flirting?" George asked.


    "I mean, they must have different customs, right?" Khan continued. "How can a few smiles prove anything?"


    "The Niqols are a straightforward species, Khan," George explained. "You don''t have to imagine complicated reasons to explain her behavior. The simplest answer is usually correct with these aliens."


    "Did you just reveal classified information?" Khan teased George. "I didn''t think recruits could share them."


    "Shut up," George snorted. "Let''s make a deal. You don''t rat me out, and I''ll pretend that you didn''t smile before."


    Khan''s hand suddenly went on his mouth. He was really smiling, but he had needed George to point it out to notice it.


    "Dammit," Khan cursed while lightly bumping the back of his head on the metal wall.


    "There is nothing wrong in liking her," George commented. "I have yet to see her with my own eyes, but they showed me holograms of her during the briefing a few days ago. I would also smile if I were in your situation."


    "There is no situation," Khan snorted. "She only brought me to the Aduns'' nests."


    "How did she even bring you there?" George asked in his teasing voice. "This is a small camp. Rumors run quickly. Everyone knows that you couldn''t get an Ugu, so how did you reach the nests and come back in less than a day? Did you have to ride behind her?"


    "I won''t answer that," Khan laughed while pushing George away with his feet. "Get out now. I have to wake up in less than six hours."


    George laughed while straightening his position and walking toward the metal door. He exited the room quickly, and Khan could soon enjoy the silence again.


    ''Straightforward species, he says,'' Khan repeated in his mind before sealing the door and reactivating the training program of his new martial art.


    The summary continued and briefly described the Divine Reaper''s main features. The martial art relied on quick techniques and deadly attacks that aimed to take down opponents in a single move.


    However, the Divine Reaper had evident flaws. It almost completely lacked defensive stances. It was an extremely aggressive martial art that forced the user to go all-out during every battle.


    Khan soon understood why the Divine Reaper couldn''t get more than sixty-five points if used on its own. The user would risk suffering counterattacks half of the time since each move left large openings whenever they failed to kill an opponent.


    Still, Khan also saw how his Lightning-demon style could remove those weaknesses. The fast moves of the Divine Reaper were perfect. He felt confident in bringing their value to their intended value once he fused them with his other techniques.


    The training program explained a few requirements of the Divine Reaper before approaching the actual lessons. It recommended a few exercises meant to merge two martial arts faster, and it even listed a series of knives that suited the powerful moves.


    ''A normal knife would break during every failed execution with mana,'' Khan read on the holograms, ''It''s better to use magic weapons with enhanced resilience. Sharpness isn''t mandatory as a feature since the Divine Reaper will handle that part.''


    Khan closed the training program at that point. It was late, and he even felt a bit disappointed. He didn''t consider the issue of a suitable weapon. George had made it appear so easy on Istrone that he had ended up underestimating the difficulty of the martial art.


    ''Weapons require a completely different set of skills,'' Khan sighed in his mind. ''That''s so obvious. I shouldn''t even try to fuse my martial arts until my proficiency with the Lightning-demon style reaches the competent level.''


    It was clear that Khan had to spend a long time in his training. Obtaining a new martial art didn''t immediately make him stronger. He needed to invest sweat and blood before that resource could give results.


    .


    .


    .


    Khan didn''t sleep much and reached the building meant for the briefing in no time by following the instructions on his phone. He even managed to have breakfast in a simple canteen that mostly served some of Nitis'' iconic worms and insects.


    The strange food didn''t faze Khan, so he reached the briefing hall five minutes before the appointment. The room was empty, so he sat on one of the small desks that filled the area and meditated as he waited for someone to arrive.


    A relatively young solider soon entered the hall and showed a surprised expression when he noticed Khan meditating on one of the desks in the front lines. His eyebrows even arched when Khan opened his eyes and jumped on the floor to perform a military salute.


    "At ease," The man quickly announced while walking toward the end of the hall. "I''m Lieutenant Glenn Kintea. I will now share classified information that you aren''t allowed to spread with anyone under the grade of Captain. Am I clear?"


    "Yes, sir!" Khan promptly shouted while inspecting the soldier.


    The Lieutenant was relatively short, but he had a severe face that his square head enhanced. He had short black hair, dark eyes, a short beard, and his uniform featured two stars on each shoulder.


    The soldier didn''t waste time. He went right to the point of the briefing as he activated some of the alien menus on the black walls and let them scan his eyes and genetic signature before unlocking more options.


    Lieutenant Kintea threw a storm of information toward Khan and used holograms to make the process smoother. The soldier started from Nitis'' general layout, fauna, and flora until he arrived at the Niqols'' hierarchy, customs, and relationship with the humans.


    Nitis'' environment didn''t have much to say. Its often uneven surface made ground vehicles hard to use, and relying on the Ugu showed the Niqols that the Global Army was willing to compromise to improve the relationship between the two species.


    The flora didn''t thrive much on the planet due to the absence of suitable nutrients. Sunlight didn''t shine on the surface, and the ground wasn''t as rich in mana as Istrone.


    Instead, the fauna thrived in every corner of Nitis. The planet didn''t need the Nak to obtain the mana, so the animals had evolved with that energy throughout countless years. Every creature in that world was a Tainted beast.


    The Niqols had a tight relationship with Nitis'' fauna due to their excellent understanding of the mana. They relied on those creatures for different purposes, which often allowed the aliens to replace technology with them.


    The Niqols had never needed to develop vehicles, but Lieutenant Kintea confirmed that the Niqols had gone to space. The aliens had yet to reveal how a species that had founded its growth on mana could fly past Nitis'' orbit, but the Global Army guessed that most of that technology came from the Nak.


    The aliens'' hierarchy was quite simple. They had organizations that resembled tribes created according to the connections among each family. The Niqols would belong to the same group if they shared even a single drop of blood.


    The elders of the species could join the organizations in charge of the entire population, but they mostly handled borders and specific resources. Those groups became vital only in front of a global crisis.


    Smaller organizations handled different quadrants of the planet and various tasks. The Global Army didn''t know many details, but it didn''t care about them either. Its only focus was on the alien ambassadors that managed the relationship between the two species since they were the ones in charge of accepting eventual permits.


    Liiza''s mother turned out to be one of the ambassadors who managed the relationship between the two species. She wasn''t alone in the task, but she was in charge of her team, which made her the most important alien on Nitis in the eyes of the Global Army.


    Liiza and others had to take care of helping the humans on the field. The task seemed beneath her, but she had offered herself for that role, which inevitably caused her mother''s anger.


    Nitis didn''t have many humans on its surface. Only one captain, two lieutenants, four gradeless soldiers, a few professors, and four classes of recruits lived on the alien world.


    Khan''s current training camp featured only two classes. The others were near a different city on the other side of the mountain chain. The tasks of each group mainly consisted in continuing their studies, but the army forced them to help the Niqols with various tasks to reinforce their relationship.


    "Nitis contains priceless knowledge," Lieutenant Kintea explained as the briefing reached its end. "Imagine having a society that has evolved around mana for thousands of years. We can accelerate our development by entire centuries with each discovery that the Niqols are willing to share. Our job here is vital for the Global Army and the entirety of humankind."


    Lieutenant Kintea cleared his throat at that point before opening a menu and confirming that he had sealed the door. Khan didn''t miss that action, and a tinge of interest filled his mind and made him straighten his sitting position.


    "Great job with the Aduns, Khan," The Lieutenant exclaimed. "We have tried to gain access to those birds for years already. We didn''t think that the solution to our problems could be with the new generations of Niqols."


    A strange feeling spread through Khan. He didn''t know why, but he had started to feel dirty after inspecting the soldier''s keen eyes.


    "I know that the Captain wants to play it safe," Lieutenant Kintea continued, "But I believe that establishing a tight relationship with Miss Liiza could bring incredible benefits in the next years. These aren''t official orders, but I hope you realize how great it would be if you brought Liiza on our side."

 Chapter 93: Honesty

    The briefing ended on that strange note. Lieutenant Kintea couldn''t order Khan to get close to Liiza on purpose, but he didn''t hide his desires when the two were alone.


    Khan had to admit that he understood the Lieutenant''s intentions. Liiza seemed to have a rebellious character. She could be the perfect lever in the relationships between the two species. Also, even if Khan were to fail to seize immediate benefits, he could always come back once Liiza was among the elders and make sure that humankind got its share.


    It was an almost failproof plan since the Global Army could use Khan as a scapegoat if something went wrong. Still, he didn''t feel good when he thought about exploiting the Niqols'' character for his personal benefit. He wasn''t a stranger to lies and pretenses, but he didn''t want to do that to Liiza, especially since she seemed to loathe the tactics connected to the politics.


    Khan didn''t say anything about his conversation with Lieutenant Kintea when he met Paul. He limited himself to follow him toward the building where all the recruits attended their mandatory and optional courses.


    The Global Army had chosen Khan''s lessons already, and he couldn''t help but approve once Paul listed them. It turned out that many recruits on Nitis aimed to become ambassadors or similar political figures in the future, so the camp already had professors able to teach xenolinguistics, human and alien politics, and alien customs.


    Those three subjects were the core of every good ambassador, and they were necessary for the recruits living on Nitis. After all, knowing the Niqols'' language and customs would significantly improve their performance during the semester, and it might even lead to positive outcomes during the interaction with the aliens.


    Most professors were relatively weak soldiers who handled common subjects like "history of mana" and "mana cores". Lieutenant Kintea taught politics and customs, while Captain Erbair took care of the lessons of xenolinguistics that involved the Niqols'' language.


    The recruits'' main task was to learn, and Khan did nothing else for the entire day. The academic year had already reached its seventh month, so everyone''s schedule was full of lessons. Khan and the others had to spend ten hours straight inside the classes for four days a week.


    That packed schedule didn''t leave much time for their training, but Khan quickly discovered that he didn''t have many options on Nitis.


    The camp didn''t have any training hall since the Niqols limited the type and number of buildings that the Global Army could send on the planet. Structures meant to strengthen the humans didn''t fit those standards, and the same went for observatories and similar stations.


    Khan''s weeks still featured three free days in which he could train freely, but Paul revealed that missions executed together with the Niqols often happened during that time. They mostly involved hunts of dangerous creatures or similar simple issues, but they would still force him to waste a lot of time.


    The usual darkness of Nitis unfolded in Khan''s eyes when he came out of the lessons. It was already late afternoon, and most of the recruits around him felt the need to throw themselves on their respective beds after such a long day. However, some still tried to make Khan join the few recreational activities available in the camp.


    "The others are going to a river nearby," George explained once the various recruits started to separate. "I went there two days ago. It was nice, and the others aren''t bad either. I might even need your charm to get closer to a cute one."


    "I don''t have a charm," Khan snorted, but his eyes inevitably fell on the recruits who had stopped near the exit of the camp.


    Those boys and girls didn''t seem bad. George wouldn''t have vouched for them otherwise. Moreover, they were all eager to know the guy who had successfully tamed an Aduns.


    Yet, Khan felt out of time when he checked the phone. He had yet to do his usual mental training and meditations that day, and he wouldn''t mind adding some physical practice to those exercises.


    Time wasn''t on his side in the days with the lessons, but Khan would completely lose it if he left to kill time with his classmates. Also, he had something else in mind already, so he politely declined.


    "Maybe another time," Khan replied while looking toward the sky.


    Khan had sent a message through the mental connection when the lessons were about to end, and a foreign feeling had spread inside his mind while he talked with George.


    A white figure unfolded in his vision when he raised his eyes to the sky. Snow dived toward the insides of the camp and spread its large wings when it was about to crash on Khan and George.


    The other recruits had instinctively retreated during that sudden event. George had even fallen on the ground when the intense winds landed on his back. Only Khan had remained immune to Snow''s appearance, and he kept his eyes on the creature while it landed in front of him.


    "You must enjoy scaring others," Khan commented, and the Aduns gave voice to a loud screech before sending a proud feeling through the mental connection.


    "Yes, they can''t stand your might," Khan added, and the Aduns showed a satisfied expression before realizing that he had been sarcastic.


    Still, Khan was already on its back when that realization arrived. His legs were even clung at the base of its wings by then.


    ''Let''s go to the mountains,'' Khan sent through the mental connection.


    Snow understood what Khan wanted and quickly set off under the astonished gaze of everyone in the camp. Even Captain Erbair and Lieutenant Kintea had come out to inspect the scene, and faint smiles appeared on their faces when they saw the white spot disappearing in the distance.


    The flight felt far more comfortable at that time. The injuries suffered during the test had mostly closed after a day and a short meditation performed before going to sleep. Khan felt perfectly fine, and he didn''t fear the Aduns'' sudden movements anymore after establishing the mental connection.


    Khan let Snow fly freely. He didn''t give orders nor force it to slow down. He even tried releasing the grip on its neck to see how stable his legs were.


    The almost complete lack of fear and insecurities allowed Khan to enjoy the flight properly. He felt free among the sky. The problems that had afflicted his past weeks couldn''t reach his mind with the winds blowing on his face.


    Snow eventually descended toward the base of a mountain and left Khan there before resuming its flight. The screeches of the other Aduns echoed in the sky as Khan sat on the cold, rocky ground and crossed his legs. The environment was perfect for his mental training.


    Khan spent a few hours on the ninth lesson of the mental training before a sudden flapping of wings awakened him from the exercise. A dark-grey Aduns appeared in his vision when he opened his eyes, and Liiza''s charming face soon peeked out of that feathered neck.


    "I''ve never seen a human training outside the camp," Liiza announced without jumping off her Aduns.


    "The cold helps," Khan explained while showing a faint smile. "I didn''t think I would have seen you today."


    Khan had spoken the truth about his training. He had almost completed the ninth exercise, and the tenth wouldn''t be a problem since his expertise with the mental barrier had increased a lot after Istrone''s events.


    It was only a matter of months before Khan could approach the Wave spell, and he could barely contain his excitement. His achievement wasn''t much when he compared himself to George, but the nature of his element made him accept his pace.


    "Why wouldn''t I?" Liiza asked. "I''d rather be here than at home."


    "Did your mother say anything about me?" Khan asked as his smile became complicated.


    "I rarely see her," Liiza revealed while wearing an emotionless face. "I guess they told you about her. Does that mean that you can''t fly with me anymore?"


    "I''ve already called Snow," Khan laughed as he straightened his position.


    Liiza arched her eyebrows, but a faint smile appeared on her face when she saw the white Aduns landing next to Khan. He didn''t hesitate to climb on his eagle, and the duo left as soon as Liiza set off.


    Liiza led Khan across the mountain chain. Her flight was reckless and fast, and Khan couldn''t help but appreciate it whenever he saw her smiling face. Risking his life almost felt worth it to make that usually aloof Niqols happy.


    The two Aduns eventually landed on a large flat area that expanded from the center of a mountain. The structure was quite peculiar, but it allowed Liiza and Khan to jump off their rides in a spot that wasn''t too cold and didn''t risk getting submerged by snow.


    "Why did you call it Snow?" Liiza asked. "Doesn''t that mean [snow]?"


    "The snow is white on my planet," Khan explained while patting his Aduns and letting it fly on its own.


    Liiza did the same with her eagle. The two soon remained alone in the middle of the mountain, and their eyes inevitably met.


    Liiza was wearing longer clothes that hid most of her skin at that time. Khan didn''t know if yesterday''s matters had something to do with that, but he didn''t mind her new look. Her white tracksuit managed to hide her curves, but it couldn''t diminish her beauty.


    "You have yet to explain what Paul meant with his gesture," Liiza reminded Khan while walking toward the edges of the flat area and sitting with her legs laid on the rocky side.


    "You really don''t want to let that go," Khan laughed while imitating her.


    Khan sat next to her and put his legs past the area''s edges while supporting himself with his hands. The dark scenery of the mountain chain was marvelous from that position, but the few strands of fluttering white hair that appeared in his vision often made him turn toward Liiza.


    "Is that a secret?" Liiza asked as honest confusion appeared on her face.


    "Of course not," Khan laughed before scratching the side of his head. "It''s just embarrassing, I guess."


    "How can a gesture be embarrassing?" Liiza continued.


    "Trust me on that," Khan replied, but Liiza''s expression grew detached at that answer.


    "Hey," Khan said before clearing his throat and continuing, "I want to remind you that I still don''t know much about the Niqols. I wish you could tell me what''s wrong instead of having to watch you growing sad."


    Khan''s sudden burst of honesty startled Liiza. She didn''t expect him to be so direct. It was even hard to contradict him when he fixed his azure eyes on her.


    "I don''t understand you," Liiza eventually revealed while giving voice to a sigh. "We learn a lot about humans from a young age, but we only know what those on the camps show us. You are definitely different."


    "How so?" Khan asked as a tinge of interest filled his mind and made him widen his smile.


    "I sensed your pain," Liiza explained, "But you can joke around easily. Your behavior didn''t change after learning about my mother, but you still keep secrets for the army. I just can''t see you clearly."


    His decision to keep the meaning behind Paul''s gesture a secret ended up creating a big misunderstanding. Yet, Khan could learn more about Liiza''s character from her words.


    "Do you also hate secrets?" Khan asked.


    "I hate lies," Liiza revealed. "I understand the need to keep a face in front of your superiors, but I can''t stand fake people, and my mother is their leader."


    "I thought Niqols were straightforward," Khan commented.


    "Straightforward doesn''t mean honest," Liiza replied, and the two moved their eyes back toward the dark scenery past the mountain.


    "I''ll tell you," Khan eventually sighed, "But don''t get strange ideas."


    "I can''t control my ideas," Liiza coldly replied. "You wouldn''t have an Aduns otherwise."


    Khan sighed before tilting his head and giving voice to a simple explanation. "Paul thought that I was hitting on you. He was only expressing his worry."


    "Hitting on me?" Liiza turned to show a confused expression to Khan. "What does that mean?"


    "You know flirting?" Khan tried to explain while turning toward Liiza and trying to summon his entire knowledge about the Niqols'' language. "It should be something along the lines of [romance] if I''m not wrong."


    "Oh," Liiza seemed to understand at that point, and her gaze returned toward the scenery past the mountain''s edges. "Did your superiors think the same?"


    "They are just worried that I might create a mess with the Niqols," Khan sighed while looking toward the dark scenery too. "Some of them even want me to use you to get more benefits for humankind."


    "Why are you telling me this?" Liiza gasped while turning again toward Khan.


    "You like honesty," Khan said while shrugging his shoulders. "I give you honesty."


    Liiza didn''t know what to say, but a smile ended up appearing on her face. Khan looked at the scenery and avoided her eyes, and she couldn''t help but appreciate his cold vibes.


    "Get down," Liiza eventually ordered while lying on the ground and pulling Khan from his shoulder. "The sky is better than the mountains."


    Khan let Liiza pull him to the ground. The two ended up side to side with their eyes toward the sky. Their shoulders and arms touched, but neither of them said anything about that.


    "Was he right?" Liiza eventually asked.


    "Who?" Khan promptly replied with a question.


    "Paul," Liiza continued. "Were you hitting on me?"


    "A bit," Khan honestly revealed. "You can blame the Nak if you want. They must have done something to my taste."


    "Am I ugly then?" Liiza asked while supporting herself on her elbow and turning toward Khan.


    Liiza''s curves inevitably touched Khan''s shoulder and arm. She seemed about to lie above him, but she made sure to keep her free arm on her side.


    "No," Khan sighed. "I struggle to stop looking at you."


    Liiza giggled as her eyes met Khan''s. The two continued to look at each other even after Khan spoke again. "You did the same, right? I don''t know how to recognize the signals of your species."


    "Niqols use signals only when actions might cause problems," Liiza revealed. "They don''t bother to talk when they know that everything is fine."


    "Were they signals the-?" Khan was about to ask, but Liiza suddenly placed her free arm on his chest and lowered her head above his.


    Her long white hair fell to the sides of Khan''s head, but her glowing white eyes allowed him to see her perfectly. The light started to vanish as Liiza continued to lower her body, and it completely disappeared when their lips met.

 Chapter 94: Talk

    Liiza''s lips felt cold and smooth. They were completely different from Cora''s warmth, but Khan didn''t even think about the human girl in that situation.


    His mind barely managed to generate thoughts. Everything had disappeared when Liiza kissed him, and his hand instinctively rose to reach the back of her head. Her white hair felt like the softest material in the world while he pulled her closer.


    Liiza''s fingertips scratched Khan''s chest before closing on his uniform. The kiss became more passionate, and Liiza soon relaxed enough to lay completely on his torso.


    She felt light, and her hand slowly reached his cheek to caress it. Khan couldn''t help but wrap his arm around her waist and lay his palm on her side.


    The two remained immersed in their kiss for a while. Sometimes, Khan tilted his head and made their lips separate to adjust his position, but Liiza dived on him in the next instant. Other times, Liiza lifted her chin and showed a happy smile whenever Khan followed her to bring her back into their romantic moment.


    Liiza eventually raised her head and giggled before lying on his chest. Khan revealed a broad smile as he glanced at the long white hair right under him and continued to caress it.


    The two fell silent. Only the howling winds and the sporadic screeches of the Aduns echoed in the area, but Khan couldn''t hear them. He felt at peace under that dark sky and with the cold Niqols resting on him. He didn''t feel the need to do anything for the first time in weeks.


    "One of us has to speak at some point," Liiza giggled.


    "Everything else will return if we talk about it," Khan said while enjoying the slight reactions that caressing the back of Liiza''s head caused.


    Liiza gave voice to a cute sound to express her agreement. The two remained in silence for a few more minutes, but the world eventually showed its presence again in their minds.


    "You are warm," Liiza eventually exclaimed. "It''s strange to kiss a human."


    "Did you kiss many Niqols?" Khan instinctively asked, and Liiza raised her head to show a canny smile toward him.


    "Jealous?" Liiza teased him. "Do you want to go possessive on me already?"


    Khan planned a perfect answer, but those words vanished from his mind when the glowing white eyes filled his vision. His smile disappeared as his face wore a captivated expression and rose to meet Liiza.


    Liiza was only teasing Khan, but her smile also vanished when she saw how serious Khan had become. The two kissed, and she wrapped her arms around his head to make their lips touch for as long as possible.


    Liiza moved a bit forward after the two separated to make sure that she could watch Khan straight in the eyes. She laid her arms at the side of his head and played with his hair while wearing a complicated expression.


    "Do we really have to talk?" Khan asked as a helpless sigh escaped his mouth.


    "It''s necessary, right?" Liiza replied without showing any happiness about the matter. "Our situation kind of requires it."


    Khan knew that she was right, but he didn''t want to talk about politics right away. He felt the need to clarify his position first.


    "I went through something before reaching Nitis," Khan revealed while lowering his eyes. "I had, no, I might have had a girlfriend if she didn''t end up in a coma. Part of me wanted to wait for her, but you arrived."


    Liiza''s eyes widened in front of that sudden revelation. She pursed her lips before asking something in a calm voice. "Do you feel guilty?"


    "No," Khan honestly replied while fixing his eyes on the Niqols. "I feel at peace."


    "Are you using me to forget her?" Liiza asked.


    "Not at all," Khan replied in a firm voice. "I actually wanted to stop thinking about you."


    "That didn''t go so well," Liiza giggled, and Khan opened his mouth to say something, but the Niqols lowered her head to kiss him.


    Khan felt surprised, but he eventually lost himself in the kiss. The two spent a few more minutes in that situation before separating again and exchanging captivated expressions.


    "I shouldn''t have revealed that I liked honesty so soon," Liiza commented while moving her fingers around Khan''s lips.


    "I won''t abuse this power," Khan laughed, "Too much."


    Liiza smiled before giving a proper answer to Khan''s previous revelations. "We just started this relationship. We''ll have time to see if we truly like our characters. I might have decided to kiss you only to go against my mother for all you know."


    "Relationship?" Khan asked as his eyes lit up. "Do you mean it in the human meaning?"


    "Niqols have the same idea of relationships," Liiza replied while diverting her gaze. "Is that a problem?"


    "So, I only kiss you, and you only kiss me?" Khan asked to make sure that he had understood correctly.


    "If you want," Liiza answered while continuing to divert her gaze, but her eyes slowly returned to Khan''s face since he didn''t answer.


    A warm smile unfolded in her vision. She didn''t need to hear Khan''s answer anymore at that point. His expression had already confirmed that he agreed with her, and she couldn''t help but kiss him again at that point.


    The two continued to kiss until Khan turned and gently placed her on the ground. He pulled her close as his hand remained on her waist, but she eventually pulled his upper lip with her teeth and revealed a smile in front of his confused expression.


    "I''m not ready for that," Liiza said after releasing Khan''s lip.


    Khan didn''t need to question her to understand the meaning behind "that". He limited himself to smile and make his hand slide toward the upper part of her back until he could pull her into a hug.


    Liiza snuggled closer and rested on his chest. She enjoyed Khan''s caresses for a few minutes, but she eventually pushed him down before lying on him again.


    "We have to talk!" Liiza complained, but a giggle escaped from her mouth when she saw Khan rolling his eyes.


    "What''s there to talk about?" Khan said in a helpless tone. "The army will kick me out once your superiors learn about us, and your mother will ask for my head on a silver plate to mend the relationship between our species."


    "Does the plate have to be made of silver?" Liiza asked while tilting her head. "Is that a human thing?"


    "I''m dead either way," Khan announced while raising his hand toward the sky and speaking in a fake dying voice. "If only I had a beautiful girl willing to satisfy my last wish."


    "Niqols reach physical maturity when they are fifteen," Liiza revealed while poking Khan''s cheek with her finger. "I''m almost eighteen. I''m an adult."


    "If only I had a beautiful woman willing to satisfy-," Khan repeated in the same tone, but Liiza covered his mouth with her hands before exploding into a cute laugh.


    "We must make sure that they don''t find out about us then," Liiza said while continuing to cover Khan''s mouth. "I will also face many problems if my superiors learn that I''m with a human."


    Liiza revealed a happy expression when she sensed Khan''s smiling from under her palms, but the arrival of a wet sensation made her remove her hands and sit on his chest.


    "Don''t lick it!" Liiza complained, but laughs seeped into her voice and stopped her from using an angry tone.


    "You have a secret boyfriend then," Khan smiled while caressing her legs.


    "And you have a secret girlfriend," Liiza continued while crouching on Khan and kissing him.


    The two continued to laugh, kiss each other, cuddle, and reveal small pieces of their lives as time flowed. They were so caught in each other that they lost track of their surroundings. Their eyes barely managed to go past their figures.


    "How can I contact you once I return to the camp?" Khan eventually asked as Liiza rested on his shoulder.


    "The humans have given us phones," Liiza explained without opening her eyes, "But they work on their system. My superiors strongly believe that humans keep track of every conversation."


    "What about the Niqols?" Khan asked. "How do you communicate?"


    "We have special stones powered by mana," Liiza revealed, "But they require a core to work. My superiors can inspect it and understand if there are unwanted presences connected."


    "I won''t be able to learn if something happens to you then," Khan sighed.


    "I won''t know if you need me to save you then," Liiza scoffed. "Do I need to remind you that this is my planet?"


    "It''s still annoying," Khan added while caressing Liiza''s hair and enjoying feeling her snuggling closer.


    "We can talk through the Aduns," Liiza eventually revealed. "It won''t be a proper conversation, but we''ll be able to learn if we are both outside."


    "Can we?" Khan asked in a surprised tone, and Liiza nodded before pointing her palm on his chest and straightening her position to sit on the ground.


    "Call Snow," Liiza said while covering her mouth to hide a yawn. "Let''s make them talk."


    Khan imitated Liiza and sat cross-legged on the ground. He sent a message through the mental connection and raised his eyes to the sky as he waited for the familiar white dot to appear in his vision.


    "I can get used to your warmth," Liiza yawned while placing her head on Khan''s shoulder.


    Khan quickly took her in his embrace and let her rest on the side of his chest. He even lifted her legs and made her sit on his lap. It was clear that Liiza couldn''t handle all-nighters as well as him, but he didn''t mind that since he got the chance to see her cute sleepy face.


    Liiza fell asleep, but the familiar noise generated by the flapping of wings soon awakened her. Both her Aduns and Snow appeared in her vision when she opened her eyes.


    "Keep track of each other," Liiza ordered. "It''s the only way to know if we are outside. We must rely on you."


    Snow turned toward Khan and gave voice to a short screech when it saw him nodding. The two eagles turned to leave at that point, but Khan''s phone suddenly rang and made them look toward the couple sitting on the ground.


    Khan''s eyes widened when he saw the hour on his phone. It was almost six am. The lessons were about to begin, and Paul had sent him a message when he failed to appear for morning count.


    "Those aren''t nice words, right?" Liiza commented when she read Paul''s message from Khan''s screen. "Are they what humans call slurs?"


    "I have to go," Khan sighed while kissing Liiza''s forehead. "I didn''t think you could be worse than the meditations."


    "Are you insulting me?" Liiza asked while pulling herself back and showing a confused expression.


    "Hours last seconds when I''m with you," Khan briefly explained while caressing her cheek and standing up. "You made me experience two of the best days of my life. I hope to do the same with you."


    "You need to keep trying then," Liiza smiled before lying on the ground. "I hope to see you tomorrow."


    "Will you sleep here?" Khan asked when he saw that she had no intention to move.


    "I often sleep on the mountains," Liiza revealed. "It''s fine, but we should avoid ending up like this too often. Once can be a coincidence, but our superiors will start to suspect something if we both arrive late to our appointments."


    Khan nodded and turned to reach Snow. The Aduns had understood how Khan was feeling, so it prepared itself to fly at full speed and in a straight line toward the human camp.


    "Khan?" Liiza suddenly called before Khan could jump on the eagle.


    "What is it?" Khan asked while turning toward the Niqols resting on the ground.


    "Won''t you say goodbye?" Liiza asked as a tinge of shyness appeared in her voice.


    Khan couldn''t help but smile and hurry back to her. He quickly crouched, and Liiza didn''t hesitate to take his face into her hands. The two exchanged a long kiss, and Liiza delivered a last short one before pushing him away.


    Both of them ended up smirking, but Khan eventually turned and ran toward Snow. Liiza waited until his figure disappeared among the sky before turning to her side and falling asleep while wearing a warm smile.

 Chapter 95: Monster

    "You are late for your morning lessons on your second day," Paul scolded while looking at the boy performing a military salute in front of him.


    "I lost track of time during my meditations," Khan lied. "It won''t happen again."


    Paul had come out of his habitation as soon as he heard Snow''s wings flapping in the camp. Khan wanted to hurry toward the lesson, but Paul had intercepted him before he could enter the building.


    "Being on time is an important skill in all recruits," Paul commented. "Your presence here should mean that you are among the best of the best, and that includes not being late for the lessons."


    "I understand," Khan replied while keeping his eyes on the soldier.


    "Look," Paul eventually sighed while breaking his stern expression. "I know that you are a special case, and I don''t want to be too harsh on you after everything that you have done on Istrone. However, I can''t have recruits late or sleeping during classes. That behavior might affect my promotion."


    "I won''t be late again," Khan promised, "And I won''t fall asleep during the lessons either. I''ll be the perfect recruit that you need."


    "How can I trust you?" Paul asked. "The schedule here is harsh, and you make it worse by training all night somewhere on an alien planet. You might be able to last for a few days, but the lack of sleep will definitely affect your performance in the missions with the Niqols."


    "I have remained awake for almost three days before fighting a first-level warrior," Khan commented. "I won''t make you lose face during those missions."


    Paul suddenly recalled the reports of the Istrone''s rebellion. He didn''t know what to say in front of those facts. Khan had already proven that he could handle the lack of sleep perfectly.


    "Just take care of yourself then," Paul signed. "The fact that you can endure the lack of sleep doesn''t mean that you should remain awake as much as possible. Take it easy. You have earnt it."


    Paul began to leave, but Khan gave voice to a weak "sir" that made him turn.


    "Would it be possible to skip the morning lessons?" Khan asked. "I know that a soldier should know our history and how mana cores work, but I''d rather spend that time training."


    "Do you want to remain ignorant about such crucial topics?" Paul asked.


    Khan snorted inside his mind. He came from the Slums. Most of the soldiers there didn''t even know that they were immune to Tainted animals.


    Moreover, learning about the various details of human development and the many stats of the mana cores felt pointless. Khan would rather have them as separate books to read whenever he had time. Having the chance to look them up on his phone was far better than spending four hours of his day listening to a professor.


    "You aren''t the first to complain about the tight schedule," Paul revealed. "The army thinks that the lack of training halls and the three free days are enough to make up for the time spent in the additional lessons. The higher-ups didn''t add the missions with the Niqols to their math. They even tried to add courses unrelated to mana in the past."


    "How would they even fit them?" Khan asked while shaking his head.


    "Don''t ask me," Paul shrugged his shoulders. "Captain Erbair has tried to reduce the number of lessons for quite some time as far as I know, but it seems that the higher-ups are stubborn."


    "Why would they even oppose that?" Khan wondered. "I thought getting stronger soldiers was the army''s priority."


    "What do you want me to say?" Paul sighed while spreading his arms. "The higher-ups probably want to leave easy subjects to make even idiots graduate."


    The training camp was free for two years, but the recruits often left it sooner to join different specialized fields. Still, they had to complete a few requirements to leave it and successfully graduate as soldiers.


    Becoming a first-level warrior was the easiest and most common requirement due to the help of synthetic mana. Many recruits managed to make their attunement hit fifty percent in a bit more than a year, so they didn''t even need to continue attending the lessons.


    Other requirements involved successful mastery of a subject. Those events needed written tests planned through the network and helped to add value to a soldier.


    Khan would need to pass tests in xenolinguistics, human and alien politics, and alien customs to appear on the list of potential ambassadors. He even had to add a decent level and multiple achievements to his profile to gain more value in the eyes of the Global Army.


    Soldiers would gain access to contests and similar tests for specific positions as long as their profiles met their requirements. The network of the Global Army updated a list of available tasks and roles every hour, and a simple phone was enough to browse it.


    Martha had taught Khan how to check his list in the past, which had obviously turned out to be empty. He didn''t look it up after Istrone''s events, but he knew that the process would remain pointless as long as his profile lacked proper certificates of his abilities.


    "I''ll ask if you can skip those two lessons," Paul continued. "They might make an exception for you. Giving you more free hours can only help my situation."


    "Thank you, Paul," Khan honestly replied. "Though, make them send the lessons to my phone anyway. I want to read them when I have time."


    "Sure, sure," Paul said while turning and waving his hand. "I''ll try to get you everything you want as long as you stay away from alien pants."


    Khan remained expressionless, but he still felt lucky that Paul wasn''t looking at him when he made that comment. The soldier was quite perceptive, so Khan wanted to avoid giving even the slightest hint about his situation. It was better if Paul never learnt that he had already gone against his orders.


    The conversation with Paul didn''t exempt Khan from the morning lessons. He had been a mere thirty minutes late to the first class, so he had nine more hours to go before regaining his freedom.


    The lack of sleep tried to get to Khan''s head, but he easily vanquished those sensations. He paid attention during the lessons, even if many of them were incredibly dull, and his tiredness reached its peak once the night approached.


    "Will you come with us tonight?" George asked while a small group of recruits hurried toward the camp''s exit and turned to wait for him.


    "I think I''ll go for a flight again," Khan showed a sorry smile before looking toward the white dot that had appeared in the sky.


    Snow landed next to him, but it didn''t manage to scare George at that time. The boy had already grown used to the eagle, which ended up giving voice to a disappointed screech at that scene.


    "Don''t be late again tomorrow," George laughed, "And try to sleep a bit. I don''t want to think about Istrone when I look at your face."


    "How did it go with the girl in the end?" Khan asked while climbing on the eagle.


    "It would have been better if I had your charm on my side," George laughed. "Be sure to help me one of these days."


    Khan limited himself to laugh. Snow set off and flew toward the mountains in the distance. The Aduns had yet to see Liiza''s eagle that day, and Khan could only hope that she went out for a flight at some point.


    Spending time on his own wasn''t an issue. Khan set the alarm and dived into his training. It was almost six pm, so he had twelve hours left before the lessons in the morning. He could easily fit his mental exercises, meditations, practice with the Lightning-demon style, and a nap before that.


    Khan approached the mental training right away and finally completed the ninth exercise. He could move one step closer to the Wave spell now, but he felt a bit tired, so he decided to meditate for a few hours before standing up and repeating all the techniques of the Lightning-demon style.


    ''Only four hours before the lessons,'' Khan sighed in his mind when he checked his phone.


    His training could occupy his entire day. The lack of training halls didn''t affect his packed schedule at all, especially since he could spend many hours meditating and increasing his attunement with mana.


    Snow could require almost an hour to fly between the camp and the mountains. That time depended on how long it played during the flight, and Khan didn''t want to take that away. He liked keeping his eagle happy, which meant that he only had three hours left.


    Khan had returned to the large flat area where Liiza had kissed him, but she didn''t arrive. The winds were strong there, but he didn''t need to fear avalanches, so he decided to walk near the rocky wall and sleep in a partially covered corner.


    The rocky surface was nothing too hard to withstand after Istrone''s events. Khan even ended up falling asleep faster than usual there. The cold on that spot couldn''t affect his body, and the winds didn''t manage to keep him awake. He felt free and safe in the wild.


    The noise generated by the flapping of wings awakened him before his alarm could ring. Khan opened his eyes and saw a dark-grey figure landing next to the edges of the flat area.


    "I didn''t want to wake you up," Liiza announced after jumping off her Aduns. "You must be exhausted after yesterday."


    "I would have sensed your mana anyway," Khan revealed before scratching the corner of his eyes and reopening them to gaze at the stunning figure walking toward him.


    Liiza was wearing her usual aloof expression when she was on her Aduns, but a smile had appeared on her face seeing Khan. She hurried toward him and knelt to lay her shoulder on the rocky side next to him.


    "Hey," Liiza whispered.


    "Hey," Khan replied, and his eyes inevitably fell on Liiza''s mouth when she saw her biting her lower lip.


    The two smiled as their faces drew near and eventually led to a kiss. A slight tinge of awkwardness had been in the air, but the two returned to the previous night when their lips met.


    "My mother has come back today," Liiza explained before sitting on Khan''s lap and facing him. "It''s always hard to sneak out when she is home."


    "It''s fine," Khan said while their foreheads touched. "We can''t spend every night together. Finding the time for everything is getting hard."


    "I can always break up with you to give you more free time," Liiza teased before exploding into a laugh when she saw Khan''s frown.


    The two remained in that position for a while. They exchanged kisses, jokes, and long, meaningful gazes, but Khan''s alarm eventually rang and reminded him about his lessons.


    "I have to go," Khan revealed in a helpless tone while putting the phone back inside the pocket hidden by Liiza''s leg.


    "This is so annoying," Liiza sighed while tightening her legs around Khan''s waist and doing the same with the arms clung to his neck.


    "We will have more time together during the weekend," Khan explained. "I still have to train, but I wouldn''t have to spend ten hours on the lessons."


    "You won''t," Liiza revealed. "Your team will have to help with a monster. The entire travel to the hunting area will take three days."

 Chapter 96: Bad boy

    "Monster?" Khan asked before thinking about something. "Wait. Don''t tell me about that stuff. I don''t want to risk using you."


    "You are my boyfriend," Liiza said while wearing a sober expression and placing a hand on his cheek. "I won''t keep secrets from you due to political reasons. Deal with it."


    Khan opened his mouth, but the words remained stuck in his throat. He didn''t have a proper response, and Liiza''s eyes made him lose the desire to speak.


    "What is it?" Liiza asked when she saw that Khan limited himself to stare at her. "Either kiss me or leave."


    Khan couldn''t help but place his hands on her waist to pull her closer, and the two exchanged a long kiss.


    "Now give me a proper goodbye," Liiza whispered when their lips separated, and Khan wrapped his arm around her waist while pointing his feet to the ground and standing up.


    Khan straightened his position while lifting Liiza with him. The Niqols gave voice to a cute giggle before kissing him again. She remained wrapped to him while he slowly walked toward Snow.


    Liiza bit her lower lip when the two separated, and Khan couldn''t move his eyes from her while her legs left his waist and returned to the ground. That was only the second day of their relationship, and the few minutes they had managed to spend together weren''t nearly enough to satisfy them.


    "On a positive note," Liiza continued while diverting her gaze and playing with her hair. "I''ll have to oversee the Niqols class during the hunt, so I''ll get the chance to see you fight."


    "Are you looking forward to that?" Khan teased her while pulling her closer.


    "A bit," Liiza turned to show a smile, and the two inevitably kissed again.


    Khan had to muster the entirety of his mental strength to push Liiza away. He lightly squeezed her sides to enjoy her softness before giving a short kiss and turning toward his eagle.


    Liiza and Khan exchanged a meaningful glance as their fingers left each other. They both could understand their desires, but neither of them acted to delay the separation even further.


    "How strong are you anyway?" Khan asked while climbing on his Aduns.


    Khan could sense the intensity of the mana inside Liiza''s body. She didn''t feel like a first-level warrior, but that feature sounded strange when he considered how Niqols had a great understanding of mana.


    "Humans fill their bodies with mana before understanding how that energy works," Liiza explained after wearing a calm smile. "Niqols don''t do that. We accept mana only after proving our understanding. I probably started my training after you."


    "How can you be so strong then?" Khan asked in a shocked tone.


    The mana contained inside her body put her near his level in terms of attunement. Khan knew that his similarities with the Nak had made his meditations quite effective, so he couldn''t understand how Liiza could have reached his level in a shorter time.


    "Nitis developed through mana for a long time," Liiza revealed. "The Niqols are like the other animals. Our starting point is above humans."


    Khan understood at that point. It even made a lot of sense when he thought about it. The Niqols probably had mana inside their bodies since birth, so they could make up for the late start of their training with that advantage.


    "Hurry up now," Liiza pressed.


    Khan smiled and kept his eyes on Liiza while he patted Snow''s neck. The Aduns set off and made sure to fly in a circle above the flat area a few times before shooting toward the camp.


    Khan managed to arrive on time for his first lesson, and another long day started. His few hours of sleep were more than enough to keep him up and running until late afternoon arrived and he could leave for the mountain chain again.


    Nitis allowed Khan to experience true freedom. He had a mandatory appointment to attend for ten hours a day, but he was more independent than all the other humans on the planet after that.


    His Aduns gave him the chance to fly in areas that the other humans couldn''t reach. Khan could move between different regions in a matter of hours. No one could even bother him due to his achievements on Onia and Istrone.


    The meetings with Liiza went better in the following nights. The Niqols managed to sneak out of her home early, so the couple could spend a lot of time together.


    The relationship ended up affecting Khan''s sleeping schedule badly, but he felt the tiredness only when he reached the morning lessons. Curiosity took control of him when he attended the subjects necessary to become an ambassador, and his energy seemed endless when he was with Liiza.


    Truth be told, Khan had the chance to rest, but his training would have suffered at that point, and he preferred to avoid that, especially with the new martial art and the Wave spell waiting behind the corner.


    Stepping on the competent proficiency level with the Lightning-demon style would give him the chance to start studying the Divine Reaper without affecting his current ability. Meanwhile, the mental training for his element only needed him to clear three more exercises before approaching his first spell.


    Khan ended up clearing the tenth mental exercise on his fourth night spent on the mountains. He didn''t have to attend lessons the next day, so he didn''t leave the flat area even after morning arrived.


    Liiza had fallen asleep on his lap after spending the entire night flirting, kissing, and joking around, and Khan had used that chance to take a nap and resume his training. The captivating figure in his embrace had only benefited his already great mastery over the mental barrier and had made him clear the tenth exercise in no time.


    ''Paul has yet to call,'' Khan thought when the mental exercise ended.


    The beauty on his lap had revealed that the human troops would have to join a hunt during the three free days, but Paul didn''t mention anything during the last period. Khan knew that Liiza didn''t lie to him, so he expected a message to reach his phone soon.


    "Why don''t you ever rest?" Liiza complained in a sleepy voice while moving her hand on Khan''s torso. "I caught a glimpse of your sleeping face only on the second night."


    "I slept a few hours before," Khan said in a soft voice before kissing her forehead and sliding his hand over her back to reach her head. "A few naps are enough for me."


    Khan couldn''t help but smile when he noticed Liiza pouting with her eyes closed. He began to caress the back of her head, and Liiza replied by snuggling closer and putting her hand between the buttons of his uniform.


    Khan had no experience with relationships, but he knew that it was impossible to reach the same level of intimacy with a human after only four days. The two were already sleeping together in the end, and Khan thoroughly enjoyed those moments.


    Holding back was a problem at times, especially since Liiza was quite bold with her actions. She lay on him whenever she had the chance, and her hands had even started to sneak inside his uniform lately. Khan could suppress his arousal through his training, but Liiza had caught him right after completing the mental exercise now.


    "I know," Liiza commented while caressing Khan''s bare chest with her cold fingers. "You move and sweat a lot when you sleep."


    Khan didn''t say anything. Liiza was usually curious about those things, but she didn''t question him at that time. She limited herself to point out that she knew about Khan''s messy sleep, but no inquiry arrived from her side.


    Liiza couldn''t possibly imagine that Khan experienced the same nightmare whenever he fell asleep. Still, she knew about his azure scar, and he had even revealed that something had happened to him before Nitis. She connected the messy sleep with one of those events, but she decided to let Khan talk about it only when he felt ready.


    Liiza never let go of her curiosity, so Khan could understand that she was remaining silent on purpose. That care for his feelings made him feel warm, and his mind grew messy when that sensation fused with her cold touch on his chest.


    "Human girls would never sneak under my clothes so soon," Khan teased.


    "I studied what you humans call decency," Liiza announced before sneaking her whole palm past the opening between the buttons and placing it on Khan''s bare side. "You can be so stupid at times. Why would you even wait to get this?"


    Liiza squeezed Khan''s side and revealed a satisfied smile when she felt his firm muscles. Khan almost lost his mind, and his free hand went on her thigh while he bent forward and gently put her on the ground.


    A white glow shone on his face at that point. Liiza had opened her eyes, and she fell in a daze when she noticed Khan''s serious face. He appeared on the verge of exploding, and her grip on his naked side inevitably tightened.


    Khan descended on her, and Liiza welcomed him by wrapping her free arm behind his neck. The two exchanged a passionate kiss, and one of the uniform''s buttons came off as Liiza''s hand began to move freely on Khan''s naked skin.


    Khan didn''t hold back either. He felt slightly shy, but his desire was cutting off most of his restraint. The hand that had been on Liiza''s thigh slid upward, caressed the side of her butt, and found the opening in the upper part of her tracksuit to reach her bare waist.


    Thoughts stopped flowing when the coldness of Liiza''s soft skin spread through his mind. The two became more passionate during their kiss, and their clothes suddenly started to feel uncomfortable.


    However, Khan''s phone suddenly rang, and a groan escaped his mouth. Liiza''s relaxed her grip and gave him the chance to leave her lips. Still, a teasing smile appeared on her face when she saw that Khan used the hand behind her head to pick his device and left the other under her tracksuit.


    ''Mandatory meeting in one hour,'' Khan read Paul''s message on the screen, and the faint desire to destroy his phone filled his mind.


    That desire intensified when his eyes moved on Liiza. She had her gaze on him while an arm rested on the ground above her head. Her foot was scratching Khan''s leg, and part of her waist was in the open.


    "I''m starting to hate humans," Liiza sighed. "When do you have to be there?"


    "One hour," Khan replied while storing his phone. "I can stay a bit more."


    Liiza''s smile broadened, and she quickly spread her legs to catch Khan''s waist in their grasp. She pulled him closer, and he let her guide him above her.


    "You''d better set the alarm," Liiza said as more of her arm slid inside his uniform and made another button come off.


    "I''d better set the alarm," Khan repeated as his hand slid over Liiza''s naked side and reached her bra.


    .


    .


    .


    Paul and the other recruits had gathered at the center of the camp. Even Lieutenant Kintea was there, but they all wore awkward expressions while they waited for Khan to arrive.


    "How long?" Lieutenant Kintea asked when turning toward Paul.


    "He still has five minutes," Paul replied while looking at his phone.


    The Lieutenant was clearly annoyed that the time wasn''t up yet, but a white figure suddenly appeared in his vision when he looked at the dark sky.


    Snow dived at full speed toward the camp and unfolded its wings right before touching the ground. Khan quickly jumped off the eagle, and the scene made the recruits, Paul, and the Lieutenant wear confused expressions.


    Khan was shirtless. Everyone could see his naked torso covered with small patches of grey snow. Meanwhile, the Aduns next to him had the torn upper part of his uniform in its beak, and it seemed happy when it swung it left and right.


    "I''m on time, right?" Khan asked while wearing his best innocent face and patting his eagle. "I''m sorry. I would have come sooner if this bad boy stopped playing around."

 Chapter 97: Flashes

    The group struggled to understand what had happened. It was clear that Khan had lost control of his Aduns, but they ignored how it had ended up with his uniforms in its beak.


    "You aren''t late," Paul quickly exclaimed before the Lieutenant could say anything. "Go get a new uniform and come back here. You have sixty seconds."


    Khan nodded and patted Snow''s neck before hurrying toward his room. The Aduns immediately set off, but only the male recruits gazed at the beautiful animal leaving the camp. The girls among the group couldn''t help but shot glances at Khan''s uncovered torso before giving voice to whispers, gasps, and giggles.


    ''I love that eagle!'' Khan shouted in his mind while removing the snow from his torso.


    The process revealed faint red marks on his back and chest. Liiza had grown more passionate during the last minutes they spent together, and her nails had left signs on many spots.


    Khan didn''t even have a proper way to justify the missing buttons from his uniform, so he had opted to return without it and blame Snow about the matter. The army couldn''t do anything to a creature that the Niqols viewed as part of a holy species.


    Messy thoughts ran through Khan''s brain as he searched for a clean uniform in his room. The memories of the sensations experienced just a few minutes ago were still clear in his mind, and captivating images appeared in his vision whenever he went back to those moments.


    ''How can I even keep a straight face in front of her after tonight?'' Khan cursed in his mind while buttoning his uniform and running back toward the center of the camp.


    ''We are definitely getting close to that,'' Khan thought as he reached the recruits and performed a military salute after getting in line. ''Can I skip the condoms since she is a Niqols? Who can even know this? Wait, our sexual organs are compatible, but can we procreate?''


    Countless doubts filled Khan''s mind now that his chances of experiencing his first time seemed to increase. He knew a bit about the topic, and he valued his father''s last words, but his options on Nitis were almost non-existent since his relationship could cause a major uproar.


    "It''s time to start the meeting," Paul cleared his throat. "We''ll complete a mission with the Niqols in these days. Lieutenant Kintea will take care of explaining the various details."


    Paul took a step back and performed a military salute. The Lieutenant nodded at that gesture and started walking in front of the recruits in silence. His glares made some of them lower their eyes, but Khan and many others remained unaffected by those gestures.


    "Many of you have already completed missions with the Niqols," Lieutenant Kintea eventually announced. "Nitis'' powerful fauna often generates problematic specimens that hurt the environment. The Niqols take care of them, and they have started to request our help more often after we proved ourselves useful."


    Lieutenant Kintea waited for his words to seep inside the recruits'' ears before continuing. "This mission won''t be different from the others. You''ll still have to help with a hunt. However, the target will be stronger this time. I know for a fact that the Niqols believe it to be a monster."


    Some recruits frowned, others gasped, and a few looked around them to see if their companions knew more about the matter. Khan was the only one who didn''t show any reaction. He was still thinking about Liiza with part of his mind, and the confusion of those around him confirmed that he wasn''t alone in his ignorance.


    "Are you even listening, Khan?" Lieutenant Kintea walked in front of Khan and asked when he noticed his lack of reactions.


    "Yes, sir!" Khan promptly replied.


    "What did I just say?" Lieutenant Kintea asked in a stern tone.


    "We have to help the Niqols kill a monster, sir!" Khan exclaimed.


    "Do you know what a monster is?" Lieutenant Kintea continued.


    "No, sir!" Khan shouted.


    "Why didn''t you ask anything then?" The Lieutenant asked.


    "I believed the Lieutenant or Paul would have explained it sooner or later, sir," Khan replied. "I didn''t want to waste your time with questions, sir."


    "What if we didn''t say anything at all?" Lieutenant Kintea asked as his eyebrows arched.


    "I would have killed the monster anyway, sir," Khan shouted, and a tinge of arrogance even seeped into his voice.


    Khan had obviously given that answer on purpose. He was following Paul and Captain Erbair''s advice. Playing it low and avoiding problems wasn''t the right approach in that training camp.


    "Hmph," Lieutenant Kintea snorted before leaving Khan and taking a few steps back so that the entire group of recruits could see him. "A monster is an unstable evolution of a Tainted animal. Mana can naturally cause mutations, even if it isn''t as pure as the Nak''s. Those are extremely rare events, but Nitis experiences them every once in a while due to the high number of Tainted beasts."


    Khan felt actually surprised to learn that. He knew a lot about the Tainted status, and he was even aware of the chances of developing mutations from mana that didn''t come from Nak. They were basically non-existent.


    The chances of experiencing a second wave of mutations after achieving the Tainted status were even lower. Still, a reasonable explanation formed in Khan''s mind when he thought about Nitis'' situation.


    The planet featured Tainted animals that ate each other for years. In theory, that could trigger new mutations after a while. The chances were still incredibly low, but they weren''t impossible anymore in front of the fauna of an entire planet.


    Khan found the matter quite interesting. He didn''t know how strong a monster could be, but it couldn''t be weak since the army was willing to deploy an entire class for the mission. He would finally have the chance to fight and deploy his techniques against a proper opponent.


    Thinking that Liiza would be on the mission made Khan''s mind go back to the last moments spent together, but Lieutenant Kintea suddenly turned to leave, and Paul forced the group to salute him.


    "We''ll leave in an hour," Paul explained once the Lieutenant entered a building. "Prepare your stuff and rides. Miss Liiza will lead us to the gathering point where we''ll join the class of Niqols. The travel should take half a day, but I''ll handle the provisions."


    Everyone voiced a loud "yes, sir", but they slowly turned toward Khan due to the obvious issues connected to his ride.


    "Will you be okay?" Paul asked. "I hope your bird doesn''t tear your uniform apart again."


    "I''ll manage," Khan replied before sending a message through his mental connection.


    An annoyed feeling spread from the mental connection. Snow didn''t like that Khan had sent it away just to summon it a few minutes later, but the eagle couldn''t say anything when it sensed Khan''s helplessness.


    "We are finally going to spend some time together," George announced after Paul left, "Even if you''ll enjoy the travel from the sky."


    "Aduns aren''t as comfortable as you think," Khan laughed. "It kills your legs to be on their back for more than a few hours."


    "Well, I know that you can handle that," George smirked before recalling something and clearing his throat. "Let me introduce you to everyone else."


    A group of fifteen recruits stood behind George. They were the members of the class handled by Paul, the fourth human class in the entirety of Nitis.


    A series of names flew toward Khan, but he only paid attention to a few of them since they belonged to recruits who stood out even among that experienced group.


    Harris was a tall, muscular guy who already had a thick beard. His azure eyes created a stark contrast with his dark skin, and his slightly long curly hair fell to the side of his face to give it a round shape.


    Natalie was as tall as Khan, and she wore a cold expression that threatened to ruin her natural beauty. Her olive skin mixed perfectly with her long black hair and dark eyes, and her uniform failed to hide her well-developed curves.


    Sonia was a short girl who never stopped smiling. Her clear skin, long blonde hair, and azure eyes gave her an angelic appearance, but the rusty knife that she spun around her fingers ruined her pure aura.


    Veronica was slightly taller than Khan. She had a metal stick sheathed on her back, and she wore armguards above her military uniform. She had short brown hair and green eyes, and her expressions gave off a gentle feeling.


    It wasn''t hard to understand that George liked Natalie. He had put more emphasis on her introduction, and Veronica had even rolled her eyes during that part. Still, Natalie didn''t appear interested in those attentions.


    The other recruits felt rather plain. They appeared as slightly better versions of Dorian right after the end of Istrone''s rebellion. Their attunement with mana was decent, but Khan didn''t feel threatened by them.


    Only Harris, Natalie, Sonia, and Veronica seemed to be on George''s level, but Khan didn''t let his senses convince him that he was the strongest among the recruits. He didn''t believe that his sensitivity to mana and instincts could evaluate battle prowess accurately after a single interaction.


    None of the recruits mentioned their last name. George explained that the camp had that tradition and that everyone agreed to respect it. The boys and girls didn''t want their families to have some influence there. That would lower their value in the eyes of the Lieutenants and Captain.


    Khan exchanged a few superficial talks with the recruits. They mostly joked about his shirtless appearance from before, but they remained polite in their behavior.


    George clearly was the reason behind their behavior. The recruits often mentioned some stories about Istrone that the boy had shared in the past days now that Khan was there. Luckily for him, Snow descended in the training camp before they could question him about specific events.


    Khan led Snow to the holes containing worms and made it sit on the ground as he waited for the familiar dark-grey figure to appear in the sky. The other recruits gathered around him to take care of their Ugu, but they soon understood that those creatures were too anxious next to the eagle and him.


    Khan decided to move by a few meters to accelerate the process, and the group became ready in minutes. The familiar noise generated by the flapping of wings also resounded in the area at some point and announced Liiza''s arrival.


    The dark-grey Aduns landed among the group. Liiza inspected all the recruits while wearing her aloof expression, and her face didn''t flicker even when her eyes went over Khan.


    Khan did the same. His poker face was flawless, but his mind had fallen into pure chaos when he noticed that Liiza was wearing the same tracksuit from before.


    "Let''s move," Liiza ordered before Paul could perform one of his usual polite greetings. "The Niqols class is already on the move. We don''t want to be late."


    The recruits could only follow their orders. Everyone mounted their Ugu and prepared for the long travel. Only Paul handled three of those mole-like animals since two of them took care of carrying the provisions for the trip.


    Khan also climbed on Snow''s back and waited for Liiza to set off. The girl shot a short glance at him before performing an emotionless nod and crouching her body forward.


    Her Aduns took off, and Khan noticed Paul''s proud gaze on him before following Liiza in the sky. She had performed that respectful nod on purpose. Khan''s companions would basically believe that he had gained the Niqols'' respect due to his ability with Snow.


    Khan and Liiza flew recklessly when they were among the mountain. They accelerated, dived, and laughed when they were sure that no one was watching them.


    The same couldn''t happen during the travel. They had to maintain a low altitude to make sure that the Ugu could follow them, and their flight had to be relatively stable.


    Snow quickly grew bored about that flight, but Khan could only pat its neck to reassure it. Still, he also grew annoyed about the process, and his mind soon slipped inside the meditative state.


    It would take the group half a day to reach their destination, and Khan had no intention to spend that time doing nothing. He didn''t feel confident enough to sleep while mid-air, but the meditations and the mental exercises were a different matter. Snow wasn''t performing any sudden movement, so he could sit on it and train without relaxing the grip on his legs.


    The eleventh exercise for his element was incredibly harsh, but Khan had learnt how to approach that training by then. He had to create and revert ten intricate hexagons five times in a row to succeed in the level, and he could only face the matter step by step.


    A happy feeling eventually spread inside his mind and forced him to open his eyes. Khan felt glad to see that Liiza had started to descend toward a small forest situated in a valley between two large mountains.


    The large dark leaves of those trees created an eerie scene when inspected from the sky, but Khan didn''t have the chance to focus on them since a bluish light flashed in the distance every few seconds.


    Khan didn''t manage to see much from his position. It seemed that the sources of those flashes were lightning bolts exploding in the distance, but they weren''t falling from the sky.

 Chapter 98: Teams

    Bluish flashes disrupted the dark scenery and illuminated a distant patch of trees in the valley between the two mountains. The large dark leaves created thick crowns that hid the surface, so Khan didn''t manage to see much from the sky.


    Liiza made her Aduns land at the edges of the forest, and Khan didn''t hesitate to follow her. The two dismounted and let their eagles leave before turning toward the incoming group of Ugu approaching from the distance.


    "Did you manage to get some sleep?" Liiza whispered while the two kept straight faces and continued to stare at the Ugu.


    "Not really," Khan replied, "But I''m not tired. How could I?"


    "Don''t let it get to your head," Liiza sneered. "You are cute, but I want to know you more before that."


    "I''ll tell you more," Khan promised.


    "Don''t do it for the wrong reasons," Liiza complained. "Niqols might have fewer restraints than humans, but we share the same feelings."


    Khan frowned. He felt that was something wrong with Liiza, but that wasn''t the right situation to question her properly.


    "Hey, it''s not simple attraction on my side," Khan revealed while mustering the entirety of his self-control to keep his face fixed on the Ugu. "It''s deeper. I don''t know how to explain it."


    "I know," Liiza whispered. "I can read it in your eyes. I feel the same. Our mana is probably telling us that we are a match."


    "Mana?" Khan asked as he failed to relax his frown. "Why would it have something to do with us?"


    "That''s so human of you," Liiza replied while clearing her throat to avoid giving voice to a short laugh. "Did you think that mana would have only changed your strength? Your feelings come from your brain, and you have mana there."


    Understanding suddenly dawned upon Khan. Liiza was right. The human approach was quite barbaric now that he thought about it.


    Mana already filled multiple spots inside his body, brain included. His base physical strength had increased due to that energy, so it was only normal that his feelings and sensations had gone through similar changes.


    "Do I like you due to our mana?" Khan asked as a tinge of disappointment seeped into his voice.


    "Khan, our mana is only an expression of ourselves," Liiza explained. "It''s the most honest part of our character. Niqols consider it to be the purest form of attraction."


    "That''s a good thing, right?" Khan exclaimed as his eyes flickered.


    He was dying to see Liiza''s expression, but he couldn''t leave any clue about their relationship. Appearing too intimate or relaxed next to the daughter of the ambassador handling the humans would only make the incoming group suspicious.


    "That''s really good," Liiza sighed, "But it means that now I''m worried about your safety."


    Liiza didn''t let Khan speak anymore. She stepped forward and walked toward the group of Ugu carrying Paul and the other recruits. Khan couldn''t help but remain in a daze when he stared at her long white hair fluttering in the wind and revealing her captivating back. Still, he promptly shrugged his shoulders, wore a fake helpless smile, and pretended not to have control over his actions when he noticed Paul''s admonishing gaze.


    Some of the boys on the Ugu hid their smiles, while the girls shook their heads and revealed disgusted expressions. Yet, Paul soon glared at all of them and made them regain stern faces.


    Khan''s expression grew cold as soon as the others stopped focusing on him. He preferred his companions to believe that he was an idiotic horny kid rather than endangering his relationship with Liiza.


    Her last words had made him desire to hold and reassure her, and his lustful thoughts had even dimmed after learning about the influence that mana had on his mind. Khan found himself wanting to talk about feelings with Liiza rather than thinking of ways to get her naked.


    Khan followed Liiza, making sure to keep enough distance from her. He even took his position among his group once they reached their destination without getting close to the Ugu.


    "My superiors have contacted me during the flight," Liiza announced while the human troops waited for her instructions. "The situation appears more dangerous than they had initially predicted. We must reach the Niqols group right away."


    Liiza didn''t wait for an answer and turned to walk toward the forest''s edges. The other recruits dismounted from their Ugu, and Paul approached Khan while carrying two backpacks almost as tall as him.


    "You get one," Paul ordered while dropping a backpack on the ground.


    "I was only looking," Khan complained while crouching to wear the backpack.


    The item was incredibly heavy and forced Khan to bend forward to carry it properly. Still, his current attunement with mana and training with the Lightning-demon style made his balance quite firm even with the additional weight.


    "We have fine butts in the camp," Paul snorted. "Look at them next time."


    Paul reunited with the group, and Khan followed him after regaining his cold face. The soldier shot glances at him while everyone walked toward Liiza, but he could only see the most driven recruit in the world now. The heavy backpack on his back didn''t even manage to slow him down.


    "I don''t get you at times," Paul whispered.


    "You aren''t the first to say that," Khan revealed as a sad smile appeared on his face.


    "I''m sorry," Paul quickly said when he noticed that his words had awakened sad memories. "Just focus on doing well in the hunt. Handle it like you handled Lieutenant Kintea."


    Khan smirked, and the conversation ended there. Paul made sure to walk in front of the group and reach Liiza, who entered the forest when everyone gathered at its edges.


    The group moved on foot among the uneven terrain inside the forest. Large roots came out of the ground and made it impossible to walk through the area in a straight line, but Liiza''s steps never faltered as she led everyone across the seemingly identical trees.


    A relatively large empty spot eventually unfolded in everyone''s vision. Khan and the others could see twenty Niqols sitting in a circle while an older alien drew maps on the terrain.


    "[Our allies]!" The older Niqols exclaimed when he noticed Liiza and the humans behind her. "Come, come. We were just starting the briefing."


    The older alien had the aspect of a middle-aged man who carried the Niqols'' iconic features. He was slender, with dark-blue skin and glowing white eyes. Long white hair combed into multiple braids fell on his back, and a gentle feeling filled his face.


    "Chief Alu," Paul exclaimed while performing a polite bow once he approached the group. "It''s an honor to meet you again."


    "You are too polite," Chief Alu laughed. "It''s always nice to work with humans. It''s a pity that the situation today is quite serious."


    Paul gestured at the recruits to form a circle around the sitting Niqols. Liiza took her seat on the ground next to some of them, and Khan couldn''t help but notice how her companions appeared rather dismissive toward her arrival.


    That reaction didn''t apply only to Liiza. The young Niqols in the circle barely glanced at the humans even after they stood behind them. Only a few aliens took their time to inspect all the recruits before moving their attention on the map again.


    "I believe we can start," Chief Alu announced in his perfect human accent. "I''ll explain the situation and plan in both languages to make sure that all of us understand them properly."


    Chief Alu resumed his explanation in the Niqols'' language, and the human group politely waited for him to finish. Khan had the chance to inspect the mana in the aliens during that time, but their level seemed to be on par with his companions.


    Only Chief Alu appeared clearly stronger than Paul. He gave off the same sensations that Khan felt with Lieutenant Kintea and other stronger soldiers. It was clear that he wasn''t a simple squad leader.


    "It''s your turn now," Chef Alu announced. "As I said to the others, the monster has keen senses capable of warning it about potential threats. We have already tried to hunt it with stronger soldiers, but it keeps escaping them. Only those that aren''t dangerous in its mind can approach it without making it run away."


    Chief Alu then moved his gaze toward Khan and revealed a warm smile before continuing. "You have seen the forest from above. Hunting this monster with the Aduns will only put them in danger."


    The young Niqols shot curious glances toward Khan at that point. They all knew the human language, and they had even heard that a human had successfully tamed an Aduns. However, they didn''t think that he would have fought with them.


    Khan saw different feelings on their faces. Some Niqols were angry, while others felt slightly curious. Still, they all made sure to glance at Liiza before moving their eyes back on the ground.


    Anger inevitably built inside Khan''s mind when he saw Liiza ignoring those glances. Nothing appeared on his expression, but it didn''t feel good at all to see his girlfriend going through that treatment.


    "We would normally send higher-ups with the recruits during these hunts," Chief Alu continued, "But the careful personality of this monster doesn''t allow them to get too close. Even Paul will have to remain a bit far away during the hunt."


    Chief Alu basically explained that the recruits wouldn''t have any backup during the hunt. Paul would be nearby, but he would still need a few minutes to reach their position if something happened.


    "Let me be clear," Chief Alu explained. "We have broadly evaluated the monster''s power. You are more than enough to kill it. The only problem is that it can also kill you, so be careful."


    Chief Alu then cleared his throat and moved his attention to the drawings on the ground. "We have other groups ready to intercept the monster if it decides to escape. Try to push it toward one of the exits marked on the map in that case."


    The map was quite simple. It depicted the two mountains, the valley, and the passages connected to the area. The forest was vast, but the region only had a few clear entrances. The monster would sacrifice its favorable position if it tried to escape through other paths.


    "A few warnings now," Chief Alu added. "This monster has developed special abilities. I believe you have heard the crackling noises when entering the forest. It has also subdued a few animals and created a small pack, so it won''t be your only opponent."


    The explanation continued with a description of the monster. Khan vaguely understood that it resembled a tiger with grey fur and black stripes, but it was hard to convey those details due to the differences between the two species.


    Chief Alu even revealed that they had never managed to get a picture of the creature with their devices due to the lightning bolts that it released. However, he reassured the group by explaining how impossible it was to miss it.


    "Rest for a few hours now," Chief Alu ordered. "I''ll send a few explorers forward to confirm the monster''s position. Make sure to gather your strength."


    Paul and the others performed a polite salute and settled in a different corner of the empty spot. Khan could eat and take a short nap while the group waited for the explorers to come back, and he felt at his peak when Paul summoned everyone.


    Niqols and humans gathered and created a simple battle tactic. Those groups couldn''t work together correctly, but they could plan approaches that would make them cooperate better.


    The two groups divided themselves into smaller teams that would approach the target from different angles and call for help whenever the battle started.


    Khan had George, Sonia, and a tall boy called Glenn in his team. The four of them exchanged glances with the other teams before walking on different paths. Paul and Liiza remained behind the groups and started to follow them only after a few minutes.


    The dark environment would normally prevent inspections from their spots, but Paul had brought two binoculars that featured precise heat sensors. Liiza could see the entirety of Khan''s silhouette even if dozens of trees separated her from him.

 Chapter 99: Lightning bolts

    Khan and George moved through the forest without showing any hesitation. Sonia and Glenn couldn''t help but notice how confident of their abilities they appeared when they walked toward their dangerous target.


    George instinctively let Khan go first. He had developed those habits on Istorne, and he had never regretted them. Khan was the strongest recruit he had ever seen. The others in the training camp might have only heard rumors about his feats, but George had seen them with his own eyes.


    Sonia and Glenn could only silently accept the gestures and whispered orders that the two boys threw at them. Khan and George were only newbies on Nitis, but they had survived Istrone''s crisis. Their simple steps carried a confidence that the other recruits didn''t have.


    "Tainted animal ahead," Khan suddenly announced as he spread his arm to make the group stop. "Seven meters in that direction. I''ll handle it."


    Khan didn''t wait for the others to reply. He didn''t even check if they had understood his orders. His figure bent forward before shooting through the darkness that surrounded the trees.


    "He migh-," Glenn tried to speak, but George promptly glared at him and made him fall silent.


    George had been relatively friendly inside the camp. He had even joined the few recreational activities available on Nitis and established decent relationships with the other recruits. Everyone also knew about his attraction toward Natalie, which only made his character more approachable.


    However, George seemed to have transformed into a different person now. His expression was cold as he kept both hands on the short sword sheathed at his side.


    His solemnity existed in a different realm. The other recruits were worried and tense about the hunt, but they never forgot that their target was an animal. They took the mission seriously, but they didn''t consider that they could lose their lives against the monster for even a second.


    George was different. He had already seen how frail life could be. The other recruits were hunting, but he was at war. Luckily for him, someone else in his group shared that feeling.


    A faint thud soon resounded in the forest and made the trio look at a dark spot among the trees. A figure slowly became visible inside the darkness, and Sonia and Glenn couldn''t help but enter a defensive stance.


    "Calm down," Khan whispered once he came out of the darkness. "There was another Tainted animal nearby. I had to change direction mid-way."


    "We can close on both of them and kill them swiftly," Sonia suggested, but she wore a confused expression when she saw Khan''s frown.


    "What are you saying?" Khan asked. "The animals are already dead."


    Khan didn''t care about the surprised expressions that appeared on Sonia and Glenn. He directly turned to resume his march through the forest, and George nodded at the two recruits before following him.


    Sonia and Glenn were still confused about the matter, but a squelching sound echoed from under them when they started to follow the two boys.


    Glenn and Sonia suddenly noticed that a dense dark liquid had created a large spot on the ground. They didn''t understand the nature of that substance among the darkness, but everything became clear when they saw that more of it stained the path ahead. Its source was Khan''s left foot.


    Khan''s steps were too light to leave footprints, but he couldn''t stop the blood that had tainted his shoe from falling on the ground. He had ended up killing two Tainted animals that resembled wolves with multiple tails in a few seconds. Two kicks had been enough to shatter their skulls.


    The path ahead appeared clear. Khan couldn''t sense anything off around him, but the air grew tense as he approached the target. A strange power seemed to run among the trees. It created sensations similar to those felt on the teleports, even if far milder.


    ''This feels dangerously close to a first-level warrior,'' Khan couldn''t help but think as he proceeded forward.


    Faint bluish flashes shone in the distance from time to time. They never happened in the same spot, but they came from the same direction. The monster had yet to notice the hunters, so the various teams could approach their target safely.


    However, the valley was quite large and had many hiding spots. The Niqols'' intelligence was pretty accurate, but it couldn''t consider everything, especially when Nitis had Tainted animals that could live underground.


    A series of loud barks suddenly resounded through the silent forest. The recruits and the Niqols couldn''t fail to recognize those cries. Even Khan could link them to the Ugu when he heard them.


    The forest grew messy after the barks echoed inside the darkness. Howls, roars, and growls started to resound through the area and warn everyone about the threat approaching the monster.


    Sounds of battles quickly followed. Khan and his group started to hear humans and Niqols shouting whenever roars and other cries resounded through the forest.


    Glenn immediately tried to move toward the nearest group, but Sonia promptly grabbed the side of his uniform and made him stop. Her usual smile appeared on her face as she explained the reason behind her actions. "Our mission is to kill the monster."


    "But we have orders to help the others!" Glenn exclaimed before covering his mouth when he noticed that George and Khan were glaring at him.


    "We have orders to help with the monster," Khan explained before turning toward the faint glows that continued to appear in the distance. "Move now. They are among the best recruits of the Global Army. They can handle a few Tainted animals."


    Glenn couldn''t respond to those words. Khan and George had already considered the situation and had found the best course of action. Still, a faint worry appeared in his mind when he thought that his group might have to face the monster on their own.


    The four advanced until Khan spread his arms to make them stop. A crack suddenly opened on the terrain a few meters from them and tilted the tree right above it. A Ugu''s head started to come out of the ground, but Khan didn''t give it the time to get on its feet.


    Khan shot ahead. The Ugu peeked out of the terrain, but a kick landed on the side of its head. Cracking noises came out of its skull, and more cracks spread on the ground, but the creature stopped moving after the attack.


    The three recruits could see how Khan''s foot had torn the creature''s skin and had forced the side of its head to cave in after he retracted his leg. The same dark spots from before appeared on the ground as he walked deeper into the forest. He didn''t even look at his companions since it was their job to keep up with him.


    The team met two more Tainted animals on their path, but Khan killed them in a single blow. Those creatures couldn''t survive his precise and merciless kicks. They weren''t even able to follow his movements.


    Needless to say, Sonia and Glenn felt utterly in awe of Khan''s power. They didn''t fear the Tainted animals, and they wouldn''t even have problems dealing with them. Yet, Khan''s kills were clean and immediate. They didn''t feature any superfluous movement, and they were so fast that their eyes barely managed to understand when he shot ahead.


    George also felt slightly surprised. He didn''t let that emotion appear on his face, but he admired Khan''s improvements. Only a few weeks had passed since Istrone''s matters, but he had already grown stronger.


    The bluish flashes intensified as the group approached their destination. Burnt trunks even started to appear on their path. It was clear that the lightning bolts had reached those spots, but the monster seemed to have moved by then.


    "We must pick up our pace," Khan ordered. "The monster is retreating."


    "Don''t go too fast," George commented before preparing for the imminent sprint.


    Sonia and Glenn imitated him, and the four started to run through the trees as they tried to reach the source of the bluish flashes. Khan obviously contained his speed, but his concentration increased during the sprint.


    Traces of natural illumination eventually appeared in the distance. The sight initially surprised Khan, but he realized what had happened when he saw that a few trees were on fire.


    Trunks filled with charred holes and burning cracks began to fill the area. Khan could finally see everything almost clearly, and his eyes caught a glimpse of a dark figure leaving that illuminated zone.


    Khan took a deep breath as his body bent forward. The three recruits were right behind him, but they suddenly lost sight of his figure.


    Messy images filled Khan''s eyes as he sprinted at full speed, but their central part was clear. His peripheral vision felt unreliable, but his acceleration didn''t affect his reading of the path ahead.


    Khan moved quickly among the trees until he reached the escaping black figure that he had seen before. A two meters tall striped animal appeared in his vision, but he didn''t have the time to inspect his opponent in that situation.


    The creature suddenly turned and saw a rotating figure falling toward the center of its body. Khan''s movements were too fast, so his heel descended on the animal''s back before it could prepare for the battle.


    The beast bent forward when the heavy kick landed on its back. It gave voice to a painful cry before turning its anger toward the figure that had resumed to spin once his right foot had touched the ground.


    Khan threw a roundhouse kick toward the creature''s head, and the latter couldn''t avoid it. His foot landed on the animal''s nose and made it bleed, but it didn''t manage to fling it away.


    ''What?'' Khan shouted in his mind when he saw that the creature had maintained its position after the powerful attack.


    His execution had been perfect. Khan had thrown one of his strongest kicks toward the beast, but the latter didn''t budge. The blow had hurt it, but it had remained rooted on the ground.


    A faint bluish glow began to shine on the dark fur while Khan still had his foot on the creature''s face. He immediately shot back to stop at a few meters from his opponent. His new position finally allowed him to inspect the beast, and his expression only grew colder when he sized it.


    The animal only had the striped fur of a tiger. Yet, its body and face seemed the result of a fusion between a wolf and a bear. Its torso was large and thick, its legs were quite massive, but its triangular head and long pointy ears made its overall appearance feel quite off.


    Khan didn''t have any doubt about his target after the last exchange. He knew that he had found the monster, but surprise still filled his mind. He had clearly broken the creature''s nose with his last kick, but that didn''t seem to affect its condition.


    The mana inside the monster''s body grew messy as the bluish light coming out of its fur intensified. Its hair stood up as sparks started to leak out. Something was coming, and Khan didn''t know if he could endure it.


    Then, the light intensified, and Khan sensed a trail of mana approaching him at high speed. His eyes couldn''t help him in that situation, but he instinctively dodged to the side and stopped when he slammed on a nearby tree.


    The light dimmed at that point, and Khan became able to inspect the environment again. The tree behind his previous position was on fire now, and its trunk even fell due to the large crack that had opened at its center.


    Other trees all around the monster had taken fire and had started to break. The creature didn''t launch the lightning bolts only toward Khan. It had attacked different spots at the same time.


    ''Those are quite deadly,'' Khan commented in his mind as his figure crouched.


    His senses told him that the monster was weaker than a first-level warrior. The only issue was with its lightning bolts, but Khan was fast enough to dodge them. He wouldn''t feel fear when the battle depended on his best quality.


    The monster turned toward him and roared in anger as blood fell from its broken nose, but multiple figures suddenly appeared in Khan''s senses. Nevertheless, the event didn''t make him lose his cool since he recognized their familiar presence.


    Multiple Niqols shot out of the trees and charged at the monsters while George and the rest of his group appeared behind Khan. The latter only needed to point at the creature to mark the beginning of the offensive.


    Khan shot ahead and managed to deliver a powerful kick to the side of the monster''s head since it had turned to inspect its new opponents. A cracking noise spread from its jaw, but the beast couldn''t turn toward him right away since the Niqols arrived.


    The aliens performed precise martial arts that heavily relied on palm strikes and blows featuring discharges of mana inside their opponent''s body.


    The monster suffered six different attacks in the span of one second, and bluish light immediately started to run through its fur again. Khan didn''t hesitate to retreat at that sight, and the Niqols imitated him when they noticed his reaction, but the lightning bolts shot out of the creature far sooner at that time.


    Khan barely had the time to perform a side-step that made him avoid a direct impact with the lightning bolt. The attack scorched his waist before continuing to fly past him.


    The other Niqols also had a keen perception of mana, so they avoided suffering severe injuries during that reckless discharge of power. The lightning bolts hit their legs, shoulders, or arms, but they never managed to land on their vital organs.


    Yet, the Niqols weren''t the only soldiers on the scene. A painful cry suddenly reached Khan''s ears and made him turn toward the team behind him.


    Khan quickly saw George and Sonia, but he noticed how they were looking at a spot behind them. His eyes also moved there, and coldness spread through his mind when he saw Glenn lying on a tree.


    The upper part of Glenn''s uniform had vanished, and the right side of his charred chest was completely in the open. A spiderweb of red marks expanded from the spot where the lightning bolt had landed, and the scent of burnt flesh started to spread in the area.

 Chapter 100: Burns

    Shock and fear spread among the group on the scene. Sonia and the Niqols remained still when they saw Glenn''s state. Many aliens had even suffered injuries, but they weren''t nearly as severe.


    However, most of the injured Niqols couldn''t fight anymore. Some couldn''t stand up due to their fuming legs. Fears had also started to take control of their minds and affect their actions.


    Khan, George, and a few aliens were the only ones who managed to remain calm, and they quickly recognized each other when their eyes swept the battlefield. Warriors didn''t need words in those situations. Short exchanges of glances were enough to understand that they had to take the mess into their own hands.


    "Sonia, bring Glenn away!" Khan shouted while his eyes remained on the massive monster. "George, get me something sharp!"


    The monster was puking blood. The palm strikes from the Niqols had hurt its insides and had inflicted decent damage. Yet, the creature remained on its legs, and angry roars mixed with its retches whenever it raised its eyes toward its opponents.


    Khan found himself in the same situation experienced with the first-level warrior Kred. His martial art gave him the chance to approach his opponent safely and deliver powerful blows, but simple kicks weren''t enough to fill the gap that divided the level of their bodies.


    The pain spreading from his waist even forced him to accept that the monster could be more dangerous than the Kred. The creature had attacks that could almost match his speed, and he felt unable to predict their arrival properly.


    Khan wanted to put an end to the battle quickly, but he lacked deadly attacks. Yet, everything would change if he could get close enough to stab the monster''s head with one of George''s enhanced weapons.


    "He''s not breathing!" Sonia suddenly shouted.


    "Get him out anyway!" Khan ordered before shooting forward and slamming his knee on the distracted creature.


    The skin on the monster''s forehead opened, and cracks appeared on its skull, but the attack failed to fling it away again. The creature even tried to open its mouth and bite Khan''s leg off, but a kick landed on its cracked jaw and completely broke it.


    The monster didn''t understand what was happening. The creature didn''t even see Khan''s movements, and the lower part of its mouth now hung from its broken jaw. The beast had even lost track of him again after the last kick, and bluish light spread through its fur as anger built inside its mind.


    The sparks that ran through its hair dispersed when a heel slammed on the back of its head. Khan completed his third technique and immediately flowed into a fourth when the monster''s face touched the ground.


    The spinning airborne kick had slammed the monster''s head to the ground, and the fourth technique moved the entirety of Khan''s bodyweight on its nape to make it dive deeper into the terrain.


    Some of the escaping sparks managed to hit his body during the attacks, but they only created small red patches on his skin. The monster didn''t manage to gather much mana before losing control of its ability, so Khan easily endured the bluish flashes.


    Two Niqols approached the monster from behind at that point. Palm strikes landed on the creature''s fur and spread tremors inside its body than Khan could feel from the foot still planted on its head.


    "Catch!" George shouted as a flying mass of mana approached Khan from the side.


    Khan''s hand shot to grab the mass that turned out to be George''s short sword. A dark-silver halo was covering the sharp edges of the blade. The boy had already enhanced the weapon, and Khan didn''t hesitate to make it descend toward the monster''s head as his foot left its nape.


    The blade''s sharp tip descended toward the center of the hole opened during the last two kicks, but an intense bluish light suddenly filled the environment and blinded everyone on the scene. Khan felt that mana was flying toward him, but he was too close to dodge it.


    Khan lost his foothold and his grip on his blade. His senses were numb as his eyes tried to disperse the light that covered the environment. Something appeared in his vision when a rough feeling started to spread from his back. He slowly understood where he was, and his condition made him curse.


    The last attack had flung Khan away by a full eight meters. He even suspected that the flight would have lasted longer if his back didn''t hit one of the few intact trees in the area.


    George''s blade was nowhere to be seen, and charred flesh filled his palm. Tree-shaped patches of red skin spread from that spot and covered the entirety of his left arm. The lightning bolt had hit him, but the damage wasn''t too severe. He could even open and close his hand if he ignored the pain.


    Khan forced himself to stand up. Blood flowed through his back due to a few wounds that had opened after the impact with the tree, but they weren''t worthy of his concern, not while the monster kept its eyes fixed on him.


    The monster appeared tired and on the verge of fainting. Its condition gave Khan the time to inspect the battlefield, but the situation seemed far from promising.


    The two Niqols who had been close to the creature couldn''t dodge the attack either. Khan could see some of the injured aliens taking care of them and dragging them out of the battlefield.


    George didn''t move as he wielded his sheath with both hands and stared at the monster. He had never dared to get too close to the creature, but Khan couldn''t complain about his decision. After all, the boy had no way of dodging the lightning bolts. Only the distance was giving him the chance to react to those attacks.


    Some of the injured Niqols who weren''t busy tending those in bad condition stood up, but they also remained at some distance from the monster. They knew that they were close to defeating the creature, but it was clear that the first to charge ahead would have to endure the entirety of its rage.


    Khan accepted that he was the only one up for the task. His injuries wouldn''t slow him down either, so he had a high chance to dodge the next attack as long as he deployed hit and run tactics. Yet, waiting seemed a better option since it would be easier to react to an incoming lightning bolt than avoid it once he was up close.


    Blood continued to flow from the monster''s mouth and nose. The recent attacks had clearly affected it, but it continued to stand and stare at Khan. The creature had identified him as the biggest threat inside the group, and it didn''t dare to stop studying him.


    ''Come on!'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''Attack me already!''


    The silence that had fallen on the battlefield was deafening. Only the crackling noise of the small fires, the creaking sounds of the bending trunks, the ragged breathing of the recruits, and the occasional retches of the monster filled the area. Everything else was still, but heavy steps soon took care of bringing movement again.


    Many presences suddenly appeared in Khan''s mind. The other teams of humans and Niqols came out of the trees and charged at the monster. The group had invested some time encircling the area, so they attacked the creature from every direction.


    Khan''s eyes widened at that scene. His mind generated images on its own when he saw the twenty recruits from both species jumping toward the monster. He could already predict what was about to arrive, so he quickly hid behind a tree.


    A blinding bluish light filled the area. Khan could see that radiance even if he had closed his eyes and had hidden behind the thick trunk. The tree experienced a violent tremor when an attack landed on its surface, and Khan decided to take a peek at the battlefield after that event.


    Recruits from both species were flying in every direction. Charred cracks had even appeared on the ground due to the many lightning bolts that had shot out.


    Everything flowed in slow motion in Khan''s eyes. The recruits were still in the air when he got a complete view of the scene. Thoughts were trying to move through his mind and develop a battle plan, but his instincts made him act before that.


    The monster had always required some time to prepare that massive discharge of lightning bolts. The creature seemed to get faster after every attack, but its improvements didn''t change that it had just released its accumulated energy. It was at its weakest now, and Khan didn''t hesitate to exploit the safest seconds between the exchanges.


    Khan pushed his body more than he had ever done in the past. The Lightning-demon style''s power depended on how much speed he could endure, but his limits didn''t matter now.


    Khan had instinctively understood that he wouldn''t get a better chance since the monster continued to shorten the time required by its ability. He had to make sure that his next attack killed the creature and put an end to that dangerous battle.


    The pain released by his charred palm intensified as his skin burnt due to the friction with the air. Khan disregarded the physical limits set by his attunement with mana and reached the monster in an instant.


    The mental barrier had surged to keep the pain away and make Khan focus on his technique. He had only one shot at that. Failing to deliver a proper blow would leave him open in front of the angry monster.


    The entirety of his momentum flowed into his rising knee. An intense burning sensation tried to seep past the mental barrier during the execution of the technique, but Khan managed to keep it away until his attack landed on the monster''s head.


    The mental barrier crumbled at that point, and Khan experienced the entirety of his pain. He felt on fire, and the faint scent of burning flesh even spread from under him.


    However, he quickly forced himself to stabilize his position and lift his hands when he saw the monster''s shape rising and standing on its rear legs. Khan noticed that smoke was coming out of his arms, but he didn''t let that detail distract him from the danger in front of him.


    The monster raised its front legs when it straightened its position completely, but no attack descended. The creature bent backward and fell on its back right in front of Khan''s incredulous eyes.


    Khan relaxed after he noticed that the monster didn''t move anymore. His eyes quickly moved toward its neck as he took careful steps to circle the creature''s big figure. His legs lost power and made him fall on his knees when he noticed that the beast''s head had disappeared. It had turned into a bloody pulp that had partially vanished inside its body.

 Chapter 101: Blanket

    Everything was on fire. Even Khan''s mind burnt while he remained on his knees and stared at the gory scene. The monster was dead, but the hunting groups had to pay a steep price to win.


    Multiple trails of thin smoke came out of the ground. Khan could often see a Niqols or a human at their base. Most recruits had fallen unconscious after the recent attack, but their skin didn''t stop burning. A single monster had almost taken out two entire classes on its own.


    ''Dammit,'' Khan couldn''t help but curse in his mind when he inspected the state of his body.


    The last acceleration had created multiple burns on his front. They had fused with the injuries caused by the lightning bolt, which gave Khan a reddish and feverish appearance.


    Khan''s consciousness and strength dwindled as his position grew unstable. He felt on the verge of falling forward, but he called upon all his remaining power to bend backward and let his back hit the ground.


    His injuries felt cold while they remained exposed to the stale air inside the forest. His uniform had disappeared during the battle, but he couldn''t remember when that had happened.


    His mental barrier surged and crumbled cyclically. The burning sensation was too intense, so Khan rarely managed to keep the pain away for more than a few seconds.


    Khan managed to hear hurried steps around him whenever the mental barrier was up. He had long since closed his eyes, but his sensitivity to mana and ears allowed him to gain a vague understanding of his surroundings even in that situation.


    Muffled orders reached his ears. Khan heard Paul and Chief Alu''s voices, but the pain that filled his mind made him lose part of their words. The two leaders were managing the battlefield and tending the injured, but Khan couldn''t understand the various details of that process.


    A cold sensation suddenly spread on Khan''s left arm and made him tense his body. That feeling had arrived when he was busy rebuilding the mental barrier, so he had been too surprised to remain calm.


    "Don''t move," Paul''s voice reached his ears while he opened his eyes and saw the soldier sitting next to him. "This should make you feel better in no time. I believe only your hand will take a while to heal."


    Paul was spreading a dense half-transparent ointment over Khan''s injuries. He took the substance from a big cylindric flask placed next to him and carefully applied it over the entirety of Khan''s torso and legs.


    "You must let your skin absorb the lotion," Paul explained. "Don''t move for a few hours. Try to sleep if you can."


    Khan nodded, but a snort resounded in his mind when he saw Paul grabbing the flask and leaving him. Sleeping wouldn''t make him stay still at all.


    The cold sensation that filled Khan''s front appeased the burning sensation and made him able to endure it without the help of the metal barrier.


    His condition seemed to improve as the minutes passed. Only his left hand and waist continued to annoy him, but the rest of his body began to feel better in no time.


    Khan did his best to help the lotion with his meditation. Two hours went by quickly while he spread mana through his body and aided the healing process. However, his skin had yet to change color by the time he opened his eyes. It was still red and full of burns.


    ''I guess this relief is part of the lotion,'' Khan sighed in his mind as he tilted his head left and right to inspect the area.


    The corpse of the monster wasn''t next to him anymore. Only the puddle of blood released by its broken head had remained at his side. Some Niqols and humans in the distance shared his condition as they waited for their bodies to absorb the lotion.


    Khan even noticed Paul going over a few Niqols sitting next to trees. Their different species didn''t stop him from applying the lotion to their charred spots, and the aliens accepted the treatment after Chief Alu confirmed that it was harmless.


    Two more hours had to pass before Khan''s body absorbed the lotion. His skin felt slightly numb when he forced himself to sit on the ground, but pain still spread from his left hand and the long horizontal burn on his waist.


    ''I''m a mess,'' Khan sighed at the sight of his red skin.


    It would take him at least a full day to recover, but his annoyance didn''t only come from the time that he would lose to get better. The many injured humans and Niqols generated doubts in his mind. He couldn''t help but feel that sending those recruits against the monster had been a bad decision.


    "You shouldn''t be up," Chief Alu announced while approaching Khan. "Rest is the best medicine. Allow your mana to heal you. Paul, Liiza, and the other Niqols have told me what you did. I''m actually envious that you belong to the human species now."


    Chief Alu wore his gentle smile during the entirety of his speech, but Khan didn''t know how he could appear so relaxed after most of his underlings had suffered injuries.


    Khan''s mind was still too messy to give birth to a polite answer. He felt that he would complain just like his father did with the inept soldiers if he opened his mouth.


    "I''ll make sure to tell my superiors about your feats," Chief Alu continued. "Who knows? They might finally decide to bring the relationship between our species to the next step."


    The foul feeling that Lieutenant Kintea had managed to originate returned after he heard those words. Khan knew that the outcome of the hunt should make him ecstatic, but he couldn''t feel happy after witnessing the monster hurting so many recruits.


    Yet, Khan still grunted as he placed his right hand on the ground and stood up to perform the iconic bow of the Niqols. Chief Alu revealed a surprised expression when he saw that gesture, but his smile soon returned as he proceeded to reply with the same salute.


    Chief Alu left to assist the other wounded at that point, and Khan remained still to inspect the battlefield once more. A dark figure eventually captured the entirety of his attention and almost made him fall into a daze.


    Liiza was helping Paul and Chief Alu with the wounded. She attended the recruits from both species, and she showed no hesitation in front of their gruesome injuries when applying lotions and bandages.


    Liiza had the chance to glance at Khan when she switched patients. He even believed that she had seen him from the corner of her eyes. Yet, it was clear that she was holding back from staring directly at him.


    Khan moved his gaze away quickly. He didn''t want to be the reason behind the shattering of her self-restraint. He didn''t want to take risks even if his desire to rest on her lap seemed to be stronger than the pain released by his hand.


    George, Sonia, and a few recruits who had suffered superficial injuries eventually entered the battlefield while carrying large flasks and provisions. They seemed in charge of relocating the camp, and they couldn''t help but smile when they saw that Khan was on his feet.


    George put down the flasks and unsheathed his sword while showing a wide smile. He had found his blade, but its color had changed. Its sharp edges had been pale-silver before, but they were completely black now.


    Khan showed his charred palm and pointed at it with his other hand. George gave the thumbs up at that scene. It seemed that the blade had endured part of the lightning bolt that had spread through Khan''s arm, and George was clearly glad about that outcome.


    The messy battlefield filled with wounded recruits, loud groans, and a few cries was something that Khan didn''t want to endure. Those scenes only made his desire to talk with Liiza increase, so he preferred to walk back to the previous gathering point and resume his meditation there.


    Khan walked slowly. He felt tired, and the sudden movements made his many burns hurt again. Yet, he felt better after a while.


    The path back to the previous camp was relatively straightforward. Paul and the others had left clear tracks, and Khan had even gained a general idea of his position after the hunt. The familiar empty spot soon unfolded in his vision, but his mind suddenly sensed a dense mass of mana past it.


    Khan let his curiosity guide him. The mana in the distance didn''t move, so he knew that it didn''t belong to anything dangerous. He walked past the empty spot and among the trees until two figures appeared in his eyes.


    The first figure was easy to recognize. It belonged to the monster that Khan had killed a few hours ago. The mana inside the corpse had fused with its dead flesh by then and had made it safe to handle even for normal humans.


    Instead, the other figure made Khan''s expression grow colder. It had a human shape, but a brown blanket covered the entirety of its body while it lay next to the monster''s corpse.


    Khan had already seen George and Liiza, so no worries appeared in his mind. However, he still walked toward the corpse and gave voice to a grunt while he bent to lift the blanket.


    Glenn''s face soon appeared in his eyes. The boy''s expression was peaceful, but the scent of charred flesh came out from under the blanket and made Khan cover its face again.


    His mind then sensed a familiar presence nearing him from behind. Khan straightened his position and saw Paul walking toward him while wearing a complicated expression.


    "The others still don''t know about it," Paul revealed as his eyes fell on the corpse covered by the blanket. "I tried to restart his heart, but nothing worked. The medical bay in the camp might have done something more, but¡­."


    Paul fell silent, and Khan didn''t say anything either. The two simply stared at the brown blanket. Silence could be deafening at times, but they didn''t want to hear anything else now.


    "Was this really necessary?" Khan asked. "Is this the best that two intelligent species can do?"


    "Don''t start questioning your orders now," Paul sighed. "That''s a slippery slope, and I''m not only talking about your position in the army. It helps to separate your mind from all of this."


    "What exactly is this?" Khan asked. "I thought we were here to reinforce the relationship with an alien species."


    "Today''s events did that," Paul explained. "You did that. Glenn did that. His death will bring humans and Niqols closer. He will be a hero of our species."


    "He was only a kid," Khan whispered. "All of them are."


    "They stopped being kids when they enlisted," Paul replied in a cold voice. "Our mission on Nitis is delicate. We can only go along with what the Niqols say and rejoice if we gain something out of it. This opportunity might make you believe that we are special, but the Global Army wouldn''t hesitate to sacrifice all of us to grow closer to the aliens."


    "A relationship founded on blood and corpses," Khan commented.


    "Don''t be dumb," Paul snorted. "Do you have any idea how many experts have blown off their own limbs to perfect the stable martial art in your hands? The same applies to everything connected and unrelated to mana. Blood is the most valuable currency in the universe. It''s only a matter of being willing to use it."


    "How are the others?" Khan asked while his mind absorbed Paul''s words.


    "They are mostly fine," Paul sighed as the faint anger from before vanished. "A few weeks of meds and meditations should be enough to bring everyone back on their feet."


    "Has Captain Erbair already announced the break?" Khan asked while turning toward Paul for the first time during their conversation.


    "She has yet to receive the message since the network is unstable here," Paul explained. "Still, I believe she''ll give a few weeks off from the lessons."


    A tinge of warmth spread through the coldness that had filled Khan''s mind. He couldn''t help but think about Liiza when he heard about the break. His desire to talk with her was so intense that it almost made him forget about his injuries.


    "Focus on resting now," Paul ordered when he saw Khan lowering his gaze back on Glenn. "Get that hand patched up and sleep. We''ll stay here at least another day, so get a new uniform from the backpack. You can''t stay like this."


    Paul''s words reminded Khan that his uniform had almost completely disappeared. He only had a few rags covering his pants, but everything else had vanished. His shoes even had a few holes that revealed his toes.

 Chapter 102: Return

    Khan didn''t put everything in the back of his mind at that time. Paul and the others continued to manage the camp and take care of the injured, but he ignored them. He isolated himself in the previous gathering point and resumed training after changing his uniform.


    Complicated thoughts ran through his mind during his meditation. Khan had grown so used to that exercise that he could lose himself in his reasonings while his flesh opposed the expanding mana.


    The sharp pain that spread inside him from time to time didn''t break his concentration and didn''t interrupt the conflicting feelings that he experienced. He could think about his current situation, and everything appeared dark except for a few light shades.


    That wasn''t his first time experiencing that internal conflict, but he still couldn''t grow used to it. The training camp on Nitis had been a heavenly place in his mind before the hunt since it helped appease Istrone''s memories, but everything had vanished after Glenn''s death.


    Khan opposed his realizations at first, but he couldn''t lie to himself. The Global Army had revealed its true nature during the hunt, and he couldn''t ignore how its image changed in his mind.


    Living in the Slums for eleven years had made Khan quite cynical toward human nature. He had never once trusted the Global Army, but Ylaco''s training camp, Onia, and Nitis had given him memories that he treasured dearly.


    The relationship with Lieutenant Dyester and the respect showed in front of his achievements were commendable behaviors that left Khan positively surprised. The disregard for his background even made him believe that the Global Army could be an overall good place at times.


    The issues with the bullies and the Blackdell girl were inevitable problems that existed in every organization. Khan could go past them and believe in the Global Army as long as everything else was good.


    However, the hunt had proven his cynical approach to be on point. The recruits on Nitis were nothing more than cannon fodder meant to solidify the foundation of the relationship with the Niqols.


    It didn''t matter what happened to that cannon fodder. The Global Army would be happy as long as the recruits seized benefits from the Niqols. The greater good of humankind was above the frail lives of those young soldiers.


    Khan could vaguely justify that point by considering humankind as a whole. He knew that people could have strong ideals capable of making them forget about individuals and only see humanity as a whole.


    Yet, he couldn''t do that. Khan couldn''t even come close to caring about strangers after what he had experienced in the Slums.


    His reasoning led to a sad realization. That idea had always been in his mind. Still, the tragic events that he had to overcome had reinforced it and had turned it into a power that he couldn''t ignore.


    Khan couldn''t believe in the Global Army, but he needed it for his personal goals. Hence, he decided to see it only as a tool. He would help and complete tasks, but only the missions that could grant him real benefits would deserve his best efforts.


    Truth be told, Khan didn''t feel good about that decision. He liked Paul, Captain Erbair, and some of the other recruits, but a wall appeared in front of his heart after he made up his mind.


    Paul and the others partially stopped being human beings. They transformed into figures with a specific value that depended on how much Khan could benefit from them.


    That dirty feeling grew stronger when a whole day passed and Khan decided to help with the injured to improve his value in the eyes of the alien species. Still, seeing Liiza created a stark division inside his mind. Part of it became cold, dishonest, and manipulative, while the other struggled to remain warm and hopeful.


    ''Improve without getting used to it,'' Khan reminded himself. ''The world sucks. You have always known it. Use it without letting its filth taint your core. You have endured almost twelve years of nightmares. This is nothing.''


    Only three people in the entirety of the camp noticed the faint changes in Khan''s mindset. Paul sensed that his face had grown slightly colder, George''s mind sent him back to Istrone whenever he saw Khan''s expressions, and Liiza felt something ache inside her when she glanced at him.


    The rather difficult situation in the camp didn''t give the time for personal interactions or talks, so everyone simply focused on completing their tasks and getting all the injured ready for the return.


    The treatment with the ointments eased most of Khan''s burns, but his left hand and waist remained quite serious. Yet, the day of rest made him suitable to ride Snow again, and the other recruits also improved enough to start the preparations for the return.


    Paul couldn''t hide Glenn anymore once everyone was ready for the long travel. The revelation left both recruits and Niqols stunned. The death of a peer was tough to handle at their young age, and seeing Khan helping secure the corpse on an Ugu only made the scene harder to endure.


    Khan knew that Liiza was watching him while he tied Glenn to the creature. She saw how uncaring he appeared when he ordered Snow to make the Ugu stay still and handled the figure covered by the brown blanket as if it were a simple item. The ache inside her intensified, but she made sure to divert her eyes before anyone noticed her behavior.


    The group eventually departed. Chief Alu led the group of Niqols inside the forest after exchanging polite salutes with Paul, and the latter ordered everyone to move after handling those political necessities.


    Khan and Liiza flew on their Aduns and guided the recruits back to the training camp. The travel lasted a bit less at that time, and everyone could only feel glad about it.


    Paul and the Ugu that carried the provisions were in the lead. All the recruits could see Glenn''s corpse going up and down during the entirety of the travel. The brown blanket that covered his figure became a hideous blade that cut away all the na?ve feelings that had managed to survive until then. Everyone even started to hate that particular color after staring at it for many hours.


    Khan and Liiza were hard to see from the ground, but they played it safe anyway. They didn''t exchange glances at all and focused on sleeping or training during those long hours.


    The familiar camp eventually appeared in the distance, and Liiza''s Aduns gave voice to a loud screech before turning to fly toward the nearby city. Snow partially translated that cry for Khan. Liiza had was simply saying that he could handle the rest of the travel on his own now.


    Khan made Snow descend toward the Ugu to notify Paul and his companions that they had to follow him from that point onward. The eagle hovered right above the group and made sure that everyone could see how easily Khan kept his balance. He didn''t even grab the creature''s neck while he informed Paul and returned in the sky.


    The group returned to the camp after spending a bit more than two days away. Their free time was already coming to an end, but everyone felt too tired to complain.


    Paul sent everyone to their rooms or the medical bay depending on their condition. Khan silently returned to his habitation after sending Snow away, and his mind notified him about his exhaustion when he saw his bed. He had only taken naps during the past days, so his body desperately needed rest.


    Khan woke up as soon as the afternoon ended. His stomach growled, so he made sure to stuff it with the best meals that the canteen had to offer. Then, Paul announced a mandatory meeting through the network, and all the recruits able to stand gathered at the center of the camp.


    Paul, Lieutenant Kintea, and Captain Erbair wore serious expressions as they waited for the class that had joined the hunt to gather in front of them. Less than ten recruits created a row in front of the leaders, and a heavy mood soon fell among them.


    "You won''t have mandatory lessons for the next month," Captain Erbair announced once everyone took their position. "You can still attend them, but you won''t receive demerits if you decide to skip them. I won''t even keep track of your behavior, so be at ease."


    Captain Erbair cleared her voice before scratching the side of her bionic eye and continuing. "Glenn Padlyn''s death is a tragedy that the Global Army will make sure to honor properly. His family will receive great benefits, starting from the name of the new pact sealed by the superiors of both species."


    Captain Erbair took out her phone and activated holograms that materialized between the recruits and her. Those images depicted a sheet written in two languages and carrying two very different marks that made it official.


    "The Niqols have agreed to grant us access to the Aduns," Captain Erbair explained while the recruits read the sheet. "Humans will also receive other benefits, but you don''t have the clearance to know those details.


    "Anyway, good work out there. You have brought honor to the Global Army, so the Global Army will honor you. The Niqols will also hold a formal event next week, and they have invited all of you. Congratulations. You have officially become part of the historical records of two species."


    Captain Erbair''s words inevitably brought happiness into the heavy mood that had fallen on the recruits. Glenn was still dead, but the survivors had become a core part of the relationship between the two species. Their profiles had instantly gained immense value, and they could only rejoice when they learn that.


    Khan decided to wear a fake smile only when he noticed that George was searching for him with his eyes. The two nodded at each other, but they both sensed the faint sadness that lingered under that happiness.


    "Go back to your rooms now," Captain Erbair ordered. "Delay the celebrations for when your injuries are completely healed."


    The recruits performed a military salute before turning toward their building. Their phones quickly appeared in their hands since they couldn''t wait to notify their families about the recent events, and Khan followed them while planning his next move. Still, Captain Erbair''s voice suddenly resounded again and made everyone turn.


    "Khan, I need to have a word with you," The Captain ordered, and Khan didn''t hesitate to follow her toward her office under everyone''s curious gaze.


    Captain Erbair sat on her large couch and pointed at the armchair. Khan quickly took his seat there and remained silent while she played with her phone to activate a few functions of the room.


    A few images quickly appeared on the wall. They depicted a series of reddish figures immersed in a dark-blue environment. Most of them had a human shape, but others showed Tainted animals that Khan found familiar.


    "Did you record the hunt, ma''am?" Khan asked as some surprise appeared in his eyes.


    "Wait a second," Captain Erbair said while activating more functions on her phone.


    The images slowly gained a few details. Trees, leaves, and other features appeared on the scenes as soon as they started moving. Faces appeared on the various reddish figures, and Khan could soon recognize himself when staring at the wall.


    The images played the scenes of the entire hunt while Captain Erbair changed the point of view to focus on different sites. The various details appeared vague once she zoomed on certain battles and spots. It was clear that the program had only built those pictures by using data stored by the Global Army.


    The scenes stopped moving after Khan killed the monster, and Captain Erbair even clapped her hands a few times after turning off the program.


    "You live up to our expectations," Captain Erbair suddenly revealed. "You even surpass them actually. Great job out there. Now, tell me what you want."


    "I''m sorry?" Khan asked in surprise.


    "I''m talking about a reward for your feats," Captain Erbair explained. "You don''t have any backing, so it''s up to the army to nurture you. Tell me what you need, and I''ll make sure to get it. Of course, try to be reasonable."


    Khan felt that everything was happening too quickly, but he didn''t take much to come up with a request. "I need a training knife, something suitable for the Divine Reaper."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I ran a bit late. The second chapter will arrive soon.

 Chapter 103: Revelations

    The meeting ended there, with Captain Erbair''s promise to take care of the matter related to the knife. Khan had even been vague on purpose so that the soldier could decide the quality of the weapon on her own.


    The battle against the monster had shown to Khan once again how the Lightning-demon style had evident flaws. Stronger opponents could endure his quick blows, and the issue had started to annoy him.


    Captain Erbair would take a bit to get the knife, and Khan planned to approach the competent proficiency level with the Lightning-demon style in that time. He didn''t commit any mistake during the last battle, so his plan didn''t sound too unreasonable when he thought about it.


    Hesitation filled Khan''s mind when he stepped on the camp''s streets. The faint sound of cheers and laughs reached his ears when he approached the building with the various rooms. Clearly, the recruits were celebrating the important achievement, but he didn''t feel in the mood to lie and pretend for a whole night.


    Even lying about his condition to isolate himself into his room didn''t sound like a good option. Khan''s hand and waist still needed care, but the other recruits had seen him riding the Aduns for half a day without flinching. They would understand that he was only coming up with excuses to remain alone.


    Khan felt the intense desire to stop pretending, but Nitis only gave him two options where he could be himself. One of them saw him being on his own, and the other involved Liiza. Luckily for him, the mountains offered him the chance to get both of them.


    The metal doors of the building began to slide open, but Khan quickly sprinted toward the exit of the camp before the laughing recruits could lay their eyes on him. No one could notice him while he kept running until the base was nothing more than a tiny dot in the distance. He could directly sit on the ground and wait for his companion to arrive at that point.


    The azure light radiated from the city in the distance shone on his face from time to time, but Khan barely noticed it. He meditated among the uneven plain until a foreign sensation spread inside his mind and made him gaze at the descending white figure.


    Khan let Snow enjoy itself as a reward for the long and tedious flights of the last days. The Aduns didn''t go too hard on him since bandages still covered his left hand and waist, but it still accelerated and spun whenever it felt right. The eagle only held back from performing sudden dives.


    The familiar mountain with the flat spot near its half eventually unfolded in Khan''s eyes. Still, his gaze immediately went on a dark figure sleeping in the corner of the rocky wall. Liiza was wearing a large black tracksuit, and she was using its big hood as a pillow while she rested on the uncomfortable rocks.


    Snow didn''t hesitate to drop Khan on the flat area and set off while making sure to remain silent. Liiza sensed their arrival and awakened anyway, but the eagle didn''t want to disturb the couple more than necessary since it could feel part of Khan''s foul mood.


    "I knew you wouldn''t have rested at all," Liiza exclaimed in a sleepy voice while opening the upper part of her tracksuit and showing the white tank top under it. "I''ll make sure that you rest tonight."


    Liiza patted her lap and took off the large upper part of the tracksuit. It turned out to be a hoodie that she wanted to use as a blanket to cover Khan.


    Khan smiled and crouched to kiss Liiza, but she promptly covered his mouth and stopped his actions.


    "No kissing until you rest," Liiza explained. "Licking won''t get you anywhere today."


    Liiza sensed Khan''s smile from under her palm. She could feel his compliance in his tired gaze, so she slowly retracted her hand and stretched her legs to create a pillow for him.


    Khan lay on the ground and placed his head on Liiza''s lap. She shook her head when she saw that he made his face point toward her waist. She could sense his nose and mouth touching the skin covered by the thin tank top, and her lower lip inevitably ended between her teeth.


    Still, Liiza managed to restrain herself when she saw the bandages on Khan''s hand. She placed the hoodie over him before reaching his hair to caress it.


    The thin tank top couldn''t stop Khan''s breath. Khan made her waist warm in no time, and she couldn''t help but pull his hair softly whenever he kissed her in that spot.


    "Stop!" Liiza exclaimed as cute giggles came out of her mouth. "I''ll lift every restriction in a few hours if you behave!"


    Khan stopped teasing Liiza after those words. He continued to breathe warm air on her waist, but he didn''t try anything funny again.


    The two remained in that position for a while. Khan bathed in the cold sensations released by Liiza''s body, and she caressed his hair while enjoying the warmth he carried.


    The smile on Liiza''s face slowly disappeared when she noticed the few strands of azure hair on Khan''s head. That was her first time seeing them, and she inevitably connected them to the large scar on his chest.


    "I couldn''t sneak out any medicine," Liiza couldn''t help but say when the images seen through the binoculars crossed her eyes. "I-I was afraid that they could find out about us."


    Khan instinctively tilted his head to gaze at Liiza when he heard the hesitation in her voice. Her face had grown aloof, and she even diverted her eyes. There seemed to be shame and sadness in her expression.


    Khan felt the urge to hug her, but Liiza promptly pushed his head back on her lap as soon as he tried to straighten his position.


    "I know what you are about to say," Liiza snorted. "It''s not my fault. I did the right thing. Humans have good meds too. That''s all true, but it''s annoying anyway. I had to stay put while the monster hurt you, and I can''t even help you with your injuries. I can''t do anything for you."


    Khan suddenly realized that Liiza had probably seen the battle. Paul was the only one in the group who could have been close enough to record the hunt, and she had been with him.


    He couldn''t even start to imagine how she must have felt during the hunt. Liiza didn''t only force herself to ignore him after noticing his injured state. She had to remain still while he endured lightning bolts.


    Khan had felt angry when the other Niqols ignored her. He didn''t know how he would have reacted during the hunt if he were in her place.


    "It''s not about what you can do for me," Khan eventually said while caressing her side with the back of his sane hand. "It''s about showing my true face. I don''t need to lie and pretend when I''m with you, and that''s everything for me right now."


    Liiza''s expression froze at those words. Her eyes slowly returned on Khan, and the two inevitably stared at each other for a while. Khan even started to straighten his position again, but Liiza eventually remembered to put him down.


    "A few nice words won''t be enough today," Liiza snorted as her voice grew sweeter and a smile reappeared on her face. "I know that you have barely slept since we got together, but you went through a lot just two days ago. Please, rest for a bit. Do it for me."


    Liiza was basically begging Khan, and the latter read her worry on her face. She desperately wanted to do something for him, even if it meant forcing him to sleep.


    Khan moved his gaze on the white tank top, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He had already slept for the entire day, and he had even gone through the nightmare multiple times since the pain coming out of his hand had often awakened him.


    He didn''t feel sleepy, and he had no desire to review the Second Impact. Khan only wanted to be himself after spending more than two days pretending to be a perfect soldier, and he wished for Liiza to be part of that time.


    "I hate sleeping," Khan eventually revealed.


    "That was obvious," Liiza gave voice to a faint laugh, "But your body needs it now. Get back on your feet so you can jump on me again."


    Liiza never stopped caressing Khan, but he wasn''t really paying attention. He felt her careful touch and heard her teases, but his focus was on different thoughts.


    "I can''t stop dreaming about it," Khan whispered, and Liiza frowned since she didn''t understand the meaning behind his words.


    "What do yo-?" Liiza started to ask, but Khan interrupted her before she could finish her line.


    "I always relive the day when I got this," Khan revealed while patting his chest. "The fire, the corpses, the smoke, everything returns as soon as I fall asleep."


    Liiza felt dumbfounded, and even her hands stopped caressing Khan. She slowly absorbed his words, but it felt hard to apply them to the real world.


    "Do you have nightmares about the Nak?" Liiza eventually asked. "Isn''t that normal after a trauma? I bet many Niqols will dream about the monster for the next months."


    "You don''t understand," Khan sighed as he turned to stare at the dark sky. "It''s not a nightmare that appears every once in a while. I dream about the incident every time I fall asleep. I relive it from the fire to the arrival of the Nak. It has gone on for almost twelve years by now."


    Liiza''s eyes widened at that point. Her hand carefully went under Khan''s uniform to touch his azure scar, but she didn''t feel anything off there. Her fingers then reached his forehead, but nothing happened there either.


    "Twelve years, you say?" Liiza asked in a worried tone. "Did they ever miss a day?"


    "No," Khan revealed. "I have the nightmare if I''m asleep. No exceptions."


    Liiza fell deep into her thoughts. One of her hands even left Khan''s head to scratch her cheek while she reviewed the issue.


    Khan''s condition didn''t seem to come from his psyche, but Liiza couldn''t confirm that mana was the issue either. Yet, Niqols had a great understanding of that energy, and she could think of many figures that could help him.


    "I might know someone," Liiza announced after a while.


    "I have already sought help," Khan sighed. "It didn''t work. I actually joined the army to find the Nak and see if I can put an end to this problem."


    Liiza opened her mouth at that important revelation, but she held back from talking about it now. She had something more important to say to her boyfriend now.


    "You don''t understand," Liiza explained. "The Niqols can help you search for eventual stains in your mana."


    "But I had these nightmares before obtaining mana," Khan complained.


    "The Nak''s mana changed you!" Liiza shouted in a helpless tone. "You smell like a Nak, your eyes and hair carry their shades, and you clearly have a great talent for mana. I''m saying that the cause of the nightmares can be in your mutations, and I know someone who can help without exposing us."

 Chapter 104: Shaman

    "How sure are you about this?" Khan asked as faint hope appeared inside him when he saw how resolute Liiza was about the matter.


    "Niqols know mana in ways that humans can''t even begin to comprehend," Liiza smiled while removing the hair from Khan''s forehead. "Our knowledge might not solve your issue, but I''m sure that it will at least point in the right direction. Humans might become able to help at that point."


    "I was talking about our relationship," Khan replied as a complicated smile appeared on his face.


    Khan had survived the nightmares for almost twelve years. His desperation was a core part of his personality, and the fact that his father didn''t manage to solve the issue had forced him to accept his condition.


    Hope wasn''t enough to make him risk what he had. Liiza granted him a peace that he wasn''t willing to endanger, even if it meant remaining with the nightmares until the duo didn''t have to hide anymore or he solved the issue by himself.


    His answer left Liiza completely stunned. The intense attraction that they shared made them extremely unwilling to give up on their relationship, but she didn''t believe that Khan would decide to put her above such a severe issue.


    However, Liiza soon understood that Khan''s words didn''t only come from his feelings. His answer mainly was the result of his helplessness. Part of Khan had basically stopped to believe that he could vanquish his nightmares.


    "I didn''t think you were a coward," Liiza snorted while wearing her aloof expression, but her hands remained on Khan''s head.


    Liiza continued to fondle Khan''s hair. She appeared pissed and annoyed, but her cheeks grew paler. Khan had seen that reaction during their most intimate moments, but he understood what it meant only during that conversation.


    "I like when you blush," Khan said as his smile became peaceful.


    "Shut up," Liiza snorted again before diverting her gaze. "Cowards can''t speak."


    "Maybe this someone can solve my nightmares," Khan sighed. "Maybe only a Nak can remove them. Maybe they don''t even come from mutations. I can''t be sure about any of that, but I know that I can endure until my position in the army improves. Why would I risk losing you now when I can simply wait for a few years?"


    "Why do you have to be the only one to endure?" Liiza complained while shooting an angry glance at him. "Why can''t I take part of that weight? I don''t need your protection, and we should work together to make us work."


    Liiza wanted to add more words, but she held back from saying them. Giving an ultimatum to Khan would only make him change his mind out of fear of losing her, which wouldn''t solve the issue. He had to reach those conclusions on his own. The problem would return otherwise.


    Khan suddenly realized that he could be at fault. In theory, he had done everything correctly. Liiza was having a boyfriend that never forced his schedule on her.


    However, his inexperience in relationships made him fail to realize that Liiza didn''t want to feel happy on her own. She wanted Khan and her to have the same status in the relationship, with both helping each other whenever something was wrong.


    Liiza had to get angry to make Khan understand that. He only had to imagine himself in her position to experience her many foul feelings.


    Liiza had merely felt annoyed when the matter involved only her powerlessness in helping Khan. Yet, that feeling had transformed into real anger when she saw Khan directly refusing her assistance to avoid creating problems for them.


    Khan wasn''t trying to protect Liiza. He was only avoiding risks since he was happy about his current situation. Still, he could understand how that behavior could annoy her since it was creating a wall between them that she couldn''t cross.


    Moreover, Khan was the very reason why she couldn''t cross that wall. He was pushing her away by trying to avoid creating problems.


    "I''m sorry," Khan eventually exclaimed while diverting his gaze. "I''m new to this. I didn''t think that trying to make things easy for you would hurt you."


    Khan had been sincere, and Liiza sensed it. Her anger slowly dispersed when she noticed how regretful he appeared through his cold expression.


    "I don''t have much experience either," Liiza revealed as her hands resumed caressing Khan''s hair. "It has never been so intense."


    The two spent a few minutes in silence. They had argued for the first time, right at the end of their first week together, but they only wanted to get closer now.


    "How much do you trust this someone?" Khan eventually asked.


    "She has been a shaman in my family for many generations," Liiza revealed a sweet smile. "Still, my mother had to kick her out due to her anti-human policies."


    "How is that supposed to reassure me?" Khan frowned and tried to raise his head, but Liiza promptly put him down while giving voice to her cute giggle.


    "Let me finish first," Liiza shouted before continuing in a plain voice. "She has been my nanny for a long time, and I''ve remained in contact with her behind my mother''s back. She still relies on the old ways, so the devices developed during the cooperation with the humans can''t find her."


    "Why didn''t you contact her to get us a way to communicate?" Khan suddenly asked as his eyes lit up.


    "I don''t even know how to explain the old ways to you," Liiza shook her head. "It would take a few days to contact her and even more to complete the items. How could I even justify disappearing for so long?"


    "That issue also applies to my situation," Khan commented, but Liiza softly pecked his forehead and pouted until he wore an apologetic face again.


    "The Niqols will hold a formal event at the end of the next week," Liiza explained. "Everyone will be busy with the preparations, and¡­ I believe that the humans will also refrain from special activities."


    Talking about the incoming free time reminded Liiza about the hunt. Seeing Khan handling Glenn''s corpse so effortlessly made her chest ache, and part of his previous revelations even reappeared in her mind.


    Khan had revealed that he had joined the Global Army to find the Nak. His cold pretenses obviously came from that decision. Liiza couldn''t help but feel sad when she considered everything he had gone through and was enduring even now.


    "How are you, really?" Liiza asked when she found Khan looking at her. "I''ll handle the matter with my nanny and tell you the details once everything is ready, but I don''t want you to feel on your own in the meantime. I''m here for you, okay?"


    The evident concern in Liiza''s glowing eyes made Khan''s thoughts vanish. Only the conversation about the attraction caused by their mana remained in his mind.


    "I want to talk more about what you said in front of the forest," Khan announced. "Our feelings and mana, can we clarify?"


    "I thought you didn''t like to talk," Liiza teased him, but her faint laugh remained stuck in her throat when she saw how serious Khan appeared.


    "Let me sit now," Khan said without moving his eyes from Liiza, and she slowly removed her hands from his head.


    Khan straightened his position and sat next to Liiza. Their bodies faced each other, and Khan wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her closer.


    Their foreheads touched, and their eyes half-closed as they inspected each other''s faces. Their cold and warm breaths mixed as their lips drew close, but they didn''t kiss yet. There was something that they had to clarify first.


    "There''s nothing much to say," Liiza whispered. "We have elements that express ourselves. The same goes for feelings. You know what we experienced when we first met."


    "How could I forget?" Khan laughed. "It happened only a week ago."


    "Don''t ruin it, dummy," Liiza tried to scold him, but only a cute laugh came out of her mouth. "You wanted this. We can go back to kissing if you can''t handle it."


    "We are like this after one week," Khan said in a mocking tone. "Where does your superior knowledge think we''ll end up in a month?"


    "I won''t say anything specific," Liiza giggled, "But I believe our attraction will intensify until proper feelings appear."


    "And that will be the end," Khan laughed.


    "Indeed," Liiza sneered before wearing a pensive expression. "Do you ever think about the future?"


    "Our future?" Khan asked.


    "That too," Liiza replied in a timid voice.


    "I don''t know," Khan sighed while raising his sane hand to caress her cheek. "I''ve barely started climbing the ranks inside the army. I don''t even know how long my stay on Nitis will last. I can only think about simple stuff for now. I''ll keep training and seeing you."


    "It''s the same for me," Liiza explained. "I actually envy you since you have a clear goal. I don''t want to turn into my mother, and the other Niqols even avoid me because I keep disobeying orders. I don''t know if I''ll ever find my place here."


    "You have me now," Khan teased her.


    "I do have you," Liiza repeated as she spread her legs and wrapped them around his waist while sitting on Khan''s lap. "I don''t know for how long, but it feels nice now, and that''s enough for me. Just promise that we''ll face the stuff that comes at us together."


    "I promise," Khan swore. "I''ll be better."


    "You already are," Liiza smiled, and the two lost their desire to speak at that point.


    Their lips instinctively drew near until they touched, and their minds went blank. They stopped thinking as they lost themselves in each other''s embrace.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I ran a bit late. The second chapter will arrive soon.

 Chapter 105: Events

    The free time granted by Captain Erbair allowed Khan to train a lot and stay with Liiza without affecting his sleeping schedule. Still, he ended up being the only one who decided to attend the three afternoon lessons necessary to become an ambassador.


    The event naturally surprised Paul since Khan had previously requested more free time, but he never got the chance to question him during the week after the hunt.


    Khan was a ghost inside the camp. He appeared only to attend the three lessons concerning xenolinguistics, politics, and alien customs, but he left right after them. The other recruits didn''t even bother to attend those classes after the hunt, so no one had the chance to talk with him.


    Khan completely disappeared during the free days. He stashed provisions in his backpack before spending his entire time among the mountains. The cold accompanied his training and his moments with Liiza, but he barely felt it anymore.


    The couple never stopped indulging in their intimate moments, but Liiza forced herself to set clear boundaries whenever they risked going too far. Their attraction continued to intensify, but she didn''t want to rush things due to the feelings generated by their mana.


    The purpose of their boundaries didn''t involve only Khan. Liiza also felt her self-control waning as she spent entire days with her boyfriend. She managed to reset her mind whenever she disappeared to contact her old nanny, but her feelings came back stronger than ever once she gazed at Khan again.


    Khan understood how scary the mana that affected his feelings could be during his second week on Nitis. He sensed his mind growing dull whenever he spent more than a minute with Liiza. Even glancing at her from a distance could make him end up in a daze.


    Those irrational desires were so dangerous that the couple had to come up with strategies to avoid doing something that they would regret. Liiza wanted to wait before going all the way with Khan, and he didn''t want to force her. Also, the issue about the condoms remained, so it felt easier to enjoy his girlfriend without worrying about that problem.


    The strategies mostly involved mandatory breaks that the couple had to take to calm down. They would decide to fly among the mountains, train, attend specific matters, or directly converse about various topics to let their minds calm down.


    Luckily for them, they both had relatively high control over their mana. The Niqols didn''t normally restrain themselves, but they could do it if the situation required it, and Liiza rarely hesitated to use that ability. Meanwhile, Khan''s mental training gave him the chance to seal away his feelings and desires in no time, so he only needed to decide to do it to calm himself down.


    The couple developed new types of breaks as the week passed. Liiza and Khan were in a peculiar position due to their roles on Nitis. They both needed to learn more about their partner''s species, and they didn''t mind spending long hours conversing about customs and habits.


    Khan even took that chance to learn the Niqols'' language. He already attended lessons in the camp, but Liiza felt happy to help him with the matter.


    A notification eventually arrived on Khan''s phone near the end of the sixth day, and the context of the message didn''t surprise him. Liiza had already warned him about the event previously that week. The seventh day would feature the formal celebration inside the city near the camp, and the army had even planned Glenn''s funeral to happen in the morning.


    "She should answer in these days," Liiza explained after kissing Khan and taking a step toward her Aduns. "You might have the chance to meet her next week."


    "There''s no hurry," Khan warmly replied while also stepping toward his Aduns. "I can wait more weeks if it helps you doing everything safely. I''ll spend five months here at the very least. I have time."


    "This is still my planet, Khan," Liiza announced while wearing a smile and jumping on her Aduns. "Don''t worry. I became an expert at covering my tracks after sneaking out of my house for almost seven years."


    Liiza set off after that announcement, and Khan quickly jumped on Snow''s back to return to the camp. His injuries had healed by then, so he let his Aduns have fun during the flight.


    His return to the camp didn''t go unnoticed, but everyone had grown used to the occasional noise released by Snow''s wings by then. Khan''s behavior had even gained a different aura after the hunt. His feat against the monster had made the other recruits look up to him and create rumors concerning his trips.


    Khan was too resolute to be a mere asocial recruit in their minds. Everyone even knew that he didn''t take a single break from the lessons connected to the ambassador''s role.


    Many had started to believe that he traveled across Nitis to learn more about the planet and improve his position in the network''s lists. Others thought that he had found a special training area in regions that they couldn''t reach. Some simply used his Aduns to explain the need for many trips.


    Still, none of them could ever get clear answers from him since he barely spent time in the camp. Moreover, the other recruits didn''t have real reasons to bother him, so they limited themselves to spread rumors.


    Some recruits tried to convince George to act as a bridge between the seemingly unapproachable Khan and the rest of the recruits, but he categorically refused every time. George had basically been to war with Khan, so those requests didn''t even faze him. He even tried to justify his behavior with the power that he wielded.


    Khan knew that he should socialize, but time wasn''t on his side. His schedule had never been so packed with a girlfriend and his relentless training with the Lightning-demon style. Captain Erbair had promised to him that the knife would arrive in a few weeks, so he felt the need to increase his proficiency level as soon as possible.


    Everyone in the camp gathered right outside the fence the next day and organized a small funeral to remember Glenn. Even the classes from the other training camp traveled all night to attend that event.


    The funeral consisted of a symbolic burial of an empty coffin accompanied by speeches from the two Lieutenants, Paul, Captain Erbair, and the few recruits that knew the boy well. Glenn''s corpse was in line to reach the teleport and return to his family, but organizing that event anyway felt needed, especially when it came to those who had joined the hunt.


    Four relatively large groups formed as the various recruits started to follow their respective leaders and orders. Nitis'' four human classes had all gathered there, but they had different tasks to complete. Only Khan''s group had ended up gaining access to the formal event.


    Captain Erbair and Lieutenant Kintea could join the event because they were the direct superiors of the hunting group, but they couldn''t reach the city on their own. Humans still didn''t have free access to it.


    An envoy riding a black Aduns landed at the edges of the training camp right before lunch. The Niqols had notified Captain Erbair about that arrival, so Khan had already summoned Snow by then.


    Chief Alu sat on the black Aduns and didn''t leave its back while the recruits, Lieutenant, and Captain gathered around his figure while riding their Ugu. Only Khan was waiting slightly in the distance with Snow ready to set off.


    The group didn''t exchange many words. The travel started as soon as Chief Alu set off, and everyone followed him closely. The city was nearby, but the trip would still last an entire hour.


    Chief Alu made his Aduns fly above the buildings once he reached the city. Khan did the same, and he soon found himself hovering above the bustling city. The azure glow of the many structures didn''t make Snow grow confused. The eagle could follow the black creature closely and land on a large landing platform above the buildings.


    "The event will happen right below," Chief Alu explained with its usual gentle tone. "Someone will get you something to wear. Can I trust you to welcome your group on the first floor?"


    "Of course," Khan promptly replied, and a trapdoor that led to the insides of the tall building opened on the floor.


    Khan found a series of Niqols wearing luxurious white armors that covered them from head to toe when he followed Chief Alu inside the building and crossed a few corridors to find elevators. The defensive items had azure symbols on their imposing metal figures that seemed to enhance them.


    The soldiers let Khan pass since he was with Chief Alu, so the duo quickly reached sliding metal doors that revealed elevators featuring the rotating azure cubes that the Niqols used as menus.


    The elevators there were clean and rather small. They didn''t have chords or gears attached to their metal structures, but the mana in the area created an environment similar to what Khan experienced on the teleports.


    Khan took one of the small elevators by himself and made it go down. He reached the first floor in an instant, and more Niqols donning white armors waited for him there. The aliens remained at his side until Captain Erbair and the others arrived. The relatively large group quickly filled the luxurious hall that featured drapes and large couches all over it.


    The Niqols took care of leading the group toward a series of large elevators that could contain all of them. The soldiers entered the structures with them and made them travel to the twentieth floor, where a series of aliens who carried white fabrics left and right welcomed them.


    The Niqols quickly provided new clothes to all of them. The group wore tight white robes as they returned to the elevators and let the soldiers lead them even higher in the building.


    A large hall unfolded in their vision once they reached their destination. Multiple figures wearing white robes filled the area, but only a few of them were powerful enough to be potential threats.


    Alien soldiers filled the walls of the hall, but two figures soon attracted Khan''s complete attention when they appeared in his vision.


    Two female Niqols were waiting for everyone to enjoy the delicacies placed on the two long tables that divided the room. One of them was the captivating Liiza who was wearing a tight white dress that exposed her curves. The other had a similar dress, but an intense mature aura surrounded her and made her appear far more beautiful than his girlfriend.

 Chapter 106: Drinks

    The Niqols had adapted to the darkness that never stopped covering the planet. Their architecture and artistic sense showed those customs. The aliens had the chance to fill the insides of their buildings with light, but they limited themselves to dim azure symbols that kept everything relatively dark.


    The corridors, elevators, and halls that Khan had crossed were all quite dark. The lights released by their azure symbols allowed him to see everything clearly, but humans would prefer more illumination anyway.


    Instead, the hall where the celebration happened was far brighter. It seemed that the Niqols were trying to make their guests comfortable by raising the intensity of the azure lights radiated by the symbols on the ceiling.


    Liiza was stunning in her dress. The thin white fabric stuck perfectly to her flawless skin and created a stark contrast on her chest, where an attractive cleavage highlighted the curves of her gracious breasts.


    The dress ended in a diagonal skirt that opened right below the center of her left thigh and finished on her right ankle. Liiza''s aloof expression and detached aura even enhanced the pure grace that her figure radiated.


    However, the woman next to her belonged to a superior realm. She shared some of Liiza''s facial features, but she was taller than her. Her V-shaped cleavage emphasized her ample chest, and her long skirt couldn''t hide her attractive round waist.


    The female Niqols had a mature aura that attracted the attention of every male in the room. Even some of the females couldn''t help but steal glances of her sexy figure. She merely appeared in her thirties, but her glowing eyes carried a wisdom that only elders would have.


    The woman was clearly aware of the attentions converging on her, but she appeared at ease in that situation. She even revealed cute smiles and covered her mouth to hide her laugh whenever someone cracked a joke or approached her to talk.


    Her behavior perfectly matched and enhanced her natural beauty. Khan glanced at Liiza after inspecting the woman, but he found his girlfriend looking at him. Her aloof expression was still there, but Khan felt that she was angry.


    ''Is she the famous mother?'' Khan wondered when he sensed something off in Liiza''s gaze.


    Liiza and the woman had their hair combed in the same way. Long white braids fell from their heads and descended on their backs. It felt obvious that they had prepared for the event at the same time, and Khan used that as a clue to guess the Niqols'' identity.


    "Our guests have finally arrived," The woman announced in a sweet voice that managed to spread through the entirety of the room. "Please, eat and drink. Today we celebrate a significant step forward in our relationship."


    Those in Khan''s class who had yet to notice the woman couldn''t help but remain stunned when they saw her. Some of the boys even opened their mouths and found themselves unable to close them.


    "It''s an honor to see you again, Ambassador Yeza!" Captain Erbair announced in a tone loud enough to startle the other recruits awake and made them perform a polite bow.


    "It''s a pity that we are both too busy," Yeza revealed a broad smile. "I would plan weekly meetings otherwise. Of course, Lieutenant Kintea would also have to come."


    "I wouldn''t dare to refuse, Ambassador Yeza," Lieutenant Kintea politely replied while managing to ignore that Yeza''s voice had become more sensual when she called him.


    ''She is a vixen!'' Khan shouted in his mind without breaking his polite bow.


    Yeza clearly knew how to use her beauty to her advantage. She even pointed her shining smile at the boys that didn''t manage to keep their heads down.


    Khan happily discovered that Yeza''s beauty didn''t affect him as intensely as Liiza. He felt nothing more than mere physical attraction toward her.


    Her title and Liiza''s annoyed gaze had made Khan almost sure that Yeza was her mother. The mental barrier immediately appeared and fended off his feelings at that point. Khan didn''t want to risk revealing anything in that situation. Even the faint exchange of glances felt too much with Yeza in the same room as his girlfriend.


    "Stop standing there," Yeza laughed. "We are all friends here. No need to exaggerate with the formalities."


    Captain Erbair decided to break her bow at those words, and the others around her did the same. The Niqols in the room could finally approach the group, and they didn''t hesitate to call the recruits to make them at ease in that foreign environment.


    "Do you mind if we take something to eat together?" Chief Alu asked when he approached Khan.


    "Not at all," Khan replied while wearing a fake smile and following the alien toward one of the tables.


    The group experienced similar scenes. The other Niqols in the room mainly were the young soldiers who had fought against the monster. Those aliens called some recruits and led them toward the tables or the various couches to make sure that they enjoyed the celebration.


    Chief Alu pointed at plates that Khan had to try, and the latter didn''t hesitate to eat everything. It didn''t matter if the meals involved worms or odd-looking insects. Khan let the Niqols guide his appetite to keep him satisfied.


    "You really adapted to the Niqols'' cuisine," Chief Alu laughed after Khan wolfed everything that he had pointed at. "Let''s get something to drink now."


    A series of cups carved from black wood stood next to a large basin that contained a dense pink liquid. Chief Alu didn''t hesitate to fill two mugs with that beverage before handing one of them to Khan.


    "We consider it bad manners if you don''t look at your companion in the eyes when drinking," Chief Alu explained, and Khan quickly fixed his eyes on him.


    Chief Alu nodded and raised his cup to take a sip of the pink liquid. Khan did the same, and the two continued to look at each other during the action.


    A warm sensation spread through Khan''s mouth and throat as he drank the pink liquid. He immediately realized that the drink was similar to some of Earth''s liquors, but that small quantity didn''t manage to affect his mind.


    Khan had only tried booze to appease his curiosity. It had never been hard to find it in his house in the Slums, but he didn''t like it. Bret even was a constant reminder of how bad drinking could be, so Khan had always ignored that habit.


    Still, he knew how booze worked. The Niqols apparently didn''t have an age limit when it came to drinking, so Khan inevitably called upon his knowledge to remember how to avoid getting drunk. According to his memories, having a full belly would already keep him safe from that single cup.


    Chief Alu led Khan toward one of the couches. The two exchanged polite lines that mostly involved the differences between Earth and Nitis and the personalities of their respective Aduns after they sat and started conversing.


    Their conversation never became too serious since Chief Alu only had to entertain Khan and avoid that he remained alone while the celebration continued. The other Niqols had the same tasks, and all the humans ended up having casual chats with the aliens.


    Yeza and Liiza had also moved toward two couches divided by a small table. Captain Erbair and Lieutenant Kintea were in front of them and laughs often came out of their mouths. Only Liiza remained emotionless as she limited herself to nod and give short replies whenever the conversation required her to answer.


    Yeza eventually stood up, and the two humans immediately imitated her. She shot a warm smile toward them before clearing her throat and claiming everyone''s attention.


    "I think it''s time to move the event to its main topic," Yeza announced before tapping on an azure square on the ground with her white shoe and activating series of functions of the room.


    The squares on the four walls lit up and released faint beams that created a detailed image at the center of the room. The sheet containing the new agreement between the two species appeared and showed the various details that the superiors had added during the week after the hunt.


    The most striking feature of the agreement was its name. Its official title was "Padlyn''s deal", which obviously wanted to remind of Glenn''s sacrifice.


    "Humans will gain access to the Aduns'' nests starting from next week," Yeza announced while everyone was busy reading the sheet. "I hope that all of you succeed in taming our wonderful creatures."


    A curse inevitably resounded inside Khan''s mind when he realized that his private spot in the mountains with Liiza might become unsafe once other humans gained access to the Aduns. Still, he quickly calmed down since he believed that his girlfriend could find something equally nice in no time.


    "Many academies have also agreed to share their training areas," Yeza explained in her sweet voice while her glowing eyes moved through the room. "Friendly tournaments and joint activities will definitely happen in the next months."


    Captain Erbair and Lieutenant Kintea didn''t show surprised expressions during the explanation since their superiors had already informed them about the final state of the agreement. However, the recruits from both species widened their eyes when they learnt about all of that.


    "You can also gain access to our cities from now on," Yeza continued, "But you''ll still need an escort to explore them. Still, we''ll make sure to create a group in charge of the task."


    Yeza continued to speak and mentioned multiple topics that made the recruits happy about the new agreement. The humans could finally bring new buildings to Nitis and have more freedom on the planet. The Niqols even hinted at the chance to allow new human classes in the following years.


    All in all, the agreement was a huge step forward that made everyone get another cup of the pink liquid to celebrate.


    Khan politely offered to get it for Chief Alu, and the alien didn''t refuse. He remained on his couch while the boy approached the table and refilled both cups. Khan''s mug was still half-full, but the Niqols didn''t seem to mind that he was holding back from drinking.


    "You''ve finally met my mother," A familiar voice resounded from behind Khan, but he didn''t turn and continued to fill the cups.


    "Shouldn''t we avoid speaking here?" Khan whispered as Liiza waited for him to be over with the ladle.


    "This is a formal event meant to celebrate the relationship between our species," Liiza commented. "It would be strange if I didn''t speak to you. They might even punish me."


    Khan had offered to refill the cups after everyone had taken care of their drinks. No one stood near the tables since most plates were empty. He was alone with Liiza, and the others were too caught in their conversations to look at them.


    "She is your mother then," Khan replied while handing her the ladle.


    "What do you think about her?" Liiza said while filling her cup. "You must have taken a good look."


    "She is beautiful," Khan honestly replied, "But I''d still choose you over her."


    "I find it hard to believe it," Liiza commented. "My mother is one of the most beautiful women on the planet. I''m just a normal girl compared to her."


    "Tell that to my mana," Khan picked one of the cups and turned to fix his gaze on her eyes.


    "No reactions?" Liiza asked as she imitated him and remained with her cup in front of her mouth.


    "Not at all," Khan revealed before both of them took a short sip without breaking the stare.


    "What did you think when you saw us then?" Liiza timidly asked as she watched Khan picking the other cup and turning toward Chief Alu.


    "I wondered if you could bring that dress to the mountains," Khan revealed, and Liiza quickly turned toward the table to fill a plate.


    Khan returned to Chief Alu, but Liiza remained on the table with her head lowered on the plates. She appeared focused on picking her food, but the truth was that her cheeks had blushed after those words, and she had to hide them until the feeling ended.

 Chapter 107: Call

    The event went on peacefully, and Khan never ended up conversing about serious topics with Chief Alu. The two went on speaking about the Aduns, and the Niqols even revealed some tricks on how to handle those creatures.


    Two recruits led by two young Niqols approached Khan and Chief Alu''s couches before the duo could grow bored of those superficial talks. George and Natalie performed polite bows, and Chief Alu didn''t hesitate to stand up while giving voice to a gentle laugh.


    "I''ll stop boring you now," Chief Alu announced while bowing toward Khan. "This has been nice. Let''s go for a flight together at some point."


    Khan stood up and bowed while the four sat on the couches. The Niqols immediately started talking about the hunt and compliment Khan''s ability, and a light-hearted conversation began.


    It was clear that the two aliens had compelled George and Natalie to drink a bit. Natalie''s eyes appeared heavy, and her usual cold expression had disappeared to leave room for a broad smile. She even laughed often whenever George or the Niqols cracked a joke.


    George''s cheeks were slightly red, and he swayed left and right whenever his back left the couch. However, his words were still clear, and he never risked revealing classified information during the conversation.


    Khan limited himself to interact only when the Niqols directly talked with him, but he made sure never to appear distracted. Still, he didn''t fail to notice how the aliens often asked him to drink.


    Khan had to accept a few times, but he didn''t hesitate to refuse once the pink liquid started to make him feel lightheaded. It was easy in his situation to justify his rejection. He only needed to mention the Aduns to make the aliens give up on the matter.


    ''Do they want to get us drunk to see if we reveal something classified?'' Khan wondered while he kept his two companions in check without ignoring the two aliens.


    Drinking on Earth was legal from the age of sixteen, but that practice wasn''t popular among young recruits. It was even hard for them to find booze in the camp.


    Instead, the Niqols appeared relatively unaffected. Khan couldn''t understand if their species had a higher resistance to the liquid or if they had grown used to it over time. However, it was clear that the human group would have to leave soon before some recruits made the army lose face.


    Captain Erbair seemed to agree with Khan''s conclusions, and she soon stood up to announce her need to leave. Yeza didn''t try to convince her to stay, so the two exchanged polite bows while the Lieutenant gathered all the recruits.


    "You don''t need to lead the path," Captain Erbair announced after the group performed a formal salute and approached the elevators. "The Ugu remember the road."


    Khan could only nod at those words take a separate path after he recovered his uniform. The Niqols had cleaned it and folded it inside a backpack, so he didn''t need to change clothes before using the elevator that led to the roof.


    The decision to leave the celebration had been rather sudden, so Khan didn''t find Snow waiting for him when he reached the roof. Instead, he found a few young Niqols in the corner of the area encircled by a short metal fence.


    The Niqols seemed to panic when they heard the trapdoor opening, but they slightly relaxed when they noticed Khan coming out of it. Those aliens had been inside the event hall just a few minutes ago, but it seemed that their role had ended after the human group left.


    A trail of smoke was coming out from behind them, and a strange smell even filled the area. Still, Khan didn''t say anything as he went into the opposite corner of the roof. It was rather early since the celebration had lasted less than two hours, so noises still came out of the streets below.


    "You killed the monster, right?" One of the Niqols eventually asked while Khan was busy looking at the distant streets.


    "I did," Khan revealed while turning toward the group, "But I didn''t kill it on my own."


    The alien group had a boy and three girls. The male had been the one to speak before, and he wore a complicated expression when he moved his eyes between the trail of smoke and Khan.


    "I won''t say anything," Khan quickly announced, and the four revealed a smile at those words.


    "[He''s actually cute]," One of the girls said before her friends exploded into a laugh.


    "[You should hit on him]," A girl replied while suppressing a giggle. "[You might get a reward if you are the first Niqols to have sex with a human]!"


    The four laughed loudly, but the boy soon justified himself when he saw Khan studying their behavior. "We were talking about your technique. It was quite amazing."


    Khan revealed a fake smile. He didn''t know enough about the Niqols'' language to understand what they said, but he could sense that their words didn''t involve his martial art.


    "Hey, your planet has daylight, right?" The male Niqols eventually asked as the girls continued to speak among themselves.


    "It does," Khan replied.


    "Is it good?" The Niqols continued.


    "It''s quite good," Khan smiled as his eyes went on the dark sky. "It''s hard to describe it."


    "You don''t need to," The Niqols laughed. "Nitis will experience its first daylight after two thousand years soon. I can''t wait!"


    "How soon?" Khan asked as his eyebrows arched.


    That sounded like something classified. Khan didn''t even know if his superiors were aware of that event.


    "It should be a matter of mont-," The Niqols revealed before one of the girls pulled his arm and shot an admonishing gaze at him.


    "Don''t mind my words," The boy quickly added when he realized that he had said too much. "I had too much to drink, and¡­."


    The Niqols glanced at the trails of smoke coming out behind the girls before exploring into a laugh. Khan revealed a fake smile, but his eyes recorded everything. He noted in his mind that he had to learn more about that imminent event.


    An awkward atmosphere fell on the roof, but Snow soon arrived and saved Khan from those Niqols. The eagle wanted to go directly toward the mountains, but Khan made sure to make it fly toward the camp until the city was far away before changing direction.


    The faint effects that the pink liquid had started to cause on his body had vanished while he was on the roof. Khan felt in complete control of his senses while Snow shot through the sky and enjoyed itself. He only had to secure the backpack containing his uniform to his back before letting his eagle have as much fun as it wanted.


    Snow dropped Khan on the familiar flat spot. The area was empty, so Khan didn''t hesitate to sit on the ground and start the eleventh mental exercise.


    It didn''t take him much to fail. He still needed a while to complete one of the last steps before the Wave spell, but he didn''t feel dejected. Khan improved every day, and it seemed that no one had caught up with him for now.


    A dark figure eventually flew through the sky and encircled the mountain before dropping Liiza on the flat area. She was still wearing her dress, and a blush appeared on her face when she saw Khan standing up to stare at her.


    "You look good too," Liiza commented as a faint smile appeared on her face. "I''m glad they let you keep the robe."


    Khan didn''t speak. He took slow steps toward Liiza without moving his gaze away from her. Liiza gave voice to a cute laugh, but her expression soon turned serious when she understood Khan''s mood.


    "We should avoid today," Liiza whispered when Khan wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "We both drank. It''s not smart."


    Liiza refused Khan with her words, but her hands went on his hair soon as their bodies touched. She even started kissing him and pushing him toward the rocky wall.


    Khan''s back eventually hit the wall, and the two slowly sat as their hands made their clothes grow loose. Liiza left his face at some point, and the words she said made him almost go crazy.


    "It''s your job to stop me tonight," Liiza whispered while breathing roughly. "I know I won''t. Can I trust you?"


    Everything inside Khan begged him to find a way out of that conversation, but Liiza''s appeared really worried about her condition. She seemed scared about what she could do.


    "I''ll stop you," Khan promised, and Liiza dived on him again.


    Keeping the clothes on in that situation was impossible, but Khan mustered the entirety of his resolve to stop Liiza before she went too far. The process was basically torture for him since she appeared ready to go all the way. Yet, he didn''t forget his promise, and Liiza slowly calmed down as the effects of the pink liquid waned.


    "I''ve died a few times tonight," Khan sighed after the frenzy ended and Liiza opted for cuddles.


    Liiza had placed Khan''s robe over her while she sat between his legs. The situation didn''t help his arousal since they were both naked, but it was easier to endure that feeling since she wasn''t fighting his self-restraint now.


    "You did incredibly good," Liiza announced while kissing his chest and snuggling closer.


    "I''ve disappointed all the men in the world," Khan continued while wrapping his arms on Liiza''s naked waist. "I can see my ancestors shaking their heads."


    Liiza couldn''t help but explode into a laugh when she heard Khan''s disheartened voice. He was staring at the dark sky, but his mind kept playing the incredible scenes he had just experienced.


    "You know," Liiza timidly said after suppressing her laugh. "Two weeks aren''t nearly enough, and our different species makes everything worse. Yet, you have proven that I can trust you completely."


    Khan lowered his gaze and saw Liiza staring at him while her hand remained clawed to his chest. The robe had stopped covering part of her body, but he seemed unable to stop looking at her eyes.


    "Can we restart slowly?" Liiza asked while her hand slowly ran down his naked torso, but a frown suddenly appeared on her face.


    Liiza stopped her actions and placed her back on Khan''s chest as she pulled her other arm out of the robe. An azure symbol had appeared near her wrist, and its faint glow shone on the couple''s faces.


    "Dress up," Liiza quickly ordered while turning and kissing Khan. "We have to go."


    Khan remained in a daze when he saw Liiza leaving the cover of his robe and wearing her dress right in front of him. The girl blushed when she noticed his attentive gaze, but she forced herself not to stare too much between his legs when she explained what was happening.


    "My nanny has called," Liiza explained. "We must go now."


    Khan''s eyes lit up. He quickly called Snow as he straightened his position and wore his robe.


    The two soon found themselves standing near the edges of the flat area. Liiza was in Khan''s arms, and the couple didn''t speak as they stared at the dark environment.


    The arrival of the Aduns forced the two to separate. Liiza led Khan deeper into the mountain chain, into areas that he had never seen. The flight even lasted a few hours, and she descended only when a small forest appeared under them.


    Liiza seemed to have committed the environment to memory. The Aduns left the two on the ground, and she led Khan across the dark trees without ever questioning her steps. The couple sprinted through the forest and stopped only when they reached a large tree with a narrow cavity in its trunk.


    "Come," Liiza ordered while taking Khan''s hand and nearing the cavity.


    Khan struggled to enter that hole, but the path enlarged as a tunnel that led underground unfolded. A few burning torches even appeared as the two walked through the passage, and a large underground area appeared after a while.


    Khan could barely believe his eyes when he inspected the underground area. The rocky walls featured strange symbols that released a red light. The corpses of a few Tainted animals hung upside down from the ceiling. A huge cauldron even occupied a corner of the cave, and a Niqols with long red hair slept next to it.

 Chapter 108: Zalpa

    Everything about the cave felt off. The hung Tainted animals strangely were easier to accept than the glowing red symbols on the walls and the alien with hair that reminded Khan about blood.


    Khan had basically just arrived on Nitis, but he believed to have mastered the basics concerning Niqols, especially for what concerned their appearance and typical uses of mana.


    However, the scenes in the cave went against his knowledge. Nothing learnt in the past two weeks and before the travel to Nitis mentioned those blood-like red shades.


    "I never understood if she gets the human language," Liiza explained while tightening the grip on his hand and getting closer to him. "I''ll lead the conversation and translate. You follow my lead."


    Liiza''s words awakened the red-haired Niqols sleeping next to the cauldron. The alien sat on the ground and removed the dirty hair from her face to inspect her guests, and a disgusted expression soon appeared on her face.


    "[You didn''t tell me that he was a human]," The red-haired Niqols announced in a rough voice before spitting on the ground without breaking her eye contact with Khan.


    The Niqols was clearly old. Wrinkles filled the corner of her eyes, the space between her white eyebrows, and her forehead. An awful smell came out of her ragged dark-grey robe that featured many black stains, and a layer of dirt covered her soles.


    The old woman had long black fingernails on both fingers and toes, and her white eyes carried some scarlet shades that tainted the usual pure glowing gaze of the Niqols.


    Khan couldn''t help but think that her red shades weren''t natural. After all, her eyebrows and eyes still tried to stick to the Niqols'' innate features. Moreover, the odd reminder of blood caused by those dark-red colors made it feel like an artificial feature.


    "She''s happy to see you," Liiza said while caressing Khan''s arm.


    "I got that when she spat on the ground," Khan commented, but no anger managed to fill his mind since he saw how hard Liiza was trying to make that meeting succeed.


    Liiza was holding Khan''s right arm with both her hands. One of them squeezed his palm while the other caressed his elbow and made sure that it remained attached to her chest.


    Her expression even appeared quite resolute. Khan felt hopeless about the whole matter after experiencing the nightmares for so long, but Liiza didn''t hide her seriousness. She seemed willing to pay any price to help Khan.


    Warmth inevitably filled Khan. He felt unable to move his eyes from his girlfriend. Liiza''s resolute face tried to hide her worry and insecurities, and she was doing her best to support him even while those tumultuous feelings raged inside her.


    ''Maybe I''ve become too used to my suffering,'' Khan thought as he committed that scene to memory.


    Initially, Khan didn''t want to plan that meeting since it could endanger his relationship with Liiza. He had eventually accepted because his actions were creating cracks in their bond. Yet, a new reason appeared in his mind when he saw how deeply his girlfriend cared about that matter.


    Khan wanted to get better to make Liiza happy now. He couldn''t force himself to forget what he had learnt to endure, but he cared about her feelings enough to do what was best for his condition.


    The old Niqols'' mouth opened in a grimace when she studied the youngsters. Liiza''s fervor and Khan''s captivated expression felt cute and pure, but she hated it when she considered the boy''s species.


    "[You know that I hate humans, Lii]," The woman snorted. "[I would do anything for you, but helping them is too much]."


    "[I''m not asking you to help humans]," Liiza explained as her hand went on Khan''s chest and opened his robe to reveal the azure scar. "[I want you to hurt the Nak]."


    The disgusted expression on the woman''s face disappeared when the scar appeared in her vision. She quickly stood up and walked toward Khan to near her nose to his chest and sniff the tainted spot.


    The woman''s movements had been quite abrupt. They had almost triggered Khan''s instincts, but Liiza had made sure to remind him to stay still.


    "Zalpa was the best shaman of her time," Liiza explained while the woman''s nauseous odor surrounded the couple. "She understands mana in ways that the current healers of my species can''t even begin to comprehend."


    "I thought the relationship with the humans benefitted your species," Khan exclaimed while tilting his head once Zalpa started sniffing his neck.


    "Niqols became scared of sacrifices," Zalpa suddenly explained in a bad human accent before taking a step back while keeping her eyes on Khan''s chest. "They want to force mana into hands, but mana is free."


    Liiza appeared surprised that Zalpa could use the human language, but she didn''t forget to continue the explanation. "Our old ways often required a cost. We learnt how to remove that price by sacrificing a bit of our understanding."


    "[A bit]!" Zalpa snorted. "[You let the easy path tempt you]!"


    "She doesn''t seem happy," Khan commented.


    "She rarely was even back then," Liiza smiled while laying her head on Khan''s shoulder, "But she taught me about freedom. I would have never decided to stay with a human if it weren''t for her."


    Khan''s eyebrows arched in surprise, and his gaze toward Zalpa inevitably grew softer. The old Niqols hated humans, but he couldn''t see her in a bad light anymore after learning about that connection with Liiza.


    "[Can you understand what''s wrong with him]?" Liiza asked when she saw that Zalpa had started scratching her hair and mumbling with herself.


    "[Yes]," Zalpa replied before resuming her mumbling.


    "[Can you help him]?" Liiza continued in an excited voice.


    "[Maybe]," Zalpa gave another short answer before going back to her incoherent muttering.


    "[What is it then]?" Liiza asked when she saw that Zalpa didn''t appear inclined to approach the task.


    "[He is a human and a Nak]," Zalpa explained. "[Two reasons not to help him]."


    Khan actually understood the first line, and his expression inevitably darkened. Doctor Parket had already informed him about his peculiar condition, and he had yet to accept it completely.


    "[Please, Zaza]," Liiza asked in a pleading voice. "[Do it for me]."


    "[Why would you even go so far for a human]?" Zalpa snorted. "[I know that your mother made you dislike the Niqols, but he can''t feel like we do. He''s probably using you for his species or his urges]."


    "[He just held back from doing that]," Liiza explained as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. "[He even wanted to stay with his nightmares because this meeting put our relationship at risk]."


    Liiza''s voice grew sweeter as her explanation continued, and she even tried to get closer to Khan during the process. He understood almost nothing of her speech, but his eyes met Liiza''s gaze when he sensed the girl snuggling on his shoulder.


    Zalpa had learnt a bit about Khan''s situation in the past days. She knew about his condition, and her expression inevitably relaxed when she understood how caring he was toward Liiza.


    Zalpa eventually raised her hand and gestured to Khan to get closer. Liiza wore a broad smile and kissed his cheek before letting him walk toward the shaman, but the latter suddenly grabbed his robe and made him bend with her superhuman strength.


    "I know curses that kill your entire family," Zalpa whispered to Khan''s ear before slowly letting him straighten his back. "Are we clear?"


    "I won''t hurt her," Khan promised when Zalpa''s face reappeared in his vision.


    "Feelings don''t worry me," Zalpa snorted while turning toward the cauldron. "Niqols'' love is stronger than humans. She''ll happily get hurt in your place."


    "[Zaza]!" Liiza shouted from behind Khan as her blush intensified. "[We have been together for only two weeks]!"


    "[And you are already opening your legs]!" Zalpa snorted while bending inside the cauldron and throwing away various plants and other materials to clean its insides. "[I know you, Lii. You have never been so careless with the others]."


    Liiza scoffed and turned her gaze away, but Khan noticed how her blush continued to intensify. Her cheeks had almost lost their dark shades at that point.


    "You two must be really close," Khan laughed after that interaction ended.


    "She is an old hag who can''t accept progress," Liiza snorted.


    "She is a rebellious kid who likes humans due to her hate toward her mother," Zalpa replied in the same tone.


    "Zaza!" Liiza shouted as her timid gaze went on Khan. "I''m not with you because of my mother."


    "I know," Khan revealed a warm smile, but Zalpa suddenly pulled him to her side and turned him to face the cauldron.


    The bottom of the cauldron still had a few items. Khan recognized a few large black leaves, a glowing silver mineral, and a piece of wood that had peculiar scarlet lines on its dark surface.


    "Blood," Zalpa said while showing her palm to Khan.


    "What?" Khan asked in confusion, but Zalpa snorted, and her hand shot to grab his right wrist.


    Khan barely saw her movements. He found Zalpa holding his hand over the cauldron when he realized what had happened. Surprise filled his mind while he tried to guess the shaman''s power from the mana inside her body, but pain spread from his palm and distracted him from that inspection.


    Zalpa had opened a long cut on Khan''s palm with her fingernails. She had only needed her thumb to create an injury that made many drops of blood flow toward the bottom of the cauldron.


    Khan couldn''t pull his hand back. Zalpa''s grip was too firm and reminded him about his previous inspection. He found it hard to sense her power with his senses, but she felt more dangerous than Lieutenant Dyester in that situation.


    A barrier seemed to cover her figure and stop Khan from understanding her actual level. Still, that alone proved how strong Zalpa was. She clearly was an expert in mana.


    Zalpa placed her free hand on the dark-bronze side of the cauldron while Khan''s blood continued to fall on the items in its insides. Then, a red glow started to fill the metal until it slowly stretched toward the materials and made them melt.


    Khan watched the silver mineral and the piece of wood melting before submerging his blood and the leaves. The pale-red liquid that came out of that mixture continued to rise until it filled the entire cauldron and created a clear surface once it reached its edges.


    The liquid turned into a pale-red mirror that reflected Khan and Zalpa''s faces. It was so dense that no ripples appeared on its surface. Khan even wondered whether it had solidified at some point.


    "Lii, don''t you want to watch?" Zalpa shouted as she sniffed the pale-red mirror and let go of Khan''s hand.


    "I don''t know if I h-," Liiza started to say in a timid tone, but Khan promptly interrupted her.


    "Don''t worry," Khan announced while turning toward her. "I have nothing to hide."


    Khan even gave voice to a faint "thanks" when he turned to face the cauldron. He had understood that Zalpa had used the human language on purpose with her previous question, but she only snorted at his word.


    "What should I do now?" Khan asked after Liiza approached the cauldron.


    "Drink to create mental connection," Zalpa explained. "Revive the dream while pouring mana into the cauldron. Can you do that?"


    Khan hesitated a bit before nodding. Pouring mana wasn''t a problem. His only issue was with the strange liquid, but he didn''t mind it too much after recalling what the Slums had forced him to eat.


    Liiza took Khan''s hand in her grasp while he bent toward the cauldron. A cold sensation spread through his lips when they touched the liquid, and that feeling spread through his throat when he took a short sip.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to make mana flow out of his free hand after he straightened his back. The familiar scenes of the nightmare appeared in his vision as his energy entered the cauldron''s metal and flowed inside the pale-red liquid.


    Then, faint images started to materialize on the calm surface. Both Liiza and Zalpa became able to witness the memories of the Second Impact that had afflicted Khan for almost twelve years.

 Chapter 109: Doubts

    Khan''s expression grew cold as he reviewed those familiar images. He had accepted the nightmares as part of his existence, but he had never managed to grow used to those memories.


    The pain, fear, and desperation felt during that tragedy reappeared inside his mind as the images gained some clarity and started flowing forward. Those sensations even felt more intense now, but Khan blamed the dense pale-red liquid for that.


    Liiza gasped when the mirror showed the Nak coming out of the crater. Her grasp on Khan''s hand tightened when she saw the bleeding injury on his chest, and her expression darkened once the alien stretched one of its six fingers toward him.


    Khan''s nightmare always ended at that point, but a frown appeared on his face when the scene continued. An azure halo covered the Nak''s hand before filling the images reflected in the mirror.


    "Are these my memories?" Khan quickly asked.


    "I can''t show you what your mind doesn''t contain," Zalpa replied.


    Shock filled Khan''s mind. His entire world fell apart. Those new scenes meant that he had seen a mere incomplete nightmare for the past years. However, the surprises didn''t end there.


    The wound on his chest started to close as an azure halo continued to fill those memories. The scar that Khan still carried appeared in the mirror, but strands of hair that featured the same shades slowly fell in front of his eyes and partially covered the scenes.


    Khan instinctively let go of Liiza''s hand to check his hair. It had become long enough to reach his eyes if he stretched it, but he only saw black strands. The azure hair depicted in the memories was nowhere to be seen.


    Liiza understood that something was off, but the images shown on the cauldron were too captivating to risk missing even a slight detail. She had never seen such a vivid representation of a Nak either, so she couldn''t divert her attention at all.


    In the memories, Khan''s azure hair continued to grow as those shades intensified. The entire world became azure as the Nak took slow steps toward him.


    Many details of the world disappeared as the azure color became too blinding. The trio only managed to see the Nak''s silhouette reaching Khan and bending toward him to place its huge hand on his head.


    The memories didn''t go dark when that huge palm covered kid Khan''s vision. The azure color continued to fill them, and faint shapes slowly appeared as the light in certain spots intensified.


    Shining and pale azure figures moved on the mirror to create a unique scene. The trio saw a blinding circular spot encircled by multiple thin rings that featured small spheres.


    The light radiated by the rings grew dimmer depending on the distance from the central circular spot. They eventually became so vague that they mixed with the pale-azure color of the scenery.


    The images started moving after everything took its place. The rings, the tiny spheres, and the central large spot began to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise. There didn''t seem to be a specific reason for their direction, but Zalpa understood something that Khan and Liiza couldn''t get from that scene.


    "[This is a solar system]," Zalpa explained as shock filled her expression.


    "What did she say?" Khan asked without moving his eyes from the scene.


    "This scene resembles a solar system," Liiza promptly translated.


    The scene continued to move until everything started to go dark. Blackness appeared at the cauldron''s edges and moved toward its center until the mirror returned to its pale-red color.


    "You can take away your hand now," Zalpa announced, and her voice wasn''t as rough as before.


    "Khan?" Liiza asked while placing a hand on Khan''s shoulder when she saw that he didn''t move even after Zalpa''s reminder.


    Khan ignored the nature of his feelings. His mind felt too messy to understand what was happening in its insides.


    Khan had founded his entire life on his nightmares. He had survived the harsh life in the Slums and had waited until he reached the enlistment age to join the army and look for the Nak.


    The Slums had forced him to learn how to lie, pretend, lower his head, and accept injustices, but he had gone past them without losing his ability to smile. His personality featured evident cracks due to the intense desperation caused by the nightmares, but he was still himself, and he wasn''t crazy.


    Yet, his nightmares had turned out to be incomplete. Actually, they only featured the least important parts of the Second Impact. They didn''t show how the Nak had healed his injury, and they didn''t even carry that significant last scene.


    Khan didn''t manage to think about the meaning behind those scenes right away because other details were too shocking to ignore. The growing azure hair forced him to think about his father. Bret had never revealed anything about that, but it felt obvious that he had found Khan in that state.


    ''Why didn''t he tell me?'' Khan couldn''t help but wonder.


    Bret was the second pillar on which Khan had founded his life before the enlistment in the Global Army. The nightmares gave him endless desperation, but his father was a source of truth. Khan had never once doubted his words, and that seemed a mistake now.


    Khan could quickly find the truth in some of Bret''s words since Doctor Parket had confirmed them after he joined the Global Army. His body wasn''t mutating anymore. Something had happened during the Second Impact, but his condition was stable, and he was a proper human. Some of his features resembled the Nak, but that was it.


    The Doctor had confirmed that Bret had really suppressed the mutations, but the whole story seemed to miss some details now. Khan had accepted every explanation without thinking too much about them in the past. Yet, he started to question some of them after witnessing the entirety of his memories.


    ''Did we really have to forsake our name due to the expenses of my treatment?'' Khan wondered. ''Was it dad''s fault that my nightmares were incomplete? Is he aware of the solar system?''


    Khan didn''t exclude anything. He didn''t know the full extent of human technology, but he didn''t underestimate it either. Moreover, his father had been the previous head of the scientific department of the Global Army as a mere first-level warrior. His talent had to go beyond what his peers could understand. There was a high chance that Bret had managed to see his memories, including the solar system.


    Khan reached conclusions only to find new doubts. The previous reasoning made him wonder whether Bret was really a mere first-level warrior.


    Everything in his life suddenly felt fake. Every explanation led to more questions, and eventual answers only made him doubt what he knew even more.


    Khan abruptly left the cauldron, ignoring that Liiza''s worried gaze never left him. He walked through the cave as countless thoughts filled his mind. He couldn''t find peace. Nothing seemed able to bring stability. His foundation had crumbled and had turned him into a mass of doubts that didn''t go anywhere.


    Zalpa continued to stare at the pale-red liquid. Her face didn''t reveal any emotion. She seemed deep into her thoughts as she reviewed the images that she had just witnessed.


    Meanwhile, Liiza didn''t know how to react to what she had just learnt. She knew that Khan had suffered quite a lot in his life, but seeing the actual scenes he had to experience every night left her stunned.


    Liiza had developed a cold and aloof character due to the conflicts with her mother and her species. She was quite rebellious, but she could still decide to open up if the situation required it. However, her feats were nothing more than child''s play compared to Khan.


    Khan had literally gone through hell, and not only once. The scenes depicted by the cauldron were only the first of the harsh aspects of his life. They didn''t consider the Slums, and they didn''t even involve Istrone''s crisis.


    Liiza didn''t know much about the latter, but she was aware that he had suffered there. She had even seen his first trauma now. It was hard to believe that Khan could still smile and care so much about others after everything he had gone through.


    Khan''s resolve to never slack was commendable. It showed his resilience in front of traumas and challenges. Yet, in Liiza''s mind, his ability to enjoy some aspects of his life after those traumas was his best aspect. She couldn''t even imagine how strong he had to be to succeed in those feats.


    Still, that strong character seemed on the verge of falling apart now. Khan walked up and down the cave as he tried to find the faintest trace of stability in his life. He suddenly found himself without footholds. He couldn''t understand what was real anymore, and he didn''t even know who he could trust.


    Khan eventually hit something when he turned again. The impact took him by surprise and made him angry, but his feelings froze when he saw Liiza scratching her nose and revealing a sad smile.


    Khan had bumped into her, but she didn''t say anything about that. She limited herself to smile in a desperate attempt to make him understand that she was there if he needed her.


    Khan opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out of it. He tried to say something multiple times, but he always failed. He eventually gave up on the matter and sat on the ground while releasing a helpless sigh.


    Liiza slowly kneeled in front of him, being careful not to touch him. Khan didn''t look at her. His eyes were wide open as they stared at the ground and saw images that only his mind could generate.


    Liiza mustered her courage and placed her hands on his cheeks. She tilted his face to make his eyes point at her, and Khan eventually focused on his worried girlfriend. She was doing her best to show a plain and peaceful expression, but it was clear that she didn''t know what to do in that situation either.


    "I''m lost," Khan whispered while using the white glow of Liiza''s eyes to maintain his concentration. "I don''t know what to believe anymore. Everything feels fake now."


    "I can help you find what''s real," Liiza announced.


    "Please," Khan almost begged her, and Liiza quickly cleared her throat to suppress the slight tremor in her voice.


    "I''m real," Liiza explained, "Snow is real, your feats among the humans are real, your power is real, and your feelings are also real."


    Liiza placed a hand on Khan''s uncovered chest before continuing. "Your heart doesn''t lie. I heard it when you meditate, when you are with me, and when you flew for the first time. You would like those aspects of your life even without the Nak."


    Khan couldn''t help but take Liiza''s hand in his grasp, and she revealed the most beautiful smile that he had ever seen at that point. She carefully bent toward him, and Khan helped her sitting on his lap.


    "It feels that I''m back to square one," Khan revealed while laying his head on Liiza''s chest. "Why did the Nak even save me? What was that solar system?"


    Liiza didn''t have answers to his questions, so she limited herself to take Khan''s head between her arms. Her slow heartbeat resounded in Khan''s ear as she carefully caressed his hair and left soft kisses on his forehead.


    "Someone must know," Liiza eventually said. "I''ll help you find answers. The knowledge of two species is at our disposal. How hard can it be to find a single solar system?"


    "The Nak have probably seen thousands of different solar systems," Zalpa suddenly announced as she turned toward the couple. "Finding a specific one among their immense knowledge might take decades."


    Liiza glared at Zalpa, but Khan shook his head while lightly squeezing her hand. He only wanted truths now, no matter how harsh they could be.


    "I think the position of the solar system isn''t important," Zalpa continued while ignoring the couple. "You should focus on why the Nak has implanted that image in your brain. If you ask me, it wanted you to go there."

 Chapter 110: Stroll

    "Why would they do that?" Khan asked. "How is it even clear?"


    Khan was desperate for answers, and Zalpa seemed to have them. He didn''t know how the Niqols could feel so certain about a mere inspection of the nightmare, but he was willing to accept everything in his current situation.


    "The dreams aren''t natural," Zalpa shortly explained. "The Nak wanted you to have them."


    Zalpa''s behavior appeared far kinder now. She couldn''t remain biased about Khan after witnessing what he dreamed every night. She hated humans, but she wasn''t heartless, especially in front of a young man who had gone through so much suffering.


    The trio fell silent after that revelation. The Nak had implanted that image in Khan''s mind, but maybe it wasn''t aware of the consequences that the event would cause to his mental state.


    Doubts were stronger than truths right now. Khan, Liiza, and Zalpa could only come up with reasonable hypotheses, but they couldn''t prove much.


    "Lie there," Zalpa eventually said while pointing at the center of the cave. "I''ll run tests."


    Liiza nodded as soon as Khan turned toward her, and the couple separated. Khan lay on the cold terrain, and Zalpa didn''t refrain from doing what she wanted with him.


    Zalpa directly removed Khan''s robe and left him with nothing more than pants while she played with the cauldron and the other materials in the cave.


    The alien took some of Khan''s azure hair, dropped dense blood on his skin to study its reaction, drew complicated runes next to the scar to trigger the power that it contained. She did everything in her power to understand the nature of Khan''s mutations, and her discoveries led to conclusions that no one in the cave could appreciate.


    "Your mutations are seamless," Zalpa explained when she gestured to Khan that he could dress up. "It almost appears that you don''t have any, even if it''s clear that you aren''t completely human anymore. Still, I''m surprised that you could return to this form. Earth must have powerful shamans."


    Khan inevitably thought about his father. Zalpa''s words relieved part of his worry, but his doubts still resisted. He had never questioned Bret''s love and ability. The issue was with his intentions and secrets.


    "So, what exactly am I?" Khan asked after straightening his position and checking his phone.


    The first morning of his third week on Nitis had arrived. Khan was still in time to attend the afternoon classes if he flew back to the camp in the next hours.


    "Who knows?" Zalpa announced. "The other shaman''s work makes you hard to read, but there is something else. Your body actively hides your mutations. I believe you can study them only from the inside."


    "I''ve been in this state for almost twelve years," Khan commented. "I have no idea how to look for what''s wrong inside me."


    "I think everything would naturally become clear as your power increases," Zalpa explained. "You would have unlocked the map on your own at some point. The same should be true for the other mutations."


    ''Getting stronger is mandatory then,'' Khan sighed in his mind.


    Khan still struggled to understand how he had to feel. His life didn''t change in the end. He still had to pursue the same goals set before enlisting in the Global Army. However, everything else in his view had changed.


    "Don''t you have some shaman way to make me stronger quickly?" Khan eventually asked while looking around the cave. "Can''t you teach me something?"


    Zalpa fixed her eyes on Khan before exploding into a loud laugh. Her voice was so coarse that she started to cough at some point, but she quickly cleared her throat and calmed down.


    "Don''t get the wrong idea, human," Zalpa sneered. "I helped you because Lii cares about you. I pity you a bit, but I don''t care whether you live or die. Maybe I''m more toward the dying side so that the rebellious child can end up with a good Niqols."


    Khan could only sigh at those words. He didn''t feel too disappointed, especially since adding new stuff to learn would only turn his schedule more hellish. He was already sacrificing his interactions inside the camp to keep up with everything. A new training program would force him to stop sleeping again.


    "Get out now," Zalpa suddenly ordered. "Daylight is coming, and I have a lot to prepare."


    Zalpa''s words reminded Khan of the conversation with the Niqols on the roof from the previous night. According to them, Nitis would experience its first daylight after two thousand years of darkness in the next months.


    "Prepare for what?" Khan immediately asked while moving his gaze between Liiza and Zalpa. "Will something happen?"


    "Zaza believes in the old legends," Liiza explained after heaving a helpless sigh. "Niqols don''t have many records of the past daylight, but they are keeping the entire planet in check as the event approaches. Nothing strange is happening."


    "[Fools]!" Zalpa snorted. "The entire planet evolved in darkness. Daylight will cause a catastrophe. The old texts are clear!"


    "We still sent sacrifices to the Aduns two thousand years ago," Liiza shook her head. "How can you trust anything recorded in those texts?"


    "You''ll see in a few months," Zalpa exclaimed before her expression grew worried. "Promise me that you''ll be in a safe place when the light arrives. Bring the human along even as long as you prepare yourself."


    Liiza rolled her eyes, but she eventually nodded. Zalpa crossed her arms at that point, and the couple understood that their time to go had arrived.


    "I didn''t want to keep the daylight matter from you," Liiza revealed in a timid voice as soon as the couple returned into the corridor. "I wanted to make you a surprise."


    Liiza hid her face when she said those words, but Khan heard the faint excitement in her voice. He waited until the duo climbed their way back to the surface to pull her arm and make her turn toward him.


    "Are you excited about the daylight?" Khan asked when he saw Liiza''s pout.


    "How could I not be?" Liiza snorted. "I''ve never seen anything like that in my entire life. Though, I don''t know how I would look outside the darkness."


    Khan revealed a faint smile before shaking his head and reaching for Liiza''s cheek. Yet, the latter grabbed his wrist and shot an admonishing gaze toward him.


    "Don''t even try," Liiza exclaimed in a firm voice. "There won''t be any consoling me until you are better."


    Khan''s smile broadened, but his expression grew sadder. He had calmed down, but his situation didn''t improve at all. Liiza had helped him establishing some stable aspects of his life, but the path ahead continued to appear grim.


    A long conversation with Bret appeared mandatory, but Khan didn''t know if he felt ready to have it. His father had probably lied to him for years, so nothing could stop him from doing it again.


    Khan silently accepted that he was nothing more than a kid immersed in a complicated world. His seven months in the army weren''t enough to give him enough experience in everything that happened in the universe.


    A conversation with his father right now wouldn''t lead to anything. Khan had to grow as a man and soldier to face him properly, which required more experience and years.


    Lieutenant Dyester had warned him about the secrets and details that the Global Army refused to disclose to the public. Khan had already decided to climb the ranks and gain enough clearance to gain access to those reports, but the matter appeared mandatory now.


    The sadness in Khan''s eyes intensified while he silently decided that remaining on alien planets was the quickest way to gain merits. Returning to Earth would only slow him down.


    ''I hope they will let me stay on Nitis,'' Khan sighed in his mind as his eyes fell on the stunning Niqols who was trying to do everything in her power to improve his situation.


    His life was a broken mess, but he had managed to find faint happiness inside it anyway. The issues involving the different species, cultures, and politics suddenly lost any meaning when Khan placed his situation next to Liiza''s resolute face.


    Those problems felt so pointless when he considered his problems. Khan wasn''t even seventeen, but he had already seen enough to make all the political issues lose value in his mind. They were nothing more than petty things that the rest of the world held in high regard for reasons that he struggled to understand right now.


    "What is it?" Liiza asked when she saw that Khan was lost in his thoughts.


    "I think I''m in love with your dress," Khan said in a calm voice.


    Liiza blushed before complaining loudly. "And I was even worried about you!"


    Liiza let go of Khan''s wrist and turned to leave the forest, but she stopped and glanced back at him when she saw that he wasn''t moving.


    "Aren''t you coming?" Liiza asked in a concerned tone.


    "I was just looking at you," Khan smiled and walked toward her before taking her hand. "I don''t have to return to the camp right away. Do you mind if we walk like this for a while?"


    Liiza revealed a sweet smile and stared a Khan''s eyes for a few seconds before nodding and clinging to his arm.


    The two walked slowly toward the edges of the forest. They didn''t speak nor hurry back. Khan didn''t want to use his time left to go back to the intense kissing from last night. He felt the need to make the pieces of his life that he could trust solidify in his mind, and having Liiza next to him in those moments helped in ways that she couldn''t imagine.


    Snow and Liiza''s Aduns were already waiting for the couple at the edge of the forest. The two eagles even looked away when the couple exchanged a long kiss and a meaningful stare before separating to jump on their rides.


    The meeting with Zalpa had revealed more than just Khan''s problems. The interaction between Liiza and the Niqols had shown what the couple already knew. Liiza and Khan''s feelings were intensifying, and they both knew where they were going.


    The flight back to the familiar mountains where the Aduns separated felt good. Khan forgot about his many problems as the wind blew in his face. He let Snow go crazy to experience the adrenaline generated by the reckless eagle, and his intense sensations suppressed the issues that afflicted his mind.


    It felt good to be alive. Khan could experience so many wonderful things even if immense problems tried to devour him from the inside.


    His father had probably lied to him for years, but how could he feel angry when he could fly freely across the sky?


    The same Nak who had caused the Second Impact had saved his life before forcing him to experience years of nightmares. However, using mana felt good, and being strong was even better. Khan rejoiced whenever he performed a perfect execution. His confidence even increased after every victory or feat.


    Could he even hate the Nak after discovering that part of his talent came from that tragedy? Khan didn''t have a clear answer to that question, but he knew that his desperation wouldn''t simply disappear. Yet, he could change how he approached that feeling. After all, he could train harder than others due to the mindset obtained after years of nightmares.


    His experiences on Istrone had turned him into a murderer. Khan had killed mercilessly and had suffered from the all-devouring emptiness that the act had generated. However, his achievements in the rebellion had granted him access to Nitis and had allowed him to meet Liiza.


    The good aspects of his life couldn''t make him see his tragedies in a positive light, but they helped him deal with them. Khan had goals, things that he liked, and could still experience intense feelings. His efforts had to be on making sure that his pain didn''t prevent him from appreciating what he had.


    ''I think I get it now,'' Khan thought as he imagined to speak with Lieutenant Dyester. ''It''s not about forgetting the bad or focusing only on the good. It''s about acceptance.''


    Life could suck, but it was worth living as long as he could pursue what he liked. It didn''t matter if his interests only involved martial arts, aliens, flights, and Liiza. They were enough to keep his crumbled self into one piece, and he would do everything in his power to protect them.

 Chapter 111: Interactions

    The atmosphere in the camp was quite hectic. Khan saw the members of his class enjoying their lunch outside the fence as cheerful laughs resounded among them. Paul, a few soldiers, the Lieutenant, and some professors were also having happy conversations on the streets among the buildings.


    It was clear that the overall mood had improved after the formal celebration. The recruits had grown closer, and the superiors had relaxed after the relationship between the two species had improved. Rewards were bound to arrive on Nitis, and everyone felt happy about that.


    Khan made Snow land near his class. He knew that he had ignored them for too long, and the ability to create a decent social network in every environment was one of the skills required by the ambassadors.


    George and the other recruits tried to establish a relationship with Khan, but he had been too busy with his training and Liiza. His behavior had probably even offended them, so it was up to him to mend that situation.


    "The hero of the hunt is here!" George laughed when he saw Khan jumping off the Aduns, petting it a few times, and turning to walk toward the group.


    "Is your sword okay?" Khan asked while reaching the group enjoying their picnic.


    The recruits couldn''t help but notice that Khan didn''t change at all from the previous night. His white robe even had stains due to his intimate time with Liiza and the events with Zalpa.


    Khan didn''t bother changing. He had a uniform in his backpack, but it would have been hard to justify him wearing clean clothes after spending an entire night outside. Moreover, the robe covered his body better, which was quite important due to the marks that Liiza had left on his neck.


    "It still cuts," George shrugged his shoulders. "I wanted to get a new one anyway. This alloy is struggling to keep up with my improvements."


    "What do you even do every night outside?" Sonia asked before Khan could lead the conversation toward other topics. "Is handling Aduns really so annoying?"


    The recent step forward in the relationship between the two species had opened the Aduns to the humans. The recruits could finally get their flying mounts and abandon the Ugu, but doubts inevitably appeared when they saw how Khan behaved.


    "They are quite independent actually," Khan explained.


    "Why do you spend so much outside then?" Sonia continued.


    Only Sonia seemed to have enough guts to question Khan so openly, and the other recruits pretended not to notice her behavior.


    It was clear that the matter with Glenn had affected her a lot. Khan couldn''t see the girl''s usual smile anymore. Sonia didn''t even play with her knife but kept her sightly angry gaze fixed on him.


    "The bed is too comfortable," Khan lied while diverting his gaze. "I prefer to stay in the open. I''m not trapped there."


    The faint anger shooting out of Sonia''s eyes disappeared in front of that answer. The other recruits even showed surprising expressions. Only George wore a sad smile as Istrone''s memories reappeared in his vision.


    The recruits didn''t expect Khan to hint at traumas connected to Istrone. That sudden burst of fake honesty left them speechless and even made them justify part of Khan''s eccentric behavior.


    "The Global Army has good specialists for that," Natalie suddenly commented. "There is no shame in seeing them."


    "That''s something you can say to others," George snorted while lowering his gaze. "You didn''t see Istrone. The hunt was child''s play compared to what we''ve experienced there, but Khan has never faltered. We would all be dead if it weren''t for him."


    "The Kred really hated us," Khan vaguely exclaimed as his eyes remained fixed in the distance.


    Khan was pretending in that situation, but Istrone''s scenes still reappeared in his mind. The blood, the corpses, the angry cries of the alien family, everything returned and reminded him of what he had done. However, his mind didn''t waver now.


    Khan had finally started to accept the nature of his actions. He had stopped applying human values to those scenes. He had even stopped considering them in terms of good and evil.


    He wouldn''t have experienced the faint happiness that tried to sort out his shattered life without his merciless actions on Istrone. Khan felt as if he had paid the price to seize what he currently had.


    Discovering the map and the matters about his father had left Khan broken, but he had started to believe that he would get something out of it sooner or later. He didn''t know the nature of his reward yet, but even his current acceptance felt like a good starting point.


    ''My advantages come from traumas and my happiness from the blood on my hands,'' Khan sighed in his mind. ''I wonder if I can escape this system once I become stronger.''


    "Our control over Istorne has intensified after the rebellion," Harris revealed while Khan and George remained silent. "It won''t take much before the incident becomes history. I believe our relationship with the Kred will flourish again at some point."


    George and Khan revealed faint smiles at that announcement, but they both suppressed the vague sadness that tried to fill their expressions. They had learnt about how cursed Istrone could be for the Kred. Those aliens couldn''t let go of their grudge.


    "Don''t be scared when the time comes for you to get your Aduns," Khan announced while changing the topic of the conversation. "The eagles will put you through a test, but they won''t attack you. Your focus must be on not falling."


    The recruits couldn''t help but show smiles. Khan had just helped them out of pure goodwill. Their idea of him inevitably improved and made them frown when they saw him turning toward the camp.


    "Will you attend the lessons?" George asked.


    "We are here to learn," Khan gave voice to a faint laugh, and his eyebrows arched when he saw George standing up.


    "Breaks don''t suit me," George vaguely explained.


    His gesture inspired other recruits to stand up and gather around the two boys. They couldn''t slack when those who had suffered far more than them were willing to go past their pain and attend to their duties.


    "Let''s go then," Khan happily ordered. "We don''t want to be late."


    Paul''s surprised expression welcomed the small group back into the camp. The soldier saw Khan walking in the lead of a bunch of recruits and leading them toward the building that featured the lessons.


    Lieutenant Kintea couldn''t help but take note of that event. Captain Erbair had given a long and justified break, but it seemed that Khan''s influence had made the recruits prioritize their instruction over their free time.


    The situation wasn''t as simple as it looked, but Lieutenant Kintea didn''t care about the details. He saw Khan inspiring recruits to resume their lessons, and that was enough to write a positive report about his character.


    The rest of the afternoon went by peacefully. The recruits who had decided to attend the lessons even questioned Khan about the Aduns during the short breaks.


    Khan didn''t hold anything back. He described the test and the things that he had learnt after flying with Snow for two weeks. The recruits initially struggled to believe in the mental connection with the eagle, but Khan proved his point by showing how Snow dived toward the camp as soon as he left the building.


    "It won''t understand proper words," Khan explained as Snow lowered its head and allowed him to pet its neck properly, "But it will get your feelings. Well, you''ll understand what I mean soon enough."


    The recruits behind him showed grateful expressions and evident respect after spending that afternoon with him. They had seen how attentive he was during the lessons. They had even learnt a lot about the Aduns thanks to him.


    Khan was succeeding in creating the image of a perfect soldier in their minds. He was reliable in battle, driven during the training and lessons, and didn''t hold back from helping his peers. Everyone started to think that climbing the ranks was only a matter of time for him.


    "Is it really impossible to make you come with us tonight?" George asked as Khan climbed on his Aduns. "We are even working on contacting the Niqols to get our hands on the booze. Having you would make everything easier."


    "I like to train in the mountains," Khan lied. "You''ll understand what I say after you see them."


    George shook his head, but the other recruits had only smiles for Khan. The girls even shot strange glances at him. They couldn''t help but like the valiant aura that had fallen on him after he sat on his mount. Their only complaint was Khan''s clear ignorance toward his dirty clothes, but they could ignore that after seeing the muscles lying under them.


    "I''ll see you tomorrow," Khan announced, and Snow began to flap its wings, but a siren suddenly resounded from every building in the camp.


    Snow initially panicked, but Khan promptly sent calm emotions through the mental connection and made it able to ignore the loud noise. Still, a frown appeared on his face, and his eyes didn''t hesitate to focus on the figure hurrying toward the group.


    "I hope you are all ready to depart," Paul announced after reaching the group. "We have just received a distress signal from the higher-ups of the Niqols. They have openly requested the help of all the human troops on the planet."


    "What is happening?" Khan quickly asked while continuing to pet Snow.


    "It seems that monsters have started to appear everywhere on the planet," Paul explained as evident worry filled his face. "The Niqols have already confirmed the presence of ten dangerous creatures in the area, and their number continues to increase."


    Paul''s phone rang at that point, and the soldier''s eyes widened when he read the message on the screen. His voice became grave as he announced the contents of the text. "They are eleven now."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I wanted to focus a bit more on Khan''s mindset for these chapters. It didn''t feel right to make everything move forward without explaining how his mind was evolving after the recent discoveries. Hope you enjoyed it.

 Chapter 112: Pee

    The announcement left everyone speechless, especially Khan, who knew exactly how rare the event could be. The appearance of one monster already was an incredible occasion. Having to deal with eleven of them at the same time was something that went beyond unreasonable and impossible.


    Moreover, that number only kept track of the monsters in the area. Paul didn''t reveal how many of those creatures had appeared on the planet, but it was clear that the situation was far from ideal. Nitis was going through a catastrophic event.


    "I''m sending coordinates to your phones," Paul announced while tapping on his device without looking at the screen. "We must divide ourselves and depart as soon as possible to help with the monsters. This is different from your previous hunt. Every human on Nitis will help deal with this threat."


    Heavy steps echoed in the area as soon as Paul finished his line. The recruits couldn''t help but turn toward the source of that noise and notice Captain Erbair walking toward the camp''s exit while wearing a stern expression.


    "Lieutenant Kintea is preparing a Ugu for you, ma''am!" Paul promptly exclaimed when the Captain passed near the group.


    "I won''t use a Ugu," Captain Erbair replied in a firm tone before charging toward the exit.


    The sudden acceleration generated gales that almost pushed the recruits backward. Captain Erbair''s had the size of a giant who could surpass Khan''s speed, and her sprint made tremors spread through the ground.


    Her giant figure left the camp and disappeared inside the plain in an instant. Paul and the recruits could only remain silent as they witnessed the strongest human on Nitis joining the hunts.


    Notifications arrived on their phones right after that event. Paul had sent a map featuring the various monsters'' locations, but three of them quickly turned yellow and showed Captain Erbair''s name when tapping them. It seemed that the soldier had already chosen her targets.


    The monsters chosen by Captain Erbair weren''t far nor close. They stood in the middle of the other creatures in the area, and Paul didn''t hesitate to explain the reason behind that choice.


    "We will go toward the closest monsters," Paul ordered. "Create four groups quickly and start gathering your Ugu."


    Paul then turned toward Khan before continuing. "Khan, you are the only one who can reach the monsters far away on time. Teams of Niqols are already approaching them, but they will probably need help."


    "Roger that," Khan exclaimed before patting Snow''s neck.


    The eagle sensed Khan''s feelings and promptly spread its wings to leave the ground. The duo didn''t waste even a single second in that situation, and Paul limited himself to say some last words while the creature rose into the sky.


    "Don''t try to be a hero!" Paul shouted. "Helping the Niqols is important, but this isn''t our planet. The humans can use this chance to justify eventual reinforcements."


    The dirty feeling that usually accompanied those political schemes appeared inside Khan as he flew high in the sky and set off toward one of the distant targets.


    Khan didn''t know how such a catastrophic event was even possible, but he hated that the Global Army had already thought of a way to exploit it. The crisis would endanger both Niqols and humans, but Paul''s first idea was on the chance to send more troops on Nitis.


    Khan hated even more that he had to learn how to develop that mindset. An ambassador needed to find the path that would benefit the Global Army in every situation, even in a planetary crisis that could make both species pay a steep price.


    The sole thought that Liiza could be part of that price made his mind grow cold. Khan wanted the Global Army to give its full support to the Niqols to prevent harsh consequences, but he knew that the humans would prioritize future benefits.


    Khan had to take the matter into his own hands to reduce the dangers faced by the Niqols. He could get over the death of strangers, but he wouldn''t forgive himself if his lack of efforts led to consequences that his mind didn''t even want to consider.


    Snow flew as fast as possible and without wasting time performing useless moves. It crossed the sky at a speed that Ugu couldn''t even imagine and reached the first destination in a little less than an hour.


    Finding the actual location of the monster turned out to be relatively easy. Khan saw fire spreading across a small mountain under him. The flames tried to devour the short vegetation that covered the structure and illuminated small dark figures that encircled a scarlet shape.


    A faint tremor ran through Snow''s back when its eyes caught a glance of the scarlet figure. Khan could feel its fear through the mental connection, but he still ordered it to dive toward the fiery creature.


    Snow folded its wings before spreading them once the ground became dangerously close. The Aduns didn''t get too close to the flames, but Khan couldn''t complain after sensing its feelings.


    "Wait for me," Khan ordered while patting Snow''s neck to calm it down. "We have more monsters to kill today."


    Snow gave voice to a worried screech, but Khan didn''t linger there anymore. The Aduns had dropped him at a few hundred meters from the battle, so he had to hurry to help the Niqols against the fiery creature.


    Flames filled the short mountain and spread toward the plain around its base. The scarce vegetation prevented the fire from creating long fiery tongues, but it did nothing to stop its expansion.


    The scene was bright since everything was on fire. Khan could see a group of seven Niqols encircling a one and a half meters tall creature covered in flames.


    Khan couldn''t help but feel surprised when he got close enough to study the monster''s features from behind the flames. The creature had the head of a bird that resembled the Aduns, but it featured tiny feathered wings on its back. Moreover, it stood on four legs, but the front limbs appeared too short compared to the rear ones.


    The feathers didn''t burn among the flames that surrounded the creature. Actually, they appeared to be part of them. They waved whenever the fire crackled, and their movements seemed able to control that scorching energy.


    "How is it?" Khan shouted when he stepped forward and became part of the encirclement.


    The Niqols were wearing ugly expressions. Many of them featured burns, but their condition didn''t appear severe. Still, all of them frowned when they saw the human joining their group.


    "[How did he]-?" One of the Niqols began to ask, but another alien promptly interrupted her.


    "[He is the human with the Aduns, the one who killed the monster]," A tall male Niqols explained before turning toward Khan. "Thank you for hurrying here, but I don''t know what we can do against this thing."


    Khan''s eyes sharpened before understanding dawned upon his mind. The tall Niqols had been part of the previous hunt, which explained the faint respect that he saw on his face.


    "What''s the issue?" Khan asked while moving his focus back on the monster.


    "Everything is the issue," A female Niqols near Khan snorted. "Can''t you see that it''s on fire?"


    "Azni, please!" The male Niqols scolded the tall girl before turning toward Khan again. "We can''t approach the monster without getting hurt. We are trying to limit its movements reduce the damage on the environment, but-."


    The monster seemed to hear the Niqols'' words. Its feathers stood up while it opened its beak and spat a fireball that flew toward Khan. The attack wasn''t too fast, so Khan could easily sidestep it, but the explosion that followed its landing on the ground made his eyes widen in worry.


    The fireball flew for a bit more than ten meters after crossing Khan before falling on the ground. Raging flames spread during the impact, and multiple patches of short black grass took fire. A small fuming crater even appeared in the spot where the attack had landed.


    The ability was deadly. Khan could see how a single direct hit carried enough power to make his chest explode. The destructive power of the fireballs surpassed the lightning bolts faced in the past, even if they weren''t nearly as fast.


    "We must wait until our superiors arrive!" The male Niqols continued as his expression darkened. "Help us stop its movements!"


    Khan nodded, but he barely paid attention to the Niqols. His eyes remained on the monster since something felt incredibly off about that creature.


    The other monster was clearly stable. Its features were strange, but it grew stronger after each attack because the second wave of mutations had improved its overall state. The creature was simply growing used to its new abilities.


    Instead, Khan''s current opponent was strange and almost unnatural. Its front legs and small wings made him feel as if the monster didn''t develop completely. It also appeared weaker after its previous attack since it lowered its beak and kept it open to gasp for air.


    ''Can it even breathe inside the flames?'' Khan wondered without knowing how to find answers to his doubt.


    "Are the mutations stable?" Khan eventually asked while pointing at the creature. "Doesn''t it seem out of breath for you?"


    The male Niqols and his companions grew confused as they looked at the monster and inspected it properly. Khan''s words were on point. The creature appeared far from stable. Its power seemed to hurt it even.


    "We didn''t have time to study it," The male Niqols revealed before nodding. "It does feel off, unstable even."


    The monster mustered enough strength to raise its head again, and a wave of anger ran through its eyes when it saw that the encirclement was still there. Its beak opened, and another fireball flew toward Azni.


    The girl jumped to the left and dodged the attack, but the fireball landed close to her. Some of the flames that accompanied the explosion touched her back and burnt the white tracksuit.


    Azni grunted and gritted her teeth as she threw herself on the ground and rolled to stop the flames burning her tracksuit. One of the Niqols next to her even left the encirclement to help suppress the fire. Yet, the monster didn''t hesitate to run through that opening.


    The monster left a trail of flames on the ground as it ran across the plain. The creature wasn''t fast. Its wings and front legs even seemed to slow it down, so Khan and the other Niqols could reach it and restore the encirclement.


    Khan felt lucky that the short grass couldn''t provide much fuel to those flames. The entire environment would be on fire otherwise. Instead, the short vegetation burnt only for a few minutes before turning into fuming patches of charred ground.


    The environment clearly wasn''t helping the monster, and the creature even appeared wary of a frontal clash against its opponents. However, the issue remained. The beast would only keep burning the region and launch attacks if its enemies didn''t do anything to stop it.


    "How many of you are on the battlefield?" Khan asked while the group remained silent around the monster.


    "Every warrior in the city has joined the hunts," The male Niqols revealed without understanding the hidden meaning behind Khan''s question. "Even Ambassador Yeza has stepped into the battlefield due to the gravity of the situation."


    That revelation confirmed what Khan feared. Liiza was bound to be on the battlefield, so stalling only increased her chances of getting hurt.


    A notification suddenly reached Khan''s phone. He was far away from the camp, but his device managed to refresh the map whenever it connected with the network.


    The map featured three more targets now. The number of monsters had increased again, and Khan closed his eyes as resolve filled his face.


    "Do you have water?" Khan asked as he tore the upper part of his robe and revealed his muscular torso. "Any fireproof liquid is fine actually."


    Khan never had the chance to wear clean clothes after the formal celebration. He didn''t even eat at all since that event because his schedule had been quite packed between Liiza, Zalpa, the lessons, and the sudden crisis.


    He would use his pee in the absence of fireproof liquids, but he felt unable to muster any of it while he tied the torn fabric to his legs. Khan wanted to protect his ankles, knees, and feet, but his robe alone wouldn''t be enough. The Niqols'' clothes were even quite thin, so they weren''t suitable for his plan.


    "Are you sure?" The male Niqols asked when he understood what Khan had in mind. "We have the ointment against the burns provided by the Global Army. It''s pretty fireproof, but it won''t last long."


    The male Niqols had seen Khan fight against the lightning monster. He knew of fast he could be. Khan''s quick attacks were better than the techniques usually deployed by the aliens in that situation, but he would still risk his life if he decided to press forward with that strategy.


    "It''s fine," Khan said before taking a deep breath. "The monster will fall quickly if my idea is on point."


    The male Niqols studied Khan''s resolute expression for a few seconds before turning toward the two aliens who had remained behind and shouting orders. "[Azni, Bula, come here and bring the ointment. Help the human smear it on his legs]!"

 Chapter 113: Cubes

    The monster was too busy dealing with its flames to see that something was up. Bula and Azni quickly brought a metal flask containing the half-transparent ointment toward Khan and helped him smearing it on the fabric covering his legs.


    Azni''s back was in a poor state. Khan could catch glimpses of her scarred back, but she didn''t use the ointment for herself. All the lotion in the flask eventually ended up on Khan''s legs, leaving her no chance to tend her injuries.


    Khan and Azni exchanged a meaningful glance before the girl nodded. They two didn''t have to say anything to understand what their gazes meant.


    "Those flames are scary," The male Niqols exclaimed when Bula and Azni left Khan and rejoined the encirclement.


    "I''ve seen scarier," Khan whispered before bending forward.


    The Niqols'' expression became grave when they saw the scene. Khan''s words could sound like a simple arrogant announcement meant to boost his resolve, but they didn''t give off that vibe.


    The azure scar on his chest, his resolute expression, his steady guard, and his fearless eyes that reflected the flickering flames created a heroic scene that almost made the Niqols forget about the monster among them.


    The monster''s flames were scary, but Khan knew that they would need time to burn past the fabric covered in ointment and reach his skin. The heat was an issue, but his techniques mainly focused on speed. He had developed a high resistance to friction with the air and similar issues.


    Khan felt perfect for the role, but he had to fight flawlessly if he wanted his plan to succeed. Still, he had already ended up in similar situations. Those high requirements felt almost normal now.


    "Do you need us to do anything?" The male Niqols asked when he saw that Khan''s concentration was reaching its peak.


    "Don''t catch the monster if you see it flying toward you," Khan ordered, and his figure bent even more when he saw the monster''s feathers standing up.


    The creature launched a fireball toward Bula, but the male Niqols dodged it easily. The attack even landed far away from his position, so the flames didn''t manage to touch him.


    Bula instinctively turned toward Khan when he straightened his position, but his eyes widened when he noticed that the human had disappeared. A painful screech reached his ears at that point, and his surprise increased after he gazed at the monster.


    Khan had materialized in front of the monster. His left leg was in the air and laid perfectly on his torso. The creature was in the air above his left foot. The upward kick had separated the beast from the ground and had created a trail of flames that threatened to reach him.


    Khan took a step back to let the flames disperse in front of him. The monster soon started to fall, but a roundhouse kick landed on its beak before it could touch the ground.


    The monster flew backward for a few meters and threatened to end up on one of the Niqols in the encirclement, but the alien promptly dodged to his right.


    The creature landed on the ground next to the Niqols, which scared her when she saw its flames burning near her. Yet, a shadow soon crossed her vision.


    Khan stomped his right foot on the monster''s head, but he quickly used it as a foothold to jump and kick the creature away. He couldn''t execute too many techniques in a row in that situation. His legs already felt hot, so he needed to give them a break between each attack.


    The monster appeared unable to react to the relentless offensive. Khan executed a couple of attacks before pushing his opponent away and chasing after it to repeat his techniques. The creature didn''t have the same physical prowess as his past opponent, so he could play with it as long as he wanted.


    The feathers tried to stand up to amass power and generated another fireball, but Khan always reached the monster before it could complete its attack. His offensive was ruthless and didn''t feature any useless movement. He didn''t commit mistakes either. Each kick successfully landed on the creature''s head, making cracking noises seep past the layer of flames.


    The fire that covered the creature grew unstable as the offensive continued. Fiery flares started to come out of the monster as it lost control of its ability. Even the feathers began to burn, and Khan couldn''t help but interrupt his sprint when he saw that he was running toward a ticking bomb.


    Khan performed a sharp turn when the burning halo around the monster expanded. He started to escape from the creature instead of running toward it, but a scorching force still managed to hit his bare back after an explosion resounded.


    Khan flew by two meters before landing on his feet and turning toward his opponent. The bleeding and scorched whimpering figure of the monster unfolded in his vision and revealed how poor its condition was. The creature lay on the ground as its small wings flapped in a desperate attempt to restore part of its balance.


    Khan didn''t let that chance go. The flames had finally disappeared from the creature. It was the perfect time to deliver a killing blow.


    The world in his vision became unclear as he sprinted toward the monster again. The skin on his face and chest started to burn, but he barely noticed that pain.


    A few flames appeared on the creature''s charred body when it noticed that Khan was coming, but it didn''t manage to protect itself before the arrival of the attack. An unstoppable force landed on its head and wholly crushed its skull, putting an end to its life.


    Khan quickly jumped off the corpse since a few flames were still burning on its charred skin. He had put some distance from the Niqols after kicking the monster away multiple times, but the aliens could still inspect the scene when he turned to face them.


    Faint trails of grey smoke came out of Khan''s feet as he glanced at the corpse and started walking toward the group of aliens. A few red spots had appeared on his chest and face, but they didn''t seem anything serious. The ointment on his legs had almost completely dried up, but the clothes under it were mostly fine. The trousers covered by torn rags only featured a few burns.


    "Can you notify your superiors?" Khan asked while staring at his device. "My phone can''t connect to the network from here."


    The male Niqols glanced at Bula, and the latter picked a cube from the insides of his tracksuit. Azure symbols glowed on each side of the item, and their radiance intensified when the Niqols closed his eyes.


    "Doku, we have two more nearby," Azni said after checking her cube and turning toward the male Niqols. "The higher-ups are handling the other side, and the rest of the teams are near the city. We are on our own here."


    Doku turned toward Khan. The latter was playing with his phone, but the device was unresponsive since the interactive map couldn''t connect to the network. Khan could still see the location of the other monsters, but the information wouldn''t update. He couldn''t check if other teams had already taken care of some monsters or where the new ones had appeared in that condition.


    "Do you want to tag along?" Doku eventually asked. "You are on your own anyway, right?"


    "I''m the only one with an Aduns," Khan laughed as a white figure crossed the sky above him and turned to land at his side.


    Khan had called Snow as soon as he confirmed the death of the monster, but it seemed that the group of Niqols had done the same. Multiple dark figures flew across the sky and landed next to the aliens while giving voice to screeches.


    "The higher-ups have tasked us with this area," Doku continued. "What orders do you have?"


    "Help where the others can''t arrive in time," Khan revealed. "Same as yours, apparently."


    "Let''s go then," Doku ordered. "The entire planet has gone crazy. We have never faced such a dangerous situation."


    "Do you know what caused it?" Khan asked while jumping on Snow and preparing himself for the flight.


    "I''m afraid that''s classified," Doku revealed a complicated smile while his companions jumped on their respective Aduns.


    Khan limited himself to nod, but thoughts inevitably filled his mind while he watched Doku climbing on his Aduns and setting off. Snow and the other eagles didn''t hesitate to follow him, and Khan used that time to review the group and the situation.


    The Niqols'' level seemed to be slightly higher than his companions. They were on par with George, if not a bit stronger. However, they probably trained in the techniques that inflicted internal damage seen during the first hunt.


    Khan had only learnt Doku, Bula, and Azni''s names, so his inspection focused on them. The three had the iconic features of the Niqols, with their long white hair, dark-blue skin, and glowing white eyes. Yet, their figures were slightly different.


    Doku was slender and tall. A noble aura covered him, but it appeared different from the spoiled recruits that Khan had seen on Earth. He behaved as an honorable leader who didn''t care about the difference between species.


    Bula was one of the rare muscular Niqols. He wasn''t as tall as Doku, but he made up for that with his thick figure. His hair was even shorter compared to his companions, but it still crossed his shoulders.


    Azni was quite stunning. She had a round gentle face that compensated for her cold and detached expressions. She had a curvaceous figure that was the exact opposite of Liiza''s slender body, but she didn''t appear fat at all.


    The group made room for Khan during the flight. Snow could fly in the backline together with the other Aduns. The Niqols had basically accepted him into their group, but Khan couldn''t feel too happy about that.


    Doku had been in the first hunt. He was part of the Niqols that ostracized Liiza, and Khan couldn''t feel good about him even if he didn''t appear as a bad character.


    The matter about the classified information didn''t affect his judgment about the Niqols'' character. Khan felt almost sure that the arrival of the daylight was to blame about that event, and his fears about the event inevitably increased. After all, Nitis was still in the dark. Its first morning after two thousand years of night would take a few months to arrive.


    ''What will happen once the daylight shines on the planet?'' Khan wondered as the group crossed a fuming empty spot in the middle of a small forest.


    The flying group saw a team of Niqols standing around a fuming corpse when they inspected the forest. The aliens on the ground noticed the eagles and picked their cubes before pointing at the crater among them. They quickly confirmed their kill and let the Aduns fly toward the next location.


    Doku led the group toward the next location and happily noticed that another team had cleared that area. Khan kept track of the monster killed on his phone even if his map didn''t react, and helplessness began to fill his mind as the travel continued.


    The group reached two more locations with defeated monsters. Those clearly were good news, but Khan could only see the negative aspect of the situation since three of them didn''t appear on his map. Those creatures had shown their presence only after he set off.


    ''How many of them do we even have to fight?'' Khan wondered as his reasoning reached other topics.


    The first monster had taken two classes of Niqols and humans to complete the hunt, but the creatures appearing during the current crisis were dying rather quickly. There was a high chance that all of them were unstable like the fiery feathered beast faced previously.


    That was a positive aspect that Khan couldn''t ignore, but his mind went blank when Snow started to dive toward the ground to follow the rest of the Aduns. His eyes had fallen on the side of a hill after the sharp change of direction, and he couldn''t avoid seeing Liiza fighting alone against a giant toad.

 Chapter 114: Tongue

    The Aduns were intelligent creatures, but they remained beasts. Snow sensed Khan''s feelings and tried to accelerate to reach Liiza quickly, but pressure promptly spread from the base of its wings to make it slow down.


    Khan felt worried, but he didn''t dare to leave clues of his relationship with Liiza. Moreover, his girlfriend would scold him if he ended up doing something so stupid for her. She would take his actions as a lack of trust in her abilities.


    Snow remained in the back of the Aduns'' group after Khan''s reminder, and everyone soon landed at the base of the hill, right outside the battlefield. Liiza noticed their arrival, but her opponent didn''t give her the chance to turn or greet them.


    The toad was quite big. It was shorter than an average man, but its belly and legs made it quite large. Its mouth alone was almost one meter wide. It seemed able to eat a human or a Niqols in a single bite.


    The creature''s skin was dark-blue, but it appeared lighter than the Niqols. A few large dark spots covered a good part of its short front limbs, bent legs, and large back. Its eyes were completely black, and clear eyelids covered it whenever it blinked. Moreover, smoke came out of the ground right under it, but its source was unclear.


    Khan studied that phenomenon after he jumped off his Aduns and hurried toward Liiza with the rest of his group. His new position soon allowed him to see thick drops of greenish saliva falling from the corners of the toad''s mouth and creating deep holes on the ground as soon as they touched it. The smoke came from the instantaneous corrosion generated by that liquid.


    Liiza was fine. She wore her iconic cold expression as cold sweat fell from her forehead. Khan couldn''t see any injury on her figure during his short glance, but her tracksuit was dirty in multiple spots. It was clear that she had to throw herself on the ground a few times during the battle.


    The arrival of the group made the toad stop to study the situation. Liiza used that chance to inspect the newcomers, and her gaze inevitably lingered on Khan for a few seconds when she noticed his state.


    Khan''s chest was bare, but his trousers and the torn fabric that covered them didn''t hide the nature of his clothes. Liiza noticed that he didn''t change after the previous night, and faint worry slowly seeped into her mind.


    "[We picked him up along the way]," Doku explained before clearing his throat to switch to the human language. "What did you learn about this monster?"


    Doku and the other Niqols didn''t see anything wrong with Liiza''s previous inspection. After all, Khan was a peculiar presence in that group, and his appearance made the whole matter rather odd. In their minds, it would have been strange if she didn''t show any curiosity at all.


    "Its saliva is deadly," Liiza explained while showing a frown to Khan and moving her gaze back to the toad, "Its tongue is like a whip, and its skin is slimy."


    Khan couldn''t help but notice the thin wet layer that covered the toad''s skin at that point. His expression grew colder as he understood that the creature was a bad match for his abilities. The monster''s mutations appeared even stabler compared to the fiery bird-like beast from before.


    The toad made up its mind in those short seconds. Its mouth opened, and Liiza gave voice to a loud "dodge" at that sight.


    A scarlet whip shot out of the creature''s mouth and tried to crack on one of the Niqols, but the latter managed to dodge the attack thanks to Liiza''s warning. Everyone had jumped to the side before the blow landed on the ground, but they didn''t miss the scene of the toad quickly retracting its tongue while they straightened their position.


    The tongue had created a hole on the ground in the Niqols'' previous position, but the sheer might of the organ didn''t appear as scary as the saliva that accompanied it. The toad had left a large patch of its corrosive liquid in that spot, and the terrain could only vanish in a thick trail of dense smoke under its corrosive effects.


    The small hole quickly transformed into a one meter deep pit. The scene added value to Liiza''s warnings and made them accept that the slightest contact with the creature''s saliva could lead to severe injuries or worse.


    "Did you hit it already?" Khan asked while keeping his eyes on the monster.


    "A few times," Liiza explained. "It''s slow, but it''s hard to reach its insides, and its physical prowess is no joke."


    "Your name is Khan, right?" Doku asked after the group spent a few seconds in complete silence.


    "I didn''t expect you to know," Khan honestly revealed. "Doku, right? The honor is mine."


    Doku turned toward Khan and performed a respectful nod to complete a formal introduction, but faint hesitation seeped inside his voice during the request that followed his gesture. "Can you bait the toad? You are fast enough to dodge the tongue."


    The other Niqols wanted to look at that interaction, but they didn''t have the guts to turn toward Khan. He had basically taken care of the last monster on his own, but Doku still wanted him to play a dangerous role in the current battle. It didn''t feel fair to put him alone against the threatening tongue, but the tactic made sense.


    The aliens would have found it easier to accept the event if Khan weren''t a human and didn''t already put himself at risk in the previous battle. Yet, the current situation felt quite dangerous, and Doku''s tactic had a high chance to succeed, so they remained silent and waited for Khan''s reply.


    "Be sure to kill it quickly," Khan exclaimed as confidence filled his face.


    Doku nodded, and the other Niqols heaved a sad sigh of relief once they learnt that none of them would have to perform that dangerous role. Only Liiza remained utterly expressionless. She couldn''t let anything reach her face because she feared what it would reveal.


    "Try to keep up," Khan announced before taking a deep breath and bending forward.


    The toad noticed that sudden movement and opened its mouth again. A scarlet whip shot out toward Khan, but his figure vanished when the attack reached him.


    Liiza almost gave voice to a worried gasp, and the other Niqols felt as surprised as her to notice that the tongue had only pierced an afterimage. Their eyes quickly went back to the toad and noticed that its mouth had closed after Khan''s upward kick.


    ''Really a bad match-up,'' Khan cursed in his mind as he did his best to keep track of the saliva falling from the tongue less than a meter from him.


    His mind couldn''t linger on those thoughts for too long. Khan was right under the toad''s mouth. He could launch another attack right away, but he held back from doing so.


    The monster tried to open its mouth and swing its tongue toward its opponent, but Khan kicked it closed again. His attack even made the creature tilt to the opposite side due to the power released in the impact.


    Khan felt happy to notice that the toad wasn''t as strong as the lightning monster. He could heavily affect its body with his kicks and interrupt its offensive. The only problem was with the actual damage that his attacks inflicted.


    His kicks could push the toad away, but they didn''t manage to pierce its skin. Moreover, the slimy liquid that covered its skin made it troublesome to deliver precise attacks. Khan''s foot had almost slid across the creature''s mouth during his first technique, and his foothold even felt unstable after touching that fluid.


    Khan prepared himself to take a step back and shake the slimy fluid that had accumulated on his left foot, but two figures suddenly ran at his side and reached the back of the toad.


    Doku and Liiza had been the fastest among the Niqols. Their reaction to Khan''s movements had been almost immediate, so they had managed to reach the toad after he completed his second attack.


    The two Niqols threw their palms forward, and the toad croaked in pain as the alien''s mana seeped past its slimy skin and ravaged its insides.


    Khan''s eyes widened in fear as drops of corrosive saliva rained out of the creature''s mouth. Some of them tried to fall on him, but he quickly shot forward to go under its body and reach its side.


    The corrosive saliva fell on the ground behind Khan and dug the terrain while releasing trails of smoke, but he didn''t manage to focus on the event since he slipped due to the slimy liquid covering his left foot. Still, he didn''t panic and used his falling motion to spin on himself, place his hands on the terrain, and make his leg rotate until it slammed on the toad''s throat.


    The monster croaked in pain again and spat even more saliva, but Khan had developed a somewhat reasonable approach to the battle after those three exchanges. He didn''t have time to remove the slimy liquid, so he would limit it to its left foot. The other leg would have to work as a foothold for the rest of the fight.


    More dark figures ran around the toad and reached its back to launch attacks meant to hurt its insides. Bula and the others finally joined Doku and Liiza and took their position to assault the monster with their best offensive.


    The creature moved forward due to the pain spreading from its back and put Khan in a troublesome situation. He couldn''t push the toad away when it used the entirety of its body to charge ahead, but he couldn''t retreat either due to the rain of corrosive saliva behind him.


    Khan could retreat to his left, but that would make him abandon his position. The toad would have the chance to turn at that point, and the Niqols would lose their openings.


    Khan was basically crouching under the right side of the toad''s mouth. He could jump to his left and avoid the massive body threatening to squash him, but there was a small opening above him.


    The entirety of his physical strength and mana flowed into his right leg as he shot upward and leapt past the monster. His airborne body started to spin as he stretched his left leg. His heel eventually landed on the creature''s head and delivered a blow so powerful that the toad slammed its mouth on the ground.


    The Niqols didn''t hesitate to launch another wave of attacks, and dense trails of smoke engulfed Khan since the toad spat a large amount of saliva that corroded the ground right under him and freed its mouth.


    The smoke clouded Khan''s vision, but he focused on his left foot and cut away everything else. The slimy skin and the liquid around his shoe made him slide across the toad''s head, but he waited until he found a decent foothold before putting strength in his leg and performing a backflip.


    The foothold on the monster''s head was far from stable, so Khan''s backflip ended poorly. He fell on his knees and slid through the ground as his hands stabbed the terrain to stop his momentum. He had failed to perform a perfect retreat, but he had successfully gotten out of the toad''s range without touching the saliva.


    The Niqols launched another wave of attacks, and anger ended up taking control of the toad at that point. The creature pieced the layer of smoke and fixed its dark eyes on Khan before opening its mouth and launching its threatening tongue forward.


    Khan couldn''t stand up in time to perform a sprint with his left foot covered in slimy liquid, but his right leg could still help. He kicked the ground under him and shot forward to slide right under the tongue that landed a few meters behind him.


    Saliva fell from the organ and threatened to reach Khan, who was lying under it. Yet, he promptly rotated on himself to dodge the incoming corrosive liquid.


    The toad titled its head to follow Khan''s movements and never gave him the chance to stand up. The scarlet organ chased after him and engulfed the area with smoke. He found himself unable to escape from the tongue while spinning on the ground, so he opted to shoot ahead again once it almost reached him.


    His action only managed to buy him some time since he remained under the tongue. Khan had to start rotating again, but the scarlet organ soon stopped following him.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to push with his hands and stand up while bending his right leg to prepare a sprint, but his body relaxed when he gazed at the scene ahead.


    The toad wasn''t moving anymore. Its mouth had closed after bluish blood had fallen from its edges and had mixed with the corrosive saliva. The Niqols behind the creature wore disgusted expressions as they tried to wipe their palms clean with their tracksuits, but Doku didn''t forget to nod toward Khan when he noticed his gaze.


    Liiza was also looking at him, but her face didn''t betray any emotion. However, it was clear that the monster had died, and Khan couldn''t help but heave a tired sigh as he sat on the ground.

 Chapter 115: Ice

    The group spent some time removing the slimy liquid from their hands before updating their superiors about their victory and receive an update of the crisis. Khan limited himself to check the state of his left shoe during the process, but he felt forced to throw it away when he understood that it would never dry up in time for the next battle.


    Khan tried to keep his other shoe, but his balance felt off with only one of them, so he ended up throwing away that too. He remained in his barefoot, but Nitis'' uneven ground didn''t cause any discomfort.


    "Monsters are still appearing everywhere on the planet," Doku explained once Khan rejoined the group of Niqols, "But the pace is slowing down. It seems that the crisis is coming to an end."


    "I''m still in the dark," Khan announced while showing how the map on his phone had yet to update. "I''ll stick with you until the crisis is over."


    "Perfect!" Doku exclaimed as a faint smile appeared on his face. "Your help has been priceless in the last battles. We are lucky to have you with us."


    Doku politely bowed, and Khan didn''t hesitate to do the same. The other Niqols went through different reactions at that scene. Liiza remained emotionless, Bula, Azni, and a few aliens nodded in respect, and the others diverted their gazes.


    It was clear that some of the Niqols had yet to accept Khan completely, and most of their hesitation came from the evident difference in power between them and the human.


    Khan could have bad matchups against certain opponents, but his ability, resolve, and determination portrayed a scary image of the Global Army. The hesitant Niqols couldn''t help but believe that they were granting benefits to a species that contained monsters.


    Still, those aliens didn''t treat Khan poorly. Their doubts and fears couldn''t stop them from acknowledging the human who was going out of his way to help them. They couldn''t disrespect someone who had decided to risk his life to help their planet twice already.


    Liiza joined the hunting team once everyone rested for a bit. The surrounding areas still had multiple monsters left since both species were prioritizing lands close to the city or other settlements. Only a few groups had flown so far, so the mission ended up proceeding slowly.


    The various hunting groups in the distant areas killed monsters quickly due to their often unstable mutations. Yet, the travels from one target to another could take up to half an hour. That inevitably slowed down the mission due to the limited number of troops in the distant areas.


    Khan''s team didn''t let the idea of spending the entire night hunting monsters scare them. Doku turned out to be a firm leader that never forgot to prioritize the well-being of his underlings by giving them breaks and alternating those tasked with the actual offensive.


    The group flew from land to land to face every monster inside their hunting area. The Niqols and Khan ended up meeting a rabbit-like creature capable of bending the ground to its will and a sheep-like animal that could make their concentrations waver with its cries. They had to kill a huge snake that spat poisonous purple bullets and a strange horned beast that resembled a lion and could give metallic properties to its skin.


    All the monsters had different abilities that required approaches meant to exploit their various flaws, but Khan always ended up playing an important role in each battle.


    The rabbit-like creature was too fast for the Niqols, so he almost had to hunt it on his own. The aliens supported him by encircling the area and ensuring that its influence in the ground never made them lose its tracks, but they didn''t actively join the battle.


    The sheep-like animal could only charge at its opponents, but its cries were annoying to handle. Only those with a firm mind could manage to perform their techniques against that monster, and Khan''s mental barrier turned out to be perfect for the situation.


    The snake ended up being a troublesome opponent because it could exploit the many trees in its lair to hide and launch surprise attacks that featured poison. Khan and the Niqols struggled to follow its movements even if their sensitivity to mana was above average, so Doku opted to make someone act as bait again. Khan simply was the perfect candidate due to his incredible speed.


    The horned beast had the same issues as the toad. Its skin was virtually impenetrable, so the Niqols'' techniques became the core part of the battle tactic. Still, the aliens needed someone capable of attracting the monster''s attention, and Khan didn''t mind facing multiple charges until the hunt was over.


    Those four hunts kept Khan''s group busy for seven hours due to the multiple travels, battles, and necessary breaks. The Niqols didn''t even have provisions with them since they didn''t expect the crisis to last so long, so Khan''s fasting inevitably stretched.


    Khan could easily endure his hunger, and it seemed that some of the Niqols were like him. The hunting group split as some of its members struggled to express their true power after the many battles. It didn''t take much before only Khan, Liiza, Doku, and Bula could still fight properly.


    Azni also seemed to have enough stamina left, but the injury on her back suffered against the fiery bird-like monster forced her body to reach its limits sooner than expected.


    Luckily, the crisis appeared almost over after the sixth hunt. Doku''s superiors would recall everyone after they took care of the last monster that still lived in the distant areas.


    The news filled Doku''s team with life and made its members muster their remaining strength to complete their mission. The Niqols and Khan even felt excited to know that they had accumulated consistent battle merits after spending an entire night hunting monsters. However, their hopes crumbled after they faced their last opponent.


    A sharp pain spread from the center of Khan''s chest when he reopened his eyes. The noises of the battlefield reached his ears again, but the screams of the Niqols soon overwhelmed them.


    A massive bull raged among the trees in front of him. The creature had a smooth black skin that carried metallic properties. It was a bit more than two meters tall and three meters long, and thick muscles filled the entirety of its body.


    Two curved horns came out of its head, and blinding bluish light never stopped filling their sharp tips. That glow seemed able to create intense shockwaves as soon as something came near it. Khan had only needed to be at less than three centimeters from that radiance to suffer a massive blow that made his entire body go numb before flinging him away.


    The hunting team had approached the last monster carefully. Doku had even used his cubical device to group up with the other Niqols in the area. Four different squads had joined their forces and had converged toward the bull to put an end to those seemingly endless hunts, but the situation had turned for the worse in mere seconds.


    The new group featured thirty Niqols and Khan as the only human. They had divided themselves into different teams to surround the bull running through a small forest, but the creature had noticed their arrival and had charged toward the closest opponents.


    The charge had made six Niqols fly in every direction. Some of them had only slammed on the nearby trees after coming close to the horns, while others had found themselves with broken bones after enduring a frontal clash with the muscular monster.


    Khan had immediately opted to resume his role as bait after confirming the monster''s power, but he didn''t expect the creature''s range to be so strange. He was faster than the bull, but the glow radiated by its horns had flung him away when his chest went too close to them.


    The battle immediately became messy. Khan noticed how the Niqols were attacking the bull from every side, but dark figures always ended up flying away whenever the aliens went too close to its horns. The attacks that landed on its body didn''t seem to slow down its movements either. The monster appeared completely stable and resilient. It even felt more powerful than the lightning creature fought in the past.


    Khan straightened his position and tried to study the situation, but a flying figure attracted the entirety of his attention. Liiza was falling at full speed toward a tree nearby, and she clearly had no control over her movements.


    Khan would have normally ignored that scene for the sake of his secret relationship, but everything in his vision slowed down when he saw that Liiza''s landing spot featured a long pointy root.


    Thoughts stopped flowing inside Khan''s mind at that point. He didn''t even realize that the mana in his body fueled a sprint and made him instantly appear in front of the pointy root.


    Liiza woke up when she fell on his chest. Khan raised only one arm to support her back, and she quickly found her balance while using his limb as a handhold. Confusion filled her expression when she turned to inspect her boyfriend, but the sharp root behind him appeared in her vision at that point.


    Liiza''s cold expression almost fell apart. Fear tried to take control of her mind. That root had a high chance to stab her chest or head if she had continued to fall. Khan had prevented the worst possible outcome, but that didn''t change the nature of the situation. The bull could kill them easily.


    A red bruise had even appeared at the center of Khan''s chest. The bull didn''t touch him, but the light radiated by its horns had been enough to cause that injury. The mark spread over the azure scar and slightly changed its color, but it was nothing more than a superficial wound.


    Liiza noticed that she had a similar bruise on her left shoulder. A new wave of fear swept her mind when she recalled how the bull had only needed to swing its horns near that spot to make her fly away. In her mind, the creature became approachable.


    "We need to keep it still," Liiza eventually said while leaving Khan''s arm and focusing on the bull.


    "How?" Khan coldly asked.


    Khan''s eyes had remained on Liiza for only an instant. He had moved his focus back on the bull as soon as he noticed that she was okay, but the scene that unfolded in his vision was grim.


    The Niqols were trying to surround the bull and overwhelm it with their numbers, but those efforts appeared pointless. The monster endured every attack easily, but only a few of its opponents managed to get back on their feet after taking one of its blows.


    The bulls'' kicks could shatter bones, its charge was unstoppable, and its horns were deadly. Every piece of its body was a weapon that could defeat its opponents in a single blow. It only took a few exchanges for the large group to turn into a small team that featured less than ten members.


    "Can-," Liiza said before lowering her head to make sure to hide her hesitation before continuing. "Can you keep it busy for a bit? I know how to stop it."


    Khan couldn''t stop himself from moving his eyes on Liiza. He couldn''t see her face since she was facing the battlefield, but he could imagine it inside his mind. She clearly hated herself for asking Khan to perform such a dangerous role after Doku had ordered him to do the same for the other hunts. However, she felt unable to rely on the others in that situation.


    "No problem," Khan announced and stepped forward while suppressing the need to ruffle Liiza''s hair. "I just didn''t know its actual range before. It can''t touch me now."


    "Be careful," Liiza whispered in a voice too faint that only Khan could hear before raising her head and showing a cold face.


    Meanwhile, Khan performed slow steps as he approached the bull. The monster was busy taking care of the few remaining Niqols around it. Blood and dark figures flew after each exchange, but nothing managed to break Khan''s concentration.


    The bull soon defeated all the opponents in its surroundings. A few Niqols on the trees nearby were struggling to stand up, but the monster decided to focus on Khan when it noticed him.


    The monster''s hooves scratched the terrain a few times while it prepared its charge, but its body suddenly bent forward as it lost control of one of its legs.


    The bull turned and saw that Khan had slammed his shin on its front left leg and had forced it to leave the ground. The monster quickly grew angry and tried to bend forward to make its opponent enter its horns'' rage, but pain suddenly spread from its mouth.


    The creature bellowed after it endured the blow, but a kick landed on its face as soon as it tried to find its opponent. Khan continued to make his offensive converge on the bull''s mouth since it helped him keep away the horns, but the monster soon jumped and stood its rear legs to remove its opponent''s favorite target.


    Khan quickly switched targets and shot toward the rear legs to deliver a powerful kick. However, those limbs barely moved since the entirety of the bull''s weight was on them.


    The bull twisted its body and tried to fall while pointing its horns toward Khan, but the latter easily escaped their trajectory. He moved under the creature and reappeared in front of the exposed side of its head.


    Khan didn''t lie before. He was faster than the bull. The creature had taken him by surprise before only because he didn''t expect its horns to have ranged abilities.


    Yet, touching him appeared impossible now. Khan sprinted around the bull''s body and delivered kicks whenever he found an opening. The only issue with that tactic was that his attacks didn''t inflict any damage.


    "Jump back!" Liiza''s shout suddenly reached Khan''s ears while he was busy fighting the bull.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to follow Liiza''s orders, and his eyes widened when he saw ice accumulating under the monster. The creature''s legs froze in an instant before the transparent material spread through the entirety of its body.


    The ice expanded until it created a massive rectangular chunk that enveloped the bull completely. Only the creature''s head remained outside of the frozen prison, but its horns had stopped glowing after Liiza''s spell covered them.


    "Feel free to kick it as much as you like now," Liiza said in a weak voice before sitting on the ground.


    Her hands had been on the terrain just a second ago, and a trail of ice still spread from that spot and connected it to the frozen prison. Khan''s eyebrows arched when he realized how quickly Liiza had completed her spell, but he didn''t forget to turn back toward the powerless bull.


    The monster still bellowed, but it was powerless now. Khan couldn''t help but reveal a cold smile when he saw that Nitis had finally given him a well-deserved training dummy.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I''m considering changing the cover after each volume. What do you think about it?

 Chapter 116: Capacity

    Bangs resounded inside the forest. The Niqols who could stand attended their injured companions since the battle was basically over. Still, they couldn''t help but shoot glances at the rectangular chunk of ice in the middle of a relatively empty spot whenever another loud noise resounded.


    The injured Niqols and those who weren''t helping didn''t even try to hide their interest. Their eyes never moved away from the chunk of ice, and their mouths slowly opened as Khan''s actions generated waves of astonishment inside them.


    Liiza was among that audience. Her left shoulder wasn''t in an ideal state, and her spell had left her drained. She had decided to rest near a tree while inspecting her secret boyfriend with her usual cold expression.


    Khan firmly believed that the training halls were the best asset in the camps. Fighting against dummies that could feature different power levels and multiple martial arts made his battle prowess improve far faster than any other method. Even sparring with partners couldn''t compare to the metal puppets.


    However, the Global Army was still at the beginning of its relationship with the Niqols, so it couldn''t teleport those incredible structures to Nitis. Khan had to practice in the Lightning-demon style on his own or against monsters, but that couldn''t live up to the high standards developed after his intense training on Onia and after Istrone''s crisis.


    Depending on their innate features, the monsters would die in a few blows or remain completely unaffected by his attacks. Khan could only test his proficiency level against those creatures, but his actual battle experience didn''t improve a lot. He still grew used to the battlefield, but those fights didn''t push him beyond the limits of his expertise.


    The bull stuck inside Liiza''s ice wasn''t a worthy opponent either, but Khan felt happy to finally have something that could endure his blows and give him an actual understanding of his power.


    Khan kicked the bull''s exposed head, making sure to alternate his legs and go through all the techniques described by the Lightning-demon style. He didn''t care that the Niqols were staring at him during the process. They couldn''t learn much from a simple observation of his moves, and his blows were too fast to memorize anyway.


    The bull had a metallic skin that seemed able to absorb and endure every blow, so Khan could go crazy. He performed all his techniques methodically. He didn''t even hold back from retreating by a few steps whenever his moves required sprints or long jumps.


    The monster successfully endured the entirety of the Lightning-demon style, but Khan only rejoiced at that sight. He could start again while pouring more power into his techniques to explore the current limits of his body.


    The Niqols remained astonished in front of that methodical training. Liiza had seen Khan performing those moves in their intimate spot among the mountain chain, but the scene appeared far more incredible now that her boyfriend had a target.


    Liiza, Doku, Bula, and the other members of his team had even seen Khan performing dangerous roles during the hunts. He had gone all-out in each battle, without ever sleeping or eating during the breaks. In their minds, he had to be on the verge of fainting, but their ideas shattered whenever another powerful blow landed on the bull.


    Khan was clearly exhausted. Sweat covered his body, and large eyebags stood under his tired gaze. His figure had even grown thinner than usual after the long dehydration, but he didn''t stop attacking, and he didn''t even fail to perform perfect executions.


    The Niqols could accept that Khan had grown used to endure his physical exhaustion. They didn''t know about Istrone, but the azure scar on his chest and his performance during the battles proved that his life had been far from easy and that he was an admirable soldier.


    Yet, the mana inside his body had limits. Both organic and synthetic mana cores would need time to produce more energy once they became empty. They worked like normal organs. They required nutrients to refill the reserves of mana and allow their users to perform techniques again.


    A higher attunement would increase the maximum capacity, but it couldn''t make it endless. Even aliens like the Niqols who had innate mana cores would find their reserves of energy running short after spending an entire night fighting. Liiza had completely exhausted them after her spell, for example, and her companions were close to her condition.


    Still, Khan never appeared to run short of mana. He continued to deliver powerful attacks without ever holding back. Some techniques even required a lot of energy, but he didn''t seem affected by their cost.


    Khan wasn''t completely ignorant about his situation. Most of his concentration was on the bull, but he didn''t fail to notice the surprise shown by the Niqols, and he also easily connected that reaction to his stamina.


    Doctor Parket had already inspected his stats twice, but he couldn''t calculate Khan''s mana capacity with his tools. The mutations could explain why the scanners failed to evaluate his reserves of energy, but Khan had slowly realized that something was off as he kept fighting and training.


    Khan simply didn''t run out of mana. His body often reached its physical limits, but his core had never once lacked energy. He could always meditate right after long training sessions or strenuous battles without worrying about running out of power.


    Khan had initially disregarded that feature during his time on Earth. He had even forgotten about it at some point. Yet, those around him kept reminding him of how incredible his reserves of mana were, and that had inevitably made him see his advantage as a potential issue.


    His similarities with the Nak and the mutations could explain that peculiar feature. Khan couldn''t help but accept that his compatibility with his mana core was perfect. After all, he had gained the organ of the very alien that had caused his mutations.


    Still, that raised another issue. Having vast reserves of mana clearly was an advantage, but Khan didn''t like being unaware of his limits. He could accept the matter now that his body depleted its energy faster than his mana core, but everything would change after he learnt spells.


    Khan might find himself in a situation that depleted his mana without requiring physical efforts. Knowing his limits would be important there. However, he had to wait until he gained access to the Wave spell to test himself properly.


    The Niqols could help kill the monster, but they didn''t want to interrupt Khan''s training. His resolute expression and concentration revealed how much he cared about that matter, so the aliens focused on tending the injured and recovering while informing their superiors.


    The bull eventually gave in. Its skin remained intact, but the skull under it crumbled after Khan''s relentless offensive. The monster died after its brain transformed into a meat paste that flowed out of its nose, ears, and mouth. The hunt was finally over, and the Niqols confirmed it to be the last.


    The area was finally clear. The crisis was over. Some monsters still roamed freely in other parts of the planet, but the Niqols would take care of them in the following days.


    "What do I have to say to my superiors?" Khan asked once Doku and the other team leaders gathered to discuss their orders.


    "I can''t say anything, Khan," Doku explained while wearing a regretful expression. "These matters involve Nitis'' global security. We can''t inform the humans about them."


    "That''s understandable," Khan sighed before showing a polite smile. "It was fun to hunt with you all, but I think I must return to my camp now. I didn''t have the chance to update them at all."


    "We took care of that for you," Azni commented as her cold expression broke into a surprising happy smile. "You were busy with the monster, so we thought to inform our superiors about your situation. I''m sure Ambassador Yeza has already notified your Captain."


    "Thanks!" Khan exclaimed in a happy smile. "I guess that''s it then. Don''t hesitate to call me if you need help for other hunts."


    "Of course," Doku laughed while stretching his hand forward. "You humans shake hands for the informal salutes, right? It doesn''t feel right to bow after what we have gone through tonight."


    Khan''s smile broadened as he shook Doku''s hand. The alien didn''t know how long that gesture had to last, but Khan made sure to relax his grip once they had stayed in that position for a few seconds.


    "Who knows?" Khan laughed. "Your superiors might even organize another formal event to celebrate today''s victory. We might see each other sooner than we expect."


    "It won''t happen tonight," Liiza''s snort resounded from behind Khan and made the small group turn toward her. "They aren''t dumb enough to organize another event after everyone fought for an entire night."


    Liiza''s sudden cold remark and fast-paced walk toward a path that led at the edges of the forest made the whole situation awkward. The Niqols didn''t know how to react to that poor behavior, especially with a human among them. Liiza had basically shown how their ranks could have unruly soldiers, which inevitably put some shame on their species.


    Khan limited himself to laugh and pretend to feel normal about Liiza''s outburst. Still, he could immediately understand the meaning behind her words. She was telling him to remain inside the camp that day.


    The seemingly ignorant smile that Khan wore made the Niqols relax and regain their happy mood. A small group even separated from the other aliens to accompany him to the edges of the forest where his white eagle was waiting for him.


    "Can I ask for a favor?" Khan asked as something popped in his mind while everyone prepared for a new wave of salutations.


    "I hope it''s not connected with our species," Doku laughed, but he quickly fell silent to wait for Khan''s words.


    "My friends in the camp have enjoyed the drinks in the celebration a lot," Khan explained, "But the army will never purchase them since they only have recreational purposes. I was wondering if we could trade them without notifying our superiors."


    "Oh!" Doku exclaimed. "Like a, what''s the word, secret market!"


    "Exactly," Khan laughed. "I don''t know what we can offer, but it would be nice to establish a connection."


    "That shouldn''t be a problem," Doku announced. "I''ll tell the others. That drink is quite common on Nitis. We wouldn''t mind giving it for free either."


    Another wave of salutations happened at that point. Khan jumped on Snow once the formalities were over and set off to return to his camp.


    Intense exhaustion filled him as soon as he relaxed on the Aduns'' familiar back, and his eyes eventually closed as the soft feathers provided the best pillows in the world.


    A loud screech eventually awakened Khan and made him tighten his legs when he realized that he was in the sky. He almost lost his balance even, but his firm foothold allowed him to remain on Snow''s back.


    The Aduns gave voice to an annoyed screech before disregarding the matter. Khan didn''t hesitate to relax his legs and pet his reliable companion while expressing how happy he was to have it through the mental connection. Snow still felt slightly pissed after the process, but it vented its feelings by flying recklessly for a few minutes.


    Snow had woken Khan up because they had almost reached their destination. The city had reappeared in the distance, and the training camp soon unfolded in their eyes too.


    Khan let Snow have fun before landing near the camp''s entrance and saying his goodbyes to the loyal animal. Liiza had been quite clear before. She wanted him to remain on the site, and he didn''t mind following her orders too much.


    Khan wanted to spend some valuable time with his girlfriend, but he couldn''t endure his condition. He was desperate for rest, and Liiza appeared in the same situation after launching her spell.


    ****


    Author''s notes: The second chapter might take another thirty minutes to come out.

 Chapter 117: Radiations

    The short sleep on Snow''s back didn''t appease Khan''s exhaustion, but he still revealed a resolute expression when he saw that a small group of recruits led by Paul hurrying toward the entrance to greet him.


    Khan noticed George, Harris, and the other recruits who he had vaguely begun to know yesterday, but his gaze soon went on their condition. Most of them featured bandages or limped while they walked toward him. It was clear that their hunts had also been quite difficult.


    Even Paul had bandages around his forehead. He also appeared quite pale, but he didn''t seem to have problems hurrying in front of the group and stopping at the camp''s entrance to perform a military salute.


    "At ease?" Khan mocked Paul before giving voice to a short laugh.


    Paul sighed before breaking his salute and shaking his head. He wasn''t in the mood to laugh, especially after seeing Khan''s state. The boy had his chest in the open, which revealed a few red marks caused by the many battles that happened during the night. His shoes had disappeared, and his trousers were nothing more than a mass of rags tied together to cover the lower part of his body.


    Khan was trying not to show his exhaustion, but his body didn''t listen to him. Paul and the other recruits could clearly see how tired he was. His large eyebags, his pale complexion, his thin figure, and the dirt and patches of sweat on his skin showed how hard the night had been for him.


    "Ambassador Yeza has notified Captain Erbair about your feats," Paul explained as Khan entered the camp. "You have become a celebrity among the Niqols."


    "How is the situation here?" Khan asked while waving his hand toward the recruits who had come to welcome him back to the camp. "Casualties?"


    "None," Paul promptly replied. "We have many injured, but everyone will recover in no time."


    George and the others gathered around Khan and Paul as they walked across the camp and exchanged short reports that described the overall situation in the area. The recruits didn''t even realize that they were instinctively placing Khan at the center of their attention. They almost interacted with him with the same respect shown toward Paul.


    "You guys in the distant areas had awful luck," Paul commented while pointing at different spots of the updated map on Khan''s phone. "Most of the stable monsters have appeared there. You had Captain Erbair nearby, but she never had the chance to help since other threats had appeared around her. The network has also been unreliable tonight, so our communications have been down for many hours."


    "How did you even coordinate?" Khan asked while studying the screen. "You took care of more than thirty monsters in a single night. That''s more than good."


    "We weren''t alone," Paul confessed. "Niqols have come to help us coordinate. We actually had to request their support due to the issues with the network."


    "Can''t we improve it?" Khan asked. "What do we even need to stretch the range of the network? It''s pitiful to risk being in the dark as soon as we get out of the camp."


    "It''s not up to us," Paul sighed. "The Global Army has the repeaters ready, but we need the Niqols to approve them. The Padlyn''s deal will help a lot in that field. The crisis has happened a week too soon."


    "Hopefully it doesn''t occur again," Khan commented. "Do we know how this even happened? I''m not an expert, but I know that there shouldn''t be so many monsters at the same time."


    "An external factor caused the mutations," Paul explained before glancing at the recruits around him. "Lieutenant Kintea will hold a briefing later tonight. Every lesson is obviously canceled, so try to rest during the afternoon."


    The long night spent hunting had stretched until the beginning of the morning. Khan had wasted a bit killing the bull, and the travel to the camp had also taken a while. Only a few hours separated him from lunchtime now.


    The professors in the camp had to take part in the hunts, so they had also gained a few free days. Khan felt the intense need to hit his bed when he realized that he was in no condition to train, but a stronger desire filled his mind as soon as the group crossed one of the central buildings in the camp.


    "I''ll rest soon," Khan reassured Paul, "But I need to eat something first. My last meal has been during the celebration in the city."


    Paul''s eyes widened at that revelation, and he had to muster the entirety of his strength not to kick Khan directly toward the canteen. It would be better if he ate in his room, but his stern gaze showed some worry when it passed over the other recruits.


    "No stories today," Paul ordered. "You''ll have time to talk about everything another day, so let him sleep as soon as he finishes eating."


    George and the others stopped their tracks to perform a military salute and shout a loud "yes, sir" before chasing after Khan and Paul again. The latter ignored the event and took note of Khan''s order, but a frown appeared on his face when he heard what the boy wanted.


    "Do you really want six plates of those big worms?" Paul asked. "I''m sure I can find synthetic meat."


    "The synthetic meat is tasteless," Khan complained. "I''d rather have gross but yummy worms."


    "Aren''t they too squishy?" Sonia couldn''t help but join the conversation and comment when the topic reached the food. "I don''t know. I still can''t accept them."


    "You''d be surprised to what I''ve learnt to accept in the Slums," Khan laughed. "We have a saying there: Never kill the trapped rat. Let the embers have its life."


    The entirety of the group became aware that Khan had to eat rats during his time in the Slums, but they forced themselves to suppress their comments. The recruits even stopped being curious about Khan''s taste since it barely matched human standards anymore after those experiences.


    "So, six plates?" Paul asked again and limited himself to sigh when he saw Khan nodding.


    Paul left the group when Khan reached the building with the many rooms, but he didn''t remain alone even after he got to his small flat. The various recruits who had welcomed him back to the camp entered with him and sat on the floor as they waited for him to clean himself up.


    Khan still had the clean uniform from the celebration, so he changed inside the small bathroom and jumped on his bed while dodging the group of recruits sitting on the floor. Their curious gazes fell on him at that point, but Veronica delayed their questions since she entered the room while bringing the six plates that Khan had ordered.


    The grey worms released odd noises that made the recruits look away whenever Khan put them into his mouth. Still, they didn''t comment on Khan''s eating habits and quietly waited for him to fill his stomach.


    "So," Khan announced while placing the various trays next to his bed, "What do you want to know?"


    A storm of questions flew toward him and made him spend ten minutes reliving the long night. The recruits had experienced similar events, but Khan had been alone among Niqols during the hunts. His story sounded far more interesting than theirs.


    Khan described almost everything that he had to go through. The recruits soon learnt about his role and opponents, but he didn''t disclose some details, especially when they involved Liiza. He didn''t want to reveal that he had understood her element.


    "It must have been fun to fly from one region to another," George commented once Khan''s story ended. "We could only approach the monsters nearby, but the Ugu often failed to reach them in time. The network had also been extremely unstable, so you can imagine the mess."


    "I''m surprised we could be so disorganized in front of such a crisis," Khan commented. "I guess we don''t have enough troops here."


    "This isn''t our planet," Sonia snorted. "The Niqols can''t expect us to do a lot when they barely allow us to expand."


    "They would have handled the crisis well even without our help," Natalie replied. "The Niqols are quite strong. We aren''t really necessary."


    "We must become necessary," Harris added. "That''s our role here."


    "Only a long cooperation can lead to that result," Veronica explained. "The Niqols are wary of humans, and Khan''s prowess doesn''t help in that sense. I think it''s normal to be afraid in their situation."


    "We have spent years developing technologies that they can''t even imagine," Sonia said in an annoyed voice. "They should beg us to share it with them."


    "Like we are begging to learn more about their understanding of mana," Khan laughed. "They are ahead of us when we consider how advanced both species are. Also, they can live quite well without technology, while we can''t survive without mana."


    "Our understanding isn''t too poor," Harris commented.


    "They have mana as the foundation of their society," Natalie explained. "You have been in the lessons. The Niqols can partially understand emotions through the mana coming out of us. How can our understanding even compare?"


    "Didn''t they have to confirm that?" George asked. "I thought it was only a guess."


    "It felt true today," Natalie replied. "They could understand when I had to rest before me."


    The recruits continued to converse for a few more minutes, but Khan eventually felt forced to kick them out of his room. His eyes were about to give up, and no amount of pretense could hide his exhaustion from their excited gazes.


    Khan confirmed what he had experienced during his return on Snow''s back. Something had changed in his nightmare, and his second rest removed every doubt in his mind. The dreams had remained the same for almost twelve years, but they featured the additional scenes revealed by Zalpa now. They would end with the map of the alien solar system.


    A message reached Khan''s phone and awakened him from his messy slumber. The mandatory briefing arrived, and every recruit in the camp gathered in a large hall in one of the buildings. Lieutenant Kintea was already there, but he politely waited for all the injured to take their seats.


    "The Niqols have been quite silent about the reason behind this crisis," Lieutenant Kintea explained through the help of images that appeared on the walls. "However, the Global Army has a telescope not too far away from Nitis, and we managed to discover something peculiar today."


    The images on the walls depicted Nitis'' solar system. Six planets orbited around a distant star, but their trajectory progressively brought them closer to that small sun as the program made the years pass.


    "As all of you know," Lieutenant Kintea announced, "Everything on Nitis has evolved through mana. The fauna here is nothing more than a mass of Tainted animals. Their mutations are stable, but a strong source of radiations can trigger a second evolution."


    The images on the walls then lit up and showed the radiance released by the star. It didn''t take much before that glow reached the sphere that depicted Nitis.


    "The Global Army found out that the planet is going to experience complete daylight in a few months," Lieutenant Kintea continued. "What we saw today is only the result of the radiations reflected by one of the planets nearby. We strongly believe that the actual daylight will cause far more problems."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I think the matter of the golden tickets is quite clear, but do ask if you have doubts.


    As for the covers, I would naturally keep them on the discord. They won''t disappear.

 Chapter 118: Looks

    Lieutenant Kintea''s explanation raised many questions, especially since everyone was aware of their Tainted companion. A series of glances inevitably fell on Khan when the recruits learnt about the properties of the radiations. It was unclear whether that energy could affect him, but the soldier didn''t hesitate to clear those doubts.


    "Don''t panic on me already," Lieutenant Kintea scolded. "There is a reason why the radiations have only affected Tainted animals until now."


    The images on the wall changed and depicted two figures. One was an average human being, while the other represented the lightning monster of the first hunt.


    An azure glow lit up inside those figures as their features vanished to leave only their outlines. The recruits could see how the mana in the human was stable and flowed naturally across the body. Instead, the Tainted beast contained multiple unstable spots that took a while to fuse with its flesh.


    "The fauna on Nitis feeds on other Tainted creatures on a daily basis," Lieutenant Kintea explained while pointing at the mana inside the different figures. "Their bodies are stable, but their diet puts them at risk to go through a second wave of mutations even without an external trigger. Their lack of control over their mana also worsens their situation and makes them unable to suppress eventual transformations."


    Khan raised his hand to claim the Lieutenant''s attention at that point, and the soldier didn''t hesitate to point at him.


    "Are the Niqols at risk?" Khan asked once receiving that silent permission to speak. "They are born with mana, they eat Tainted animals, and they start their training later than us. Will the radiation affect the younger generations?"


    "Someone didn''t slack during the lessons!" Lieutenant Kintea exclaimed while glaring at the other recruits. "You are correct. The Niqols who have yet to learn how to control their mana are definitely at risk. However, the Global Army has studied the orbits thoroughly. They go through this event every few millennia. I''m sure they already know how to handle it."


    Khan felt strange after that answer. His face didn''t betray anything, but his mind inevitably grew messy. His meeting with Zalpa had taught him how the Niqols had disregarded their old texts after their relationship with the humans started. There was a high chance that they had begun to review them too late to prepare for the imminent crisis.


    "What if they aren''t, sir?" Khan asked while adding the respectful title at the end of his line to make the soldier ignore that he didn''t wait to receive permission to speak.


    "Well," Lieutenant Kintea replied as his stern expression broke into a rare faint smile that carried a cruel vibe. "The Niqols would need our help at that point. Who knows? They might even allow us to bring a space station in their orbit if the crisis gets too bloody."


    The recruits didn''t like the cruel meaning behind Lieutenant Kintea''s words, but they couldn''t ignore the potential benefits connected to the event. The chance to bring a space station to Nitis was an achievement that the Global Army would typically gain after investing centuries in its relationship with the alien species. Still, the Niqols would accept that help only if the crisis grew to levels they couldn''t handle on their own.


    Lieutenant Kinteant didn''t forget to inspect the recruits after his explanation. Their eyes would reveal who had the mindset to see the potential death of thousands of young Niqols as a chance for their species.


    The inspection left the Lieutenant pleasantly surprised. Most recruits appeared honestly excited about that chance, but their feelings didn''t arrive after completely understanding the situation.


    Many didn''t understand that their chance would come only if the crisis put Niqols younger than them in danger. That event would even involve proper children and newborns, but most recruits didn''t think as far as that.


    Only a minority of the recruits could see the matter in its entirety, and their reactions differed. Some wore conflicted expressions, others felt disgusted, and a few managed to suppress their feelings to show resolute faces.


    Khan''s situation differed even more. His experience with crises allowed him to consider the entirety of the issue right away. After all, he had seen the nameless casualties of a tragedy with his own eyes during the Second Impact.


    Yet, he was the only one among the recruits who considered the well-being of the Niqols. Those who had felt disgusted could see the aliens as proper living beings, but they still put them below humans. Khan didn''t, and his mindset didn''t come only from his relationship with Liiza.


    Khan had lived in the Slums, among soldiers who came from the real city. He had seen their arrogance, and he had suffered from their mindset. He had already been on the side of those viewed as inferiors, so those thoughts couldn''t touch him.


    The Niqols were like humans. They were definitely different, but he couldn''t see them in terms of superior and inferior. The same applied to the other alien species met on Istrone and Onia. Khan could only treat them as equals after what he had gone through in the Slums.


    Lieutenant Kintea was basically hoping that the Niqols would be too unprepared to save their children and younglings. He wanted the Global Army to exploit their sorrow and desperation. Khan even guessed that the soldier would wait until the situation became too tragic to send help to ensure that the humans would gain enough benefits.


    Khan had promised himself to be cold and lie to pursue his goals, but he knew himself. He couldn''t rejoice at that chance.


    His cold face made Lieutenant Kintea nod toward him. The gesture only made an awful feeling spread inside his abdomen. Still, the soldier couldn''t imagine that Khan had already made up his mind. He had decided to warn Liiza and help her spreading awareness through her species.


    ''Now I''m even prioritizing the well-being of an alien species over potential benefits for Global Army,'' Khan mocked himself inside his mind.


    His decision didn''t make him feel bad. A peaceful sensation actually spread inside him and suppressed the hateful feelings that Lieutenant Kintea had created. It was the first time since his discovery about the similarities with the Nak that Khan felt truly glad to be less human.


    "Last night''s events probably won''t have immediate consequences," Lieutenant Kintea continued after taking note of all the recruits that seemed okay with his words. "The Niqols will pretend that nothing is wrong, and we will play along. The Padlyn''s deal will give to some of you the chance to become part of an alien academy and learn the Niqols'' way of mana, but I''ll tell you more once Captain Erbair notifies me."


    The news caused a wave of excitement to spread among the recruits, but the Lieutenant ignored the many hands that rose in the air and sent everyone away. The meeting ended on that interesting note, and Khan couldn''t help but end up at the center of the attention after getting out of the building.


    "Maybe they''ll ask Khan to pick a team," George exclaimed as the group of recruits walked back to their rooms. "I''m sorry to you all, but I''ll be the first on that list."


    "They won''t give me so much power," Khan contradicted George while showing a fake smile. "I bet they''ll use your recent performance and your knowledge of the Niqols'' language to decide who to send."


    "I''m doomed then," Sonia sighed. "I did nothing important in the first hunt, and I only know ten Niqols'' words. Wait, does [soldier] means weapon?"


    "Soldier," Khan corrected her, and Sonia''s expression grew even darker.


    "I''ve gone back to nine," Sonia growled before timidly glancing toward Khan and lowering her voice. "What''s your secret? This is only your third week here, but you are already doing great."


    "You can''t ask that, Sonia," Veronica giggled. "We belong to the same class, but you shouldn''t forget that we all have personal goals. Also, Khan deserves to be a few steps ahead of us."


    Khan couldn''t help but nod at Veronica, and the latter showed a broad smile. Sonia moved her eyes between her two companions, and a helpless sigh eventually escaped from her mouth.


    "We can study together," Natalie added before Sonia could complain again. "We''ll even get a chance to tame the Aduns soon. I won''t refuse a few flight lessons."


    "That would help a lot," Harris announced. "I got the theory behind that, but applying it in the real world is always harder than it looks. Also, I''d rather not fall."


    "I don''t want to be the first human to die because of an Aduns," Sonia gasped. "My family would find a way to get me back to life and kill me again."


    A series of laughs resounded among the group. Other recruits even joined Sonia in her jokes, but everyone slowly went silent and shot meaningful glances toward Khan.


    "I can''t help you with the Niqols'' language and the test on the mountains," Khan declared without turning toward the hopeful recruits around him, "But I can teach you how to fly. It''s not too hard. It looks scarier than it is."


    The recruits felt happy about his statement, and some of them even cheered. They couldn''t wait to let go of their Ugu and gain access to the Aduns. It wasn''t only a desire connected to the exciting chance to roam across the sky. Some wanted those eagles to improve their value as soldiers on Nitis.


    "Let''s all try to reach the academies," George exclaimed once the group started entering the building with the many flats. "Getting in is the hard part. We can rely on Khan''s good looks once we get in."


    "That''s so true," Veronica laughed. "The Niqols would have never offered the Aduns if he didn''t impress Miss Liiza."


    "I didn''t impress anyone," Khan denied while showing a fake smile. "She has only given me a way to remain on Nitis before dropping me at the base of a mountain."


    "I heard a different story," George teased while diverting his gaze.


    "We all did," Sonia giggled before clearing her throat when Khan glanced at her.


    "I know for a fact that you didn''t," Khan sneered while shaking his head.


    "Well," Harris added while diverting his gaze too. "We know that Paul came to get you on his own, but he returned to the camp alone. Instead, you arrived with Miss Liiza. I wonder, how did you reach the mountains where you got your Aduns without an Ugu?"


    Khan could almost sense the curious gazes on him, but he only showed a broad smile while a joking threat came out of his mouth. "Remember that I have to teach you how to fly."


    "I suddenly forgot what I said before," Sonia laughed before hurrying inside her building to reach her room.


    "You bring honor to the human species," Harris announced while giving Khan the thumbs-up and entering the building.


    "I did nothing," George said as soon as Khan''s gaze ended on him. "I swear."


    "Rumors are a dangerous weapon here," Khan stated while wearing an honest expression and making sure that the remaining recruits around him saw it. "Don''t make things hard for me. It''s fine to joke around, but I fear what the Lieutenant or the Captain might do if they think that you are serious."


    Some of the recruits gasped or covered their mouths when they understood how serious the situation could become over those simple jokes. Many couldn''t help but express their regret with polite excused, but Khan made sure to give gentle dismissals that made him appear magnanimous and understanding.


    "You still have to go out with us one of these nights," George grinned before entering the building and disappearing in the dim corridor.


    "He wants you to relax," Natalie said while approaching the entrance. "He respects you a lot. I think he feels indebted after Istrone."


    "He has been quite reliable there," Khan explained. "I wouldn''t be here without him."


    "Khan, I''m not dense," Natalie replied while showing her usual cold expression toward him. "Still, we are soldiers on an alien planet trying to improve a frail relationship. How can we even waste time with that stuff?"


    Natalie''s answer reminded Khan about Martha. She had said something similar to him in the past, even if her hidden meanings had been different.


    "How can you improve a relationship when you refuse to know them?" Khan whispered as a faint sadness appeared in his eyes.


    "That''s barely related," Natalie said as faint laughs tried to seep past her cold expression. "I just used the same word. Don''t give it the same meaning."


    "I will as long as it helps George," Khan winked, and Natalie finally laughed before shaking her head and entering the building.


    Only Khan and Veronica remained outside the building at that point, but they both appeared about to enter it.


    "That was nice," Veronica commented as she approached the entrance. "I didn''t think you also had the time to help your friends."


    "George is a good man," Khan smiled. "Helping him feels right."


    "What about helping yourself?" Veronica teased. "You have good looks and achievements to back them up. I bet any girl would be happy to know you better."


    "You are overestimating me," Khan dismissed her statement while giving voice to a fake laugh.


    "No, I''m not," Veronica announced as her expression grew severe for the first time since the beginning of the conversation, but she turned before Khan could study her face.


    ''Maybe I''m really good-looking,'' Khan wondered while remaining alone outside of the building.


    Truth be told, he wanted to go to the mountains and be with Liiza, but she had decided to be rude to her companions to warn him about her exhaustion. Khan didn''t want to let her efforts go to waste. He would remain in the camp and recover properly that night.


    "Good, you are here," A familiar voice suddenly resounded behind Khan and interrupted his step toward the entrance.


    Khan turned and saw Captain Erbair''s tall figure approaching him. She was wearing casual clothes that didn''t express her rank or power, but he noticed a large casket in her grasp.


    "The Global Army has decided to accelerate the transport of goods," Captain Erbair explained. "The higher-ups even sent your rewards sooner than initially planned after learning about your performance during the crisis."


    ****


    Author''s notes: The second chapter is basically done. I just need a few more minutes.

 Chapter 119: Grades

    Khan''s eyes lit up as Captain Erbair handed him the large casket. The container felt heavy, and it was far bigger than he expected. After all, he had requested a single knife, but the chest was sixty centimeters long.


    "You are accumulating merits at an incredible pace," Captain Erbair announced while Khan was busy inspecting the clean box made of black metal. "Be honest. Do you like the Niqols?"


    The sudden question made Khan frown as he raised his eyes toward the tall Captain. He couldn''t understand the meaning behind her words, but she quickly explained herself better.


    "I meant as a species," Captain Erbair explained. "I''ve studied how the relationships with these types of alien species usually evolve. I don''t know if it will happen soon enough for you to be a candidate, but the Global Army might plan a political marriage at some point. I just wanted to know if I should keep your name in mind in case things move faster than expected."


    Khan''s frown relaxed, but his surprise intensified. He instinctively thought about Liiza, but he still felt too young to give an honest answer about a possible marriage. He didn''t even like the idea of using the event for political reasons, but he kept that idea for himself.


    "Would I get to choose my wife?" Khan eventually asked to learn more about the matter.


    "Probably not," Captain Erbair revealed. "I can even assure you that Miss Liiza would be out of the question with your background. The life as the first interspecies couple is also quite annoying due to all the studies related to an eventual offspring."


    Khan had only heard about the existence of interspecies couples. He had yet to study anything specific, but he knew that humans had tried to mix their genes with aliens with compatible sexual organs. Still, everything related to those topics seemed classified or too advanced since the network didn''t offer information about them.


    "How bad is it if I say no?" Khan honestly asked as his expression became complicated.


    Everything on Nitis was working in his favor. Khan was gaining merits with the Global Army, his girlfriend was amazing, and the Niqols were learning to know him.


    Khan didn''t want to ruin his perfect record by declaring his unwillingness to sacrifice for the greater good of the Global Army. However, he didn''t want to lie about such important matters either since they might come to haunt him in the future.


    "This conversation isn''t official," Captain Erbair explained. "I''m just trying to know my team better. The Global Army sent me here because of my knowledge of alien species and the history of our past interactions with them. Learning how I can use you it''s my job."


    Khan didn''t feel offended by the works picked by Captain Erbair. She had to treat her underlings as pawns to use them properly. Emotions were useless and dangerous when handling important matters, and she couldn''t allow herself to commit mistakes. It would take years to mend the relationship between the two species otherwise.


    "I don''t want my kids to become guinea pigs, ma''am," Khan honestly revealed.


    "That''s understandable," Captain Erbair nodded. "Don''t worry. You are young, but you are already doing great. You''ll be fine as long as you don''t fool around with Niqols once you get to the academies."


    "Am I in then?" Khan asked as his eyes lit up again.


    "Of course," Captain Erbair snorted. "Who else would I even send there? I''ll use the next two weeks to understand what that damned Yeza wants before coming up with a team. I might contact Paul or you if I''m undecided about a few names."


    Khan promptly placed the casket on the ground and performed a military salute, but Captain Erbair limited herself to wave her hand and turn back to her building.


    "Make sure to sleep," Captain Erbair ordered while walking back to her place. "We all need it. We might not have time for it soon."


    Khan watched Captain Erbair disappearing inside her building before glancing at the casket on the ground. He picked it up while messy thoughts filled his mind. It was clear that everyone expected chaos to unfold soon, but he felt too little to affect a planetary crisis. His power barely allowed him to protect what he cared about.


    The scenes of Liiza flying toward the sharp root after the clash with the bull appeared in his vision. She could have gotten badly hurt in that battle, and Khan wouldn''t have been able to do anything to stop that.


    His power wasn''t enough to stop a single monster. Khan couldn''t even imagine what would happen once the sunlight started to shine on Nitis. He didn''t even know if he could be with Liiza while the crisis unfolded.


    ''I need to get stronger,'' Khan decided in his mind as his grasp on the metal casket tightened.


    Khan started to review his past battles on Nitis as he walked inside the building behind him and quickly found his room. His hands went on the azure square on the wall after dropping the casket on the bed. He quickly sealed the flat as he prepared to approach his second martial art.


    His memories confirmed that he had never failed to execute techniques since he had landed on Nitis. The trend had started on Earth during his last period with Lieutenant Dyester, and it had yet to end.


    Khan didn''t feel different about his proficiency level, but he had no way to test it. He didn''t even know how to learn about it without training areas. Still, his confidence in the Lightning-demon style felt almost natural now.


    A surprising scene unfolded in Khan''s eyes once he lifted the casket''s lid. He clearly recalled having asked for only one knife, but the box had three of them accompanied by matching sheaths.


    Each sheath had a label that described the knife''s quality. Khan didn''t hesitate to unlock his phone to check what the Divine Reaper''s training program said about them.


    ''Reinforced blunt null-grade weapon,'' Khan read on the label of the first knife before checking what the training program said.


    The program confirmed that the first knife was perfect as a training tool. It could be his companion while he learnt the different techniques for the Divine Reaper, and it could even work as a weapon once he deployed mana.


    Most importantly, the weapon wouldn''t break if he failed to execute a technique correctly. That was the biggest issue mentioned in the training program, but the Global Army had him covered.


    ''Reinforced null-grade weapon,'' Khan read on the second knife.


    It seemed that the Global Army wanted him to differ between training and actual fights. Khan even checked the second knife after opening the leather sheath that held its handle still.


    He did the same with the first and compared the two weapons. Their edges were clearly different. The second knife cut his skin as soon as he placed his thumb on its sharp edge, while the first seemed unable to do the same no matter how much strength he put in the grip.


    Both knives had black handles and dark-grey blades. They were almost identical and a bit less than twenty centimeters long. They were pointy and triangular, clearly hinting that they could cut with both sides. Also, a single pale-azure line ran at their center and connected their bases to their tips.


    Khan placed both knives back into the casket at that point. He had the blunt and the sharp reinforced blades already. He couldn''t imagine what the last weapon could be, and his eyes ended up widening in surprise when he sensed a faint trace of mana coming out of the third sheath.


    ''Reinforced first-grade weapon,'' Khan read after carefully picking the third knife and looking at its label.


    His hands almost moved on their own as he unlocked the piece of leather keeping the black handle still and drew the weapon. A dark blade unfolded in eyes, but the same pale-azure line connected its sharp tip to its base.


    The third knife was similar to the others. It was pointy, triangular, and rather long, with two sharp edges and a comfortable handle covered in resilient fabric. Still, a faint aura surrounded the weapon, and Khan almost felt in danger while holding it.


    Khan''s eyes quickly moved across the room. He wanted to find something to cut, but he didn''t find anything that could tell him how sharp the knife actually was. Yet, the simple bed with its metal legs eventually filled his vision and attracted his hands.


    Khan placed one of the sharp edges of the knife to the bed''s metal legs and applied a bit of pressure. The weapon immediately pierced the material and started cutting it without meeting any hindrance. He didn''t even notice that the blade cut it from side to side until it was too late.


    The bed fell to its side, but Khan didn''t move. The dark blade had captured the entirety of his attention. He felt almost drawn by the first-grade weapon, even if he didn''t know what that classification meant. Still, the training program put it as the ideal type of knife to use since it was a magic item.


    ''I bet I''d be so rich if I sold it,'' Khan thought before storing the knife, using the casket to replace its severed leg, and tinkering with his phone to find more explanations.


    It turned out that the network didn''t say anything about magic items, but Khan discovered that he could find additional explanations on the Divine Reaper''s training program. Each weapon listed there had further descriptions and hidden lessons.


    The grade referred to the enhancements that the weapons received. The lessons of the training program didn''t focus on the actual description of the magic items. Khan had to understand the information among explanations meant for other aspects of the knives, but the task turned out to be rather easy.


    The woman in the training program described how weapons would react to the martial art depending on their grade, so Khan could easily understand their qualities and connected them to a level.


    The null-grade only had basic enhancements that relied on mana to make a material surpass its innate features. The first-grade went beyond that and added abilities that could only be described as magical.


    The third knife''s sharpness was unrealistic. It existed beyond the simple edge. Khan barely had to put any strength to cut the bed''s metal leg.


    ''Magic items sure are strange,'' Khan thought after reading all the descriptions. ''Wonderful, but strange.''


    The Global Army had yet to teach about magic items. Those were topics for the second year and specialized courses since they involved different subjects connected to mana. Khan had the chance to learn something about it sooner than others, but he felt quite sure that most of the wealthy recruits already knew a lot about them.


    The excitement waned once he finished reviewing those lessons. Khan had yet to recover from the long night spent hunting. His body still felt exhausted, but it didn''t prevent him from completing a short meditation.


    Various thoughts returned in his mind after he came out of the meditative state. Khan had to warn Liiza about the imminent crisis and discuss how the Niqols wanted to handle it. He didn''t know if he could help her entire species, but he wanted to make sure that they faced the struggle together.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I''m sorry. It took far longer than I expected.

 Chapter 120: Promise

    The following morning, Khan finally had the chance to give the Divine Reaper''s techniques a try. He had the null-grade blunt knife ready for his training now, and his body had even washed away most of its tiredness after spending an entire night sleeping. Nothing could stop him from approaching his second martial art.


    Multiple desires fused in Khan''s mind while he tried to memorize the initial techniques of the Divine Reaper. He had the deep and tense feelings connected to the imminent crisis, but he also felt simple excitement toward the idea of getting to his first-grade magic weapon.


    The Divine Reaper employed only one weapon, which made Khan''s two null-grade knives only temporary tools. Their enhancements didn''t even make them immune to the after-effects of the martial art. Damages would inevitably accumulate in their structure, so alternating them would prolong their life.


    Khan had already decided how to divide his time with the knives when he inspected them the previous night. He would limit the blunt weapon to his training and bring the sharp one into battle once he managed to fuse the Divine Reaper with the Lightning-demon style.


    The first-grade knife would have to wait for his expertise to improve. Khan didn''t want to ruin it with failed executions unless he desperately needed its incredible sharpness. Its grade made it more resilient than the other weapons, but his constant lack of Credits kept him worried about an eventual future when he couldn''t rely on the Global Army to get goods.


    The Divine Reaper was completely different from the Lightning-demon style. It wasn''t only a matter of using hands instead of legs. The moves, the speed, the strength, and the rhythm he had to express during each technique were inherently opposed to the martial art that he had memorized during the past seven months.


    The habits and instincts developed after countless hours spent repeating the same techniques over and over again made the initial approach to the Divine Reaper end poorly. Khan kept failing to even stand in the right position since his legs didn''t feel it to be natural.


    Still, spending the entire morning training inside his room eventually allowed him to see positive aspects that his initial struggles had prevented him from noticing. Khan was immensely better at controlling mana compared to when he first started practicing martial arts. Moreover, his battle sense had also improved, so he could succeed in a few moves after successfully suppressing his old habits.


    The Divine Reaper didn''t rely much on actual moves or weapon quality. It heavily depended on the control of mana to work since the sharpness and the deadliness of each technique would depend on how the user deployed that energy.


    The martial art could theoretically work with every type of move since it only needed the mana to match them. The training program still contained a series of ideal knife techniques meant to provide warriors with a general battle style. Yet, the hooded woman often stressed how the Divine Reaper didn''t have set limits, which was the very reason why it could get such a high evaluation when used with other skills.


    The theory behind each move was to envelop the knife in a thick layer of mana, but that was the first big issue. The hooded woman explained how weapon users usually limited themselves to fill the structure with their energy and create a temporary enhancement similar to what magic items experienced. Instead, the Divine Reaper needed them to go beyond that and create an actual membrane capable of adding intense features.


    Filling the knife with mana and enveloping it into a thick membrane were only the initial struggles. The amount of control required to maintain that enhancement while moving was immense. Khan saw his azure energy dispersing in the air whenever he tried to practice in one of the techniques described by the training program.


    Khan didn''t have the time to reach the third and last hurdle of the martial art in a single morning, but he checked it out anyway. It turned out that the last barrier before the competent proficiency level saw him enhancing specific features with his mana, not only use it as a barbaric method to make even blunt weapons sharp.


    The single morning of training didn''t allow Khan to do much, but it gave him a general idea of his starting point. His mental training made him slightly talented in controlling mana, but the Divine Reaper''s moves went completely against his style. They felt so off that he even considered completely ignoring them for the time being.


    Khan had lunch in the canteen with the other recruits after spending the morning in his room. Then he discovered that the professors were still taking a break from the lessons, so he basically ended up having the entire day for himself.


    "You need to put your legs right under the base of the wings," Khan explained to the recruits who had gathered around him right after lunch. "They are quite sensitive, so don''t squeeze too hard."


    Snow turned to look at Khan when it heard the word "sensitive", and the recruits around them couldn''t help but laugh at that scene. Khan had decided to teach everyone the basic flight position before traveling toward the mountains, so even the boys and girls from the other class had gathered outside the camp.


    Their test to tame the Aduns would come soon, and Khan was the only human who had succeeded in the task. He was even the only one who knew what the trial featured, and that made him the greatest expert in the entire human species in that specific field.


    "Your hands should be on its neck," Khan continued. "Then again, it''s sensitive, so don''t pull its feathers. You don''t really need to cling on its neck when you fly, but all of you will do it before gaining some confidence."


    Snow gave voice to a pissed screech again, and it even started scratching Khan''s head with its beak. The scene felt hilarious for the audience, especially once Khan decided to address the issue.


    "Sensitive doesn''t mean weak!" Khan complained while fixing his gaze on the eagle''s three eyes.


    Snow complained through another screech, and Khan decided to ruffle the feathers on its neck until it gave up to its pissed attitude. The Aduns fought back by rolling on itself and making dirt cover Khan, but the latter only continued with his pets.


    "I''ve gotten a playful one," Khan announced while patting his uniform to remove part of the dirt once the two stopped playing. "You don''t get to decide your Aduns during the test. You will climb the mountain until one of them chooses you."


    Khan then patted Snow''s back, which unfolded its wings and prepared itself to set off.


    "Remember that the Aduns won''t attack you directly," Khan repeated one of his previous warnings. "However, they will try to make you fall, so never lower your guard. They''ll probably order me to oversee your tests, but I probably won''t be able to do much. Remain calm and prepare your bodies for the climb."


    Khan set off at that point. He didn''t want to study the admiring gazes of his companions. Also, creating a faint barrier between the recruits and him would only improve his image. It was better to leave before the others could feel too close to him.


    Khan''s expression grew cold once he remained alone. The wind blowing on his face didn''t make him forget what he had to do.


    Warning Liiza and trying to plan a strategy that could allow them to face the incoming crisis together was almost treason, but Khan didn''t care about that part. His worries were on how little his girlfriend could do with the information. After all, she was simple soldier. Her privileged status came from her mother, but she didn''t have much power over her species.


    The familiar flat spot among the mountain chain soon unfolded in Khan''s view, and Snow didn''t hesitate to drop him there. Liiza was nowhere to be seen, so a long training session started.


    Khan meditated and spent time in the mental training. The eleventh exercise continued to make him struggle, but he never stopped improving there. The Wave spell kept getting closer to his reach, and his excitement inevitably intensified with each step forward.


    Khan decided not to bring the blunt knife on purpose since he wanted his main focus to remain on the Lightning-demon style. He had yet to understand if his proficiency had stepped on the competent level, so slowing down his training couldn''t be an option in his mind.


    The familiar sound of flapping wings made Khan interrupt the seemingly endless repetition of his techniques. Liiza''s dark-grey Aduns appeared in his view when he turned, and the sight of his stunning girlfriend forced his face to break into a smile.


    "How are you feeling?" Liiza quickly asked while hurrying into Khan''s arms and leaving a kiss on his lips.


    Her question involved multiple topics. It went from the long night spent hunting to his nightmares, and Khan didn''t hide anything. He told her that his dreams always involved the new scenes uncovered by Zalpa and that his body had almost fully recovered after spending an entire day resting.


    "The spell yesterday has drained me too," Liiza sighed while taking Khan''s hand and leading him toward their favorite spot in the corner of the wall. "I remained asleep for an entire day just to recover."


    Khan sat in the corner, and Liiza didn''t take much to reach his lap. They had grown so used to be together in the past two weeks that they didn''t need to voice their wishes. Liiza liked Khan''s warmth, so she always wanted her back to be on his chest.


    "We need to talk about the monsters," Khan said while the two snuggled closer to each other to enjoy the sensations generated by their position. "The Global Army has found the cause of the crisis. I think that Zalpa is right."


    "I''m not surprised," Liiza sighed while turning her face to stare into Khan''s worried eyes and raising a hand to caress his cheek. "My superiors are studying every old text they can find. It seems that Nitis will face much worse once the sunlight arrives."


    "Yeah," Khan continued. "The matter won''t involve only Tainted animals. The Niqols who have no control over mana might be at risk. The younger generations of your species might experience mutations if you don''t shield them from the sunlight."


    Liiza''s eyes widened in surprise, and she couldn''t help but divert her gaze. Her hand also left Khan''s face and joined her other one as the potential consequences of the crisis became evident in her mind.


    Liiza was quite rebellious, but her behavior mostly came from her poor relationship with her mother. She didn''t hate the Niqols at all. She didn''t agree with some of their politics and customs, but that wasn''t enough to make her loathe her species.


    The Niqols didn''t have the precise and detailed scanners of the humans. They knew mana in ways that the other species couldn''t even begin to comprehend, but that understanding mostly involved feelings. It didn''t feature math and equations.


    The fact that the previous crisis had only involved Tainted animals had made the elders of the Niqols ignore that the sunlight could affect their species. However, Liiza understood how tragic the consequence of that event could be. The future of her kind could be at risk. She even felt retches rising through her throat when she imagined kids and children mutating.


    "The army wants to exploit the crisis to strengthen the relationship with the Niqols," Khan revealed as his expression darkened. "They might refrain from helping until your situation gets tragic."


    Khan didn''t forget to caress Liiza''s back and sides while she absorbed those revelations. She wasn''t ignorant about political matters, so she could immediately understand how the humans could benefit from the crisis.


    The thought that the army would let children and kids die to gain more benefits disgusted her, but the warmth spreading from her back slowly made her feel better. Liiza turned and saw how Khan was experiencing similar feelings. He was trying to do the good thing, even if his actions put his situation in the army in danger.


    The last barrier around Liiza''s heart crumbled when she fixed her eyes on Khan''s worried gaze. She took his head between her hands and pressed her lips on his mouth while straightening her position.


    Khan wanted to stand up with her, but Liiza made him understand that he could remain in his position. Her gaze felt more intense than usual during the process, but she didn''t give her boyfriend the time to ask questions.


    "I need to warn everyone," Liiza said while remaining bent toward Khan and keeping her hands on his cheeks. "I''ll say that Zalpa came up with this, so you don''t have to worry about the army. You only need to promise me one thing."


    Khan nodded. He felt confused, but the intense glow coming out of Liiza''s eyes was too captivating to make her interrupt her actions. He had never seen her so serious. Even her usual cold expression couldn''t match how resolute she appeared in that situation.


    "Think carefully about us and our situation these days, okay?" Liiza almost pleaded before turning without waiting for Khan''s answer.


    Khan wanted to follow her, but the dark-grey Aduns landed on the flat area and took her away before he could say anything.


    ****


    Author''s notes: The second chapter is basically done. I just need a few more minutes.

 Chapter 121: Days

    Khan couldn''t understand what had just happened. He could get that Liiza needed to leave and warn everyone quickly, but her last words left him speechless.


    ''Why would she say that?'' Khan wondered as he played the time spent with her in his mind.


    Khan felt quite sure that he didn''t make Liiza angry. He had always been honest, and he wasn''t treating her like a powerless girl either. The events with Zalpa had even made their relationship take a step forward since they were sharing each other''s burdens now.


    Still, Liiza''s sudden reaction made Khan feel that something was off. She was usually easy to understand since she never held back from showing her true intentions. Yet, the last interaction had featured the exact opposite of what Khan had learnt to see in his girlfriend.


    The confusion caused worries, and the worries led to paranoia. Khan had recently gone through multiple difficult moments, and Liiza had become one of the few things he could appreciate wholeheartedly. She was a trustworthy beacon in his life who helped him go on even if his beliefs had fallen apart.


    Liiza''s last line sorted the effects that it described. Khan couldn''t help but consider his relationship with her, and he even ended up comparing the Niqols to the only other girl who had come close to become his girlfriend.


    Two weeks of a relationship didn''t sound like a long time when Khan thought about it. However, they had arrived while he was lost in the emptiness caused by Istrone''s events. Moreover, they had been intense and wonderful in fields that went way beyond simple lust.


    Khan couldn''t deny the intense attraction the two had experienced since they first lay their eyes on each other. Yet, those days together had proven how their mana wasn''t wrong. They had a similar mindset and situation. The differences between their species didn''t even manage to create unsolvable misunderstandings.


    It was evident that their relationship could work. Khan and Liiza were still at the beginning of their romance, but they could feel how they never stopped getting closer to each other. Their feelings never stopped intensifying as they discovered new aspects of their partner. They also grew used to their gestures and behavior at a surprising pace.


    Martha and Liiza were so different that Khan struggled to understand how he could like both of them.


    Martha was a gentle friend who didn''t care about Khan''s background. She liked to fight, to prevail over her peers, and she didn''t mind helping Khan whenever he couldn''t understand some aspects of the Global Army.


    Khan and Martha shared a similar position in the army, but that only created a natural alliance since they were on the opposite side of the wealthy recruits. Their background wasn''t the reason why their relationship had slowly evolved.


    Martha was mature, and she felt naturally attracted by Khan''s driven character. She also liked the side of him that made her laugh. The same went for his shamelessness toward some aspects of their life in the Global Army.


    She had initially tried to suppress her feelings due to the packed schedule caused by the training camp, but Onia had made her hesitation crumble. Martha had felt slightly shy about that, but she had finally decided to give her romantic life a chance.


    Liiza was almost her opposite. She and Khan simply couldn''t be friends. Their attraction was instinctive, and a power that they couldn''t control drove it. Their minds had decided that they were good for each other, and that had been enough to make everything else happen.


    Liiza''s status as a Niqols made her self-restraint quite loose. She didn''t hesitate to kiss him as soon as she confirmed her attraction. She often initiated their intimate sessions, and her confidence was something that Khan admired about her character.


    Moreover, Liiza could feel his pain in ways that humans who didn''t endure the same experiences struggled to do. She could look into his mind by studying his gaze and staring at his expressions. Her perception was almost magical and probably came from her deep understanding of mana.


    ''What should I even consider about us?'' Khan sighed as he softly bumped the back of his head to the cold, rocky surface behind him. ''I like her, and she likes me. Isn''t this the whole point of a relationship?''


    The differences between their species didn''t matter in Khan''s mind. He could barely force himself to see humans and Niqols as separate creatures. He couldn''t find issues when he struggled to understand what everyone saw as problematic.


    His confused state eventually led to a conclusion that left him both sad and warm. Khan slowly accepted that Liiza would have probably captured the entirety of his mind even if Martha were awake. He couldn''t even describe the reasons behind his deduction. There was something between the Niqols and him that went beyond thoughts and words.


    The evolution of his relationship with Martha had been natural and smooth, but he could describe it clearly. Khan could see every tiny step that they had taken together to reach their apex in Onia.


    Instead, everything felt unclear and unavoidable with Liiza. She existed, so Khan felt attracted by her. His eyes wanted to remain on her as long as she was in their range.


    Khan could guess that his feelings came from his young age. He didn''t lie to himself when he considered his inexperience in relationships and potentially na?ve emotions.


    However, Khan couldn''t find a proper reason to disrespect his emotions. They might come from his young and na?ve mind, but so what? They still existed, and he could feel them growing stronger with each passing day.


    ''Niqols'' love is stronger than humans,'' Khan repeated Zalpa''s words in his mind. ''I wonder if we should all learn to love like the Niqols. Isn''t this what Lieutenant Dyester tried to teach to me? Shouldn''t I avoid having regrets?''


    The mental conversation felt too one-sided at some point and made Khan suppress his worries to go back to his training. The third day of his third week on Nitis passed quickly, and he returned to the camp the following afternoon to fill his stomach and see if the professors had gone back to work.


    The recruits welcomed him back to the camp with open arms. They even took that chance to study his riding position again, and Khan didn''t mind repeating his explanations while adding a few descriptions of his test.


    One of the professors had yet to return to work, but Khan could attend two lessons before the arrival of the night. His companions tried to drag him outside of the camp at that point, but his thoughts about Liiza made it impossible for him to accept that offer.


    Khan ate again before going inside his room and taking care of his training with the Divine Reaper. He even tested whether the mental barrier helped with the exercises related to mana, but the results ended up being quite obvious. His ability to cut away his emotions improved his results, but he was still far away from creating the membrane of sharp energy described in the martial art.


    His training with the Divine Reaper ended around midnight. Khan had the chance to sleep and flew to the mountains after he woke up, but Snow notified him about its arrival before he could even consider remaining inside the camp.


    The Aduns didn''t come to the camp due to Khan''s orders. It had simply sensed his longing toward Liiza, and it had connected that feeling to the flat area among the mountains.


    Khan didn''t need to make up his mind anymore at that point. He exited his room, jumped on Snow, and let the eagle fly him to the mountain chain with its most reckless flight yet. Snow allowed him to experience surges of adrenaline that even the battles couldn''t provide. Still, everything went silent when the duo approached the flat area and noticed a dark figure wrapped in a white blanket sitting in the corner of the rocky wall.


    Liiza opened her eyes and unfolded the blanket when she saw Khan landing at the edges of the flat area. She appeared sleepy, but her expression quickly grew aloof after staring at her boyfriend for a few seconds.


    Khan could see that something was bothering her. She used the blanket to create a spot next to her where he could sit. She wanted to talk instead of diving into intimate actions.


    Khan didn''t let that scene scare him away. He actually felt glad that he was finally about to obtain his answers. He didn''t want to experience that day of doubts and worries ever again.


    "Can you tell me what''s wrong now?" Khan asked once he sat cross-legged on the blanket and fixed his eyes on Liiza.


    "Did you think about what I said?" Liiza went straight to the point without showing any reaction in her expression.


    "I didn''t manage to think about anything else," Khan honestly revealed without moving his eyes from hers. "I thought and thought, considered every day spent together. My mind even compared you to the girl I told you about."


    "What did you discover?" Liiza asked, but her voice seemed to tremble near the end of her line.


    Khan ignored that detail and decided to go along with her questions. "What''s there to discover? You already know how I feel. I can''t understand what''s changed."


    "You put yourself at risk to help my species," Liiza replied. "That happened."


    "I can''t see the differences between humans and Niqols," Khan explained while shrugging his shoulders. "I don''t want the relationships of our species to improve on the blood of children. I just don''t."


    "You didn''t decide that because of me, right?" Liiza continued.


    "I had the chance to warn the Niqols with you," Khan sighed as his expression darkened. "I still need to follow orders and wait to help if that''s what my superiors want, but I didn''t want to keep you in the dark over something so important. I don''t care if the army ends up losing benefits over my actions."


    "Khan, isn''t that treason?" Liiza asked as her voice gained a pleading tone.


    "Isn''t the opposite genocide?" Khan replied without showing any hesitation in his face.


    A tremor ran through Liiza, but she suppressed it and remained still. Her eyes moved toward the ground before returning on Khan.


    "Niqols don''t feel like humans, Khan," Liiza whispered.


    "I know," Khan scoffed. "Zalpa has been clear about that. Still, I''m not completely human, am I?"


    "Khan," Liiza exclaimed in her previous begging tone while her cold face broke to reveal her hesitation. "You have just put yourself at high risk to help my species. My superiors are already trying to confirm what you said. You might have saved thousands of lives."


    "Well," Khan cleared his throat at that sudden praise, "I was only trying to do the righ-."


    Khan didn''t have the chance to finish his line since Liiza slowly bent toward him until her forehead touched his. Khan soon felt her crawling on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck.


    "What is it?" Khan whispered as the sensation caused by Liiza''s cold body filled his mind.


    She was standing on her knees while on his lap. Liiza clung to his hair and forced his head to tilt upward to look at her face. Her forehead was still on him, and her half-closed eyes seemed lost in the sensations that his warmth caused.


    "I want to be clear," Liiza gave voice to faint words that caused cold puffs to land on his lips. "I will turn you into a block of ice if you betray my feelings."


    Khan''s eyes lit up, but the nature of the situation didn''t allow him to think straight. He simply nodded, and Liiza''s head moved together with his face.


    "What is happening?" Khan eventually asked after Liiza has remained in that position for a few minutes.


    "Shut up," Liiza pleaded in a sweet voice. "It''s my first time. I want to be sure."


    Khan wanted to speak again, but Liiza''s lips suddenly fell on his mouth, and the two remained entangled in a passionate kiss that quickly made them lie on the ground.


    Liiza appeared more passionate than usual. Her hand quickly went inside Khan''s robe and uncovered his torso. Khan couldn''t help but do the same, and the two soon remained naked while lying on each other.


    Liiza showed a faint hesitation as her hand slid down Khan''s torso, but a hateful thought suddenly filled his mind and made him stop her gesture. Liiza left his lips and revealed a confused expression. Some sadness even appeared in her eyes when she saw the conflict in her boyfriend''s face.


    "I thought you also wanted it," Liiza whispered in a voice so sad that Khan''s heart almost shattered when he heard those words.


    "I don''t have condoms," Khan quickly explained himself as a tinge of shame appeared on his face.


    He didn''t have the time to search for them inside the camp, and he didn''t trust anyone enough to talk about the issue. George could know something, but Khan didn''t want to risk anything yet.


    "Oh," Liiza exclaimed in surprise.


    The Niqols turned and twisted her body to reach her tracksuit on the ground. She browsed through its insides until she took out a small oval disk that contained something that looked like a condom.


    "I had to go through dad''s old stuff to find it," Liiza revealed in a shy voice. "It has even been hard to keep it hidden during these days."


    "Days?" Khan asked as warmth spread inside his mind.


    "I knew it was going to happen soon and that you couldn''t move freely in the camp," Liiza said while showing a timid smile that broadened as soon as she saw her boyfriend abandoning his last brim of self-restraint and rising to make their lips meet again.

 Chapter 122: Cold

    Nitis'' dark sky appeared brighter than usual when Khan opened his eyes, but that feature didn''t come from the nearing of the sunlight. The cold air felt sweeter when it entered his nostrils, and the small chunks of snow that had fallen on him during the night almost spread warmth through his body.


    Those symptoms would usually grant anyone a visit to a doctor or a shrink, but Khan knew that he wasn''t ill. His strange situation was the exact opposite of a disease. Those strange sensations came from what had happened during the night.


    Khan found himself lying on the ground with a white blanket covering his naked body. A cold sensation spread from his left side, but he felt only happy to recognize it. Liiza had fallen asleep after snuggling onto his shoulder and laying her head on his chest.


    ''I''ve become a man!'' Khan childishly shouted in his mind before ugly thoughts attempted to taint his happiness.


    The soldiers used their first kill to mark the passage from kid to a man. Thinking about that made Khan relieve the events on Istrone when a ten-year-old Kred had died under his blows.


    Khan didn''t let that memory ruin his moment, but another thought inevitably made its way across his mind and worsened his mood even more. He had finally experienced his first time, and he had even used condoms, but the event reminded him about his father and his last words before their separation.


    ''I listened to him even if you probably are a liar,'' Khan thought as he imagined a mental conversation with Bret. ''I really hope you had good reasons, dad.''


    "Hey, look at me," Liiza groaned in a cute sleepy voice while adjusting her position on Khan''s chest. ''It ruins your warmth if you have unhappy thoughts."


    Khan turned toward the beauty at his side. The blanket covered her naked body, her long white hair tried to hide her face, and her closed eyes blocked the glow of her stunning gaze, but she remained the most captivating view that he had ever experienced in his entire life.


    Liiza gave voice to a sweet moan when Kahn wrapped his arm around her shoulder to bring her closer. His free hand reached her forehead to remove the strands of hair that had fallen on her face before adjusting the blanket to make sure that she remained covered.


    A slight smile appeared on Liiza''s sleeping expression. Looking at her had restored Khan''s peace of mind and regulated his mana to a state that she could appreciate. Her sensitivity to that energy was almost scary, but Khan knew that it was so accurate with him due to the feelings that they shared.


    "Did you develop an addiction to my sleeping face already?" Liiza teased without opening her eyes.


    "Did you develop an addiction to my warmth?" Khan chuckled before leaving a kiss on her forehead.


    "Just a bit," Liiza moaned while snuggling closer.


    "You are doomed," Khan teased. "This evil human made you abandon your Niqols'' roots."


    "My species is missing out so much," Liiza whispered in her sweet voice. "I didn''t think I could feel so hot."


    "Someone liked it then," Khan whispered while nearing his mouth to her forehead to make her feel his warm breath.


    "I wonder if it feels as good with a Niqols," Liiza said before giggling when she sensed Khan''s body tensing up.


    Liiza opened her eyes while revealing a broad smile and climbing on Khan''s body. She lay on his chest and pointed her elbows on his shoulders to support her head and laugh at her boyfriend''s frown.


    "Is this the time when you go possessive on me?" Liiza giggled while bending her legs up and down to express her playful and happy mood.


    The blanket fell off from her back and left both of them exposed. A faint wind also blew it for a few meters. Khan felt overwhelmed by that sight, and he failed to play along as his true feelings escaped his mouth.


    "Your freedom led to where we are now," Khan revealed as he fell in a daze. "That''s also how I imagine you in my mind. How could I even try to suppress it?"


    Liiza''s legs stopped moving and fell back on Khan. Their feet touched as her playful smile vanished, and she bent to kiss him.


    "Hey," Liiza said when their lips separated, and Khan couldn''t help but sense hesitation in her voice.


    "What is it?" Khan asked as his hand reached her naked back to caress it.


    "All humans are warm, right?" Liiza responded while diverting her gaze. "My body is cold. Was it a problem?"


    Khan frowned again, but understanding eventually dawned upon his mind. His eyes widened when he managed to uncover the real meaning behind Liiza''s words, and his arms inevitably reached her shoulders to push her on his chest.


    Liiza kept her face turned toward the ground while she let Khan''s embrace envelop her. The warmth coming out of his chest and spreading through her didn''t help her doubts. It only made her more aware of the vast difference between their temperatures.


    The warmth felt really good for a Niqols, but the opposite wasn''t true for humans. Liiza was worried that her cold body could be a turn off for Khan.


    Truth be told, that feature didn''t cause any problem to Khan. He had felt overwhelmed by emotions and sensations during their first time. Mana also empowered his body, so it was more resilient toward things that would bother a normal human.


    Moreover, Khan couldn''t compare what he had felt last night with similar events. He didn''t know how sex with a human was, and he didn''t care about it with Liiza in his arm. She had given him the best experience of his life again. The problem was making sure that she understood that.


    "The snow felt warm when I woke up," Khan whispered while diving into Liiza''s hair and finding her nape with his lips. "You have no idea how warm you feel."


    A tremor ran through Liiza when she felt Khan''s warm lips on her nape. She didn''t turn, but her grip on his shoulders tightened. Her black fingernails threatened to stab his skin, but he could sense the worry behind that gesture, so he didn''t complain. Instead, his hug intensified as if trying to make her fuse with his chest.


    "Are you sure?" Liiza hesitant voice resounded again. "I don''t want you to endure everything by yourself."


    "Enduring?" Khan laughed without moving his lips from her nape. "I''m probably the unluckiest sixteen-year-old in the world, but you still make me feel blessed. You can feel it, right?"


    "I do," Liiza replied as she relaxed her grip on one shoulder to reach Khan''s face and caress it softly. "I''m just worried."


    "About?" Khan asked.


    "Niqols feel more than humans," Liiza explained. "I''m afraid that everything will become too much for you one day."


    Zalpa''s words resounded inside Khan''s mind again. He had already learnt that the Niqols experienced feelings differently from humans, but he didn''t worry about that at all. He was actually looking forward to seeing how intense Liiza could become.


    "Luckily I''m not completely a human," Khan sighed. "I''ll learn to love like a Niqols."


    Those words made Liiza shake again when they vibrated on her nape. She couldn''t remain in that position anymore. She bent her back and turned to stare at Khan directly into his eyes. She was blushing, and her white glow had even intensified.


    "Is someth-?" Khan started to ask when he noticed that something was off, but Liiza dived toward his lips before he could finish his line.


    The kiss felt different than usual. Liiza wasn''t showing the same lustful intensity as last night. Her search for Khan''s lips appeared desperate as if her body demanded a dose of him.


    "I''ll teach you how to love like a Niqols," Liiza whispered when the two separated. "Make sure to keep up."


    "Aye, aye, ma''am," Khan laughed before noticing that Liiza was biting her lower lip while moving sensually over his low waist.


    Khan slowly straightened his position to sit on the ground. Liiza remained on his lap, with her legs spread and her wast pressing on his manhood.


    "We can''t," Khan expressed his frustration through his pleading voice.


    "What are you saying?" Liiza teased him while moving even more. "You have been in this state since we woke up."


    "Not that," Khan corrected her while trying to ignore his arousal. "We are out of condoms."


    Liiza frowned before moving her face away from his forehead and searching for her tracksuit around her. Her frown intensified when she found it tied to a rock on the wall.


    "Didn''t you put it back into the item?" Liiza asked while turning to look at Khan again. "The item is in the robe."


    "So?" Khan asked in a confused voice. "We used it already."


    "Do the humans make disposable condoms?" Liiza questioned him before nodding when she saw Khan''s eyes widening.


    "Don''t tell me," Khan gasped. "Can we use it again?"


    Liiza only needed to continue to nod to make Khan abandon his self-restraint. Her happy giggle resounded when he pointed his feet on the ground and lifted her while straightening his position to reach the tracksuit.


    .


    .


    .


    ''I love Niqols,'' Khan thought as the wind blew on his face.


    Snow dived, accelerated, and rotated on itself, but Khan didn''t react to those events. His mind was busy playing the events that had filled the night and morning shared with Liiza. Each memory made him return to those incredible moments. He couldn''t even begin to express how lucky he felt.


    Neither of them had wanted to separate, but the nature of their relationship forced them to respect some compromises. Khan and Liiza had decided to return to their respective homes right before lunchtime to keep up appearances. The two had even chosen not to fly through the same path among the mountain chain for fear that their self-restraint would crumble.


    ''Do I love Liiza?'' Khan wondered as he bent backward and lay on Snow''s feathered back.


    Khan was unclear about that topic. His insecurity didn''t come from his feeling. He knew that there was something far deeper than the simple attraction between Liiza and him. However, his inexperience in the matter didn''t allow him to realize if what he felt was the so-called love.


    ''Though, it''s hilarious,'' Khan thought as Snow dived and made his back leave the feathers. ''I can add my first time to the things that make me less human. Khan, no last name, sixteen years old, had his first time with a Niqols. Who can even refuse such a profile?''


    Khan noticed the arrival of the ground from the corner of his eyes and bent forward to make his chest adhere to Snow''s neck. The Aduns unfolded its wings to perform an abrupt stop mere meters from the terrain, but he barely felt that sudden event.


    ''She is so damned cute!'' Khan cursed in his mind, and his thoughts never moved away from Liiza as he flew back to the training camp.


    Khan remained immersed in his thoughts even after Snow dropped him on the ground and pecked his head a few times before setting off. The Aduns left the area, and Khan instinctively moved toward the camp''s entrance. The first of the free days had basically just started, but he wanted to spend it training now that he was free of Liiza''s constant temptation.


    Still, a peculiar sight startled him awake once he reached the camps'' entrance. Khan saw George sitting next to the fence with a metal cup held tightly in his hand. He initially believed the boy to be asleep, but a loud burp that came out of his mouth when he neared him proved otherwise.


    "Khan!" George shouted when he raised his head and noticed the boy nearing the gate. "You are the damned besht of the besht!"


    George then tried to stand up, but he swayed so intensely that he fell on his butt as soon as he tried to straighten his legs.


    "I guessh mana doesn''t make ush immune to booze," George announced as he raised his cup to drink, but the pink liquid in its insides fell on his uniform since his head kept swaying left and right.

 Chapter 123: Drunk

    ''What has even happened here?'' Khan wondered, but his thoughts transformed into a curse when he recalled his conversation with Doku.


    "Did the Niqols bring the booze?" Khan gave voice to a rhetorical question to check how far gone George was.


    "They gave ush everything freely!" George shouted. "We had to celebrate!"


    Khan had seen his good share of drunk behaviors after spending eleven years in the Slums. Every narrow street or corner hid someone who preferred a bottle of the cheapest liquor available on the market over a good meal. His father had also shown and taught him a lot about booze.


    George seemed to belong to the happy drunk category. He shouted and felt the need to drink more to stretch the feelings experienced in that state. He didn''t appear problematic, but leaving him there didn''t seem proper, especially since it was still the middle of the day.


    The first of the three days had basically just begun, but lying drunk around the camp wasn''t a behavior worthy of a recruit who had earned the honor of serving on Nitis. Everyone there still had to be an elite inside the Global Army, and George was far from that in his current condition.


    Khan inspected his surroundings, but he didn''t find anyone. The camp felt empty, and only the faint cries of the moles near the holes containing worms resounded in the area.


    That sight wasn''t completely unusual. The week had entered in the free days right after a major crisis that had forced every soldier to fight. Moreover, it was lunch hour. Everyone probably was in the canteen or inside their respective rooms.


    "You are one lucky guy," Khan commented while showing a faint smile.


    "Of course!" George laughed. "I''m one of Ishtrone''s shurvivors! No one is luckier than me!"


    "Let''s not talk about that," Khan sighed as his expression grew cold. "Don''t ruin your mood."


    "Yesh, sir!" George shouted before exploding into another loud laugh.


    Khan bent toward George and helped him stand up. He had done the same with his father at times, and he had been only a kid back then. Doing the same after obtaining the mana felt like child''s play.


    George didn''t struggle against Khan. He seemed to trust him completely, even if he didn''t understand why the two were walking back into the camp.


    Khan supported George from his shoulder. He had even wrapped a hand around his waist to make sure that he didn''t fall. Directly carrying him would have been faster, but the recruit risked puking on him if he ended up upside-down.


    The duo quickly reached the building with the many flats, and Khan didn''t hesitate to bring the boy inside. Still, the scene that unfolded in his vision left him a bit surprised.


    A few barrels filled the corridors, and the dense pink liquid seen during the official celebration came out from some of them. Multiple cups also lay on the floor and at the entrances of the open flats. It seemed that a proper party had happened there.


    "It was sooo fun!" George shouted.


    Khan revealed a faint smile as he shook his head. He had seen similar scenes too often to criticize the recruits, especially after what they had been through. Also, his mood was too good that day to feel bothered about those minor issues.


    George''s voice alerted some recruits who didn''t hesitate to come out of their flats to see what was happening in the corridor. Khan saw Natalie, Veronica, and a few boys of whom he vaguely recalled the names. They all showed frowns caused by headaches connected to the booze, but they appeared completely sober.


    "Khan, you are back," Veronica announced in a voice that sounded like a groan. "You also found George."


    "I see that you had fun," Khan laughed while helping George moving forward.


    "The Lieutenant and the Captain had to go to the city to handle some political matters," Veronica explained. "They left Paul in charge of the camp since the other class and its squad captain had to help capture Ugu, but a group of Niqols brought these as soon as he returned inside his quarters."


    "They know the importance of secrecy," Natalie commented before groaning since speaking caused waves of pain to spread through her head.


    "They told us to thank you for this," Veronica continued while patting a barrel next to her. "You are full of surprises."


    Khan limited himself to smile while he continued to drag George across the corridor. Yet, he stopped when he realized that he didn''t know where his room was.


    "Sixth to the left," Veronica solved his doubt when she noticed how lost he appeared.


    The girl even stepped forward and bent under George''s free shoulder to help Khan with the process. The two led the boy inside his flat in a few seconds, and they threw him on his bed right after crossing the entrance.


    "How did you even end up in this condition?" Khan asked as those who had stepped out of their flats gathered in George''s room. "I thought you had more self-control."


    "It wasn''t our fault," Natalie explained before moving her gaze to the ground. "We have only been slightly careless."


    "The Niqols warned us about this batch," Veronica added. "Apparently, it has come out stronger than usual. We didn''t realize that we were getting drunk until it was too late."


    Khan shook his head again, but his faint smile never left his face. He instinctively took away George''s shoes as vague nostalgia rose inside his mind.


    "You are good with drunks," Veronica commented after inspecting that scene.


    "I come from the Slums," Khan limited himself to explain, and Veronica waited for him to wear a different expression, but that change never happened.


    Veronica would never dare to claim to know Khan well, but she had observed him in the past days. That was a normal action since every recruit looked up to him, but she had a keen perception on her side. She could almost sense that something had changed inside him.


    Khan often appeared cold and resolute, but a kind aura surrounded him now. Veronica couldn''t explain what that vibe meant. If she had to guess, she would say that Khan had found some peace.


    "I''ll hit the canteen now," Khan informed the others who nodded and opened a path for him, but their expression froze when they saw a stern figure on the other side of the corridor.


    Khan noticed that reaction and peeked at the corridor from the flat''s entrance. He could see that Paul was inspecting the chaotic scene with a cold expression that grew angrier with each passing second.


    "Do I need to ask?" Paul asked in a cold voice.


    "We''ll clean everything up," Khan promptly announced while coming out of George''s room and performing a military salute. "We only wanted to tighten our relationship with the Niqols'' classes and prepare for the imminent mission in the academies, but we underestimated the alien booze."


    The recruits shot admiring gazes toward Khan, and they quickly imitated him by performing military salutes toward Paul. The boys and girls couldn''t help but feel safer now that Khan had taken the situation into his own hands. That mess wasn''t even his fault, but he had decided to step forward to help them.


    Paul wanted to remain angry, but he couldn''t continue to keep a stern face in front of a recruit who showed so much potential. Khan appeared as a natural-born leader in that situation. He didn''t only show loyalty toward his companions. He was even facing his problems head-on.


    "Clean up," Paul eventually ordered. "I will personally send you all back to Earth if I smell the faintest scent of booze when I come to check on you again."


    "Thank you, sir!" Khan shouted, and the recruits imitated him.


    The scene made Paul nod in approval. He even turned to leave the building, but a rude shout suddenly resounded from George''s room and made him stop his tracks.


    "We totally tricked him!" George laughed from inside his flat. "I''m telling you. Khan ish born for this. He ish the besht fucking bet during a crishsh!"


    The clear drunken and rude voice made Paul cross the corridor and reach George''s room in an instant. Khan didn''t even try to stop him. He could see from the soldier''s expression that words couldn''t help anymore.


    "On your feet!" Paul ordered when his eyes landed on George''s sorry figure.


    "I''m shorry, shir," George laughed as he stretched both arms and legs. "Everything ish shpinning. Permisshion to resht, shir."


    "Permission denied," Paul snorted. "Get up now before I write a formal report to Lieutenant Kintea."


    George began to laugh. He lightly slapped his cheeks as he straightened his position and sat on the bed. It took him a few seconds to make sure that his stomach felt stable enough to remain in that position, but his laugh returned once he confirmed that.


    "What''s so funny?" Paul shouted.


    "You won''t write anything about today," George laughed. "They will never make you Lieutenant if they find out that your underlings can get drunk right under your nose."


    The recruits peeking at that scene widened their eyes in surprise. George seemed to have recovered after sitting, and the words that came out of his mouth were clearly meant to mock his direct superior.


    "You are out of line," Paul growled while gritting his teeth.


    Paul hated to admit that George was right. He could easily hide the incident from his superiors, but everything would become far more complicated with an official report. He couldn''t send recruits back on Earth without reason, and every nasty event would inevitably reflect poorly on him.


    "Out of line?" George suddenly stopped laughing to wear a cold expression. "Fuck you, Paul. The army wants us to commit a genocide. Why can''t I have the chance to get drunk?"


    George then turned toward the other recruits and showed a disgusted expression before continuing. "What are you looking at? You have no idea what''s coming for you."


    George''s face relaxed when his eyes fell on Khan. The boy even suppressed a sob when he saw the only person in the room that he couldn''t insult.


    The boy lay on the bed again and turned to face the wall. His body shook a few times as he suppressed his tears. It seemed that the booze had forced everything that George had bottled inside his mind to come out, and Khan knew that the experience was far from nice.


    "Khan?" George eventually said in a pleading voice.


    "What is it?" Khan asked as his cold eyes fell on the floor.


    "I''m still there," George revealed. "I''m still in the forest, and I can''t get out."


    "I''m there too," Khan said. "I''m there with you."


    George sniffed before continuing. "We cut her hand, Khan. All those corpses, so many corpses."


    George fell asleep on those words, and Paul felt on the verge of exploding into a burst of anger. However, a hand landed on his shoulder and made him turn toward his owner.


    Khan shook his head when Paul looked at him, and the latter slowly calmed down when he saw his cold azure eyes. Some feelings didn''t need words to reach others, and Paul was experiencing that while reading the emotions on Khan''s face.


    "You and me. Outside," Paul limited himself to say before hurrying outside of the flat.


    Khan glanced a George, and sadness filled his expression. The boy had always been joyous during the last days, but it seemed that he had yet to accept Istorne''s events. His behavior was probably a mask meant to hide his actual mental state.


    Natalie and the other recruits stared at Khan while he left the flat and moved toward the building''s exit, but he didn''t even glance at them. He couldn''t pretend now. He felt unable to muster enough strength to lie, so he decided to ignore his companions.


    Paul was waiting for him right outside the building. The soldier walked up and down the large street while stomping his feet. He was livid, but a tinge of regret had also appeared on his expression.


    "The reports never express the true cruelty of a battlefield," Paul exclaimed when he heard the building''s sliding doors closing behind Khan.


    "Istrone wasn''t a battlefield," Khan explained. "It was a slaughter that the Kred failed to complete."


    Paul snorted, but he stomped his feet right afterward. His eyes eventually fell on Khan when he stopped, and an honest question finally came out of his mouth.


    "Be honest," Paul uttered. "Should I send him back on Earth?"


    "No," Khan limited himself to reply.


    "He is unstable!" Paul complained.


    "He was drunk," Khan defended George.


    "Give me a reason to keep him here then!" Paul shouted. "He disrespected a direct superior."


    "He is still here after facing hell," Khan replied without showing the slightest hesitation. "He''s the kind of soldier that you want to have on the battlefield once the sunlight arrives."


    Paul wanted to complain, but he couldn''t say anything against that. He voiced a loud curse before turning toward his quarters and leaving the area without bothering to give additional orders.

 Chapter 124: Worse

    The free days inside the camp were usually a happy period, even if missions popped up. Yet, George''s outburst ruined the mood of all the recruits who had been unlucky enough to witness the event.


    Khan struggled to see the positive side of the situation. He knew that his previous words had managed to change Paul''s mind, but George had still reminded him of everything that had happened on Istrone. Moreover, the boy had shown that his usual happy behavior was only a mask that covered his real feelings.


    George had managed to fool Khan too. The latter knew that his friend wasn''t completely fine, but he didn''t expect the problems to be so profound.


    ''I was so happy about Liiza just a few minutes ago,'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''Come one, world! Let me enjoy my first time for at least one week!''


    Recalling about the time spent with his girlfriend cheered him up a little. After all, Khan had already faced his memories of Istrone. He had yet to accept them completely, but he was in a relatively good position now, especially since he had Liiza in his life.


    Still, the issue remained. George was in a bad place, and Khan couldn''t do much to help him. He was the only one inside the camp who could talk with the traumatized recruit since they shared the same tragic memories, but pain was a strange emotion to face. What worked for Khan probably wouldn''t work for George.


    "You have been great," Veronica''s voice resounded from behind Khan after he heard the noise caused by the sliding metal doors. "George is lucky to have a friend like you."


    "You have seen him," Khan turned and showed a helpless expression toward the girl. "Would you call that lucky?"


    Veronica''s smile transformed into a complicated expression when she heard Khan''s words. She had no idea George carried so much sorrow. The topics mentioned during his outburst with Paul had even managed to worry her.


    Khan felt the need to fly back to the mountains right away, but he forced himself to walk inside the building. Veronica silently followed him, and the gazes of all the recruits soon converged on the two.


    "Let''s clean up," Khan ordered in a plain voice before bending to pick a cup from the floor.


    "You don''t need to do it," Natalie announced from the back of the corridor. "We caused this mess. It''s our job to clean it."


    "It will be faster if everyone helps," Khan replied before bending again to pick another cup lying on the floor.


    "Stop," Veronica said while quickly moving in front of him and grabbing his wrist. "We insist, right?"


    Khan noticed the resolve in Veronica''s face before seeing how the other recruits nodded and began to clean the corridor. A sigh soon escaped his mouth when he understood that the group wouldn''t let him help. Khan limited himself to hand the cups to the girl and stand up.


    "George only needs to sleep," Khan explained. "I bet he''ll be up in an hour or two. I believe he will also remember everything that has happened, so reassure him."


    Khan turned to walk toward his room at that point, but Veronica made him stop his tracks with a question whispered in a hesitant tone. "Is it true?"


    Khan turned to glance at the girl and her complicated expression, but he quickly noticed that the other recruits were wearing similar faces. It was clear that George''s words had forced them to reconsider their orders.


    It didn''t matter how hard they tried to suppress their thoughts. The recruits had eventually realized that the Global Army was asking them to let children and kids die, and George''s outburst had forced them to face that plan in its entirety. They felt unable to ignore their doubts after seeing how they could end up.


    "What is?" Khan asked.


    "Will we have to go through the same pain that George is facing now?" Veronica continued as the hesitation in her eyes intensified.


    "How honest do I have to be?" Khan asked as he lowered his gaze.


    "As honest as you can," Veronica pleaded. "Don''t make it easy for us. We want to know what to expect."


    The events on Istrone had been relatively simple. The Kred had rebelled, and many recruits had died. The revolt had been a pure and cruel vengeance that aimed to ruin the future of the Global Army.


    Instead, Nitis'' situation was complicated. The Global Army knew about the mutations, but it couldn''t predict how they would evolve the planet''s fauna. The very nature of those transformations made them casual events that often led to unstable forms.


    It was impossible to predict the actual consequences of that worldwide crisis. The entire planet had multiple strong warriors, but the monsters would definitely be more of them. The Niqols would remain outnumbered even with the help of the humans.


    Khan knew that the Niqols would take care of their younger generations since he had passed the information to Liiza. However, he couldn''t reassure the recruits due to the secrecy of his relationship and his action. He had to give them a convincing lie, but that came easy to him, especially since it would have actual experiences as a foundation.


    "It will probably be worse than Istrone," Khan revealed. "The entirety of Nitis will go through a massive change. We might need weeks spent hunting to bring everything back to normal. The battles alone will cause many casualties."


    The recruits remained speechless at how easily Khan could describe those events. Death sounded almost normal to him when he told them about the imminent crisis.


    Khan''s emotionless face wasn''t the only reason behind their dumbfounded state. The recruits actually felt scared when they thought about Nitis in its entirety. The planet accommodated only a hundred or so humans, but they would probably need to help with as many hunts as possible.


    The idea of spending entire weeks fighting made the recruits lose every desire to stick around. The dangerousness and probably gory state of the incoming battlefields also made them experience some doubts toward the mission.


    The problem wasn''t even the actual danger to some of them. A few recruits were confident enough in their abilities not to fear monsters. Yet, they were worried about their minds. Ending up with heavy traumas like George wasn''t a nice prospect.


    "Wh-," Veronica uttered before hesitating for a bit and deciding to complete her question. "What should we do in your opinion?"


    The question surprised Khan. He couldn''t decide what was better for those recruits, but he didn''t want to leave them hanging either, so he opted for the truth.


    "You won''t be the same after the crisis," Khan explained. "Running away from this one isn''t too bad, but you''ll eventually find a battle that you can''t escape. I suggest you don''t be in the army at all if you don''t want to see this stuff."


    Khan turned at that point. His previous words had confused all the recruits, but that was fine. They would have to think about their actual character and how far they were willing to go to follow orders.


    Browsing through the few menus allowed Khan to seal his room in a matter of seconds. He couldn''t even hear the noises happening outside thanks to its settings.


    Khan ended up waiting to get his food. He could order it from his room, but the recruits were still cleaning the corridor, and he didn''t want a random soldier to learn about the party.


    Hours spent meditating, practicing the eleventh mental exercise, and reviewing the moves of the Divine Reaper went by. The memories awakened by George never resurfaced during those moments, but he still felt off.


    It was strange to be treated as a leader after lying so much. Khan had helped his companions a few times already, but he had always worn his mask during those moments.


    Khan also had to lie to George due to the issues connected to Liiza. The two of them weren''t even close to being best friends, but they had developed a tight connection after Istrone. They had built that bond through blood and death, but their relationship couldn''t go past that due to their packed schedule and the secrets that Khan had to keep to preserve his happiness.


    Luckily for Khan, training always made the hours flow quickly, and the nighttime arrived in a blink while he remained isolated in his room. He stopped his many exercises only to order some food before the canteen closed, but they resumed once he filled his stomach.


    His favorite part of the day soon arrived. His phone rang when the clock hit midnight, and he didn''t hesitate to leave his room at that point.


    The clean corridor unfolded in Khan''s vision after he left his quarters. He could see how the barriers, the cups, and the pink liquid had disappeared from the area, and he inevitably nodded in satisfaction.


    The camp felt empty when he left the building, but that silence wasn''t enough for him. Khan crossed the site''s edges and walked under Nitis'' black sky for a while to clear his thoughts until a white figure landed next to him.


    Snow could sense that Khan''s mood was off, so it didn''t play around with him too much. The Aduns still performed sudden dives and sharp rotations in the air, but its pace was relatively slow and allowed Khan to avoid clinging to its neck during the flight.


    The eagle brought Khan to the flat spot in no time, and the sight of a familiar sleeping figure there made him smile in ways that the recruits had never seen.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I''m spending a bit more time editing. I noticed that I''m making more mistakes lately, so I want to be thorough. Something will always pass, but I''d rather give you the best reading experience possible.


    The second chapter will take a bit more to arrive for the reasons above.

 Chapter 125: Ride

    The free days of Khan''s third week on Nitis felt like a dream, one of the good ones that he never had the chance to experience during his sleep. Except for George''s outburst, that period unfolded beautifully since he did nothing but train and spend valuable time with Liiza.


    George and Khan didn''t talk. Still, neither of them felt the need to speak about what had happened due to the pink liquor. The two didn''t even see each other often since Khan spent most of his time inside his room when he was in the camp.


    The same happened with Paul and the other recruits. Awkward glances, respectful nods, and snorts reached Khan''s eyes and ears whenever he was outside his room. It was clear most recruits and Paul had yet to put the messy event in the back of their minds, but Khan didn''t really care about it.


    The situation didn''t cause any problem to him. Actually, Khan experienced the exact opposite. The recruits and Paul saw him as the most stable and experienced soldier in the fourth team, so they simply let him do as he wished.


    His help would also be vital in the incoming period. The fourth week would finally see other humans approaching the mountain chain to tame the Aduns, and Khan was necessary for that task. Captain Erbair had even already confirmed his position for the training program in the alien academies, so no one dared to bother him or question his habits.


    Khan''s training went smoothly. He didn''t manage to achieve anything astonishing during his free days, but he took steady steps forward in every aspect of his abilities.


    The Lightning-demon style only needed constant repetition of its techniques to improve the proficiency level, and Khan never failed to attend those exercises. He performed a few rounds of all the moves every day, and his executions continued to be perfect. His successful streak continued throughout the entire free period.


    Khan had yet to complete the eleventh mental exercise, but he grew closer to that achievement after each attempt. He would eventually cross it and get one step closer to the Wave spell, and his anticipation only made him work harder.


    His meditations had never encountered bottlenecks. His flesh hurt whenever mana tried to invade its fabric, but he didn''t run away from pain. Instead, Khan started to see that detail as evidence that his attunement level was increasing.


    His training with the Divine Reaper proceeded slowly, but Khan didn''t mind that. He had just approached the new martial art, and he didn''t even rely on the entirety of his concentration during the exercises. He still gave his best, but his main focus remained on the other programs since they set the very foundation of his power.


    The time to focus entirely on the Divine Reaper would come, but Khan preferred to stabilize and improve what he deemed necessary for his situation. A martial art that he wouldn''t be able to deploy for months clearly didn''t meet his standards.


    The calm respect inside the camp and the steady improvement made Khan happy, but nothing could match the feelings that he experienced when he was with Liiza. It was simply unreal how intense the attraction between them was, and that emotion even grew stronger as time passed.


    Khan felt honestly surprised to see that Liiza''s self-restraint almost vanished whenever they were alone. The girl would often jump on him to start intimate moments that always ended in a state that the couple had learnt to feel as normal.


    The duo always ended up lying next to or on each other. Liiza often slept or rested on Khan''s chest after reaching the end of their intimate sessions, and the satisfied expression that never left her face made Khan feel confident in his ability to please her. Moreover, they didn''t hide anything from each other, even the specific talks that involved awkward topics, so the two constantly learnt more about each other.


    Their feelings intensified as they grew closer. Khan had no idea how to explain that event. He only knew that he couldn''t think straight whenever Liiza was around. His mind could only focus on her, and it took him the entirety of his mental strength to separate from her. It seemed that their relationship was turning into an addiction, but that was the Niqols'' way of love.


    "It''s tomorrow, right?" Liiza asked in a slightly annoyed voice while she adjusted her position on Khan''s chest.


    "Today, actually," Khan smirked as his arms tightened on Liiza''s naked body. "We''ll need to find a new place where to be together. Everything will become too risky once the others gain access to the Aduns."


    Khan''s fourth week on Nitis had begun. He and Liiza had seen each other around midnight, and they had already spent five hours together in the flat area in the mountain. The duo would normally remain in that position, with Liiza sleeping over him, until lunchtime arrived, but Khan had to return to the camp far sooner that day. The recruits required someone to guide them during the taming test.


    "I''m losing track of time lately," Liiza revealed in a sweet voice. "I''m starting to use our meetings to understand what day it is."


    "This human is making you go crazy," Khan teased.


    "You chose to have a Niqols as a girlfriend," Liiza whispered while tilting her head to place her mouth on Khan''s neck. "You have to deal with the consequences now."


    Khan couldn''t help but make his hand dive into Liiza''s hair. He accompanied the movements of her head and immersed himself in the cold sensations that spread through his neck, and a faint laugh escaped his mouth when he sensed a tinge of pain reaching his mind.


    "Don''t bite," Khan laughed. "It will leave a mark."


    "The other humans need a reminder that you are taken," Liiza snorted while raising her head to stare at Khan straight in the eyes. "That Veronica clearly has set her gaze on you."


    "Do you want to go possessive on me already?" Khan mocked while turning Liiza and gently placing her on the ground before lying on her. "Someone is jealous."


    "You have no idea," Liiza complained in a pleading voice as she wrapped her legs around Khan''s waist to pull him closer. "I hate how I can''t openly call you mine."


    "One day, maybe," Khan whispered before descending toward her lips.


    Soft and loud moans resounded through the flat area as the couple dived back into their intimate moments. Some of those voices even echoed through the mountain chain. They forced the Aduns in the area to answer with screeches that both Khan and Liiza failed to hear.


    The world disappeared when the two looked into each other''s eyes. Their attraction reached new peaks whenever they added an intimate moment to their relationship. Those emotions didn''t seem to have limits, and they fused with their sensations to improve their experiences together.


    An alarm resounded from Khan''s phone after a bit more than an hour went by. The couple was still immersed in their intimate moment by then, and both Khan and Liiza gave voice to loud curses when they heard it.


    Khan had set the first alarm a bit before his deadline to make sure that he could give a proper goodbye to his girlfriend once his time was up, so he ignored the noise as he remained focused on Liiza. Still, both of them understood that they had to accelerate. Twenty minutes later, both of them had returned inside their clothes.


    "I already have somewhere in mind for a new place," Liiza explained as she pulled Khan closer to her face from his uniform. "I''ll let you know through Snow."


    "We''ll talk about the academies next time," Khan announced after giving a quick kiss. "I really need to run now."


    "Go, go," Liiza giggled. "Remember to pay attention to Veronica. That girl is only waiting for a chance to jump on you."


    "I can barely keep up with one Niqols doing that," Khan teased.


    "That''s how it should be," Liiza smirked before pulling Khan again to leave a long kiss on his lips. "Leave now before I jump on you again."


    Khan laughed, but he followed her order. His girlfriend would really jump on him again. That wouldn''t be her first time delaying their separation either.


    Khan jumped on Snow that was waiting for him at the edges of the flat area and hurried back to the camp. He arrived twenty minutes before the official meeting, but the recruits from the two classes had already gathered near the center of the site.


    "I hope you don''t take his habits once you get your Aduns," Paul shouted while looking at Snow unfolding its wings and landing right behind the rows of recruits.


    "Khan has been kind enough to share his knowledge with us," Paul continued. "Remember what he taught you, and go fetch the Ugu. We''ll depart as soon as the envoy of the Niqols arrives."


    The recruits dispersed and moved toward the other side of the camp without forgetting to shoot glances at the boy who had never dismounted from his Aduns.


    "George," Khan sighed when he saw his friend passing next to him.


    "What is it?" George asked while showing a broad smile. "Are you worried about me?"


    "Not at all," Khan honestly explained. "You have the highest chance to get an Aduns. Everyone else should fail if you don''t get it."


    "I can still die during my first flight," George laughed. "You make it look quite simple, but I know that it has taken you a while to get used to it."


    "Flight experience, you say," Khan thought while many recruits heard that conversation and stopped to inspect it.


    Khan wanted to turn toward the recruits, but a black figure suddenly appeared in the sky and gave voice to a loud screech. The envoy had arrived, and Khan took that chance to offer his help to his friend.


    "Hop on," Khan ordered. "I''ll show you how to fly."


    George and the other recruits remained speechless at that offer, but Khan had been completely serious. Snow had enough room for the both of them.


    "That''s unfair!"


    "You shouldn''t have favorites among recruits!"


    "Paul, he is trying to give private lessons to his friend!"


    A group of recruits from the other class complained, but Khan completely ignored them. He didn''t even look at the squad captain to see if something was wrong with his behavior.


    Of course, giving privileges to a friend didn''t create a good scene, but Khan wasn''t doing anything wrong or illegal.  It would also help the most promising recruit in the process and do something positive for his poor mental state.


    "Don''t pity me," George explained as he stretched a hand toward Khan''s arm.


    "This isn''t even close to pity," Khan replied before giving a few instructions.


    George was almost ready to fly.

 Chapter 126: Survivors

    "Shouldn''t I have the wings right under my knee?" George complained as he tried to find a stable grip on Snow''s back.


    "That will arrive once you get your Aduns," Khan laughed while taking George''s arms and wrapping them around his waist. "I only want to make sure that you won''t panic once one of these goes crazy."


    "How are you supposed to do that?" George shouted as worry filled his voice.


    "By making you experience the crazy!" Khan announced before patting Snow''s neck. "Get me to the envoy."


    "I''m not sure this is a goo-," George wanted to complain again, but Snow suddenly flapped its wings and rose into the air.


    George instinctively tightened his grip on Khan''s waist. He did the same with his legs, but both Snow and his friend turned to glare at him.


    "Aduns are pretty sensitive," Khan explained while knocking on George''s right knee. "I know it feels unstable, but you must relax there. Snow might decide to make you fall otherwise."


    George''s eyes widened in worry, but he trusted Khan enough to put his life in danger if necessary. His legs relaxed and stopped squeezing Snow''s back. His grip on the eagle became unstable, but he found some comfort in how firm Khan felt.


    Snow resumed its climb and soon reached the black figure hovering in the sky. Khan revealed a broad smile when he recognized the rider of the black Aduns, and he promptly joined his hands in front of his chest to perform the polite bow used by the Niqols.


    "I hope you enjoyed our gift," Doku laughed before performing a polite bow to match Khan''s gesture.


    "He had a lot of fun with it," Khan mocked while pointing at George, who was too busy clinging to him to pay attention to that conversation.


    "I''m glad!" Doku laughed before moving his eyes on George. "Are you preparing him for the test?"


    "He won''t have problems climbing," Khan explained. "I only want to get him used to the experience."


    "Flying is the best feeling in the world," Doku laughed before turning toward George again. "Make sure to hold on tightly."


    "Hey, Doku," Khan probed in a slightly more serious tone, "Can you give me the location of the nest in advance? I want to take a different route and make him experience the wind."


    "No problem," Doku exclaimed before bending forward and whispering a few words in the Niqols'' language to his Aduns.


    The black Aduns released a short screech before flapping its wings to get close to Snow. The latter understood the eagle''s intentions and imitated them.


    The two Aduns didn''t speak, but they fixed their gaze on each other, and their three eyes even remained still for a few seconds. Khan could feel that Snow had fallen into a daze, but the process didn''t make it stop flapping its wings, and it didn''t last long enough to give him a clear view of that mental conversation.


    Doku''s Aduns soon diverted its gaze, and Snow confirmed through the mental connection that it knew where to go. Khan didn''t hesitate to perform another bow toward the Niqols at that point, and the latter imitated him to express his respect.


    "I''ll see you on the nest then," Doku announced before descending toward the pack of Ugu that had gathered on the ground.


    Khan glanced at Paul and the recruits from the two classes before turning to look at George. The boy still clung firmly to his waist, but he had started to grow used to Snow''s faint movements.


    "It will be scary at first," Khan described, "But having the wind blowing on your face feels nice, and it helps with the bad memories. Try to focus on having fun. That worked for me."


    George''s eyes widened at those words. His respect for Khan had always been incredibly high after Istrone''s crisis, but that feeling only increased now.


    Khan could speak openly about his traumas without abandoning his relaxed expression. He appeared at peace, and George couldn''t help but desire to reach the same state.


    "Thank yoahhhh-!" George began to express his gratitude, but Snow suddenly folded its wings and dived toward the surface.


    George''s legs inevitably left the feathered back and ended up in the air. The boy tightened his grip on Khan''s waist while Snow dived at high speed toward the ground, but an ecstatic cry managed to seep past the howling winds and reach his ears.


    The ground grew dangerously close in George''s vision and made him close his eyes, but his body suddenly slammed on Snow''s back as a strange sensation hit his stomach. George mustered his courage to inspect the environment, and wonder filled his face when he found himself immersed in Nitis'' black sky.


    "Wonderful, right?" Khan shouted as a laugh escaped his mouth.


    Pure terror filled George''s face when he saw Khan releasing his grip from Snow''s neck and letting his arms flutter in the wind. George felt his grip growing unstable, but everything worsened when the Aduns spun on itself before diving toward the ground again.


    "Does it ever stop?!" George shouted as his body went airborne again.


    Khan limited himself to laugh while checking that George''s grip remained firm. Meanwhile, Snow went all-out and had as much fun as it could as it moved toward the destination learnt from Doku''s Aduns. The eagle even enjoyed that George felt so scared about the whole matter, so it did its best to give him a memorable ride.


    George mostly screamed in fear. His voice grew hoarse as the flight continued, but Khan continued to laugh, and his behavior eventually affected the boy. The sudden accelerations slowly didn''t feel too scary anymore. The dives continued to make George close his eyes, but he started to enjoy the funny feeling they caused in his stomach. The sharp turns and spins also gained additional senses as he began to look past his worries.


    Snow eventually reached an area filled with tall mountains surrounded by a faint fog. Screeches resounded through the sky from time to time and echoed among the tall, dark structures, but everything became quieter once the Aduns descended toward the ground.


    "You can leave me now," Khan joked when he saw that George remained clung to his waist even after Snow had landed on the grey snow that covered the ground.


    "Won''t it set off again?" George asked in a worried tone.


    "It won''t," Khan laughed while ruffling the feathers on Snow''s neck. "It has a playful character, but it''s quite reliable."


    "Are you sure?" George asked again.


    "Completely sure," Khan confirmed, and George timidly let go of his waist.


    Snow didn''t miss that chance. It rolled on its back as soon as George let go of Khan''s chest, and the boy found itself on the ground when the Aduns straightened its position.


    Khan found himself covered in snow, and his admonishing gaze inevitably fell on his Aduns. Yet, the eagle raised its head toward the sky and wore a proud expression. It even announced its success through a short screech.


    "As I said," Khan commented while turning toward George. "Playful character."


    George remained silent as his eyes continued to stare at the dark sky, but a laugh escaped his mouth when he saw Khan''s state. Snow covered his hair and shoulder as his helpless gaze had gone back to his Aduns. George found the whole scene incredibly hilarious, especially since he had seen how cold Khan could appear during crises.


    Both Khan and Snow turned toward the boy when they heard his laugh. Khan felt slightly relieved at that scene, and a complicated smile even appeared on his face.


    "Thank you, Khan," George exclaimed once he managed to suppress his laugh. "Not only for this. Thank you for everything you have done since Istrone."


    "I can''t tell you how to handle your sorrow," Khan commented as he lay on Snow''s back and fixed his eyes toward the dark sky. "I barely manage to keep myself in one piece. I can''t help you more than this."


    "You don''t need to," George replied in a firm tone. "Defending me after what I said to Paul has already been more than I deserved."


    "George, we are survivors," Khan sighed. "We need to stick together. No one else will do that for us otherwise."


    "Unless someone has your otherworldly charm," George snorted. "For real, how did you even get Veronica in your pocket?"


    "Why does everyone think that she likes me?" Khan complained.


    "Who are the others?" George asked as a curious expression fell on his face. "I believed to be the first to notice it."


    Khan suddenly recalled that his comment came from Liiza''s warnings. The two talked about their daily lives during their calm moments, and Liiza had ended up reaching the same conclusions after hearing how Veronica behaved around Khan.


    "Rumors," Khan quickly switched the topic. "I also have eyes, you know? I can see that she is gentler around me, but I thought she was up to something."


    "Veronica isn''t like that," George explained. "She is like a big sister to everyone. It''s only normal for her to like the only guy who doesn''t need her help."


    Khan didn''t answer, but George pressed on as he turned on his side to stare at him. "You would have noticed it if you didn''t spend all your days outside the camp."


    "Still, you understand why I do it, right?" Khan asked. "The adrenaline helps with the bad thoughts."


    "That''s only a form of suppression," George scolded as his expression darkened. "They will return stronger than before at some point."


    "It''s not only that," Khan scoffed. "Did you feel it? Did you sense the freedom?"


    George fell silent at those questions. He didn''t want to lie to Khan. He had definitely experienced a faint peace once he had started putting away his fears. Still, he couldn''t be sure that flying around with an Aduns would solve his problems.


    "What if that doesn''t work?" George asked as his gaze fell on the grey snow. "What if I''m stuck with these nightmares forever?"


    Those words managed to worsen Khan''s mood, but he endured the blow to focus on George. The boy''s issue was different. His nightmares weren''t an endless curse that seemed to hide deep secrets.


    "You might," Khan replied without trying to tone down the issue. "I don''t think we''ll ever forget what happened on Istrone."


    "So, what?" George cursed. "Are we doomed?"


    "You can''t simply forget that you have taken a life," Khan sighed. "I don''t think you should either. The fact that the act affects you proves that you are human and can still experience happiness."


    "Are you implying that this pain is a good thing?" George asked.


    "Would you prefer to become completely immune to that stuff?" Khan asked. "Would you rather become unable to feel at all? I don''t know what would be the point of remaining alive then."


    "What''s the point of our lives now?" George asked. "We are just traumatized kids in an alien world. I don''t see what meaning we can even find."


    "George, the other recruits are about to go through the worst experience of their life," Khan reminded. "Who do you think can help them go through that? Paul? Lieutenant Kintea? Those soldiers have no value in their eyes. However, you are their friend, and they will experience your pain."

 Chapter 127: Urge

    George couldn''t help but fall silent at the last statement. Khan wasn''t only right. His words went beyond the inevitable struggle that was waiting for them to obtain a deeper meaning. He successfully gave a reason for the pain that they had suffered on Istrone.


    Khan didn''t really believe in his words. He agreed with them, and he knew that they were sound, but his intentions lay elsewhere. He only wanted to help George through his struggle. As for his pain, the deep meaning mentioned before didn''t even cross his mind. After all, his traumas were older than Istrone.


    The two boys remained in silence for a few minutes before they resumed chitchatting about superficial topics. George ended up describing his situation with Natalie, and Khan limited himself to be a good listener.


    Life appeared easier when the problems only involved girls. Everything was nothing more than a game when the political agenda of the Global Army didn''t affect their youth.


    Khan ended up liking that conversation a lot. He didn''t expect that talking about something so superficial would remind him of something he had lost after Martha fell in a coma. It felt good to have real friends again.


    "Are you really remaining silent about Veronica?" George asked. "I just told you everything about Natalie, but you keep acting all wise and experienced."


    "What''s there to say about Veronica?" Khan sighed. "Humanity''s hope to move the relationship with the Niqols forward lies on my shoulders. How can I even bother such a young girl with my problems?"


    "She is one year older than you," George commented.


    "Mental age," Khan corrected himself.


    "I''m pretty sure she is older than you outside of a battlefield," George replied. "You earn a draw just because you are good at fighting."


    "She is ugly!" Khan announced.


    "She is one of the hottest girls in our camp," George contradicted him, "And she trains a lot. I bet her body is nice."


    "See?" Khan proposed. "You should hit on her."


    "But I like Natalie!" George promptly shouted. "Why are you so against getting a girlfriend? Does it have something to do with your friend in a coma?


    George had started to worry that his words could reopen some of Khan''s old wounds. After all, he knew about Martha. Khan might not feel ready to move on.


    "No, I just don''t know Veronica enough," Khan vaguely answered. "I talked with her only a few times. I can''t say if I like her."


    "Maybe you should stop flying away with your Aduns every day," George snorted. "At least you have a chance to get something done."


    "Don''t grow all depressed on me now," Khan ordered. "I had to listen to your screams for thirty minutes just to lift your morale."


    "I didn''t scream for so long," George complained before correcting himself. "I don''t scream at all."


    "Sure, sure," Khan laughed. "What do you even mean with getting something done anyway?"


    George frowned before making a circle with his right hand and inserting his free forefinger inside it.


    "We aren''t even eighteen," Khan scoffed. "Girls will never allow us to get that far. Also, my father always said that unprotected sex is bad. Where would you even find condoms on Nitis?"


    Khan''s pretense was perfect, but he didn''t forget to mask his questions with confident exclamations that would make everyone desire to correct them. He didn''t feel good about lying to George, but Liiza had the priority in his mind, and the boy would understand if he knew about his secret relationship.


    "You shouldn''t underestimate the women in the army," George explained. "They literally learn to kill. They are pushier than you imagine."


    "You sound as if you have experienced that first-hand," Khan argued in a curious tone.


    "Not to brag," George announced while giving voice to short laughs, "But I was fairly popular in my training camp. Also, your father is right, but every medical bay has condoms. You only have to ask the nurses. They don''t take note of who requests them since every family prefers to remain unaware of what their descendants do in that field."


    The issue that had afflicted Khan for so long ended up being a minor problem. He didn''t know how to feel about that revelation. All his plans and paranoia vanished when he understood how easy it was to get condoms in the Global Army.


    The atmosphere among the two boys grew grimmer after George''s lines. Neither of them had mentioned that. Still, they knew why George had used the past tense when talking about his popularity in the training camp. That status belonged to the time before Istrone when most recruits in the first year were still alive.


    A bit of awkwardness also appeared between them since neither wanted to switch the topic so suddenly. Still, familiar cries soon resounded in the distance and saved the two boys from themselves.


    Snow had fallen asleep while Khan and George conversed, but the arrival of Doku''s Aduns awakened it. The black creature landed on the ground near the two boys, and the group of Ugu soon gathered around them.


    Everything moved rather quickly. Doku jumped off his Aduns and explained how the recruits had to approach the test. He also gave many details that Liiza didn''t mention back then, and Khan made sure to take note of them to tease his girlfriend when he met her again.


    The mountain with the Niqols'' nest had a path similar to what Khan had to climb. The passage circled the structure and led toward its higher parts. Its initial portion was large enough to accommodate multiple recruits. Still, Doku stressed multiple times how sending only one human every half an hour would drastically improve the chances of getting Aduns.


    George went on the path before the other recruits, and others followed once enough time passed. Paul also had to approach the test to get his Aduns, but he decided to be the last in the line.


    A single day usually wouldn''t be enough to test both classes, but the Niqols had chosen a mountain with a closer nest on purpose, and Paul ended up sending more than a single recruit every half an hour on the passage. His decision didn''t come from his disrespect toward Doku''s warning. Spots simply opened whenever one of the kids gave up and climbed down the path.


    Khan didn''t need to do much. The Ugu had provisions, and Doku had already explained the most important stuff. He could meditate and approach his mental exercises while Snow slept or ate. Only occasional questions flew toward him, but Doku often took care of answering them before he could interrupt his training.


    Hours continued to pass in that cold environment. Paul grew anxious since he had yet to see recruits successfully taming Aduns, but Doku reassured him. The nest was a six hour climb from the mountain''s base, and that math didn''t involve the difficulties that the eagles created on the path.


    Doku''s words didn''t manage to reassure Paul since recruits continued to give up on the test. Most of them descended from the path with large cuts on their back, hands, legs, and heads. They didn''t have Khan''s desperate determination to get an Aduns, so they didn''t dare to continue the climb after suffering relatively severe injuries.


    That approach didn''t please Paul. The recruits on Nitis had to be among the best recruits in the entire Global Army, and that lack of determination hinted at evident flaws in their character. Still, he couldn''t say anything since getting an Aduns wasn''t mandatory for now.


    Clear joy eventually appeared in Paul''s eyes when a dark figure descended from the sky and performed a messy landing on the grey snow. An Aduns with an evident belly and completely black feathers unfolded in everyone''s vision, and the group could see that George was riding the creature.


    Paul couldn''t help but shoot a glance toward Khan at that sight. He still didn''t like that George had exploded in that disrespectful speech, but the boy''s value was undeniable. His body even featured more injuries of the recruits that had descended from the mountain. His power and determination were perfect for the imminent crisis.


    Other flying figures descended from the mountain in the next hours. Harris, Natalie, Veronica, and other recruits from both classes landed on the ground and showed their Aduns. Each eagle had a personal shade and unique characters, but Paul didn''t even notice them. He only cared that the humans were achieving some success in that task.


    Khan used that chance to send Snow away. The eagle had been with him for almost half a day already by then, so it required some free time to hunt and enjoy itself. Also, Khan wanted it to talk with Liiza''s Aduns and learn about the new meeting spot.


    Doku continued to give explanations and details to the recruits who had successfully tamed the Aduns. He taught them how to establish mental connections and gave tips on how to take care of them.


    "I thought you would have shown us how to fly," George announced while controlling his Aduns to walk toward Khan.


    "You should focus on yourself for now," Khan laughed as lies came out of his mouth. "Snow was too bored to stay."


    "You can''t escape anymore now," George announced while patting his Aduns. "You won''t be able to avoid your social life."


    "Is that a challenge?" Khan laughed again, and George showed a smile before his Aduns shot in the sky, and the other creatures in the area followed it.


    Khan wore a complicated smile when he saw those figures disappearing in the dark sky. His situation had worsened, but he felt happy for George''s success. Those conflicting emotions filled his mind and left him unclear about the path ahead.


    The human species had finally taken a consistent step forward on Nitis, but Khan''s situation had worsened because of that. The connection between the two events felt hilarious and helpless when he thought about it.


    ''Will I have to hide behind a mask forever?'' Khan wondered as he sat on the grey snow and resumed his training.


    The cold snow reminded him about Liiza. Seeing her would be far more difficult now since the other recruits would try to follow him around. He would also go to an alien academy in a mere week, and his situation could only worsen there.


    Sacrifices appeared inevitable. Improving his position among the Niqols would grant him more friends with Aduns capable of following him. The achievements of the human troops on Nitis caused the same effects. Everything seemed to indicate that the relationship with Liiza had been a mistake to begin with, but Khan couldn''t even think about giving her up. His current peace came from her.


    ''What can I even cut away to make room for everything?'' Khan wondered.


    His sleep immediately appeared at the top of the list, but Khan didn''t even need to consider it. That was his most disposable resource, and he wouldn''t hesitate to forsake it to spend more time with Liiza.


    Slowing down his training and avoiding creating a social environment around him were unthinkable approaches. His personal power was the only key that could put an end to his nightmares, and he required friends to become an ambassador. He even needed more than normal people, especially on an alien planet.


    Khan then had to add the alien lessons to his math. He didn''t know how much of his time they would occupy, but his situation appeared grim nonetheless. He was in front of the same issues that had delayed his relationship with Martha. Nitis'' days were too short.


    ''I need to find a planet where the days last fifty hours,'' Khan sighed, but a sensation coming from a foreign mind suddenly spread among his thoughts.


    The smile that appeared on his face had been impossible to suppress. Khan couldn''t help but feel happy that Snow had learnt the new secret location that he and Liiza would use to spend time together.


    The event confirmed how important his girlfriend was in his life, and Snow''s return created an urge that almost split his mind into two parts.


    One part wanted to hop on Snow and fly away to wait for his secret girlfriend, while the other knew that he couldn''t leave the area yet. He was the only experienced rider in the human species, so he had to make sure that everything progressed smoothly.


    ''I guess Liiza did it,'' Khan concluded in his mind. ''She taught me how to love like a Niqols.''

 Chapter 128: Marsh

    Doku had tried to smooth things out, but the recruits in the two classes still required a bit more than an entire day to go through the test, and Khan had to oversee the situation for the whole time. The group could draw its conclusions only by lunchtime of the following day, and the two squad leaders on the scene inevitably showed disappointed expressions when they studied those results.


    Both classes had less than twenty recruits each, but only eight of them had managed to tame Aduns. That number represented only a fifth of the group, so the squad leaders'' disappointment felt somewhat justified, especially when they considered that every Niqols on Nitis could clear that same test at a much younger age.


    It was evident that the human definition of elite fell short in front of the alien species. The Niqols weren''t necessarily stronger, but they carried a determination that the boys and girls of the other species didn''t have, and that drive was everything during the test.


    Climbing the mountain wasn''t hard. The Aduns tried to make the test harder, but they never interfered directly with the recruits. A few avalanches and strong winds weren''t enough to kill them unless they committed mistakes. Still, they could scare away those that didn''t consider the task connected to the eagles necessary, and that alone could make them fail.


    Paul and Felicia, the squad leader of the third class on Nitis, approached the test once all the recruits had gone through their attempts. Khan ended up taking care of overseeing the injured and tired boys and girls who had failed the climb while the two soldiers were away, but his task didn''t require much effort. He could continue to eat and train in silence since everyone felt too ashamed or depressed to complain.


    The two squad leaders weren''t only first-level warriors and mages. They also carried a determination that most of their underlings lacked, so they soon descended from the mountain on the back of majestic Aduns. Their climbs had lasted less than five hours, and that feat brought even more shame on the recruits who had failed the test.


    George and the others had also returned during those hours, so they could join Doku in his compliments to the two squad captains. The group soon departed after a short exchange of polite words. Khan, Paul, Felicia, and those who had tamed Aduns flew close to the ground as they followed the Niqols and led the Ugu across the regions.


    Khan obviously felt tired after the group reached the camp and separated from Doku. The same went for the other recruits and soldiers who had successfully tamed Aduns since the ability to fly made them too excited to cut that new experience short and rest. Still, everyone let their new companions go after returning home.


    The squad leaders called a mandatory meeting with all the recruits who had failed the test. Paul and Felicia couldn''t let them remain without Aduns since they would only slow down their respective classes. The soldiers quickly created mandatory training courses meant to prepare those kids for the next test. Those who couldn''t pass it after a second attempt would simply have to leave Nitis.


    The step forward in the relationship between the two species had created new requirements for the humans on Nitis. The Global Army had yet to express itself on the matter, but everyone knew that no soldier could continue to rely on the Ugu to travel anymore. Those mole-like creatures couldn''t match the Aduns in terms of speed, and the aliens would even show more respect toward those who could successfully tame the eagles.


    Meanwhile, Khan, George, and the other seven recruits who had successfully tamed Aduns could have the rest of the day free if they wished, but all of them decided to attend the afternoon lessons. The end of the week would make the relationship with the Niqols take another step forward. Some would gain the chance to move to one of the alien academies, leaving them less than six days to gather merits.


    Of course, Khan didn''t have to worry since Captain Erbair had already chosen him as one of the recruits who would move to an alien academy. Yet, it was in his interest to learn, especially when it came to the Niqols'' language and their customs. He had an advantage on the matter due to his secret relationship, but he still had a lot to study since that was only his fourth week on Nitis.


    "You are lucky we are tired today!" George announced once the group of nine left the building and moved toward their respective flats. "We won''t let you off the hook so easily tomorrow. You will spend these last days with us!"


    George directed those lines at Khan, and the latter found his resolute words heartwarming. However, everything felt too extreme when he considered that George would probably be part of the recruits sent to the alien academy. After all, the boy was almost a war hero after Istrone.


    "I''ll do my best to run away only when you won''t notice it," Khan promised while showing a faint smile and turning toward the exit of the camp.


    George wanted to complain, but a yawn came out of his mouth before he could say anything. The other recruits were in a similar condition, so they let Khan go without cracking other jokes.


    "You have a tough one to catch, Veronica," George commented when Khan was too far away to hear him.


    "What do you even mean?" Veronica dismissed his words with a gentle laugh. "Khan is the best in the camp exactly because he works so hard. We should all learn from him."


    "She even defends him so openly," Natalie sighed. "Feelings can sway even the most mature soldiers."


    Veronica glanced at George after Natalie''s statement, but the boy pretended not to hear those words. Still, the recruits from the other class showed evident interest in those gossips, and a series of teases soon resounded among them.


    Khan exited the camp as he let his mind wander through his conflicting emotions. He felt excited to move to an alien academy, and George''s improved mood removed part of the bitterness that his drunk outburst had created. Yet, his worries about Liiza and their relationship remained, but only she could appease them.


    A white figure landed next to Khan while he walked through the plain right past the camp. Snow was tired, but it didn''t shrink back from being Khan''s mount, especially after sensing his mood.


    Snow flew through lands that Khan didn''t recognize. It initially went toward the familiar mountain chain, but it quickly performed sharp turns that made the two cross vast plains and a few lakes connected to small rivers.


    The Aduns followed the rivers filled with a pale-grey liquid that resembled water until it reached a cliff that ended into a vast swamp. A few black trees and short thick vegetation expanded throughout the marsh, creating a still and eerie scene. Khan could sense that some Tainted animals occupied the lands under him, but it felt hard to pinpoint their exact location while Snow dived toward the muddy surface.


    Liiza''s Aduns had given a specific location to Snow, so the eagle led Khan to the base of the tall and steep cliff. The rivers falling from its edges had created thin waterfalls that connected the marsh with the plain above, and a few stable areas seemed to occupy the surroundings of the rocky walls behind them.


    Snow didn''t want to follow Khan across the waterfalls, but he didn''t mind that. He sent the eagle away and proceeded to explore the areas at the base of the cliff. Many were identical to the marsh and featured short dark vegetation growing on muddy terrain, but other parts had relatively stable and dry ground. Khan even found a path there as his exploration continued.


    Khan kept the base of the cliff next to him as he walked forward. His feet would seep into the terrain whenever he encountered a muddy area. Still, the techniques involving quick steps of the Lightning-demon style allowed him to return to stable ground easily.


    The path quickly led to a natural cave that expanded inside the base of the rocky cliff. Khan noticed a few blankets as he entered the cavity, and his mind soon sensed the presence of a familiar figure near its dark depths. A pair of white lights lit up as he proceeded forward, and their radiance allowed him to see the captivating features of Liiza''s face.


    "I wasn''t sure you would have come," Liiza announced in a sleepy voice as the light radiated by her eyes vanished and reappeared while she scratched them.


    "I didn''t sleep," Khan revealed.


    "Of course you didn''t," Liiza scoffed. "Well, do you like the new place? It''s wet and sticky. Aduns can''t reach it easily due to the waterfalls covering the path at the base of the cliff, and the marsh is never fully silent."


    Khan gave voice to a short laugh before sitting next to Liiza and laying his head on her shoulder. The Niqols had a few blankets and some simple pillows to make the rocky wall behind her more comfortable, but Khan didn''t give her the chance to share them.


    "You don''t get scared away so easily," Liiza whispered in her sweet voice as a hand left the blanket and started to caress Khan''s cheek.


    "I grew up in a far louder place," Khan groaned. "You have to do better if you want me even to consider giving up on my girlfriend."


    "I will," Liiza announced before laughing when she saw that Khan frowned without opening his eyes. "I won''t try too hard."


    Liiza kissed Khan''s forehead, and the latter opened his eyes. The couple exchanged one of their usual meaningful stares before giving in to their desire for intimacy.


    Khan had reached the cliff in a few hours, so the couple had the entire night and the following morning for themselves. Khan didn''t even have to worry about Paul since the soldier would focus on the recruits who had failed to tame the Aduns in the next period. He only had to return to the camp to attend the lessons, but that was it.


    "I know which academy will take you and the other humans," Liiza announced when she saw Khan coming out of his meditative state.


    The two were lying on the cold ground, with only a thin blanket dividing them from the wet layer covering almost everything inside the marsh. A blanket hid their naked bodies, and a few pillows prevented Khan''s head from touching the ground.


    Liiza had taken a nap on Khan''s chest, and the latter had used that chance to start his training. The Niqols didn''t disturb him after she woke up. Instead, she waited until he exited the meditative state on his own while letting his concentrated expression fill her vision.


    "Is it good?" Khan asked while making sure to bring Liiza closer to his chest.


    Khan knew that Liiza often waited for him to finish his exercises. She mostly used the moments when they exhausted their conversations or after the cuddles to sleep, but she happened to wake up while he was immersed in his training from time to time.


    Liiza never complained about that, but Khan still wanted her to understand how much he appreciated her behavior. The hugs and kisses on the back of her neck that came every time he noticed her efforts not to disturb him were the only rewards he could give.


    "It''s one of the most famous on the planet," Liiza explained while moving her fingers over the arms wrapped around her waist. "Still, it accepted you mostly to benefit the Niqols there. Having humans will diversify its environment and improve its social courses."


    "That''s fine as long as we learn something," Khan replied. "I hope the professors won''t hold back from teaching the real Niqols'' methods to us."


    "Niqols'' academies are quite serious about their members," Liiza reassured. "Your species won''t matter once you enter them."


    "Great," Khan exclaimed in a tired voice before moving to the topic that worried him. "How bad is it for us then?"


    "Pretty bad," Liiza sighed.


    "How many days do we have to spend apart?" Khan continued with his questions as his mood started to worsen.


    "That''s the issue," Liiza growled. "We won''t be apart at all."

 Chapter 129: Ex

    Liiza was the daughter of the ambassador managing the relationship with the human species. She has always been vague about her father, and Khan didn''t probe further due to the obvious internal problems in her family. Still, she clearly was a privileged figure in the Niqols'' society.


    Paul didn''t tell Khan to consider her as a princess by chance. His statement had reasons that involved her social importance for both species. Liiza was an untouchable figure for the human species and a coveted political partner for the Niqols.


    Khan didn''t feel strange to learn that Liiza was part of one of the most famous academies on Nitis. Still, he remained speechless when she confirmed that her school had been the one accepting the humans. The couple would have to attend lessons in the same structure, even if they were different since she was already in the second year.


    "[The Pure Trees] is exceptional," Liiza explained after the couple silently decided not to talk about the obvious issues connected to their situation. "Niqols usually start to learn about mana early, so the first year can''t offer us much. However, those lessons might be pretty important for humans. They can even transform how you consider mana."


    "I can''t wait," Khan honestly announced before thinking about something. "They won''t teach us Zalpa''s methods, right?"


    "The Niqols removed them from the mandatory courses many years ago," Liiza explained. "Even the optional courses only allow you to study those old ways. No one really teaches them anymore."


    "Isn''t that a waste?" Khan replied. "Aren''t they a core part of your history?"


    Khan didn''t need to mention it, but Liiza knew that he was hinting at the fact that Zalpa had been right about the sunlight. She could sense the doubts in his voice, so she didn''t hesitate to reassure him.


    "Khan, the old ways were barbaric," Liiza explained. "We would use our blood to conduct mana and empower its effects. Most of our spells required a cost usually paid through flesh. We even used the animals as core materials for specific abilities."


    Everything sounded as barbaric as Liiza described it in Khan''s mind, but he didn''t see the problem with that. That didn''t seem strange after learning that the Kred had organized a rebellion to appease their planet''s pain.


    "The old ways were powerful but unstable," Liiza continued when she understood that Khan wasn''t convinced. "Dealing with humans has taught us about the existence of stabler paths. They didn''t even involve a significant loss in power since hard work and experience could make up for it."


    "Our techniques aren''t completely stable either," Khan revealed. "We still have cases of soldiers getting hurt by their own spells."


    "That''s just the result of a failed execution," Liiza complained before turning to face Khan without making him break his embrace. "You have seen [Zaza]. Why do you think her hair is red? The old methods have tainted her mana until it caused natural mutations. I''m not even sure of how she is suppressing them."


    "She looked fine," Khan revealed a warm smile when Liiza''s eyes pointed at his face.


    "Really?" Liiza asked as her eyebrows arched. "Should I stop taking baths then?"


    "That won''t scare me away either," Khan laughed. "And I didn''t mean it in that sense."


    "I know how you meant it, stupid," Liiza sighed while making their foreheads touch. "[Zaza] said that you have to get stronger to discover more about your nightmares, so you want to go all reckless. I''m worried about how easily you accept pain."


    "Everyone does that," Khan responded. "Spreading the mana inside our bodies hurts, but we all do that."


    "Remember where you are," Liiza scolded while pulling back her head and showing her cold expression. "Stop pretending with me."


    Khan''s eyes widened. Liiza was only scolding him, but he could sense that his previous words had hurt her since he had tried to wear his usual mask with her.


    "I''m sorry," Khan sighed as real regret appeared in his eyes. "Pretending is a habit by now, and I even have to do it all day."


    "I know you didn''t do it on purpose," Liiza stated while snuggling closer to Khan. "I don''t even want you to fix that behavior since you need it. I just hate it when you use it with me."


    Khan could only heave another sigh and caress Liiza''s back to reassure her. Their time together was already at risk, and he didn''t want the cold part of his life to affect his happy moments.


    "I might be too used to pain," Khan timidly revealed.


    "That''s an understatement," Liiza snorted. "It honestly doesn''t surprise me after what you went through. Still, I like how you do your best to get over your bad habits for me."


    "I wanted to leave my post after Snow learnt about this place," Khan scoffed. "I think you should tell me what to expect in [The Pure Trees]. I''m getting better at feeling like a Niqols, but that''s not always good in my position."


    "About that," Liiza cleared her throat and diverted her gaze as her voice gained a playful tone. "Can we cuddle for a bit more first? You might not be in the perfect state for that afterward."


    Khan frowned and pulled Liiza closed before questioning her. "How bad is it?"


    "Well¡­," Liiza uttered, and Khan''s expression froze when her explanation arrived.


    .


    .


    .


    ''Of course her ex had to be in the academy!'' Khan cursed as he lay on Snow while the creature flew across the sky to bring him back to the camp.


    Khan had always known that he wasn''t Liiza''s first boyfriend. Her previous relationships had never been long, and she had never felt anything for her partners. The Niqols'' lack of self-restraint had made her exchange kisses with a couple of attractive boys in her species, but she had always ended up breaking up with them quickly.


    However, one of her exes had turned out to be a pretty important figure inside the Niqols'' society. His name was Ilman, and he belonged to one of the largest tribes in charge of developing new techniques and methods involving mana.


    The Niqols had changed their approach to mana after meeting the humans, so those subjects were relatively new. The tribes that could improve and innovate them had an immense value in the alien society in that specific historical period, and Ilman ended up belonging to one of them.


    The Niqols had to make up for thousands of years of evolution through barbaric methods. The organizations that could develop new and valuable paths basically had the most important role in the entire alien society since they carried the hopes of a whole species. The future of the Niqols was in their hands.


    The quickest way to develop new methods was to have direct access to human technology, and the ambassadors filled that role. It was clear that a union between tribes that dealt with those fields would bring immense benefits to both of them and the Niqols'' species as a whole. Needless to say, Liiza and Ilman''s tribes had attempted to do that.


    According to Liiza, Ilman was pretty good-looking, and his character wasn''t even bad. Many tribes had already tried to hook him up with their descendants since his looks, wealth, and political relevance were incredible. He was the closest a Niqols could be to perfection at his age.


    Ilman and Liiza''s tribes had agreed to arrange the relationship when they were still young, but Liiza''s rebellious character had eventually made the agreement fail. The event was the main reason behind her current situation. The Niqols felt that she had betrayed her species by not making such suitable organizations fuse.


    The angriest about the whole matter had been Yeza. She was an ambassador with a daughter who couldn''t sacrifice herself for the greater good of her species.


    Being with Ilman wasn''t even a sacrifice. The boy actually liked Liiza, and he wasn''t bad in any aspect. Even Liiza had admitted that she had refused him only to go against the obligations imposed by her mother.


    Khan''s issue was that Ilman also attended the second year in [The Pure Trees], and his feelings for Liiza had only increased after her refusal. The Niqols was still pursuing her, and Khan would have to watch those scenes in silence once he arrived in the academy.


    ''Dealing with a secret relationship without forsaking my training wasn''t enough,'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''Now I have to endure the handsome, rich, and important guy going after my girlfriend too. What did I ever do to you, world? Can you let me have one good thing?''


    Khan didn''t let his mental state affect his time with Liiza, but she had understood that it was better not to mention the topic with him at all. The main issue was that the couple couldn''t find a proper solution. They could only endure and make sure that their problems didn''t hurt the happiness that they managed to experience when they were together.


    Khan''s ability to hide his real emotions was so good that only George got the feeling that something was off with him. However, his hunches were too vague to lead to actual questions. Also, Khan often didn''t sleep for entire days, so forcing him to go out during the remaining days inside the camp was hard.


    Khan still had to go out with the eight recruits who had successfully tamed Aduns a few times. His moments with Liiza inevitably shrunk due to those events, and his sleeping schedule ended up suffering the most from his behavior.


    Training, studying, going out with George and the others, and flying to Liiza filled Khan''s schedule in ways that the training camp on Earth had never done. He couldn''t even sleep on Snow at times since he needed those few hours to complete his daily training.


    Luckily for him, George and the others lacked his resilience, so they didn''t stay up late even when the Niqols smuggled other batches of the pink liquid in the camp. As for Liiza, she directly forced him to sleep whenever she saw that he was about to reach his limits.


    The couple didn''t talk about Ilman anymore after Liiza''s explanation. Khan even forgot about him at times since the feelings shared by the two continued to intensify with each night spent together. Khan found it hard to worry about the ex-boyfriend when Liiza slept naked in his arms.


    Khan''s fourth week on Nitis eventually went by, and the day that everyone was waiting for arrived. Captain Erbair made one of her rare appearances inside the camp to announce the names of the recruits who would go to [The Pure Trees].


    The Captain''s decision came from various factors. She had considered the recruits'' battle prowess, their knowledge of the Niqols'' customs and language, their achievements in the Global Army, and their character to come up with her list. Still, some inevitably remained disappointed.


    [The Pure Trees] had only opened eight spots to the humans. Khan obviously occupied one of them, and George and Veronica ended up filling two more. Yet, Captain Erbair disregarded Natalie and Harris since their character didn''t suit such a delicate mission. The girl was simply too cold, and the boy was way too attached to his human customs to be in an environment full of Niqols.


    Gabriela, a girl from the third class, ended up filling the fourth spot, and Captain Erbair decided to assign the remaining four to recruits from the first and second classes. Her decision didn''t want to aim to a precise and fair division of that task. She had only picked the best candidates since the mission came before the political repercussions that her decision could have.


    Paul couldn''t help but feel ecstatic to see that three members of his class had gained the chance to go to an alien academy. His value as a squad captain would inevitably increase after that achievement, but the seriousness of the situation didn''t make him forget to make a list of what the trio didn''t have to do once outside the camp.


    Each squad captain did the same with the respective recruits. Khan spent the last night of his fourth week inside the camp since Paul would kill him if he dared to risk being late. Moreover, envoys leading a pack of Ugu had to approach the area to transport the group''s clothes and weapons to the academy beforehand, and everyone had to help.


    The departure happened early the next morning when an Aduns wearing fabric enhanced by the Niqols'' azure symbols landed in front of the camp.

 Chapter 130: Lake

    The travel to [The Pure Trees] happened on the back of the Aduns. The pack of Ugu had already moved the eight recruits'' clothes and belongings to the academy the previous night, so everyone could directly hop on their eagles and set off once the Niqols envoy arrived.


    Khan didn''t recognize the envoy, but the Niqols didn''t waste time introducing himself. Khan only made sure to memorize the alien''s clothes and the fabric that covered his Aduns since they featured the same glowing azure symbols.


    The departure was quick but tense. Captain Erbair, Lieutenant Kintea, Paul, and Felicia made sure to send them off even if it were early in the morning due to the importance of their task.


    The previous night, Khan and the others had learnt how complicated the situation truly was from their squad captains. They had been already aware of the benefits that their task could bring to the human species, but it took that briefing to instruct them about matters that would be classified otherwise.


    It turned out that the Padlyn''s deal wasn''t as open as every recruit thought. The agreement had terms and heavy restrictions, especially when it came to the knowledge involving Nitis'' layout.


    The Niqols weren''t willing to reveal the location of [The Pure Trees]. The enrolled recruits would even need to swear magic oaths once they actually entered the academy to make sure that they couldn''t spread classified information.


    Moreover, the network of the Global Army didn''t reach the academy, so the recruits would be completely cut away from the human settlements. They could send messages and communicate with their superiors through specific Niqols assigned to that task, but the aliens would check everything to make sure that the humans didn''t learn anything outside of the deal.


    The tight restrictions obviously worried the recruits since they put their lives in the hands of an alien species. However, Khan couldn''t help but feel slightly relieved when he learnt how hard it was to communicate with the camps. It sounded strange, but he actually had more freedom without his superiors watching his moves.


    The main difference between the two species was their approach to discipline. The humans wanted severe and dignified soldiers who believed in the chain of command and were ready to act as pawns if the situation required it. Instead, the Niqols acknowledged and respected eccentric behaviors as long as their soldiers carried the resolve necessary to serve their kind.


    The Niqols were also more relaxed when it came to their habits. The recruits had seen how easily the aliens decided to indulge in booze or smoke. Their self-restraint was even quite bad, so their emotions often drove their actions.


    Khan couldn''t help but look forward to that new environment, and his excitement prevented him from training during the flight on Snow''s back. He wanted to memorize the path toward the academy even if the road looked from the surface would feature completely different sceneries.


    The phone in his pocket allowed him to keep the passage of time in check. The Global Army had even provided chargers that the Ugu from the previous night had already sent to the academy. Khan didn''t have to worry about the battery of his device.


    Many hours passed, and Khan couldn''t help but notice how the group often performed sharp turns that made them fly over the same regions multiple times. It was clear that the envoy felt worried about possible trackers of pursuers, and that inevitably delayed their arrival to the academy.


    Khan had the chance to study a bit more of Nitis'' layout during the flight. The environment was generally cold, so snow often appeared in his vision. Yet, he also saw large lakes, rivers, plains, short mountains devoid of ice, and more. He didn''t have the chance to set his eyes on a proper sea, but he believed that the planet had one or two of them.


    The detail that surprised Khan the most was the complete absence of cities under him. The poor technological advancements of the Niqols didn''t justify that scarcity of artificial structures, and Liiza had also mentioned multiple times how her species controlled the whole planet. Khan quickly became certain that the envoy was avoiding the settlements on purpose, and he could only find his caution reasonable.


    Five dark figures eventually appeared in the distance. Khan and the others could see a Niqols leading four recruits across the sky and making sure that the two groups met.


    The appearance of the second group made the envoy of Khan''s group perform a sharp dive toward one of the plains nearby. The second team did the same, and the Aduns soon landed on a relatively barren area that only featured a few short bushes every once in a while.


    "We aren''t there," The envoy in Khan''s group announced before the recruits could ask anything. "We only need to perform a preliminary test to understand which courses you have to attend."


    The eight recruits exchanged confused gazes while remaining on their Aduns. The briefing from the previous night didn''t mention any test. Still, there didn''t seem to be a way out of the situation. The boys and girls there could only accept that they had to go with the flow from now on. Their complaints would have to wait for when they had the chance to return to the camp.


    The two Niqols didn''t give the recruits the chance to introduce themselves. Khan, George, and Veronica barely knew Gabriela since their different classes had never given them the opportunity to properly bond, even if they lived in the same camp.


    The recruits limited themselves to exchange glances for the time being before imitating the Niqols. They jumped off their Aduns and followed the aliens toward a seemingly random spot in that barren plain where the envoys told them to stop.


    The two Niqols studied the empty area in front of them and walked in a circle to leave marks on the frail ground. That behavior left the recruits confused, but an azure glow began to come out of the footprints on the terrain once they connected to create a large ring.


    The azure glow slowly seeped past the footprints and converged at the center of the circle, where it created one of the symbols that often illuminated the tall buildings in the city. A tremor ran through the ground at that point, and the area marked by the light started to slide to reveal a trapdoor connected to a staircase that led underground.


    All the recruits there had seen far more spectacular scenes on Earth. The teleports alone were enough to surpass the complexity of that simple hidden trapdoor. Yet, it felt strange to witness such a unique use of the mana. After all, the Niqols didn''t use any technology to activate those effects. It seemed that the ground itself carried commands that they could trigger with simple steps.


    The two envoys didn''t hesitate to climb down the staircase, and the recruits promptly followed them. Still, some awkward scenes unfolded when the group approached the narrow passage.


    Khan was in the lead of the group because his curiosity had won over his hesitation almost immediately. Still, a tall, muscular boy from the other group quickened his steps to surpass him and become the first in the line.


    His actions made the other recruits accelerate to take the spots right behind him, and only Khan remained clueless about the whole situation. He could vaguely understand the reason behind that behavior, but everything felt pointless when he inspected it the second time.


    ''What''s the point of fighting for merits already?'' Khan wondered, but part of him understood that his position was rather special, even among the Niqols.


    Both the Global Army and the Niqols had learnt Khan''s name after his performance on Nitis. He had been on the planet only four weeks, but he had already accomplished incredible feats.


    Being the first human to tame an Aduns was only a minor feat that many could connect to luck. Yet, his victory against the lightning monster and his selfless performance during the crisis had sealed his position as one of the best recruits on Nitis.


    The fact that he had even survived Istorne''s crisis a bit more than a month ago and his help in the matter only increased his overall value. Khan didn''t need to fight to receive the acknowledgment of his peers and superiors. He had already solidified his position.


    Khan silently decided to completely disregard the event and let his companions enter the passage before him. The staircase was old and seemed made of the same frail terrain of the surface, but clanging noises resounded from the steps as the group descended deeper underground.


    Khan even touched the walls at his sides to confirm the overall stability of the structure. His eyes could only see the same frail terrain of the surface there, but his fingers revealed other features. He could sense the firmness and coldness of metal in what should be nothing more than sand. It was clear that mana was enhancing that material.


    The passage descended for a few meters before opening into an immense underground area with a clear lake at its end. Khan felt surprised to see that such clear water existed on Nitis. Almost everything on the planet had dark shades, but that liquid was basically transparent.


    A few azure symbols shone on the smooth walls and filled the area with a faint glow that allowed everyone to inspect almost every corner of the structure. The place was obviously artificial due to its rectangular shape, and only the part with the lake featured uneven surfaces that didn''t go through a polishing process.


    The group wasn''t alone in the hall. The two envoys suddenly performed a polite bow toward the end of the area and forced the recruits to focus on the slightly darker corners on the other side of the lake. They quickly realized a hooded figure standing right next to the wall with its feet immersed in the lake, and Khan felt astonished when he failed to sense anything coming out of it.


    That discovery felt quite strange. Khan''s sensitivity to mana had improved a lot as his attunement increased and his mental exercises continued. He even believed that part of his understanding of the Niqols'' feelings came from how good he had become with that ability.


    Yet, the hooded figure didn''t reveal anything. It was a blank spot in an environment full of mana. Khan could sense that energy filling the walls, the ground, the ceiling, and the lake, but nothing came out of that foreign presence.


    "Welcome, young humans," The hooded figure greeted in a melodious male voice as he stepped forward and uncovered his head.


    Long white hair, a pair of shining white eyes, and a handsome face came out from under the hood. The girls couldn''t help but open their mouths in surprise and blush in front of such a perfect expression of beauty. The Niqols was tall, his face released a captivating resolve, and his overall figure carried a harmony that made him seem part of the lake.


    ''Please, don''t be Ilman,'' Khan almost begged in his mind, and his expression relaxed after the Niqols continued to speak.


    "I''m one of your future professors," The Niqols continued. "You can address me as Professor Supyan or [Guru]. I handle the courses connected to some of the shades that mana can obtain."


    Khan and the others quickly performed a polite bow as per the Niqols'' customs, and Professor Supyan limited himself to nod before continuing his explanation.


    "My species doesn''t use many structures connected to the old methods anymore," Professor Supyan explained. "This lake is an exception. Form a line and remove your clothes before entering the lake one by one. The waters will reveal the shades of your mana, and it will give me the chance to choose courses that suit your nature."

 Chapter 131: Nature

    Professor Supyan''s explanation surprised the recruits. Humans didn''t go past the element when they studied the mana. Instead, the Niqols considered features that the Global Army didn''t even bother to mention in its lessons. Khan wasn''t even sure whether his species believed them to affect the behavior of that energy.


    Some of the recruits were skeptical about the whole matter. Humans knew that the Niqols had a deeper understanding of mana, but there was a limit to how much those features could affect the actual functioning of that energy.


    The Global Army had achieved wonders without bothering to consider those features. The teleports, the synthetic mana, and the synthetic cores were only some of the many incredible creations accomplished with that energy. The Niqols appeared unable to match those feats with their spiritual methods, which made some humans underestimate the test.


    None of the skeptical recruits dared to show their real feelings toward the matter. Captain Erbair had chosen only boys and girls that could blend perfectly with the Nitis'' environment, and that required a lack of biases. It didn''t matter if they had different ideas on the matter. They had to make sure that none of them appeared on their faces.


    All the recruits did a perfect job at keeping stern faces, and only Khan allowed himself to show the genuine curiosity that was spreading inside his mind. He felt really interested in the matters connected to the mana, especially after Liiza continued to surprise him with her keen perception.


    ''I wonder if the features of my mana will reveal something about Liiza,'' Khan thought as a faint worry fused with his curiosity, but he quickly suppressed those ideas.


    The test sounded too serious to involve emotions that had appeared less than a month ago. His thoughts quickly moved to the Second Impact and the life in the Slums since those aspects of his life had been far more influential to his current character.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to unbutton his military uniform after he cleared his mind from useless thoughts, and the other recruits imitated him after noticing his actions.


    The girls lowered their gazes when they saw the boys turning toward them, and the latter also revealed some hesitation at the thought of ending up completely naked there. Only Khan didn''t seem to care about the matter. He could even ignore the girls around him as his attention remained on the test.


    Of course, Khan still glanced at his naked companions before moving his eyes back to the lake, but his action carried no lust. Most girls there had attractive curves and figures that their training had improved, but he couldn''t think about them in a sexual way. His curiosity toward the test was quite intense, and his urges belonged only to Liiza.


    The recruits showed different reactions to his uncaring behavior. Both girls and boys from the other camps had ended up focusing on him due to the evident azure scar on his chest, so missing his reaction was impossible. Gabriela and Veronica didn''t fail to look at him either, even if they had different reasons for that.


    Gabriela had seen Khan many times in the camp, but she had never had the chance to inspect him properly, especially when it came to his azure scar. His well-defined muscles and firm posture matched the rumors that accompanied his name. Khan definitely resembled the driven warrior described in the many reports.


    Instead, Veronica felt almost happy about Khan''s seemingly uncaring reaction. Her eyes carried a bit of disappointment, but she appreciated how he was different from the other boys in the group.


    The exchange of awkward, intense, and lecherous glances ended when Professor Supyan cleared his throat and claimed the recruits'' attention. The reaction of the humans didn''t surprise him since he knew how different their species was when it came to self-restraint and decency, but he still pointed at the tall boy in the lead to start the test.


    "I''m Bradford, Professor Supyan," The tall boy bowed before stepping forward and entering the lake without showing any hesitation.


    The glow of the azure symbols on the walls seemed to converge on the boy and highlight his features after he arrived in a spot of the lake where the water reached his knees. Bradford was almost two meters tall and quite muscular. He had short black hair, dark eyes, and hair covered most of his chest. A faint beard even grew from under his chin and cheeks.


    The ripples spreading from his position gained strange shades as they expanded throughout the lake, and they soon created something similar to a vague hologram on the transparent surface.


    The image of a bear-like creature wearing a crown and sitting on a throne slowly became clear. That peculiar picture even grew bigger as Brandon''s mana continued to affect the waters.


    "You can go out," Professor Supyan explained after nodding toward the peculiar ethereal image.


    "Is it possible to know the meaning behind this image, Professor Supyan?" Brandon asked after performing another polite bow.


    "Your mana carries arrogance, strength, and duty," Professor Supyan replied without bothering to look at the boy.


    Brandon didn''t know how to react to those words, but he didn''t dare to remain inside the lake any longer. He reunited with his companions and picked his clothes from the ground before getting dressed.


    "Next," Professor Supyan ordered. "Be faster."


    The girl who had been behind Brandon in the line quickly entered the waters after performing a bow and introducing herself. Her name was Helen, she also had dark eyes, and her long blonde hair carried silver shades. Her short figure was quite sensual due to her curves. Her physique seemed to resemble Liiza due to the harmony that it radiated.


    The waters reflected dark-purple lights that gave birth to the image of a flower that had many sharp thorns on its pedicel. The picture even radiated a heavy aura that tried to darken its surroundings.


    "Noble, dangerous," Professor Supyan announced without looking at the girl. "Next!"


    The next girl that entered the lake introduced herself as Kelly. She had short brown hair and green eyes, and she was relatively tall compared to the rest of the group. She had more muscles than curves, but most boys on the scene focused on her back anyway since she didn''t have hair covering her features.


    Kelly''s mana created a lion-like animal surrounded by an intimidating aura. The image generated confidence and determination in the recruits that inspected it. Even Khan couldn''t help but feel surprised by how intense that influence was.


    "Leader, honor," Professor Supyan quickly exclaimed before hurrying the recruits to continue.


    The last boy in the other group had an average height. His name was Rodney, his short hair was dark, his eyes brown, no beard appeared on his face, and the same went for his chest. His body had some muscles, but they couldn''t compare to Khan and Brandon''s. Still, they gave a certain firmness to his figure.


    Rodney''s mana made the lake generate a fox-like creature that had six tails. Professor Supyan''s gaze flickered when he looked at that image, but he dismissed the boy after giving voice to the words "sly" and "unpredictable".


    The time for the recruits from Khan''s training camp finally arrived, and Gabriela didn''t hesitate to step forward. The girl was as tall as Veronica, she had long black hair and green eyes, and a sensual vibe surrounded her well-developed curves.


    Her mana generated a strange figure with the head of a dog and a cat''s body. Even Professor Supyan appeared slightly confused by that image, but he eventually voiced the words "loyal", "careful", and "plain".


    Veronica entered the lake right after Gabriela left the waters. Her mana created a tree that glowed with a warm yellow light capable of relaxing everyone on the scene. Its crown made of large yellow leaves continue to expand as the girl remained inside the lake.


    "Love," Professor Supyan limited himself to say before sending Veronica away, and George didn''t hesitate to take her place.


    The shades of the lake immediately darkened once George''s mana started to affect the waters. A scarlet glow covered the entire transparent surface as a sharp blade slowly came out of it until it floated right in front of the boy.


    Red trails of a dense liquid fell from the blade and flowed into the lake. George couldn''t help but stare at the weapon while wearing a cold expression. His expression revealed some hesitation, but an unshakable determination also filled his eyes as his hand rose to reach the handle floating in front of him.


    "Don''t lose yourself in the illusion," Professor Supyan reminded, and his words managed to startle George awake. "Your mana is too murky to describe it with a few words. We''ll talk more once we reach [The Pure Trees]."


    George couldn''t help but bow and exit the lake. He appeared in a daze, but his eyes suddenly moved toward Khan. George knew that his friend probably had far murkier mana.


    Khan didn''t hide his faint worry. Istrone''s crisis had made George generate a gruesome image, so he guessed that his mana would be even worse. Still, he didn''t really care as long as the picture didn''t involve Liiza.


    "[I''m Khan, Guru]," Khan announced in a perfect Niqols'' accent before bowing and entering the lake.


    Brandon''s expression twisted into a grimace when he heard those words. He didn''t think that Khan would be a show-off, but his chance to do the same had already passed, so he could only feel annoyed now.


    Professor Supyan didn''t show any reaction at Khan''s exclamation, but a frow appeared on his face when he saw that the entire lake lit up to reveal an azure glow.


    Khan''s eyes widened as the azure light gave birth to images that he knew far too well. The familiar crater appeared right in front of him, and a tall alien figure slowly came out of it. A Nak materialized right in the middle of the lake and forced everyone on the scene to raise their guard.


    The appearance of the monster from the nightmares didn''t make Khan freeze in fear. The Nak had stopped being scary when he was little more than seven, and it had become a mere silent curse after almost twelve years.


    However, something was different at that time. Khan didn''t have the chance to modify his nightmares, but he was able to move there. The desperation accumulated in almost twelve years of helpless dreams filled his insides as his mana flowed toward his legs and fueled the techniques that he had committed to memory by now.


    A loud noise suddenly spread throughout the underground hall, and the walls of the structure echoed it until they transformed it into a deafening sound. The recruits had to cover their ears for a few seconds before they could stare at the scene again, and their eyes widened at the sight of Khan''s leg piercing the Nak''s head.

 Chapter 132: Competent

    The noise that accompanied Khan''s kick announced something that he had struggled to confirm on Nitis. His technique had felt different, smooth in ways that his previous executions couldn''t achieve. His mana and body had moved without requiring thoughts or strategies, and the power expressed by the blow marked his arrival in the superior proficiency level.


    It had taken Khan almost eight months of relentless training, constant struggles, traumatic experiences, and unshakable resolve to achieve what most soldiers would see as a turning point for their battle prowess. The Lightning-demon style had finally fused with his instincts and habits to make him reach the competent proficiency level and unlock a path that went beyond the correct execution of his techniques.


    Martial arts could develop new effects and abilities as the synchrony among mana, muscles, and moves surpassed a certain level. Those techniques had the chance to evolve once a soldier successfully absorbed them into his core. Khan could go past perfect executions now, but his situation didn''t allow him to appreciate his achievement.


    Professor Supyan had just voiced a vague warning about the dangerousness of the illusions during George''s test, and Khan had taken his words seriously. Yet, his sudden attack didn''t come from his failure in separating the fake pictures from the real world. His kick was a simple expression of the feelings that he had bottled up for almost twelve years.


    Khan''s attack pierced the Nak''s head, and the upper part of the picture dispersed into a few faint lights before the glow coming out of the lake rebuilt that figure.


    The Nak wasn''t real, and its appearance came from the nature of Khan''s mana. He couldn''t destroy it simply because nothing was standing in front of him. That opponent came from inside him.


    Khan didn''t lose himself in his feeling. His mind had never been clearer. He experienced the same reassuring coldness that had filled his mind after the crash on Istrone, but that mental state felt far more intense now.


    His mind had instinctively recognized his sworn enemy and had made the entirety of his focus flow on the creature. Khan''s vision was clear, his breath was steady, and he could study every feeling captured by his senses in instants. He was in a perfect battle state, and he didn''t hesitate to use it to unleash his full power on the alien that had cursed his nights for so long.


    The attack didn''t stop the Nak from playing the images that had afflicted Khan''s mind for years, but he didn''t limit himself to a single technique either. His body spun and created seamless circular ripples that expanded from his foothold as he performed a roundhouse kick that aimed for the alien''s head again.


    Still, a shadow suddenly moved in Khan''s peripheral vision until it appeared in the trajectory of his attack. Professor Supyan had shot forward to stop the kick and prevent the boy from falling into the illusions even more. His hand rose to block the incoming leg and capture it in his grasp, but his glowing eyes widened when he saw that Khan''s foot stopped before reaching his palm.


    Professor Supyan almost couldn''t believe his eyes when Khan retracted his leg and jumped backward to reach the shore in a single leap before performing a polite bow. The alien understood that the young human had always been in control of himself. His attack had been the consequence of a cold decision generated by a calm mind.


    The image behind Professor Supyan started to vanish after Khan left the waters, but the latter didn''t stop inspecting it. Khan kept his eyes on the Nak as its figure grew dimmer and the lake stopped releasing its azure glow.


    Professor Supyan didn''t miss that action. He turned to glance at the disappearing Nak before moving his eyes back on Khan. His gaze fell on the azure scar at that point, but his face didn''t betray anything. It remained expressionless as complicated thoughts ran through his mind.


    Khan and Professor Supyan ended up exchanging a long glance after the Nak completely disappeared. The Niqols could see the coldness in the boy''s expression slowly relaxing without ever leaving him completely free of those feelings. It was clear that they were part of Khan.


    A tinge of sadness seeped past Professor Supyan''s poker face when he connected that coldness to Khan''s young age. The Niqols didn''t have any bias toward humans, so he experienced the sadness of Khan''s situation as if he were a simple boy from his species. His gaze inevitably fell on the ground as his empathy became unbearable.


    ''I know the answer to my old doubt,'' Khan thought as he studied the alien Professor. ''I''m glad that fear didn''t freeze my movements.''


    Khan had wondered about what would happen once he met a Nak, but the experience in the underground lake had given him a satisfying answer. He would fight without showing any hesitation nor fear.


    The strange mental state that Khan had experienced during the sudden event had left him slightly surprised, but he didn''t mind that. Actually, he felt glad that his mind could reach such high levels of concentration on its own without requiring the mental barrier or other techniques.


    "We''ll also have a talk once we reach [The Pure Trees]," Professor Supyan announced once he felt able to bring his eyes back on Khan.


    Khan limited himself to bow again, and Professor Supyan inspected that action without revealing any emotion before nodding at the two envoys.


    The two Niqols bowed and whispered a few orders that made all the recruits get in line again after everyone went back into their uniforms. Khan remained immersed in his thoughts while he wore his clothes and took his position at the back of the line, but George didn''t forget about him.


    "We are really moody," George whispered as a faint chuckle accompanied his voice. "No wonder we can''t get laid."


    "Talk for yourself," Khan smirked as George''s efforts to lift his morale warmed his mind a bit. "I choose not to."


    "As if anyone would even believe it," George scoffed as the group climbed the staircase back to the surface. "Maybe your tastes have moved closer toward a certain white and dark-blue species after your first day on Nitis."


    "Don''t even joke about that," Khan sighed. "They will send me back to Earth in an instant if they even suspect that I like Miss Liiza enough to flirt with her."


    "Look at the bright side," George continued to joke while keeping his voice down. "You can improve your abilities as an ambassador in the academy."


    George had turned and winked at him when he said those last words. His hidden roguish meanings were evident, and Khan couldn''t help but shake his head at that sight. Still, a faint laugh accompanied his action since his friend''s jokes had dispersed his overflowing coldness.


    "What are you even whispering about?" Veronica asked once the group returned to the surface.


    "Men''s stuff," George exclaimed without any shame, and Veronica giggled when she saw Khan shaking his head behind him.


    "That''s from the Second Impact, right?" Brandon suddenly asked as the whole group turned toward Khan.


    The two envoys wanted to hurry back to the Aduns, but they understood that the humans wanted to talk a bit among themselves. The Niqols would usually never allow such delays, but they felt that the recruits deserved a short break, especially after witnessing Khan''s test.


    Moreover, the group had flown for almost half a day already. It didn''t hurt to give the Aduns a short break before moving to the last part of their trip.


    "They aren''t good memories," Khan replied while showing a complicated smile.


    "No wonder," Kelly exclaimed while crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Though, you should take pride in your achievements. Reaching the competent proficiency level so early proves your hard work."


    Khan''s eyes widened at that remark. He had yet to accept his new state, but it seemed that all the other recruits had already understood what had happened.


    Khan''s first instinct was to dismiss those words with fake polite excuses, but he noticed that habit in time to stop it. He decided not to say any words and broaden his smile to accept that compliment.


    The fact that Khan didn''t deny nor add anything to Kelly''s words filled his gesture with a mature vibe. He acted as if those achievements were only a regular part of his life.


    "Look," Brandon cleared his throat while diverting his gaze, "I''m sorry for earlier. It''s just, this mission is really important, right? You are already so famous on Nitis. I didn''t want to fall behind."


    "I thought you were arrogant," Khan laughed while reminding Brandon about Professor Supyan''s evaluation.


    "It doesn''t mean that I have to be a dick," Brandon also laughed before going back to a severe expression. "There are only eight of us in this mission. Our focus should be on working together for the greater good of humanity, so I hope that everything is okay between us."


    "No problem at all," Khan answered in a warm voice. "Everyone wants the spotlight. I believe this mission will give all of us the chance to get it."


    "Especially with the crisis around the corner," Rodney added. "Be sure not connect too much with the alien. We don''t want them to know about our strategy."


    Khan couldn''t help but feel slightly angry about Rodney''s cold words since they seemed to target his relationship. Still, nothing appeared on his face as the group glanced at the two envoys from the corner of their eyes to make sure that they weren''t listening to their conversation.


    "Are you ready to leave?" The male Niqols asked, and the recruits didn''t hesitate to give positive answers.


    The group quickly hopped back on their Aduns before setting off to complete their trip. The eagles had loyally waited near that secret area, so it didn''t take much for the travel to resume.


    Khan noticed how the secret trapdoor had closed by the time the group returned in the sky. He didn''t see Professor Supyan leave the underground area before the passage disappeared, and the lake didn''t seem to have tunnels either.


    Of course, Khan didn''t believe that the Niqols had remained underground. It was very likely that the lake had secret passages similar to the trapdoor connected to the staircase, but that would mean that [The Pure Trees] was closer than he imagined.


    His guess turned out to be correct. The group only had to fly for two more hours before reaching a thick forest surrounded by seven mountains. The envoys didn''t hesitate to dive at that sight and land in a small area devoid of trees.


    The group didn''t feel sure if they had arrived until the envoys jumped off their Aduns and gave specific instructions. "The academy is at the center of the valley. You can say goodbye to your Aduns for now. We''ll complete the last part of the trip on foot."


    ****


    Author''s notes: The second chapter should arrive in less than an hour.

 Chapter 133: Proposal

    Khan had done his best to memorize the areas crossed during the flight. Calculations happened in his mind as he tried to understand how far away he was from the human camp and the marsh.


    It turned out that the many hours spent flying had been mostly pointless. The two envoys had invested longer in deceiving eventual pursuers rather than in the actual travel.


    Khan believed that the valley at the center of the seven mountains was at mere five or six hours from the camp. The place was farther away from the human settlement than the flat area in the mountain chain and the marsh, but it wasn''t unreachable, especially with an Aduns.


    A vague map even appeared in Khan''s mind. The Global Army didn''t have access to detailed maps of Nitis, and the telescope outside the planet''s orbit couldn''t get a clear idea of the surface either. Khan didn''t even have clearance for those pictures, so he had to rely on his personal experience to understand the general layout of the area.


    Khan had traveled a lot in the past four weeks. Snow had allowed him to fly above many lands as soon as he landed on Nitis. He had even spent most of his time outside the camp. His time with Liiza, the hunts, and the other travels had granted him a vague but general understanding of the areas around the base, especially those near the mountain chain.


    The marsh, the valley, and the mountain chain were in the same general direction, so coming up with a simple map with a few checkpoints ended up being relatively easy for Khan. He could even add a vague number that marked their actual distance from his new home.


    The flat area in the mountain chain was pretty close, at less than thirty minutes from the camp. Khan used to take almost an hour to go back to his home only because snow wanted to have fun along the way. Still, it became the farthest location from his new position. He even guessed that it would take his Aduns a bit more than six hours to go back there.


    The marsh was a bit more than two hours from the camp but closer to the valley compared to the mountain chain. Khan believed that Snow could reach it in less than three hours if it didn''t have fun for too long during the flight.


    His situation didn''t sound so bad after completing that map. He could reach the marsh and Liiza rather quickly, so his happiness was safe. The only issue was his lack of knowledge of the academy''s customs and regulations. Khan didn''t know how free he would be after the official enrollment, but he believed the Niqols wouldn''t restrain him too much.


    The Aduns quickly flew away after exchanging affectionate or playful goodbyes with their riders. The two envoys didn''t hesitate to lead the recruits across the forest at that point, and the group mostly remained silent since everyone did their best to study the area.


    The recruits knew that magic oaths would prevent them from spreading information about [The Pure Trees], but none believed those restraints to last forever. They wanted to have something to say to the Global Army when those limits fell and granted them complete freedom over their knowledge again.


    Khan relied on his sensitivity to mana and eyes to learn as much as possible from the area. The insides of the forest didn''t feature paths or footmarks that hinted at the presence of Niqols. Still, the peculiarities in the energy flowing through the trees, ground, and air revealed invisible details.


    Nitis wasn''t like Istrone. The energy contained in the ground and plants of the Kred''s planet made Khan''s sensitivity to mana inaccurate and unreliable. Instead, the Niqols'' planet didn''t have those hindrances, so he could gain a decent understanding of its secrets during the march toward the center of the forest.


    Some trees contained far more mana than the others. Some areas seemed utterly devoid of energy instead. It was clear that someone had tampered with the ground and plants, but Khan could only guess the nature of that process. Those spots should have defenses and similar mechanisms due to their strategic position, but he didn''t dare to jump to conclusions.


    The presence of defenses didn''t surprise Khan. The Niqols appeared devoid of internal conflicts, but their fauna was quite dangerous, especially since monsters appeared on their own even before the approaching of the sunlight.


    The forest didn''t seem to contain Tainted animals, but that was only a tiny area in the middle of seven mountains. Khan could guess that the nearby regions would feature the usual distribution of threats that filled the rest of Nitis.


    The group moved quickly and steadily. Memorizing the path wasn''t an issue since the envoys were moving toward the center of the forest, and finding the beginning of the academy turned out to be easy too.


    A patch of white crowns suddenly expanded in the group''s vision once they reached the central parts of the forest. The large leaves abandoned their black shades to make room for white and grey colors that radiated the same glow as the Niqols'' eyes.


    That sight obviously left the humans surprised. The scene wasn''t only stunning due to the unusual illumination. Khan and the others didn''t understand how they couldn''t see that white patch from the sky.


    All the recruits didn''t hesitate to inspect the top of the crowns hidden at many meters above them, but they couldn''t notice dark shades among those glowing leaves. Lucky for them, the envoys took care of clearing their doubts.


    "A barrier covers the entire valley," The female Niqols explained. "You wouldn''t notice anything from the sky even if the whole forest were on fire."


    The news left everyone astonished, especially Khan. He had made sure not to miss details connected to the distribution of mana, but he didn''t even come close to sensing the barrier.


    Khan tried to focus on the areas above the crowns, but his sensitivity to mana continued to betray him. He couldn''t sense anything different from the normal air, and that forced him to reevaluate his previous inspections.


    The presence of the barrier proved that the Niqols could deploy defenses that used mana and didn''t trigger his senses. Khan had initially thought that the peculiar areas on his path were traps with specific functions, but they felt as decoys meant to hide the real protections now.


    ''I''m still so ignorant,'' Khan sighed in his mind at that realization.


    His knowledge had never stopped expanding, but the world kept getting bigger. It didn''t matter how much Khan learnt. There was always something else that he didn''t initially see or even consider.


    The vastness of the fields that involved mana was disheartening but also exciting. Khan had lost his na?ve curiosity toward the immensity of the universe after everything he had gone through. Still, a more mature version of that sensation reappeared inside him inside the forest.


    The trees grew clearer as the group marched forward. Their trunks became whiter and started to radiate the same faint glow as the leaves, but more empty areas also started to appear.


    That trend peaked when a large empty area that featured multiple buildings made of mud and black ground unfolded in the group''s vision. The structures appeared quite poor-looking. They were short and scarce, but they all had the iconic azure symbols on their surface.


    There seemed to be faint paths on that dark plain illuminated by the white glow around it. A few benches and marks on the ground created rudimentary gathering points. Other spots had large holes with stages and cauldrons.


    There didn''t seem to be anyone inside the area, but everything changed after the group crossed the last white tree in sight. Khan and the others felt as if they went through a dense invisible membrane before a series of dark figures materialized in their vision.


    Many young Niqols appeared inside the empty spot in the forest. They mostly sat on the ground and created circles in different areas while older aliens stood at their center. Multiple lessons were happening at the same time, but all of them had stopped by the time the recruits entered the area.


    All the Niqols in the area stared at the humans. None of them was surprised by their arrival since their superiors had spread the news concerning that event, but it still felt strange to see those recruits walking inside such a secretive area.


    Khan didn''t suppress his curiosity at all. The other recruits lowered their heads or tried to keep stern faces to express the importance of the mission. Instead, Khan''s eyes darted through the environment and tried to memorize every detail of the academy.


    The place basically was the exact opposite of a human camp. The Niqols seemed to prefer holding their lessons outdoors and without the help of specific devices.


    Khan couldn''t help but notice how mystical auras that carried different vibes surrounded every group sitting on the ground. Some of them felt peaceful, others were intense, and a few even filled his nostrils with the faint scent of blood.


    The almost complete absence of technology didn''t manage to make them appear as a barbaric species. The young Niqols all wore casual clothes, but the professors donned elegant white robes that demarked their status and divided them from their students.


    Moreover, the peculiar auras that enveloped every group gave them the appearance of sages who had a deep understanding of the world. Khan found it hard to describe how he felt in front of that scene, but he inevitably fell in a daze.


    The same happened to the other recruits. Even those who firmly believed humans to be superior couldn''t help but admire the differences in their training methods. They almost felt that their camps lacked something after studying that scene.


    The two envoys didn''t let the recruits stop to study the academy. They would have time to familiarize themselves with the few structures and functions of the place in the following days, so the Niqols found no reason to stop moving now that their task was almost over.


    Khan soon sensed a familiar gaze falling on the side of his face. His mana informed him that his girlfriend was looking at him, but he limited himself to glance in that direction from the corner of his eyes.


    Khan found Liiza sitting on a thick branch of one of the few trees that grew inside the area past the invisible membrane. She was alone as she read an old book with a dim azure symbol at the center of its black cover.


    That short glance didn''t allow Khan to see much, but he still felt part of his tiredness vanishing from his mind. The couple didn''t get the chance to spend the previous night together, so their meeting inevitably gave birth to intense sensations inside them. Still, they both suppressed everything and avoided leaving clues about their relationship.


    The envoys led the recruits across the entire empty area until they reached one of the short buildings. The structure featured a thick wooden door covered in a pungent smell that became almost unbearable once it opened to reveal its insides.


    A small dim area appeared in front of the group, and the Niqols didn''t hesitate to bring everyone inside. An old female alien who wore a sweaty white robe and sat between two fuming cauldrons that reached her shoulders.


    "Hair," The old woman said while picking wooden cups and filling them with the dense bubbling dark liquid contained in the cauldrons.


    The Niqols showed their palms to the recruits, and they exchanged a glance before pulling one of their hairs and handing them to the aliens. The old woman then used them to complete those strange drinks and handed them back to the recruits, making sure to match the hair with the owners.


    Khan couldn''t help but notice the differences with Zalpa''s method. He felt sure that the old shaman would have asked for his blood again to complete the potion.


    The recruits obviously hesitated, but Khan gave them some confidence by gulping the potion in one sip. The liquid scorched his insides and fused with his throat, but it didn''t cause any damage. Still, a spot on the side of his neck started to itch, and Khan noticed that an azure glow illuminated his hand when he raised it to scratch the area.


    Khan quickly picked his phone and used it as a mirror to inspect the area. An azure symbol had appeared on his neck, but that mark disappeared in a few seconds without leaving any trace. He could sense only when he made mana flow through that spot.


    The other recruits imitated Khan after confirming that nothing too strange had happened to him. Azure symbols also appeared on the side of their necks, but no after-effects unfolded.


    "I used the white leaves and roots of the trees around the area to create this potion," The old Niqols explained in a raspy voice. "You will be able to talk about [The Pure Trees] only with those that carry the same mark. Don''t worry. It''s easy to understand who doesn''t have it."


    Khan and the others could only nod before the envoys brought them outside the building again and began to lead them toward their habitations. Yet, a peculiar scene unfolded before they could leave that central area of the academy and force them to turn toward the tree where Liiza was sitting.


    "[Liiza]!" A tall and good-looking Niqols shouted while kneeling in front of the white tree.


    The alien kept his arms stretched toward the girl a few meters above him. He held beautiful multicolored flowers in his hands, and his face expressed pure devotion.


    "[Please, accept this small gift]," The Niqols pleaded. "[I only ask for a chance. Close your eyes in front of our political obligations and follow your heart]!"


    The multicolored flowers appeared quite rare in Nitis dark environment. Even humans could understand that those plants were quite expensive. However, Liiza didn''t seem to care about them. She only showed an annoyed expression at the boy before answering with a clear "[no]".


    Her answer caused a series of faint laughs to spread among the Niqols on the scene. Some of them even shouted words meant to encourage the boy to try again in the following days. They appeared used to that scene, and Khan couldn''t help but feel annoyance spreading inside him at that sight. Something told him that he had found Ilman.

 Chapter 134: Tour

    ''She didn''t tell me that he was so into her,'' Khan commented in his mind as his annoyance increased.


    Khan didn''t understand the entire speech, but the few words that he could translate in his mind had allowed him to get its general meaning. The Niqols was clearly trying to date his girlfriend, and he couldn''t do anything about the situation.


    The Niqols remained on his knees, and his expression didn''t even flicker after Liiza''s firm refusal. His face remained solemn as if he were in the middle of a deadly battle.


    "[You will acknowledge me one day]," Ilman exclaimed before straightening his position and leaving the flowers at the base of the tree. "[I won''t give up on us until then]."


    Ilman''s romantic words made some of the female Niqols gasp. Some even stood up to approach him with consoling words, but he ignored them until they started to offend Liiza.


    "[You should imagine yourselves in her position before speaking so poorly of her]," Ilman defended. "[Her mother wanted to sell her away for the Niqols'' greater good when she was nothing more than a kid. Her anger is completely justified in my eyes]."


    "[Give up on her then]!" One of the female girls complained before blushing and playing with her hair. "[You can go out with me. I''ll make you happy]."


    "[You can''t tempt my love]," Ilman promptly refused her. "[I can''t betray my feelings]!"


    The girls took a step back after that remark. They appeared disappointed, but their blush didn''t disappear. It seemed that they liked how dramatic and driven Ilman was about the matter.


    Khan failed to understand most of that interaction again. He only got some of Ilman''s words since he spoke simple lines, and that fueled Khan''s irritation even more.


    ''I need to learn the Niqols'' language as soon as possible,'' Khan decided as his expression grew colder when he saw that Ilman had started to walk in his direction.


    "You must be the new students!" Ilman exclaimed while wearing a broad smile. "I hope that your stay in [The Pure Trees] will bring species even closer together."


    Ilman''s manners were perfect. His smile didn''t show any flaw and highlighted his innate beauty. His human accent was excellent, and a gentle aura seemed to cover his whole figure.


    ''Don''t tell me that he is a good guy,'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''World, can you give me something easy to hate this time around?''


    "I''m Ilman," The Niqols continued. "My tribe has benefitted immensely from the cooperation with the humans. Allow me to express my gratitude."


    Ilman performed a polite bow, and the recruits didn''t hesitate to imitate him. Only Khan hesitated for an instant, but he forced himself to bend forward while joining his hands when he sensed Liiza''s intense gaze on him.


    "Allow me to escort you to your habitations," Ilman proposed. "I wouldn''t mind giving you a tour of the camp if you aren''t too tired from the long travel."


    It was only late afternoon, and Khan''s group had basically spent the entirety of the travel on their Aduns. They were full of energy, and Ilman''s offer was tempting.


    "It would be an honor to have you as our guide," Kelly quickly replied.


    Brandon found himself with his mouth open and words stuck in his throat. Kelly had been faster than him in giving a polite answer. The boy could only curse in his mind and prepare himself for the next chance to show off.


    The other recruits shared the same mood. Their stay in the academy was a critical political mission, so those who managed to establish a good relationship with the Niqols would gain more value inside the Global Army. Also, they had to do their best not to remain inside Khan''s shadow. Luckily for them, the latter didn''t seem interested in exchanging polite words with Ilman.


    Khan''s eyes never left Ilman. He would have normally done his best to get closer with the Niqols, especially since he appeared as a famous and respected figure inside the camp. However, his feelings made him unable to think about the matter politically. He could only stare at the alien and curse silently whenever his beauty became impossible to ignore.


    ''Taller than me, good-looking, rich,'' Khan commented in his mind, ''He even belongs to the right species, and his feelings are intense.''


    Khan found himself unable to win against Ilman in any aspect. He clearly was a worse pick, but feeling Liiza''s constant stare helped him remain in control of his pretense.


    "Let''s not waste your precious time then," Ilman laughed and walked toward the two envoys to lead the group back to their habitations.


    Khan got the chance to sneak a peek at Liiza while the group turned to follow the three Niqols. Her eyes widened in a glare when she saw his action, but both of them quickly returned to their pretense before anyone could see them.


    The three Niqols led the recruits away from that central square and among the trees. It seemed that the membrane covered a large area at the center of the forest, so they could remain inside it while they moved toward the structure meant to accommodate the humans.


    It turned out that the academy didn''t have many buildings. The few structures inside the forest all had specific purposes that required a closed environment or unique tools. Moreover, Ilman explained how the trees created a special aura that covered the entire academy and helped with the training.


    The Niqols didn''t want to risk ruining the aura by adding too many buildings. Yet, that didn''t prevent them from expanding the academy. They only had to stretch it downward instead of upward.


    The habitations were in a large underground hall connected to the surface with a large and steep staircase. Azure symbols and smooth walls created a cozy and warm environment that featured eight beds and four separate bathrooms.


    The Niqols had brought the temperature to human standards, and the menus were in their language too. The only awkward aspect of the area was that the beds were all in the same room since the aliens didn''t see any issue with girls and boys living together.


    The recruits didn''t voice any complaint, and some of them didn''t really care about that. Others even looked forward to sleeping together, especially the boys since they would have more chances to be with the girls.


    All their belongings were next to the beds. Khan could find his knives quickly, and a tinge of concern filled him when he thought about leaving them in the open in front of the other recruits. The two null-grade weapons didn''t matter too much, but he wanted to hide the first-grade blade from the others.


    That concern vanished when he noticed that the Global Army had sent lockers calibrated to their genetic signature. Khan could keep his knives there without worrying about the other recruits.


    The Global Army had sent some uniforms, but the Niqols had also left white robes on the clean ground next to them. It seemed that the alien wanted to give them a choice to wear what they preferred.


    The tour continued afterward. The academy didn''t expand too much inside the forest since the Niqols preferred to use the underground world to enlarge it, but that approach didn''t stop them from using specific areas that carried unique features.


    The academy had a small lake filled with transparent waters that spread a peaceful vibe throughout its shores. Risky lessons that required complete control over mana happened there due to the obvious benefits connected to that aura.


    Another unique area was under the surface. The roots of many trees came out of the ceiling and created an environment almost devoid of mana. It was easier to focus and check certain improvements and features of the mana there. Many medical lessons happened there since the lack of interferences made diagnoses quicker.


    The academy had similar structures spread inside the area inside the barrier. Overall, the site was far smaller than Ylaco''s training camp, but it successfully held almost one hundred Niqols.


    Ilman acted as the perfect envoy during the tour. He never failed to give complete explanations of each area, and he added details even when the other two Niqols tried to stop him.


    The boy never revealed classified information, but he always had the chance to hold something back to make things harder for the humans. However, Ilman wanted the humans to experience the entirety of their stay inside the academy. He didn''t care about giving advantages to his species.


    Kelly and Brandon basically fought each other for Ilman''s attention. The other recruits also managed to say gentle words or polite remarks from time to time. Only Khan remained completely silent during the entire tour. He didn''t fail to memorize everything and study the various interactions, but he couldn''t force himself to speak with the alien.


    "That''s it for the tour," Ilman announced while wearing a broad smile after bringing the group back to the central empty area. "I''m often away during the day since the second year only has specific lessons, but you can find me around this time since I have a high chance of finding Liiza in these hours."


    "I wish you the best of luck with her," Brandon promptly exclaimed. "Don''t hesitate to contact us if you ever need help with her or other matters."


    Ilman appeared quite easygoing. His dramatic behavior made it hard for the group to notice his real character, but they slowly uncovered it during the tour. The Niqols appeared honest and joust. He was the type of person that would always choose to do the right thing.


    Khan hoped to find something worth hating, but Ilman kept disappointing him. The Niqols'' character was so flawless that it almost felt unreal.


    Needless to say, that only worsened Khan''s mood, and George eventually noticed that. Khan wasn''t the type to miss so many chances to establish a relationship with a seemingly important figure in the camp. Something seemed off with him, so George decided to help him after Brandon''s remark.


    "You can talk with Khan about girls," George laughed while patting Khan''s shoulder. "He has a real talent with them. I bet he can help you with Miss Liiza."


    ****


    Author''s notes: The second chapter should arrive in less than an hour.

 Chapter 135: Party

    George didn''t only want to help Khan with his words. He knew that the mission in [The Pure Trees] was for the greater good of humanity, but he couldn''t forget that he belonged to the fourth class.


    Brandon and Kelly were basically monopolizing the situation, which didn''t put the classes coming from the other training camp under a good light. Still, George, Veronica, and Gabriela were relatively plain compared to the flashy Brandon and the stern Kelly. Only Khan could claim Ilman''s attention and make a good impression.


    Khan slowly turned toward George. The boy was showing one of his best smiles while patting his shoulder, and his expression carried pure confidence. Everyone would believe his words, especially since he was the first to trust them.


    "Khan," Ilman repeated while diverting his gaze to look through his memories.


    "Of course!" Ilman exclaimed as his eyes lit up. "You are the first human to ride an Aduns. You are lucky that Liiza was in charge of helping your group. The other Niqols would have never given you the chance to tame one of them."


    Khan felt incredibly lucky. A simple call redirected to the special phones handed to the Niqols had given him the chance to meet Liiza. That simple encounter had provided him with an Aduns, a girlfriend, and peace. Nitis had granted him happiness that he didn''t believe to be possible. His mind contained only gratitude, but Ilman smiling face was trying to tamper with that feeling.


    "Miss Liiza has saved my position on Nitis," Khan announced while performing a polite bow. "I''m forever in her debt."


    "I can understand that," Ilman laughed. "I can already sense that we''ll get along. Maybe our mana is compatible."


    ''World, I hate you,'' Khan thought while his mouth moved to voice different words. "I feel the same. I hope I can be of help."


    "Oh?" Ilman gasped to reveal a surprised expression. "Are you familiar with our way of experiencing feelings?"


    "Only vaguely," Khan gave another polite answer. "I find your customs captivating, so I tried to broaden my view, but I''m afraid I can''t quite match the depths of your perception."


    "Wonderful!" Ilman shouted as his surprise transformed into pure joy. "This is how it should have been from the beginning! Humans trying to feel like Niqols! Thank you, Khan. Your words have rekindled my hopes. I now believe with even more intensity that our species can be great allies!"


    Khan felt speechless in front of that dramatic answer, but he wasn''t the only one on the scene to experience those feelings. George directly opened his mouth in surprise, and the other recruits also remained stunned. The same went for the two Niqos who were still with Ilman. They didn''t think that their companion''s reaction would be so extreme over such a simple matter.


    "I hope you can help me improve there if it''s not too much to ask," Khan managed to say after suppressing his surprise.


    "No problem at all," Ilman exclaimed. "I''m sure the professors will already point you in the right direction, but I will definitely help when I can. I can''t wait to work with all of you."


    Ilman performed a bow, and the recruits quickly imitated him. The alien left at that point, and the two envoys took care of the last doubts that remained in the experts'' minds.


    "Are you planning to leave every night even after coming here?" George asked as the envoys left and the recruits started to return to their habitations.


    George and the other recruits didn''t miss how Khan''s questions to the envoys had involved the various restrictions of the academy. The answers had left him pleasantly surprised since every student basically had complete freedom as long as their actions didn''t damage the structures or ruin the peace that filled the insides of the membrane.


    Fights were strictly forbidden, but that only inside the valley due to the many defenses in place. Those restrictions would vanish once the students reached the mountains.


    Even the lessons weren''t mandatory, but that obviously didn''t apply to the recruits. The Global Army would send them back to Earth if they tried to skip them. Deciding not to attend them could appear as a lack of respect on the human side toward the chance to learn about the Niqols'' ways.


    "Better than hearing your snores every night," Khan laughed.


    "I don''t snore," George snorted.


    "You have made remaining awake on Istrone really easy for me," Khan mocked.


    "I''ll take it as a yes then," George sighed while ignoring his comment. "I honestly don''t get it. We have so many good training areas here. The mountains are nice, but I don''t think they can beat this."


    George waved his hand to highlight the peaceful scenery under the thick crowns. Everything was dark in the areas without azure symbols, but that didn''t remove the magical feeling that the scene could generate. The aura that permeated everything inside the membrane also enhanced those vibes and made the recruits desire to protect that place.


    "It''s indeed good," Brandon commented, "But I still prefer our clean streets and tall buildings. I can''t get used to these bathrooms either."


    "I agree on the bathrooms," Kelly added.


    "They aren''t so bad," Khan commented. "I had it far worse in the Slums."


    "I don''t even want to think about that," Helen uttered while wearing a disgusted expression. "How did you even, you know, clean yourself?"


    "Do you really want to hear the answer?" Khan asked.


    "No," Helen shook her head. "I want to continue respecting you."


    "I''m sure that won''t be too hard," Veronica smirked as her eyes fell on Khan.


    Khan ignored that gesture, and the two Niqols waiting next to the passage that led toward the underground habitations made it easy for him to mask his actions. He couldn''t help but smile when he recognized the two aliens that had appeared on his path.


    "Doku, Azni!" Khan shouted happily, surprising the four recruits that came from the other training camp. "I didn''t think you studied here."


    "Only the best Niqols have the chance to be in [The Pure Trees]," Azni sighed. "You should know that we belong here."


    "We have been busy during the day," Doku continued. "I wouldn''t have minded handling the tour otherwise."


    "Ilman took care of that," Khan shortly explained before turning toward Azni. "How is your back?"


    "I have a small scar because of you," Azni complained while crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I''ve decided to forgive you only recently."


    "How magnanimous of you," Khan laughed before focusing on Doku. "So, what do you have in mind?"


    "We thought that our poor human friends would feel completely lost here," Doku explained. "Luckily for them, two good Niqols are willing to help."


    Brandon and the other recruits from the other training camp couldn''t believe how at ease Khan, Doku, and Azni appeared. They almost looked like old friends.


    Even George and Veronica struggled to understand how Khan could have such a good relationship with the two Niqols. They knew that he had managed to make a deal with Doku for the booze, but they didn''t expect the aliens to treat him as a friend.


    Khan quickly introduced his companions, and the two groups exchanged a series of bows. The two Niqols then followed the recruits inside their habitations, and they didn''t show any hesitation to sit on Khan''s bed before explaining the reason behind their visit.


    "The professors don''t let us have parties inside the actual academy ground," Doku explained, "But we often gather near one of the mountains and spend the night there. We have already planned something for tonight, so you must come."


    "Doku is the best at this stuff," Azni continued. "Don''t even try to come up with excuses. We know that you don''t get tired easily."


    George and the others could only stare at the scene with their mouths open. Khan, Azni, and Doku were sitting on the former''s bed without minding that the lack of space was forcing them to be quite close. Their backs were on the wall behind them, and Khan and Azni''s shoulders even touched often.


    "Do you want us to get drunk the night before our first lessons?" Khan laughed. "That''s not ideal."


    "You survived an entire tour with Ilman," Azni commented. "You''ll be fine."


    "Azni is one of the few girls who can escape Ilman''s charm," Doku quickly explained.


    "What charm?" Azni scoffed. "He''s always so intense for no reason, and he is completely devoted to Liiza. Only an idiot would keep hitting on her after hundreds of rejections."


    "Hundreds?" Khan repeated.


    "He is quite devoted to the task," Doku laughed. "Well, he expresses the true Niqols'' way. I don''t think I''ve seen anyone so intense."


    "Luckily he never comes to the parties," Azni revealed. "He doesn''t care since Liiza never comes either."


    "I thought she would have friends here," Khan said after making sure that his words didn''t reveal that he had learnt about her situation. "Is she always alone?"


    "That''s quite hard to explain," Doku replied.


    "Not really hard," Azni corrected. "Just quite complicated. Things got worse with time and led to the current situation. Some of us don''t hate her. Ignoring her it''s more of a habit that''s hard to break since she doesn''t try to get friends."


    That answer added details to Khan''s knowledge. He had only heard Liiza''s side of the story before, but he gained a complete view of the matter after Azni''s explanation.


    Liiza''s decision to break up with Ilman had turned her into an outcast, and her personality had developed from that state. Her peers had grown and had eventually forgotten about their disappointment, but Liiza had become unapproachable in those years.


    Of course, that only applied to part of the Niqols. Many still believed that Liiza had betrayed her species and weren''t willing to forgive her.


    "Let''s not waste time talking about those two," Doku exclaimed. "The party will begin soon. I bet that someone has already started drinking. We must hurry."


    "We should get clean and change before," Khan responded. "I smell like my Aduns."


    "Why would you clean yourself before the party?" Doku asked as honest confusion appeared on his face. "You''ll get dirty again there anyway."


    "This isn''t a formal event," Azni explained while revealing an understanding smile. "The others would only think that you are strange if you changed for the event."


    "Oh, it''s a human thing," Doku uttered while standing up. "Right, I forgot about it."


    "Let''s go," Azni giggled while keeping her glowing eyes on Khan.


    The girl eventually stood up and wore her usual cold expression when she glanced at the other recruits staring at the scene. She didn''t seem good with strangers, so Doku took care of pressing them.


    "I believe you won''t miss the chance to join a core event of the academy," Doku teased, and the recruits felt forced to leave their beds and gather around him.


    Doku understood their situation clearly. The recruits were there to improve the relationship with the Niqols, so attending common social events was necessary. Their duties basically forced them to go to the party.


    The group soon left the underground habitations and left the membrane as Doku and Azni led the humans across the forest. The two Niqols explained details that the envoys and Ilman had left behind, like the paths toward the various mountains. It seemed that the camp had seven vague exits meant for that specific purpose.


    Each mountain also had a name that humans struggled to pronounce. The Niqols used them to divide the valley into different quadrants, and only the professors mentioned them during the planning of special lessons outside the membrane. Most of the students had learnt them only to have an easier time planning parties or similar events.


    "I knew it," Doku sighed when the group arrived in a relatively empty area.


    Thirty or so Niqols had created small groups around a fuming cauldron that contained the familiar pink liquid. They all had drinks in their hands, and piles of wooden cups stood a few trees away from the empty area.


    The arrival of the humans didn''t go unnoticed, but the Niqols didn''t appear bothered by that. Instead, some of them wore excited faces and raised their glasses toward them.


    Doku forced the group to take cups and fill them with the scorching pink liquid. It turned out that no one actually smuggled the drink inside the valley. The academy had a few Niqols who could produce it as long as they had a cauldron and a few core materials. Doku happened to be one of them.


    The recruits started to relax as the drinks began to show their effects. The other Niqols also grew more friendly after emptying a few cups. Everyone became tipsy after a few hours, and the humans never had the chance to remain alone since they were a great attraction in that situation.


    Khan limited himself to drink a few cups while getting to know everyone. He even exchanged honest laughs after some of them cracked jokes in the human language, and he did his best to use the Niqols'' language as much as possible.


    The situation grew slightly awkward for the recruits after some couples formed. A few Niqols started kissing and whispering sweet words before leaving the empty area and disappearing among the trees.


    Veronica, Kelly, and Gabriela couldn''t help but blush when they understood what was happening. They felt that they genuinely understood the Niqols'' freedom during the party, and that mood slightly affected them.


    Khan glanced at Azni kissing with Doku on a fallen trunk used as a bench. The girl eventually stood up and led him inside the forest without caring about leaving their human friends in that awkward situation.


    A few Niqols approached Khan and exploded into happy laughs when they saw him looking straight in their eyes during the toasts. The fact that he respected their customs made him quite popular around the aliens that focused on drinking.


    Some daring Niqols tried to flirt with Helen, Veronica, and Brandon, but the three humans only played along without ever considering something more than that. It didn''t feel proper due to the political importance of their mission. Moreover, they thought that the aliens were moving too quickly for their standards.


    The situation was enjoyable, even fun at times, but time moved quickly, and it soon became too late, especially for the recruits. George and the others searched for each other with their gazes once their phones revealed that it was already past two am, but they quickly discovered that Khan was nowhere to be seen.


    Brandon and the others from his camp initially felt worried about his sudden disappearance, but George took care of reassuring them.


    "He leaves often," George explained while leading the group back inside the forest, on a path that would bring them back to the academy. "Don''t worry. He''ll be at the lessons before us."

 Chapter 136: Compliments

    Sneaking out of the party had been extremely easy, especially when everyone was busy flirting, drinking, or trying to enjoy themselves. Khan had simply been focused on leaving even before reaching that spot in the valley.


    Snow arrived on the other side of the mountain a bit before two am, and Khan was already waiting for the creature in the first empty spots that he found. He didn''t know much about the area outside the academy ground, but the Aduns could rely on the mental connection to pinpoint his exact location. The thick crowns of the trees even covered the sky, so those still in the party had no chance to notice its arrival.


    The Aduns needed less than three hours to reach the marsh from the academy, and that only if it didn''t play around during the flight. Time wasn''t on Khan''s side that night, but the Niqols'' customs managed to bring some relief to his packed schedule.


    The Niqols were aware of their character. The professors and superiors knew that the students would spend their time enjoying themselves at night. Suppressing that nature to enforce a stricter discipline would go against the very disposition of their species, so they preferred to avoid planning the lessons and other events early in the morning.


    The Niqols'' relaxed approach to discipline gave Khan the chance to approach the long flight without risking being late for his first lesson. Of course, that depended on how long he spent with Liiza. He would have less than three hours with her even if Snow did everything perfectly.


    Skipping an entire night of rest for mere three hours with his girlfriend sounded pretty unreasonable, especially since Khan wasn''t even sure that Liiza would be in the marsh. Yet, the couple had already failed to meet the previous night. Khan also didn''t ponder too much about the issue either. He had a chance to see Liiza, so he would take it, even if it consisted in mere minutes.


    Khan would normally meditate while on Snow''s back, but he didn''t want to arrive at the lessons exhausted, so he decided to sleep while the Aduns took care of bringing him to the marsh. The noise of the thin waterfalls awakened him before the eagle could dive toward the muddy ground and drop him near the cliff''s base.


    The path toward the secluded cave felt easier to remember already. Khan could reach it in no time and remain under the three hours required by the travel. The clock on his phone had yet to hit five am when he saw the entrance of the cavity unfolding in his vision.


    A pair of white lights lit up at the end of the cave when Khan crossed its entrance. All the Niqols had those captivating glowing eyes, but he felt able to see the tiny differences that made Liiza''s gaze unique.


    "Why did you even come?" Liiza''s sleepy voice resounded in the darkness of the cave. "You have lessons soon."


    "Five hours and a few minutes, to be precise," Khan commented while walking straight for the two glowing eyes.


    Liiza''s features slowly grew clearer as he approached her. She had wrapped herself in a blanket that appeared thicker than usual. The warm fabric was even covering part of her head and hiding her hair.


    "That leaves us with a bit more than two hours," Liiza complained without moving her eyes away from Khan. "Why didn''t you remain in the valley? Don''t tell me that Ilman got to your head."


    "I''m definitely not fine with Ilman," Khan snorted while sitting cross-legged in front of Liiza, who had just started to straighten her back. "George even set me up. I have to advise Ilman on girls-related matters now."


    "How did you even end up in that situation?" Liiza tried to maintain a stern expression, but giggles inevitably escaped from her mouth when she placed her back on the rocky wall.


    "I have no idea," Khan sighed. "What should I even tell him? I don''t know why George thinks I''m good with girls."


    Khan and Liiza were basically sitting in front of each other. Their legs were close enough to make them experience their partner''s temperature, but they never touched.


    "I can think of a few reasons," Liiza revealed while diverting her gaze.


    "It''s different with you," Khan replied. "Our mana messed up with our minds."


    "Am I nothing more than an alien unable to control her urges for you?" Liiza scoffed as her smile vanished. "Do you think that I kissed you just because mana told me to do it?"


    "You know that I didn''t mean that," Khan quickly explained. "I''m saying that I didn''t do anything special with you. I''ve just been myself."


    Liiza''s expression froze for a few seconds before she broke it to heave a helpless sigh. Khan felt unable to understand the reason behind that reaction, but he didn''t have to wait too long to receive an explanation.


    "You can be so stupid at times," Liiza remarked in an annoyed tone. "You work, fight, and train harder than everyone else, but you always fail to recognize your value."


    Khan opened his mouth to speak, but Liiza promptly glared at him. She wouldn''t let him say anything until her speech ended.


    "Yes, mana made deciding to kiss you easier," Liiza admitted, "But I think we are way past that, right? Also, I didn''t just jump on you because our mana is compatible. I remember telling you to climb a mountain first."


    Khan couldn''t help but reveal a smile at those words. He had already teased Liiza about their first meeting after learning that she had withheld many explanations about the Aduns back then. It turned out that part of her wanted to test his character, and the result of the climb confirmed that she liked him.


    "Khan, it''s not even just that," Liiza sighed again. "You looked for me even if your superiors told you to stop. I could sense your sorrow when we first met, but you still decided to risk everything over faint sensations. You also had to fight your feeling for your friend to pick me, and I know that you still feel bad about it."


    Liiza seemed able to look right inside Khan''s mind. Everything she said was true, and he couldn''t help but feel warm when those words reached his ears. She had learnt so much about him, even if she was unaware of many details about his life. Her sensitivity to his feelings had simply taught her a lot.


    "It wa-," Khan began to say to clarify Martha''s issue again, but Liiza interrupted him with another glare.


    "You are good-looking," Liiza continued with her descriptions of Khan''s positive aspects. "You have no idea how attractive you are when you stop pretending, and I bet every girl would fantasize about you after seeing you shirtless. Trust me when I say that you only have to be yourself to make girls fall for you."


    "You sure know how to improve my self-esteem," Khan commented before widening his eyes in fear of receiving another glare.


    "I won''t let you dismiss my words with a simple joke tonight," Liiza scolded while unwrapping the blanket and spreading her arms to reveal her usual white tracksuit. "I''ll make sure that you understand them properly."


    "I''m still angry at you for hiding Ilman for so long," Khan teased, but Liiza''s serious expression made him lose any desire to laugh.


    "That''s fine," Liiza announced in a firm tone. "I also want to know more about your friend. Just come here first. I can''t handle the cold as well as before."


    Liiza''s voice gained a timid tone toward the end of her line, and Khan''s mind directly went blank as he bent toward her and sat between her legs. Liiza didn''t hesitate to wrap the blanket around his chest and imprison him in a cold hug. Khan could feel her heart beating on his back due to how intense her embrace was.


    "I missed you yesterday," Liiza whispered while digging her head on Khan''s neck.


    "Do you really feel cold without me?" Khan asked as some worry seeped into his voice.


    "It''s not actual cold," Liiza explained as her lips trembled on Khan''s neck. "My body didn''t change. It''s just intense longing."


    Khan couldn''t help but remain astonished at how intense the Niqols'' feelings were. Liiza''s species had evolved to endure the Nitis'' cold environment, but her longing for Khan made her cover herself in blankets that she didn''t need. Her emotions could affect her body in ways that humans barely could explain, and Khan felt blessed to realize how deeply his girlfriend cared about him.


    Liiza kissed the base of Khan''s neck and played with the same spot for a while. She even bit at times to reveal her intentions, but he didn''t stop her. His hand reached the back of her head to accompany her movements. He would let her leave a large mark that night.


    "Ilman is harmless," Liiza whispered when she finished playing with his neck. "He proposes to me so often that I take it as routine. I didn''t hide it on purpose. I just don''t see him as relevant."


    "It''s fine," Khan sighed. "I''m just annoyed about our situation. He isn''t hard to handle."


    "Are you bragging about being a good liar?" Liiza asked while bending backward and making Khan lie on her.


    Khan ended up resting on her chest, but the softness of her captivating curves didn''t make him divert his attention by her intense gaze. Liiza had left his neck to look at him, and her expression seemed to carry a faint hesitation.


    "Why do you want to hear about my friend?" Khan asked after understanding that Liiza''s hesitation came from that topic.


    "She made you hesitate to get with me," Liiza explained, "Even with mana messing up your mind. I want to know her, even if only through your words."


    Liiza wanted to sound as if she were teasing Khan, but he understood that there was something else to the matter. He could even guess the meaning behind her doubts. They had been together for only a month, but their intense feelings were making their relationship incredibly important in their lives.


    Liiza had already reached the point when her body suffered in Khan''s absence, and he had always been willing to skip sleep or risk making his superior angry to see her. She was also the main pillar on which he had built his current happiness. They had already brought their relationship to the next level when it came to its physical aspect, but they had to do the same with their feelings now.


    "Is it time to go over our whole lives?" Khan asked as a faint smile appeared on his face.


    The couple had started describing parts of their lives during the past month, but they had never gone too deep about it, and they had never been too detailed either. However, it felt almost necessary to do that now, especially since their situation kept worsening due to their duties. A complete knowledge could help remove eventual doubts and pointless worries.


    "I want to, but¡­." Liiza stated as her worry filled her voice, "But you travel even if you knew that our time together would have lasted only a few hours. Are you sure that you want to spend it talking?"


    Khan arched his eyebrows in surprise, and a broad smile appeared on his face as he understood what Liiza meant. He turned in her embrace to face her and bring her on his lap. Liiza didn''t oppose the process, and she soon ended up sitting on him, with legs wrapped around his waist and arms clung to his neck.


    "How come you are becoming shyer as we learn more about each other?" Khan asked as his arms went around her waist.


    "Feelings intensify," Liiza revealed while closing her eyes and enjoying the warmth spreading inside. "My body plays tricks on me, and it needs a few days to adapt to the new intensity. I''m lucky my boyfriend doesn''t exploit my temporary weakness."


    "I wonder what would have happened if we didn''t have to hide our relationship," Khan wondered while ignoring Liiza tempting tease.


    "Our situation is rarer than you think," Liiza smirked as the darkness of the cave hid her intense blush. "I''ve heard that two Niqols with compatible mana can decide to spend their lives together after a single week of relationship."


    "Wow," Khan gasped. "We are done for then."


    "We might be an exception due to the differences between our species," Liiza contradicted him.


    "Do you want us to be an exception?" Khan asked, and they both opened their eyes to stare at each other at those words.


    "Didn''t you have to tell me about your life?" Liiza promptly switched the topic of the conversation.


    "You first," Khan grinned. "This good boyfriend is too busy suppressing his urge to exploit your weakness to talk."


    "You won''t escape this," Liiza warned. "Don''t even try to use our short time to your advantage and leave before your turn comes."


    "I won''t do that," Khan exclaimed as an honest smile appeared on his face. "I want you to know about me."


    Khan''s serious reaction made Liiza''s expression freeze. She gulped and pushed him toward the ground before kissing him and lying on his chest. He took care of adjusting the blanket while she moved her fingers through the insides of his uniform. It took a few minutes, but she eventually started to speak, and his turn arrived almost thirty minutes later.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Same as yesterday. I need 1-2 hours for the next chapter. I''m sorry. Chaos simply requires longer at times.

 Chapter 137: Return

    Khan remained in a daze even after Snow dropped him near the same mountain where he had departed eight hours ago. It was still ten am. He had an entire hour to return to the academy and attend his first lesson with a Niqols professor.


    He would normally look forward to the lesson. He would have the chance to learn a completely different approach to mana, something humans wholly ignored out of arrogance and confidence in their methods.


    Khan didn''t feel able to underestimate those subjects after witnessing how intense and accurate they could be. He had seen Liiza''s body suffering after she failed to experience his warmth for a single night, and she even continued to understand his feelings with mere glances or touches.


    In his opinion, the Niqols'' way had immense potential, but the conversation experienced in the past hours made him unable to focus on the imminent lessons. Khan knew that he should feel excited, but he could only think about the words he had exchanged with his girlfriend.


    Sex had brought them closer, but that was a mere physical connection. The Niqols experienced it on many levels that could even be completely emotional, but it still couldn''t compare to what they had gone through that night.


    Liiza and Khan had spent their two hours describing their whole lives without hiding anything. They both knew that normal couples wouldn''t go over those topics so soon in their relationship. Some would even completely ignore them and leave them in the past. Yet, they had felt the need to grow closer, so they spoke without putting any filter to their words.


    Khan went through jealousy, annoyance, anger, and pain as he heard Liiza''s story. She had always been a rebellious kid, and her boyfriends had been a simple expression of her nature. She didn''t like to have a privileged status, so she had always picked Niqols that would make her mother angry.


    Her father''s story turned out to be rather sad. Liiza had always been close to him since they shared the same unruly character, but Yeza had eventually led to their separation.


    Deni, Liiza''s father, truly loved Yeza. He was one of the few men on Nitis who could look past her striking beauty and appreciate her for her dedication toward the Niqols'' species. Yeza also loved him for that, but their different priorities eventually led to harsh fights.


    Yeza was an ambassador, and her beauty could become a weapon that she didn''t hesitate to use for the greater good of her species. She had also ended up cheating on Deni to get her hands on important information.


    Her dedication made her become a hero for her species, but it only worsened Deni''s situation. He felt forced to leave to maintain his sanity, and he even ended up cutting ties with his daughter due to the intensity of his feeling. Thinking about his family simply made him suffer too much.


    Liiza put all the blame on her mother. Her rebellious character even worsened after that event, which led her to refuse a good partner like Ilman just because Yeza had picked him.


    Liiza spent the years after that event mostly in solitude. Her peers ignored her, Zalpa and Deni had left, and her relationship with her mother was so bad that she struggled to remain inside her home. She still helped with specific social events or tasks because she cared about her species, but the rest of her time belonged to her Aduns and Nitis'' wild regions. Her life didn''t have anything else.


    Khan had been a surprise in her life. When Liiza thought about it, it made sense that only someone belonging to a different species could awaken her feelings. He even met all her requirements and had the mana on his side. It almost felt like a fated encounter in her mind.


    In theory, the Niqols wouldn''t mind if a member of their species were to end with a human. They might even push that relationship toward an official union. However, the situation would be different with Liiza due to her peculiar social status and her famous character.


    Yeza would oppose the union with a nobody like Khan, and the other higher-ups would even question Liiza''s loyalty since her record wasn''t great. She might decide to reveal classified information to the humans due to her grudge, and her status as a Niqols made her easier to exploit when love was involved.


    Liiza had also learnt everything about Khan''s life. His story went from the Second Impact, lingered on Istrone, and reached his current state on Nitis without hiding the ugly parts that had filled his tragic moments. She could finally understand the depths of Khan''s sorrow at that point, especially when it came to Bret''s probable involvement in events that he struggled to imagine.


    The reasons behind their compatibility became clear after they shared their stories. They both had lost a lot during their lives. Their pain had created a wall between them and their peers. Liiza had become an outcast, while Khan had developed exceptional lying skills to hide among normal kids. The intensity of their suffering was clearly different, but their character had advanced on similar paths as they dealt with those feelings.


    Needless to say, Khan and Liiza had to fight against their very nature to separate after that long conversation. They would have done everything in their power to remain all day in each other''s embrace, but they had duties to attend, especially Khan. He would have surely missed his morning lessons if Liiza didn''t kick him out of the cave and sent him back to the academy earlier than planned.


    Liiza''s decisiveness was the very reason why Khan had an entire hour at his disposal to return to at the center of the valley. Still, he knew that her actions carried deeper meanings. She didn''t want Khan to ruin his record because of her, and she also wanted to remain alone.


    That desire didn''t come from her feelings. Liiza wanted to do her best to absorb what she had learnt that night and let her emotions stabilize. She was aware that her condition could lead to bad decisions that might worsen Khan''s situation. She didn''t want their relationship to pick up speed again until she was in complete control of herself, and only some time on her own could bring that clarity.


    Khan understood that, and he even agreed with her silent decision. His mind was too into her after the night spent with her. He had to calm down and focus on his training to make sure that his relationship didn''t hurt another important aspect of his life.


    It didn''t take Khan much to return to the location where the party had unfolded. He even found cups lying around and the cauldron still half-full when he reached that empty spot.


    The area appeared empty, but the path back to the academy felt quite clear even if the ground didn''t carry any footprint or similar traces of the passage of the students. It seemed that part of the defenses in the valley took care of those issues, but Khan didn''t need external factors to find his way back inside the membrane.


    Still, a familiar figure appeared in his view right after he crossed the empty spot. Khan found Doku sleeping naked on the ground with only the upper part of his clothes covering his manhood.


    "[Wake up]," Khan laughed while lightly kicking his foot.


    Doku frowned due to the sudden awakening, and a few words that Khan couldn''t translate even came out of his mouth. Then, the alien gave voice to a loud groan when he opened his eyes and noticed Khan standing above him.


    Doku tried to speak in the Niqols'' language again, but Khan quickly interrupted him. "Don''t go so fast. I''m not good at it yet."


    "You are good enough to interrupt my beauty sleep," Doku complained while lifting an arm toward Khan. "Help me stand."


    Khan smirked and grabbed his wrist before pulling Doku to his feet. The Niqols didn''t like that sudden change in his position, and he supported himself on Khan''s shoulder while his mind found some balance. He swayed back and forth a few times before he felt stable enough to leave his companion.


    "I knew that you were a player," Doku commented while revealing a knowing smile when he noticed the hickey at the base of Khan''s neck.


    Khan had made sure that his uniform covered the hickey, but Doku had pulled it down enough to reveal it while he found his balance. Still, the Niqols didn''t even come close to connecting that mark to Liiza.


    "You definitely did better than me," Khan smirked while pointing at his naked lower half.


    Doku suddenly realized that the clothes that covered his manhood were now on the ground. His naked body was completely in the open, and he couldn''t help but exchange an awkward glance with Khan before bending to pick the garment.


    "I swear it doesn''t usually end like this," Doku justified himself while tying the clothes around his waist and covering himself.


    "Let''s both avoid spreading the news then," Khan suggested while hiding his hickey.


    "You humans are strange," Doku scoffed. "I''ve read about your decency. I didn''t think it was true."


    "They need a good Niqols to show them the way," Khan teased while patting Doku''s shoulder and resuming his walk through the forest.


    "Don''t even joke about that," Doku pleaded while following Khan. "Azni will literally cut it if she feels that I''m cheating on her. If you end up with a Niqols, don''t make her angry. I''m telling you this for your own safety."


    Khan couldn''t help but think at the threat that Liiza had voiced before they had their first time. The image of the bull inevitably appeared in his mind, and he also imagined himself in the monster''s position.


    "Are they all like that?" Khan asked.


    "They go crazy as soon as they start feeling something," Doku revealed. "Well, it''s the same with the men of my species, but most of us have more self-control."


    "Our species are so different," Khan commented.


    "That''s the beauty of the universe, I guess," Doku groaned as his hangover sent a wave of pain through his mind.


    "Is that the self-control you were talking about?" Khan laughed while turning toward his companion.


    "Azni likes to make me drink," Doku complained. "She says that I''m too stiff when we are together, but I can''t do much about it. I''m in the second year, and I already command troops. She is still in the first year, and in my team even. I need to create a wall between us."


    "You almost sounded human there," Khan continued to mock him.


    "Shut up," Doku cursed. "It''s really annoying because she doesn''t get it."


    "I mean, you are a Niqols," Khan responded. "Just do what you feel like. What''s the point of going against your nature?"


    "That''s not a bad idea," Doku honestly exclaimed.


    The duo walked quickly across the forest and reached the membrane in no time. However, Doku didn''t cross it with Khan. He said goodbye to his friend and decided to enter through a more isolated part of the academy.


    Khan entered directly and approached the central empty area that featured multiple squares demarked by glowing azure symbols. The clock on his phone had yet to reach eleven am, so the academy appeared mostly empty. The first lessons would still require half an hour to start.


    Khan limited himself to meditate to make that time pass quickly. The envoys from yesterday had only told him to wait there to attend the lessons, so he didn''t bother to pay too much attention to his surroundings.


    Familiar voices eventually resounded near Khan and awakened him from his short meditation. He could see George and the other recruits when he opened his eyes. They appeared relaxed and well-rested.


    "I told you that he would have been here before us," George exclaimed as a faint laugh escaped his mouth.


    "Where did you disappear yesterday?" Brandon asked. "It''s not wise to separate since our phones don''t work here."


    "I''ll be fine," Khan smiled. "I only like to have my space."


    "I have to agree with Brandon here," Kelly added. "Your actions reflect on us and the entire human species. Nitis is dangerous, and the slightest delay to a lesson might worsen our relationship with the Niqols."


    Khan didn''t have words to express how little the Niqols would care if one of their students were to skip a lesson. Still, he would need to disappear almost every night to attend his secret relationship, so it was better to take care of that topic once and for all.


    "I was the first to ride an Aduns," Khan announced. "I dealt the final blow to the monster that has killed Glenn Padlyn, and I''ve already joined hunts where I was the only human among Niqols. Do my actions really worry you?"


    Kelly couldn''t say anything in front of that sharp response. Khan''s sudden serious answer even left the rest of the group speechless. He would often crack a joke to dismiss the matter, but he had actually defended his right to do what he wanted now.


    An awkward atmosphere spread among the recruits. They couldn''t force Khan to respect their desires, and his actions had only benefited the Global Army until then. However, their concerns made sense, especially since they were now in the middle of the alien territory.


    A Niqols wearing a white robe saved the group from arguing any further. The recruits turned to see that Professor Supyan approached the humans before stopping and moving his eyes between Khan and George.


    "You two," Professor Supyan ordered. "With me."


    Professor Supyan''s seriousness made the other recruits unable to say anything. They remained speechless as they watched Khan and George approaching the Niqols and following him into the distance.


    "You two are ready to take lives," Professor Supyan announced after leaving the empty area and leading the two recruits across a faint path inside the forest. "That might lead you to a dark path that will never stop requiring blood."


    Professor Supyan eventually reached the entrance of an underground area and descended its staircase to lead the two recruits into a strange room covered in roots.


    The underground hall didn''t have walls, ceilings, or floors. It seemed that the roots had naturally created that space and the Niqols had simply added a few glowing runes to illuminate the area. However, it was clear that something so precise couldn''t be a natural occurrence. The aliens probably had tinkered with the direction of the roots for a long time so that they could give birth to a neat rectangular room.


    "Your mana inherits features from your character," Professor Supyan explained. "It evolves with you as you grow up. That shows its innate potential to gain different forms."


    Professor Supyan raised his palm and gathered mana over it. An azure membrane that radiated a peaceful feeling spread through the underground room before he placed his hand on the wall and released the accumulated energy.


    The roots that made the wall shook, and a spiderweb of cracks even appeared when the Niqols pulled his hand back. However, a second wave of power suddenly gathered on his palm and spread a suffocating feeling in the air.


    Khan and George felt certain that Professor Supyan had gathered the same amount of energy as before, but the second batch appeared far more dangerous.


    Professor Supyan didn''t hesitate to place his hand on the roots again, right next to the first cracked spot, before releasing the accumulated energy. A series of fissures opened on the wall and stretched past his hand at that point. It was impossible to miss that the second attack had almost been two times more effective.


    "Mind you," Professor Supyan explained while turning toward the two speechless recruits. "I didn''t use different techniques, and I didn''t vary the amount of mana deployed. I''ve only altered the features of my mana and enhanced its destructiveness."


    ****


    Author''s notes: It came out 2700 words. Took longer than expected.

 Chapter 138: Manipulation

    Professor Supyan''s demonstration left the two recruits speechless, especially George, since his knowledge about mana was vaster due to his excellent background.


    Humans paid attention to the mana''s nature, but only when it came to its element. They didn''t bother to go deeper in its study or understanding and treated it as a simple fuel for martial arts and spells. However, the Niqols had a completely different approach which shown clear benefits.


    ''How are humans unaware of this?'' Khan wondered without daring to speak those words out loud.


    Khan didn''t know how much the Niqols knew about humans. His words could have political repercussions or reveal classified information, but everything felt pointless when he noticed George''s astonished expression. Anyone would understand how surprising that lesson was when looking at his face.


    "Don''t worry," Professor Supyan reassured when noticing Khan''s cold expression. "Both humans and Niqols know about these differences between our species. You will simply be the first to receive proper lessons from us."


    Professor Supyan could be lying to exploit the recruits'' naivety to learn more about the humans, but Khan felt too curious to hold back. Moreover, George had already revealed the nature of his doubts, so he found no problem voicing them.


    "Why don''t humans teach this?" Khan asked while his eyes darted between the two damaged spots. "We should be able to replicate these applications of mana even without knowing your methods."


    "That''s for sure," Professor Supyan replied in his usual plain tone. "Very little is out of your range with your technological achievements."


    "Then why no one teaches this?" Khan continued.


    "I can think of multiple reasons," Professor Supyan revealed. "First of all, I believe you can learn about this branch. You humans always record everything."


    Khan and George exchanged a glance and nodded internally. There was a high chance that some specific branches of the Global Army had a catalog with all the different applications to mana learnt from alien species.


    "As for why humans decide not to teach this," Professor Supyan continued, "I believe they think that its benefits don''t match its difficulty."


    That answer didn''t satisfy the two recruits. They had just seen how a simple discharge of mana became two times more destructive with a simple thought. It didn''t matter how difficult that ability was. It should still be available to the soldiers due to its incredible potential.


    "I think you are underestimating the difficulty of this task," Professor Supyan exclaimed after inspecting how the recruits reacted to his words.


    The Niqols showed his hand to the two boys. A lump of azure mana seeped out of his skin and gathered on his palm to form a rotating sphere of energy.


    The amount of control over mana shown by that simple gesture left the two recruits speechless. They would struggle to do something similar outside their bodies. Even Khan didn''t know if he could force so much energy to work together in such a seamless and precise way.


    Controlling mana once it came out of his body was incredibly hard, which was the very reason behind the Divine Reaper''s difficulty. Khan would have already succeeded in creating a stable membrane around his null-grade blunt knife otherwise.


    "This is simple manipulation," Professor Supyan explained as the small sphere in his palm started morphing. "This mana shares a connection with me, so I can control it to take different shapes. However, the previous ability has to go beyond forms."


    The mana inside the sphere slowly started to move oddly, but Professor Supyan didn''t seem to control those small movements. It was as if the nature of the energy had changed and had started to affect that small structure.


    The azure energy grew unstable at times, and the sphere shook while tiny flares tried to escape its edges. Everything turned incredibly calm right afterward, and the glowing ball even condensed due to the stability achieved by the mana in the Niqols'' palm.


    Professor Supyan appeared able to change the mana''s nature at will. He could turn it into energy ready to explode or a dense gas that almost gained liquid features. He could even make those two behaviors coexist to highlight the stark differences that they carried.


    Everything felt obvious now. The subject actually was so simple that even a child could understand it. Turning the mana unstable would increase its destructiveness, while stabilizing it would make it gain denser forms.


    The ability didn''t need other explanations, but Khan and George couldn''t understand how to replicate that process. The Divine Reaper actually featured a similar requirement, but it was extremely specific, and Khan had yet to study that lesson properly.


    "There obviously are other issues caused by our different techniques," Professor Supyan announced. "Humans rely on techniques that use specific movements to make the mana express the intended effects. The Niqols approach the matter differently, changing the nature of the mana depending on the ability that we want to use."


    George frowned, and Khan diverted his eyes. They both tried to review those words in their minds, and a conclusion soon grew near, but Professor Supyan decided to explain himself better out of fear that his students could misunderstand his teachings.


    "Imagine to throw a punch," Professor Supyan explained. "Humans would move mana alongside the attack to augment the movement and discharge it once the attack ends."


    The Niqols was oversimplifying the issue, but the two recruits didn''t hesitate to nod. Their techniques required mana to flow in different directions at the same time to express the intended effects, but the theory behind those moves matched Professor Supyan''s explanation.


    "Instead, Niqols transform the mana before throwing the punch," Professor Supyan continued. "We alter its nature before the actual move. A simple touch can transform into a punch since that''s what we prepared our mana to do."


    The example made the theory behind the Niqols'' different approaches to techniques far easier to understand. It even made Khan and George realize the benefits that their methods could bring to their power. Removing the need to perform specific moves to perform an attack sounded too good to be true.


    "If I were to prepare my mana for a kick with the Niqols'' method," Khan wondered, "But then use that energy during a punch, would the attack still carry the effects of the intended technique?"


    "Of course," Professor Supyan affirmed. "The power and effects of your techniques mostly come from mana, so speed, strength, and precision will change depending on the nature carried by that energy."


    "Won''t that cause conflicts?" Khan guessed. "After all, a punch is a punch, and a kick is a kick. There is a reason why we use different limbs to execute them. They have clear physical limitations."


    Professor Supyan''s face showed a rare reaction. His eyebrows arched in surprise when he heard Khan detailed doubt. George experienced a similar emotion since he didn''t expect his friend''s understanding of martial arts to be so deep.


    Khan didn''t consider himself an expert in martial arts, but he had relied extensively on the training areas on Onia and Earth. He had done his best to face different styles to improve his overall battle experience, so the flaws with the Niqols'' methods felt quite obvious.


    The Lightning-demon style also made Khan aware of how the physical limits could affect a technique. He could already hurt himself during his attacks, so he could guess that the Niqols'' method would carry similar flaws.


    "Your doubts are sound," Professor Supyan stated. "You will see weaker effects if your moves don''t match the nature of your mana. You can even hurt yourself if you aren''t careful. Yet, what do you think will happen if you fuse the human and Niqols'' methods?"


    George''s eyes widened in understanding, but Khan maintained his natural cold expression. The answer was obvious. Mastering the Niqols'' methods would significantly shorten the preparations required by martial arts and spells, and it might even lead to stronger effects if used correctly.


    "Why are you teaching us this?" Khan asked.


    Khan''s question could mean two things. It could refer to the obvious danger of teaching potential enemies techniques that could make them far stronger than their peers from both species. Still, it could also wonder about the reason behind that private lesson while the other recruits were with other professors.


    "[The Pure Tress] has its pride to follow," Professor Supyan announced. "Holding back its teachings out of fear toward your different species would be a permanent spot in its history."


    The firm exclamation didn''t match the Professor''s aloof appearance, but it became clear that he valued his position inside the academy and the fame that accompanied it. George and Khan couldn''t help but respect the Niqols after understanding how easily he could disregard the differences between their species.


    "You also have deep problems," Professor Supyan continued. "I won''t dare to guess what has happened in your lives, but your mana is on a dangerous path. I fear what can cause in your character once its weight starts to affect your behavior."


    George struggled to understand that part, but Khan had accepted how his energy could sway his thoughts and affect his behavior. He wouldn''t even be with Liiza if his mana didn''t convince him to move on toward what it felt could make him happy.


    "Blood is covering your blade," Professor Supyan declared while pointing at George. "It might submerge you, dull your edge, or become a core part of your character. You need to gain control of your mana to decide where you want your mind to evolve."


    Professor Supyan''s expression darkened when he turned toward Khan. He even seemed to hesitate to point at him, but simple words eventually escaped his mouth. "You are cursed."


    Khan didn''t react at all to that statement. Instead, his eyes went on George. The boy had lowered his head and was staring at the roots that made the floor. The Niqols'' words had reminded him of the mess constantly happening inside his mind.


    "I''m willing to create additional lessons due to your special situation," Professor Supyan explained. "The other humans can attend them too, but my focus would remain on you two since you need it the most. I can''t promise that my teachings will improve your condition. You will only learn to control the nature of your mana. What to do with that ability is up to you."


    Khan couldn''t help but curse in his mind. He appreciated Professor Supyan''s concern. Such seriousness in his role was almost moving. However, Khan inevitably thought at his shrinking free time, especially since he knew that refusing those additional lessons wasn''t an option.


    Khan didn''t feel too scared about the effects that his mana could have on his psyche. His focus was on the evident benefits that mastering the Niqols'' method could provide.


    Learning how to control the nature of the mana wouldn''t only allow him to reach levels that the simple human path couldn''t touch. It would also benefit his future martial arts and spells since he would have the chance to approach them from multiple angles. For example, the Divine Reaper wouldn''t appear so hard if he already knew how to create a membrane of energy and give it sharp features.


    Of course, Khan didn''t delude himself. The Niqols had mana since birth, and they spent years studying its nature before approaching actual techniques, but Professor Supyan considered the matter difficult nonetheless.


    It was unclear how hard it would be for a human to reach satisfying levels of mastery over that ability. Khan even guessed that Professor Supyan''s lack of worry came from that exact reason.


    The Niqols seemed to have good intentions, but the Professor was probably only tempting the recruits with his speech about the superior power achievable after fusing the methods of both species. He didn''t really believe that Khan and the others could reach high levels of control over mana since they lacked years of training in that field.


    The cynical mindset developed in the Slums made Khan see how a complete openness between humans and Niqols would clearly benefit the latter.


    The techniques of the Global Army were far easier to deploy, so the aliens would achieve a perfect fusion between the methods of both species faster. Instead, the humans had already indirectly refused the Niqols'' approach. They preferred to limit the manipulation of the mana''s nature to specific techniques rather than gain a general mastery over that field.


    "Can it really help?" George suddenly asked in a timid voice as his hopeful gaze landed on the Niqols.


    "Only if you want it to help," Professor Supyan nodded, and his stern expression almost broke in front of George''s evident sorrow.


    Khan''s expression darkened when he saw George in that state again. The boy was usually cheerful, but the traumas hidden inside his mind felt overwhelming to witness whenever they escaped his suppression.


    "We have to seize this chance, right?" George asked while turning toward Khan.


    The boy was clearly excited about that opportunity, but he still looked for Khan''s support. George still considered him as the figure in charge of such important decisions.


    "Of course," Khan stated while showing an honest smile. "We can''t ignore [Guru]''s kindness."


    ****


    Author''s notes: 1-2 hours for the second.

 Chapter 139: Discussion

    The private meeting ended after a few polite exchanges of words and bows. George''s excitement almost made him unable to stop thanking Professor Supyan. Khan soon had to drag him out of that underground hall to return to the empty spot where their companions were attending another lesson.


    The female Niqols in charge of that lesson didn''t bother introducing herself since she preferred putting Khan and George to work right away. Her subject involved the sensitivity to mana, and the duo could finally experience the teaching methods of the alien species after following her instructions.


    The professor had made their companions sit cross-legged on the ground around her. Their position matched spots with azure symbols meant to expand the range of their senses and intensify the influence that mana could have on their perception. Khan and George experienced those effects when they took their position on empty glowing marks, and gasps inevitably escaped from their mouths.


    Khan wasn''t a stranger to those sensations. He had felt something similar on the teleports and the Niqols'' elevators, but the experience was far more intense while he sat on the azure symbol. His mind expanded past the circle and went beyond the usual range of his senses. Khan also noticed many details that his normal sensitivity to mana had never allowed him to see.


    The purpose of the lesson was to make their minds used to that state. It was conditioning meant to improve their base sensitivity to mana, like a meditation focused only on their senses. It felt relaxing to experience such a tight connection to the world. The recruits even remained in a daze after the professor deactivated the symbols and interrupted their training.


    The recruits had been in that state for only three hours, and it felt strange to return to reality and experience the limits of their senses again. The change was easier to endure for Khan, but his companions ended up feeling off for a few minutes while their minds readapted to their normal sensitivity.


    Lunch happened inside an underground structure that harvested nutrient roots and the usual worms that even the human camp served. The Niqols didn''t actually eat there since the forest offered a far nicer environment. Khan''s group also went outside, and they ended up meeting with Azni and some aliens met the previous night in an isolated spot that gave them some privacy.


    The atmosphere was quite relaxed during lunch. Khan and the others exchanged jokes, learnt gossips, and threw questions at each other to deepen their relationship. Those conversations mostly involved the events of the parties, but some topics explained aspects of the academy and the lessons that the recruits still ignored.


    It turned out that the Niqols'' academies only had two years. They divided their students depending on their achievements in the three major branches connected to mana which involved sensitivity, control, and manipulation.


    Meeting the standards set by the Niqols when it came to sensitivity and control was enough to gain access to the second year. Manipulation was already an advanced skill, and the aliens required a certain mastery over it to approach more specialized courses.


    A decent mastery over the manipulation of mana wasn''t necessary to graduate. It turned out that even the Niqols found it hard to alter the nature of mana past certain levels. [The Pure Trees] only had a handful of geniuses in that field, and Liiza was one of them. Her ice came from one of the specialized courses of the academy.


    The students were mostly free to decide their own future after graduating. Many of them usually became active parts of their tribes while others continued to pursue their studies to enter or expand specialized courses.


    Money didn''t seem to be an issue in that society, and it started to matter only when it came in significant quantities. Apparently, the elders were quite generous with the distribution of wealth when it concerned projects that could benefit the Niqols species as a whole.


    Azni revealed how Khan and the other recruits wouldn''t even gain access to the first year during normal times. It wasn''t a matter of weakness or battle prowess. They simply didn''t have any foundation when it came to the Niqols'' methods.


    The issue concerned the different approaches to mana of the two species. The human martial arts might require the recruits to express a level of control that only Niqols in the second year wielded, but that ability would apply on a single technique or move. Instead, the aliens had it as a general requirement for each process that involved mana.


    That explained why their lessons didn''t involve any specific topic. Their schedule was more packed than the Niqols in the first year because they had to go over basics that the aliens had mastered even before approaching the academy. Yet, they still involved the three major fields.


    The recruits had gone through the lesson involving the sensitivity to mana in the morning. The afternoon would feature two more classes that would try to teach them the fundamentals of control and manipulation of mana.


    An old male Niqols called Professor Kunta handled the control lesson. The alien was quite odd compared to the other members of his species. He was short and slightly fat. A long white beard even grew from his chin, but the light radiated by his white eyes appeared more intense than usual.


    The recruits felt quite confident when they approached the lesson since the human methods had forced them to control the mana inside their bodies in ways that the Niqols ignored. However, the nature of the class shattered their hopes.


    The lesson happened in one of the underground areas that had roots coming out of the ceiling. The external interference was at the lowest in that room, so Professor Kunta could inspect every mistake that the recruits committed during their assignment.


    In theory, the Professor''s assignment was quite simple. He wanted the recruits to move mana above their skin. His request almost sounded like a game, but the Niqols took it very seriously. The other students in the first year would be able to move a nail-sized mass of mana over their figures for an entire hour, but the humans could barely keep their energy stable for ten minutes.


    Professor Kunta was severe and never let them rest. He forced the recruits to restart the exercise whenever he saw ripples appearing on their mana. The process was mentally exhausting, and only Khan, George, Helen, and Rodney showed some improvements after each attempt.


    The lesson lasted almost three hours, and the recruits'' mood worsened when they approached the manipulation class. An old female Niqols called Professor Zakhira was in charge of that course, and her methods were even more severe than Professor Kunta.


    Professor Zakhira supported herself on a cane while she inspected the eight recruits sitting in a circle in a structure that completely isolated them from the outside world. Her hunched back bent even further when she stared at the white crystals that each human held in their hands. Those minerals changed color whenever mana ran through them, but they never showed shades different from the iconic azure of that energy.


    "Pour feelings!"


    "Use your minds!"


    "The mana is alive!"


    Professor Zakhira shouted those same three lines while tapping her cane on the smooth floor of the short structure. She appeared on the verge of hitting the recruits since they continued to fail with the task even after they spent hours trying to fill the crystals with different shades.


    Luckily for them, the Professor held back from adding physical punishments to her lesson. Yet, recruits couldn''t feel happy about the overall class since the Niqols never explained how to generate different shades. She had basically handed them the crystals, given them the task, and started tapping on the floor while repeating her three lines.


    The lesson ended after three hours, finally putting an end to that long day. The recruits'' clocks warned them that the afternoon had long since passed, but none of them felt hungry.


    Sharp headaches had ended up afflicting their minds after spending nine hours listening to the three professors. The recruits only wanted to meditate and sleep to make that day end.


    "Why would you even want to do more of this bullshit?" Brandon shouted after George explained Professor Supyan''s offer.


    The recruits had turned to their room. They were alternating themselves to take showers, but they didn''t fail to speak about their second day in the academy during those moments.


    "I understand improving the sensitivity to mana," Brandon continued, "But why would I even need to learn to move mana over my skin? Who cares? I''ll just learn to perform specific movements if my next martial art asks me to use mana outside my body. I don''t see the point of mastering this ability."


    "It would improve your future training," Gabriela uttered, even if doubts filled her voice.


    "How many martial arts and spells can we even learn in one life?" Brandon asked in a frustrated tone. "I''m not surprised the Global Army doesn''t bother to teach this stuff. We have the chance to skip the intermediate steps and approach the techniques directly instead of spending years building a foundation that we''ll never have the chance to exploit to its fullest."


    "He is right," Helen commented while she adjusted her clean white robe and created a sensual spectacle that the boys in the room struggled to ignore. "Our control gets better after each technique that we master anyway. It''s pointless to spend years creating a foundation when we can do specific exercises for our styles."


    "I think the sensitivity and control lessons can have benefits," Rodney commented while lying on his bed. "The problem is Professor Zakhira. She didn''t explain how we should change the color of those damned crystals."


    "That''s why we should attend Professor Supyan''s additional lesson!" George repeated.


    "I''m sorry, George," Veronica sighed. "I don''t know if any of us will decide to spend three more hours of our days for something like that."


    "You two even put us in a bad situation," Kelly scolded while moving her eyes between George and Khan. "You shouldn''t have accepted the offer without considering us. We have to justify our decision not to attend the additional lesson to our superiors now."


    "Well," Rodney cleared his throat, "They don''t need to know."


    "I won''t keep secrets from the army after getting this chance," Brandon snorted. "I don''t think they''ll blame us anyway. We still have to prioritize real training over this useless stuff."


    "Khan?" George asked when he saw that the recruits had no intention to support him on the matter.


    Khan closed his locker before tying the null-grade blunt knife to the belt of his uniform. He couldn''t hide his new martial art with that lack of privacy, so he opted to reveal a few clues without lingering in detailed explanations.


    "I don''t see the point with this discussion," Khan honestly explained while crossing the room and picking a white robe of his size. "We are here on a political mission, but we still have different goals inside the Global Army. Just do what you feel like."


    "Where are you going?" Kelly asked when she saw Khan approaching the staircase that led to the surface.


    The group didn''t meet Doku that day, and Azni had confirmed the absence of parties. Khan could still decide to leave the habitation to train in a private spot in the forest, but Kelly found it strange that he was bringing clean clothes with him.


    "Outside," Khan explained while stopping his track and turning toward the recruits. "I''ll take Snow out for a flight."


    "Do you care about this political mission at all?" Kelly blurted. "You have already spent an entire night outside, and you want to add a second right after accepting more workload in our name. I''m not going to cover for you if you start missing lessons."


    Khan shrugged his shoulders before turning toward the stairs again. He had already expressed his position to Kelly. It wasn''t his fault if she continued to be angry about that.


    "What about tomorrow?" George asked as his voice almost faded toward the end of his question.


    "Room full of roots, eight am," Khan said without bothering to turn.


    George showed a broad smile after Khan confirmed that he would attend the additional lesson. The recruits could only wear ugly expressions when the boy turned to look at them and the faint steps coming from the staircase stopped resounding in the room. That was only their second day in the academy, but some factions had already formed among their group.


    Khan walked toward the mountain in the same direction as the marsh. The trip forced him to pass through the empty central area of the academy, and a lonely figure appeared on his path right before he could enter the other side of the forest.


    "It''s you," Ilman exclaimed in a sad tone when he noticed Khan.


    The Niqols was sitting on the ground, with his back on one of the white trunks. The glow of the large leaves above him illuminated his figure and made his sad expression even more evident.


    "Bad day?" Khan asked as a curse resounded inside his mind.


    "Usual day," Ilman grunted while forcing himself to stand up and make his face regain his usual determination, "But love isn''t only happiness. I know this struggle will lead to better times."


    Khan showed a fake smile before performing a polite bow and going back on his way. However, a second curse resounded in his mind when Ilman spoke to him again.


    "You are good with women, right?" Ilman asked. "Can you tell me your secret?"


    Khan turned to look at Ilman. The Niqols appeared really honest about his feelings and request for help. The alien was trying to date his girlfriend, but even Liiza had confirmed that his character was far from bad. Actually, Ilman had been one of the few Niqols who had never blamed her for her decision to break the engagement.


    ''Maybe it''s better if I keep him close,'' Khan concluded in his mind even if he hated that option.


    "I don''t have a secret," Khan revealed while thinking about Liiza''s words from the previous night. "That''s my secret."


    Ilman frowned before his eyes lit up in understanding. The Niqols performed an honest bow before hurrying somewhere in Khan''s opposite direction.


    ''I should keep Liiza updated about what I say to him,'' Khan sighed in his mind before continuing on his way.


    It was still relatively early, but his days had shortened. Khan had to hurry to fit everything in his packed schedule. Still, he knew that sleep wouldn''t come for him that night.

 Chapter 140: Threats

    The first week inside [The Pure Trees] tested Khan''s physical and mental limits. Attending lessons that heavily focused on his mind for twelve hours a day, fusing them with his regular training, and leaving some time for Liiza forced him to sacrifice his sleep often. He even had to forsake his naps on Snow''s back to fit his mental exercises and meditations at times.


    The problem wasn''t with Khan''s ability to manage his time. He simply had too much to do, or, rather, he didn''t want to forsake any aspect of his life.


    His companions didn''t have it as bad as Khan. Only George and Veronica attended Professor Supyan''s additional lessons, but the girl decided to stop going after only two days. Instead, the other recruits didn''t even bother to try them, no matter how much George praised them.


    Khan often supported George''s claims. Professor Supyan was far better than Professor Zakhira at explaining the manipulation field. It turned out that the subject heavily depended on the user''s emotions, so Khan and George spent entire mornings practicing their control over those feelings.


    The additional lessons even showed small results by the last class of the week, when Khan managed to make his crystal glow with a dark-azure shade. Professor Zakhira didn''t bother to compliment him for that small achievement, but everyone noticed that her cane didn''t hit the floor violently anymore after that event.


    The Niqols'' easygoing approach didn''t reflect on the distribution of lessons throughout the weeks. Both humans and aliens had classes for five days in a row, and the matter changed only for the students in the second year, especially those who already had access to the special classes.


    It turned out that Liiza could ignore the academy for entire weeks as long as she kept the professors updated on her field. Her freedom made her decide to spend most of her time outside or in the marsh since she had no reason to be inside [The Pure Trees].


    Her presence when the humans arrived wasn''t casual either. Liiza had decided to remain a bit longer inside the academy to watch her boyfriend. Otherwise, she would avoid remaining in those areas because Ilman never lost the chance to propose to her.


    Liiza confirmed that Khan''s advice didn''t cause any change in Ilman''s behavior, but their talks rarely focused on the Niqols. She saw how Khan''s condition worsened as the days passed and he failed to rest properly. Yet, she held back from exploding until her boyfriend was done with the weekly lessons.


    "No sex until you accumulate four hours of sleep," Liiza announced as soon as Khan sat next to her and placed his back on the cold, wet walls of their cave.


    Khan''s tough week had finally awarded him with free time. He had completed the last lesson of the fifth day just a few hours ago, and he had even stayed in Doku''s party for some time to keep up appearances. He could finally spend an entire night with Liiza without worrying about his duties, but she had surprised him with those words before they could even hug.


    "What do you mean?" Khan complained. "I''m as fine as ever."


    His appearance didn''t agree with his words. Khan had large dark eyebags, his complexion had paled due to the relentless training, and his bloodshot eyes expressed how much effort he put in the Niqols'' lessons and mental exercises.


    His responses were even vague at times. Khan lost himself in his tiredness at times, but that was understandable when considering his condition. He had basically stopped sleeping. Even his naps had become a rare occurrence.


    "You have been in the academy for five days," Liiza stated. "How much did you sleep during that time?"


    Khan opened his mouth to complain again, but Liiza''s angry glare forced him to think about the matter seriously. The situation didn''t look too good when he played the previous four nights in his mind. He found it hard to recall his last nap.


    "Five hours?" Khan honestly guessed. "Maybe six. I remember that I fell asleep with you once."


    "For a few seconds!" Liiza angrily remarked. "That''s it. I''ve studied your limits in the month that we have been together. Your resilience is incredible, but that''s not a good reason to make use of it. You must accumulate four hours of sleep every two days, or my legs will remain sealed!"


    "Wait," Khan growled. "What about your feelings? I thought you still had a hard time controlling yourself. Also, we didn''t get the chance to celebrate our month together¡­."


    Khan''s tease made Liiza blush, especially since he wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her in his embrace. Liiza sat on his lap and let him hug her, but she didn''t leave her blanket for even a second.


    "You are four hours short," Liiza snorted. "You shouldn''t worry about my self-restraint either. I have always been quite popular, and Ilman has become strangely attractive lately. Maybe your advice really helped him."


    A tremor ran through Khan''s body, and his body tensed up while he brought Liiza closer to his chest. The girl didn''t turn at all, so he failed to check how serious she was about the matter.


    "Liiza?" Khan called her in a worried voice. "You are joking, right? Please, don''t use Ilman to scare me."


    Khan pulled Liiza closer and even lightly tugged her to attract her attention. However, the Niqols continued to keep her back straight and cover Khan''s vision with her white blanket.


    Khan relaxed only when he heard Liiza suppressing a cute giggle. Her efforts eventually failed to hide her real feelings and made her explode into a loud laugh. The Niqols relaxed her back at that point, and she slid over Khan''s chest to make sure that her face could stare straight at his eyes when she turned it.


    "You are so cute when you play along," Liiza whispered before showing a warm smile toward Khan.


    Khan also smiled when those glowing eyes shone on his face. He had always known that Liiza was teasing him. She wouldn''t even think about cheating on him after what Yeza had made Deni go through.


    "I know that you like it," Khan revealed. "I didn''t only look at your legs in this month."


    "Oh, trust me," Liiza scoffed. "I know that you have looked everywhere else too."


    Liiza failed to fake the anger in her voice and ended up giggling by the end of her line. The two exchanged a long kiss at that point, but Khan saw an actual worried expression appearing on his girlfriend''s face when they separated.


    "Though I''m serious," Liiza said in a pleading voice. "I know that I can''t control you. I don''t want to do that either. I also know that you consider me and your training more important than yourself, but I don''t. I''ll force you to rest even if it ends up hurting me."


    "I don''t want you to suffer because of me," Khan responded in a stern tone as he recalled Zalpa''s warnings.


    "Then rest," Liiza pleaded, diving into his neck.


    "I forced you to do this again," Khan sighed while lying on the ground and making sure to keep Liiza above him.


    "It''s fine," Liiza mumbled in a sleepy voice. "It''s in your nature. I hate it, but I like you for being like this."


    Khan couldn''t help but caress Liiza''s back. He couldn''t express how close he felt to her in that situation, but an unrelated doubt still appeared in his mind.


    "Do I really have to accumulate four hours of sleep every two days?" Khan wondered. "I''m pretty sure I can be fine with three or even two."


    "Ilman is taller than you now that I think about it," Liiza teased while her peaceful smile remained on her face.


    "I''ll sleep right away!" Khan announced, and his eyes closed while Liiza''s cute giggle resounded in his ears.


    .


    .


    .


    "I can accept you spending your nights outside the academy," Kelly scolded when she saw Khan descending the staircase that led to the human habitations, "But how can you justify remaining an entire day somewhere on an alien planet? What if the Niqols requested our presence? What if the Global Army requested a briefing?"


    Khan descended the last step and glanced at Kelly before throwing the dirty robes in his grasp toward the corner of the room. He had ended up spending the entire day with Liiza. That was already the sixth night of his first week in the academy, but Kelly had yet to accept his habits.


    George and the others were all inside the underground room. Doku didn''t organize any party that night, so they had the chance to focus on their training and get back to their habitation early.


    The days spent attending the lessons had made their minds reach their limits, so they wanted to sleep as soon as possible now that they had free time. The recruits had only completed their real training and exchanged a few talks with the other Niqols returning to their room. Khan had returned by nine pm when they were about to crash on their beds.


    George, Veronica, and the recruits who had kept track of Khan''s worsening condition during the past days couldn''t help but notice that he appeared to be far better that night.


    Khan''s face still carried the faint trace of eye bags, but they had dimmed a lot since the last time the recruits saw him. Moreover, his clean white robe and the messy long hair that fell from his head gave him a rested appearance.


    "You know," Khan sighed as he adjusted his robe to make sure that the marks left by Liiza remained hidden, "Your remarks are getting annoying. You have no authority over any one of us, so I don''t understand why you keep thinking that I should listen to you."


    "Your behavior is putting the mission at risk," Kelly explained in a firm tone. "We aren''t here to enjoy ourselves. You can''t do whatever you want."


    "Risk?" Khan scoffed. "I attend more lessons than you, the Niqols don''t hesitate to search for me when a party is about to happen, and I''m even the only one showing results in their training methods. How am I putting the mission at risk?"


    "A good soldier on the field should be able to blend with the aliens without forgetting his troops!" Kelly quoted a famous phrase that Khan vaguely recalled from the lessons in the human camp. "You aren''t doing that. You don''t consider your companions at all!"


    "Technically, we are still recruits," Khan stated while shrugging his shoulders. "You might have had a point if I were an ambassador, but I''m just another kid sent to make a good impression, and I think I''m doing well."


    Kelly opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out of it. She hated to admit that Khan was right, but his uncaring behavior only made her angrier.


    "I won''t hide this from my report once the mission is over," Kelly eventually threatened.


    "And what would you even say?" Khan laughed before clearing his throat and trying to imitate Kelly''s voice. "Khan has spent every night outside the academy without notifying his companions. His desire for privacy has been a major threat to the mission, even if he has been the only one who has actually tried to learn from the Niqols. George has done the same, even if his interest usually peaked during the parties."


    Khan winked toward George, and the latter couldn''t help but laugh at his joke. Veronica also giggled while covering her mouth. Rodney and Helen showed similar reactions, even if the girl added an interested gaze to her suppressed chuckle.


    "I''m telling you that you have to stop spending your nights outside," Kelly ordered while standing up from her bed.


    The laughs stopped at that scene. Kelly appeared livid and ready to do something drastic. Brandon and George wanted to stand up to defuse that situation, but Khan''s words resounded in the room before they could attempt anything.


    "Otherwise?" Khan asked as his expression grew cold. "Did you forget who I am?"


    Khan''s expression radiated a chilling aura. He had shown the same face when the lake created the image of a Nak, and he had even worn it for most of his time on Istrone. George''s mind inevitably went battle-ready, but he remained unclear about who he had to stop in that situation.


    Faint steps echoed through the room as Khan began to walk toward Kelly. The girl''s face showed no fear, but she didn''t move either. She was doing her best to appear confident, but the rumors about Khan inevitably filled her mind.


    Khan''s chilling expression was enough to warn her that the boy in front of her wasn''t a simple recruit. There was a graveness in his face that she found herself unable to endure. The vague rumors picked up in the days in the other camp and during that week also filled her mind with worries.


    Khan had initially decided to ignore Kelly''s behavior. He even understood her worries, but he wasn''t willing to sacrifice his time with Liiza to reassure her.


    Still, the repeated scolding and her threat had forced Khan to show a face that only George knew well. Kelly was revealing herself as a potential issue for his relationship, so Khan decided to make her understand that they weren''t at the same level.


    "Do you have any idea what I did on Istrone?" Khan whispered in a chilling voice when he reached Kelly.


    The girl was taller than him, but she appeared incredibly small when he stopped in front of her. The cold worlds echoing in the room even worsened the atmosphere. Kelly suddenly didn''t feel safe anymore. Her instincts were telling her that Khan was dangerous.


    "Uhm, is this a bad moment?" A familiar voice suddenly resounded from the staircase and attracted the recruits'' attention.


    Everyone turned to see that Doku had appeared at the end of the staircase. The Niqols wore an awkward expression since he had heard part of the discussion while descending, but Khan made sure to get rid of his hesitation.


    "I don''t think that we are in the mood for a party tonight," Khan announced while his cold expression broke into a smile.


    "It''s not that," Doku explained while fixing his eyes on him and dodging the other''s gaze. "I have an important mission tomorrow, and Professor Zakhira suggested that you should join my team."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I need a bit for the second. Two hours should be enough.

 Chapter 141: Flowers

    Khan''s coldness had scared Kelly, but she had never once believed herself to be wrong about her ideas. However, Doku''s words dealt a blow to that belief and made her realize how deeply Khan had actually bonded with the Niqols.


    When it came to actual time spent with the Niqols, Khan and the other recruits were almost on the same level. The aliens were more at ease around him, but he always ran away during the parties, so the number of hours was in the other humans'' favor.


    However, Khan didn''t put any wall between him and the Niqols, and they could feel it. He treated the aliens as if they belonged to his species, without biases nor care for the political environments that stood behind them.


    The Niqols couldn''t help but appreciate his behavior, those willing to accept humans so openly at least. Their poor self-restraint made them like how Khan appeared so free around them. They didn''t see a member of a different species when they talked to him.


    Khan''s behavior was only the last of the features that made the Niqols appreciate his character, and that mostly involved the students'' perception. It wasn''t a major aspect for the professors, but it fused well with other parts of Khan''s reputation.


    "Mission?" Khan asked.


    "It''s something that we do a few times every year," Doku explained while moving his eyes between Khan and Kelly. "Do you want to talk about it outside?"


    "No, it''s fine," Khan exclaimed while walking toward his bed and sitting cross-legged over it. "I believe it doesn''t involve classified stuff."


    "That''s correct," Doku announced before stepping into the room and sitting next to Khan.


    Khan''s words dealt another blow to Kelly''s belief. He had the chance to keep the contents of the mission for himself and gain leverage over the other recruits, but he decided to inform everyone right away. His actions clearly showed that he prioritized the mission over petty squabbles with his companions.


    Kelly couldn''t help but return to her bed at that point. She didn''t like to have such an unrestrained companion in her group, especially on an important mission. However, Khan seemed to be in complete control of his actions and behavior.


    Doku picked a smooth square rock from the insides of his robe and threw it at the center of the room. Azure symbols lit up on the small item once it touched the floor, and the room seemed to react to that event. The menus on the walls transformed into images that depicted a sea of flowers covering a plain interrupted by a few short hills.


    That scene appeared on each surface of the room, but most recruits inspected it while looking at the floor. The images even moved as the perspective flew over the environment and revealed its vastness.


    Doku remained silent while the perspective moved to the interesting part of the environment, but a peculiar scent reached his nostrils during the wait. The Niqols sniffed the air a few times before discovering that Khan was the source of that unique odor.


    "Are you bathing in the wild?" Doku asked.


    "Your nose is frighteningly accurate!" Khan laughed.


    Khan''s packed schedule didn''t give him the chance to take showers inside the underground habitation, but he didn''t want to stink. Liiza didn''t care about that part too much, but she had limits that Khan didn''t want to discover.


    Luckily for Khan, the cave in the marsh stood behind waterfalls. He had often used them to clean himself, and Liiza had even joined him at times. Still, the scent of the wild had inevitably become part of him.


    "I''m always outside doing missions," Doku explained in a proud tone while scratching the tip of his nose. "I just developed it throughout the years."


    Khan chuckled and shook his head, but his mind grew cold. He immediately decided to address that issue with Liiza. He couldn''t leave such clues of his relationship lingering around him.


    "That''s it!" Doku declared when the images focused on a specific hill covered in pinkish flowers. "We have to collect them. That''s the mission."


    "Don''t tell me that they are a core material for the [booze]," Khan commented when he noticed the similar shades of the flowers.


    "That''s just one of their uses," Doku laughed. "We only need the leftovers of the flowers to make the drink. The other parts are useful materials in many medical fields. The Niqols have started to reevaluate them after gaining access to part of your knowledge."


    "Can you even reveal this?" Khan asked. "This sounds like something that should be classified information."


    "These flowers are cheap and grow every few months in multiple locations on the planet," Doku reassured. "You don''t know these locations, and we would know who to blame if they started disappearing from the place that you''ll see tomorrow."


    Khan didn''t answer. He limited himself to nod in understanding. Doku''s plan was failproof since humans didn''t have anything in Nitis'' orbit with the ability to scan the surface accurately.


    "So, do we just fly there and collect them?" Khan asked. "Why even sending someone from the second year for something like this?"


    "These flowers attract predators," Doku explained. "It''s usually enough to send only a few of us to collect them, but everyone is scared after the last outburst of monsters."


    The arrival of the daylight was something that the Niqols still tried to keep a secret. They knew that the humans probably had already learnt about that event with their tech. Yet, the aliens didn''t want to give them too many details for fear that they could use them to their advantage.


    The Niqols had even recently accepted that the arrival of the daylight would affect their younger generations, so they wanted to remain in control of the situation. They couldn''t imagine that the humans had already learnt about that danger and had developed a cruel plan to maximize their number of benefits.


    "Didn''t you clear the entire planet from the monsters the last time?" Khan continued. "What are the chances for a new monster to appearing again?"


    Doku hesitated before answering. In his mind, he didn''t see any problem revealing everything about the daylight and speaking openly about the issue. However, he had orders to remain silent about it. Luckily for him, his mission had another real explanation that he could use without mentioning the imminent crisis.


    "We didn''t clear these areas during the last crisis," Doku revealed. "Our presence in the area might have ruined the natural environment necessary for the appearance of the flowers. We only used non-invasive methods to keep track of the flora, but that''s it."


    "I bet your methods didn''t find anything strange," Khan guessed.


    "Which is even stranger," Doku concluded before heaving a helpless sigh. "I''ll lead the team. There won''t be many of us since we want to keep our impact to the minimum, but we''ll still bring more students than usual. You are already here, so the professors thought to add a trustworthy human to the team."


    "I will never believe that they used the word trustworthy," Khan laughed.


    "They didn''t," Doku laughed too, "But you were the obvious pick anyway, so just accept it."


    The Niqols had chosen Khan for his feats during the previous hunts, and the recruits knew that. Yet, it still felt bad to learn that the aliens didn''t even consider them.


    "The briefing will happen early in the morning," Doku announced while standing up and storing his square rock. "Someone will pick you up. Everything should go smoothly, so prepare yourself for the usual end-of-the-week party. It''s mandatory."


    Doku then turned toward the other recruits before continuing. "You must also come."


    George and the others nodded and showed smiles, but they all cursed internally. Their heads had just stopped hurting after a good day of rest, but Doku didn''t intend to let them rest for too long.


    "New weapon?" Doku asked after he turned back toward Khan and noticed the sheathed knife tied to the side of his robe.


    "I''m just practicing," Khan smirked. "You''ll only see kicks tomorrow."


    "Hopefully I won''t," Doku laughed before reaching the entrance and performing a polite bow toward the recruits.


    Doku left after that gesture, and the awkwardness created during Khan and Kelly''s squabble returned. No one knew what to say in that situation, so silence reigned for a few minutes until Kelly decided to speak.


    "You might have lost this chance if you were outside," Kelly commented before lying in her bed.


    "I''ll ask them to give me a communicator," Khan laughed before lying down too.


    Khan had returned to the academy because Liiza had to see her mother. The couple wouldn''t have had the chance to meet that night anyway, so Khan could rest properly. Of course, he decided to return to his nightmare only after his meditation and mental training ended.


    .


    .


    .


    A Niqols from the first year reached the humans'' underground habitation at seven am, but he found Khan sitting cross-legged next to the entrance to the staircase. The two didn''t need to say much to each other, so they quickly moved across the forest to reach the gathering point of the team.


    A surprising scene unfolded in Khan''s eyes when the Niqols led him toward an empty spot near one of the mountains. The alien then left and left him to inspect the situation with hesitant eyes.


    Khan quickly noticed Doku and Azni arguing over something trivial, but it seemed that the girl was only teasing the boy. Yet, Khan''s surprise didn''t come from the two Niqols. His eyes inevitably widened when he saw Liiza sitting on the other side of the empty area.


    Liiza was reading one of her books, but her eyes rose toward Khan when she felt his gaze on her. Surprise also filled her expression, but she quickly suppressed that feeling when she noticed one of the Niqols turning toward her.


    Everyone noticed Khan once he stepped past the trees, and a series of bows happened. It turned out that Khan had met all of them in the parties during that week, and he heaved a sigh of relief in his mind when he confirmed that their names existed in his memory.


    The group wasn''t big. It featured only eight students equally picked from each year. Four of them came from the first year, while the other belonged to the second.


    ''They must really fear the daylight for Liiza to be here,'' Khan thought as he exchanged salutes with everyone and summoned Snow through the mental connection with the creature.


    Khan had learnt a lot during his first week inside the academy. Azni had already confirmed that Liiza was one of the geniuses there, but the latter had to explain her specific field privately to make him understand everything.


    Liiza could cast complicated spells. Her expertise in manipulating mana had yet to reach an exceptional level, but the delay required by her abilities didn''t manage to lower her value as a warrior. She could turn an impossible battle into an easy hunt with the proper preparations, so many considered her a necessary asset during troublesome situations.


    Her presence in the team stated how afraid of the monsters the professors were. After all, convincing Liiza to perform those missions always was quite annoying due to her character, but they had decided to make her mother handle the matter.


    Liiza had initially felt annoyed that Yeza had ruined her chance to spend another entire day with Khan. Still, those feelings dispersed when she saw him exchanging bows with the other Niqols and trying to use simple words in their language to communicate.


    It felt nice to see Khan doing so well among the Niqols. The scene almost made Liiza forget all the problems that their different species could cause. She dreamt of a time when she and Khan could hold themselves in the open without worrying about what their superiors would say.


    The group departed as soon as the Aduns arrived. Khan limited himself to follow Doku, and the same environment seen in the underground habitation unfolded in his vision after a few hours. However, it became immediately evident that something was off with that scene since holes filled all the regions outside of the area kept in check by the Niqols.

 Chapter 142: Hesitation

    The scene almost seemed to hide an elaborate ploy, but the randomness of the holes gave off a different vibe. It felt strange how only the regions that the Niqols didn''t keep in check by their methods had been affected by that strange phenomenon. Still, those cavities and cracks didn''t reveal any specific pattern or shape.


    Khan didn''t feel confident enough in his knowledge of the Niqols'' species to come up with a failproof conclusion. He let his mind remain open to every possibility as he tried his best to memorize the scenes witnessed from high in the sky.


    Doku picked the cubical item meant to communicate with his companions and gave precise orders. Khan didn''t have one of those, but he was in the backlines of the group, so Snow could simply follow along.


    The Aduns descended until they could hover above their destination and inspect the area from a safe position. The flowers shown by Doku''s items were still there, and the same went for the pinkish ones, but the Niqols in the lead brought the group outside of that region instead of landing.


    Doku made the group perform a complete inspection of the surrounding regions to see how far the strange phenomenon stretched. Khan didn''t need a communicator to confirm that the presence of the holes was unexpected. The Niqols even corroborated his guess once the team landed outside the areas affected by that strange damage.


    "It clearly is the result of animals that live underground," Doku announced once everyone landed in the uneven plain covered by short grass that stood before one of the damaged lands around the target.


    Doku was quite easygoing inside the academy. He even organized most of the parties and took care of producing the pink drinks, but no one would ever describe him as unreliable. The Niqols was able to retain his noble aura even when he was sleeping drunk on the ground.


    That feature only intensified during a mission. Doku could appear serious without causing any tension in his underlings. He had a peculiar character, but he was suitable for his role as a squad leader.


    "Monsters?" Khan asked as everyone stared at the holes in the distance.


    "That''s unclear," Doku stated before turning toward Khan. "Do you mind taking care of the frontlines?"


    "No problem," Khan announced while performing a few squats to warm up his legs.


    "Zeliha, how is your sensitivity to mana today?" Doku continued while glancing at a short female Niqols at his side.


    The girl appeared younger than her peers. She was short, her figure was thin, and her body had yet to develop fully. Her white hair was longer than her companions and almost reached her knees. It managed to stay away from her seemingly distracted gaze only because she combed it into multiple braids and tied some of them into a ponytail.


    "[Best in The Pure Trees]," Zeliha proudly exclaimed as her gaze continued to wander.


    Khan inspected the skinny girl before shooting a curious gaze toward Doku. He had understood her words. He only wanted to confirm that she was telling the truth.


    "She is a genius when it comes to sensitivity to mana," Doku quickly explained. "She is so good that the professors threw her into the second year even if her control had yet to touch the proper requirements. Though she is good there too now."


    "[Isn''t the human going to slow me down]?" Zaliha asked without ever focusing on her companions.


    "[That''s a funny choice of words]," Doku laughed before realizing that Khan didn''t get those last words. "She is honored to work with you."


    Doku wasn''t even trying to hide his lie, but Khan limited himself to reveal a reassuring smile. He knew that his presence there could appear strange for some Niqols, especially in a mission so connected to their culture. The possible dangers ahead only intensified their worries, and the rumors about Khan''s feats weren''t enough to quell them.


    Khan could feel relatively certain that the professors had sent only noteworthy figures in the mission after learning about Zeliha. That decision sounded reasonable with the daylight getting closer, but the team remained small.


    Doku didn''t need to give the exact order, but Khan and Zeliha understood their task right away. The two of them would make the perfect scouting pair if they managed to work together. Khan''s speed and Zeliha''s sensitivity to mana would allow them to take care and sense threats before eventual encirclements happened.


    Liiza didn''t like that Doku had assigned that dangerous role to Khan again. She trusted his prowess and battle experience, but he would still be the first to face eventual threats. Nevertheless, her feelings didn''t appear on her face, and she directly took her position in the backlines without needing orders.


    Liiza''s ice was the deadliest weapon among the students of the academy, but she needed to prepare to cast it. She already knew that Doku would put her in the backlines to make sure that the others would have the chance to buy time for her if the situation required it.


    The other Niqols created a line that connected Khan and Zeliha to Liiza. Doku and the last student in the second year took their place right behind the frontlines. The boy''s name was Bashir. He was tall and slender, his face featured caved in cheeks and sharp edges, and his hands were on a sheathed short sword at his side.


    Azni and the other two students in the first year were right in front of Liiza. They would be the last line of defense in case the group ended up requiring her ice. Khan knew the other two Niqols as Elbek and Asyat, and he felt pleasantly surprised to see that calm and concentration filled their eyes in that situation.


    Khan had known Elbek and Asyat during one of Doku''s parties, and their condition during the event wouldn''t normally make him trust them when it came to a battle. Yet, they appeared confident in their abilities, and their presence confirmed that their feeling wasn''t a pretense.


    The distribution between the years in the academy didn''t describe the actual battle prowess of the students. It only defined their level of expertise in the three major fields connected to mana, which was the very reason behind those mixed teams.


    The group advanced until they reached the ground started featuring those cavities, cracks, and holes. Most of them were too narrow for Khan and the others, and a quick inspection revealed that they led deep underground. Their actual depth was impossible to understand from the surface, but Doku kept his companions focused on a simple study of the area for now.


    "[The Ugu didn''t cause this]," Asyat whispered. "[I can think of a few species that live underground, but some tunnels too narrow for most of them. I bet we are against worms or creatures with a similar size]."


    "[Why did they avoid the flowery plain]?" Doku asked. "[It doesn''t make sense to ignore that spot. It should be their target even]."


    "[Maybe they don''t like the numbing properties of the flowers]," Asyat replied.


    "[Why did they even set their lair here then]?" Doku responded. "[They can easily dig a home somewhere else]."


    "[How should I even know]?" Asyat complained.


    "[Your tribe studies the fauna for a living]!" Doku exclaimed.


    "[We have yet to learn how to talk with animals]!" Asyat snorted. "[We don''t even know which mutations have affected this species. How am I supposed to come up with a general overview of its behavior]?"


    Khan paid attention to the conversation between the boy and the girl, but he only managed to gain a vague understanding of the discussed topics. The Niqols found it hard to talk about the various species through human words, so they preferred to use their language and translate for Khan once they reached a conclusion.


    "[I only want you to tell me if the path ahead is safe]," Doku explained. "[We are strong enough to face a monster or two, but I don''t want to send us into a place without escape routes]."


    Asyat hesitated to give an answer. Her tribe had instructed her about the general behavior of the various species on Nitis, but that knowledge became unreliable when the mutation came into play. Everything about a Tainted animal could change once it developed new features and abilities.


    "[We should be safe on the surface]," Asyat eventually stated. "[This species didn''t eat the flowers, which probably means that it''s using them. I can''t guess anything more than this]."


    Doku didn''t appear satisfied about that vague answer, and Khan understood why after Bashir gave him a brief summary of the conversation.


    The issue was with the unclear behavior of the species that had dug those tunnels. The group couldn''t understand the purpose behind that lair when the most valuable resource in the area was still intact. When they thought about it, Khan and the others couldn''t even determine whether the Tainted animals were still in those lands.


    The mission would have been easier to approach if the target weren''t in such a troublesome position. Yet, the pinkish flowers were right at the center of the only intact area, and regions filled with holes and tunnels occupied its surroundings. That strange layout could end up being a trap that would leave the group with no way out.


    Doku had the last word on the matter. It was his role to decide if the mission appeared too dangerous for his group. Asyat''s lines continued to resound in his mind as he thought about the situation, and a conclusion eventually became clear.


    "Let''s be quick about it," Doku ordered in the human language. "We''ll leave the roots underground and collect only the flowers before leaving the area as fast as we can."


    "The roots are the most valuable part of the flowers," Bashir complained.


    "I know that, okay?" Doku scoffed. "But I won''t put us at risk. Our lives are more important than a single batch."


    Khan could almost hear the words that the Niqols decided not to say. Normally, the presence of an unknown danger would force the group to reconsider the mission and contact their superiors to determine how to handle the situation.


    However, time was short due to the incoming daylight. Khan could guess that the Niqols were trying to accumulate materials useful in medical fields before the unavoidable crisis, and that forced them to be more reckless.


    The incoming daylight was the only reason why Doku had even considered continuing the mission. He didn''t want to charge blindly toward the flowery plain, but the settlements near the academy might suffer from a shortage of meds during the crisis if his group didn''t seize that batch now.


    Picking only the flowers and leaving the roots behind wasn''t an ideal solution, but it could cover part of the required materials while reducing the dangers connected to the mission. After all, the underground world might not notice their actions until it was too late if they only seized half of each plant.


    The Niqols quickly understood Doku''s reasons, but none of them could find the right words for Khan. They found themselves unable to justify their decision without talking about the daylight. Luckily for them, Khan played along.


    "It''s better if we hurry, isn''t it?" Khan chuckled, showing a smile that revealed no flaws.


    Relief filled his companions when they saw that he didn''t need other explanations. Still, Doku and Azni felt bad about keeping Khan in the dark. As for Liiza, she felt as if daggers were stabbing her heart when she saw how perfect Khan''s pretense was. She couldn''t help but suffer when she realized how used her boyfriend was to lying.


    Of course, Liiza, Doku, and Azni didn''t reveal anything, and the same went for their expressions. The group could soon proceed forward and pick up their pace as they ran through the uneven and cracked plain while paying attention to their surroundings.


    The regions featuring holes and tunnels were deadly silent. The noise created by the group''s faint steps resembled thunder that disrupted the silence, but nothing reacted to those sounds.


    The group could sprint through those areas in less than an hour and reach the flowery plain safely. Khan and the others had silently decided not to speak to limit their noise to the minimum, and they had all seen the area at least once, so they could move toward their pink targets without uttering words.


    The tension that had fallen among the group intensified when they reached the pinkish flowers, and that feeling only grew stronger when they started to rip them in half. Khan and the others expected something to happen whenever their actions generated rustling noises, but everything continued to remain still.


    Bashir, Elbek, and Azni had large backpacks behind their backs that their companions didn''t hesitate to fill with the torn pistils. There were only eight of them on the scene, and the hill was quite big, but they managed to gather everything in no time.


    The hill appeared barren after the students completed their work. Torn stems continued to come out of the dark ground, and the absence of the pink color filled the area with a depressing feeling.


    The group didn''t waste time on that scene. They turned toward their landing spot and started sprinting as soon as they collected everything.


    The tension that had accumulated in their minds started to fade as they left the intact area and returned among the holes, cracks, and cavities. It was only a matter of minutes before they could reach safe areas again and return to the academy. Some of them even started thinking about the party that would come that night.


    However, something began to move under them, and Zaliha didn''t hesitate to warn everyone about that. Multiple faint presences had suddenly appeared in the range of her senses, but they felt strangely weak.


    Doku gave the order to keep running. He didn''t care how weak that potential threat was. It was better to face it outside its lair. Still, the group didn''t have the chance to get too far before an earthquake started filling those areas.


    The ground shook violently and made some of the Niqols falter. Zaliha even risked falling as her foothold grew unstable, but Khan promptly grabbed her arm and helped her regaining some balance.


    Similar scenes happened behind Khan. The Niqols were helping each other to get far away from the holes that the earthquake was expanding, but everything became pointless when fissures reached their position.


    The surface remained in one piece for less than a second before it completely shattered and revealed multiple tunnels of various sizes and shapes. Most of them were too narrow for Khan and the Niqols, but they also crumbled once the group landed on them.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I need a bit for the second. Two hours should be enough.

 Chapter 143: Fall

    Khan struggled to understand for how long he fell. His proficiency with the Lightning-demon style had stepped on the competent level, granting him incredible agility and ability to preserve balance. However, he couldn''t deploy those skills when the ground shattered as soon as his feet touched it.


    The underground world of the regions filled with tunnels was incredibly frail. It turned out that only the surface had retained a stable structure, but everything under it had the same texture as thin glass. A simple impact was enough to make large patches shatter into countless pieces.


    Khan failed to find a stable foothold multiple times as everything around him crumbled. Waterfalls made of dirt and ground fell together with him and clouded his vision. His eyes burnt, but he forced himself not to close them. He was worried about his situation, but he also hated how he couldn''t get to his girlfriend falling only a few meters from him.


    Liiza''s glowing eyes also ended on Khan as the waves of frail ground submerged them and brought them deeper into the region. Worry and confusion filled her face, but the currents of terrain eventually led her far away. The same happened to Khan and the other Niqols. The dark soil creates proper rivers that flowed into different directions and divided the group.


    It didn''t take much before Khan felt unable to see anything. Complete darkness filled his burning eyes. The dirt had forced him to close them at some point, but they still hurt as they tried to disperse the soil that had tainted them.


    His body continued to move with the river of ground, but he changed direction from time to time. Khan wasn''t sure what could cause that massive amount of soil to twist, but the impact with a firm surface made him gain a vague idea of his situation.


    The flowing ground tried to squash Khan on the firm surface, but his body was strong enough to oppose that intense force. The prolonged contact allowed him to understand the nature of that tough wall. He could sense sharp rocks tearing open holes in his robe and cutting his back. It became clear that he had hit one of the solid parts of that chaotic underground structure.


    His physical strength didn''t allow him to break free of that suppression. The ground gained the same texture as steel as it continued to press him on the rocky wall. Khan spent entire minutes in that position, and breathing grew harder as time passed.


    Thoughts on the layout of the underground structure appeared in his mind as he struggled to dig space where his nose could breathe. It seemed that the Tainted animals that had ravaged the area had left a few parts intact. Khan wondered whether those parts were too tough to pierce, but he didn''t linger too long on those ideas.


    Cuts continued to open on his back as his body bent back and forth in a desperate attempt to clear the path for his mouth or nose. Khan breathed, but that air was never enough to satisfy his lungs. He soon felt lightheaded, but everything around him resumed to move at that point.


    The river of terrain flowed again and dragged Khan deeper into the underground world until he slammed on another solid surface. The ground falling above his head and on his injured back tried to squash him, but everything stopped moving before the situation could become too dangerous.


    Khan remained still until he confirmed that everything around him had stabilized. He didn''t feel any unstoppable force pressing him down, so he did his best to dig his way through the ground that had accumulated above him and straighten his position.


    His movements generated loud noises that made him freeze. Khan didn''t know how stable his situation was, so he wanted to approach the digging slowly. However, he couldn''t avoid causing a mess whenever he moved the ground above him.


    His hands eventually reached a spot where stale air could flow over them. Khan rejoiced at that sensation and hurried to make the rest of his body escape that pile of terrain. His dirty head eventually came out, but his muddy eyes didn''t give him the chance to see much.


    Khan pulled his entire body out of the ground and found a stable foothold before straightening his position. He had yet to clean his eyes, but he preferred to prioritize his footing. He was useless without it.


    The ground under his soles was far from stable, but it was enough for his martial art, and Khan didn''t need anything else. He could finally focus on his eyes, but nothing about him was clean enough to clean them after the journey underground.


    The back of Khan''s robe was already in pieces, and blood had even tainted it in multiple spots. Tearing it apart and patting it to remove the soil lingering on its surfaces didn''t take much. He soon obtained a relatively clean fabric that could clean his eyes.


    His vision slowly returned as he wiped his eyes clean. Khan found himself inside a tall and large tunnel made of smoot and cold rocks. Multiple holes appeared on the ground, walls, and ceiling, and he even found a relatively large opening right above him.


    Khan was standing on a three meters tall pile of terrain that had fallen with him through the large opening. The ceiling was at ten more meters above him, which basically made it unreachable, and the rest of the tunnel didn''t feature enough handholds that could make him reach that hole.


    ''I can''t go back from there,'' Khan quickly concluded as he lowered his head to check that the pile of soil didn''t betray his feet.


    Nevertheless, a few black figures entered his vision when he glanced at his uncovered waist. Khan didn''t notice them before because he had regained his vision only when his eyes were already on the environment, but it became impossible to miss them now.


    Khan saw a series of worm-like creatures attached at the lower side of his waist. His hands shot before he could even consider his situation, and sharp pain spread through his body when he forced them to separate from his skin.


    Each worm left behind a circular bleeding wound. Those creatures turned out to be leeches, and Khan didn''t hesitate to remove all of them. They felt rough and dry when he touched their soft bodies, and a simple squeeze was enough to squash them to death.


    Many circular bleeding wounds appeared on Khan''s waist after the process was over, but he didn''t feel satisfied yet. His hand went on his back, where he found a few more leeches attached to its lower part. His shoulders and upper part seemed clear, but he still checked them multiple times since his eyes couldn''t reach those spots.


    His search didn''t end there. Khan checked his face, neck, and armpits, but he found other leeches only when he went over his legs. Multiple leeches were sucking his blood there, and he crushed them in an instant.


    Khan felt dizzy after he confirmed to have killed all the leeches on him. The circular wounds continued to release blood that accumulated on the pile of ground under him and worsen his condition. Still, a peculiar scene appeared in his vision before he could take care of himself.


    Multiple leeches came out of the terrain under him and started to suck the blood that had tainted it. Khan immediately understood how those creatures had managed to enter his clothes so easily. He had found their natural habitat.


    Khan suppressed the urge to jump out of the pile of soil and took careful steps to reach the rocky floor under him. That surface appeared stable and firm. It even felt able to endure his kicks, but he didn''t test that idea.


    More leeches continued to come out of the pile of terrain and surround the wet patches created by Khan''s blood. They appeared hungry but also weak. Moreover, their movements were slow once they came out of the ground.


    Those weak creatures couldn''t be the reason behind that messy underground structure. Yet, Khan could guess that a mutated specimen might be strong enough to pierce the terrain if the transformation went in the right direction. The only issue to that idea was the sheer size of the damage suffered by the underground world. He didn''t know if a single monster had enough time to dig so much.


    ''Is there more than one monster?'' Khan wondered as vague ideas appeared in his mind.


    Khan''s calculation used the worldwide crisis to determine the eventual appearance of the leech monster. Those few weeks didn''t seem enough to create that deep underground structure, but he didn''t dare to make too many assumptions. He knew how the mutations worked, but Nitis'' fauna wasn''t part of his expertise.


    His mind suddenly spun as his dizziness intensified. Khan had to support himself to the rocky wall until his condition forced him to sit down. He didn''t like to be so close to the pile of soil and the leeches, but he needed to meditate quite desperately.


    Khan closed his eyes and led his mana flow throughout his body. Something strange immediately appeared while he kept track of the movements of that energy. He saw a foreign substance filling his circular wounds and forcing them to remain open.


    Khan had to wash those spots with his mana a few times before his body expelled the foreign substance. His wounds could finally start to close at that point, and his condition immediately started to improve.


    A chilling scene unfolded in his vision when he opened his eyes. Khan looked at the pile of terrain as soon as he came out of his meditative state, but the rocky ground attracted his attention. The leeches were crawling toward him, and some had even almost reached his knee.


    Khan immediately stood up and started to stomp on those creatures. He killed all of them, and a faint annoyance filled his mind once he was done. Squashing the leeches didn''t help him at all. He was still stuck inside that dark tunnel.


    ''These things are troublesome,'' Khan cursed in his mind.


    The leeches were weak, but they seemed able to hide from Khan''s senses. His sensitivity to mana was useless against those opponents, and his agility also appeared unable to bring him out.


    The memories of his fall reappeared in his vision as Khan thought about his situation. A large chunk of the region had shattered. Snow could surely fly down the hole and pick him up. Yet, he had to reach a spot where the Aduns could find him.


    Moreover, Khan had another issue to handle. He didn''t fall on his own. The desire to find Liiza was already filling his mind, but he managed to spare some thoughts for Doku, Azni, and the other Niqols. Except for Zaliha, they had all treated him as one of them. That alone said a lot about their character.


    Khan tried to recall the direction of his fall before picking a path. The tunnel stretched on two sides, but he couldn''t forget where the river of soil had brought Liiza. He quickly turned to his left and advanced slowly, making sure to check the stability of the ground in front of him and dodge holes.


    The area was completely silent. Only the faint noise of ground falling somewhere that Khan couldn''t see reached his ears.


    Khan moved forward, paying extra attention to every unstable spot that he found. Everything appeared lifeless around him, but the tunnel didn''t hesitate to prove him wrong.


    A piece of frail ground at his side burst to release multiple leeches while he walked past it. Khan had already noticed that spot, but that sudden event took him by surprise. Luckily for him, he wasn''t the type to freeze in those situations.


    A kick reached the leeches before they could reach his face, and a loud noise followed the perfect execution of the technique. His sole was big enough to touch all of those creatures, but only some of them suffered a direct hit. However, the energy released during the ability made all of them explode.


    That was Khan''s first real attack against a living being after the improvement of his proficiency level. The effects of his kick ended up being incredible. The blow wasn''t only faster and smoother. It even carried a power that he had never managed to express before.


    The tremors generated by his perfect execution had been enough to squash the leeches, and Khan could only rejoice at that sight. He had been initially worried that his martial art might not suit those creatures, but those thoughts disappeared now.


    That strange event happened two more times before the tunnel enlarged into a vast underground area that featured an actual river that flowed near a rocky wall. Dark waters filled its violent currents, but something else quickly attracted Khan''s attention.


    Khan saw patches of blood on the ground on the opposite side of the river. Bloody marks with the shape of a hand also tainted the rocky wall next to them. Those traces were even fresh, and Khan didn''t hesitate to follow them.


    The marks led Khan in front of a cavity connected to that large area. A pair of white lights appeared at the bottom of the cave when he crossed its entrance, but disappointment filled his mind at that point. He could immediately understand that those eyes didn''t belong to his girlfriend.


    "Khan!" Azni exclaimed as she suppressed a faint lament. "Help me out. I can''t reach all of them."


    Azni''s condition became clear when Khan reached her. The girl had forsaken her robe. She was in her pants and sports bra, and many bleeding circular injuries filled her dark-blue skin. Still, she wasn''t flexible enough to reach three leeches that had attached themselves to the center of her back.


    Khan held Azni from her shoulder and ripped the leeches while squashing them in his grasp. The girl groaned and made sure to adjust her bra since the creatures had pulled away part of it, but she quickly thanked Khan afterward.


    "Let me check your back now," Azni exclaimed as she grabbed Khan''s shoulder.


    "It should be fine," Khan explained while turning to show his back. "I checked many times before."


    "But it''s full of cuts!" Azni shouted.


    "The fall wasn''t gentle for me," Khan voiced a faint laugh, but a third presence suddenly appeared in the range of his senses.


    Khan turned his head toward the entrance while Azni continued to check his back. Liiza''s figure soon appeared in front of the cave, but her complexion appeared far from fine. She was pale, and her torn robe had turned dark-red after the fall and the blood loss.


    "Liiza!" Azni exclaimed in a worried tone when she noticed her condition, but Khan''s eyes widened when he saw the intense emotions running through Liiza''s confused gaze.


    Anger flashed on Liiza''s face. Everything felt vague in her vision, but she could recognize Azni clung to Khan''s bare back. She was almost naked too, and a misunderstanding formed in her confused mind.


    That emotion made her focus long enough to point her hand at Azni and gather her mana, but Khan didn''t let that sudden event surprise him. He had already understood that something was off, so he shot forward and bent her arm upward.


    A shard of ice shot out of Liiza''s fingers and stabbed the ceiling. The rocks couldn''t even try to stop that attack. The areas around the pierced spot even started to freeze.


    Azni''s eyes widened in fear before anger filled her expression and her loud voice filled the cave. "[What are you even doing?! You could have killed me]!"


    However, confusion soon made its way among her anger as Azni continued to inspect that scene. She didn''t initially find anything wrong with Khan''s rapid reaction, but something started to fell off.


    Liiza didn''t say anything when Khan grabbed her forearm and bent it toward the ceiling. Her anger even vanished from her face after Khan started explaining the situation through words whispered softly.


    Khan sounded as if he were justifying the previous scene, and Liiza kept bending her head toward his chest before retracting it whenever she managed to focus.


    Azni couldn''t help but notice how they appeared completely at ease in that situation. A strange idea slowly appeared in her mind when she thought about her two companions, and disbelief slowly appeared on her face.


    Azni didn''t know Liiza''s habits, but she had been at the center of the incident that had granted an Aduns to a human for the first time in history. That human ended up sneaking out of the parties early even, and Doku had told her how he had found the other recruits complaining about Khan''s constant absence at night.


    "No way," Azni whispered as she jumped happily toward the two and started inspecting their faces.


    Azni appeared as the happiest Niqols in the world, and giggles even escaped her mouth when she saw the couple diverting their gazes at the same time.


    ****


    Author''s notes: The chapter came out almost 3000 words long lol.

 Chapter 144: Story

    "Doku did tell me about the hickey," Azni exclaimed in a playful tone. "I remember thinking about it yesterday when he spoke about your fight."


    A slight tremor ran through Liiza, and Khan sensed it from the hand gripping her forearm. They had diverted their gazes. Khan looked at the ground behind her shoulder, and Liiza focused on the rocky wall to his right side, but both of them felt unable to separate in that tense situation.


    "I mean, I would have known if you were dating a Niqols," Azni continued as she jumped around the couple to try to enter in their visions. "That''s why I was certain you were with a human. I just chose not to think too much about yesterday''s stuff because of the mission, but I definitely felt that something was off!"


    Khan''s thoughts ran at full speed to find a way out of that situation. The entirety of his experience regarding pretenses and lies flowed into his mind and created multiple possible solutions. Still, they were nothing more than gambles, and those with the highest chance to succeed required Liiza''s help.


    Liiza''s condition was completely off. She was pale, and pale-red blood had tainted her torn robe. She had suffered a lot during the fall, and the urge to take care of her grew stronger in Khan''s mind as her ragged breath continued to resound through the cave.


    Waiting hurt Khan. He could sense his girlfriend begging for his help whenever her focus wavered. She instinctively bent toward him when her confusion made her unable to think clearly, but she always managed to straighten her head before her gestures became too blatant.


    For the first time in his life, Khan found himself reflecting on how far he was willing to go to keep his relationship safe, and dark thoughts inevitably filled his mind. His feelings for Liiza were intense and irrational. He wanted to stay with her even if it hurt. He desired to hold her in his arms even if he had to spill blood.


    Of course, those were only general thoughts created by Khan''s cracked personality. He could imagine himself killing someone to protect Liiza, but that didn''t involve proper executions, and it surely didn''t include the current situation.


    Azni was a cheerful person who could look at Khan without minding the differences between their species. She had always treated him properly, and even her current realization didn''t trigger any negative emotion inside her. She appeared pretty happy about the whole matter.


    "Azni," Khan eventually uttered in a tone that didn''t reveal the slightest emotion. "We are friends, right?"


    "What are you even saying?" Azni laughed.


    The girl had failed to understand how serious Khan was about the matter, but he made sure to clarify his position with his next statement. "I need you to answer honestly. Please."


    Khan sounded as if he were begging her, and Liiza couldn''t help but move her gaze back on his serious face. Their eyes didn''t meet, but she remained in a daze at the sight of his expression. He was suppressing his emotions almost flawlessly, but he couldn''t hide his intense resolve, not from her at least.


    Liiza raised her free arm to reach for Khan''s face, but she retracted her stretched fingers when she recalled where they were. Her mind felt dizzy, and her vision went dark from time to time, but the familiar warmth spreading from her forearm was keeping her awake.


    It felt unfair to be unable to touch her boyfriend. Liiza only wanted to ease Khan''s tense face with soft caresses. Her desire was innocent and pure, but the world added complexity to that emotion that she couldn''t completely endure in her condition.


    Liiza''s tired eyes eventually turned toward Azni before a weak whisper came out of her mouth. "Please."


    Liiza didn''t care about Azni''s answer, or, rather, she wasn''t in the condition to mind the entirety of that situation. She only wanted to understand whether she could let go of her self-restraint or not.


    Azni didn''t initially understand how serious the matter was, but she began to think about the entirety of the situation when the couple''s stern gazes fell on her. However, she couldn''t consider the intricacy of the politics behind her two companions during her reasoning.


    "I don''t get it," Azni confessed as her smile disappeared and she took a step back. "What''s the matter? You are scaring me."


    Liiza had just tried to stab her with an ice-shard, and Khan had only emotionless eyes for her in that situation. Azni started to feel scared. Two of the strongest members of her group were in front of her, and they didn''t show nice expressions.


    Azni''s honest reaction made Khan regret his previous coldness. That scene allowed him to understand her true nature, and that thought left a disgusting feeling inside his mouth. The Niqols was only a young girl excited to learn about juicy gossips.


    ''What am I even doing?'' Khan cursed in his mind as Lieutenant Dyester''s teachings resounded in his mind.


    Azni was a friend, and she was even one of the Niqols who openly admitted that they had been too hard on Liiza. She was cheerful, open about her feelings, and a good companion in battle, but Khan''s first instinct was to consider her as a potential enemy.


    That wasn''t a reaction caused by his intense feelings for Liiza. His thoughts came from the dark sides of his personality that his mind harbored. Khan knew that he couldn''t get rid of those dark aspects of his character, and he didn''t even want to due to their evident utility. Yet, Azni didn''t deserve them.


    Khan abandoned his paranoia and focused on what was truly important. He pulled Liiza closer and wrapped his arm around her waist while laying the forearm in his grasp on his neck.


    Liiza''s eyes widened at that sudden action, and she even tried to push Khan back, but he kissed her forehead and whispered sweet words that made her melt in his arms. Liiza gave up trying to control that situation and left everything to her boyfriend while she bathed in his warmth.


    "I''m sorry," Khan announced while accompanying Liiza next to the rocky wall and helping her sit between his legs. "Please, help me out. I''ll explain everything once she is stable."


    Azni noticed the stark change of tone of the conversation. Khan only seemed worried about Liiza now. Even his eyes appeared devoid of any hidden intent when he fixed them on his friend.


    Azni didn''t think twice to crouch toward Liiza and help Khan removing her clothes to check her injuries. She had a few deep bleeding wounds on her right side and lower back, and a few leeches even hid in the insides of her sports bra.


    Azni almost didn''t have to do anything. She limited herself to keep Liiza still whenever Khan acted. He always moved before her and without showing any hesitation.


    Khan tore the lower part of his robe apart whenever he needed to cover Liiza''s bleeding injuries. He didn''t even show any discomfort or awkwardness in inspecting the insides of her sports bra and pants. Azni never had the chance to complain about his actions either because the deep affection revealed by his eyes made her speechless.


    Azni had only suspected something before, but those scenes confirmed her ideas. Khan and Liiza were close, and their relationship had even gone quite far since he didn''t feel awkward in checking her intimate parts while she was unconscious.


    The scene even made Azni blush at times. She couldn''t help but find the sleepy Liiza snuggling closer on Khan''s chest extremely cute. The affection he showed with his soft caresses that didn''t hinder his inspection also intensified the romantic vibe radiated by that couple. Azni found it so lovely that she started to envy them.


    "Doku never treats me like that," Azni complained before covering her mouth in surprise.


    Azni didn''t want to say those words. They had come out of her mouth on their own after the romantic aura radiated by the couple affected her. Khan and Liiza appeared completely harmless and at peace when they were in each other''s arms, and those feelings had spread to Azni.


    "What else can I do?" Khan asked while wrapping his arms around Liiza.


    Liiza had fallen asleep on his chest after the inspection ended. Patches of his robe covered her injuries, and she didn''t have leeches attached to her body anymore. Khan believed that she only needed to rest now, but he didn''t know if Azni could reveal something that he still ignored about the Niqols.


    "She only has to rest," Azni explained as a warm smile appeared on her face. "We don''t need to meditate like the humans. Mana flows naturally inside our bodies, and it grows together with us. She''ll be fine after a few hours of sleep."


    Khan nodded as his worried gaze fell on the beauty lying on his chest. He did his best to bend his back and adjust his sitting position to make Liiza comfortable, and Azni didn''t miss all the faint careful moves he performed to avoid waking her up.


    "You must really care about her," Azni announced without covering his mouth afterward.


    The Niqols followed her line with a cute giggle, and Khan couldn''t help but sigh. Shame spread through his mind when he recalled his previous thoughts. He hated himself for even considering such an innocent girl as a potential threat.


    "I do," Khan revealed while caressing the side of Liiza''s head and making her voice a cute groan. "She saved me."


    Azni would normally take similar words like an exaggeration caused by intense emotions, but that didn''t seem to be the case with Khan. The azure scar on his chest was a constant reminder of his pain, and the loving gaze toward his girlfriend showed how serious he was about his words.


    Azni felt the need to giggle again, but she made sure to suppress that reaction to focus on her priorities. She had to learn everything about that couple before being overwhelmed by their cuteness.


    "So," Azni smirked as her playful tone returned and she sat next to Khan, "Someone promised that he would explain everything."


    "That someone must be the best liar on Nitis," Khan sighed and shook his head, but a laugh escaped his mouth when he saw Azni''s frown.


    "Sorry, it feels too nice to stop pretending," Khan laughed. "You have no idea for how long I wished to be like this in the open."


    Khan heaved a relaxed sigh as he abandoned every pretense. It felt intoxicating to be himself. A calm smile appeared on his face as he adjusted Liiza on his chest and thought about what he could reveal to Azni. He had to avoid most of the intimate parts, and an initial statement also felt necessary before his story began.


    "Look, you seem nice," Khan declared without turning toward Azni, "But Liiza comes before anyone else in my mind, and I can''t risk having people knowing about us. Are we clear?"


    A tinge of his coldness seeped inside his voice at the end of the line. Khan was threatening Azni, but the girl didn''t care about it when he put it into those words. His seriousness and worry about Liiza even made him more attractive in her eyes.


    "Not even Doku?" Azni asked.


    "I trust Doku," Khan explained, "But I can''t add variables. You got lucky enough to deserve to hear our story, but no one else can know. Please, make it easy for me."


    Azni pouted, but Khan''s seriousness had the best of her again. Moreover, she was too curious to give up on that chance. The juiciest gossip in the entire academy was right in front of her, and she couldn''t hold back but promise to keep everything for herself.


    "Good," Khan exclaimed before shooting a warm smile toward the beauty sleeping in his arms. "I guess I should start from the beginning when the Ugu attacked me due to my similarities with the Nak...."


    ****


    Author''s notes: Long story short, I''m an idiot. I skipped sleeping two nights ago, and I went to sleep at 10.30 am last morning. Yet, I woke up at 3.30 am this morning, and I publish demonic sword at 8 am, sooo... You can expect the next chapter to arrive in 3-4 hours.

 Chapter 145: Exploration

    Liiza woke up with the sound of faint laughs and teases ringing in her ears. The warmth coming from Khan''s embrace made her feel confused in front of the images that appeared in her vision when she opened her eyes. His bare chest suited those sensations, but Azni''s smiling face made her tense up and try to snap back on her feet.


    "It''s fine!" Khan promptly shouted while tightening his embrace to keep her on him.


    The fear coming from others learning about her relationship made Liiza struggle to escape Khan''s embrace, but she started to calm down when one of his hands ended up on the back of her head.


    Liiza kept her palms pointed on Khan''s chest as her breathing slowed down, but her confusion didn''t vanish. She could still see herself in her boyfriend''s embrace while someone else stared at them.


    "She had understood about us on her own," Khan continued through whispers alternated with kisses at the top of her head. "I explained everything while you were resting."


    "Resting?" Liiza asked in a sleepy voice before recalling her condition.


    Liiza noticed how she was wearing only her pants and sports bra. A few pieces of Khan''s robe acted as bandages for her deepest injuries, and some circular marks still appeared on her dark-blue skin due to the troublesome effects of the leeches'' bite.


    "Did you go through my underwear?" Liiza asked while adjusting her sports bra.


    "You had leeches in strange places," Khan explained as a warm smile appeared on his face.


    Liiza was clearly better. Her face had regained its usual dark shades, and she appeared focused on her surroundings. The confusion that had afflicted her before had vanished after her short one-hour nap.


    "So," Liiza uttered while shooting a glance toward Azni, "Does she know?"


    "I know about you two," Azni replied while covering her mouth to suppress her giggles.


    "Does she know that we are together?" Liiza repeated while turning toward Khan


    "I left out many details," Khan revealed, "But she knows."


    "Great!" Liiza exclaimed before turning inside Khan''s embrace to face him.


    Liiza spread her legs before sitting on Khan''s lap and taking his neck into her arms. An eager smile had appeared on her face, and Khan didn''t hesitate to satisfy her desire.


    Azni''s eyes widened when she saw Khan and Liiza kissing right in front of her. She even gave voice to a high-pitched gasp, but she quickly suppressed it to let that scene continue.


    Khan and Liiza entered a world of their own when their gazes met. Everything around them disappeared now that they could enjoy each other''s company. They had both felt worried about their partner during the fall, so they used that chance to replace those heavy emotions with better ones.


    Azni slowly fell into a daze. She didn''t want to stare too much about those intimate moments, but the unusual expressions that the couple revealed left her astonished.


    Khan showed a liveliness that he had never revealed among the other Niqols. Azni had never seen him so relaxed and happy. His chuckles and whispers were sweet sounds that made his partner blush and smile whenever they reached her ears.


    Liiza''s behavior was even more astonishing. Azni had basically never seen the girl smile inside the academy, and her status as an outcast made it even harder to see her wear something different than a cold face.


    However, that cold and detached Niqols didn''t exist when Khan hugged her. Liiza shot captivating smiles and meaningful glances as her hands caressed Khan''s face and bare chest. She even bit her lower lip when the kisses became too intense.


    "She is still staring," Liiza whispered before diving into Khan''s neck and chuckling.


    "Can you blame her?" Khan teased. "I must look great."


    "I''ll make sure to aim at you the next time," Liiza threatened while biting the base of Khan''s neck.


    "You''ll leave a sign again," Khan complained. "Though you were so cute before. Were you worried that I was cheating on you?"


    "Shut up," Liiza said through her bite. "I need to brand you to keep the other girls away."


    "How am I even going to justify a hickey here?" Khan scoffed without stopping her partner from playing with his neck.


    "Just blame the leeches," Liiza groaned.


    "The leeches'' bites go deeper," Khan laughed before immersing his face in Liiza''s hair to reach her ear, "And they definitely don''t look like this."


    Liiza left Khan''s neck and fixed her gaze on her partner''s eyes. She appeared ready to jump on him, but she managed to hold back due to the troublesome situation.


    Azni had initially thought that Khan and Liiza were only a passionate couple, but those intense stares and gestures made her change her mind. She obviously knew about the rare compatibility between two different mana, but the Niqols taught it as if it were one of those unreasonable love stories with fated partners. Yet, she felt that the couple in front of her fit that state.


    "Couldn''t this happen during a formal event?" Liiza complained through an exasperated sigh. "We actually have to do important things now."


    "Eight of us have fallen in the underground world," Azni announced now that the conversation had reached topics that she could join. "We must find the others and a way out of here."


    "We really must," Liiza repeated in an annoyed tone before leaving a deep kiss on Khan''s lips.


    Liiza stood up at that point, and she took Khan''s hand to make him imitate her. Azni also went back on her feet, and the romantic atmosphere slowly vanished as everyone focused on their situation.


    The main issue there was the lack of a way out. Azni and the others would leave the matter in the hands of their superiors otherwise. The unknown nature of the leeches made the eight members of the group not enough to face that threat. Still, they were stuck in the underground world now, so gathering everyone sounded like the best option.


    "Remember, not a word with the others," Khan reminded Azni before taking Liiza into his arms and kissing her again.


    Azni giggled and nodded, but her expression showed disappointment when she saw how Khan and Liiza behaved outside of the cave. Both wore cold faces and stopped exchanging gazes as they inspected the large area with the river.


    The sudden change in their behavior made Azni feel as if the previous scenes had been nothing more than a dream. She struggled to imagine Liiza and Khan as happy as before when she inspected their current expressions.


    Azni kept her disappointment for herself since the mission came before her desire for gossips. The three even had to find the backpacks since she had lost hers during the fall.


    The travel through the underground structure resumed in silence. Only a few whispers resounded among Khan and the two girls when branches that led in different parts of the lair appeared in their vision.


    Azni, Khan, and Liiza decided to remain inside the large areas since they gave them an advantage over the leeches hiding inside the soft spots. Having some space allowed them to dodge sudden attacks without risking hitting the walls.


    The group didn''t bother speaking about the situation because it was impossible to gain a clear idea of the threat even after they fell inside the lair. Only a study of the actual cause behind that underground structure could reveal something, but the tunnels continued to offer them nothing more than leeches.


    The dull and slow march gained some meaning once the group found footsteps stretching toward one of the narrow cavities to their right. The river had long since disappeared, and only rocky walls filled with holes and soft spots surrounded them. Dangers would surely accompany those tracks, but the trio didn''t hesitate to proceed ahead.


    Khan could see perfectly with the two Niqols a few steps behind him. Their glowing eyes were like electric torches in that almost complete darkness. The narrow cavity unfolded in his vision in its entirety after the group took a single step inside it, and he could immediately see an unusual pile of dirt accumulated in the distant corner.


    That cave was small, and its entrance allowed only two grown-up men to pass at the same time. Khan had to glare at Liiza a few times before she stopped fighting him for the spot in front of the group, but the inspection proceeded smoothly afterward.


    Khan could study the small area and confirm that it didn''t have threats that he could sense. That didn''t say anything about the leeches, but he didn''t fear them too much. His speed and his new proficiency level made him quite good against those frail opponents, and his companions were there to help if the situation even became dangerous.


    Multiple black spots jumped out of the pile of dirt once Khan entered its range, but he almost expected that to happen after witnessing the same event multiple times throughout the exploration. Many leeches tried to reach him with their threatening mouths, but his kicks arrived before them.


    The leeches exploded mid-air as Khan delivered three fast kicks and took another step toward the pile of dirt. More of those creatures came out, but he killed them quickly before repeating the process until he was in front of the actual terrain.


    The tracks led there, so Khan didn''t hesitate to kick away part of the soil to dig through the insides of the pile, and a Niqols'' foot eventually appeared in his vision. Liiza and Azni couldn''t miss that detail, and their expressions inevitably darkened, but Khan didn''t let that scene stop his actions.


    Khan carefully bent forward and stopped multiple times to make sure that no leeches jumped at him. Still, the soil seemed safe now, so he could grab the Niqols'' foot and pull that body from the pile. The figure that unfolded in his eyes immediately made him think about Elbek, but a peculiar detail made him forget about the alien altogether.


    Khan had only managed to pull half of the Niqols'' body out of the dirt before a disgusting scene filled his vision. He saw the familiar rough skin of the leeches covering the alien''s waist, but that feature didn''t belong to multiple Tainted animals. Instead, it came from a single creature that was trying to eat Elbek.


    The biggest leech that Khan had ever seen was sucking Elbek''s body inside its sharp mouth. The creature was almost two meters long and thirty centimeters large, but its figure stretched to let the Niqols pass through its cavity.


    The Tainted animal ignored Khan and focused on sucking the boy deeper inside its body, and that process continued even after he kicked the lower part of its rough figure. He was trying to make the creature let go of Elbek, and the attack seemed to work since the boy''s body slowly came out of the sharp mouth.


    Khan continued to stomp his foot on the creature until the entirety of Elbek''s body left the sharp mouth. He understood that nothing could help the boy at that point. The giant leech had made the skin of the corpse''s upper part melt.

 Chapter 146: Deeper

    The giant leech didn''t do anything after Elbek''s corpse left its mouth. It tried to crawl toward its prey, but it seemed to have problems moving its body in its stretched state.


    Khan inspected the leech for a few seconds and confirmed that it wouldn''t attack before moving his attention to the corpse. He had known Elbek for a mere week, so his death didn''t affect him too much. Yet, the event still swept his mind with a wave of sadness that he couldn''t suppress.


    The two girls experienced stronger feelings at that scene. Liiza was relatively better off since she didn''t have close relationships with her peers. However, she had known most of the students in the academy for years due to her mother''s unique role in the Niqols'' society, and she couldn''t help but take Khan''s hand while her eyes remained on the corpse.


    Instead, Azni''s world turned upside-down. She had shared countless parties with Elbek, and the boy had even attended many lessons with her.


    The Niqols'' way of life often put students in front of dangers since the elders made them handle monsters and similar threats. However, the death of a friend remained a tough event to endure. Azni had it even worse since Elbek was her first companion lost in a mission.


    The leech screeched as its mouth started to shrink, but Khan promptly slammed his foot at the center of its body. The creature voiced a high-pitched painful cry, but it didn''t turn its attention away from its prey. It even tried to rely on its elastic body to reach it, but Khan kept it still.


    The cave was so silent that Khan didn''t miss Liiza''s gulp. He allowed himself to ignore his pretense at that point. He pulled his girlfriend close and wrapped his free arm around her while making sure to caress her back.


    Khan wasn''t a stranger to death. He had accepted it during the Second Impact, and Istrone''s crisis had made him grow used to it. Elbek''s corpse only managed to generate sadness inside him, but it didn''t stop his mind from gathering information.


    Elbek''s corpse didn''t show any visible deadly injury except for the melted skin. Some strands of white hair and a few patches of skin were still in place and revealed his identity, but Khan didn''t manage to find anything that could have caused his death before the arrival of the big leech. Turning the body on the other side with his free leg only confirmed that the creature had killed him.


    ''We have been lucky,'' Khan concluded in his mind after his inspection.


    Elbek couldn''t be weak since he had earned a spot in that mission. He was still in the first year, but the Niqols didn''t use that to describe a student''s battle prowess.


    The lack of evident injuries confirmed that the fall didn''t kill Elbek. The big leech had probably taken the Niqols by surprise while the rivers of ground submerged him. Even Khan would have died in those conditions, so he couldn''t help but consider himself lucky to have met only the small versions.


    His embrace tightened when those conclusions reached his mind. Liiza had also been lucky, and he couldn''t help but feel grateful about that. The girl had continued to stare at the corpse even after Khan had taken her into her arms. Still, she turned her worried gaze toward him when she felt his reaction.


    Khan limited himself to move his hand on the back of Liiza''s head and pull her even closer. He immersed his face in her long white hair and bathed in her scent. Feeling happy about that outcome wasn''t good, but he didn''t care. He felt glad that the big leech found Elbek instead of her.


    A sob forced the couple to turn toward Azni. Tears had started to fall from the girl''s eyes as they remained fixed on the corpse. The scene generated another wave of sadness inside Khan, but he didn''t know what to do to console her.


    Surprisingly, Liiza made the first move. She left a kiss on Khan''s bare shoulder before gently pushing him away and taking Azni''s hands into hers. The latter sobbed again when their fingers touched, and she felt unable to oppose Liiza pulling her into her chest.


    Liiza was an outcast, but she still knew how to behave in those situations. Also, she could understand Azni''s pain, even if it weren''t as intense for her.


    Khan sighed and placed a hand on Azni''s shoulder to express his emotional support. His other hand went on Liiza''s head, and she turned to show a complicated expression to him.


    Azni continued to cry while Liiza held her. Meanwhile, the latter continued to stare at Khan. No one knew what to do in that situation, but Khan had more experience, so he eventually decided to divert his attention from that sad moment.


    The big leech had almost regained its original form during those minutes. It had even shown some agility while stretching its elastic body toward the partially melted Elbek. Its abilities were coming back, but Khan wouldn''t let it live that long.


    Khan left the two Niqols and pointed the entirety of his weight on the foot keeping the leech still. His other leg bent until his knee touched his chest before unleashing the accumulated power downward.


    His attack created a foot-shaped hole that pierced both sides of the leech''s mouth. Khan didn''t know how tough a creature of that size was, but he saw that it continued to move, so he didn''t hesitate to repeat his technique.


    The leech stopped moving when Khan removed a quarter of its body. Azni trembled every time an attack landed on the ground, but she didn''t say anything. Liiza only held her tightly to make her forget about that event.


    Khan''s attention moved toward the pile of soil at that point. He checked the hole in the ceiling standing right above it to make sure that no big leech tried to ambush him and moved forward after confirming the absence of threats.


    Using his hands to dig through the soil was too dangerous, so Khan performed light kicks that dismembered the pile little by little. A few small leeches reappeared when he reached its deepest parts, but taking care of them while his leg was already in the air was far too easy.


    His action wasn''t meaningless, and his eyes lit up when he found what he was looking for. A torn backpack full of leeches appeared in his eyes when he reached the other side of the pile, and he didn''t hesitate to grab it while killing all the creatures he found.


    ''Hopefully we can retrieve another one,'' Khan thought while emptying the backpack''s contents to take care of the remaining leeches.


    Azni ended up in that part of the underground structure without her backpack, so it had probably remained above the rocky ceiling that prevented the group from using their Aduns to leave. The trio could only hope to find another one while looking for the other Niqols.


    A few leeches came out when Khan emptied the backpack. They ate the pinkish flowers even if their properties made them sleepy and slow. Those simple creatures didn''t seem to care about the nature of their food as long as it contained mana.


    Khan squashed the leeches quickly and fixed the backpack as best as he could. The creatures had filled it with holes, but Khan had lived in the Slums. He knew how to patch it up through special knots that inevitably diminished its capacity.


    Khan proceeded to put the flowers back into the backpack after checking that the knots held strong, and two pairs of hands suddenly joined him. Liiza showed a sad smile when he gazed at her, but Azni kept her eyes fixed on the ground to focus on the task. A few tears still fell from her face, but she was able to suppress her sobs now.


    Khan wanted to give the backpack to Liiza after the group finished filling it, but Azni took it without giving any explanation. Her determined face prevented her companions from complaining, so the three left the cave without glancing at the corpse again. The ceiling was even too high there, so none of them dared to suggest climbing out of that hole.


    The march through the underground area resumed, but the atmosphere among the group was far heavier than before. Elbek''s death had completely changed their mood, and no one dared to speak even if they had discovered a crucial detail of that lair.


    The big leech was a monster, and Khan had no doubts about it. The creature was identical to its smaller version. The mutation had only affected its size.


    That discovery led to positive and negative conclusions. Khan could confirm that the mutations weren''t too scary. A mere change in size was something that he could handle without help. He had even confirmed that his kicks could pierce the leech from side to side.


    Still, that weakness led to his negative conclusions. After all, the big leech was too small to cause that mess in the underground world. It didn''t make sense for only one of them to create such an intricate and deep structure. There had to be more monsters, and that hinted at the presence of different mutations.


    It was almost impossible for mana to cause identical mutations on two different beings. The pack of leeches had probably fed on the same animals and plants, but they remained separated beings. Khan couldn''t use the big leech to predict what abilities the other monsters had developed, but he felt relatively sure that all of them would feature increased size.


    The mutations had to be different, but they could share similar effects at their base, especially in a pack that had lived in the same environment and fed on the same things. Moreover, the width of the underground structure forced Khan to think that the other monsters had to be big enough to dig something so vast. It almost felt necessary when he thought about it.


    The short meetings with small leeches resumed. Those creatures seemed to occupy every soft spot of the underground structure, and the group learnt to recognize them as their walk continued. It felt strange that they failed to encounter other students on their path, but everything became clear when the ceiling above them stopped featuring holes.


    Khan had kept track of his movements, and the two Niqols also had a great sense of direction. They could calculate that they had long since circled the areas beneath the flowery regions. The disappearance of holes in the ceiling showed that the leeches didn''t dig those parts.


    "Maybe they ended up on the other side," Liiza suggested after Khan stopped for the fifth time to inspect the area.


    "I don''t know how smart it is to continue on this path," Khan revealed. "We know that most of the previous region has crumbled, but we don''t know anything about the others. I''d avoid testing their stability."


    The group didn''t know how much of the land had crumbled after the earthquake. Khan didn''t want to go on the regions on the other side of the flowery area only to cause another mess with his noise. He would rather find a way toward the surface in zones that had already stabilized after falling apart.


    However, the previous tunnel didn''t show any viable way toward the surface. Khan''s group didn''t explore many cavities, and they had even avoided reaching the end of the path in the opposite direction, but they hesitated to take one of those ways.


    The opposite direction led toward the regions that didn''t feature cracks on their surface. Khan had avoided them because he wanted to find Liiza, but they also had fewer chances of featuring paths that could lead outside of the underground area.


    Also, finding tunnels that went upward didn''t necessarily mean a connection to the surface since those areas could lead to the intact regions. The highest chances of the group were on the already crumbled lands, but that meant venturing through the narrow cracks or directly picking paths that went downward.


    "We should go back," Azni broke her silence while Khan and Liiza thought about their issue. "The others would have left signs of their passage on the walls. They must be inside one of the passages that we ignored or¡­."


    Azni didn''t need to say that last word. The others'' death could explain the lack of tracks or signals left by the others, but she wasn''t ready to say that yet, not so soon after confirming Elbek''s death.


    Khan made a few calculations in his mind again. The underground currents might have led the students far away, but not that far. His group had covered a reasonable distance, so it made sense for the other Niqols to be at their sides rather than forward. A few hours had passed since the fall even. Someone was bound to be awake as long as the leeches didn''t kill all of them.


    A tedious and slow search started after the group decided to turn. Azni used some petals to leave pink marks on the dark walls whenever Khan explored the caves and passages next to them. Most of them were nothing more than small cavities, but some stretched for a few hundreds of meters before ending into rocky barriers.


    Still, the group eventually found a tunnel that led somewhere. The only problem was that it did that through a hole on the floor. Khan wanted to avoid going even deeper but catching a glimpse of a faint figure made him change his mind.


    Khan saw a dead big leech on the floor past the floor. The creature seemed almost identical to the monster that had killed Elbek. The only difference was in the black hair growing out of the edges of its mouth.


    ****


    Author''s notes: The second chapter might take up to three hours to come out. Hopefully I''ll be quick.

 Chapter 147: Reunion

    The sight of the different mutations didn''t surprise Khan. His focus remained on the fact that the big leech was dead and didn''t show external injuries. Its murky dark blood had flowed out of its mouth, which hinted at the presence of internal damage.


    Those signs made Khan almost certain that a Niqols had killed the monster. The absence of external injuries matched the aliens'' fighting style, and he couldn''t find other explanations for its death in that unique environment. Of course, stronger predators could exist, but that felt unlikely due to how crowded the underground area was with leeches.


    Descending through the hole felt inevitable now, but Khan didn''t want to get down without ensuring a path back to the previous area. The current tunnel had yet to show passages to the surface, but the group didn''t explore all of it. Moreover, keeping an escape path open was never a bad option.


    Khan showed a complicated expression when he turned toward the two girls. They were already wearing only their underwear, and he wasn''t better off. The group lacked the materials needed to build a rope, and the backpack alone could only cover one or two meters of the five that separated the hole from the floor under it.


    Khan could get creative to stretch the length covered by the backpack once he tore it apart to create a rope, but that would affect its durability. That weakness wasn''t ideal when he had to jump to reach it, but he could only add his torn clothes now.


    "Stay here for a bit," Khan ordered while diverting his gaze. "I''m going to get something to make a rope."


    Khan left before the girls could understand or complain about his decision. He literally sprinted toward the entrance of the passage and ran toward the narrow cavity that contained Elbek''s corpse.


    It took Khan less than ten minutes to reach that area. A few leeches were sucking the stale blood from the Niqols'' corpse, but he didn''t disturb them. Elbek had lost most of his robe after the fall and the monster''s melting saliva, but its lower part was still relatively intact. His underwear was also in a good state, and Khan cursed in his mind when he seized them.


    It was time for Liiza to see one of Khan''s ugly sides. His life in the Slums and Istrone''s crisis had made him unable to forsake resources that could help him survive. Yet, he didn''t know if his girlfriend could see past his unpleasant act and evaluate it with a cynical mind.


    Khan sprinted back to the path where he had left the two Niqols, but he struggled to continue at his fastest pace when the rocky entrance drew near. His mind even allowed him to sense the two girls, and that only slowed down his steps.


    The hesitation eventually lost to the gravity of the situation. Khan forced himself to step inside the cave while carrying Elbek''s torn clothes in his hands.


    The two Niqols had prepared themselves to fight when they heard the faint steps resounding in the tunnel, but they relaxed when they saw Khan crossing the entrance. Yet, their expressions quickly darkened when they noticed the clothes in his hands. Their reaction only worsened at the sight of the black underwear on top of the white fabric.


    Khan didn''t stay still under their unclear gazes. He reached the two girls and crouched before starting to work with Elbek''s clothes. He even removed the few rags that still covered his underwear during the process, and a seemingly firm rope eventually took form.


    Khan''s hands moved quickly but precisely. He didn''t want to remain under the girls'' judging eyes longer than necessary, but he couldn''t fail to build a decent rope either. Still, a cold sensation suddenly spread from his bare shoulder, and Khan almost jumped back on his feet due to that unexpected event.


    His surprise transformed into warmth when he noticed that Liiza had crouched and had placed her hand on his shoulder. She was even wearing an understanding smile to express her support.


    "You are good at this," Liiza exclaimed in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood and make Khan feel better.


    Khan couldn''t express how intense his affection toward Liiza became. She had vanquished his fears in a mere instant. His situation was awful, and he had just pillaged his companion''s corpse, but he felt that moment to be the happiest in his life. Even his first time couldn''t compare to the complete acceptance that Liiza showed toward his ugly sides.


    "You can find many fainted drunkards in the Slums every Sunday morning," Khan revealed while his gaze returned on the torn clothes and a faint smile appeared on his face. "Food was a priority back then, but clothes were pretty useful too. They served as blankets, pillows, curtains, and covers for the cold tiles, but I always had to cut and patch something up after stealing them from the drunkard. I also had to handle my father, so I became good quickly."


    "No wonder you run so fast," Liiza chuckled while laying her head on his shoulder and watching him work.


    "Please," Khan scoffed. "I hid in corners or roofs and let the other kids go first to study the situation. I shouted something to scare them off if everything looked good."


    "Oh my," Liiza giggled. "My boyfriend is a scoundrel."


    "A lucky one," Khan added while shooting an intense glance toward Liiza.


    The couple almost fell in a daze when their eyes met. They forgot that Khan was working with their dead friend''s clothes and that Azni was standing next to them. Still, the latter cleared her throat to remind the two of her presence.


    Khan snapped back to reality and finished that part of the rope. His gaze went toward Azni at that point, and his hand also stretched toward her. The girl initially frowned when she thought that he wanted her sports bra, but he promptly pointed at her backpack.


    "No Niqols would hold a grudge against you for this," Azni sighed while sitting in front of Khan and handing him the backpack. "Well, others might see you as a cynical human, but I know that you don''t care about our differences."


    Azni glanced at Liiza before nodding to show her sincere support, and the latter''s smile brightened at that gesture. She instinctively took Azni''s hand. Liiza felt strange after being alone for so long, but it seemed that a friend had eventually appeared in her life.


    Khan was the reason behind that sudden friendship, so her feelings for him intensified during those moments. Liiza started caressing his back while he emptied the backpack and undid the knots to rip it apart. Both girls wanted to help him, but they didn''t say anything in front of his evident superiority in the task.


    "I''m sorry for Elbek," Khan whispered. "He-."


    "Not now," Azni interrupted him while suppressing a sob. "We''ll talk about it once we get out."


    The conversation ended there, and no one dared to mention the topic anymore.


    The complete rope took a few more minutes to appear. Khan pulled both sides of each important knot a few times to make sure that everything held strong and that the overall item was stable enough to endure a person''s weight. The Niqols were a bit lighter than humans, so he didn''t have to worry about the tallest in the group that he hoped to find.


    The rocky surfaces in the passage didn''t have viable handholds near the hole''s edges, so the group had to get creative. Liiza had great control over her mana, so she hit the ground a few times to destabilize its insides. Khan could break it with a simple kick at that point, and a suitable spot for their rope eventually appeared.


    After a few tests, the group decided to throw the rope inside the hole. Khan jumped inside it first since he was the only one who could reach the girls'' stretched arms with a jump if the tool ended up not working, but his tests went well. They had a way back to the passage, so everyone got to the new area.


    A large underground hall unfolded in the group''s eyes. Khan checked the big leech''s corpse once he made sure that nothing came after them, and his inspection confirmed his initial guess. The creature had clearly died due to internal injuries, so some Niqols had to be on that floor.


    Two passages opened from that large area, but the group recognized pink marks on both of them. Azni and Liiza could easily translate them into actual messages and understand where their companions had gone.


    The three moved quickly. Azni and Liiza even found more marks on the various cavities and passages that appeared on their way, but they became useless once the sounds of heavy steps and grunts echoed through the area.


    Khan glanced at Liiza, and the latter didn''t hesitate to nod. He bent forward and accelerated after that gesture. The path ahead transformed into a circular scenery surrounded by faint images as his speed reached inhuman levels, and a battle eventually unfolded in his vision.


    Doku and Asyat were against a wall, fighting against four big leeches that had encircled them. Zeliha was behind them, but her condition appeared poor. Her left shoulder and arm featured ugly patches of melted skin, and her eyes struggled to remain open even when her two companions were doing their best to protect her.


    Khan''s thoughts ran quickly. He had seen Doku''s battle prowess, so the four leeches clearly had special abilities that made them tough opponents for that strong Niqols. Asyat couldn''t be bad either since the professors had picked her for the mission.


    Nevertheless, Khan arrived behind the first big leech before his reasoning could end, and his leg instinctively rose to deliver a powerful kick. He had already gained a clear understanding of the monsters'' texture, so he knew exactly how much strength he required to cleave them in half.


    Khan''s rotating kick resembled an ax that swung at the center of the leech''s straightened body. The monster was standing on a small part of its lower figure as it prepared to throw itself at its prey, but it suddenly fell to the ground. Its limited mind didn''t allow it to notice that its mouth and tail didn''t have flesh connecting them anymore.


    The event had been so sudden that both Niqols and leeches failed to notice Khan''s arrival. One of the monsters even completed its offensive while its companions died. It leapt toward Asyat, but its head exploded into a gory mess of flesh and dark blood.


    The girl required an entire second to realize that someone had killed the leech before it could reach her, but she still failed to focus on her savior since Khan shot directly toward the other monsters.


    Doku fended off one of the leeches with a precise rising palm strike that made the creature spit a mouthful of blood and saliva. The exchange forced him to take a step back to dodge the incoming corrosive fluid. The last monster was even flying toward the almost-fainted Zeliha, so he hoped to push it off track with a messy shoulder-bash.


    Still, a shadow hit the flying leech before Doku could reach it. The Niqols saw the monster losing half of its body and interrupting its charge. It could only fall on the ground after it became nothing more than a scaled mouth attacked to a small chunk of bleeding flesh.


    Doku became aware of his helper when the third leech''s fall suddenly accelerated. The creature''s head exploded when it crashed on the ground, and his eyes finally become used to the sudden change in the images in front of him. Doku saw Khan flicking his left leg to remove the corrosive saliva that had fallen on his shoe, and he also heard the silent curse escaping his mouth when his foot remained bare.


    "Khan!" Doku happily exclaimed, and his voice attracted the attention of the two girls with him.


    Asyat showed pure happiness when she saw Khan. She didn''t know him too much, but his feats in the battle were enough to make her ecstatic. Zeliha also opened her tired eyes, and a faint smile appeared on her face when she inspected the outcome of the fight.


    Doku wanted to add something, but the sound of loud steps attracted his attention and made him glance at the path that his group had just crossed. His smile broadened when he saw Liiza, and his figure shot ahead when Azni''s face peeked past the entrance.


    Azni showed a happy smile too. She jumped in Doku''s arms, and the two exchanged an intense hug before kissing. Liiza walked past them and ignored Khan while inspecting the four dead monsters and the two Niqols near the wall.


    "What happened to her?" Khan asked while crouching next to Zeliha and inspecting her injured shoulder.


    "One of the monsters almost ate her," Asyat explained. "These things can hide from our senses. She can''t use her talent here."


    "I noticed," Khan sighed while avoiding touching her injuries.


    Zeliha''s arm was quite bad, but Khan couldn''t do anything for her. The pink shades around her mouth told him that she had already tried to quell her pain, but her condition appeared unable to improve without proper medications.


    Khan''s expression darkened when he noticed the familiar short sword hung on Zeliha''s back. His voice softened as he questioned Asyat about something that felt quite obvious at that scene. "Did you find Bashir?"


    "We did," Asyat revealed while lowering her gaze. "What remained of him at least."


    "Elbek is also dead," Liiza announced to join the conversation. "Did you find a way back to the surface?"


    "We cleared the other path," Doku explained after separating from Azni. "We checked every corner and cave behind us, but nothing useful came out. Where did you even come from?"


    "We used a hole in the ground," Azni whispered as she held Doku''s face and turned it toward her. "We didn''t explore the entire upper floor, but the situation didn''t look great. Also, we wanted to find you all."


    Doku ended up leaving a kiss on Azni''s lips again, and she laid her head on his chest when they separated. Yet, a wave of sadness filled her eyes when she saw how Liiza and Khan had resumed ignoring themselves. She couldn''t even imagine how hard it was to keep their relationship a secret in such a dire situation, especially when she could enjoy her man''s embrace so easily.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Thank you IndraDeus and Kane_jay_85 for the castles! I also want to take this chance to all those who send gifts. They don''t go unnoticed, and I greatly appreciate them.

 Chapter 148: Resuming

    The group made a point of the situation after regrouping, and Zeliha even mustered the strength to give her professional opinion on the fauna.


    It turned out that the situation of Doku''s group had been similar to Khan and the others. The fall had brought the four Niqols into the underground structure''s lower floor, and they had found themselves after exploring the area for a while.


    Bashir had been unlucky enough to meet a big leech while he was inside the rivers of terrain, and the other aliens had found him when a monster had already devoured most of his body. His short sword had remained intact during the process, so the Niqols didn''t have doubts about the consumed corpse''s identity.


    Doku''s approach to the exploration had been thorough, and the two Niqols had followed his example after regrouping. They inspected every cave and cavity, marked each hole, and even reached the end of the path that seemed to lead right under the intact regions.


    Their exploration had featured far more dangers. It seemed that the big leeches liked the deeper areas of the structure, so Doku and the others had ended up facing many of them. Zeliha''s injuries came from a surprise attack suffered when she had yet to confirm the efficiency of her sensitivity to mana. Luckily for her, her companions had been quick enough to save her shoulder and arm.


    Zeliha''s explanation provided Khan, Azni, and Liiza with a greater understanding of their opponents. She had actually recognized that species after inspecting it during those hours. The Niqols knew the leeches as "[Silent Groundsuckers]", words that they could translate only partially. Still, their meaning sounded fairly obvious when the aliens tried to explain it.


    According to Zeliha, the main issue in that environment was that the simplicity of the leeches had favored stable mutations and had granted a high survival rate. A similar diet had even led the transformations toward similar fields.


    The size, the corrosive saliva, and the overall sturdiness were common aspects that the transformations affected. The amount of energy diverted to those features changed from monster to monster, but Zeliha was almost certain that each big leech would have those three enhanced abilities.


    The changes between monster to monster were in the additional features that they gained due to the mutations. Most of them were simple aesthetic transformations. Some developed hair, other scales, a few would even obtain simple teeth, but none showed abilities with power that could match spells. Doku spoke of a specimen capable of generating strong noises, but that was it.


    It seemed that their simplicity went against developing powerful abilities. Their species could only go so far unless more mana came into play, which was almost impossible for creatures that spent their lives eating ground, plants, and rare worms.


    Those features put the [Silent Groundsuckers] above normal Tainted animals due to how easily they could mutate. Still, they also placed them under average monsters since their transformations weren''t too threatening. The major issue with that species was the number of its specimens, which didn''t seem troublesome in front of Khan''s destructive power. Yet, Zeliha ended up contradicting him on that point.


    The leeches'' soft bodies were troublesome to handle for the Niqols since their martial arts focused on inflicting internal injuries. The aliens in the second year could switch to a more brutish fighting style, but they would lose a significant amount of efficiency, which made their normal attacks better.


    The problem was with their manipulation of mana. The students could make their energy work for punches rather than palm strikes, but they wouldn''t be able to express its true power, and their attacks would suffer from heavy delays.


    Liiza turned out to be the only one among the group with proficiency in manipulating mana high enough to change the nature of her energy without suffering heavy delays. Yet, she had always used palm strikes throughout her life, so her battle prowess would inevitably fall when switching style so abruptly.


    Moreover, most of her proficiency in the manipulation field went toward her ice. That spell was a powerful ability that could kill tens of big leeches in a single attack at the price of a short preparation, so the group felt that they had gained a trump card after the reunion.


    Of course, Khan''s gained a lot of attention after his previous feat. He had killed four monsters in mere seconds since his martial art was ideal for those creatures. He risked touching the corrosive saliva only when his feet pierced the leeches'' skin, which made him perfect for the frontlines there.


    Khan and his group didn''t hesitate to share their experiences of the superior floor, but their story didn''t have much except for Elbek''s death. The trio had gone through many tunnels and small leeches without ever getting closer to an exit. The rope left behind could work as an escape route and second path if everything down there failed, but that was as much as they could tell.


    Doku had forced Asyat to throw her backpack away when he saw that four monsters were chasing them, but the group retrieved it quickly. Learning that Khan and the others had left a pile of flowers on the higher floor didn''t tempt him at all. Finding a way back to the surface had the priority. Doku felt terrible that his decision to proceed with the mission had led to the death of his companions, so he didn''t want to take risks anymore.


    The march eventually resumed, and Khan''s group could experience how thorough Doku was when he was in charge. He even made them peek through every hole they could reach when exploring small cavities and similar structures.


    The lower floor really ended up having many monsters, but the students only met them in groups of two at best, and Khan was more than enough to take care of them. His kicks were deadly weapons against those creatures. The only problem was with his shoes and what the corrosive saliva did to them, but his companion gave him theirs whenever he needed a new pair.


    Khan ended up running out of available shoes after fighting his twentieth monster, so he relied on pieces of fabric from their companions'' robes. Those were bound to vanish too, but he could only hope for the exploration to end before he had to fight barefooted.


    The hours passed, but the group continued to find nothing useful. The faint thought that a path that could bring them back to the surface didn''t exist at all tried to make its way inside their minds, but everyone suppressed it. Their situation was already awful. Worsening it with negative ideas wouldn''t help at all.


    Still, that idea became incredibly loud as more time passed and the group continued to fail to find anything that they could use to climb out of that empty place. It felt even reasonable for those paths not to exist in the underground structure since the leeches didn''t dig while following human or Niqols'' standards.


    Those creatures didn''t need to build something that led to the surface since they could crawl toward it while digging more tunnels. A landslide had even happened, so the group even had to be a bit lucky to find something remotely useful for their needs.


    Most of the paths led downward, but the trend described by Zeliha worried the group about diving deeper into the underground area. A single difference in floors had increased the number of monsters exponentially, and the students didn''t want to imagine what the depths contained.


    However, the group ended up not needing their imagination at all since something finally appeared. They had ended up moving toward the intact regions again by then, and a peculiar structure that the student saw as the most beautiful scenery in the world eventually unfolded in their eyes.


    Khan and the others found themselves in front of a diagonal wall that featured rivers of ground and protruding rocks. Still, the structure''s inclination worked in their favor, and it went past the ceiling even if it didn''t seem to reach the surface.


    The group didn''t care about going directly to the surface. It was enough for their Aduns to have a clear path, and the rescue mission would be a success. Crossing the ceiling and jumping on the first stable area that gave them a clear view of the outside world was everything they had ever needed.


    Finding that diagonal wall brought immense happiness to the group, but the hard part came right afterward. They had to prepare for the actual climb, and that meant taking care of two issues.


    The pink flowers left by Khan''s group were still on the other end of the rope attached to the hole used to descend to the lower floor. Technically, they were in a safe area, so leaving them there felt like a waste, especially since two of their companions had died in the mission that involved them.


    Moreover, Zeliha couldn''t do the climb. Doku and Azni had alternated themselves during the exploration to carry her, but they couldn''t cross that steep wall with her on their back. The ground that covered the many rocks made everything too slippery.


    The group didn''t need words, and Khan didn''t oppose the suggestion that came out of Doku''s mouth either. He would take care of climbing the wall with Zeliha on his back.


    As for the flowers, Doku, Liiza, and Asyat could take care of them. Khan had to remain near the wall to defend their escape route, and Doku wanted to leave Azni in the safest position he knew.


    Everyone could understand that Doku was giving unfair advantages to his girlfriend, but no one bothered to complain. Azni was the only one who tried to say something, but she quickly had to give up on it since her companions didn''t support her complaints. After all, Doku wasn''t endangering the success of the mission with his decision. He had just picked one Niqols over another.


    Khan didn''t like that Liiza traveled with students who couldn''t do much in the fights, but he had to suppress those emotions and go along with everything that Doku said. Azni noticed his behavior, and she couldn''t help but sigh when she saw that he kept his mask on even when the only stranger was a half-fainted Niqols sitting on the ground.


    The second team didn''t take much to come back. Doku had memorized every path in the area by then, so reaching the rope, retrieving the flowers, and coming up with a simple basket turned out to be rather quick since no monsters appeared on his path. His group had even left the cord in its place since an escape path could still end up being necessary.


    Khan helped modify the basket so that it could become a simple backpack, and everyone prepared for the imminent climb. Khan made a few tests on his own before confirming the stability of the rocks and bending forward to make his companions put Zeliha on his back.


    Seeing the closeness of the girl to his back, her legs wrapped around his waist, and his hands holding her thighs almost made Liiza''s snap. Witnessing her companions watching such an intimate scene without batting an eye made her furious about her situation. Luckily for Liiza, Azni had expected something like that to happen after experiencing her deadly reaction.


    "[Let''s do our best]," Azni suddenly announced while taking Liiza''s hands. "[Mind you. Skipping todays'' party isn''t an option, not even for you]."


    Azni''s surprising words left the group speechless, but it wasn''t hard to guess that the two girls had grown close after spending the first part of the crisis together. They didn''t expect Azni to invite Liiza to the parties right away, but they didn''t hesitate to show their support through nods and smiles.


    Holding grudges after experiencing such a tragic event felt pointless. Some still thought that the benefits for the whole species connected to her marriage with Ilman were too incredible to ignore. Still, that wasn''t the time to talk about that. The mission had turned Liiza into nothing more than a companion, and she could remain that for the entire day and longer if she felt like it.


    "Can we leave this place now?" Khan coldly commented as the Niqols continued to show their approval to Liiza.


    Khan had performed a few squats and had jumped on his spot to grow used to Zeliha''s weight, but the matter had been relatively quick since the girl was incredibly light, even lighter than Liiza. Her undeveloped body was actually working to his advantage in that situation.


    The group could only focus on the mission at that remark. Doku was the first to stretch his legs before jumping on the wall and leaping among the various rocks to go even higher. The difficulties began when he had to cross the area where the ceiling almost touched the inclined surface, but he had found a decent passage already, and crawling for a few meters wasn''t a problem.


    Liiza was the second, and Asyat followed right after. Azni jumped on the wall after the girl, and Khan imitated her after she crossed the narrow passage.


    Khan struggled a bit to find the proper position that could suit the task. Yet, the passage was too narrow, so his chest ended up sliding on some sharp rocks before actually moving to the other side of the ceiling.


    ****


    Author''s notes: The second is ready. Just give me 20ish minutes to finish editing.

 Chapter 149: Saved

    Khan ignored the pain and let the sharp rocks cut his chest as he crawled in the narrow passage between the wall and the ceiling. Something inevitably touched Zeliha, but those contacts happened so softly that her skin remained intact. A few white marks appeared, but nothing more.


    A different environment unfolded in Khan''s eyes when he crawled for a few meters. The ceiling ended at that point, and he could see piles of soil filling the uneven area above it. The upper side of the tunnels had many tall protruding rocks that managed to peek out of the sea of ground that covered most of the area. It resembled a sandy plain with dunes and hills, but Khan disregarded everything when he saw the dark sky standing high above him.


    His legs quickly kicked the wall and pushed him toward the relatively flat area. His feet sank in the layers of terrain, but he managed to grow used to the soft ground quickly. A deep breath and a few steps allowed him to jump back on the actual surface and keep him there without seeing his legs submerged by that dark soil.


    Khan instinctively called Snow before inspecting the area a second time. His companions were nearby, all struggling with the unstable surface, but smiles filled their faces. They knew that their Aduns would soon come to pick them up. That nightmare was about to end.


    Still, an environment filled with terrain in that special lair was bound to have threats, and Khan understood that far too well. The others were also aware that the dark sea could hide many leeches and monsters, so they didn''t let their happiness ruin their concentration.


    The Niqols remained still as they waited for something to appear, but Khan sprinted toward them without caring about his surroundings. He was too fast for any eventual threat, so he could focus on getting Zeliha off his back.


    Doku and the others couldn''t help but stare in surprise at Khan''s movements. He wasn''t sinking in the ground even while moving so fast and with the girl on his back. He seemed to float above that frail surface, and the terrain barely moved when he abruptly stopped in front of them.


    The group had already prepared for that situation. It wasn''t hard to guess what to expect on the other side of the ceiling since that area featured only rocks and soft ground. Liiza immediately closed her eyes and focused on her mana while Asyat took care of picking up Zeliha and putting her on her back with the help of her companions.


    Khan had vanished from his position when the Niqols turned to look at him. They found him on top of one of the protruding rocks nearby. He stood on his toes, with his back and knees slightly bent to be ready for any eventual threat that dared to come out of the ground before Liiza completed her spell.


    The Niqols had a tight connection with Nitis'' fauna, but their relationship wasn''t in the same realm as the Kred with Istrone''s vegetation. They simply knew most animals fairly well, and they also felt a deep respect for those powerful creatures.


    Khan resembled a predator in his hunting ground in the Niqols'' eyes. He barely released traces of his presence, and his body looked like a spring ready to unleash its power forward. Doku and the others had seen him fight in the past hours, so everyone had learnt how strong he was, and they felt able to rely on him after witnessing that scene.


    Khan''s appealing state ended up distracting most Niqols. Only Doku remained aware of his surroundings and noticed two monsters and a few leeches leaping out of the ground near them. Their mouths were already pointing at various members of the group, with the big creatures aiming at Zeliha and Doku.


    "[Fight!]" Doku shouted, and a shadow flew past him while he turned to face his opponent.


    Asyat struggled to dodge the incoming monster since her legs had sunk into the ground and Zeliha was on her back. Her best option was to jump to her side and threw herself on the soft surface, but her mind didn''t think so quickly. Luckily for her, a shadow made the big leech''s head explode while she still realized the nature of the threat.


    A few footprints materialized on the soft surface when Khan landed. Stopping completely with that momentum would only make him sink into the ground, so he took a few steps forward before curving and continuing to sprint until he faced his group again.


    The situation had already changed at that point. Azni had killed some small leeches flying toward her, Doku had managed to hit his monster with a palm strike and move his body away from its trajectory, and Liiza had remained still while creatures had landed on her shoulder and side.


    Khan hated himself like never before while sprinting ahead and circling the group until he reached Doku''s position. His monster had fallen and was about to hide back into the ground, but Khan stomped on that spot, and a familiar wet sensation spread from his almost bare foot.


    Khan used his momentum to rotate on himself and stomp with his other foot. The ground around his legs flew away and revealed the maimed monster squashed on the rocks below. The second attack had successfully killed the creature, so Khan could finally jump toward his girlfriend.


    His hands were enough to remove the leeches that had attached themselves to Liiza''s skin. The injuries that they left behind continued to bleed, but Khan couldn''t do much about it. He could only appreciate how his girlfriend didn''t lose her concentration during that painful interaction.


    Khan could return to his protruded rock at that point, and the familiar noise caused by the flapping of wings soon reached his ears. The other Niqols didn''t miss that sound either, and their gazes instinctively went toward the sky.


    The upper side of the ceiling basically was the bottom of a large canyon. The earthquake had created huge cracks in the area that had turned a plain featuring small hills into a series of gorges that led to a hellish environment.


    The large area toward the surface that opened above the upper side of the tunnels'' ceiling was perfect for the Aduns. Those creatures had even remained nearby during those hours since they had sensed their riders'' anxiety and danger, so it only took them a few minutes to reach the right canyon and dive toward the desperate Niqols.


    Snow''s white feathers seemed to shine among the darkness, and Khan could only smile at the sight of his Aduns descending with the other creatures. Still, he couldn''t help but notice how Elbek and Bashir''s eagles were absent.


    That detail didn''t matter too much in that situation. Khan moved his eyes back on the group and shot forward when he saw the ground creating a long trail that led toward his companions.


    Faint footprints appeared on the ground as Khan sprinted toward that long trail and leaped to go airborne. His body rotated to move the entirety of the accumulated momentum on his left leg. The ground moved before his foot even touched it. A hole opened and revealed the monster crawling toward his companions before the attack squashed half of its body.


    The hole created among the soft terrain revealed many small leeches that were following the monsters. They immediately turned toward Khan when they noticed his arrival, but a series of kicks took care of them. Some managed to bite his legs since he had landed among them, but he quickly ended the slaughter with his hands.


    "Jump!" Liiza suddenly ordered while opening her eyes, and everyone followed her instructions.


    Her orders weren''t actually for everyone, but even Asyat followed them. She barely managed to bring her feet outside of the surface, but the ground didn''t start freezing until right past Doku.


    Khan landed on a smooth layer of ice after completing his jump. The surface felt slippery, but it wasn''t too bad, especially when he used mana to improve his foothold. Liiza''s spell had a few flaws, and she had explained to the group while they prepared the plan for the return.


    The ice covered a large chunk of the upper part of the ceiling. Doku, Azni, and Asyat even stepped on that bluish layer to let Liiza complete her work. She froze the area where they were previously standing at that point, creating a big zone where the group could feel safe from sudden attacks.


    The crisis felt at its end now. The ice protected the group from sudden attacks, and the Aduns were diving toward them. The students were only seconds away from leaving those lands, and Khan even allowed himself to walk toward them at a normal pace.


    However, Khan suddenly noticed a familiar item from the corner of his eyes. His previous positions, the many protruding rocks, and the dunes had made it impossible for him to see it before, but it appeared clear as he approached the Aduns'' landing spot.


    Khan saw a backpack with only a few leeches in the areas past the layer of ice. It was impossible to miss it. The item hung from a handhold on the side of a protruded rock. It was mostly intact even.


    The situation didn''t give Khan the time to warn his companions, and they wouldn''t be able to help in the task either. He only needed to send a message through his mental connection before turning toward the backpack and shooting forward.


    The Niqols were too focused on their Aduns to hear his faint steps. Even Liiza couldn''t notice that Khan had decided to delay his return to a safe area. They understood what had happened only when Snow separated from the group of eagles.


    The Aduns landed, and the Niqols started to jump on them while turning toward Snow. Noticing Khan in the same direction on the ground wasn''t an issue, even if he were running as fast as ever. He was a shadow that barely caused ripples on the surface, and that was enough to identify him.


    Nothing could notice Khan. The leeches and monsters on his path would react to the appearance of his footprints, but he was already far away by that time.


    A jump allowed Khan to cover the few meters that separated him from the backpack. When he grabbed the item, the force he applied tore apart one of its shoulder straps, but he landed safely on the ground with the loot in his grasp.


    Khan didn''t sink into the ground, but he inevitably slowed down when he performed his sharp turn. A monster came out from the terrain and tried to block his path at that point. The few sharp teeth that the mutations had caused in that creature gave its mouth a threatening appearance, but he smiled at that sight.


    Khan didn''t slow down in front of that tall creature. Instead, he accelerated, making sure to take a deep breath and securing the backpack on his chest. He didn''t care that it had a few leeches as long as he kept its contents safe.


    The monster continued to screech, but it suddenly noticed that Khan disappeared from its senses. A faint sensation had appeared on its head instead, but it vanished in the next instant.


    Khan used the monster as a foothold to jump higher in the sky, and white feathers welcomed him. Snow promptly unfolded its wings to stop mid-air and give its rider the chance to take the correct position.


    Khan put his legs under the Aduns'' wings and made sure to keep the backpack away from its feathers. The eagle immediately resumed its flight higher toward the sky, and Khan could take care of removing the leeches on the item in the meantime.


    Snow rejoined the other Aduns at that point, and Khan happily noticed that he had completely secured the item. The eagles left the canyon at that point, but the Niqols'' eyes inevitably shot toward Khan.


    Khan finished squeezing leeches and removed the creatures that had started to afflict his body afterward. He turned toward his companions at that point, and he happily showed the third backpack. He had saved most of the mission on his own, so the Niqols only laughed or shook their heads when they saw how lively he appeared.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I just wanted to say that the idea of the different covers is actually moving on. I plan to change cover each volume. You''ll be able to find the old and new ones on discord and Instagram.

 Chapter 150: Winking

    The group didn''t even consider stopping for a break. They had been inside the underground structure for hours, and they had experienced awful experiences. The sadness and grief caused by the loss of two of their companions were intensifying in their minds, and they didn''t want them to burst out in a random spot in the wilds. Zeliha''s condition was also awful, so they prioritized getting back inside the academy.


    The few hours that divided the team from [The Pure Trees] helped the students realize what they had just experienced. It wasn''t too rare for the Niqols to lose assets during hunts or missions. It sounded like a cruel and cynical process, but it also was a core part of their society.


    The Niqols considered themselves Nitis'' overlords, but their approach to the matter wasn''t intrinsic to their intelligence or current position. They didn''t see their status as an obvious consequence of their power like the humans. They believed that they had to earn it constantly, even if they had to put their younger generations through a tough skimming process.


    Khan found it hard to understand that part. It wasn''t a matter of similarities to the Nak or distance from the humans. He had the innate idea that nurturing the young so that they could become strong enough to protect the species was generally better than uncovering talent among the new generations through tough challenges.


    Still, Khan could also see why the Niqols could apply those skimming methods relatively easily. The aliens had fewer specialized fields compared to humans. They grouped the use of mana into three major areas and judged their students according to their proficiency in them.


    Instead, humans could find talent in a soldier who struggled to learn a single martial art. Khan found himself thinking about the skinny boy from his entrance test when considering that issue. Jay had a mana core, but his balance was awful. Yet, his understanding of technology could turn him into a valuable asset inside the Global Army. It might even bring him higher than those who could only fight.


    The Niqols didn''t have that. They used general fields and demanding challenges to evaluate their younger generations. That led to a sturdier foundation, but it also removed from the political and social scene characters that could have an incredible talent in uncommon areas.


    The forest surrounded by the seven mountains eventually unfolded in the group''s vision. Happy smiles immediately appeared on the Niqols'' faces, but that comfortable sight also broke their self-control. Some students saw their emotions bursting out and filling their eyes with tears. Khan could see Azni and Asyat bending on their Aduns to hide their sadness.


    Doku led the group toward one of the empty spots near the mountains. Professor Supyan and Professor Zakhira were already waiting for them on the ground since he had alerted the academy about their return. Khan felt surprised that the two Niqols didn''t seem to have any special potion or tool at hand to help the students, but everything became clear after the landing.


    Zeliha had been too weak to jump on her Aduns on her own. Asyat had kept her on her back during the flight. The professors didn''t hesitate to reach her when she jumped off her eagle.


    Professor Supyan and Professor Zakhira handled the injured girl carefully. They lay her on the ground and crouched at her sides before stretching their palms forward. Mana came out of their hands and created a dim white membrane above her skin that sent power to her wounded flesh.


    Khan''s sensitivity to mana was quite remarkable, even for Niqols'' standards. His similarities to the Nak and mental training had brought his ability to levels already suitable for the second year when it came to its sheer range. He only had to improve on differentiating the various purpose of that energy to meet the aliens'' standards.


    Still, the purpose of the professors'' mana was evident. Their energy was a warm force incapable of evil. It was similar to the aura released by Veronica''s tree during the test inside the underground lake, and the power that it carried was simply miraculous.


    Khan saw the patches of melted skin on Zeliha''s shoulder and arm healing at an unfathomable speed. Flesh grew right under his stunned eyes. The Global Army had medicines and technologies capable of fixing severe injuries in mere days or weeks. Still, they felt obsolete compared to the short minutes necessary to bring the girl back to a decent condition.


    The professors retracted their energy and checked Zeliha before taking out one of the black cubes featuring azure symbols. Professor Supyan lifted the girl with Professor Zakhira''s help before throwing the item under her.


    The cube started releasing a faint force that made Zeliha float mid-air. The item worked as a stretcher made of azure light that followed Professor Supyan when he hurried back into the forest.


    Khan barely had the time to inspect the new skin before Zeliha disappeared among the trees. It felt obvious that the flesh that had just grown couldn''t perform all its functions correctly. The girls'' arm and shoulder now featured multiple pale-blue patches that created a stark contrast with her normal shades, but that seemed enough to stabilize her condition. She had stopped shaking and groaning in pain as soon as the white membrane broke.


    Only five students and Professor Zakhira remained in the empty spot. Azni had sat on the ground while her gaze remained fixed on a patch of black grass. Doku soon crouched next to her and wrapped his arms around her figure. The girl didn''t hesitate to abandon herself in that embrace, and faint sobs resounded after she hid her face in his chest.


    Asyat played with her hair. Two wet lines still connected her eyes to her chin, but she had stopped crying. She only felt sad about the situation, and her gaze remained lowered as her mind showed her memories of Elbek and Bashir.


    Liiza mostly ignored the group. She stood at the edges of the empty area, with her back on a black trunk while she stared at the forest''s depths. It was impossible to understand what thoughts ran through her mind due to her cold expression.


    Khan was in an awkward position. He had felt marveled at the Niqols'' methods, but he still experienced the sadness of the whole situation. His pain didn''t match the intense feelings of his companions, and his experience with those events almost made him appear uncaring.


    The sadness in his mind didn''t stop him from studying everything he could. The professors'' healing methods were only one of the details that Khan committed to memory. He also noticed how Professor Zakhira''s hunched back didn''t affect her agility. She was incredibly nimble once she stored her cane in a specific pocket at the side of her robe.


    Khan took out his phone since Professor Zakhira limited herself to play with a black cube in her hands. He had used the rubber band of his underwear to store his phone and save it from his robe''s destruction. Its screen quickly lit up to confirm that the afternoon had already arrived.


    The faint thought of leaving his phone behind from now on hit Khan''s mind, but that device could be useful even without a connection to the Global Army''s network. He had a raw map of Nitis and many lessons saved there, so it could show its utility during a mission. Yet, it was clear that he needed a better way to store it since his clothes kept falling apart.


    Khan noticed how his companions suffered from the same issue. Liiza had lost her cube, and Azni had stored hers inside her sports bra. Doku and Asyat still had pieces of their robes covering them, so coming up with a pocket wasn''t an issue for them.


    Doku was the first to recall that he was still carrying a backpack. He slowly took it off while making sure not to ruin the various knots that kept the many rags together and placed it on the ground.


    The Niqols did the same with Azni''s backpack at that point. The girl was still too focused on her sorrow to mind the item on her back, but Doku took care of it while making sure to add sweet caresses to the process.


    Khan recalled the backpack on his back when he noticed those actions. He quickly took it off and dropped it next to the other two. Doku nodded toward him when he saw the scene, and Khan revealed a complicated smile when the Niqols focused on his girlfriend again.


    The urge to jump toward Liiza filled his mind, but he limited himself to glance at his phone again. Khan didn''t even search for a specific menu or image. He simply tapped on the screen while pretending to be busy writing something down.


    "Khan!" Professor Zakhira eventually shouted and forced him to snap out of his pretense.


    The professor''s hoarse and loud voice made everyone on the scene turn toward her. It was strange to see Professor Zakhira try her best to use a human accent, so even Azni and Asyat forced themselves to lift their gazes and stare at the old Niqols.


    Professor Zakhira didn''t immediately continue her phrase. She inspected Khan with her bright eyes and focused on the azure scar on his chest often. A few cuts had appeared around it after crawling out of the underground structure, but they had long since stopped bleeding.


    Khan didn''t understand what was happening, so he limited himself to remain silent. Still, his confused gaze went on Doku when the professor didn''t speak for a whole minute. He wanted to confirm that he had heard his name correctly, but the boy didn''t reply to his glance.


    "[Can you understand me]?" Professor Zakhira eventually continued while tapping her cane on the ground.


    "[Vaguely]," Khan replied with the best accent that he could muster.


    "[Vaguely]!"Professor Zakhira snorted. "[Make sure to do better! Catch]!"


    Professor Zakhira threw the cube in her hand at that point, and Khan promptly bent forward to catch it. Foreign energy seeped inside his hands as soon as his fingers touched the cold metal, but those sensations vanished in a few seconds.


    A strange understanding filled Khan after that sudden event. He sensed that foreign information had entered his mind. He realized that he knew how to use the cube even if that were his first time holding one of them.


    "[Bring back the flowers to the academy ground]!" Professor Zakhira ordered while turning and moving toward the trees.


    Khan remained confused. He played with the cube in his hands while inspecting each azure symbol. Those signs didn''t mean anything to him, but he still understood how to activate them.


    ''She added you to our network,'' A familiar voice suddenly resounded inside Khan''s mind and made him turn toward Doku.


    The Niqols smiled while he held his cube and looked at him. His mouth remained fixed in that position, but words continued to resound inside Khan''s mind.


    ''Mind you,'' Doku continued to explain, ''The communicator is only for you. The other humans won''t be able to use it. Also, the network registers every message, so pay attention to everything you say.''


    Khan''s eyes sharpened as he tried to use the information in his mind to send a message toward Doku. ''Won''t they record this too?''


    It was enough to think about Doku to establish a connection with his communicator. Khan felt the link forming in his mind and transmitting his thoughts toward the boy''s device.


    ''They are probably already checking it,'' Doku sent, and Khan could even hear his laugh inside his mind. ''So you''d better not talk to my girlfriend anymore!''


    Khan frowned, but Doku winked while putting his cube away. His finger pointed at his eyes at that point, and his laughing voice finally came out of his mouth. "Did I do it correctly? I''ve read about the winking that humans do, but I never had the chance to use it."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I need 2-3 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 151: Ploy

    Khan weakly nodded before accepting what had just happened. A professor had given him a communicator meant only for him. That decision was probably something that only the higher-ups of the Niqols'' species could make, but they had considered him worthy of that reward.


    "Why now?" Khan asked while studying the cube and thinking about different Niqols.


    Khan could quickly find the connection with Azni''s device, and the same went for Asyat and Zeliha. Khan could even sense Liiza lost cube in the distance. Still, something strange happened when he thought about the professors. There seemed to be a barrier that the knowledge inherited when he touched the item didn''t hesitate to describe.


    The cube had multiple functions. It could work as a communicator, a tracking device, and a notebook. It could even connect to the menus in the various alien buildings and enhance their functions. Moreover, it only needed mana to work, and Khan could refill it easily.


    The item gave Khan the chance to contact the professors, but they had to accept his call. It wasn''t the same immediate connection experienced with Doku. The same went for some of the important figures met during his stay on Nitis. The link with Chief Alu felt weak and restricted, but the same didn''t apply to Bula and the other Niqols encountered during past hunts.


    The only Niqols that Khan seemed unable to contact at all was Ambassador Yeza. He couldn''t find the connection with her device even if he knew her face and name, which were the only requirement for those types of communications.


    Khan couldn''t help but feel marveled at the flexibility of the cube. Phones could perform similar functions and even surpass what those alien devices did in some fields. Still, everything appeared miraculous when he considered the almost complete absence of technology.


    The cubes only needed mana to work. They were nothing more than items built with a special alloy. The azure symbols on their surfaces dictated the functions they could perform, while the core of the network handled the various permissions.


    The superiority of the humans felt slim in front of such a pure dedication toward mana. Khan couldn''t help but think that his species had only learnt how to use that magic. Instead, the Niqols were magical at their core. There was a qualitative difference that only centuries of research could fill.


    Moreover, technology was easier to learn since the Niqols only had to gain access to the latest discovery to be almost on par with the humans. The opposite couldn''t happen since it would require a thorough transformation of society and training methods.


    Khan had dreamt about the vastness of the universe multiple times, but that often happened due to his desperation. Those feelings had even intensified after Zalpa had granted him access to the entirety of his nightmares. However, he only felt pure wonder now. All his pain and problems almost disappeared when he considered how spectacular each different species could be.


    "It takes a while to make a good impression on our higher-ups," Doku laughed. "It''s even harder for you due to your species. Still, it was about time they accepted you."


    "Why would they accept me?" Khan asked while turning toward Doku.


    Azni and Doku were smiling at him. The girl still had tears running down her face, but her sadness didn''t suppress the happiness that she felt for her friend. Khan noticed that Asyat was showing a similar expression, and Liiza was also wearing a proud face while she looked at him.


    The four Niqols seemed to know something that Khan ignored, and he managed to hold back his curiosity only because he realized how positive that news was. His companions kept him waiting for a few seconds, but they eventually stopped teasing him.


    "I have given a report of the mission while we were flying back here," Doku explained. "I''m not surprised they gave you a communicator."


    "Did you tell them everything?" Khan asked again.


    "I even praised how you have thrown yourself in a horde of monsters to retrieve one of the backpacks," Doku continued.


    "I don''t remember the horde," Khan complained.


    "The professors don''t know that," Doku winked again, "And there was ground all around us. The horde was completely possible."


    Khan didn''t know what to say. He knew that his relationship with Doku and Azni was good, but they had known each other for less than two weeks. They had hunted together for an entire night and had shared some time inside the academy, but nothing more.


    However, Doku was already willing to inflate Khan''s feats, and the other Niqols didn''t oppose that decision. They actually seemed to agree with him and play along so that Khan could get more benefits.


    That behavior left Khan speechless. He didn''t expect that unanimous and warm decision in his favor after such a short time.


    "Everything is a plan to force you to do an entire party without running away," Doku joked. "Don''t think too much about it."


    "You really are¡­," Khan whispered before closing his grasp on the cube and performing a polite bow toward Doku.


    "It''s fine, Khan," Doku added. "You deserve it. You are the first human to accept our ways so openly. It would bring dishonor to our entire species not to reward such behavior."


    "Though Professor Zakhira will have her eyes on you from now on," Azni chuckled while sniffing to clear her nose. "You have earned the right to experience her cane now."


    "How hard can it even hit?" Khan asked when he thought about the seemingly frail professor.


    The Niqols'' expressions immediately darkened at those words. Only Liiza remained relatively fine, but she still diverted her gaze and resumed staring at the forest.


    "She is a master in the manipulation field," Doku explained after clearing his throat. "Have you ever tasted a wooden cane carrying the same texture as a fiery metal?"


    "Is that even possible?" Khan asked as his eyes lit up both in curiosity and worry.


    "Mana can make everything possible," Doku continued before taking Azni''s hand and standing up. "Humans use it as a fuel, but it has always been more than that."


    "We have so much to learn," Khan sighed while approaching the couple and picking one of the backpacks.


    Doku and Azni did the same, and Asyat joined them as they started to move back to the academy. The latter even made sure to walk around the couple to be next to Khan as they approached the trees.


    Khan decided to turn toward Liiza since the situation would give him many reasonable excuses if someone were to question his actions. The girl had remained on her tree, and she limited herself to glance at Khan before walking toward her Aduns. Most of the eagles were still resting in the empty spot, so she flew away in no time.


    "Don''t mind her," Asyat commented. "She is always liked that."


    "She isn''t bad," Azni replied, "And she promised to attend the party tonight."


    "Do you think it''s proper to celebrate and have fun tonight?" Khan asked, clearly hinting at the two boys'' death.


    "That''s how we handle things," Doku revealed. "We suffer, we fight, we die, but we never forsake our feelings. It doesn''t matter how much it hurts."


    Doku wrapped an arm around Azni and held her close. It was clear that he could handle the loss of the two Niqols better than her, and he didn''t hesitate to give his emotional support.


    On the other hand, Asyat swayed her body left and right, ending up touching Khan''s bare shoulder whenever she went toward him. Khan initially thought that to be a case, but the reoccurring nature of her gesture eventually forced him to accept that she was doing that on purpose.


    ''Don''t tell me that she wants a hug too?'' Khan wondered, and the couple at his side confirmed his thoughts.


    Doku wore a knowing smile when he noticed the scene and Khan''s confusion. He even nodded while trying to hide the gesture from the girl in his arms. Instead, Azni''s eyes were wide in surprise, but they soon become part of an admonishing gaze.


    ''Don''t look at me like this!'' Khan cursed in his mind while showing a cool smile and shaking his head. ''Help me out instead of judging me!''


    Azni wasn''t aware of Khan''s exceptional lying skills. She had started to suspect them after learning about his secret relationship with Liiza, but she didn''t know how deeply his ability stretched. She didn''t understand Khan''s call for help in that situation. His reaction almost made her think that he enjoyed those attentions.


    Azni wouldn''t believe that Khan wanted to cheat on Liiza, not after she had seen how intense their feelings were. They had become an ideal couple in her mind. Still, her idea of men wasn''t great, especially after seeing many of her friends cared more about their urges than their emotions. She knew that anyone could fall prey to temptations, but she didn''t want that to happen for Khan and Liiza after witnessing how cute they were together.


    "Don''t you have to report back to the other humans, Khan?" Azni suddenly asked while Asyat''s request became more evident. "I bet they are worried about you."


    "How could they?" Doku scoffed. "I bet the professors have yet to inform them about today''s missio-."


    Azni stepped on Doku''s foot and forced him to interrupt his line. The girl then shot an admonishing gaze toward her boyfriend, and the latter completely misunderstood the meaning behind that gesture. Yet, he could vaguely guess her intentions, so he decided to play along.


    "That''s right!" Doku exclaimed without showing the slightest awkwardness about the sudden inversion in his opinion. "Khan should reunite with the other humans and prepare for the party. I bet he even needs a nap after his hard work."


    Asyat frowned and shot a confused glance toward the couple, but Khan acted before she could say anything. He made up a few quick excuses and goodbyes while handing his backpack to the girl and sprinting deeper into the forest. He had been incredibly fast, but a few words spoken in the Niqols'' language still managed to reach his ears.


    "[Why did you stop me]?" Asyat asked while shooting an angry glance toward Azni. "[I thought you had accepted him]!"


    "[You should still take it slowly]," Azni suggested. "[He has a good mind, but he remains a human]."


    "[Maybe you are right]," Asyat heaved a disappointed sigh. "[I''ll try to know him better at the party]."


    Only faint words managed to reach Khan after that, but he felt to have listened enough. His steps quickened as another issue appeared in his mind. The party had just turned into a dangerous event.


    ''Getting so much attention from girls surely boosts my self-esteem,'' Khan thought as many trees crossed his vision.


    The events in the underground area had been awful, but everything that had followed it had been incredible. The Niqols had officially accepted him as part of their society, and he had even confirmed that his good looks ignored the differences between the species.


    Azni had also become a helper that Khan and Liiza could use to protect their relationship. Everything seemed to turn for the best. He only had to check something before letting his mind bathe in the satisfaction obtained through his achievements.


    ''It works!'' Khan exclaimed in his mind while he held the cube.


    Khan had almost reached the underground habitations, but he had to test something crucial to the survival of his secret relationship before relaxing.


    The cube could work as a tracker, meaning that the Niqols had the chance to learn about his secret relationship. However, Liiza had sneaked out of her home and academy for many years already. There had to be a way around that function.


    The knowledge inherited by Professor Zakhira didn''t say anything about turning off the tracker, but Khan could vaguely guess how the cube worked. Thinking about stopping transmitting his position was enough to halt that function without affecting the others.


    ''Did the professors keep this hidden on purpose?'' Khan wondered while he waited for a call to reach his mind.


    Nothing arrived. No Niqols tried to question him about his actions. Khan didn''t know if the superiors had yet to notice his actions or didn''t care about the matter, but he remained suspicious.


    ''I guess I can''t avoid political ploys even after being accepted,'' Khan sighed in his mind as he reactivated the tracker and stored the cube in the rubber band of his underwear. ''Maybe the Niqols have someone like Lieutenant Kintea. Ambassador Yeza is willing to ruin her family to improve the relationship with the humans. I bet some of the students are the same.''


    A wave of sadness fell on his happiness and swept it away. Khan found himself unable to enjoy some peace. There was always something capable of affecting his mindset and revert him to the cynical man who had survived the Second Impact and Istrone''s crisis.


    ''I can only trust four people on Nitis now,'' Khan reminded himself. ''George can''t betray me after we went through together, Doku and Azni are good friends, and Liiza is Liiza. I can''t let anyone else too close before confirming their character. I bet that Veronica isn''t too bad, but Liiza would find other ways to mark me if I get too close to her.''


    Those complicated and messy thoughts filled Khan''s mind as he reached his habitation and descended the staircase. The recruits were meditating on their beds, but they all opened their eyes to stare at their companion. Needless to say, their mouths opened when they saw his condition.


    Khan was almost naked, with rags instead of shoes, covered with soil from head to toe, slightly injured, and with two devices stretching the rubber band of his underwear. Helen and the other girls would have directly attacked him if they didn''t recognize his azure eyes.


    "The mission has been a partial success," Khan explained while moving directly toward the bathrooms without bothering to inspect his companions. "Doku will probably kick you out of the academy himself if you don''t come tonight. I''ll tell you the rest once I clean myself up a bit."


    "What has even happened out there?" Kelly shouted while standing up and using an angry tone. "Your priority is to report everything to us."


    Khan rolled his eyes. He had almost reached the bathrooms, but Kelly didn''t seem able to accept his character. Luckily for him, he had a deadly blow with him that day.


    "Right," Khan announced while taking the cube out of his underwear and turning to show it to the other recruits. "I told you that I would have gotten a communicator."

 Chapter 152: Visit

    Kelly had no words left in her throat, mouth, or mind, and the same went for the other recruits. They could only watch as Khan entered one of the bathrooms at the bottom of the underground habitation and sealed the sliding door behind him.


    The recruits spent the minutes that Khan took to remove the dirt accumulated during his adventure with the Niqols in silence. Only George decided to move to put clean clothes right outside the bathroom before returning to his bed.


    Khan''s achievements had forced them to realize how a half-assed approach wouldn''t lead anywhere. He was strong, stronger than most of the recruits on Nitis even, but that alone wasn''t the reason behind his gains. Pure power couldn''t make soldiers advance through the Global Army''s ranks so quickly, and the same went for the Niqols'' society. He was doing something that his companions had yet to accept. He was forsaking his human status to turn himself into an alien.


    The human professors advised against that approach due to many reasons. An ambassador, or even a simple envoy, had to embody the human pride without letting that image scare away or worry the aliens. Building a relationship and blending in their society was the priority of those roles with every intelligent species. Still, the soldiers had to achieve that without forsaking their identity as humans.


    Khan was doing the exact opposite. He wasn''t throwing away his human traditions, but he wasn''t prioritizing them either. His uncaring and unrestrained behavior was bringing him closer to the aliens while creating a barrier between the other recruits.


    That approach was dangerous. The Global Army would struggle to put its trust into a soldier who could forsake the human heritage so easily. An ambassador couldn''t be a formless chameleon capable of adapting to every environment.


    Still, Khan was only a recruit. His approach could be enough for now as long as he kept seizing benefits. After all, he wasn''t an ambassador yet, so his behavior wasn''t exactly off-role. Khan was simply getting what the higher-up had told him to achieve in his own way.


    The recruits found themselves reevaluating their approach to the task while they waited for Khan to come out of the bathroom and update them about the mission. Their beliefs had remained firm when Khan only gained friends and a bit of recognition, but the communicator set a vast difference between them.


    It was one thing for the Global Army to appoint Khan as the main envoy due to his lucky chance with the Aduns and his brave feats during the hunts. The recruits knew how their organization worked, and they didn''t have to face insurmountable barriers. They would eventually get similar benefits, tasks, and recognition as long as they did their job correctly.


    However, the Niqols'' seemingly official recognition added a far deeper value to Khan''s figure. He would have the priority and trust of the aliens in every social and political matter from now on, and the other recruits could only chase after him in those fields without ever getting the chance to surpass him unless something major happened.


    Khan would remain the spokesperson in charge of the bridge between the young generations of both species unless other recruits did something spectacular or he messed up. That single advantage over his companions had transformed into an immense gap that forced the other humans to reconsider how they had approached the political mission.


    Their situation didn''t give them many chances to do more. The recruits had been polite, had joined parties, and had done their best to be part of the Niqols society. There wasn''t much that they could improve to catch up with Khan.


    Professor Supyan''s lessons and their knowledge of the alien language could do something, but that felt too little too late now that the Niqols had accepted Khan fully.


    Some time had to pass before the Niqols would allow another human to become part of their society. The recruits could understand how they didn''t have great options at hand. The best they could do was wait until a chance appeared. Yet, most of them still decided to work a bit harder, at least regarding the two fields that they could affect.


    Khan eventually left the bathroom. Drops fell from his wet hair, and trails of the strange water used by the Niqols ran down his body. He had worn his dirty pants to cover himself since he had forgotten to take clean clothes, but a smile appeared on his face when he saw that someone had taken care of the matter.


    Khan returned inside the bathroom and changed. He now appeared completely different from the brutish cavemen who had come back from the mission. His wet hair and untidy robe gave him a messy aura, but his clean state allowed the recruits to appreciate the confidence radiated by his gestures.


    The recruits remained silent, and Khan didn''t make them wait. He approached the beds and stood in a spot where all his companions could see him clearly before explaining everything that had happened in the mission.


    Khan didn''t hide much, especially when it came to how the Niqols avoided mentioning the arrival of the daylight, and he even warned the recruits about Doku''s exaggerations. Still, he didn''t play it humble, and the accurate version of his charge toward the last backpack remained quite heroic even when told without lies.


    Justifying Doku''s version of the story ended up being relatively easy when Khan described the whole situation. The Niqols were on their Aduns when he shot toward the backpack, so the recruits could understand the misunderstanding. Most humans even appreciated how Khan avoided claiming undeserved achievements for himself, but some of them only started to resent him with more intensity.


    Khan could have decided to elevate his image to heroic levels, but that could create expectations that he didn''t want to face, especially since the recruits would report everything back to the Global Army at some point. He wanted to appear important but not blended enough to become part of a loathsome ploy. He didn''t want his superiors to turn him into a spy since his priorities were on Liiza right now.


    "In short," Khan eventually concluded, "You have to come to tonight''s party and do your best not to get wasted while the other Niqols face their grief in their own way. Actually, collapsing near a tree might get you closer to them, so the choice is yours."


    George, Veronica, and Brandon laughed. Helen shook her head while hiding a chuckle with her hand. Rodney smirked, and Gabriela decided to smile after seeing how her companions reacted. Only Kelly''s expression remained serious at that joke, but she eventually sighed when she realized that Khan''s words weren''t entirely wrong. They made enough sense to be annoying.


    "How can they be so strong when they spend their time throwing parties?" Kelly commented when she reviewed the issue.


    "I find them really similar to humans," Rodney contradicted her while putting a hand under his chin. "They are only unrestrained, but that''s their approach to emotions and life in general. Maybe that''s also the secret behind their deep understanding of mana."


    Khan suppressed his reactions, but he felt surprised about Rodney''s realization. Humans generally didn''t think that mana and behavior had connections, but the boy came close to that conclusion.


    "They believe that mana affects emotions as if they were muscles and flesh," Khan explained to make sure that the merit for that discovery went to him.


    "That doesn''t say much about their character if mana makes them throw parties all the time," Helen scoffed before laughing and causing similar reactions in her companions. "It sounds as if they are using mana to justify their attachment to primitive behaviors. I bet they''ll abandon this belief in a few decades."


    "My thoughts exactly," Brandon added. "Their current understanding of mana might be far deeper than humans, but our methods are a natural evolution connected to our superior society."


    George and the others had initially laughed at Helen''s joke, but her second comment generated conflicting reactions. Brandon''s statements ultimately divided their group into two sides, even if they all felt those words to be a bit racist. Still, Kelly, Helen, and Gabriela ended up partially agreeing with them due to their firm attachment to their species.


    The other recruits were able to acknowledge the benefits that the Niqols'' methods provided, but part of them remained convinced that the humans were still one step above. They saw those different habits as a chance to learn and improve, but they remained somewhat inferiors in their minds.


    Only Khan had a completely different view about the matter. His faint smile remained on his face, but a sad realization filled his mind. He suddenly understood that those recruits would never fully accept the Niqols. They would remain aliens in their vision forever.


    "When is the party?" George eventually asked when the awkward silence created by Brandon''s statement became deafening.


    Khan didn''t know the answer to that question, but his eyes lit up when he recalled about his cube. Conflicting expressions appeared on the recruits'' faces when Khan pulled the item from inside his robe and silently contacted Doku.


    "The party will start in an hour or so," Khan revealed after storing the cube. "It will happen earlier than usual since it''s the end of the week and due to what happened this morning."


    The recruits remained marveled at how Khan had contacted the Niqols without uttering a word. He had explained how the cube worked before, but seeing it in action was a completely different thing, especially when handled by a human.


    A tinge of envy inevitably spread among the group, but everyone suppressed it to get to work. They had spent the whole day training, so they had to take turns for the bathrooms and prepare. Meanwhile, Khan used that chance to meditate a bit and enjoy that he had understood Doku''s directions. The boy had used the strange words meant to describe the various quadrants of the forest, but Khan didn''t need further explanations.


    .


    .


    .


    A peculiar but familiar scene unfolded in front of the recruits when Khan led them into an empty spot near one of the mountains. They found three fuming cauldrons at the center of the area and far more Niqols than usual around them. Moreover, those aliens were busy with different activities at that time. They didn''t limit themselves to drink.


    The Niqols had naturally divided themselves into multiple groups, and all of them featured many half-empty wooden cups. Still, some had brought strange instruments that played sad tones meant to set the party''s mood. Khan saw violin-like devices and long flutes, and a few aliens even chanted simple lines in the Niqols'' language to accompany their music.


    Khan couldn''t help but notice how some Niqols near the trees were smoking. Others even deeper in the forest were crying or punching the thick trunks to vent their feelings. The scenery was quite incredible due to its diversity, but Khan inevitably fell in a daze when a familiar dress appeared in his vision.


    Liiza was standing alone, with her back lying on a tree. She wasn''t even facing the empty area filled with Niqols. She was staring at the dark depths of the forest, but her eyes moved toward Khan for a brief second when she sensed his gaze on her figure.


    ''Damn you,'' Khan cursed in his mind when he confirmed that Liiza was wearing the same dress used during the formal celebration from a few weeks ago. ''She has definitely done that on purpose.''


    The reason behind Liiza''s behavior quickly became clear in Khan''s mind. Almost all the Niqols turned toward the recruits when they noticed their arrival, and Khan saw many girls showing attractive smiles when his gaze met theirs.


    ''Don''t tell me that she has predicted this outcome,'' Khan wondered as a series of Niqols met during the previous parties reached the recruits and started dragging them toward the cauldrons.


    Azni reached Khan before anyone else could, and she directly hugged him instead of limiting herself to a formal bow. The scene surprised the recruits, especially when they saw Khan wrapping his arms around the girl''s back, but the other Niqols soon forced them to move their gazes away from the two.


    "I''m sure Ilman will be here at any moment," Azni whispered in Khan''s ear before breaking the hug. "You might want to seize this chance now that she is alone."


    "You know I can''t," Khan sighed while showing a sad smile.


    "Don''t be so paranoid," Azni almost shouted before recalling to keep her voice down. "You just went through a deadly situation together. You''ll appear as the trustworthy friend who won''t let her be alone in this sad moment."


    Khan felt that Azni''s words made sense, but he didn''t know whether his desire to approach Liiza was playing tricks with his mind. Yet, he eventually accepted that he couldn''t think straight in front of her stunning dress.


    Khan was almost about to ignore Azni''s words, but she added something that changed everything. "Doku is also set on finding you a girl tonight, and I have no power over that."


    Khan glanced behind Azni''s shoulder at that point and noticed Doku looking at him from the other side of the empty spot. The Niqols wore a broad smile, and he winked a few times when he caught Khan''s gaze.


    ''I need to teach him how to wink properly,'' Khan took note in his mind before heaving a sigh and taking Azni''s full cup from her hands.


    Azni limited herself to laugh at that gesture, and she pretended not to watch Khan walking toward Liiza while she went toward one cauldron. Doku frowned, and his eyes darted between his girlfriend and Khan. He couldn''t miss that suspicious interaction. Something was clearly up, but Azni''s admonishing gaze soon fell on him and forced him to stop thinking too much about the matter.


    "You shouldn''t be here," Liiza whispered when she heard familiar steps resounding behind her and stopping at her side.


    Khan reached the tree right next to her before laying his back on its trunk. He didn''t even peek at Liiza while his eyes moved toward the depths of the forest.


    "What was I supposed to do?" Khan replied while taking a sip from his cup and making sure that his voice couldn''t spread too far. "You wore the dress."


    "That barely counts as an excuse," Liiza scoffed, but her cheeks inevitably paled due to her faint blush. "Also, you have become too popular lately. I needed a distraction."


    "You did it on purpose then," Khan chuckled. "You have gotten quite possessive."


    "And yet you are the one barely holding yourself back," Liiza commented while raising her cup to drink.


    Khan chuckled again, but he didn''t say anything. Liiza was right. Her dress was too much for him.


    Silent minutes passed. Khan and Liiza continued to stare at the darkness of the forest while the party continued behind them. The music even grew happier at times, but they didn''t move from their spot. It was as if they were waiting for one of them to empty their cups.


    "Won''t you join the party?" Liiza asked. "It''s proper, and I bet many girls are dying to meet you."


    "I''m exactly where I want to be," Khan replied. "Almost exactly."


    "Me too," Liiza added. "Almost exactly."


    Another wave of silence fell among the two, but they eventually started to talk about random stuff. Doku, Azni, and Asyat even brought them refills of their cups every once in a while before exchanging a few jokes and leaving them alone again. Azni used the times when she visited the couple on her own to explain how the other two didn''t suspect anything. They were simply happy that Liiza wasn''t alone.


    The couple ended up remaining alone for most of the party, even with those occasional visits, and their unique position didn''t allow them to notice Ilman''s arrival. No one actually saw him since he never fully stepped into the empty spot.


    Ilman had every intention to join the party due to Liiza''s presence, but he changed his mind when he noticed the girl wearing expressions that he had never seen on her face.


    Ilman had been in love with Liiza for so long that he found it easy to notice the slight differences in her face. The girl smiled and chuckled from time to time, but that wasn''t the most surprising aspect of the matter. Her eyes carried happiness that he couldn''t generate even before the events of the arranged marriage.


    The Niqols limited himself to find in Khan the source of Liiza''s strange behavior before leaving the area. He had never left the darkness among the trees, so no one became aware of his short visit.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I need 2-3 hours for the second chapter.


    I chose to do this super long chapter just to complete the scene in one go. I want the story to move forward, and spending too long in these social interactions can get boring really quickly. I don''t want to skip them, so this felt like a good way to handle them.

 Chapter 153: Love

    The party ended late, at less than two hours from the beginning of Professor Supyan''s lesson. The recruits hurried back to their habitation once the event ended, but Khan remained a bit longer in the empty spot even after Liiza left.


    Khan had already decided that sleeping was pointless since the first lesson would happen soon. He preferred to spend an hour meditating and covering the time needed by his deal with Liiza that night. Very few things could match sex, and resting with his girlfriend in his arms was one of them. He only had to go through the day to reach that point.


    The beginning of his second week in [The Pure Trees] looked messy. Khan left his spot only to find Niqols sleeping around the cauldrons and in many isolated areas nearby. The party had created new couples, had broken old ones, had caused laughs and cries, and had allowed the aliens to accept the death of their companions.


    The scene was incredibly silent. It felt almost unreal that those sleeping aliens could cause the previous night''s mess, and Khan only smiled at that thought.


    His second month on Nitis had basically just begun. Less than five months separated Khan from the end of his first year inside the Global Army, and he couldn''t even begin to describe how much his life had changed in that short period.


    Khan had gone from being a two-faced kid to his current vaguely mature appearance. His faces had almost fused in that period, but his number of masks had increased. The different political and social necessities had forced him to hone his lying skills and push them into a superior realm.


    His secrets had also increased, and that only led to a complicated mental state. His relationship with Liiza made him unable to remain completely loyal to the humans, and the hidden scenes in his nightmares had ruined his initial beliefs. Nitis had forced Khan to shed away most of his previous self and find a character free from his previous values.


    The conflicting emotions inside his mind didn''t stop him from having a clear vision of his path ahead. Khan wasn''t a mass of desperation unaware of his place in the world anymore. He was still an ignorant kid, but he knew what he wanted and how to approach it. He had even discovered many talents in the period that went from his first day on Onia to now.


    Moreover, his growth had confirmed something that he had started to accept since his meeting with Zalpa. Khan had developed more in the almost three months spent in foreign planets than on Earth, and the matter didn''t only involve his battle prowess. His character had matured in ways that would have been impossible inside Ylaco''s training camp.


    The idea of staying away from Earth until his character and knowledge grew enough to face Bret without falling for his lies sounded reasonable now. The ideal scenario saw Khan learning about the truth behind his tragedy before meeting his father, but that would most likely require years, and he didn''t know if he could remain on alien planets for so long. He wasn''t even sure whether his doubts would remain bearable throughout that period.


    Khan realized that he couldn''t follow all his desires without sacrificing something. His packed schedule had already taught him that. Returning to Earth to face his father would separate him from Liiza, but remaining on Nitis wouldn''t give him the chance to learn about core pieces of his past.


    Those heavy thoughts vanished when Khan noticed a familiar figure partially hidden behind a tree. A smile appeared on his face as he approached it, and his expression struggled to show only one emotion after he saw the entirety of the scene.


    George didn''t go back to the underground habitation, but the other recruits didn''t mind that too much since he usually attended Professor Supyan''s lesson. Khan didn''t bother to keep his companions in check since he was busy with Liiza and his heavy mind, so finding George sleeping on the tree felt a bit surprising. Yet, the funniest aspect of that scene was the Niqols resting with her head over his shoulder.


    ''Her name should be Havaa if I''m not wrong,'' Khan thought while inspecting the girl sleeping with George.


    Havaa belonged to the first year. She featured the usual Niqols'' beauty, and her body didn''t fall behind in that field. Her only peculiarity was her hairstyle since she shaved the left side of her head.


    The other side had long white hair combed into braids, but it was hard to focus on it when her shaved part featured a white tattoo that stretched behind her ear and until the base of her neck.


    Khan''s smile only broadened when he inspected the duo''s clothes. George''s chest was bare, and his robe hung from his waist. Instead, Havaa was still wearing her tracksuit, but it was partially open to create a cleavage.


    Khan decided to kick George''s foot lightly a few times when he felt the urge to explode into a laugh. It took a while to wake up the boy, but his eyes eventually opened, and his eyebrows quickly furrowed to create a frown.


    George began to ask something, but his hoarse voice didn''t manage to go too far once he noticed the girl sleeping on his shoulder. His eyes widened, and his frown relaxed at that point. His hangover vanished in an instant as he slowly crawled out of that position, laid Havaa on the tree, and got on his feet to leave the area.


    Khan was on the verge of exploding during that scene, and his urge even intensified when George turned to shoot an admonishing glance at him. The recruit wanted to leave the area as soon as possible, but Khan didn''t seem willing to move until he had enjoyed himself long enough.


    Khan decided to move when George started to beg him through his eyes. The two boys had to cross a large part of the forest before George felt confident enough to stop silencing his breath. The scene made Khan laugh loudly, which triggered the excuses that his friend had prepared during the walk.


    "I didn''t do anything!" George explained. "I wasn''t feeling well, so I sat there to recover a bit. Havaa just threw herself at me when she found me."


    "Havaa," Khan sneered. "You remember her name."


    "That''s my job as an envoy of the human species," George stated. "Everything I do is for the greater good of the Global Ar-."


    George had to interrupt his line since something escaped from his stomach and climbed his throat to appear in his mouth. Khan laughed when he saw the boy hurrying behind the nearest tree and vomiting what he had yet to digest.


    "Didn''t you like Natalie?" Khan asked when George left the tree and started to walk with him again.


    "I didn''t do anything with Havaa," George repeated. "We might have kissed a few times, but what''s a kiss for the Niqols? I bet it has the same value as a handshake. Besides, we were both fairly¡­ We had both enjoyed the party, so we decided to sleep."


    "You''d be surprised by how much these small gestures mean for the Niqols," Khan laughed. "The point isn''t in the kiss, but in the fact that she has decided to kiss you."


    George''s eyes widened, and a tinge of worry even appeared inside them. Khan was right, but he couldn''t give up so easily. He would have to admit that he had flirted with Havaa through the whole party otherwise.


    "How come you know so much about the Niqols now?" George asked. "Also, you can''t really speak. We all saw you spending the entire night with Miss Liiza. I decided to get drunk rather than listen to Kelly''s complaints."


    "That girl should try to face what we have gone through," Khan sighed. "I''m so close to snapping at her."


    "You lose if you do," George commented.


    "I know," Khan replied. "The world is proving me right anyway. I only hope she cares more about the mission than her petty pride."


    The comment made the two boys fall silent for a while. They continued to walk through the forest, but the topic about Liiza remained inside George''s mind. After all, he was the only one among the recruits who knew a bit more about the matter.


    "So," George eventually said when his curiosity and worry had the better over him, "Did you enjoy the party with her?"


    "George, I''m not dumb," Khan lied. "I won''t do anything stupid. Azni and the others didn''t want Miss Liiza to be alone after everything that has happened, and she can''t be too rude toward a human due to her role."


    "You sure looked committed," George teased before retches surged through his throat and forced him to hide behind a tree again.


    The boys planned to meditate once they reached the spot that would hold Professor Supyan''s lesson, but a strange scene unfolded in their visions after they crossed the membrane.


    The path taken by Khan and George led them directly into the central empty area of the academy. It was easier to reach their destination from there since they wouldn''t have to keep track of their position inside the forest.


    Ilman was sitting on his knees right at the center of the empty square. His stance seemed to be part of a martial art, and the scene inevitably worried the two boys. The Niqols opened his eyes when he heard them, and his stern voice soon resounded in the area.


    "I was waiting for you, Khan," Ilman exclaimed.


    "Is something the matter?" Khan asked in a plain voice.


    "I saw you and Liiza yesterday," Ilman continued.


    "Azni told me that you would have come," Khan quickly declared as wild thoughts ran through his mind. "I must have missed you among the crowd."


    Khan pretended not to understand the meaning carried by Ilman''s words, and the act turned out to be relatively easy. He didn''t do much with Liiza last night. The two had even been on their respective trees throughout the whole party.


    ''Is he so jealous?'' Khan wondered while glancing at George.


    The boy had gone full battle mode when he sensed that faint threat. George completely forgot about his hangover and prepared himself to fight. His hand even instinctively went looking for his sword at his side, but it eventually stopped when he recalled that he was unarmed.


    "George, we are inside the academy ground," Khan scolded, and the recruit quickly did his best to relax his tense posture.


    The academy didn''t allow fights inside the entire valley, so Khan felt at ease even in that situation. He didn''t believe that Ilman would attack him right in the middle of the central square. Also, he didn''t do anything that could cause such a reaction.


    "You didn''t miss me," llman announced while straightening his position and performing a polite bow. "I decided to leave before someone could notice me."


    "Why?" Khan asked as his expression remained friendly.


    "I couldn''t ruin a party that my peers needed to overcome their grief," Ilman explained. "I wanted to handle this matter privately when we wouldn''t have casualties."


    "What matter?" Khan continued with his questions.


    Khan wanted Ilman to be clear about his reasons. He honestly struggled to believe that such intense jealousy could exist in the world, but he was against a dramatic Niqols who had tried to date the same girl for years. That special situation could prove him wrong.


    "I want to fight you for the right of making Liiza happy!" Ilman shouted. "I have always believed to be the one fated to make her smile, but life has put a contender on my path! I appreciate your past advice, but love comes before everything! We must decide who is better among us now to make it easier for her!"


    The statement left the two speechless. Khan and George even exchanged a glance to make sure that they had heard Ilman correctly.


    "I''m not sure I understand," Khan eventually responded.


    "She will have to decide between us at some point!" Ilman shouted. "I can''t let her go through that struggle. It''s better to settle this now when the loss of one of us won''t cause her too much pain!"


    George frowned, and Khan remained utterly speechless. That interaction confirmed that Ilman was crazy, but it didn''t tell him how to get out of that situation.


    "There has been a misunderstanding," Khan tried to explain. "Miss Liiza and I are barely friends. I just made sure that she didn''t remain alone with her grief after what we have been through last morning."


    "My eyes don''t lie," Ilman continued while bending his legs and raising his arms to prepare his palms. "You made her enjoy herself. You are a candidate for her happiness, so we must fight!"


    "Can''t she be happy with more than one person?" Khan questioned. "Isn''t that what friends do for each other?"


    "You don''t know her as I do," Ilman shook his head. "She won''t accept more than one person, so I can''t let her end up in front of a painful choice!"


    "Khan?" George asked as doubts filled his mind.


    "We are still inside the academy," Khan reassured George. "Don''t worr-."


    Khan had to interrupt his line since a shadow darted next to him and forced him to sidestep its attack. Ilman had been incredibly fast, almost as fast as him, and he had delivered a palm strike that had discharged a wave of violent mana in the air.


    George went battle-ready again. He stretched his fingers to create a blade with his right hand and tried to run around Khan to reach Ilman, but a kick suddenly landed on his abdomen and made him fly away. The attack didn''t hurt too much. It was a thrust rather than an actual blow, and the recruit understood the meaning behind that gesture only after he landed on the ground a few meters from his friend.


    Ilman didn''t touch George. Khan had been the one to push him away. George could even see his friend glaring at him for an instant before turning toward his opponent.


    "Won''t they expel you for this?" Khan asked as he sidestepped an incoming palm strike.


    The palm released its mana when it passed next to Khan''s chest. He could sense his insides tremble at the faint contact with that force. He could immediately understand that a direct hit would cause serious internal injuries.


    "Love stands above the academy!" Ilman shouted as he twisted his body and turned his palm toward Khan''s chest.


    Khan could sense mana accumulating in Ilman''s hand, so he jumped backward. The Niqols released his energy at that point, and part of it ended up touching Khan before he managed to retreat.


    A faint weight had appeared at the base of Khan''s chest after he landed on the ground. Blood had even accumulated on the corners of his mouth. Ilman''s palm didn''t even touch him, but the mana released in the attack had been enough to hurt him.

 Chapter 154: Delusions

    Calculations quickly happened inside Khan''s mind. His first instinct was to dodge Ilman''s attacks until a professor arrived. The Niqols was fast, but Khan was faster, and his stamina was incredible. His mana capacity seemed even above that, so that approach was theoretically doable.


    Yet, that tactic could only work if the professors decided to rule in his favor. Moreover, Khan would still need to dodge attacks for a bit more than an hour. He could probably do that with his speed and battle experience, but he wouldn''t be able to avoid ending up in poor condition.


    The Lightning-demon style gave Khan exceptional speed, but it was also an aggressive martial art. It expressed its true potential only when attacking. Relying on it only to dodge and run away would force him to ignore more than half of his techniques.


    Ilman wasn''t even weak either. The Niqols was a student in the second year driven by a burning passion that ruled most aspects of his life. Khan could guess that his opponent had trained with mana since an early age, and his unique position also gave him an annoying advantage.


    The Niqols'' martial arts were relatively simple and focused on the manipulation of the mana''s nature rather than on actual moves. However, Ilman''s tribe handled the development of new applications of mana, and most of them came from their study of human methods.


    Khan didn''t need to think too much about that topic to realize how Ilman''s speed didn''t come from the iconic martial arts of his species. His forms and stances felt familiar. His tribe probably had developed them by fusing the Niqols'' traditional methods to the human styles.


    Ilman''s speed and deadly attacks put Khan in a tough position. His confidence in his abilities was high, but that situation could be too challenging even for him. Also, he didn''t like the idea of suffering injuries during such an important part of his training. He would hate to stop attending the lessons because of eventual wounds.


    ''Do I really have to fight him?'' Khan wondered as Ilman turned toward him, raised his palms, and bent his legs forward.


    Khan''s expertise with pretenses and lies was almost useless when his opponent was crazy. He wasn''t even guilty of anything as far as Ilman knew. The Niqols had simply snapped due to his own paranoia.


    Worries connected to the mission and Nitis'' political situation surged in his mind as he saw Ilman charging ahead with both his arms stretched forward. It felt easier to follow his movements when staring directly at him, but that didn''t ease the conflicting thoughts fighting inside Khan.


    Part of Khan believed that he didn''t have to touch Ilman at all. Hurting such a promising, wealthy, and famous Niqols could turn to ashes everything that he had obtained in the past weeks. The Global Army might even send him back to Ylaco if his presence on Nitis became a problem for the relationship between the two species.


    On the other hand, the Niqols would probably justify Khan if he defeated Ilman without hurting him deeply. Those aliens didn''t mind ranks and statuses too much. They might even compensate him for the issues connected to their unstable emotions.


    Khan slipped under the double palm strike that was about to land on his chest. Mana exploded above his head as he slid under Ilman and grabbed his right ankle.


    The world in Ilman''s vision turned upside-down as Khan stood up and pulled his ankle. The Niqols slammed his face on the ground and tensed his body to prepare for a blow, but nothing arrived.


    Khan''s martial art focused on his legs, so he instinctively knew how to counter similar moves. Ilman''s weakness was in his heavy reliance on palm strikes, which often left him defenseless after releasing the accumulated mana.


    It was enough to aim at Ilman''s legs to put him on the ground and gain the upper hand in the battle. Khan had only needed to see his attacks three times to understand that fatal weakness. Part of that came from his battle experience, but he couldn''t deny that the Niqols'' moves had flaws. Khan could imagine an eventual fusion with those fast moves and the palm strikes, but Ilman appeared unable to mix the two styles correctly.


    Ilman''s style felt like a high-risk, high-reward martial art similar to the Divine Reaper. A single attack could take out or kill an opponent since the speed gained with the sprints enhanced the palm strikes. However, it also left the Niqols exposed if the move failed to hit the target.


    "Can we talk about this?" Khan almost begged Ilman while letting go of his ankle. "I know we have different values when it comes to this stuff, but fighting isn''t the solution."


    "This isn''t about us!" Ilman shouted while rotating on his back to stand up and shoot toward Khan.


    The Niqols was trying to attack Khan without establishing a proper foothold. The latter only had to sweep his legs to interrupt the move and make him fall on his back.


    Khan wanted to say something else, but Ilman didn''t remain still for even a second. The Niqols curled toward him and tried to grab his legs, but Khan promptly jumped backward.


    Ilman didn''t try to stand up at that time, so his range was far from great. Retreating by mere thirty centimeters put Khan outside of his reach and the area his mana could cover. Yet, Ilman managed to surprise him.


    Khan had used the previous attacks to evaluate what Ilman''s palm strikes could do. Still, it turned out that he had underestimated the Niqols'' ability in the manipulation field.


    The mana that shot out of Ilman''s palms when he stretched his arms and sat on the ground didn''t take the shape of violent clouds. Instead, it transformed into two beam-like attacks that took Khan by surprise and hit both his shins.


    Khan almost fell on his knees. His legs felt weak even if no injuries appeared on his skin. The beams of mana had torn his robe, but the outsides of his shins seemed to be intact. Still, the sense of weakness that filled those spots almost cut his connection with his ankles and warned him that something inside had broken.


    Khan promptly jumped backward again before forcefully slamming his feet on the ground. He performed a technique that made mana flow downward and created a deep hole among the short dark grass during the impact.


    Pain arrived at that point. The mana that flowed through his legs and came out of his soles described his injuries'' nature. His shinbones were fine, but his muscles weren''t as reactive as he wished. They also felt sore and weak.


    It seemed that Ilman''s last attack had lost a lot of destructiveness to obtain its ranged properties. The azure beams had been enough to hurt Khan, but they didn''t inflict much damage. He felt able to express most of his power even after that blow, but he firmly believed that fighting before suppressing the internal injuries would only worsen his condition.


    It became evident that Khan couldn''t continue dodging. It turned out that he didn''t know enough about Ilman''s power to make that approach doable, but he still hesitated to fight back properly. Luckily for him, he had finally started to gain an idea of how the Niqols'' crazy mind worked.


    "Is your idea of Miss Liiza so poor?" Khan asked in a chilling voice as he wore a disappointed expression.


    Ilman was using those seconds to get back on his feet, but the sudden comment made him stop his tracks. His beliefs had always been firm due to the intense love that backed them. However, something in Khan''s statement made him hesitate.


    "Don''t you dare to offend her!" Ilman eventually shouted as anger filled his mind.


    The Niqols charged forward again, but the world in his vision began to rotate before he could reach his target. Ilman couldn''t understand what had happened, but he found himself staring at the dark sky when his eyes managed to focus.


    A faint pressure appeared on his chest. Ilman suddenly saw that Khan had disappeared from the spot on his initial path and had reappeared next to him. Khan was pressing the Niqols on the ground with his foot, but he didn''t apply too much strength. He preferred to talk now.


    "You are offending her," Khan continued in his chilling voice. "I don''t know Miss Liiza at all, but yesterday''s matters have proven that she isn''t weak. You are the only one who thinks that she needs protection."


    Lies fused with truths during Khan''s statements, but Ilman''s found his tone heavier to endure than his words. The Niqols generally were quite sensitive to feelings, and Ilman could almost see past the masks that Khan was wearing to hide his real intentions.


    Khan was choosing his words carefully, but he wasn''t using only lies. His disappointment was fake, but the coldness in his voice was real. He pretended not to know Liiza, but everything he said about her was true.


    "I''m doing this for her!" Ilman complained while lifting his palms to attack the leg pressed on his chest.


    Khan''s leg disappeared before the arrival of the palm strikes, and a force suddenly landed on Ilman''s side. The Niqols slid over the ground and rotated in on himself until he managed to stop his body. He even tried to stand up to attack, but Khan''s sharp words arrived before he could muster his strength.


    "Did she ask for it?" Khan asked. "I thought Niqols strived for freedom, but your feelings try to remove it. Is that your idea of love?"


    Ilman''s eyes widened, and the mana that he had accumulated in his hands dispersed as his concentration crumbled. His idea of love was immature, but he had always believed that such intense feelings couldn''t be wrong, especially since his peers seemed to admire them.


    Khan showed him a different perspective, a point of view that the Niqols around Ilman wouldn''t describe even if they could consider it. Ilman''s social network it impossible for him to doubt his beliefs, but Khan took care of the matter that day.


    "How can you know how Niqols feel?" Ilman responded, but his question only made Khan''s voice grow colder.


    "I''ve learnt a bit about Miss Liiza''s situation during my stay here," Khan revealed. "I''ve also learnt a bit about you. Did you think that you could win her over through perseverance? Also, how can you think that the Niqols'' methods would work on her after what she went through?"


    Ilman was mostly trying to reject Khan''s words, but the last comment ended up making a lot of sense. Even a foreigner could understand Liiza''s detachment from the Niqols'' species. It was only normal for her to hate potentially toxic behaviors connected to the iconic intense emotions.


    "My peers appreciate them!" Ilman shouted in a desperate attempt to remain on the right side of the argument. "I embody what a Niqols should be!"


    "But you don''t want the others, right?" Khan asked as his voice gained some warmth. "I understand that Niqols and humans are different, but we have limits to how insistent we can be, especially after clear refusals. Maybe you should work a bit on yourself or give up on Miss Liiza."


    "Do humans give up so easily?" Ilman asked while wearing a stupefied expression.


    "I wouldn''t say easily," Khan pretended to think about the topic for a bit before continuing. "I guess we respect boundaries better than Niqols. Your feelings seem incredible when everything goes well, but they can turn into something pretty awful when it doesn''t."


    Khan decided to inflict the deadly blow at that point. He cleared his throat while removing all the coldness from his voice and trying to appear as if he wanted to teach something to the Niqols. "Look at where your love led you. You have decided to attack someone who has only done his best to ease Miss Liiza''s grief. You didn''t only break the academy''s rules and made things incredibly difficult for me. You have actually tried to reduce the potential happiness of your loved one."


    Ilman felt as if his world was falling apart. Everything Khan had said was correct. He only had to look at the matter from outside his delusions to understand that.


    The Niqols turned toward George, and the latter nodded when he saw Khan glaring at him in the distance. Ilman didn''t know what to think anymore after that last confirmation. He felt as if he had wasted the last years of his life.


    "Look, I understand jealousy," Khan eventually said in a relaxed tone, "But I was only talking to her after spending an entire morning fighting leeches under the surface. Isn''t that normal? Also, did you plan to lock Miss Liiza up in a cave if she ever accepted dating you? You can''t just avoid others from interacting with her."


    The destruction of Ilman''s beliefs only quickened as Khan continued to throw words at him. The Niqols often considered humans cynical, but they could make reasonable points during a conversation, and Ilman tasted that first-hand. Still, that new perspective gave him something that he had slowly started to recover during the last years. It showed him that hope existed.


    "Thank you, Khan," Ilman said after standing up and performing a bow. "I thought I had hit a wall with Liiza, but you showed me that I could do much more. Your friends aren''t wrong about you. You are really good with women."


    Khan suppressed the desire to glare at George. The whole problem was his fault, and the boy seemed to understand that since he diverted his gaze and pretended to be ignorant about the situation.


    "I don''t know exactly how it works here," Khan responded after performing a bow, "But we can forget about this matter if you want. I don''t want problems with the professors, and being the reason behind messes can ruin my position on Nitis. Let''s pretend that nothing has happened, okay?"


    "Nonsense!" Ilman shouted, leaving both Khan and George speechless. "We must follow the rules! I''ll see the professors immediately and report everything!"


    Khan wanted to say something, but Ilman quickly turned and shot toward the forest. His speed had increased now that anger didn''t cloud his mind anymore. He seemed able to express his real power with his newfound calm.


    Khan saw that he would struggle to catch up with him. Nevertheless, he tried to shoot after Ilman anyway, but a sharp wave of pain spread from his shins when he bent his legs. The Niqols had disappeared among the trees by the time Khan managed to focus on his surroundings again.


    ****


    Author''s notes: 2-3 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 155: Feelings

    "You are the master of love," George mocked while approaching Khan.


    "I will say that everything is your fault if they try to put some blame on me," Khan sighed as he straightened his position and checked his legs.


    Khan was overall fine. His mana was already fixing the faint damage suffered during the battle, but dealing with internal injuries appeared quite bothersome. His body seemed to require more care, and only the meditations could give it that.


    "That sounds fair," George laughed before showing a tinge of regret. "I honestly didn''t expect things to reach this point."


    "I know," Khan said while patting George''s shoulder. "It''s just my bad luck."


    "Says the guy who has human and Niqols girls trying to get under his robe," George scoffed.


    "I feel the sudden urge to contact Natalie," Khan joked, and George promptly shot a worried glance toward him.


    "C''mon, man," George pleaded. "We are friends, right? We don''t do this to each other."


    "I should even ask Azni to bring Havaa along more often," Khan continued while walking toward the square where they usually waited for Professor Supyan.


    "Spare me from your anger," George almost begged Khan as he followed behind him. "I like Natalie."


    "How did you even end up with Havaa then?" Khan asked as honest confusion filled his face.


    "A man has urges!" George proudly announced.


    "You need to take lessons from Ilman," Khan laughed.


    "Khan, we are young and talented recruits in the Global Army," George explained while wrapping an arm around Khan''s shoulder and waving a hand toward the distance. "We should enjoy our popularity before a girl manages to lock us up in a marriage."


    "What are you doing?" Khan asked while pointing at the hand waving in the distance.


    "I''m showing you the vast number of girls that we can have before settling," George replied while making broader gestures.


    "Is Natalie in the settling plan or the hand part?" Khan asked without lowering his fingers.


    "I don''t know," George responded before giving up on involving Khan in his jokes. "She is beautiful, and her family would be a perfect match for mine, but she is way too cold.  I must say that the Niqols'' straightforward character is far better. I even find it enticing."


    "As long as it doesn''t get to Ilman''s levels," Khan added.


    "As long as it doesn''t get to Ilman''s levels," George repeated before wearing a serious expression.


    George saw that Khan wasn''t saying anything about the issue on purpose, but he didn''t feel good about ignoring the topic completely. Ilman''s matters were partially his fault. He wasn''t in control of the Niqols'' craziness, but that didn''t remove his share of guilt.


    "I will take the blame if they try to do something to you," George announced after remaining silent for a few seconds.


    Khan glanced at his companion and studied his regretful expression. Part of him wished to reveal everything about Liiza and talk about her openly, but he suppressed that urge. Khan limited himself to appreciate how his lascivious friend had an honorable character at his core.


    "You don''t have to," Khan forced himself to say.


    "Of course I have," George declared. "Losing Nitis won''t do much to my career. I will still be a wealthy soldier if they send me back to Earth. Besides, I owe you."


    "You need to get out of that forest," Khan scolded. "The daylight is approaching, and you can''t face it in this condition."


    "Isn''t it better to remain like this until the crisis is over?" George asked. "I feel I can be more efficient."


    "We are already at our second crisis, George," Khan sighed. "I''m starting to believe that there will always be more problems, even if you decide to remain on Earth. You never know. An alien spaceship might fall in front of you and create a living hell."


    "I have no idea how you manage to keep going and make it seem so easy," George exclaimed.


    "I have many talents," Khan laughed before wearing his serious expression. "Make sure to focus on Professor Supyan''s lessons. They might really help you."


    "Did they help you?" George questioned.


    "I have other methods to handle everything," Khan announced as Liiza''s face appeared in his vision.


    The duo fell silent as their square appeared in front of them. Both Khan and George needed to rest, so they didn''t hesitate to sit on the active azure symbols on the ground and fall deep into their meditations.


    The azure symbols among the dark grass improved their sensitivity to mana and forced their minds to notice the slight differences in that energy. The squares were open to everyone, so the two boys had picked the habit to improve their perception when they had some time to kill. Their meditations didn''t require the entirety of their concentration anyway, so they could multitask during those moments.


    An empty figure eventually entered their range and moved through the mana to reach them. Khan and George opened their eyes and stood up to perform a polite bow toward Professor Supyan. An awkward silence fell among the group after the Niqols replied to the gesture with a similar salute.


    Professor Supyan appeared slightly annoyed and sleepy, even if it were hard to notice anything from his cold expression. His mana couldn''t help in the matter either because the Niqols knew how to keep it hidden inside his body. The two boys only had that vague impression by the few strands of messy hair that stood out on his head.


    "Did Ilman wake you up, [Guru]?" Khan asked after deciding that showing initiative was the best thing to do in that situation.


    "He did," Professor Supyan confirmed. "He told me a funny story."


    Professor Supyan reached for Khan''s head at that point, and the latter instinctively bent back to avoid it. Yet, the Niqols nodded to express that he had no ill intentions, so Khan eventually let him lay a hand on his forehead.


    The same white membrane that Khan had seen enveloping Zeliha covered his skin in a few seconds. He could sense its light releasing a glow that forced his flesh to inform the technique about its state. It didn''t take Professor Supyan much to find the injuries on Khan''s chests and shins, and his ability soon acted to heal them.


    Khan felt foreign energy seeping through his skin and reaching the injured spots before attracting other brims of mana inside his body. It seemed that the technique didn''t rely only on Professor Supyan''s energy. It also used Khan''s mana to originate a healing process that suited his body almost perfectly.


    Khan couldn''t help but close his eyes while a peaceful feeling spread inside him. It was strange to have someone else''s energy flowing through his insides, but that process didn''t cause any discomfort. Actually, it triggered sensations very similar to those felt while he was with Liiza.


    "Only a few humans have experienced our [Harmony Technique]," Professor Supyan exclaimed as the membrane broke and he retracted his hand. "How was it?"


    "I felt at peace, I think," Khan honestly replied while touching his injured areas and jumping on his spot.


    A slight soreness still existed in his shins, but everything else appeared completely fine. The meditation had already appeased his injuries, but the healing technique had almost put an end to them. The weight on his chest had vanished, and no pain afflicted his legs now.


    "The technique can only provide energy," Professor Supyan explained. "Your body does the healing. The emotions that we have to use to trigger that process often remind us about our peaceful moments. You have probably thought about something that makes you truly happy."


    Khan nodded, but he couldn''t suppress the appearance of a warm smile. He didn''t even sense it coming. Thoughts about Liiza reappeared in his mind at Professor Supyan''s words, and Khan realized once again how important that girl had become in his life.


    "How is Ilman?" Khan asked when he snapped back to reality.


    "He is fine," Professor Supyan snorted as his voice gained an angry tone. "We are lucky that you were his target. He might have really killed weaker students. The professors have decided to suspend him from the lessons. He won''t bother you anymore."


    Khan and George bowed, but Professor Supyan promptly stopped them. "Don''t. It''s our fault for misjudging how dangerous he could be. Hopefully your teachings will help him."


    Khan''s eyebrows arched when he saw Professor Supyan shooting one of his rare smiles toward him. It seemed that Ilman''s report didn''t stop at his action. It also involved the words that Khan had spoken during his scolding.


    "Enough wasting time," Professor Supyan eventually ordered as his expression returned completely stern. "Get back on the ground and repeat the rotation of emotions. Start with the positive to reach the negative. You have yet to show me decent results in the manipulation of mana."


    .


    .


    .


    The long day eventually went by. The lessons brought Khan and George to their limits, and even the other recruits didn''t handle them too well. The latter tried their best during them, but their minds never managed to become fully involved with that type of teaching. Only the sensitivity class felt useful, but the others were too detached from the human methods for their tastes.


    Khan returned inside the underground habitation with everyone, but he did that only to pick his null-grade blunt knife and a change of clothes. Kelly tried to approach him while he walked toward the staircase, but he only needed to show the cube to make her abandon any idea of starting another discussion.


    Khan didn''t forget to deactivate his cube''s tracker before moving toward the edges of the forest and leaving with Snow. He eventually decided to sleep during the travel to add almost three hours to the four requested by Liiza.


    It didn''t take much before Khan entered the usual cave in the marsh and saw the familiar white eyes lightning up at its end. Liiza had just woken up, but she didn''t hesitate to shoot out of her blanket to reach her boyfriend.


    "I heard about Ilman," Liiza announced while locking her hands on his shoulders and checking his body.


    "I''m fine," Khan laughed. "Ilman never landed a clean blow on me, and Professor Supyan has used the [Harmony Technique] even."


    "I didn''t think he would react like that," Liiza explained in a regretful tone. "I would have tried to stop you from helping him."


    "It''s fine," Khan continued to laugh, but his voice gained a teasing tone. "Aren''t you going to ask me more about the [Harmony Technique]? Don''t you want to know what appeared in my mind?"


    Liiza blushed and lowered her gaze. She released Khan''s shoulders and let him wrap his hands around her waist. Her eyes went on him, and they ended up staring at each other for a while before Khan decided to speak again.


    "How bad is it if I thought about you during the technique?" Khan whispered while slowly leading Liiza back on the wall at the bottom of the cave.


    "Pretty bad," Liiza revealed without trying to oppose Khan''s actions. "You must be desperate to see your happiness in someone known for a bit more than a month."


    "I have as much desperation as you want," Khan grinned.


    "Don''t joke about it," Liiza pouted. "I''d rather have you face that seriously when we are together."


    Liiza''s back hit the wall a few seconds after her reply. The couple continued to get closer as Khan made their foreheads touch, but Liiza lowered her face to avoid falling prey to intense kisses already.


    "I don''t," Khan said while letting his feelings sweep away his tiredness.


    The couple spent entire minutes in that position without doing much. Liiza even wrapped her arms around Khan''s neck at some point, but she didn''t raise her head.


    "Did you accumulate four hours of sleep?" Liiza eventually asked in a sweet voice.


    "Almost three," Khan announced. "I plan to do the last afterward."


    Liiza''s blush intensified. Khan didn''t need to explain what he meant with his words, and she found herself biting her lower lip when she thought about it.


    "Did you really think about me during the [Harmony Technique]?" Liiza questioned in an even sweeter voice.


    "I felt the same sensations that I''m experiencing now," Khan stated.


    "Khan, it has only been one month," Liiza whimpered while finally raising her face.


    Khan frowned when he noticed her watery eyes. Liiza seemed on the verge of crying, but she didn''t appear sad. He even tried to rely on his sensitivity to mana to understand her feelings, but the outcome of his inspection was confusing. Khan sensed that Liiza was overflowing with happiness.


    "What is it?" Khan asked as he raised one hand to caress her cheek. "Talk to me."


    "I''m afraid," Liiza sniffed. "I want to say it, but I think that it''s too soon. I don''t want to ruin everything either, and our situation is so bad. I don''t know wha-."


    Liiza couldn''t finish her line since Khan hugged her. He could understand her completely. He had gone through a long talk about love that same morning. Revealing their feelings now would only make it harder to keep their relationship a secret. Both of them knew that, but Liiza needed him to reassure her.


    "It will happen," Khan whispered while leaving a kiss on her hair. "Don''t treat your feelings like a curse, especially if they are for me."


    Liiza clung to Khan''s head and made sure to seep her fingers into his hair. That deep and instinctive understanding felt incredibly reassuring. She almost couldn''t believe that they had reached that state in such a short time.


    "You can ignore the hours tonight," Liiza eventually whispered. "But only tonight."

 Chapter 156: Terror

    Life in [The Pure Trees] was mostly peaceful and busy. Everyone knew about the arrival of the daylight, but no one dared to ruin the relaxed aura that filled the forest at the center of the seven mountains.


    Kelly and the other skeptical recruits eventually had to accept that the new environment brought clear advantages. Their training felt smoother, their improving sensitivity to mana increased their overall awareness, and their constant efforts to control that energy benefited their martial arts in ways that they didn''t expect.


    Only the manipulation field remained too complicated for most recruits since it belonged to a type of training that was too distant from what the humans believed to be useful.


    Of course, that realization didn''t arrive in a matter of days. The recruits had to spend two more weeks immersed in that alien environment to notice and accept that their level was increasing in ways that the human training camps had never managed to provide. That realization didn''t even come on its own. Brandon, Kelly, and George had to reach the competent proficiency level with their martial arts to make the clear advantages of the alien academy impossible to deny.


    The three recruits weren''t poor like Khan or lazy like Luke. They were Martha''s rich version. Their families had given them martial arts before their enrollment to the Global Army. That had only allowed them to memorize most of the techniques before their attunement level granted them access to mana, but it was a significant advantage nonetheless.


    Khan had managed to match that advantage through sheer willpower and discipline in his training, but his early access and talent to mana had played an essential part in his achievement. Still, his talent didn''t refute the importance of what his three companions had accomplished. Stepping into the competent proficiency level only eight months after their enrollment remained an amazing feat.


    George was the first to accomplish the important feat, but his companions used Istrone''s crisis to justify the event. Kelly''s advancement arrived only a few days later, but the other recruits viewed her stern approach to her training as the reason for her achievement. It took Brandon''s breakthrough to make them accept that the academy had something to do with their sudden growth.


    Some took the events as a natural consequence of the increased workload. The recruits had to spend nine hours a day immersed in exercises meant to improve their sensitivity, control, and manipulation of mana. Adding their normal training to those lessons had basically doubled the amount of time they spent on the physical subjects.


    Nevertheless, others didn''t completely disregard how the Niqols'' training methods and the peaceful atmosphere of the academy had affected their growth. They all could feel their approach to mana changing after that prolonged stay among the aliens. The recruits inevitably stopped taking it as a simple fuel and started viewing it as a core part of themselves.


    The recruits didn''t have actual conversations about that realization, not general talks at least. They vaguely mentioned the topic every once in a while, but no one wanted to go too deeply in that field. Cracks appeared in their confidence about the superiority of their species, but that was the best it could happen in only three weeks.


    The faint and silent changes experienced by the recruits were far more evident when it came to Khan, and some recruits failed to see them only due to his almost constant absence.


    The two weeks after the events with the leeches didn''t feature any mission or unexpected crisis. Khan could immerse himself in his new life and become a core member of the academy''s social network.


    Rumors about his battle against Ilman had inevitably spread, and George was partially to blame for that. The boy had no ill intention when he bragged about his friend during parties or lunch breaks, and his ignorance about the secret relationship didn''t make him realize how troublesome his actions were for Khan.


    Ilman had a great image among most Niqols due to his dedication to his innate emotions. Learning that Khan had fought and won against him made many aliens reevaluate the human boy and his companions as a whole. Khan started to build deeper relationships with Niqols outside of Azni and Doku, and most of them featured girls interested in more than a simple friendship.


    George took that development as an absolute victory, but Khan could only see problems piling on in front of his eyes. The parties became battles that required his best performances to remain polite and admirable without offending or openly rejecting those attentions. Leaving them also became a problem when he had to handle interested girls, friendly Niqols, and happy drunkards. Luckily for him, he had a helper during those loud events.


    Khan didn''t know how he would have managed to continue seeing Liiza if Azni didn''t help him come up with excuses to remain alone long enough to escape the parties. The girl turned out to be an expert in gossips and parties, and her support helped Khan avoid creating misunderstandings.


    A few problems followed Azni''s blatant help. Doku started to suspect that something was up, but his girlfriend''s behavior never made his thoughts think about an affair. Moreover, Khan''s mysterious disappearances only improved his image in the Niqols'' eyes. He became Ilman''s opposite. Both good-looking and talented, but one was openly intense, while the other appeared full of secrets.


    Khan limited himself to look at the positive side of that matter. The Niqols didn''t even begin to suspect something about his secret relationship. They all had seen him the night before his battle with Ilman, and everyone agreed that the alien had fallen prey to unreasonable jealousy. Khan had even been kind enough not to take the matter to heart and teach him how different perspectives existed.


    Other problems involved the recruits. The group of humans created two different factions, and Khan appeared to be outside of both. Kelly''s team tried to maintain a distance from the aliens, while George''s side did its best to blend in.


    Khan couldn''t belong to either of them because he didn''t exist. He didn''t sleep in the underground habitation, he always escaped from the parties, and he spent most of his free time inside the academy training.


    His companions began to take his disappearances as a needed search for privacy, and even Kelly started to accept that after seeing how popular he was among the Niqols. They couldn''t imagine that Khan''s problem stretched even outside of the academy.


    "That Zezag bitch!" Liiza shouted as she stomped her feet while walking up and down the cave in the marsh. "She always clings to boys to make sure that they notice her big chest! How would anyone miss it when you keep your robe open all the time?!"


    "Even Kheda joined her!" Liiza cursed without stopping her steps. "Why are girls with a big chest so bold? How is Ilman even causing more problems now that he can''t enter the academy? Why are you even smiling?!"


    Liiza''s last comment only broadened Khan''s smile. He was watching his jealous girlfriend while sitting at the bottom of the cave. The tiredness accumulated in the previous two weeks was trying to fill his head, but he didn''t feel anything when he saw how angry Liiza was about his situation.


    "It''s funny to see you like this," Khan chuckled. "I don''t even need to tease you to get these reactions."


    "Shut up!" Liiza snorted. "You are just happy that I''m too jealous to care about my initial deal."


    "I''m still respecting it," Khan responded before diverting his gaze, "Most of the time."


    The couple was approaching their second month together. Only a bit more than a week separated the two from that celebration. The happy event had initially put Liiza in a good mood, but the attentions that Khan had received in the last two weeks had made her jealous beyond reason.


    The fact that Liiza had held back words that she was desperate to say for two entire weeks only worsened the situation. Luckily for her, Khan had been perfect in reassuring her. He often reminded her how it was enough for them to know about their feelings.


    Liiza even felt bad about being unable to remain completely focused on Khan during the time that he managed to find for them in his packed schedule. It was the second day of his fourth week in the academy. He had gone through twelve hours of lessons, a party, and a long flight to have a few moments with her, but she found herself unable to ignore how popular he had become.


    "You are draining yourself for me," Liiza whispered as her eyes went on the ground. "Sometimes, I think you''d be better off without me. You would be able to sleep properly, train all you want, and have sex with many big-chested girls."


    Khan knew that he had to console her, but her third remark on the chest issue made him explode into a laugh. Liiza had ended up gaining that inferiority complex due to the comparison with her mother''s beauty, and she couldn''t help but reveal it when her boyfriend received the attention of girls with similar curves.


    "Don''t laugh!" Liiza complained while glaring at him. "This is serious. I''m one step away from rushing to the next party and kissing you in front of everyone. You have no idea how hard it is to stay here alone knowing that hordes of girls are trying to get inside your pants."


    "I wouldn''t call them hordes," Khan laughed.


    "Please," Liiza snorted. "I might have been an outcast for years, but I know how Niqols girls think. Damn you. You made me unable to enjoy my time alone in less than two months."


    Liiza crossed her arms and moved her eyes back to the ground. She hated her comments. She knew that Khan wouldn''t take her words seriously, but she didn''t want to talk badly about their relationship, even when joking or angry.


    "[Liiza]," Khan said in the best Niqols'' accent he could muster, "[Come here]."


    Khan''s knowledge of the alien language had continued to improve, and Liiza was the main reason behind that. Yet, the couple had started to use it as a trigger for their intimate moments.


    Liiza pretended to struggle, but she soon glanced at Khan. He had broken his cross-legged position and had stretched his legs to create a comfortable seat above him. Liiza wanted to make him wait a few seconds, but his lap appeared too appealing that day. She didn''t manage to resist it for even a second.


    "[I didn''t forget about the four hours that you owe me]," Liiza whispered while spreading her legs to sit on Khan.


    Her arms went around his neck as the two exchanged a long kiss, but Liiza retracted her face and showed a warm smile when she sensed Khan''s hands going under her robe and sliding on her thighs. The warmth spreading on her bare skin made her bite her lower lip, but she shook her head anyway.


    "[I just wanted to feel your]-," Khan said before diverting his eyes as he tried to recall the word that he was looking for.


    "[Butt or legs]," Liiza giggled. "[Pick one]."


    "[Both]," Khan smirked, and Liiza''s smile broadened before she left another kiss on his lips.


    "[Let me show you something]," Khan announced before pointing his feet on the ground and standing up while lifting Liiza with him.


    Liiza laughed as she wrapped her legs around his waist and let Khan carry her outside the cave. She immersed her hands in his hair and left light kisses on his head, but she focused on her surroundings when drops of water started falling on her.


    Khan had stopped before the waterfall right in front of the cave. The ground there was mostly muddy. However, he had learnt to recognize the stable spots in the area after flying there for weeks.


    "[I thought we could take baths together only early in the night due to Doku''s nose]," Liiza whispered to Khan''s ear. "[Getting me naked won''t make you skip your hours either]."


    Khan showed a smile and kissed her cheek before whispering to her ear. "[Get down]."


    Liiza bit her lower lip again as she made her legs slide over his body slowly until they reached the ground. She waited for Khan to turn and dive on her like he often did, but a surprised expression appeared on her face when she saw him drawing the knife sheathed at his left side.


    Liiza''s curiosity intensified when she felt Khan holding her tightly. Their heads touched as he raised the knife in front of her eyes and used his mana to cover its dark-grey blade.


    The membrane of mana appeared completely stable. Khan showed how he could wave the knife almost freely without creating ripples on that glowing cover.


    The demonstration didn''t end there. The membrane became thinner and sharper when Khan kept the knife still. Liiza noticed how his grip on her lower back relaxed as he focused on the technique. She even felt a faint sharp feeling when she inspected the weapon.


    Khan stopped when he reached the limits of his concentration. He neared the knife covered by the sharp membrane to the waterfall and showed how a hole appeared among the water even before the weapon touched it.


    "[My training is going well]," Khan suddenly announced as the membrane broke and a white mark appeared on the blunt edge.


    Khan still couldn''t use the Divine Reaper in a battle, but he was getting there quickly. His progress almost scared him. Yet, he knew that his growth came from his efforts in the lessons about the manipulation of mana.


    His manipulation was immature and unstable, but it was improving quickly. The changes that Khan managed to apply weren''t intense either, but he wasn''t in a hurry. Achieving so much in less than two months without sacrificing the important aspects of his life was already an incredible achievement.


    Liiza understood that Khan didn''t bring her there to try to get past her restrictions about sex. He was trying to improve her mood, and that realization made her snuggle closer.


    Khan stored the knife and turned toward Liiza. The girl was staring at him with loving eyes. She appeared in a daze as she studied all the features she had memorized in the last period.


    "[I don''t care about the other girls either]," Khan whispered. "[I only want you]."


    "[Even if their chest is bigger]?" Liiza asked in a pleading tone.


    "[Even if their chest is bigger]," Khan confirmed while showing a loving smile.


    The two slowly drew close until they exchanged a long and affectionate kiss. The couple separated only to end up in a tight hug that made the two almost unable to breathe.


    "[How long do you have]?" Liiza eventually asked without moving her face from his neck.


    "[Less than one hour]," Khan revealed through a sigh. "[Let''s spend it like this]."


    "[I wish we could be like this forever]," Liiza whimpered in a cute voice.


    Khan chuckled, but a smile appeared on Liiza''s face when she felt him nodding. The two immersed themselves in the sensations that their hug generated and let themselves forget about the problems that surrounded them.


    "[What is it]?" Liiza asked when she sensed Khan had suddenly tensed up.


    "Liiza," Khan said without adding anything else, and Liiza understood that something was up since he had stopped using the Niqols'' accent.


    Liiza''s head left the embrace and noticed that Khan was staring at a point in the distance. His eyes were wide, so she quickly followed his gaze.


    Liiza didn''t immediately understand what was happening. The waterfall filled her vision with its flowing water, but a strange multicolored glow eventually attracted her attention. She had never seen that liquid generating that reaction. The sight was clearly odd, but she didn''t understand the reason behind Khan''s astonishment.


    Khan''s hand reached for the waterfall at that point. His fingers pierced the flowing water before he used his palm to create an opening in that thin structure.


    The rest of the marsh expanded past that opening. Liiza could see the sparse vegetation becoming thicker in the distance, the dense water covered in mud and small leaves, and the dark sky farther away. However, her expression froze when she noticed that an area appeared brighter than usual.


    Khan and Liiza took slow steps forward and crossed the waterfall to gain a broader view of the areas past the cliff, and their gazes slowly went upward after converging on the brighter spot. Their astonishment transformed into terror when they noticed that the usual dark sky had gained pale-azure shades as it spread a faint light in the environment.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Second chapter in 2-3 hours.

 Chapter 157: Ugly

    Liiza had never seen a similar scene. The sky had never turned azure. She instinctively thought about the mana due to the similarities of their shades, but she knew that the event meant something entirely different.


    At her side, Khan realized how strange it felt to see the sky change color. He had been among Nitis'' darkness for so long that he had almost forgotten how beautiful the dawn could be. However, no happiness could accompany that moment. The unexpected event only hinted at the arrival of a crisis.


    Khan wanted to question his girlfriend about the matter, but the surprise revealed by her expression stated that she didn''t expect the daylight to arrive so soon. The event didn''t even seem to affect the whole planet. The pale-azure shades darkened in the distance and brightened past the cliff. The marsh didn''t even appear to be the center of that clear patch either.


    A cold sensation filled Khan and Liiza''s robes, and an azure glow seeped out of their fabric. The two picked their cubes and saw that their symbols were radiating an intense light due to the Niqols trying to contact them.


    ''How far are you from the academy?'' Doku''s voice resounded inside Khan''s mind once he established the mental communication.


    ''Three hours,'' Khan replied honestly.


    ''How far are you from this location?'' Doku asked as a vague image appeared in his mind.


    Khan had turned off the cube''s tracker before flying to the marsh. The image sent by Doku depicted a map of the areas around the academy, but it didn''t show Khan''s current location. One of those regions had a striking glowing spot that marked the site meant by the Niqols.


    Khan would have had to activate the tracker if he didn''t manage to find himself on that map without the help of the cube. Yet, he had studied the area thoroughly in the last weeks, so calculating the distance from that bright spot wasn''t an issue. It ended up being in his direction, at only one hour from the marsh.


    ''A bit more than an hour,'' Khan gave another honest answer.


    Khan and Liiza had decided how to handle a similar situation when he received his cube. Similar answers to questions concerning their location when they were together would inevitably create suspicions, so they had to come up with a simple tactic that they could apply all the time.


    Liiza would always add one or two hours to her actual location, while Khan would be honest. Being available was more critical to Khan due to his political mission, so Liiza didn''t mind risking being late even when it came to important events. Still, Khan didn''t know how she would feel about the tactic in that situation.


    ''Go there right away,'' Doku ordered before his tone gained a worried tone. ''We need all the help we can get.''


    Doku cut off the communication at that point, and Khan checked the map once more to make sure that he had understood where he had to go. His gaze moved on Liiza as he put the cube back inside his robe, and she showed a worried expression as she stored her device too.


    "Khan," Liiza whispered in a trembling voice, "No one expected this to happen."


    "It''s definitely strange," Khan announced while pulling her closer.


    Khan didn''t know how the daylight on Nitis would work, but it felt odd for only a small patch of the sky to brighten. He didn''t know anything about astronomy and the connected subjects, but that event didn''t sound like the apocalyptic event that everyone was waiting for.


    "It''s not happening only here," Liiza explained as she pointed her palms on Khan''s chest to stop his hug and make their eyes meet. "The sky is getting clearer everywhere on the planet, but our calculations gave us at least two more months before the first light."


    "What do you mean?" Khan asked as he started to understand the nature of Liiza''s worry.


    "We aren''t ready!" Liiza shouted. "There is a village under this bright patch, and we aren''t ready!"


    Khan had felt worried about the light. He had immediately imagined the arrival of a long period spent hunting, but the situation had gained a completely different meaning now. The presence of a village under the bright patch hinted at Niqos with no control over their mana.


    "I need to go," Khan stated. "How long did you say it will take you to go there?"


    Liiza didn''t immediately answer. She picked her cube again and made it touch the waterfall. Confused images appeared on the flowing water, but Khan managed to recognize the same map that Doku had sent to him.


    "Where did they tell you to go?" Liiza asked.


    The nature of the waterfall made the edges of the picture unclear. It wasn''t the ideal surface for that function, but Liiza couldn''t use the cube with Khan because the network would record their conversation.


    "Around here," Khan said while pointing at the glowing spot highlighted by his map.


    "That''s the village," Liiza sighed as she raised her hand to grab the corners of Khan''s robe. "They sent me to the surrounding areas to take care of the monsters there."


    Khan would have taken longer to realize the entirety of the situation if he didn''t have Liiza''s conflicted expression in front of him. Yet, she struggled to speak, and she avoided looking at him in the eyes after learning about his target.


    The Niqols knew how strong Khan was. He had even defeated Ilman, even if anger was controlling the alien back then. Still, Khan remained the perfect candidate for the hunts, but they had decided to send him inside the village and Liiza in the wilds. It seemed that they preferred to make a human experience the effects of the sunlight on the members of their species.


    "I''ll be fine," Khan reassured her. "I''ve probably seen worse."


    "I really hope that," Liiza whispered while continuing to avoid Khan''s gaze.


    Liiza felt ashamed about that decision. Their superiors had sent a human to handle the mutated Niqols to save their students from that sight. She knew that she had nothing to do with that tactic, but that didn''t matter when her boyfriend would be the one to suffer due to that choice.


    The noise of Snow''s wings soon echoed in the area and made Khan turned toward his flying companion. The Aduns landed in a stable spot near him, but it made sure not to let its feathers touch the mud nearby.


    "Won''t you say goodbye?" Khan asked while revealing a faint smile.


    Liiza couldn''t help but turn when she heard the exact words that she had spoken in the past. She could read in Khan''s expression that he was doing his best not to make her worry, but his efforts became pointless when she thought about what he would see in the village.


    "Don''t hate us after today," Liiza pleaded before leaving a short kiss on his lips.


    "Don''t get hurt out there," Khan responded while caressing her cheek and wearing a frown until he saw her nodding.


    Khan smiled at that point and decided to kiss her again, but the two separated afterward. He had been honest about his distance from the village, so he had to leave now.


    Liiza followed Snow''s white figure as it shot through the sky and flew toward the brighter areas. Her expression darkened whenever she thought about what the village could hold. Even imagining those scenes seemed too much for her.


    Khan couldn''t meditate during that short hour. He had to adjust Snow''s direction according to the map in the cube, so resting was also out of the question.


    The region highlighted by the map eventually unfolded in his vision. It featured a vast lake filled with dark water, a forest expanding from one side, and a plain with some hills on the others. Yet, Khan couldn''t see any trace of a village from his position.


    It felt strange to inspect Nitis'' environment with that faint light illuminating the scene. It wasn''t exactly morning, but there wasn''t the usual almost complete darkness either.


    Khan made Snow hover above the area until he noticed a group of Niqols coming out of the edges of the forest. He didn''t hesitate to dive toward them, and an ugly feeling soon spread inside him when he became able to inspect those aliens properly.


    Snow set off again as soon as it dropped Khan on the ground. The latter hurried toward the six adult Niqols standing and sitting next to the trees. Their bloodied white robes became impossible to ignore at that point, but the aliens didn''t seem to have injuries on them.


    All the Niqols were wearing ugly or lost expressions. Some were even smoking an alien version of the human cigarettes. None of them seemed willing to talk with Khan, but a short woman among them eventually decided to approach him.


    "Go there," The woman ordered in a flawed human accent while pointing at a seemingly empty spot near the lake''s shores. "Kill everything that lives."


    "There?" Khan asked as his brows furrowed.


    "A barrier hides the area," The woman explained. "The academy built it for the humans. It didn''t protect from the light."


    Khan didn''t need to ask anything else. He bowed and proceeded toward the spot pointed by the woman. He only had to walk for two hundred meters before finding the barrier.


    The scenery in Khan''s eyes changed when he crossed the barrier. Many houses built from dark wood mixed with the iconic azure symbols of the Niqols expanded for almost a quarter of the shores. Some structures even occupied the shallow waters. The whole village could probably contain a bit more than five hundred aliens.


    A few troops who wore blank expressions sat in a circle at the edges of the village. Blood covered their robes too, but they didn''t have a single injury on their bodies. Some still clung on their weapons, while others drank from metal flasks that released a strong scent that reminded Khan of the pink booze.


    The Niqols almost didn''t notice Khan''s arrival. They turned only when his steps became impossible to ignore, and their expression became even uglier when they realized how young he was. Some even covered their eyes in shame as a few tears ran down their faces.


    "Are you alone?" One of the older Niqols among the group asked, and Khan limited himself to nod.


    The male alien sighed before glancing at the flask in his hands and shaking his head. The Niqols went through some of the backpacks amassed among the circle and took out an identical bottle before handing it toward Khan.


    Khan tried to refuse the offer, but the Niqols only needed to say a few words to make him accept it. "You will need it."


    The mission was clear, even if no one had the strength to go over its details. Khan had to clear the village from the mutated creatures inside it, which would probably be Niqols. The effort had brought the aliens to their mental limits, so someone else had to take care of the matter, and letting a human handle it sounded proper.


    Khan gulped as he approached the village. He partially knew what to expect, but he decided not to think about it.


    The short houses at the edges of the village''s main street were open, and Khan couldn''t sense anything with his sensitivity to mana. He tried to inspect some of them, but they were empty. None of them featured creatures that could remain hidden in front of his senses.


    Awful scenes unfolded in his vision as he went deeper into the village. Patches of blood and corpses belonging to Niqols of different ages filled the streets that divided the various houses. Most of those aliens appeared young, younger than any student in the academy, but pieces of their bodies carried strange features.


    Some corpses had scales, and others had spikes that created a gruesome spectacle. A few had even started to grow additional limbs or organs in strange places. The scene was horrific, and Khan couldn''t help but feel lucky that those aliens were already dead.


    The scenes didn''t improve as Khan went deeper into the village. They actually became sadder. A few older Niqols had hung themselves, others had died next to bottles that radiated an awful smell, and a few had directly killed themselves with blades or other weapons.


    Khan couldn''t even imagine the chaos that had spread when the sunlight arrived. None of those Niqols expected the event, and everything had fallen into madness. It even appeared crazier than the Second Impact.


    Something faint eventually appeared in Khan''s senses. He turned toward the source of the presence and noticed a house with a dead couple hanging from a rope. That scene didn''t hint at anything good, but Khan decided to cross its entrance anyway.


    Khan walked slowly as he approached the presence in his range. He was ready to fight, but the appearance of a wooden crib when he entered a room made him freeze. He felt unable to move forward, but a strange wail soon reached his ears.


    The wail wasn''t human. It didn''t seem to belong to a Niqols either. It had something monstrous inside him, which made Khan hope in the power of the mutations. He didn''t desire much. He only wanted the appearance of the creature inside the crib to be as far from Niqols as possible.


    Khan took hesitant steps forward, and the insides of the crib soon unfolded in his eyes. The scene was quite gruesome. The mutation had made a mess of that thing, but it was still alive. Its structure simply prevented it from moving. To make it worse, the creature still had some features that reminded him about the Niqols. Its glowing white eyes focused on him and showed how azure shades had appeared inside them.


    The wails slowly transformed into hungry growls, and Khan instinctively looked at the flask inside his robe before heaving a deep sigh. Booze wouldn''t help him now. His legs wouldn''t move no matter how drunk he was.


    A familiar cold sensation spread inside his mind as the mental barrier fended his emotions away. The technique had improved after all his training. Khan felt empty and devoid of feelings. His mind could only think about the mission, and his legs finally moved.

 Chapter 158: Kick

    The village on the lake''s shores wasn''t far away from [The Pure Trees], but it wasn''t close either. The Niqols had tasked the recruits to travel there and take care of the mutated creatures, but the latter would need at least two and a half hours of flight to reach their destination. Khan would remain alone for more than one hour, and that time was enough to inspect most of the small houses in the area.


    Kelly and the others didn''t lie to themselves when the order from the Niqols arrived. They had received many details about the situation since the aliens could use the menus inside their habitation to convey them. They set off knowing that their job was to take care of the mutated creatures that the Niqols couldn''t muster the courage to attack, but they didn''t object nor complain.


    The recruits didn''t need maps or cubes. Their Aduns received the details about their destination from the Niqols'' eagles, so they could depart right away.


    The lake''s shores had become more populated in the time that they took to arrive. The radiation had affected only the younger Niqols living in the village, and they didn''t create powerful monsters, so most of the older aliens could handle the threat. Casualties had happened only when the Niqols found themselves unable to raise their weapons against the mutated creatures. The rate of suicides had also been relatively high due to the overwhelming emotions experienced during the event. Still, a fair share of members of the older generations had survived nonetheless.


    Most of those Niqols had been in the forest when Khan arrived, but they had started to gather on the lake''s shores afterward. The seven recruits could basically see all the survivors of the crisis once their Aduns landed on those muddy areas. That sight made the faint determination that they had managed to muster during the flight crumble.


    The Niqols put their younger generations face to face with death quite early. Students who were fifteen or sixteen years old would already join hunts that could lead to casualties. It was a normal part of their culture which inevitably led to more experienced soldiers.


    However, the older Niqols camping next to the lake were far from fine. The recruits saw how even aliens who radiated the aura of experienced soldiers were in tears. Some didn''t manage to raise their heads at all when the humans arrived. Blank gazes, sobs, and the intense smell of booze filled the area. The scene depicted pure desperation, and that feeling overwhelmed Kelly''s group.


    At that moment, the humans realized how lucky they were to have George among them. The boy had never behaved as the most reliable recruits on Nitis. His scene in the human camp and his dedication to the parties had given him the fame of an immature, careless, and uncaring soldier. However, his companions understood how all of that was fake when they saw him stepping forward while they remained frozen on their spot.


    "Doku said that Khan is already inside," George announced after turning to show a cold expression to his companions. "We can''t waste time here."


    George''s usual cheerfulness and relaxed attitude had disappeared once his mind switched to its war mode. The boy went back to Istrone, and his companions noticed that. Failing to see the sudden change in his behavior was impossible.


    Many professors said that experience mattered more than training on the battlefield, and those recruits couldn''t help but agree with those words at that scene. George was the only one among them who had seen the ugly side of war. He moved without shaking and walked toward what could become the worst experience of his entire life without hesitating.


    Veronica had seen that side of George''s character only during his drunk outburst, but the feelings that he radiated at that moment were completely different. He appeared in total control of his actions and thoughts. George seemed born for those situations.


    George''s steadiness made the recruits rely on him. They didn''t exchange words as they instinctively followed the boy moving among the groups of Niqols sitting on the muddy ground.


    The recruits'' young age made the Niqols'' mood worsen. Many failed to notice them due to their poor mental state, but those who could ended up feeling profound shame. It didn''t matter if they belonged to a different species. No one should be cruel enough to make kids handle those matters.


    Still, the Niqols couldn''t raise their weapons or palms against mutated creatures who had once been their children, grandchildren, and nephews. Most of those who had managed to muster enough courage to kill them had ended up overwhelmed by emotions that led to their suicide. The order to let the humans handle them came from their higher-ups, and many aliens accepted that as a necessary action to ensure their survival. Their intense feelings were a curse in that situation, and they didn''t want to activate it.


    The recruits received the same treatment as Khan. The soldiers patrolling the village past the membrane handed them flasks with strong booze before resuming their sad gathering. The action increased the humans'' worry, but George didn''t hesitate to move forward.


    Veronica and the others promptly followed George, and their grips on the flask tightened when they saw that he took a sip of the strong booze before storing it and drawing his short sword. The recruits hesitated when they looked at their bottles, but they decided not to follow his example.


    The village appeared empty. Its peripheral areas didn''t have any corpses, and only the creaking noise of the wooden tiles moved by the light wind resounded in the environment. The scene carried a faint chilling feeling, but that wasn''t enough to scare away the recruits.


    The problems began when the first corpses started to appear. The recruits gained a general idea of how severe the crisis had been when they saw the signs of suicides around them. The dead mutated Niqols on the ground also confirmed their worries, but everything was still fine for now.


    The scene was sad and nauseating, but it wasn''t impossible to bear. Those recruits weren''t even strangers to the sight of blood and insides due to the past hunts, so they could move forward without lingering on those images. The only real problem was the stench that filled the area, but the group couldn''t do much about it.


    The only positive aspect of that situation was the apparent absence of living beings. None of the recruits'' sensitivity to mana was on par with Khan, but they could still rely on it to confirm that everything around them was dead.


    A peculiar scene unfolded in their vision when they reached a large square in the village. Many suicides had happened there. Hanged corpses and dead bodies that featured self-inflicted wounds filled the houses and streets in the area, but the recruits'' focus quickly went on a familiar figure sitting on the short wooden staircase that led inside one of the houses.


    Khan appeared relatively fine, at least on the outside. Red spots had tainted his white robe, with most of them filling the lower part of his clothes. The recruits noticed how he wasn''t wearing shoes. His trousers even left most of his legs uncovered since they had lost a huge chunk of their fabric.


    Khan noticed the arrival of the recruits, but he didn''t turn. His eyes were blank as he stared at the two hanged corpses on the opposite side of the house. The image was ugly beyond reason, but he found some comfort by looking at it.


    The flask containing the strong booze was in his grasp, but he had barely touched it. Khan had taken a sip after sitting on those steps, but he didn''t find any reason to keep drinking. Clouding his senses wasn''t a solution. Still, he didn''t store it either, so it remained among his hands laid on his knees.


    The missing shoes and torn trousers were his fault. He didn''t want to keep the most tainted parts of his clothes on him, so he had thrown them away before reaching his current spot.


    Khan had taken care of every presence inside the village. Most Niqols had died naturally due to the mutations, so he didn''t find many living beings during his inspection. Yet, the issue wasn''t with the number of kills.


    ''Was it mercy?'' Khan wondered as he stared at the inflated dead faces a few meters from his position.


    It took an intense love to generate pain capable of leading to such a final act. Khan didn''t kill the creature inside that house. Those two Niqols had probably taken care of it, but it was clear that the effort had required a price too great for them to bear.


    Khan had found similar scenes during his inspection. The mental barrier had removed every trace of hesitation from his actions and had prevented him from stopping to really think about what he was seeing. Yet, his emotions had returned now, and he couldn''t help but feel profound respect for that couple and all the Niqols who had ended up killing themselves due to their pain.


    Accepting the nature of his actions had turned out to be easier at that time. Khan felt empty, devoid of every emotion. He even felt the urge to cry. However, those feelings weren''t as bad as during his first kill.


    Khan didn''t know if his current relatively okay state was only temporary. He couldn''t even be sure about the reasons behind his different reactions. That apparent acceptance might come from his increasing experience as a murderer or the development of his character. It could even be the result of his rationalization. It had always been too late for those mutated Niqols anyway.


    The situation would have been different if the crisis had happened near one of Earth''s cities. The humans'' knowledge of mutations and their technology would have probably been able to save some lives, but that wasn''t certain either.


    Instead, on Nitis, developing mutations was akin to dying. The cynical part of Khan''s mind could view his victims as nothing more than monsters and disregard their origin. Of course, the same didn''t happen for his emotional side, but having such evoking displays of the Niqols'' intense affection all around the village helped him accept his actions.


    Khan had saved lives that day. He had prevented Niqols from having to deal with the matter themselves. Some of those aliens would have probably fallen apart if they had to kill such young members of their species.


    Liiza''s words resounded in his mind as he kept staring at the dead couple. She had asked Khan not to hate the Niqols, but his feelings couldn''t even come close to that emotion. He despised that he had to go through such tragic scenes, but he couldn''t blame the Niqols after seeing how hard it was for them.


    Khan only felt emptiness, doubts, and a lingering sadness that made him unable to move, but that was nothing compared to what the Niqols had experienced. That sorrow was better inside his mind. He could endure it and spare useless suffering to the species that was giving him so much. He felt almost glad to pay that price in their place.


    The recruits remained in a daze for a few minutes, but George eventually decided to step forward, and his companions followed him. The group reached Khan and gathered around the short staircase. Brandon risked hiding the hanged corpses due to his size, but Veronica made sure to stop him before he could reach that position.


    "The mission is over," Khan revealed while straightening his position. "You can leave."


    Khan didn''t look at his companions for even a second, and they opened a path when he descended the steps to return to the square. His eyes appeared lost on the scene, and they never reflected the recruits'' faces as he moved through the environment.


    "Will you join the hunts?" George asked while turning toward Khan''s departing figure.


    "No," Khan revealed without turning. "See you at tonight''s party."


    Kelly frowned. She didn''t want to disrespect Khan''s efforts, but he was leaving them on their own. He was the only one who had a communicator, so it was his responsibility to remain close. Moreover, it was still morning. The missions were far from over.


    Kelly stepped forward and opened her mouth to speak, but a shadow appeared in front of her before she could say anything. The recent breakthrough in her martial art''s proficiency level couldn''t help her during that unexpected event. An unstoppable force suddenly landed at the center of her chest and made her fly away.


    The girl flew past the recruits and slammed on the house''s wooden walls, piercing them due to the immense momentum that the attack had generated. She stopped only after her back hit on a second wall, and pure anger appeared on her face when she fell on the floor.


    Kelly couldn''t fail to recognize her assailant. Khan had actually decided to attack her. His actions could lead to countless troublesome issues due to the army''s regulations, and she couldn''t wait to report the event after jumping after him to have a fair fight.


    Yet, something was clearly off. Kelly didn''t feel any pain coming from her chest. She had seen how destructive Khan''s kick could be, so her lack of injuries left her confused. It was as if Khan had chosen to push her inside the house on purpose.


    Kelly stood up as doubts mixed with her thoughts, but her mind went blank when she saw a small bed appearing in the corner of her vision. She turned, and retches tried to rise through her throat as she studied what the Niqols'' couple had killed.


    Every desire Kelly had to fight Khan vanished. She didn''t even dare to imagine what he had to kill while they were still flying on their Aduns, but she felt glad that he had taken care of that on his own. Gratefulness even replaced the intense annoyance that she felt toward him.


    As for Khan, he resumed his march toward the village''s exit. He didn''t care about what anybody said. His mission was over, and no Niqols would dare to say something after what he had done there. His recent attack didn''t even worry him. Kicking Kelly had been incredibly easy after everything he had seen that morning.


    ****


    Author''s notes:2-3 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 159: Similarities

    The Niqols camping outside the village turned toward Khan when he walked among them to reach an isolated spot on the shores. None of them tried to talk to him. None dared to question him about the situation in the settlement either. Noticing the spots of blood on his robes already explained enough.


    Khan flew back to the marsh after turning off his tracker. Liiza would probably be busy all day, but he didn''t mind that too much. He felt the need to remain alone for a while to sort his feelings out.


    The bright patch in the sky started to darken when Snow was about to reach the marsh. That sight highlighted the strangeness of the event. It became evident that the proper dawn had yet to arrive, but Khan wasn''t in the right mood to think about that.


    The Global Army had probably already found an explanation, but Khan didn''t care. He needed some time alone, outside from the chaos that the world continued to throw at him. Everything else could return after he dealt with his heavy mind.


    Snow left Khan alone after it dropped him near the cave. He only needed to walk for a few minutes to see the familiar blankets and pillows left in the warm nest that the couple had created.


    Khan reached the end of the cave and wrapped himself in the blankets before laying his head on a pillow. That cover felt too hot without Liiza cooling him down, but he didn''t remove the fabric. Everything there carried his girlfriend''s scent, and he wanted to enjoy it before the marsh swept it away.


    Two conflicting views of his actions fought inside his mind and mixed at times. Khan''s thoughts moved from the disgusting nature of the mission to the massive pain that the Niqols wouldn''t face thanks to his actions. His cynical and emotional side held a grand battle that couldn''t generate winners.


    Both sides were true and wrong at the same time. The nature of his actions was undeniable, but they were also mandatory. Someone had to do it, and the humans suited the task better. Making differences between young and old soldiers was meaningless at that point. Experience couldn''t do much when it came to the emotional burden connected to that task.


    Someone had to take that pain. Khan had only been unlucky enough to be close to the actual village at that time. The other companions would have taken part in the executions otherwise.


    Khan knew that disregarding the negative aspects of the event and consider it as necessary action would be easy. Viewing the mutated Niqols as simple monsters would be harder, but he could probably do that too.


    However, forcing the event to lose value in his mind would also make him forget what he had experienced while sitting on the steps. The deep respect felt for the Niqols was something that Khan wanted to hold close. He almost envied the intense emotions that the aliens could experience, and the images in his memories could work as a constant reminder of his desire to learn from them.


    The nature of the whole matter would change as soon as Khan used another perspective. He could choose how to feel quite freely due to the peculiarity of the event. He had the chance to forget and ignore, but that didn''t fit Lieutenant Dyester''s teachings. Zalpa''s words about the Niqols'' feelings also resounded inside his mind. The aliens wouldn''t run away from their emotions, so he shouldn''t either.


    The admiration for the Niqols wasn''t enough to make Khan make that decision. He wanted to experience those feelings because he knew that the world had far better to offer. The happiness that Liiza could generate inside him made that sorrow worth it.


    Khan would risk losing his ability to accept the beauty of the world if he rejected its ugly sides. Happiness had such an appealing value because he knew pain and suffering. He had the faint desire to shut everything and turn into a mindless robot that only strived to understand the reason behind his nightmares. Still, Khan couldn''t follow through when the scent carried by the blankets and pillows managed to make him feel at peace.


    The tiredness accumulated in the past days eventually filled his mind, but he struggled to fall asleep since gruesome images appeared in his vision whenever he closed his eyes. It took Khan a while to accept that he couldn''t get rid of them. They were another memory that would forever be part of himself.


    The acceptance slowly allowed Khan to rest. The nightmare returned and gave him the chance to compare what he had experienced that morning with the Second Impact. He couldn''t decide which was worse, but he didn''t want to think about those events in that sense.


    The world felt so ugly when Khan inspected it through his nightmare or his most tragic memories, but most people ignored those parts. Many would even be lucky enough to avoid those tragedies throughout their lives.


    The sound of faint steps alerted Khan''s senses while he was still in the middle of his nightmare. He woke up only to see Liiza standing at the cave''s entrance. Dirt and blood covered her torn robe and hair. She had clearly gone through harsh battles, but she disregarded her condition when Khan appeared in her vision.


    Liiza gulped as she hurried toward Khan. She managed to crouch toward him before he could sit, and her hands pressed on his side to make sure that he continued to lie down.


    "How are you?" Liiza asked in a trembling voice.


    The couple had spent many nights together. Khan believed to know almost every expression that Liiza could wear, but her current deep and unmistakable worry left him speechless. That was different from her annoyance or concern toward his sleeping schedule. She was anxious beyond reason, and he was the reason behind that feeling.


    "I''m fine," Khan revealed while diverting his gaze. "They weren''t strong."


    A sob reached Khan''s ears and made him glance at Liiza again, but she took his head into his arms before he could look at her face. Her hands were shaking, but she did her best to caress his hair to show her emotional support.


    ''Am I already too used to this?'' Khan wondered while he experienced Liiza''s reactions.


    Khan didn''t even need to question Liiza to understand that she knew about his actions. She was feeling deeply concerned about him, but his apparent indifference made her suffering intensify. She could barely accept that the Niqols had made him go through even more traumatic events.


    "Doku and Azni were worried about you since you disappeared so quickly," Liiza explained as she sniffed to clear her nose. "Are you really okay?"


    "I think I am," Khan confirmed. "It was necessary, right? Someone had to do it."


    A strong tremor ran through Liiza before she took a deep breath and mustered her determination. She pulled Khan away from her chest and tilted his head so that their eyes could meet. Khan saw two wet lines on her cheeks that reflected her natural white glow, but he also noticed her resolve.


    "Tell me what happened then," Liiza ordered.


    "You don''t need to do this," Khan said while showing a faint smile and trying to reach her arm.


    Liiza pushed his arm away with her elbow while making sure to keep his head still. Khan understood that she wouldn''t let go of the matter until she made sure that he was fine. However, he didn''t want to describe the gruesome events that happened in the morning.


    "Didn''t you hear a repor-?" Khan tried to ask, but Liiza promptly covered his mouth.


    "I heard it," Liiza explained, "But I want you to say it. You''d try to face it on your own otherwise."


    Liiza slowly freed Khan''s mouth and allowed him to reply. "I did face it. It''s fine. The world is bad, but I have you. Isn''t that enough?"


    "Did you understand who you killed?" Liiza asked, and Khan felt unable to reply properly.


    Khan diverted his gaze and reviewed his past thoughts. He had accepted what he had done, but something felt off. He had missed something that made him gulp.


    Khan had grown so used to the nightmares that sleeping wasn''t too much of a problem even if gruesome scenes appeared in his vision whenever he closed his eyes. He had initially thought that his mind needed some time as it did after Istrone. Yet, something else became evident now, and Liiza didn''t hesitate to make one of her hands slide through his body until it reached his chest. It stopped right on his azure scar to explain what she meant with her words.


    The young Niqols in the village were the victims of mutations caused by a force that they couldn''t stop. Khan didn''t think about his similarities with those creatures until now. They were an unlucky version of his condition.


    "I killed me," Khan whispered. "I killed me many times."


    "You have been lucky enough to stabilize your mutations," Liiza added while caressing his cheek. "They have been lucky enough to have you."


    "Is that even luck?" Khan asked as his tone grew angrier. "How is it that everyone keeps worshipping mana when all of this happens?"


    Liiza remained silent as she took Khan''s head back into her arms. She had managed to make him vent. She only had to endure until the outburst was over now.


    "Why can''t I even get a break?" Khan shouted angrily. "I was fine yesterday night, but the world just won''t stop. It''s one mess after another, and I always happen to be right in the middle of it. It''s the same with you. Why can''t I even enjoy the only good thing in my life openly?"


    Khan knew that his words were useless. Their only purpose was to rant about all the injustices that he had suffered. He could barely believe how he had gone from the Second Impact to killing mutated kids in less than twelve years.


    Truth be told, Khan started to feel slightly angry about Liiza too. He had managed to accept his actions before realizing his similarities with the mutated Niqols.


    Khan retracted his head and escaped Liiza''s embrace. His angry eyes went on her face, but his raging feelings vanished when he saw her furrowed brows, sealed mouth, and closed eyes. She was doing her best not to make any sound while Khan vented. Tears had also started to flow again, but she didn''t interrupt him at all.


    "Liiza," Khan said in a worried tone while he tried to sit, but she pushed him down again.


    "No!" Liiza cried. "Let me do this. I don''t want you to grow used to dealing with all of that on your own."


    Liiza was suffering on multiple levels. Her species had experienced great losses that day, which mainly affected the younger generations. The whole world was mourning, and she wasn''t a stranger to that sorrow.


    Her boyfriend had performed one of the morally harder tasks during the crisis, but he was too used to tragedies to share his feelings. Liiza felt useless, so she preferred to endure Khan''s anger than leave him on his own. That pain didn''t scare her as long as she managed to lift part of his burden.


    Khan felt his love bursting, but the gruesome images became more vivid as that feeling intensified. It seemed that a tight connection linked his happiness to his pain. His mind wouldn''t let him have one without the other, but he didn''t hesitate to abandon himself to those unreasonable emotions.


    Khan reached for Liiza''s hand, and the girl voiced a surprised gasp when she felt his warm touch. He felt warmer than usual, almost scorching even. She opened her teary eyes to check him before noticing that he had also started to cry.


    "Can''t we just sleep?" Khan asked while doing his best to avoid the breaking of his voice.


    Liiza didn''t hesitate to nod. She snuck under the blanket and dived on his chest while he wrapped his arms around her. Khan heard a few sobs, but he could only hug her closer as he lost himself in her hair.


    Tears still fell from his eyes, but he felt unable to stop them. It seemed that everything that Khan had experienced until now came back stronger than ever. The closer he felt to Liiza, the more intense his negative feelings would be.


    His life truly appeared as a mess when he reviewed it with his intense feelings. Khan didn''t even know how broken someone had to be to survive through everything he had experienced. That didn''t say much about his mental state, but he didn''t care. He had seen enough to forsake the world as long as he could keep what made him happy.


    "I think I might kill to protect what we have," Khan revealed.


    Liiza''s sobs stopped when she heard those words. Humans would probably run away in front of those signs of psychosis, but everything was different for the Niqols.


    "Khan," Liiza whispered while her face remained on his chest. "[I love you]."


    "I love you too," Khan sighed as his embrace tightened.


    The two remained in that position after they voiced the words that they had promised not to say. It didn''t take much for both of them to fall asleep at that point, and tears stopped flowing before drying up completely. Their mental stress had been heavy to endure, but they were dealing with it through their feelings. They had no other method to handle their situations.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I really wanted to reach the next scene, but well. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

 Chapter 160: Warmth

    Cold sensations followed by an azure glow forced the couple to wake up. Khan and Liiza didn''t dare to separate as they reached inside their robes and picked their respective cubes to answer the incoming communications.


    ''Are you okay?'' Doku''s worried voice resounded in Khan''s sleepy mind after he picked the cube.


    ''I''m good,'' Khan replied. ''How is the situation on Nitis?''


    ''The previous crisis had triggered many mutations already,'' Doku explained. ''Fewer animals had transformed into monsters this time. The hunts have been easy.''


    Doku didn''t mention the casualties suffered by his species, and Khan didn''t question him about the matter either. Both of them had silently agreed not to say anything about that terrible aspect of the crisis.


    ''Azni is worried about you,'' Doku added after a few silent seconds.


    ''I''m not secretly dating your girl,'' Khan groaned.


    ''Don''t play dumb,'' Doku scoffed before his thoughts gained a sad tone. ''I believe we are past that.''


    ''I''m fine,'' Khan repeated while caressing the girl dealing with a different mental conversation in his arms. ''I have the best medicine in the world.''


    ''You are lucky I respect your secrets,'' Doku chuckled.


    ''I''m lucky to have a good friend,'' Khan corrected him, and Doku fell silent at that sudden burst of honesty.


    ''When is the party?'' Khan asked while smiling when Liiza rolled her eyes and hid in his chest without interrupting her mental conversation.


    The Niqols had already hosted a party last night, but Khan understood their customs well enough to know that they would repeat the event. The sadness caused by the crisis made that almost mandatory.


    ''Less than one hour,'' Doku explained. ''I''ll allow you to be late today, but make sure to come. Everyone wants to see you.''


    ''I''ll be there,'' Khan promised before cutting the communication and storing his cube.


    Liiza was still busy with her mental conversation, and her expressions revealed how pissed she was about it. Khan didn''t waste that chance to tease her through soft kisses that started on her head and slowly descended to reach her shoulder''s bare skin.


    Liiza glared at Khan and pulled his hair, but her attempts to stop him from disturbing her conversation were pointless. Khan dug his face under her torn robe and continued to kiss her bare skin without avoiding the sensitive spots he had found during their time together.


    The grip on his hair transformed from a pull to sensual caresses as Khan opened Liiza''s robe and kissed her waist. She spread her legs to make him more comfortable, and her foot instinctively started to rub his thigh.


    Khan skipped the pants on purpose and crouched to free her legs from the dirty and torn trousers that covered them. Liiza glared at him again, but he couldn''t look at her eyes when the captivating dark-blue skin of her thighs appeared in his vision.


    Liiza''s expressions began to change during Khan''s teasing. She was showing an annoyed face before, but his actions made her bite her lower lip and take deep breaths. Her eyes closed as the corners of her mouth curved upward and a blush filled her cheeks.


    The situation escalated until Liiza moaned. She and Khan exchanged a worried glance at that point, and they silently agreed to stop for a few seconds. Liiza did her best to cut that mental conversation short, and Khan inspected her without relaxing his grip on her thighs.


    "That was close!" Liiza scolded after storing her cube. "My mother almost heard me!"


    Khan completely ignored that comment and started to kiss her thighs again. Liiza wanted to say something, but another moan came out of her mouth when warmth spread from one of her sensitive spots. Her back arched, and she bent her head backward when she felt his soft bites teasing her.


    "Stop," Liiza weakly moaned. "I''m still dirty from the hunt."


    "Let''s hit the waterfall then," Khan whispered without stopping his teasing. "I''ve slept enough for the whole week today."


    "What about Doku?" Liiza complained while breathing deeply and clenching her fingers on the blanket. "My mother wants me to attend the party tonight."


    "Let''s not care about that tonight," Khan replied. "Also, the longer you keep me here, the less I''ll have to spend with the other girls."


    Liiza''s eyes widened as she remembered the attention that Khan had received in the last period. She could already imagine how everything would be worse that night due to what had happened. Khan saw her leaving his grasp and standing up in an instant. A laugh inevitably escaped from his mouth when she pulled his robe and started dragging him toward the waterfalls.


    .


    .


    .


    Khan ended up reaching the party incredibly late. It was already past three am when Snow dropped him on the mountain near the empty spot mentioned by Doku.


    The Niqols were drunker than usual, which meant almost completely wasted at that hour. Khan waved at the various couples hidden in isolated spots that he had to cross to reach the cauldrons, and those aliens waved back before going back to their intimacy. Other Niqols had collapsed fainted, and a few were even puking since their stomachs were at their limits.


    The poor condition of the Niqols didn''t prevent them from shouting Khan''s name when they saw him crossing the trees and arrive in the empty spot that held the party. The aliens completely disregarded his torn wet clothes and jumped on him to envelop him in drunk hugs.


    Khan didn''t have the time to change, so he had let the waterfalls remove the blood that had stained his torn robe. The long flight on Snow''s back had managed to dry his hair while giving it a messy shape, but it couldn''t do much for his clothes, especially with Nitis'' generally low temperatures. Wet patches remained on his back and arms, but none of those aliens seemed to care.


    "Let me get a drink first!" Khan complained before laughing together with the Niqols that had gathered around him.


    Everyone appeared happy, but Khan could see a few grateful faces among those who still retained some awareness of the situation. Khan limited himself to nod at them, and those Niqols couldn''t hold back from replying with affectionate and tight hugs.


    The Niqols in the village near the lake had given an accurate report. They didn''t even fail to understand that Khan had taken care of the matter on his own since the other recruits left the settlement after completing a simple inspection.


    The students were aware of what Khan had done, and they all felt grateful toward him. Their intense emotions and drunken state made them express their feelings with even more affection, which was the reason behind the gathering around him.


    Khan felt overwhelmed by that behavior. He expected something similar to happen, but he didn''t predict that the aliens could affect him so deeply. His recent interaction with Liiza had made his mind dive deeper into the Niqols'' way of experiencing emotions. The warmth that those affectionate gestures generated filled him and washed away the heaviness that his lingering sadness spread.


    ''That''s why they throw so many parties,'' Khan thought as honest laughs escaped his mouth every time someone around him cracked a joke or was too drunk to complete a line.


    Khan almost couldn''t believe how a species as cold as the Niqols could generate so much warmth. He had experienced that with Liiza, but he thought that his feelings were to blame for those reactions. However, the party proved him wrong. Most of the aliens around him were simple acquaintances, but they managed to make him feel better anyway. A simple hug, a joke, or a pat on his shoulders were enough to improve his mood.


    It took Khan a while to walk past that crowd of Niqols and grab one of the wooden cups lying around the cauldrons to get a drink. Doku and Azni appeared in his vision at that point. They were sitting on a fallen trunk that acted as a bench, and they showed peeved expressions as they stared at him.


    "[What''s up with you two]?" Khan laughed while nearing the couple.


    "[Khan has started to ignore us after becoming popular]," Doku commented while turning his head dramatically.


    "[Fame has gotten to his head]," Azni snorted before fixing her cold gaze on him.


    The two held their position for a while before laughs broke out of their mouths. Khan smirked as the two Niqols stood up, and he spread his arms to welcome them in his embrace.


    "You bathed in the wilds again," Doku stated after sniffing his hair.


    "Aren''t you drunk?" Khan frowned.


    "We waited for you," Azni pouted. "You took a while."


    Azni and Khan exchanged a meaningful glance, but Doku promptly cleared his throat. "Can you not be so obvious? It''s not easy to hold my curiosity back."


    "You are the best precisely because you hold back anyway," Azni announced while wrapping her arms around Doku''s torso. "Can we drink now?"


    "Definitely!" Doku shouted before moving toward the cauldrons and making sure that Azni didn''t leave his side.


    "Isn''t it too late?" Khan asked while walking with the couple.


    "No lessons tomorrow," Doku explained as his voice turned serious. "The elders have ordered a full stop of all activities on Nitis to give everyone time to mourn."


    Khan didn''t say anything. That decision was understandable, and his eyes fell on his cup as his thoughts reviewed the planet had experienced that morning.


    "The professors actually have orders for you and the other humans," Doku continued after turning to raise his cup and stare straight into Khan''s eyes. "They want you to fly back to your camp and check what the army has understood about his event."


    "Is something the matter?" Khan frowned while performing the Niqols'' traditional toast and repeating the action with Azni.


    "Our higher-ups think that something is up," Doku explained while showing a complicated expression. "The humans didn''t send many reinforcements this morning. It took a while to make your captain leave the camp even."


    Khan''s eyes widened before he lowered his gaze again. Many thoughts ran through his mind as he considered everything that could have happened in the human camp. He didn''t have the chance to contact the Global Army during the almost four weeks spent in the academy due to the poor signal of its network. Khan had even immersed himself in the Niqols'' lifestyle so deeply that he had almost forgotten about his origins.


    "What are you asking me to do?" Khan whispered as his voice became grave.


    A lack of cooperation on the human side wasn''t exactly against the Padlyn''s deal, but it would definitely worsen the relationship between the two species. It could even bring it back by a few decades since the crisis had affected the Niqols deeply.


    Khan couldn''t act freely in that situation. He liked the Niqols. He probably appreciated them more than the humans, but his position didn''t change. Those matters were heavily political and forced him to respect the chain of command.


    "Khan, I''m not asking you to do anything," Doku explained in an honest tone. "The professors have ordered me to tell you this. Simple as that. I wish we didn''t have to deal with politics either."


    "They had to arrive, eventually," Khan sighed while looking around the empty area around the cauldrons. "Did the others go away already?"


    Both Doku and Azni laughed at that question, but the girl quickly took care of explaining what had happened to the recruits. "George is somewhere with Havaa. I saw them leaving a few hours ago."


    "How good are you at this?" Khan asked. "Do you keep track of all of us?"


    "She had created seven different scenarios depending on your time of arrival," Doku responded. "The second wasn''t bad at all. You would have had Kheda, Zezag, Asyat, and Zeliha fighting to drag you among the trees."


    ''I would have also been dead,'' Khan thought as Azni elbowed Doku''s side before glaring at him.


    "The others are in a funny state," Azni continued after scolding Doku with her eyes. "Do you want to see them?"


    Khan nodded, and the couple led Khan among the trees until he managed to see six figures sitting on the ground.


    Kelly and the other recruits weren''t awake, and the flasks obtained from the Niqols patrolling the village were next to them or in their grasps. Cups also lay around them. It seemed that they had fallen asleep after drinking too much.


    Khan didn''t fail to notice the faint reflection that the Niqols'' eyes caused on some of the recruits'' cheeks. Veronica and Gabriela had cried before falling asleep, and their tears didn''t have enough time to dry up. It seemed that it wasn''t too long since they lost their senses.


    "They had the good drinks," Doku sighed while shaking his head in envy.


    Khan felt surprised. He didn''t expect that even his most diligent companions would allow themselves to take a break that night. It seemed that the scenes witnessed in the village had affected them deeply, and he couldn''t blame them for that.


    "I''ll go to the human camp on my own in the morning," Khan said while browsing through his robe and taking out his almost full flask. "Let them rest."


    Doku seized the flask as soon as Khan handed it to him. A broad smile appeared on his face as he patted Khan''s shoulder. He didn''t hesitate to take a sip of that strong booze before voicing a satisfied cry.


    "You should rest too," Azni advised while taking the flask and mixing some of that stronger booze with her pink drink. "You don''t have to go right away. Everyone would understand if you took some time for yourself."


    "It''s fine," Khan replied as Azni handed the flask back to him. "Also, it''s better to understand if something like this can happen again. Maybe our species can even stop pretending that the daylight isn''t coming."


    Doku and Azni didn''t add anything. In theory, the matter about the sunlight was still a secret, even if the last crisis had made it obvious. The topic had never been completely classified. Khan had even learnt about it from careless Niqols seen after the formal event. The higher-ups of the alien species had tried to hide it after the first outburst of monsters, but everything appeared pointless now.


    The awkward silence that had fallen among the three didn''t last long since a familiar figure appeared among the trees nearby. Liiza had landed on the mountain only a few minutes ago. She showed her clean and intact robe as she walked toward the cauldrons and filled one of her cups before returning at the edges of the forest.


    Everyone noticed that there was something off with Liiza. Her cheeks were slightly pale. She was still blushing even if hours had passed since the shower with Khan. The flight on her Aduns didn''t calm her down either.


    "Who would have thought!" Doku exclaimed.


    "Why is she like that?" Khan asked while pretending not to care about the issue.


    "Love, Khan," Doku explained. "Liiza is in love, and she is also fulfilling that feeling. The paleness on her cheeks describes how her emotions are still raging in her mind."


    "It''s also a sign of sexual gratification," Azni commented. "I wish to feel it one day."


    "I don''t know what you are talking about," Doku snorted and diverted his gaze. "That''s just a rumor anyway."


    Khan laughed at that interaction, and Azni showed a proud smile toward him. She nodded in approval before correcting her boyfriend. "Only men say that it''s only a rumor."


    ****


    Author''s notes: 2-3 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 161: Explanations

    Liiza and Khan couldn''t interact much at the party. Azni still managed to drag her among her group, but she had to leave to spend some intimate moment alone with Doku at some point.


    The only Niqols who weren''t completely drunk had hidden in the forest to enjoy intimate moments with their partners, so Khan and Liiza could have a peaceful conversation after they remained alone. Khan mostly teased her after Azni''s revelation, while Liiza complained and threatened him to increase hours of sleep that he had to pay. However, they soon realized that they had to separate.


    All the barriers had crumbled after the two had voiced their feelings. They had been about to forsake their secrecy as their conversation continued, and only separating could solve the issue. They would have loved to spend more time together, especially since the emotional rush from before was still affecting their minds. They didn''t feel too bad about parting either since they had already shared beautiful moments.


    Khan felt full of energy after he returned inside the underground habitation and wore intact clothes. The clock on his phone had yet to hit six am, but flying back to the camp could take up to six hours, so he departed immediately.


    Snow knew the fastest path back to the human camp, even if the envoys had taken many detours back then. Khan could force the eagle to fly in a straight line and save time, but he decided to let it have some fun. His packed schedule had forced the Aduns to forsake its enjoyment, so he didn''t mind letting it have fun now.


    Khan used the strong winds that blew on his face due to the dives, spins, and sudden accelerations to sweep his sadness away. It was strange to define how the party had helped him, but his condition had improved nonetheless. Tears would try to appear in his eyes whenever he thought about the mutated Niqols, but that urge wasn''t unbearable anymore. His actions had been ugly, but he didn''t blame himself.


    The mission, his poor mental state, his time with Liiza, and the party had forced him to skip an entire day of training, but his flying ability had improved a lot after riding Snow basically every day. His control over mana had also grown after his diligent efforts during the lessons. Khan could meditate or remain immersed inside his mental training even when his Aduns was upside down.


    The city grew closer while Khan remained immersed in his training. Everything felt smooth. It seemed that the human and the Niqols'' training methods complemented each other to create the ultimate foundation meant to control and deploy mana.


    On one side, Khan had the techniques and moves perfected over the centuries by human experts. On the other, he had methods that forced him to improve his basic understanding and control over mana.


    Those two paths would lead to similar levels, but they affected fields so different that fusing them didn''t create any problem. In theory, it was possible to manipulate mana to gain the effects of a punch while throwing the actual attack and obtain something stronger. The two actions didn''t affect each other, which was the very reason why they sounded so easy to use at the same time.


    Khan couldn''t wait for his manipulation ability to reach decent levels, but his excitement focused on something that appeared far closer. He felt almost about to succeed in the eleventh mental exercise, which would lead him directly to the last lesson of his elemental training. The Wave spell didn''t seem far anymore.


    Khan''s proficiency level with the Lightning-demon style had reached the competent level, he would soon gain access to his first spell, and he already had a second martial art ready to add to his fighting style. His meditations were also going smoothly. His growth appeared far more than promising.


    Snow''s screech eventually awakened Khan from his training. The familiar uneven plain with the simple-looking camp unfolded in his view, and a strange feeling spread through his mind. That place was the reminder of his belonging to the human species. It forced him to recall part of the problems that could affect his relationship.


    Khan wanted to stay with Liiza, but his nightmares would inevitably bring him deeper into the universe. His life seemed a battle between his love and his desperation now, and he couldn''t see a viable solution, not in his current position at least.


    Delusional ideas on how to run away with Liiza appeared in his mind, but his intense feelings didn''t make him stupid. Khan never stopped remaining aware of how unreal those plans were. He wasn''t even seventeen. He could decide very little about his life.


    His greatest hope was to remain on Nitis long enough to achieve an important position among both species before departing to look for the Nak and the solar system depicted by his nightmares. Ideally, Liiza would be his wife by then, so she would get the chance to come with him.


    ''I''m already thinking about marriage,'' Khan laughed in his mind as he jumped off Snow''s back and started walking toward the camp''s entrance. ''Love really makes you crazy.''


    Khan stopped making unreasonable plans and crossed the entrance of the human camp. Everything felt too cramped and cold compared to [The Pure Trees]''s peaceful environment. He could almost hear the difference between the different approaches to mana in the faint sounds that came out of the structures featuring no isolation.


    A familiar figure stepped out of a building to greet Khan, and he didn''t hesitate to perform the iconic military salute of the Global Army. Paul inspected him from head to toe. The aura that covered Khan was different from his memories, but he blamed the alien robe for that strange feeling.


    "Where are the others?" Paul asked.


    "They were busy helping the Niqols after the crisis," Khan lied to cover for his drunk companions. "Besides, I''m the fastest in the air."


    "Wait here for a bit," Paul nodded while scratching the side of his head, "Or visit the canteen, whatever. I need to contact Lieutenant Kintea and the Captain to prepare the briefing."


    Khan nodded and went directly toward the canteen. The food was better in the camp. The kitchens there made plates aimed to the human tastes, especially when it came to their temperature. What the Niqols saw as warm was cold for the humans, so it felt nice to have a satisfying meal.


    A notification eventually reached Khan''s phone. That ringing sound was another thing that he had almost forgotten after being in the academy for more than three weeks, and he smiled at that thought since it made him remember Martha. His conflicting feelings about her didn''t exist anymore after confirming his love for Liiza. Khan felt affection and concern for Martha, but she couldn''t be anything more than a friend now that his current girlfriend had become such an important part of his life.


    The briefing room didn''t change during those weeks. Khan could reach it in no time, but something felt off when he saw that it contained only Paul, Lieutenant Kintea, and Captain Erbair.


    A personal briefing wouldn''t require those three important figures. One of them was enough to update Khan. Moreover, the Captain''s presence would often involve all the other recruits, but Khan was the only one except for the trio.


    Khan performed a military salute, and his two superiors did the same curious inspection that Paul had completed just a few minutes ago. Khan had changed during those weeks, but they couldn''t understand how. They could see a faint maturity in his stance and movements, but everything else remained hidden from their powerful eyes.


    "Is something the matter, ma''am?" Khan asked after the inspection stretched for longer than half a minute.


    "It''s nothing," Captain Erbair announced while pointing at one of the seats.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to take his place, and a series of images appeared on the wall behind the three soldiers as Paul activated a few menus. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Kintea and Captain Erbair stared at Khan before the former decided to voice one of his doubts. "How much can you say about the academy?"


    Khan recalled about his restrictions at that point, and he opened his mouth to say something. However, an azure symbol suddenly lit up on the left side of his neck and started to spread an ominous aura.


    Khan revealed a weak smile while pointing at the symbol. The two soldiers could only sigh at that sight, but they didn''t appear too disappointed. They didn''t hope to discover much through him anyway.


    "I believe you didn''t come here on your own," Captain Erbair said as her bionic eye focused on the azure symbol to analyze the changes in its glow.


    "The Niqols wanted me to question you about yesterday," Khan revealed while keeping the azure symbol in check.


    It seemed that the explicit authorization that the professors had given to Doku allowed Khan to speak about that part even if it came from the academy. It felt surprising to see how flexible that restriction worked, but the Captain''s stern gaze didn''t give him time to let his thoughts wander.


    "Is it true that you didn''t help them on p-," Khan began to ask, but pain suddenly spread from the azure symbol.


    Mentioning the hidden meaning that Doku''s words carried seemed too much. The actual question wasn''t a problem. The issue was that Khan had tried to talk about the Global Army''s lack of cooperation after having gained those ideas from the Niqols.


    Luckily for Khan, Captain Erbair didn''t have time to waste. She didn''t make him go over the combinations of words that would allow him to ask the same question without hinting at anything negative. She nodded at Lieutenant Kintea, and the briefing began.


    "The Niqols won''t reveal much," Professor Kintea announced as the Captain moved to the side of the room and cleared Khan''s sight of the images on the wall. "However, we have kept track of the event for some days already. Communicating between Nitis and the telescope outside this solar system takes a while, but we have received a few reports. The mana became unstable on almost half of the planet. Their losses must have been consistent."


    "I''m sorry," Khan interrupted the Lieutenant as a frown appeared on his face. "Did you say some days? Were you aware that the daylight would have arrived?"


    "Technically, it wasn''t proper daylight," Lieutenant Kintea replied while nearing the images on the wall. "It was a solar wind that created peculiar and temporary patches of bright sky throughout Nitis. The telescope saw it coming four days ago, but we only learnt about it and completed the necessary math two days ago."


    The images on the wall depicted scenes that Khan couldn''t wholly understand. They showed Nitis'' solar system together with equations and numbers connected to a wave of energy that shot out of the distant star.


    Lieutenant Kintea didn''t go too deep into details with his explanation because he was aware of Khan''s ignorance in astronomy. Still, he highlighted every piece of information that he found important.


    "The arrival of the daylight is still set at a bit more than two months from now," Lieutenant Kintea continued. "It should probably last for two months before bringing darkness that will last for a bit more than two millennia.


    "We even expect the radiation to be more influential during that period. We believe that the solar wind didn''t generate too many monsters since it arrived close to the first crisis. The Tainted animals easy to affect had already transformed the first time, but the proper daylight will be merciless. Only the Aduns and a few unique species will remain untouched."


    Khan memorized those words, but his mind could only focus on one detail. He had started to believe that his bad luck was to blame for his mission in the village, but there was something else now. The Global Army was aware of the incoming crisis and had chosen to remain silent.


    "Why didn''t you warn us?" Khan asked in a cold voice.


    "We couldn''t let go of this chance," Lieutenant Kintea announced while revealing a cruel smile. "It''s a pity that you can''t say anything. We have sort of confirmed that the solar wind has affected some Niqols, but Ambassador Yeza isn''t saying anything about that. Having an actual report would give us better data."


    Lieutenant Kintea sounded completely detached to the core of the issue. He didn''t seem to care that the lack of warnings had caused countless casualties among the younger generations of the Niqols. He talked without knowing the pain that those aliens and the eight recruits had suffered.


    "Warning you all was too risky," Lieutenant Kintea continued. "We needed the Niqols to lose as much as possible to create better terms for our cooperation. We even sent many of us to different locations through the teleport beforehand to limit the amount of help that we could give."


    The explanations piled on in Khan''s mind, but he could only review the last detail over and over. Cribs, small beds, and gruesome scenes appeared in his vision. The Global Army had basically been the cause behind that pain and his actions.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I just wanted to warn you all about something that I''ve learnt recently. It turns out that coins purchased through Paypal give a higher share to the authors (it avoids cuts apparently, consistent cuts). In short, use Paypal to purchase coins if you want the authors to earn more.

 Chapter 162: Story

    Khan couldn''t find peace.


    The mental barrier had helped him go through the mission, and the many proofs of the Niqols'' intense love in the village had brought some stability.


    Liiza had made Khan realize his similarities with the mutated Niqols, which shattered that stability, but her intentions were pure. She wanted him to experience everything fully to gain access to a deeper layer of his feelings and allow her to take a share of that burden. Her desire was selfless, and it had made Khan go past simple acceptance. Liiza had managed to create some forgiveness and peace inside him.


    Still, everything crumbled again during the briefing. The Global Army wasn''t only aware of the incoming daylight. It had even decided to remain silent about the whole matter, uncaring of what the aliens and the recruits would experience.


    Khan could probably accept that behavior if he tried to rationalize it. He would understand the benefits that the Global Army could receive after that decision if he threw away his emotions and studied everything through cynical eyes. However, Lieutenant Kintea''s expression made him silently swear never to become like him.


    The issue wasn''t with the cruelty in the Global Army''s intentions. Khan could even ignore where that decision had led him. He knew he was a pawn, a mere gear in a larger system. Yet, he couldn''t accept the satisfaction and joy that Lieutenant Kintea showed during the briefing.


    It was fine to gain something from the suffering of those around you. That mindset wasn''t good or righteous, but the world was too ugly to think in those terms. Khan had learnt how to be cynical in the Slums, and that understanding had never once left his perspective.


    On the other hand, Khan had never accepted that blatant cruelty. He had done bad things, but he had never enjoyed himself during those moments.


    The issue was even worse at that time due to the targets of that cruelty. Khan had grown close to the Niqols, so it hurt to see his superiors treat them with such detachment. He was a pawn, but the aliens had even lower value. Their worth came from the potential benefits that they could give to the Global Army, and Lieutenant Kintea had never once viewed them as living beings or intelligent species.


    Captain Erbair and Paul didn''t appear as cruel as the Lieutenant, but Khan could see how they shared the core belief that led to that feeling. The Niqols weren''t humans, so they didn''t have much value. That view didn''t even come from a sense of superiority or xenophobia. The simple awareness that the Niqols were aliens created a wall that made the two soldiers unable to accept them as their equals on a general viewpoint.


    Khan had to activate the mental barrier to maintain his poker face. He was already radiating cold feelings, so the action didn''t alert the three soldiers. They actually found his mental resilience quite commendable, but that made sense when they recalled everything that Khan had experienced.


    The three soldiers couldn''t even begin to imagine what Khan was experiencing. The recent deepening of his emotions and his current frail condition risked making him show his true feelings. The three would be able to see the anger born from the injustice that Khan felt. They would learn about his newfound mistrust toward the Global Army, and they would also notice his affection toward the species that had never struggled to accept him.


    ''I could probably gain something out of this,'' Khan guessed as his cynical mind took over his thoughts.


    The order to clear the village had come from the professors, so Khan couldn''t describe how important his actions had been for the Niqols. Yet, the three soldiers had already almost confirmed that the mutations had affected the aliens. It was doable to make them understand that Khan had performed a crucial role during the crisis without triggering the azure rune on his neck.


    Still, his mind categorically opposed that approach. Khan couldn''t even start to think about that tactic. The mental barrier couldn''t defeat his feelings there.


    "What do I have to report back?" Khan coldly asked as the atmosphere inside the briefing room became suffocating.


    "We have already provided a story," Lieutenant Kintea revealed while nodding toward Paul. "You only need to confirm it and express our desire to be more involved with this event. The solar wind has ruined our initial plan, but we believe that reaching similar results is possible.


    "Make sure to mention what we know about the daylight too. Ambassador Yeza is playing dumb, so we must take the first step in spreading awareness about our knowledge. It''s time that we stop pretending to be ignorant about the incoming crisis."


    Paul understood the silent order and started tapping on the screen of his phone. Khan''s device rang a few times as his squad leader forwarded to him the story that the Global Army had used to justify the absence of troops. The message spoke about a made-up crisis on a planet called Ecoruta and even added general explanations.


    The best lies had truths blended inside them. Ecoruta was a planet constantly at war that the Global Army had occupied in the last century. That place was famous in a political array that involved many alien species, so the Niqols would find the story reasonable even if they knew about it.


    The message also contained information meant only for Khan. The soldiers didn''t know the exact range of his knowledge, but they wanted to make sure that he learnt enough about the matter to make his story more convincing. Some of those descriptions were classified, but every recruit on Nitis had the clearance to gain access to them. The reports weren''t too secretive since Ecoruta was quite famous.


    "Understood," Khan stated after memorizing the contents of the message and raising his gaze toward the three soldiers. "Do you have additional orders?"


    "Not really," Lieutenant Kintea explained while crossing his arms. "Our relationship with the Niqols has improved quickly during the last period, but that''s an anomaly. These matters usually take years or decades of silent cooperation to move forward. Your priorities are still within the academy. Learn as much as you can, but don''t grow weak."


    "The daylight is coming," Paul added. "The entirety of Nitis will turn upside down, and the situation won''t stabilize for months. Almost all the Tainted animals will become monsters, and the eight of you will experience the crisis from inside the Niqols'' social environment."


    "You won''t have the chance to remain outside of the struggles," Captain Erbair summarized. "Get as strong as you can in these months and perform well once the daylight arrives. Getting through the crisis isn''t as important as the amount of help that the Niqols will accept once everything is over."


    Khan stood up and performed a military salute. The three soldiers nodded at that resolute gesture and dismissed him. Paul even escorted him outside of the building and until the camp''s edges.


    The squad leader appeared honestly concerned about Khan''s well-being, but he didn''t question him about his life inside the academy due to his restrictions. Paul remained mostly silent while walking next to his talented underling, but he eventually started adding details connected to the briefing.


    "Our prospects see most of the fauna dying due to hunts and battles among different packs," Paul explained. "The years after the crisis will require long cleansing operations, but the worst will come later, once the shortage of food hits the Niqols. We plan to share part of our resources and technology at that point. Who knows? We might even establish a proper independent city that works as a source of food."


    "I understand," Khan emotionlessly replied. "Our focus must be on appearing reliable and honest throughout the whole crisis. Our freedom on Nitis after everything settles will depend on how well we perform."


    Paul nodded, and a satisfied smile even appeared on his face. Khan could appear eccentric at times, but he remained the best asset in his class. The promotion to lieutenant didn''t seem unreasonable with Khan gaining merits for his team.


    Paul would be even happier if he knew everything that Khan had achieved during his time inside the academy. The Global Army wasn''t aware of how deeply he had blended with the Niqols. The trust that the soldiers put in him came from his previous achievements.


    "Be sure to continue working hard out there," Paul announced once the two reached the gate and a white figure became visible high in the dark sky. "I believe there will be full disclosure after the crisis. Everyone will become aware of your sacrifices, and I''ll make sure that they won''t go unrewarded."


    "Thank you, Paul," Khan said while showing a fake smile toward the soldier. "I know that our relationship has been rocky at times, but I''m glad to have you as squad leader. You are fair."


    Paul didn''t say anything. He limited himself to wear a proud smile and pat Khan''s shoulder while Snow landed a few meters from them.


    "Time to go," Khan announced before approaching the Aduns.


    "Bring honor to the Global Army," Paul reminded as Khan jumped on Snow''s back, "And keep it inside your pants!"


    Khan voiced a fake chuckle before patting Snow''s feathered neck. The Aduns set off almost immediately, and Paul continued to smile as he stared at the white figure disappearing in the sky.


    The wind blew on Khan''s face, but he didn''t feel it. The beauty of Nitis'' dark sceneries expanded in his vision, but he couldn''t appreciate it. The mental barrier lowered its walls and let him experience his emotions again, but he only sensed a profound coldness mixed with disgust.


    Khan felt the need to vomit the food eaten in the canteen. He cursed himself for appreciating the warm meal. The spot where Paul had patted his shoulder also became an unbearable sight. Khan tried to wipe it clean of the stench that only he could smell, but nothing seemed to work. That awful odor remained on him even after he tore that chunk of his robe apart.


    Ideas on how to make the Global Army pay for what it had done and had forced him to go through appeared in his mind, but he did his best not to fall prey to his anger. Khan needed his organization, and the settlements on Nitis had nothing valuable either. He could ruin the relationships between the two species, but that would only send him back to the Slums or in a military prison.


    ''How can everything be so cruel?'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''They could have just alerted everyone and use that favor to improve their relationship!''


    Khan was only venting his feelings. He knew that politics rarely rewarded good deeds, especially when it came to different species. Hesitation would always exist on both sides. He had actually studied that during the classes connected to the subject.


    The idea of having to spend almost six hours alone with his thoughts scared him. His orders were clear. Khan had to return to the academy and lie to the friends that had accepted him so openly.


    Liiza wouldn''t even be able to do anything after learning about the Global Army''s decision to keep the solar wind a secret. Khan''s help had probably given the Niqols enough time to prepare for the daylight, but the situation was different now.


    The elders probably already suspected that the humans were withholding information. Ambassador Yeza''s behavior also showed the profound mistrust that still existed between the two species. Khan felt lost among problems that he couldn''t solve and situations that he couldn''t affect. His role also forced him to work for an organization that he had started to despise and go against the species he admired.


    Khan decided to hide inside his training to dull the delusional and unrealistic thoughts generated by his messy feelings. He needed to calm down before reaching the academy, but life seemed to have no intention to give him peace.


    Khan opened his eyes when he was halfway through the travel. His gaze went on the dark sky as his traumatic experiences flowed through his vision. He had another advantage to add to those events. He had just completed the eleventh mental exercise.


    ****


    Author''s notes: 3-4 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 163: Meeting

    Traumas led to accomplishments, and a parallel connection existed between the blood on his hands and his happiness. Khan had found himself linking those terrible events and actions to advantages and positive feelings in the past. He had hoped that his increasing power would have made him escape that trend, but his success with the mental exercises proved that he wasn''t quite there yet.


    Khan spent the rest of the flight in a daze. The world ran through his vision, but he barely saw it. He struggled to believe that a single person could experience such beauty and pain at the same time.


    His love for Liiza and affection for his Niqols friends existed with his desperation and newfound disgust toward the Global Army. His talent in the ways of mana, fast growth, and achievement moved forward as he amassed traumas in his mind.


    There didn''t seem to be anything in-between. Extremes dictated Khan''s life, and he didn''t know how to view that. That perfect balance felt to go beyond luck. It almost appeared as the work of a higher force, but Khan didn''t let his mind wander in those fields.


    The forest among the seven mountains appeared in his vision before he could reach a conclusion that explained his life. Still, everything became clear by the time Snow landed on an empty spot on the side of those rocky dark-grey structures. His experiences had no deeper meaning in that chaotic world. Khan could blame luck, fate, or mana itself, but that didn''t change the truth about his situation. He was nothing more than a powerless gear in a system that he didn''t understand.


    ''Everything points toward power,'' Khan thought as he crossed familiar areas of the forest.


    Finding and eventually fighting the Nak required power. The higher ranks of the Global Army had a broader range of requisites, but being strong helped reach them. A strong ambassador would also obtain more benefits and privileges, which might involve the chance to marry important figures, even when it came to an alien species.


    Khan''s goals and desires required him to become strong. It didn''t matter if they involved the Nak or his girlfriend. He wouldn''t manage to pursue those paths if he remained weak.


    That answer didn''t change Khan''s situation since he already gave his everything in his training. It only helped stabilize his mind and generate a new desire. He now wanted to become strong to avoid ending up in awful situations again. He desired the power to fix the traumatic events that his bad luck continued to put on his path.


    It felt strangely good to desire power for those reasons. Khan could work harder than others because no recruit had experienced the same desperation. However, there was much more inside him now. Those drives fused and created a stronger determination, a resolve that appeared able to bear the deeper emotions that he had learnt to experience.


    The areas past the membrane were empty. The squares and the various buildings didn''t feature students or professors. The elders had called a worldwide day of mourning that put all Niqols activities to a stop, so most aliens decided to spend that time with their loved ones.


    Khan didn''t meet anyone on his path toward the underground habitation. The recruits meditating on the beds were the first trace of life inside the academy, and they all turned toward the staircase when they heard him descending the last step.


    "Khan!" George exclaimed and revealed an honest smile, but the other recruits diverted their gazes in shame.


    Kelly and the others had drunk too much the previous night. It had felt extremely easy to end up in that condition after their experience in the village. They even desired to join a party again, but they knew that no amount of booze could make them forget those images.


    "What has even happened to you?" Khan asked when he noticed the state of George''s neck.


    Khan''s mood was far from ideal, but the sight of the many hickeys on George''s neck made him explode into a laugh. He chuckled for so long that the situation almost felt awkward, but the recruits didn''t dare to judge him. He had experienced far worse than them, but he didn''t fail to attend his duties.


    Khan eventually managed to fall silent. He had ended up using his laugh to vent part of the heaviness that had filled his mind, and an elated smirk remained on his face after he calmed down. George''s state remained hilarious, but he didn''t lose control again.


    "I''ve seen leeches doing less damage than Havaa," Khan cracked a joke, and his companion couldn''t help but laugh or cover their mouths to suppress their smirks.


    The event with the leeches had led to the death of two Niqols, and the previous night honored the many casualties suffered during the solar wind. Yet, everyone managed to smile, even if some of the laughs ended up in suppressed sobs and loud sniffs.


    "I have to update you on the situation," Khan eventually said once everyone calmed down and the mood returned serious.


    "Before that," Kelly announced while mustering her determination and fixing her eyes on Khan, "I wish to say that I''m sorry. I messed up after seeing a few bad scenes. I have no idea how you must feel after going through the Second Impact, Istrone, and yesterday. Spending nights in the wilds sounds too little now."


    "Does this mean that I won''t hear your complaints anymore?" Khan asked after his eyebrows arched in surprise.


    "I will still say something if your actions risk hurting the Global Army," Kelly explained, "But well. I''ve been a senseless idiot. I would understand if you reported me to our superiors."


    A flash of coldness ran through Khan''s expression, but he promptly lowered his head to heave a deep sigh. His gaze slowly returned on Kelly, and he felt able to see the girl in her true form. She was nothing more than a recruit at her first traumatic event. Her mental growth was even commendable. Khan had felt slightly disgusted after seeing her dedication toward the Global Army, but he couldn''t blame her too much about that. Her belief came from ignorance that he was about to fill.


    "I couldn''t say anything because of the restrictions," Khan reminded her while pointing at the spot on his neck where the azure symbol had previously appeared. "Besides, I doubt they would have cared with everything that is about to happen."


    The recruits showed curious expressions, and Khan began to share what he had learnt from the meeting. He didn''t hide anything from the recruits, and some revealed faces that he knew far too well when his story explained how the Global Army had kept the solar wind hidden on purpose.


    Many among the recruits felt a strong sense of belonging toward the Global Army and their species, but cracks opened in their beliefs after Khan finished describing the contents of the briefing. It became evident how every story had two versions and multiple perspectives, and they had lost the privilege of being on the ignorant side.


    In theory, the tactic had been a success. The Niqols had lost a lot, and they would probably accept worse pacts as long as they could avoid going through a similar event. However, the recruits had to take in that from the side that had paid the price of that decision.


    Kelly and the others didn''t only witness the gory scenes in the village. They had also seen how hard the event had been for the Niqols. The difference between their species didn''t matter too much in front of honest tears, suicides, and desperate cries of sorrow voiced by aliens who had been nothing but cheerful until then.


    Khan could see how the recruits were far from fine. Their world had grown darker in a few minutes due to simple words. They needed help and emotional support, but he couldn''t provide that. Khan limited himself to change his torn robe and leave while his companions remained in a daze and let that knowledge seep inside their minds.


    ''What is it?'' Doku''s voice resounded in Khan''s mind while he walked toward one of the mountains.


    Khan could sense that Doku had deactivated the tracker of his cube, but that didn''t prevent him from hearing the summary of the briefing. Khan revealed what the Global Army had allowed him to share, and Doku didn''t dig deeper. They both felt their respective need to say something that didn''t involve politics, but that desire felt pointless when talking through their cubes.


    ''I''ll notify my superiors immediately,'' Doku eventually transmitted. ''Get some rest now. Oh, Azni says hi.''


    ''See you tomorrow, both of you,'' Khan said while trying to convey a smile through the mental message before shutting down the communication.


    Snow was already waiting for him on the side of a mountain. The Aduns felt quite pissed due to the multiple travels and long waits, but Khan made sure to let it enjoy itself during the flight to the marsh. The eagle even passed through areas that Khan didn''t recognize due to many detours and reckless airborne stunts.


    Khan reached the cave past ten pm and found Liiza waiting for him in her usual position under the blankets. He had felt some hesitation in the past when it came to talking to her about problematic matters. Still, nothing like that happened that night.


    Liiza didn''t react well to the awful actions of the Global Army, but she did her best not to explode in a fit of anger. She didn''t want her feelings to add weight on Khan''s already heavy mind, but he made sure to shatter her self-restraint. The couple went through that matter together without hiding their feelings. Liiza sobbed at times, and Khan ended up kicking the rocky walls once to vent.


    Their intense state even caused a rough intimate outburst that left Khan full of marks that were hard to hide. Liiza ended up in a similar situation, but the blush that continued to affect her cheeks even after she fell asleep in his arms confirmed that she had enjoyed the unexpected event. Khan couldn''t help feeling slightly proud as he imagined Azni nodding at him before his mind slipped into the nightmare.


    Khan had planned to wake up earlier than usual to take care of his exposed marks through a longer meditation, but an azure glow awakened him before his alarm. Liiza also woke up, and both of them raised their sleepy heads to find the source of that light.


    Khan''s head went back on the pillow after seeing that the source of the light was Liiza''s robe. The girl groaned as she crawled toward her clothes while dragging the blanket with her. Khan''s bare body ended up in the open, but he only chuckled as he inspected the captivating scene.


    Liiza dragged her robe closer to Khan before restoring that simple bed and laying her back on his chest. Her hand went looking for her cube only after Khan wrapped his arms around her and gave her all the warmth that he was capable of.


    Khan tried to fall asleep again, but Liiza''s movements during the mental conversation didn''t let him remain calm. She didn''t even try to hide the teasing nature of her gestures, and Khan made sure to respond accordingly after he checked his phone. It was four am, half an hour before his alarm.


    ''Who even calls at this hour?'' Khan wondered before moving his attention on Liiza when she rubbed her butt on his waist.


    Niqols weren''t morning people. Khan could only think about one figure who could be awake and call Liiza at that early hour. The matter probably involved Yeza, which even explained Liiza''s bolder behavior.


    The teasing came to an abrupt stop at some point. Liiza''s body tensed before turning until she faced Khan. The cube was still in her grasp, but she placed her free hand on his chest as she concluded that mental conversation.


    "What is it?" Khan asked after Liiza let the cube roll behind her.


    Liiza showed annoyance but also worry. Khan brought her closer in his arms to reassure her, but it soon turned out that her fears weren''t as serious as he had initially imagined.


    "My mother wants a meeting with the human envoys," Liiza explained. "It will happen at the end of this week."


    "That''s not too bad," Khan laughed. "We can still spend a lot of time together."


    "That''s not the issue," Liiza continued while avoiding Khan''s gaze. "She mentioned you. I know how that stuff ends with her."


    Ambassador Yeza was one of Liiza''s weak points, but Khan could only laugh in front of her insecurity. He had seen hell multiple times already. A meeting with a tempting woman didn''t even classify as a problem in his mind.


    "Will you be there?" Khan asked while kissing Liiza''s bare shoulder.


    "I must be," Liiza scoffed as she slightly turned and clung to the back of Khan''s head to let him dive toward her chest. "She will probably find the chance to remain alone with you and use me to keep the other humans busy."


    "It''s fine," Khan chuckled as his kisses continued. "I had to meet my girlfriend''s mother sooner or later."


    "You know that''s not the issue with her," Liiza complained.


    Khan heaved a helpless sigh and glanced at her chest one last time before moving toward her face. Liiza was still trying to avoid his gaze, but he took her cheeks in his hands and forced her to look at him.


    "[Liiza]," Khan said in a scolding tone.


    "[She is really good]," Liiza complained again. "[You wouldn''t be the first taken men to fall prey to her]."


    "[I''ll just tell her about us if the situation becomes too dangerous]," Khan laughed, but Liiza pulled his hair to remind him that she wasn''t joking.


    "[Isn''t my reaction during the past event enough]?" Khan asked. "[Though don''t wear special dresses unless you intend to bring them here]."


    "[I will wear a new one]," Liiza whispered as her hand slid down Khan''s torso, "[And I will bring it here if you behave]."


    "[What happens if I don''t]?" Khan played along and revealed a smirk as Liiza''s cold hand reached his manhood.


    His smirk froze as Liiza''s hand grew colder. The girl revealed a smile that carried a chilling aura before announcing her intentions. "[I''ll turn you into a block of ice, starting from here]."

 Chapter 164: Lysixi

    Doku took care of informing the group of recruits about Ambassador Yeza''s decision to hold a meeting. The Niqols couldn''t explain much since those matters involved areas of Nitis that the aliens had never shown to the humans. Still, he didn''t fail to give a few general warnings, especially when he found himself alone with Khan.


    "You must be the luckiest boy on Nitis," Doku commented before drinking from his cup. "Play it well, and you''ll have something to brag about for the rest of your life."


    Doku winked at Khan multiple times, but the latter couldn''t fake his reactions completely with Azni staring coldly at him.


    It was the night of the fifth day of the week, and the Niqols had thrown the usual party meant to celebrate the end of the lessons. The recruits had already heard the few instructions that they would have to apply during the actual meeting, but they had dispersed among the other groups of aliens by then.


    Only Khan, Doku, and Azni had remained on the trunk-bench they often used as their drinking spot. It was already quite late, so the couple would leave soon to spend some time alone. Yet, the two had insisted on having that conversation now that the recruits had left since it would cover more personal topics.


    "I told you already," Khan smirked at Doku''s gesture. "You need to blink only once. Don''t repeat it, don''t make it obvious, and definitely don''t alternate your eyes only because it feels cool."


    "What if the other doesn''t notice it?" Doku asked.


    "The gesture loses its purpose if you make it noticeable," Khan repeated in an exasperated tone. "It''s like a secret code. You wink, and your previous words or actions gain a meaning that only your companion and you understand."


    "What about the other meanings that you''ve mentioned the other time?" Doku questioned while scratching his cheek and showing a face that was far from promising. "Also, won''t it become more secretive if I wink multiple times?"


    "That was my bad," Khan sighed while shaking his head as he recalled his past mistake. "I didn''t think that telling you about all the possible applications would confuse you so much. Focus on the secret code thing, and no. It doesn''t become more secretive. It only turns into a joke because everyone can see that."


    Trying to teach how to wink to Doku had turned out to be harder than predicted. Khan didn''t expect that a simple gesture would confuse the Niqols so much. The issue was with the multiple meanings that the same movement could gain depending on the context. The alien could follow when it involved secret codes, but he lost himself once he reached lies, jokes, and flirting.


    Khan had spent the last day trying to make Doku forget about the meanings he had listed in the past, but the project wasn''t going well. Still, his current exasperation wasn''t completely real. Faint gratefulness accompanied that feeling since the two had managed to disperse the awkwardness that the politics between their species had created.


    "Do you plan on winking at Ambassador Yeza often?" Azni asked with clear annoyance in her voice. "Is that why you want to learn?"


    "[Azni]," Doku said in a dramatic tone while taking the girl''s shoulders between his hands. "[You know what I feel for you better than me]."


    Azni''s annoyed face started to relax in front of those honest words. Her mouth even began to curve into a smile, but her irritation came back stronger than ever when Doku spoke again. "[But you have seen Ambassador Yeza. Better men than me have failed to resist her, and I can understand the reason behind that quite clearly]."


    "[You must have really grown tired of sex and booze]," Azni announced in a chilling tone.


    "[Why would I ever grow tired of them]?" Doku asked in confusion.


    "[Because you won''t have either for the next two weeks]," Azni explained as an emotionless smile appeared on her face, and Doku''s eyes widened when he understood the nature of his punishment.


    Doku wanted to beg for forgiveness, but Khan''s laughs interrupted his attempt. The alien boy also started to chuckle with him, hoping that everything would turn into a joke. Still, Azni''s expression continued to radiate a chilling feeling that slowly made him accept his punishment.


    Doku glanced at Azni again before rolling his eyes and throwing away the cup in his hands. The boy appeared truly depressed about the action, but Azni finally dropped her cold attitude and hugged him. Doku caressed her back as evident affection seeped out of his glowing eyes, but his girlfriend''s next comment made him desperate again. "[You''ll add tonight to the two weeks]."


    Khan laughed to no end, and his voice rose when Doku begged him for help with his eyes. Still, Khan only shook his head. He knew the Niqols well enough to avoid mixing himself with the private matters of another couple. Also, Azni knew about his secret relationship, and he feared what she could say to Liiza.


    "Come on," Khan eventually stated. "I''ve fought monsters and seen much worse. How hard can it be to resist her?"


    The couple shot sorry glances at Khan. Their heads shook as they tried to make him understand how little he knew about the matter.


    "Even I would fall for her," Azni commented at some point, and both boys fixed their surprised eyes on her.


    "[What]?" Azni giggled as she closed her eyes and snuggled on Doku''s chest. "[You have seen her. She is stunning]."


    Doku and Khan stared at the girl resting on the former''s chest before exchanging a meaningful glance. They didn''t speak nor show any expression, but they both understood what was happening in their minds.


    "[I can hear your dirty thoughts]," Azni commented without raising her head, and the two boys ended up revealing a silent knowing smile before all three of them exploded into a happy laugh.


    .


    .


    .


    Khan''s ability with the mental barrier had increased so much that he cleared the twelfth mental exercise in the days that separated him from the meeting with Ambassador Yeza.


    The new intensity that his feelings could reach didn''t affect the mental exercise at all. They actually made it smoother since Khan could suppress far stronger emotions now. Maintaining access to the entirety of his abilities while the mental barrier was up turned out to be extremely easy during the calm moments spent training.


    The deepening of his ability in the three fields taught by the Niqols had also helped him clear the last mental exercise in the training for the chaos element in no time. Only the Wave spell remained at that point, but Khan didn''t have time to start studying it since the day of the meeting arrived.


    Professor Supyan ended up being the one to pick up the recruits from their underground habitation early in the morning. The presence of a professor highlighted how different the event was from the other missions and tasks, so a tense aura quickly fell on the group as the Niqols led them toward the short structure where they had drunk their first potion.


    It turned out that Khan had the others needed another potion before leaving the academy. The Niqols were extremely careful about revealing areas they had kept hidden from the humans for seventy years, and the incoming crisis only intensified that approach.


    Getting a new restriction made of mana obviously didn''t please the recruits, but they didn''t have any choice in the matter. Of course, they could refuse to attend the meeting, but none of them dared to miss that chance.


    Professor Supyan didn''t let the recruits summon their Aduns. The eagles could memorize locations with a simple glance of their three eyes. They also had an incredible sense of direction that could help them find their way back home in unknown lands. The Niqols couldn''t risk having loose ends, so they opted for a different ride.


    "This is a Lysixi," Professor Supyan explained to the astonished recruits. "Our species has dug under Nitis'' surface for a long time. These structures are one of the main reasons why humans struggle to figure out our actual power, but we rely on Lysixi to cross them."


    Professor Supyan had led the recruits through a secret passage hidden inside one of the seven mountains that encircled the academy. The rocky path led under the surface and into a large tunnel that featured a tall ceiling. Azure symbols shone throughout its walls filled with cracks, but their glow didn''t manage to illuminate the depths of the structure.


    The tunnel was seven meters tall and seven meters large. It had a smooth square shape disrupted only by the many cracks that had opened due to the passage of time. The azure symbols improved the texture of those dark rocky surfaces, but that apparent unstable structure still alerted the recruits'' survival instincts.


    However, their lingering worries about the tunnel''s stability vanished when a huge Tainted animal came out from one of the rare branches connected to the structure.


    The Lysixi had an odd shape. It resembled a lizard for most of its features. The creature had dark-green scales, cold yellow eyes, and a forked dark-pink tongue that often came out of its triangular mouth. Yet, it had two strange characteristics that made the recruits open their mouths in surprise.


    The first surprising feature was its size. The Lysixi wasn''t tall. It barely reached the recruits'' waists. However, its back was so vast that it could almost fill the large surfaces of the tunnel.


    Moreover, its body was basically flat. The Lysixi was five meters long, but its belly didn''t even come close to touching the floor. The eight legs growing out of its sides allowed it to stand, but its overall stability appeared relatively poor.


    "Don''t be afraid," Professor Supyan announced while jumping on the upper part of the lizard''s back. "They don''t like meat too much, so their nature is rather peaceful."


    The recruits noticed how the Lysixi didn''t budge at all when the Niqols landed on its back. That scene didn''t seem to fit that seemingly frail structure, but it became evident that the creature was stronger than it looked.


    Khan jumped on the lizard after confirming that the creature had barely noticed the additional weight caused by the professor. Still, he relied on his expertise with the Lightning-demon style to perform a soft landing that didn''t release any sound.


    His improved sensitivity to mana gave him a general idea of the creature''s strength after he sat behind Professor Supyan and placed his palms on the dark-green scales. Khan almost felt the Lysixi''s back to be firmer than the rocky floor. He soon found himself wondering if his kicks would affect it at all.


    The other recruits had a more careful approach to the climb. They followed George as he avoided the creature''s legs and bent forward before slowly crawling behind Khan. It didn''t take much before all the humans sat on the Lysixi, but the Tainted animal remained still throughout the entire process.


    "Don''t fall," Professor Supyan warned before patting the back of the lizard''s neck.


    The recruits didn''t have the time to question the Niqols about the warning since a force landed on their bodies and made them bend backward. The Lysixi had started to run, but its acceleration had been so sudden Gabriela and Rodney almost fell off. Luckily for them, the dark-green scales were rough enough to cling on them.


    Khan quickly managed to stabilize his position. He had an advantage in the task since his martial art already forced his skin and mind to endure such speed. The Lysixi wasn''t going as fast as his top acceleration, but its fast movements weren''t something that unprepared recruits could learn to handle immediately.


    The straight structure of the tunnel allowed the Lysixi to keep moving at the same speed for two entire hours. The lizard never slowed down nor showed signs of tiredness. It resembled a vehicle with endless fuel that quickly led the group toward their destination.


    "Don''t be so tense," Professor Supyan advised once the Lysixi stopped in front of a cavity that featured a narrow staircase. "Ambassador Yeza only wants to see you. You will help us face the daylight, so she requested to get a glimpse of your character."


    Shocked faces appeared on the recruits again. The Professor had openly spoken about the daylight. That was the first time a Niqols didn''t try to hide that news. It seemed that the higher-ups of both species had sealed a deal in the days after the briefing.


    The professor led the recruits through the staircase that opened in a snowy area surrounded by mountains. The temperatures were low, and a tremor ran through some recruits once winds blew in their faces. Still, their gazes soon converged toward a vague structure in the distance.


    The building carried the same shades of the mountains, so it was hard to see it clearly among Nitis'' darkness and the falling snow. The group had to walk for a while before they could gaze at the tall palace that the remote area hid.


    The palace filled the narrow area that separated two mountains. Its dark-grey surfaces mixed with the rocky structures and allowed it to reach heights that even mana would struggle to keep stable.


    Many azure symbols filled the ground around the palace, the mountains, and the actual surfaces of the structure. A few small windows appeared every few meters and marked the spots where each floor stood. A black glass-like material covered those openings and hid the areas behind them.


    The palace didn''t have any entrance door, and its summit seemed to end in a bridge that connected the two mountains. A few towers came out of the top''s sides and featured flat roofs with the same black windows as the rest of the structure.


    The structure would almost resemble a simple wall or a dam if it weren''t for those windows, but everything changed when the group got close enough. The palace revealed how its surfaces had many layers by making a few of them slide open to show a rectangular metal entrance hidden behind them.


    The two tall sides of the entrance slid open, and a series of Niqols dressed in luxurious robes became visible. The woman standing at their center completed the majestic scene with her striking beauty.


    Ambassador Yeza wore the brightest smile that the recruits had ever seen, and her revealing dress immediately attracted everyone''s attention. She was wearing a simple long gown that used only two narrow lines of fabric to cover her torso. Her ample chest was basically in the open, and the same went for her sensual waist and back.


    Khan saw a piercing cold gaze filling the corners of his vision, but he did his best to appear captivated by Yeza''s beauty. Liiza was also beautiful with her tight dress that adhered perfectly to her skin and revealed her flawless silhouette. Only her back was in the open, but that didn''t diminish how tempting she appeared.


    Liiza wasn''t expressing more coldness than usual. She was wearing the normal aloof face showed during those political and social events, but Khan could feel her true feelings anyway.


    Khan couldn''t enjoy Liiza''s appearance since it could make her mother suspicious, so he wore a captivated smile that satisfied Yeza''s need for attention. Silent and cold warnings converged toward his mind and almost made him beg to go where Liiza couldn''t glare at him, but he could only endure for now. His sole consolation was that his girlfriend wouldn''t change before going to the cave that night.


    ****


    Author''s notes: 3-4 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 165: Red spot

    The Niqols'' customs that concerned specific political events weren''t too complicated. Doku had given detailed instructions, and Khan had even heard them before from Liiza.


    The recruits performed a general deep bow before stepping forward to bow in front of each Niqols. The latter replied with similar gestures, and some announced their political roles before Ambassador Yeza brought everyone inside the palace.


    "Many important figures from each tribe travel here to attend specific matters," Yeza explained while walking in front of the group at a slow pace to make sure that everyone took a good look at her exposed back. "We can control most of the functions in the region powered by mana from here. This involves every symbol that you have seen, communicators, and other things unique only to this place."


    Khan found Yeza''s slow pace quite annoying. He was the only one among his group unaffected by her beauty, so he didn''t enjoy that walk through the almost empty corridor connected to the entrance.


    Guests couldn''t wander alone. That was part of the customs, which wasn''t hard to follow. Yet, those traditions also stated that they could suggest activities or ask questions only after the main host was over with the general introduction of the habitation.


    Those customs didn''t apply to the Niqols who had welcomed the recruits and Professor Supyan. The aliens slowly returned to their tasks as multiple rooms started to appear along their path. It didn''t take much before only the humans, Liiza, Yeza, and a few young Niqols remained in the corridor.


    The environment eventually revealed something that Khan could inspect while the slow walk continued. Artworks made of silk-like materials started to cover the walls, and soft carpets appeared on the floor. They carried unusual red shades, and the drawings on them were mostly abstract.


    Those artworks were a rare sight among the structures that the Niqols showed to the humans, but Khan couldn''t avoid connecting the redness of their shades to Zalpa''s hair. It seemed that they belonged to an ancient part of the aliens'' history that came before the cooperation with the humans. The palace probably kept them due to their undeniable artistic value.


    The corridor ended in a large hall that featured large staircases on both sides. The area had more of those artworks together with wooden tables and chairs with handmade decorations. The furniture carried the same style that Khan had seen before, and the red shades also appeared often.


    "Let''s go upstairs," Ambassador Yeza announced with her sweet voice. "Something to drink should arrive soon."


    The Lysixi didn''t take much to reach the palace, and the slow walk had only lasted for half an hour. According to the Niqols'' standards, it was early morning, so the recruits hoped that Yeza''s drink didn''t involve booze.


    According to Liiza and Doku''s words, the last custom connected to those events was something that the Niqols had started to abandon after the humans landed on Nitis. It basically forbade guests from refusing what the hosts offered, be it drinks, food, or even themselves.


    A refusal would offend the hosts, and only a present with equal value to what they had offered could soothe that feeling. That tradition had often created problems among the various tribes, and it became even harder to apply once the humans joined the political scene.


    The Niqols had stopped applying that custom for a few decades by then, but it was hard to get rid of instincts inherited by parents or older members of the tribes. Many aliens from the older generations still felt offended if guests decided to refuse their offerings, and Yeza could easily do the same.


    The recruits didn''t have anything to offer back, so they could only accept everything Ambassador Yeza threw at them and hope. George and the others were mainly worried about getting drunk or forced to eat something that their human tastes found disgusting, but Khan''s fears involved far different topics.


    ''She can''t offer herself to me, can she?'' Khan wondered as the soft fabric of the carpets that covered the staircase prevented his steps from releasing noises. ''I''m only a slightly famous no one. Her interest in me shouldn''t be too deep.''


    Everyone had warned Khan about Yeza. The ambassador had never once hesitated to use her beauty as a weapon, and the constant attention that she naturally attracted had made her quite lascivious. Liiza had even revealed that her mother actually held back often because her position among the Niqols was too important.


    Yeza couldn''t sell herself cheap, and Khan had built his hopes on that approach. Doku wanted him to play his cards right, but he planned to do the very opposite. Khan would show how he was nothing more than a recruit so that Yeza wouldn''t value him enough to offer herself to him.


    The upper floors of the palace featured rooms with different purposes. Yeza led the recruits through a few vast libraries, training areas, indoor gardens, guest rooms, multiple lounges, and far more. The insides of the palace were immense. It seemed that an entire army could live inside it.


    The tour even led the recruits toward some structures that they had only imagined after witnessing the various functions that mana could obtain inside the Niqols'' buildings. Ambassador Yeza allowed them to take glimpses of the vast halls meant to regulate specific purposes the azure symbols spread throughout the region featured. She even added short explanations without forgetting to add sweetness to her voice.


    The structures meant to handle those functions always had the shape of large black cubes that could be as tall as a grown-up man. Each hall or area that regulated a specific purpose of the azure symbols in the region featured many of them, and the Niqols seemed able to activate them through their communicators. Yeza didn''t explain how they could affect the distant areas, but Khan guessed that the underground tunnels had something to do with it.


    "Drinks!" Yeza exclaimed when Niqols who weren''t wearing white robes reached the group. "Finally."


    Those Niqols seemed to work as servants or butlers. They carried many wooden cups filled with a liquid that made Khan curse internally. They had the same booze that the aliens patrolling the village had shared with the humans during the crisis.


    "Is it too strong for you?" Yeza asked when she saw that the recruits hesitated to grab one of the cups.


    Yeza''s voice broke toward the end of her question. Her acting was so good that the recruits felt terrible about putting her in that situation. Even Khan couldn''t help but experience a slight ache in his chest when he saw the woman''s worried face.


    ''She would become queen of the Slums in a single day!'' Khan cursed in his mind before joining the recruits who didn''t hesitate to leap toward the trays with the wooden cups.


    Yeza made sure to exchange the traditional Niqols'' toast with each recruit, and Khan vaguely felt that she had decided to make the exchange of gazes with him last slightly longer. Having such strong drinks in the morning made the humans'' stomachs twist, but none of them dared to show displeased expressions.


    The pure smile that Yeza showed at the sight of that scene made the recruits instantly feel better. Brandon and George even took another sip in the hope that they could receive some special attention, but Yeza turned to continue the tour at that point.


    Khan almost forgot about the seemingly longer toast, but a few strange behaviors became evident as the tour continued. Yeza used her incredible acting experience to make the recruits drink even more. Still, Khan made sure to be in full control of his mental capabilities before confirming that something was off.


    The Niqols who had remained in the group throughout the tour often glanced and shot smiles at the other recruits. Only Liiza walked on her own, a few meters from the others, but she was a special case.


    Instead, Khan wasn''t getting any attention. No Niqols dared to look at him, and he even tested his idea by moving among the group to fall in their line of sight. The aliens always pointed their eyes away from him in a few seconds, and they even tried to make the gesture appear natural.


    The other Niqols weren''t as good as Yeza. Khan could see through their pretense after repeating his tests a few times. He suddenly felt like the special target of some secret political mission. Still, the aliens didn''t give him enough time to think about his situation since the transparent roof of the palace soon unfolded in their vision.


    "That''s it for this building," Yeza announced. "The tour is over. We''ll divide ourselves into different groups and discuss various topics now. I hope you all enjoy yourselves."


    The Niqols who had remained with the group started taking the recruits'' hands or arms to lead them to various locations. Khan only had the time to see Liiza approaching Veronica and bringing her away before realizing that he had remained alone with Yeza.


    "You haven''t looked at me once during the tour," Yeza stated before covering her mouth and voicing a tempting chuckle. "Interesting."


    Yeza turned and walked toward one of the corridors connected to that area, and Khan gulped before following her. He felt worried after that comment. He didn''t expect her senses to be so sharp.


    The Niqols led Khan in a dark room before tinkering with the menus on the walls. The azure symbols on the surfaces immediately became brighter, and everything felt warmer after a few seconds passed.


    The room didn''t have much. It featured the same carpets and silk artworks on the walls. A long table and a few chairs occupied its center, and a tray with different bottles and cups stood on the furniture in the corner.


    Khan could glance at the mountains through one of the transparent walls of the room. That was one of the black windows seen from the outside. Its darkness appeared unable to reach that side of the glass-like material.


    "You also drank less than your companions," Yeza continued while undoing her braids and messing with her hair to remove the shapes caused by her previous hairstyle.


    Yeza seemed to have dropped her act, but Khan understood that she had just decided to change tactic. The Niqols approached the bottles and glanced at him from behind her shoulder before giggling and picking two clean cups.


    "Come here," Yeza ordered in a sensual voice while filling the cups with the booze in the bottles nearby. "Leave your drink there."


    Khan gulped again. Trying to refuse was pointless, and it would even worsen his situation. He could only play along and make sure that he didn''t ruin the source of his happiness that day.


    Khan placed his cup on the table and approached the other side of the room. Yeza turned when he reached her. Her timing felt unreal, even when it came to the handing of a new drink.


    Yeza raised her cup, and Khan performed the iconic Niqols'' toast. The new booze was strong, but something made it easy to drink it. It was slightly dense, warm, and it carried the faint taste of strawberry. Those features hid how easily the liquid could affect someone''s mind.


    "You have helped us a lot since your arrival on Nitis," Yeza smiled before moving closer to the window. "Do you have something to prove in the Global Army, or do you simply like the Niqols?"


    "I believe both is the right answer," Khan firmly replied while walking toward her.


    The two stood side by side as they watched the dark snow falling on the mountains. The scene was quite beautiful, but the darkness of Nitis'' constant night didn''t allow Khan to see much."


    "You have even helped with the village," Yeza continued. "Your life must have been hard."


    Khan didn''t answer, but Yeza''s words made him take another sip from his cup. He had actually promised himself not to drink anymore, but he realized what had happened only when the warm liquid ran down his throat.


    ''She is dangerous,'' Khan reminded himself.


    "The daylight is coming," Yeza eventually sighed. "Your superiors have tried to offer their help, but I''ve always managed to sense the presence of hidden intentions. You can''t remain na?ve when you are me."


    Khan confirmed that the daylight had finally stopped being a secret, and he even felt glad that Yeza was spending time in her monologue. The more she focused on herself, the less she tempted him.


    "Will you help my species once our world turns upside down?" Yeza asked while glancing at Khan, and he felt the need to meet her eyes.


    "Of course," Khan stated in a firm tone.


    Yeza showed what appeared to be an honest smile. Her hand reached his cheek, and Khan felt unable to retract his head. His body didn''t want to oppose her touch.


    Khan felt surprised when Yeza''s fingers touched his cheek. She was warm, even warmer than a human. She caressed his face and spread that cozy feeling throughout his body.


    "So young," Yeza whispered as she placed her palm on his cheek and softly pushed him toward the table, "And yet so driven. I know about your pain. Let me see it."


    Yeza''s hand slid over Khan''s neck and reached his chest. Her fingers started to spread the opening in his robe to reveal his scar, but his hand suddenly grabbed her wrist to stop her.


    Khan had to activate the mental barrier to resist Yeza. His body felt out of control, but he couldn''t let her ruin his happiness. The cold and cynical mindset created by his technique made him accept that he might have to reveal his relationship with Liiza, but he kept that as his last option.


    "I''m sorry, Ambassador Yeza," Khan said in the politest voice he could muster. "I have someone."


    "Oh!" Yeza exclaimed before an interested smile appeared on her face. "It has been so long since someone tried to resist me. I only wanted to tease you, but you have earned my full interest now."


    Yeza''s hand moved quickly. It reached the edges of Khan''s robe and uncovered his chest. He was still holding her wrist, but the entirety of his physical strength was unable to stop her.


    Yeza revealed another surprised expression when she saw the state of Khan''s chest and side. The azure scar immediately unfolded in her vision, but the various marks that filled the rest of his torso made her smile broaden. She noticed hickeys and faint scratches, and she could immediately recognize their source.


    "You have a wild one," Yeza chuckled.


    "She was worried about today," Khan explained.


    Liiza couldn''t announce her relationship to the world, and leaving signs on Khan''s neck was never ideal. The meeting also worried her deeply, so she had ended up being quite rough the previous night. Not even half a day had passed since that intercourse, so Khan still carried her marks.


    "Did the other students tell you something?" Yeza asked in a curious tone. "Maybe this is the job of a Niqols."


    Yeza placed her warm hand on Khan''s chest while speaking. She noticed how he didn''t react at all at that touch, so she made her temperature drop to Niqols'' levels. Khan couldn''t stop his eyes from flickering when he sensed the contact he had grown used to feel.


    "It is a Niqols!" Yeza giggled before placing even her other cold hand on his chest and uncovering the rest of his torso. "You are remarkable."


    The cold sensations spreading from his chest made his mental walls crumble. Khan saw himself falling prey to Yeza''s influence again. His grip on her wrist opened as he abandoned himself to those irresistible sensations.


    "That''s a good boy," Yeza whispered with her sensual voice while caressing his azure scar.


    Her hands slowly returned to Khan''s face. Yeza bit her lower lip before starting to bend toward him. Her captivating figure was about to descend on him, but he could only think of how Liiza made the same gesture when she felt excited.


    Yeza had been honest before. She didn''t plan to do anything other than teasing Khan. However, his ability to refuse her and his determination in protecting his relationship had aroused her interest.


    Khan saw Yeza''s lips drawing near. His body wanted to dive on her, but his mind still worked properly. He could understand what was happening, and all his thoughts ended up converging toward Liiza.


    A simple kiss would be enough to end the reason behind his happiness. Lying about it wouldn''t help either since Liiza would hate Khan even more for that. Yeza was a sensitive topic for Liiza, and she would never forgive him for cheating, even when he couldn''t control his actions. Her memories of her ruined family would never allow her to justify Khan even if her rational mind understood that he was innocent.


    Khan felt able to activate the mental barrier again, but that technique would last for less than a second with all that tempting coldness spreading from his face. He needed slightly more to escape from that situation, but he had no idea how to stretch that time.


    Leather that Khan wasn''t used to touching ended up in his left hand while he struggled to raise his arms. He had started to carry the null-grade bunt knife everywhere he went in the last period since flying back to the academy when he was in the marsh took too long.


    Khan didn''t need to think. He didn''t even need to consider the nature of his actions. He wanted to protect his happiness at all costs. His pain didn''t matter.


    Yeza closed her eyes when she was about to kiss Khan, but he disappeared before their lips could touch. She frowned while turning toward the other side of the room. Her senses had never lost track of him, but she remained surprised and confused anyway.


    Khan had his back on the wall. Sweat fell everywhere from his skin as he breathed roughly. Still, his most striking feature was the long knife stabbed on his left thigh. The blood that came out of his injury quickly tainted his white robe and created an expanding red spot.

 Chapter 166: Mother

    A single instant with the mental barrier wouldn''t have given enough time to perform one of the Lightning-demon style''s sprints, but pain could stretch that window.


    Khan only needed a few seconds of clarity and freedom from Yeza''s influence to run away from her kiss, but the same went for a proper technique with his knife. In theory, the instant provided by the mental barrier wasn''t enough to draw his weapon and stab his leg.


    Yeza inspected Khan from under her frown. Her sensitivity to mana wasn''t something that weak soldiers could understand. She was strong, strong enough to sense the slightest change in that energy even when it happened outside of her body.


    Her eyes went on the expanding red patch before moving on the side of Khan''s waist. The functional and neat leather sheath had turned into torn pieces of fabric that hung from the robe''s belt.


    Khan had never drawn the knife. Yeza had sensed a vague sharp feeling when he had touched the weapon''s handle. The boy had stabbed his leg after piercing his sheath, and he had done that without showing any hesitation.


    His current expression didn''t carry any regret either. Yeza could see how Khan only cared about not cheating on his partner. His determination was unwavering. He treated the matter as if his life depended on it.


    "Am I so disgusting in your eyes?" Yeza said in a tone that hinted at the arrival of tears.


    Khan felt his heart plummeting. Everything inside him desired to reassure Yeza and prevent her sadness. However, he promptly twisted the knife stabbed in his leg to wash his body clean with another wave of pain.


    Clarity filled his mind. Yeza''s first instinct in front of that dramatic scene had been to see how far Khan''s determination stretched, and his reaction left her quite stunned.


    "Do you plan on cutting off your leg to resist me?" Yeza asked as her expression gained a tinge of curiosity.


    "I hope it doesn''t come to that," Khan replied in a cold voice.


    "It was just a kiss," Yeza scoffed while turning to refill her cup. "You can even lie about today. No one would know about it."


    "I would know," Khan responded as his cold expression broke and his eyes fell to the ground.


    Khan tried to imagine what it would be to remain with Liiza without their complete honesty. His mind immediately rejected the idea of tainting that pure feeling. Khan felt like he would deserve such a sad world if he couldn''t preserve what was bringing so much happiness to his life.


    Yeza didn''t miss the slight changes in his expression. She was the best at what she did. Khan''s mind was like an open book in her eyes, so she could directly read the emotions that he experienced.


    Of course, Yeza could only guess what caused them. Yet, she had learnt to link the dots of a character together and understand personalities in ways that others couldn''t, and Khan appeared deeply broken.


    "That doesn''t seem like love," Yeza announced after taking a sip from her cup.


    Khan''s eyes flickered, and a frown appeared on his face as he raised his gaze toward the Niqols. His grasp on his knife tightened as he prepared for eventual attempts to affect his mind, but Yeza had no intention to continue in her teasing.


    "Maybe you are feeling something so intense only because it mends your mind," Yeza continued. "That''s not love. That''s a toxic addiction."


    Khan didn''t doubt his feelings for even an instant. He would have considered Yeza''s words if his relationship with Liiza had happened differently, but their attraction had started right away.


    His mana might have seen Liiza as a cure for his mind, but that wouldn''t explain how she felt the same deep emotions unless she was also deeply broken. Liiza''s mindset wasn''t exactly ideal, but she wasn''t like Khan. Moreover, even if she were, Khan would see that as the reason why they completed each other so easily.


    "It might be toxic for humans," Khan revealed honestly, "But isn''t that what Niqols strive to have?"


    Yeza remained speechless for the first time during that conversation. Even Khan''s determination in hurting himself to avoid betraying his girlfriend didn''t manage to silence her. It had taken him that remark to make her understand that she had analyzed the situation from the wrong perspective.


    Yeza had learnt how humans thought, and she applied that mindset during political events. According to her experience, even those who ended up dating Niqols still preserved the values of their different species. Still, the situation was different with Khan, and she quickly realized how her initial judgment had been off.


    Khan''s eyes widened when Yeza started to laugh. He had seen her giggling multiple times already, and her gestures weren''t any different now. The Niqols was covering her mouth to hide her smile, but she wasn''t trying to be cute or tempt Khan. Her voice carried a faint sadness.


    "You remind me of my ex-husband," Yeza laughed. "Well, who he was when we first decided to marry."


    Liiza had told Khan about her father, Deni. The topic was quite important for her since her parents'' separation had been what had eventually led to her outcast status. Still, Khan felt that something was off when he saw Yeza talking about him.


    "Were you married?" Khan lied as honest curiosity filled his voice.


    "Years ago," Yeza sighed as her gaze fell on her cup. "I know I''m not an easy woman, even for Niqols'' standards. Yet, I really believed that his love would have kept us together."


    "What happened?" Khan questioned.


    "The same that happens in every relationship," Yeza voiced a bitter chuckle. "Small things become big things. Promises turn into curses throughout the years. One day you are able to accept who you have married. The other you ask her to change."


    Yeza heaved a helpless sigh before chuckling when recalling that Khan was in the same room with her. "And you become so bitter that you end up revealing this stuff to a kid. Maybe I''m getting too old for this."


    Khan felt slightly confused. Liiza''s version of the story covered other topics and mainly focused on Deni''s pain. It never considered Yeza''s perspective, and Khan didn''t find it hard to blame her for the crack in her family. Even humans had cheaters in the end.


    However, it was clear that there was more to the matter, which wasn''t entirely surprising. Liiza had been nothing more than a kid when her parents separated, and she had even been closer to her father back then. She could have easily misunderstood and failed to see something crucial.


    Khan didn''t know what to do with what he had just learnt, but Yeza didn''t keep their conversation on that topic any longer. She used both hands to raise her hair and show the entirety of her face before questioning him. "Do you think I''m getting old?"


    Yeza''s revealing gown showed even more of her bare torso in that position. The Niqols also slightly turned to make sure that Khan could get a good look at how her sensual curves mixed with her slim and flawless waist. She was a piece of art without wrinkles or spots.


    "You are stunning," Khan honestly evaluated.


    "I know, right?" Yeza scoffed before letting her hair fall and revealing a teasing smile. "And yet you still refused me."


    Khan tightened his grip on the knife''s handle but still decided to give a polite answer. "I''m sorry."


    "Don''t be," Yeza stated as her smile started to radiate a faint affection. "Never be sorry for what feelings make you do. That''s the Niqols way, and you must learn it if you want to make your girl happy."


    "I never said that she was a Niqols," Khan quickly corrected, but Yeza shot a glance at him that clearly stated how little she believed in his words.


    "Don''t make promises that you can''t keep," Yeza lectured while approaching the other side of the room, "Don''t let your feelings for her change, and don''t try to suppress her. Succeed, and you''ll have a relationship that humans can only dream."


    "Yes, ma''am!" Khan promised in a serious tone.


    "And don''t you dare to use that ma''am with me ever again," Yeza scolded. "It only makes me feel old."


    Khan couldn''t help but chuckle at that reaction. He nodded honestly as he took her lecture to heart. Yeza had no idea that he would apply those teaching to her daughter, but she didn''t need to know that.


    Yeza noticed the sharp change in Khan''s expression. She had tried to make him cheat on his girlfriend just a few minutes ago, but he could still appear grateful about her teachings. She felt almost moved by the intensity of his commitment toward his relationship.


    "You might become the kind of man that I always wanted for my daughter," Yeza exclaimed. "I thought that the Ilman kid would be perfect since he basically worships her, but you saw how easily jealousy twists love."


    Khan suddenly recalled how Yeza probably was aware of everything that had happened in the academy. She even knew that Liiza had brought Khan to get his Aduns since she had called Captain Erbair on that same day.


    "Liiza seems to lower her guard with you," Yeza continued. "Maybe she has also sensed some resemblances with her father. Do me a favor and keep an eye on her, okay? She doesn''t trust Niqols anymore, so a human might help her get back into the world."


    Khan limited himself to nod slowly. Everything he had ever learnt about lies fused to allow him to maintain the perfect poker face in front of the queen of pretenses.


    Yeza revealed a satisfied smile at that gesture, but her eyes fell on his leg when she stopped in front of the room''s exit. The patch of blood had almost reached Khan''s ankle.


    "Do you plan on taking that off at some point?" Yeza asked.


    "Depends," Khan firmly responded.


    "I won''t tease you anymore. I promise," Yeza chuckled while covering her mouth. "I would feel bad about breaking your determination after seeing how deeply you care about your partner."


    Khan inspected Yeza''s face for a few seconds before slowly retracting his knife. More blood poured out of his injury, and the red patch soon threatened to reach his shoes. Khan didn''t exactly know how deep the wound would have been after manipulating his mana to become sharp, but it seemed that he needed to meditate and patch himself up.


    "Stay still," Yeza said as she stretched her hand toward Khan.


    Khan instinctively bent backward, and a membrane of sharp mana even covered his knife. He was ready to stab himself again to resist Yeza''s powers, but he didn''t feel anything off for now.


    "I''m just trying to heal you," Yeza giggled.


    Khan inspected Yeza for a few seconds again, but he eventually dropped his guard. The mana around his knife dispersed, and a new mark appeared on its edges. The weapon would probably break soon if his manipulation ability didn''t improve, but that was precisely what he intended to do.


    Yeza placed her hand on top of Khan''s head. She was cold, but that sensation brought some coziness when she sent mana inside his body. She didn''t use the [Harmony Technique]. Her control over mana granted her access to a superior ability that used her energy to copy Khan''s features and find every damage before fixing everything.


    Khan felt the pain coming out of his legs disappearing as the injury closed, but the positive effects of that technique didn''t stop there. His tiredness also vanished while a sense of liveliness filled his mind. Only the marks and hickeys on his torso remained untouched.


    "I left them on purpose," Yeza explained in a teasing voice. "I believe you want to keep her marks, right?"


    Khan nodded a few times before staring at Yeza showing an approving smile and reaching the room''s exit. He felt slightly strange in that situation. The Niqols had stopped acting as a temptress, but her new behavior was something that Khan didn''t know too well. Yeza vaguely felt like a mother.


    "Aren''t you coming?" Yeza asked while stepping out of the room, and Khan quickly snapped back to reality.


    ****


    Author''s notes: 3-4 hours for the second chapter.


    I would also like to address an issue. I know many of you want to read both chapters at the same time and are willing to wait more hours for that. Yet, others don''t mind, so delaying the first chapter would only hurt them.


    In the end, I can''t satisfy everyone, unless I fix my cursed sleeping schedule of course. I promise I''m doing my best there, but I just keep failing. I can only ask you to bear with me. I would understand if you couldn''t.

 Chapter 167: Sorry

    "[Get him new clothes]," Yeza ordered as soon as she found one of the servants. "[We are going to the basement]."


    Yeza was leading Khan across the palace. He had covered his chest, and the Niqols had healed his injuries, but his robe still had that ominous red patch. It wasn''t ideal for an envoy to come out of a political meeting with bloodied clothes.


    Khan hid how well he had learnt to understand the Niqols'' language in the last period. He had been on Nitis for a little less than two months, so his knowledge was far from perfect. Still, his deep immersion in the aliens'' social environment had allowed him to get better quickly, especially when it came to simple phrases.


    Khan wanted to preserve some advantages, even if they were slight. A minor slip-up on the Niqols'' side might allow him to gain important information or connect events that he thought to be unrelated. Of course, that was a general mindset. He didn''t reveal his above-average knowledge of the alien language to Yeza only because of her connection to Liiza.


    Khan didn''t know how to interact with Yeza. He felt to have taken a glimpse at her true face during their previous conversation, but that didn''t exactly bring his relationship with her to a friendly state.


    Yeza remained the ambassador in charge of managing the humans even if she had shown her motherly side before. Khan felt that she liked him, but she still was the woman who had cheated on her husband for the greater good of her species. He believed that she wouldn''t hesitate to forsake her feelings to make use of his position inside the Global Army.


    On the other hand, Yeza was his girlfriend''s mother. Khan wanted to know her better, especially after learning that Liiza might have misunderstood part of the events involving her family.


    The strangeness and awkwardness of the situation made Khan remain utterly silent as Yeza led him across the staircases and toward the first floor of the palace. He didn''t even ask her where they were going.


    Yeza ended up opening a secret passage behind one of the silk-like artworks hung on the walls of the first floor. She could unlock hidden menus when she placed her palm on the dark and smooth material that made the palace, and one of them granted the two access to a descending path.


    A servant reached Yeza and Khan before they could step into the path. The Niqols kept a folded and clean robe on his raised palms as he waited for more orders.


    "Change," Yeza ordered as she tinkered with other menus to adjust the illumination and temperature in the passage. "Don''t let the dirty clothes touch the carpet."


    Yeza basically stated that Khan had to change there, but he didn''t mind. She wasn''t paying attention to him, and the servant was wearing a blank expression that almost made him look like a puppet. Also, Khan had lost his sense of decorum after his life in the Slums. Ending up in his pants in the middle of an almost empty room wasn''t an issue.


    Khan felt surprised to discover that the new robe was warm. The Niqols had actually heated it before bringing it to the first floor, and Khan couldn''t help but express his gratitude in the alien language.


    The servant didn''t react to those words. He limited himself to grab the dirty robe and turn to leave. The emotionless interaction made Khan wonder whether he had done something wrong, but Yeza didn''t miss that interaction, and she didn''t fail to address his doubts.


    "Some Niqols still don''t accept our new ways," Yeza explained while showing a complicated smile to Khan. "Those attached to the old ways often work in similar buildings. This art tells our history."


    Yeza caressed the artwork hanging at her side, but Khan felt the need to comment. "Isn''t it dangerous to have xenophobic Niqols living with the ambassador in charge of the relationship with the humans?"


    "Oh, no, they are professionals," Yeza responded. "They wouldn''t let their beliefs ruin their work. Zura is simply jealous because I don''t open my legs for him."


    Khan fell silent and decided not to ask more questions for the time being. It felt too awkward to learn about Yeza''s sexual life as her daughter''s boyfriend.


    Yeza led Khan through the descending path. Her previous tinkering with the menus had filled the area with a dim azure glow that revealed its details. The secret passage didn''t feature any carpet or artwork, and the hall that unfolded after reaching its end resembled a larger version of the training camp''s prisons.


    Cells with bars made of black metal with multiple red spots filled both sides of the hall. Chains built with the same materials occupied their insides, but Khan didn''t fail to see how everything appeared quite dusty. It seemed that no one had been inside the prisons for a long time. A dark moss had even started to grow in the corners of the room and some humid spots.


    Yeza didn''t stop there, and Khan made sure to follow along. She crossed the whole hall and opened another descending passage after reaching the opposite wall. The new path appeared almost identical to the first. The only difference was that the room at its end carried different cells.


    The same glass-like material that made the palace''s windows divided the hall in half and separated the other side into multiple smaller cells. Moreover, azure symbols shone on those dark surfaces to control the environment inside each cubicle.


    The symbols'' shades gave Khan the idea that the Niqols had created that layer of the prison after meeting the humans. The clear contrast with the red spots on the metal bars on the superior floor gave birth to two very different pictures in his mind. He almost felt able to see the old and modern versions of the alien species in those differences.


    "It won''t be a good sight, especially for you," Yeza announced.


    "It''s fine," Khan responded.


    Yeza glanced at Khan while showing a slightly sad expression. She didn''t know too much about him. The Global Army had to send general descriptions about all the humans arriving on Nitis, and Khan''s report had a few more lines due to the issue with the Aduns and his many feats. Yet, she still ignored how much he had to suffer to gain that resolve and detachment at such a young age.


    Khan appeared more mature than most Niqols, even if the aliens had to join hunts fairly early on. That felt a bit too much, but Yeza could only ignore her feelings since she had political duties to attend to.


    "Mistrust between our species still exists," Yeza explained as she approached one of the cells. "That''s natural due to our respective goals, so I can''t completely trust your superiors. I don''t trust you either, but maybe I can appeal to your compassion and sorrow. I only need you to focus on your feelings for the girl from my species before giving your answer."


    Yeza covered two fingers with mana before touching the azure symbol on the dark glass and changing some of its lines. The material quickly became transparent, and Khan''s expression turned cold as soon as he recognized the creature contained inside the cubicle.


    Monstrous growls that Khan had heard in the village reached his ears as Yeza continued to move the lines of the symbol. She was lifting the restrictions of the cell. Her last movement even allowed the creature to see what stood outside of the cell.


    The growls intensified at that point. The mutated Niqols inside the cell was short, barely one meter and twenty centimeters tall. It stood two monstrous legs. One of them was hairy and ended in a hoof, while the other was smooth and had a slimy liquid above it.


    Its torso had lost every humanoid feature. Bumps covered in scales, chunks of hair coming out of open patches of skin that leaked blood, and what seemed to be a three-fingered hand grew from that part.


    Khan felt lucky that feathers covered the creature''s head. A horn seemed to grow from the center of its forehead, but it wasn''t long enough to show its entire shape. Other strange features covered the monster arms, but Khan moved his cold gaze on Yeza at that point.


    "Did you show me the ugliest mutated Niqols on purpose?" Khan asked in a cold tone.


    Mutations usually led to death when they were so unstable, but the creature in the cell had managed to remain alive even if it had developed body parts that could often create conflicts in a single body. The chances of something like that happening were almost non-existent, so Khan guessed that Yeza''s choice had been part of a plan.


    Yeza was perfect in her pretense. She didn''t show any reaction until her mouth twisted in an emotionless smile and she decided to admit everything. "I had to cause an intense emotional reaction. You have probably found Niqols in the same condition during your mission."


    It felt strange to see Yeza show such an aloof face. She always relied on evident emotions to affect the behavior of those around her. Her current expression appeared entirely out of character.


    "Why?" Khan asked.


    "Because of your scar," Yeza explained. "You probably know a bit about problems caused by mana. I''ve asked your superiors if they could turn these Niqols back to their original form, but they wanted something in exchange for that information."


    "Are you asking me to betray the army?" Khan asked as his eyes returned to the cell.


    "I''m asking you to show mercy," Yeza corrected.


    Khan had to muster the entirety of his mental strength not to answer that question right away. Yeza had picked correctly. Khan knew enough about mana infections to have a real answer to her question. He also had a weak spot for the Niqols, even if she ignored how deep his reasons for that were.


    Making the other recruits decide to reveal something would have been easier for Yeza due to her many talents, but she wasn''t sure about their knowledge. The same applied to Khan, but she could at least guess that he knew a bit more about the field.


    "What do I get if I help you?" Khan asked coldly.


    "Do you like Nitis?" Yeza questioned.


    "Very much," Khan revealed.


    "I can give you political relevance as long as you remain here," Yeza promised. "I can turn you into the bridge between our species after the crisis. It will take a few years, but you would gain enough merits to climb the ranks of your army or establish yourself here. The choice would be yours."


    Those were words that Khan had dreamt to hear ever since acknowledging everything that could have hindered his relationship. Yet, he didn''t let his hopes get to his head. Yeza could take back those promises whenever she wanted, so he wanted something else for the time being.


    "I also want to know more about the Niqols'' ways," Khan demanded, "Especially when it comes to everything that you can do with mana."


    "The academy will eventually teach you that if you become good enough in manipulating mana," Yeza stated.


    "I''m talking about the old ways," Khan explained.


    "Why would you even want to learn methods that we have abandoned?" Yeza asked while turning to show her confusion to Khan.


    Khan couldn''t reveal anything about his meeting with Zalpa. Truth be told, her methods had left him quite surprised, especially when she had uncovered the hidden parts of his nightmare. The old ways seemed to have a profound understanding of mana, and Khan wanted the chance to study them.


    Moreover, Zalpa knew about the problems that daylight could cause. The knowledge hidden in the old ways seemed to go past what the Niqols held now, and Khan wasn''t scared to pay the price for that power.


    "I want to fuse our methods while keeping the human ways as the core," Khan voiced a partial lie.


    The Niqols were fusing the methods of the two species, but they still founded what they developed on the three fields connected to mana. It made sense for Khan to desire to do the opposite.


    "Sure," Yeza quickly agreed. "I''ll send you a list through a secret channel. Pick a field, and I''ll give you what we have."


    The knowledge of the old ways was useless in the hands of a single recruit. Khan wouldn''t even be able to reveal it to his organization without arousing suspicion, so Yeza felt safe sharing it. She would also keep the truly important aspects of those fields for her, and Khan wouldn''t be able to do anything about it.


    The silence that followed their arrival to an agreement felt heavy, but Yeza respected it. Betraying your species wasn''t something easy, but Khans'' explanation arrived sooner than she expected anyway.


    "Even our best technology can''t turn them back," Khan revealed. "They have remained in this mutated state for too long. I''m sorry."


    ****


    Author''s notes: Just to give you the heads-up, the new cover should arrive soon. I''ve already shown the sketch that the artist has sent to the others on my discord. The plan to have a cover for each volume seems sound, so remember that you can always find the old ones on my Instagram and discord.

 Chapter 168: Paranoia

    The meeting was only an excuse to give Ambassador Yeza the chance to question Khan about the mutated Niqols. The other young aliens mostly exchanged superficial talks or probed each other''s view of the relationship between the two species.


    Creating a psychological profile of the recruits that the Global Army had decided to send to [The Pure Trees] could only help the Niqols since those humans would probably continue to occupy important political positions. The young aliens took note of how they reacted to various stimuli, be it teases, drinks, sudden questions, or statements that put some pressure on them.


    Only Liiza struggled to make it hard for Veronica and understand how the girl''s mind worked. Liiza was too anxious about Khan remaining alone with her mother, and having one of his suitors in front of her didn''t help.


    Luckily for Liiza, Veronica''s personality was warm, polite, and welcoming toward every odd reaction that she could have. Liiza even ended up in a daze at times when she immersed herself in her fears and paranoia. Her mother could make men fall to their knees with a single smile, but she had to wait for the event to end to understand if her boyfriend had managed to resist her.


    "Is everything okay, Miss Liza?" Veronica politely asked when she saw that Liiza had remained immersed in her thoughts for more than two minutes.


    The girls were in an ample room adorned with a thick dark-red carpet, artworks hanging from the walls, and a large window that showed the dazzling snowy environment outside the palace. Comfortable armchairs and couches occupied the center of the area and encircled a small table that had a few bottles and cups at its center.


    Veronica and Liiza sat on armchairs on opposite sides of the small table, and the latter had limited herself to fill two cups before taking anxious sips. She would ask preset questions whenever Veronica reminded her of her situation, but she never truly listened to her answers.


    The situation worsened until Liiza remained silent for more than two minutes after Veronica''s last answer. The latter had managed to wait calmly, but the faint fear that she might have done something wrong eventually appeared in her mind due to the Niqols complete and constant lack of attention.


    "What do you think about the Niqols'' customs?" Liiza quoted one of the preset questions that she had memorized earlier when Veronica brought her back to reality. "I believe it must be hard to adapt to our different ideas of decorum."


    "I think about it as a priceless experience!" Veronica exclaimed while wearing a brilliant smile. "I think we should learn from each other while we have this lucky chance together. It doesn''t happen every day meet a species which has evolv-."


    Veronica halted her answer when she noticed that Liiza had stopped listening to her again. The latter kept her mouth on the cup''s edges as she gazed at the room''s exit. Her glowing eyes even moved left and right as her paranoia fueled her worry.


    Veronica had long since learnt about Liiza''s situation. A single conversation with Azni had been enough to make her aware of all the gossips inside the academy. Of course, Veronica had also heard about the rumored secret boyfriend that had made Liiza arrive at the party after the solar wind with pale cheeks.


    In theory, the Global Army''s orders saw the envoys expressing the utmost respect toward the Niqols, especially those with some political involvement or connection. However, Veronica had learnt how the aliens thought and behaved in the last month, which gave her enough courage to be more open. Her current approach wasn''t going anywhere anyway.


    "Are you worried about your man?" Veronica suddenly asked.


    "Did you find the schedule in the academy welcom-," Liiza voiced as she snapped back to reality, but another question came out of her mouth when she understood what Veronica had said. "What man?"


    "Everyone in the academy says that you have found someone," Veronica giggled before diverting her gaze and lowering her voice. "Is it the part of the sexual gratification true?"


    "What?!" Liiza instinctively exclaimed before covering her mouth to remind herself about her composure.


    "Sorry!" Veronica quickly added. "I know. It''s too personal. I was just curious since I also have someone I like, but it''s hard to compete when everyone is so pushy with him."


    A wave of jealousy filled Liiza''s mind and washed away the tipsiness that her anxious drinking had created. She knew who Veronica liked, and she was also aware of the pushy attention that he was receiving.


    "My companions are so hard to approach about that topic," Veronica continued, "And the Niqols tell me to jump on him before the others. How does one even jump on someone?"


    "You shouldn''t listen to everything they say," Liiza stated from behind her cup to hide the jealousy that filled her face. "It''s pointless to change who you are just to get a man."


    "That''s what I think too!" Veronica exclaimed. "Still, this man is so hard to approach. He is always there when you truly need him, but he is impossible to find otherwise. I can''t really say anything to him after everything he had to overcome, so I''m lost. You looked like the only Niqols who could have a different view."


    Countless plans on how to make Veronica give up on Khan mixed with her jealousy and filled her thoughts. Yet, Liiza wasn''t nearly as good as her boyfriend when it came to pretenses and lies. She feared that her words or behavior could reveal something if she became too involved in the conversation.


    "Why do you like him?" Liiza asked after deciding to let Veronica focus on her own feelings.


    "I don''t really know," Veronica revealed while wearing a genuine smile and fixing her eyes on her cup. "He probably lies a lot, and he definitely has secrets, but he is also incredibly reliable, strong, and driven. Also, I know his heart is in the right place even if everything he has experienced would give him a free pass on being an insensitive idiot."


    Liiza fixed her glowing eyes on Veronica while continuing to hide her face behind the cup. She could see the girl''s affection in her expressions, but she couldn''t feel jealous about that when her words complimented her boyfriend so openly. Liiza actually felt a bit proud to be with Khan.


    "He seems the kind of guy who would give up on the world for those important to him," Veronica said as her smile became slightly playful. "I don''t think that''s exactly a good thing, but I feel warm when I imagine myself as one of his important people."


    Liiza had to drink to suppress her blush. Veronica had made her think about all the sacrifices that Khan had made for her. She also recalled the hesitant and twisted words that he had voiced during their intimate moments. Khan''s mind could reach dark places, but it felt too good to be at the center of his bright thoughts.


    "Is everything okay?" Veronica repeated when she saw that Liiza had fallen silent again.


    "I''m sorry," Liiza responded quickly, showing that she didn''t forget about her surroundings at that time. "I-, I have someone but don''t say anything to the others. Let it remain a rumor."


    "Of course!" Veronica promised as her eyes lit up. "How is he? You are so beautiful, so he must be handsome. Are you keeping him a secret because of Ilman? Is it because of your mother?"


    Veronica had lowered her voice during her last line, but she didn''t hide how curious she felt about Liiza''s situation. Everyone believed that her man belonged to tribes that could cause troubles for her mother, and the Niqols had quickly grown excited at the idea of a forbidden relationship.


    "I won''t say anything," Liiza announced as her voice gained sweet tinges. "He is just the best."


    Liiza found it strange to have that type of conversation since her unique situation had forced her to give up on friendships and similar relationships. She had never gotten the chance to talk with another girl so openly, and even Azni couldn''t fill that role since her schedule often conflicted with Khan''s free time.


    "Tell me more about it!" Veronica begged.


    "My lips are sealed," Liiza giggled before bending forward and pointing at Veronica''s cup. "Why don''t you tell me more about your hesitation about jumping on your guy?"


    "I need another drink for that," Veronica stated before hiding her laugh behind her hand.


    "Don''t worry," Liiza assured. "This palace is built on drinks."


    .


    .


    .


    The meetings lasted only a few hours, and each group gathered in the hall on the first floor afterward. They moved back to the palace''s entrance, and inspections happened among all of them to understand how that event had gone.


    Brandon and Kelly had been with two Niqols who often exchanged words with them. However, everyone could see how a wall existed between them and prevented the arrival of honest laughs or casual conversations. They had done nothing but voicing political ideas and hopes connected to the relationship between their species during their meeting.


    Gabriela, Rodney, and George were in a group with three Niqols, but only the two boys seemed to have dropped the manners required by that political event. They often joked with their escorts, hinting at how successful their meeting had been.


    Helen''s situation was quite surprising. She had been alone with a tall Niqols who radiated nobility with all his gestures and expressions. His manners were calm but firm, and Helen couldn''t help but respond with faint flirts and attractive smiles that made her appear as Yeza''s younger and inexperienced version.


    The surprising aspect of the two was that the Niqols appeared attracted by those gestures, and Helen didn''t hide from his attentions either. They were basically flirting in the open by the time they reached their companions.


    Liiza and Veronica''s situation was quite peculiar since both girls had ended up drinking a lot after their topics had digressed to more intimate matters. They had never revealed anything specific, but it was clear that their conversations didn''t involve the relationship between their species. Their unstable steps also proved how they had limited themselves to have fun.


    Nevertheless, Khan and Ambassador Yeza created the most surprising scene as they regrouped with everyone in the hall. The two appeared to be at ease during their conversation. They were talking about something superficial which seemed to involve the Lysixi seen in the tunnel, but a few details in that scene left the other humans and Niqols speechless.


    Everyone noticed how Khan was wearing a different robe. Yeza''s fame was far from a simple rumor, so the others immediately connected it to the scene. The Niqols felt amazed that Khan had actually managed to make Yeza get under his clothes, while the humans experienced different reactions, which went from envy to pure astonishment.


    Liiza and Veronica almost froze at that scene, and no one noticed their peculiar reaction because everyone was busy staring at Khan and Yeza. The two didn''t even see that they had worn the same face since they were too busy inspecting Khan''s new robe. They couldn''t ignore what that detail meant, but the boy didn''t hesitate to make their confusion intensify.


    Khan had noticed how Veronica and Liiza were having fun, and the sight of his girlfriend''s honest smiles made him truly happy. He knew that Liiza had trouble making friends due to her past, so seeing her so relaxed brought him joy.


    Khan revealed an honest smile when he looked at the two girls, which made them divert their gazes in confusion and awkwardness. Veronica ended up blushing even, but Liiza regained her composure. She knew that the gesture was for her, so she started to doubt whether Khan had cheated on her.


    Yeza''s relaxed approach to the conversation also stunned the group inspecting the scene. Her laughs, smiles, and light touches on Khan''s shoulder remained captivating, but she didn''t seem to do them on purpose. They resembled a consequence of her habits, but she didn''t back them with the intention of making Khan fall for her.


    The confusion and astonishment couldn''t last long since Professor Supyan waited for everyone at the end of the corridor and forced humans and Niqols to separate. The two groups exchanged the usual polite bows and smiles before splitting to return to their duties.


    Liiza remained still for a few seconds in front of the sliding layers of the palace and its closing doors. She was tipsy, and her confusion didn''t help her situation. Yet, a strange urge spread inside her as her fears intensified. She felt the need to confront her mother about her meeting.


    The Niqols and Yeza had grown used to Liiza''s behavior by then. They knew that she would leave in a matter of minutes, so they didn''t even bother to talk with her as they resumed their tasks inside the palace.


    Liiza could wait a few minutes and climb the familiar staircases to reach a dark room that featured one of the largest windows in the palace, a big bed, and a vast wardrobe that covered an entire wall. Her mother was there, browsing through the various clothes to pick something more comfortable now that the meeting had ended.


    "[It''s rare for you to visit me]," Yeza said as she recognized Liiza''s unique aura. "[You usually are already flying away by now]."


    Yeza didn''t stop browsing among her clothes, and Liiza made sure to close the door behind her as she reviewed the questions prepared during her walk there. She couldn''t just ask about Khan, but her unique position gave her access to things that other Niqols might ignore.


    "[Did the human know a way to revert the mutated Niqols?" Liiza asked.


    "[No]," Yeza sighed. "[Apparently, reverting that state would require new mutations, and that would only affect their bodies. Their minds are long gone]."


    "[Understood]," Liiza announced while pretending to leave.


    Her plan relied on everything she knew about her mother''s personality. Liiza had used the word human on purpose to bait out Yeza''s reprimands, and she fell for that trap.


    "[That boy''s name is Khan]," Yeza corrected. "[He is actually an interesting boy. I believe he will become an important figure among the humans, so we should keep him close]."


    "[What makes him interesting]?" Liiza voice while suppressing a smile.


    "[His resolve is off the charts]," Yeza scoffed while peeking out of the wardrobe and showing her surprised expression to Liiza. "[He didn''t only refuse me because of his Niqols girlfriend. He even stabbed his own leg to resist me after I insisted. I had to make him change after all the blood that had fallen]."


    Yeza laughed, and Liiza reminded herself to shake her head in disgust. That was their usual interaction, and Yeza didn''t address the slight hesitation that her daughter had shown.


    "[He reminded me about your father]," Yeza continued while bringing her gaze back to the wardrobe. "[I wonder if he''ll fail his woman in the same way]."


    "[Dad didn''t fail you]," Liiza snorted before opening the door in a hurry. "[You just can''t expect love if you sleep with other men]."


    "[That''s what I used to think before Deni]," Yeza sighed again, "[But I ended up being right all along. Love simply isn''t enough at times. You have his same character, so make sure that you can follow through your emotions before making important decisions]."


    A third sigh escaped Yeza''s mouth when she heard the door of her room closing. She knew that Liiza would probably never understand her reasons, but she didn''t care as long as she could prevent her from making the same mistakes.


    ****


    Author''s notes: 3-4 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 169: Deal

    The political meeting left the eight recruits satisfied. They had a clear advantage over the companions who had remained in the training camps, and they had even made sure to expand that gap.


    The Global Army had sent their best eight recruits to the academy, which had created an elite team with a high chance to become a core aspect of the relationship between the two species in the following years. Their political role wouldn''t only award them with merits. It would also benefit eventual promotions, especially if they involved Nitis'' environment.


    Brandon and Kelly didn''t feel to have fallen behind their companions when it came to their merits. They had shown competence and seriousness during their meeting, which were the exact features they wanted the Niqols to know them for.


    Instead, the others had a more relaxed approach since they believed that the Niqols would appreciate humans capable of blending with their culture.


    Helen and Veronica had sort of forgotten about their political purpose for different reasons. However, they had still obtained positive results since they had established decent relationships with two important figures of the alien species. Liiza would have some relevance in the future due to her mother, and the Niqols who flirted with Helen seemed to belong to a distinguished tribe.


    Still, everyone felt that Khan had been one step ahead of them again. They didn''t initially care that Ambassador Yeza had chosen him for the meeting since the Niqols already saw him as the face of the envoys. However, the scene seen when the groups reunited had left them curious, doubtful, and envious.


    The presence of Professor Supyan on the Lysixi that led them back to the academy didn''t let them question Khan properly, and the latter didn''t give them the chance to talk even after exiting the secret passage. Snow was already waiting for him when everyone stepped on the mountain, and he jumped on it right after performing a bow toward the Niqols.


    That behavior made the recruits even more curious, but running away from questions wasn''t Khan''s intention. That was the last free day of the week, and he wanted to spend the rest of it with his girlfriend, especially since he imagined her anxious state.


    ''Things are finally turning for the better!'' Khan shouted in his mind as Snow accelerated through the air.


    Khan could finally see a path in front of him. He didn''t know if Yeza would fulfill her side of the deal, but the fact that she could rely on him to learn details about the Global Army already ensured a future political relevance.


    The decision to sell classified information for personal benefits made Khan a traitor, and it could easily turn him into a spy. Yet, he didn''t care. He had betrayed the Global Army without the slightest hesitation, and his secret relationship was only one of the reasons behind that decision. Khan still loathed the soldiers for what they had chosen to make the Niqols and the eight recruits face.


    Paying back part of the injustice suffered during the solar wind felt good, but Khan couldn''t enjoy that feeling thoroughly. He had only shared a minor detail that the humans almost viewed as common knowledge. His actions might have prevented his species from gaining a few more permissions, but that couldn''t compare to all the deaths and pain that the humans had caused.


    The benefits that gave Khan hope about Liiza and his personal power felt better than that pointless payback. He couldn''t wait to see what the Niqols'' old ways had to offer, and the sole idea of experiencing his relationship in the open made him ecstatic. He actually had the chance to establish himself on Nitis and gain a position that could give him a future with his girlfriend.


    The mental training for the chaos element was over, but Khan had yet to approach the Wave spell. The program gave an example of proper execution of the ability, but it was unclear whether that would help.


    Mages needed to rely on specific thoughts and emotions to activate their elements and turn them into spells. Yet, the chaos element was different in its requirements.


    The program stated that the emotions couldn''t be part of the casting process due to the innate instability of the chaos element. Moreover, Khan couldn''t rely on studies to follow precise instructions on how to gain access to that power. The mages had developed lists of thoughts and feelings that helped and triggered specific effects with their elements, but chaos respected no rule. Its approach was highly personal and required Khan to develop his own method.


    Khan felt lost about that part of his training. He planned to imitate the expert in his program for the time being, but the innate instability of the chaos element made him decide to approach everything carefully. Also, he couldn''t try to summon such unstable energy with people around him, so he noted in his mind to test the spell only when he was alone.


    That left Khan with only two choices when it came to how he had to spend the hours flying toward the marsh. He couldn''t use his knife correctly there, so only his meditations and sleep remained.


    Calculations quickly happened in his mind and made him aware that he still had hours of sleep to fill to meet Liiza''s requirements, so he lay on Snow''s feathered back and closed his eyes. The usual nightmare didn''t take much to arrive.


    Khan had to go back to the academy before flying toward the marsh, so Liiza took less to arrive there since she didn''t have intermediate destinations. He sensed her presence when the entrance of the cave unfolded in his vision, and a smile appeared on his face when he saw her figure jumping in his direction.


    Liiza flew in Khan''s embrace. She quickly wrapped her arms and legs around his neck and waist as she dug her face on his neck. Khan could only reply by hugging her tightly, and Liiza didn''t hesitate to fill him with kisses.


    "Hey, let''s get inside first," Khan laughed as Liiza stormed his neck and side of his head with kisses.


    "[I love you so much]!" Liiza exclaimed before taking his cheeks in her hands and keeping him still to leave a deep kiss on his lips.


    Khan understood that there was no stopping to Liiza, so he replied to her kisses while entering the cave. He quickly reached the simple bed made of blankets and pillows, and his knees went on the ground before he bent forward to lie Liiza down.


    The girl had never stopped kissing him, and she started to open his robe when her nape touched one of the pillows. Khan didn''t have the time to say anything before he found himself captured in her pushy and captivating passion.


    Khan had never seen Liiza in that state, but he didn''t fail to enjoy the following hours. When everything ended, he found himself staring at the ceiling while wearing a pleased smile. Liiza was resting on his sweaty chest. An evident blush filled her smiling face as she slowly caressed Khan''s side and left lazy kisses on his torso.


    Liiza almost purred whenever Khan caressed her hair. He had never seen her so happy, and the sight was dazzling. Betraying the Global Army felt completely worth it if it could lead to that.


    Liiza eventually decided to move. She climbed on Khan''s torso and lay on his chest. Her hands went in his hair as she left a deep kiss on his lips before raising her head and revealing an affectionate smile.


    "I''ve never been happier," Liiza whispered while moving the hair that had fallen on Khan''s forehead.


    "To think that I only needed to refuse your mother for that," Khan teased while joining his hands on her lower back.


    The two had yet to speak about what had happened during their respective meetings. The previous burst of passion didn''t leave them any time to say much. They had only voiced their feelings multiple times, but everything else had been a loud mess of deep breaths and moans.


    Khan knew Liiza well enough to guess the reason behind her unusual ardor, but he was unaware about everything else. He wasn''t even sure if Liiza had learnt about the mutated Niqols in the basement.


    "Did you really stab your leg to resist her?" Liiza asked happily.


    "How do you even know that?" Khan uttered.


    "I know how to trick my mother," Liiza boasted before moving her gaze on the ground. "I also know that she made you see the basement."


    "[Liiza]," Khan whispered, and Liiza''s eyes immediately went back on him at the sound of the Niqols'' accent.


    The two kissed again, and their lips remained close when Khan responded to Liiza''s previous words. "What''s a wound compared to this? Also, I managed to get a decent deal out of your mother after accompanying her to the basement."


    Liiza retracted her head to show her curious expression, and Khan didn''t hesitate to explain everything that had happened with Yeza. Then, it was Liiza''s turn to tell him how she had ended up spending a lovely morning with Veronica.


    .


    .


    .


    Life in the academy continued as usual, except for a change that everyone noticed but no one mentioned. Liiza started attending the parties more often, and Khan could never hold back from joining her in casual and vague interaction. Luckily for the couple, Azni always dragged Doku and other Niqols around them to hide the real reason behind that behavior.


    Someone guessed that Khan liked Liiza. It made sense due to the rumors from his first day on Nitis and the gentle rejections he reserved to the other girls flirting with him. Still, no one believed he had a chance with her since her blush seemed to have become a regular part of her face. The aliens didn''t think that Liiza could mind others when someone was keeping her so happy.


    Of course, Khan and Liiza had planned the timing for their arrivals and departures from the parties perfectly. No one suspected that Khan could be the man behind the blush, and Azni even used her ability with gossips to spread fake rumors that led the other Niqols completely off track.


    Liiza simply couldn''t hold back from leaving Khan alone among girls flirting with him after the meeting. His ability to refuse her mother had made her surrender to her feelings. She would literally go crazy if she had to wait an entire night alone in the cave without knowing what the other Niqols were throwing at Khan.


    The gathering around her wasn''t ideal since it could still reveal something about Khan, but Liiza solved it by leaving a few marks on his neck from time to time.


    That created the perfect alibi, even if it put Khan in the awkward situation of having to stick to two different lies at the same time. The Niqols believed that his partner was one of the humans, while the recruits were confident that he was hooking up with an alien. It was a mess, but Khan managed to handle it pretty well, especially since he never remained inside the academy longer than necessary.


    The only one who started to guess something was Doku. The boy was an honest friend, extraordinary even. He had all the right cards before him, but he still refused to think about the matter.


    Azni was helping Liiza and Khan openly, and Doku could see that better than anyone else. His girlfriend was lying about gossips to protect them, and Liiza and Khan shared the same wild scent. That could be a coincidence, but ideas inevitably formed in his mind as all those clues piled on.


    A change happened at the beginning of his tenth week on Nitis. Eight days had passed from the meeting, and Khan had just attended his last lesson. He was about to reach a mountain and summon Snow, but a hooded figure suddenly appeared on his path.


    Khan immediately prepared himself to fight. The figure was like Professor Supyan. It managed to hide its presence completely and ignore the defenses inside the forest. That alone made Khan consider running away, but his fears dwindled when he saw a dark-blue hand coming out of the robe''s long sleeve and placing a scroll on the ground.


    The scroll featured one of the azure symbols on its seal, but its light appeared dimmer than the others seen throughout the academy. Still, Khan couldn''t focus too much on that item since he found out that the hooded figure had disappeared during that second of distraction.


    Awe immediately filled his mind, but that feeling didn''t stop him from reaching the scroll. The wax-like seal divided itself as soon as he touched it, and it turned into a lock that he could close by rejoining its two halves.


    Khan inspected his surroundings before unfolding the scroll. His eyes lit up when he read the contents of that item. It resembled an interactive list with many Niqols'' names and brief descriptions in the human language. Yeza had finally started to respect her side of the deal.

 Chapter 170: Discussion

    "We aren''t picking the [Blood Graph]," Khan declared.


    "It''s [Blood Vortex]," Liiza corrected, "And we are definitely picking it."


    Khan had hurried toward the cave in the marsh after the meeting with the hooded Niqols. His knowledge of the aliens'' old ways was basically non-existent, so Liiza walked him through them. She didn''t know too much either, but she could inspect them from a different perspective, and that was already a lot.


    "I''m not picking a method that will hurt you," Khan stated seriously while turning to glance at his girlfriend.


    Khan was sitting between Liiza''s legs. His back was on her chest, and she played with his hair or left soft kisses on the top of his head whenever he said something that made her emotions burst.


    The two had studied the scroll together, but they had quickly come to the conclusion that all the methods were outside the range of Khan''s abilities. The list described advanced techniques that only Niqols with excellent proficiency in the manipulation field could approach, and Khan didn''t even come close to meeting those requirements.


    Moreover, a good level of expertise in the manipulation field was only the initial requirement. Most methods had at least one additional material or condition which only Nitis could fulfill. The plants, or wood, or liquids described on the scroll were iconic of the alien planet.


    Khan hoped to remain on Nitis as long as possible, but he didn''t delude himself. Finding the Nak remained one of his priorities, so he would eventually leave the planet, and he didn''t want to end up with a method that he couldn''t use. He couldn''t even confirm whether the Global Army could grant him access to those materials, but he guessed that the prices would be far higher through that channel.


    The list described many interesting methods. They went from an old version of the azure symbols that filled every Niqols'' structure to many branches of the alien alchemy. Yet, they all had steep requirements in terms of manipulation of mana, and they even needed many materials, which even Liiza struggled to recognize.


    Only three methods appeared somewhat approachable, even if they would still force Khan to wait until his expertise in the manipulation field reached the intended level. They were respectively a defensive ability, a technique that allowed to absorb mana from the environment, and an offensive skill.


    The offensive skill was interesting, but it required many steps. It described how it was possible to replicate an enemy''s unique aura and control its mana. It was actually terrifying to think about the applications of the technique.


    The only problem was how long it could take to gain an exact idea of an enemy''s aura. The method described how Niqols might even require to suffer direct injuries to reach that level of understanding. They could achieve the same results by eating pieces of the opponent, but the technique almost lost its meaning at that point since they could already hurt it.


    Also, the level of control of the opponents'' mana depended on how deeply the Niqols understood it, which could lead to long battles. The method seemed to go against Khan''s fighting method, so he didn''t feel too interested in it.


    Instead, the defensive method was interesting. It required some preparations since the user would need to eat specific materials to gain the ability to clot blood and turn the skin into a shield. The only problem there was that the ingredients usually involved coagulated blood that could even belong to monsters or similar creatures. The abuse of the clotting skill could even lead to lasting injuries, and the limits changed according to the body''s resilience.


    In the end, the absorption method, the [Blood Vortex], used tattoo-like marks to attract the mana in the environment. Applying those signs on a body would increase its attunement with mana and could replace human meditations. The only issue was that blood usually was the best ingredient for the ink, and it also required infusions with mana that carried a specific nature.


    Khan had felt stunned during his first read of the list. The old ways were gruesome, barbaric, but powerful. All of them could cause backlashes, but that felt almost normal since they allowed the Niqols to use abilities able to surpass spells in terms of power. Those methods could also ignore the differences among the various elements since they relied on external materials to achieve their effects.


    Liiza didn''t need to think too much about it. She felt that the [Blood Vortex] was perfect for Khan since he could use the monsters'' blood once his manipulation ability increased. The other techniques required too many materials of complicated procedures, and he might need years to start practicing them.


    Khan''s current ability didn''t allow him to use the [Blood Vortex] either, but he wasn''t alone. Liiza''s proficiency in the manipulation field was outstanding. She also fell short when it came to the method''s requirements, but she could fill that gap by using her own blood during the procedure. Needless to say, Khan was completely against that.


    "Your hair is getting long," Liiza whispered while fixing her gaze on each azure strand she found. "I never understood why humans cut it short."


    "I''m not using your blood to get stronger," Khan repeated.


    "You won''t," Liiza stated after leaving a kiss on Khan''s lips. "I will."


    "[Liiza]," Khan scolded while turning to face his girlfriend.


    Khan took Liiza by her sides and lifted her while turning completely. Liiza ended up on his lap when he put her down, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. She showed an affectionate smile at his concerned face, and the two inevitably exchanged another deep kiss.


    "Look," Khan while raising the scroll to their side. "I can pick the [Blood Shield] and get your help gathering materials. It feels right to get a defensive ability."


    "You said it correctly," Liiza voiced a sweet smile while squeezing Khan''s head in a hug. "You are getting good at my language."


    "I have my reasons to learn," Khan teased while bending forward to lie Liiza on the ground.


    The two started to exchange intense kisses, but Liiza didn''t forget the previous topic, and she didn''t hesitate to remind Khan as soon as their lips separated. "You are still picking the [Blood Vortex]. It''s the only method that can give some results before the daylight."


    Khan heaved an exasperated gasp while lying on her. His head pointed at the dark wall, but Liiza pulled his hair softly and giggled until he turned to face her.


    "[I don''t want to use you]," Khan revealed when their eyes met.


    "[This is me being egotistical]," Liiza stated while placing her hand on his cheek. "[I want to sacrifice something for you]."


    Liiza had never stopped smiling since the beginning of that discussion. It was as if she knew that Khan wouldn''t give in unless she showed him how much that mattered for her.


    Khan knew that the [Blood Vortex] was the best option. The fact that Liiza could probably help him right away was too important with the daylight getting close. Even a slight one or two percent increase in his attunement with mana could help during the crisis. It might also turn him into a first-level warrior before everyone else in his year.


    Khan would even become able to use the technique on his own at some point, and blood was everywhere in the universe. The method also affected something that he could easily justify with his talent or mutations. After all, he would have to keep his new ability a secret from the Global Army since it would immediately investigate otherwise.


    "How much blood are we talking about?" Khan eventually gave up in front of Liiza''s loving expression.


    "I have no idea," Liiza revealed in an awkward tone. "It might be a lot."


    "I''m definitely picking something else!" Khan shouted, and Liiza laughed happily.


    It took a while, but Liiza slowly made Khan accept that he had no better option. She actually had to explain how resilient Niqols were and had to make him promise to be as accommodating as possible after each procedure. Khan would have never accepted such a big favor otherwise.


    "Are you sure my mother said that you can pick only one of them?" Liiza asked while reviewing the list. "The [Mana Control] feels too difficult, but the [Blood Shield] doesn''t sound bad. I think I''ve even heard Zalpa mentioning it."


    "She said one field," Khan explained.


    "I think she added these abilities on purpose then," Liiza uttered. "She knew that the various alchemic fields and our runes would have been too hard for you to learn, so she put something more approachable for a human."


    "How nice of her," Khan commented before laughing when Liiza glared at him.


    Khan continued to laugh as he straightened his position to sit cross-legged. Liiza didn''t hesitate to lay her head on his lap while handing him the scroll. The item was interactive, so he only needed to press on one of the names to make his choice.


    "Do you think I can pick two?" Khan asked.


    "Try to press them at the same time," Liiza suggested. "Maybe someone on the other side will notice it and accept to give you both."


    Khan didn''t need explanations on how to interact with the item. He placed the scroll on the ground and gathered mana on his forefingers before pointing them at the names of the absorption and defensive technique.


    "Don''t try to get slow on your right hand," Liiza warned since Khan''s right forefinger was on the [Blood Vortex] label.


    "I can''t control it completely," Khan joked. "I''m left-handed."


    Liiza snorted and turned the scroll upside-down while making sure that Khan''s glowing left forefinger pointed at the [Blood Vortex] now. She then left a kiss on his knee before resting on his lap again.


    Khan could only laugh before lowering his fingers at the same time. The [Blood Vortex] and [Blood Shield] labels lit up together with their descriptions, but nothing happened when he interrupted the contact.


    Khan tried multiple times, but the scroll kept rejecting his choice. He had to reach his twelfth attempt to trigger a reaction on the item.


    The names and descriptions of the two techniques continued to glow even after he removed his fingers. The scroll had accepted Khan''s choice, but it surprised him by catching fire on its own.


    Khan''s first instinct was to suppress those blue flames, but Liiza promptly grabbed his wrists to stop him. She also shook her head before explaining the nature of that event. "That''s how secret conversations among tribes happen since it''s incredibly hard to delete something once it enters the cubes."


    "I guess we can only wait now," Khan sighed as he watched the scroll burn.


    His hand went on Liiza hair as multiple thoughts filled his mind. Liiza experienced something similar as her eyes remained on the flames. The flickering noises resounding in the silent cave made both of them fall in a daze and reminded them that the daylight would arrive in less than two months.


    ****


    Author''s notes: 3-4 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 171: Gains

    Days passed without anything major happening. Khan went by lessons, parties, and enchanting nights with Liiza as his connection with the Niqols'' society deepened.


    An almost imperceptible pressure began to fall on the academy as the arrival of the daylight drew near. The parties lasted longer, the professors applied harsher exercises in their lessons, and more couples appeared. Even Doku and Azni spent more time together since they didn''t know how Nitis would be once its long and safe night ended.


    Those changes were gradual. They were even almost impossible to notice for the recruits who had never dived too deeply into the Niqols'' social environment. Still, Khan saw everything clearly due to his three different lives. His almost complete pretense with the humans, his vague lies with the aliens, and his absolute honesty with Liiza gave him three different perspectives that allowed him to analyze every transformation in the world around him.


    Khan felt actually surprised that the Niqols continued to behave so calmly. They were an emotional species, but the news of the impending apocalypse only reaffirmed their determination to keep control of their planet. They stretched their parties to vent their stress, but they were pretty peaceful otherwise.


    The event that both Khan and Liiza were waiting for eventually arrived. Two weeks had to pass since Khan''s first meeting with the hooded Niqols before seeing it again. The interaction happened in the same circumstances when he had entered the forest to reach one of the mountains and fly toward the marsh.


    Khan couldn''t feel anything coming out of the hooded figure in front of him. It seemed a black spot in a world otherwise filled with mana. His senses could still notice its arrival and departure if he paid enough attention, but it was easy to miss during a moment of distraction.


    The Niqols didn''t waste time. It took out two small books and a tiny casket from its robe and placed them to the ground before raising its head. It seemed to wait for Khan to show an opening, but he didn''t move his gaze at all. His eyes remained fixed on the alien. He wanted to see where it went at that time.


    The alien''s glowing eyes remained on Khan for a few seconds before losing their focus. The hooded Niqols simply turned and walked among the trees until its figure became impossible to see.


    Khan tried to keep track of that empty spot, but his senses soon lost it. His range allowed him to inspect areas farther away, but that didn''t help with the Niqols'' peculiar cloaking technique. It was too hard to notice that dead zone in the distance.


    The books and the casket entered his vision at that point. Khan hurried toward the items and stored them inside his robe before resuming his march toward the mountain. The arrival of the techniques should have made him happy, but he couldn''t dispel the worry for his girlfriend. He knew that the procedure had more chances to hurt him, but he couldn''t care about himself when Liiza was willing to spill blood to help him.


    It didn''t take Khan much to reach the marsh. He had ended up relying on his Aduns more than many Niqols during those months. Snow grew faster after the frequent full-speed flights, so it slowly shortened the time required to bring Khan in each location.


    Reaching the marsh used to take almost three hours, but Snow could save half an hour now. That gave Khan more time with Liiza, and it also helped him attend his training without taking multiple breaks.


    "This is actually pretty hard," Liiza revealed while reading the book that described the [Blood Vortex]. "You need to adapt the mana to your surroundings and your body to make sure that they can build a connection. The marks act as vortexes and determine the position where the mana would eventually accumulate."


    Liiza was sitting at the center of the bed, and Khan was glancing at the book from behind her shoulder. He was hugging her in one of their usual affectionate positions, but their attention was on the translated words on those yellowish pages.


    "It''s not a problem if you can''t do it," Khan said in an emotionless tone.


    "You won''t get away so easily," Liiza laughed before leaving a kiss on his cheek. "I can do it. I only need to prepare a few things beforehand. Also, we can''t do this when you have the lessons. You need to disperse the mana throughout your body once you exhaust the blood, and I believe you''ll end up drained."


    "I can''t drink before the technique either," Khan read from the book. "I can ask Azni to help me skip the party in four days and add that time to the break from the lessons."


    "Do you really want to spend less time with Doku and Azni?" Liiza asked while showing the affectionate smile that she had started to wear often in the last period. "They are already going among the trees earlier than usual."


    "You are right," Khan sighed helplessly. "George is also spending a lot of time with Havaa, and I think I''ve seen Helen sneaking out to meet the guy from the meeting. You Niqols sure are something."


    "The poor humans couldn''t resist these exotic beauties," Liiza teased. "It would have been fun to drag you among the trees in front of everyone at least once."


    "I wish we could have that," Khan said in a loving voice before tightening his embrace.


    "I don''t know if my mind could take so much happiness," Liiza whispered before snuggling closer.


    The two remained in that position for a few seconds before moving to the next book. Their clothes would vanish in an instant if they lingered in that romantic moment any longer, and Liiza wanted to prioritize Khan''s training.


    The [Blood Shield] technique turned out to be easier than they had initially thought, and least when it came to the manipulation of mana since it always needed the same nature. Khan wouldn''t need to adapt it to different environments or materials. The problem came from the other ingredients.


    Khan needed to prepare materials that his body could digest so that their nutrients could reach his bloodstream. In theory, every substance could work. Some had an easier path to the circulatory system, especially when they went through enhancements with mana.


    The first ingestion would unlock the ability to clot blood, which would require mana like every other technique. Meanwhile, the method''s actual power came from how much the user nurtured it since the body would eventually expel the foreign substances.


    The ability wouldn''t disappear completely once those substances left the bloodstream. The technique had checkpoints that worked like levels. The ability''s power couldn''t go under the checkpoint after reaching it.


    Curiosity filled Khan and Liiza when they read that the first level only needed the activation of the ability. Their eyes instinctively moved toward the tiny casket, and Khan didn''t hesitate to pick it from the ground.


    A bloody chunk of flesh appeared in the two''s vision when Khan lifted the lid. The tiny piece of meat had a series of black lines running through its red structure. It seemed pretty fresh, but a strange smell came out of it.


    "Do you think I can cook it?" Khan asked.


    "I think you might incur the wrath of my ancestors if you did," Liiza replied.


    Both of them had an acute sensitivity to mana. Khan and Liiza could quickly sense the modifications that the energy had applied to the chunk of flesh. They could even confirm that its nature matched the requirements described in the book.


    "Your mother is so nice. She has even prepared the material for the first level," Khan commented.


    "You are incurring my wrath now," Liiza scoffed.


    "So," Khan exclaimed while picking the tiny chunk of flesh and taking it out of the casket, "Do I get a new ability if I eat this?"


    "That''s what the technique says," Liiza responded.


    "I''ve eaten worse," Khan sighed before throwing the piece of meat in his mouth.


    The flesh felt disgusting and squishy. There seemed to be something solid at its center, but Khan threw his head back and gulped before more sensations could spread from his mouth.


    "How is it?" Liiza asked when she saw Khan showing a disgusted expression. "Do you feel anything?"


    "I don''t feel anything at all," Khan explained. "I bet this taste will remain in my mouth for an entire day."


    Liiza gigged before laying her head on his shoulder. "That won''t stop me from kissing you."


    The two exchanged a loving gaze, but Khan suddenly felt unable to breathe. Pain spread from his belly and forced him to crouch, and a heavy sensation landed at the center of his chest.


    Liiza called Khan''s name, but she didn''t dare to move him around. Backlashes could happen with the old methods, and painful sensations usually appeared during the most invasive procedures. Khan was trying to unlock a completely different technique, so it felt almost normal for him to have that reaction.


    Air eventually managed to flow inside his lungs, but his belly and chest continued to hurt. Khan felt as if he had something dense clogging his blood vessels and organs. A foreign substance was invading him. He wanted to puke, but his stomach appeared sealed.


    It took a few minutes, but his muscles slowly began to relax. His pain waned, and the heaviness that afflicted his chest grew lighter. He started to feel better, but he felt something off in his abdomen even after he managed to straighten his torso.


    Liiza remained silent at his side while wearing a worried expression. She relaxed only when Khan took her hand, but she didn''t dare to smile yet. Meanwhile, Khan closed his eyes to enter his meditative state and check what had happened to his insides.


    Mana flowed normally. The recent procedure didn''t change anything. Still, he found something off under his abdomen. He sensed a mass made of strange energy that was slowly adapting to his body.


    Khan continued to meditate until the mass attuned to his body completely. It didn''t feel solid, but it was dense enough to appear like that. Also, Khan found out that he could move it if he made mana flow inside it.


    A tremor ran through Liiza when she saw Khan opening his eyes. She wanted to smile, but a frown appeared on her face before she could express her relief. Khan opened his robe and uncovered his chest without even glancing at her, and the sudden action made her wonder whether something was affecting his mind.


    However, her frown transformed into a surprised expression when the blood vessels on the right side of Khan''s chest became more visible and created a red spiderweb over his clear skin.


    Khan touched that spot and remained surprised at its firmness. Those blood vessels appeared sturdier than his rib cage and activating that protection had taken nothing more than a thought. It wasn''t hard at all to use the [Blood Shield].


    "Why did you even abandon the old methods?" Khan couldn''t help but ask while glancing at Liiza.


    Liiza wore a condescending expression before raising her arm. Ice spread on her skin and created a beautiful, almost transparent shield that covered her forearm. She even showed how she could stretch or shrink that defense at will.


    The [Blood Shield] felt obsolete in front of that flawless display of Liiza''s manipulation ability. Her spell only required training and mana. It didn''t involve any strange rituals and additional material. Moreover, it was safe, and her body accepted it easily since it matched her element.


    Khan revealed a bright smile at that scene. He had understood what Liiza wanted to show him, but that almost lost meaning when he noticed that her manipulation ability had improved. She had managed to create that defense with basically no preparation.


    "You have improved!" Khan shouted happily.


    "Even faster than I expected," Liiza revealed while inspecting her shield shattering into a series of shards. "I think you are to blame for that. My mind has never been clearer."


    "This poor Niqols couldn''t resist my exotic beauty," Khan joked while taking a deep breath to inflate his chest.


    "[I didn''t even try]," Liiza said, and Khan stopped joking when he saw her biting her lower lip.

 Chapter 172: Blood Vortex

    Khan spent the following days getting accustomed to the [Blood Shield], but it turned out that it didn''t need much work. The technique already existed inside him. He only had to move it in the intended spots to make it manifest its effects.


    The branches of the Niqols'' old ways carried drawbacks, gory rituals, and steep requirements, but they felt terrific once mastered. Khan had basically obtained a spell that didn''t require concentration, practice, or unique movements. Committing mistakes was even impossible since the ability technically was already active.


    Khan could understand that Ambassador Yeza had given him the chance to activate the [Blood Shield] right away on purpose. She seemed to care about his performance in the crisis, which only revealed how scary that event could be.


    Khan could also guess why Yeza had decided to increase his power before the crisis. He knew how strong he was, and she was aware of his Niqols girlfriend. She couldn''t possibly imagine her true identity, but the determination that Khan had shown during the meeting proved how deeply he cared about her and the aliens as a whole.


    His decision to betray the Global Army was another proof of his lax attachment to his species. Khan could become a valuable asset during the crisis. His actions could save Niqols'' lives, and Yeza didn''t hesitate to invest in him.


    Khan never brought the books back to the academy, and he never tested his limits with the [Blood Shield] there either. His collaboration with Ambassador Yeza had to remain a secret that only Liiza could know. Azni and Doku would probably remain silent if they learnt about it, but Khan didn''t want to leave loose ends.


    The cave in the marsh was the perfect hiding spot for the books. Moreover, Liiza and Khan could use their time there to memorize their contents and prepare for the [Blood Vortex]. As for the [Blood Shield], Khan didn''t need practice, but he wanted to understand how strong the technique actually was before using it in battle. Also, he had to see how much his skin could handle in that reinforced state.


    The tests led to surprisingly good outcomes. The [Blood Shield] was slightly stronger than human spells, so it could defend Khan from powerful impacts and sharp objects. He struggled to dig his knife past that tough array of blood vessels even when he relied on the Divine Reaper''s teachings.


    The gap between the [Blood Shield] and the Divine Reaper shrunk when Khan tried to hurt himself seriously, but he linked that feature to the uniqueness of his martial art. The Divine Reaper''s piercing power was near the peak of the human fighting styles. It would be surprising if it couldn''t do anything to the dense blood vessels.


    Khan started to consider perfect executions the times when the Divine Reaper managed to pierce the [Blood Shield]. The flexibility of the Niqols'' technique allowed him to test the sharpness of his membrane on safe spots like the side of his forearm, so he didn''t hold back during those days.


    The absence of training halls on Nitis prevented Khan from evaluating his execution of the Divine Reaper. The [Blood Shield] became his gauge, but Liiza eventually forced him to stop by replacing the defensive technique with her ice. Khan was only suffering superficial cuts that healed in a matter of hours, but she didn''t like how easy it was for him to hurt himself.


    Khan and Liiza had to wait until the arrival of the free days to work on the [Blood Vortex]. Nothing unusual happened, so they could meet in the cave after the party meant to celebrate the end of the lessons and approach everything calmly.


    The rest of the night went by sweating the booze drank in the party, and the two had become pretty good at it. They woke up near lunch hour with clear minds, satisfied expressions, and a lingering warmth that filled their hearts, but the mood quickly turned serious after a few kisses.


    "You aren''t going to bleed yourself out, right?" Khan asked while inspecting Liiza.


    The girl had brought a small cauldron and a simple knife to the cave during the previous days. She was ready to open a deep cut on her palm, and Khan obviously hated that situation.


    "Everything will be fine," Liiza repeated for the hundredth time. "You should be worried about eventual backlashes. Are you sure that the mana in the environment won''t kill you?"


    Khan had told Liiza about the warnings that Doctor Parket had given him. His body might reject synthetic mana, but that shouldn''t apply to the energy in the environment.


    The two had decided that they would interrupt the [Blood Vortex] as soon as Khan noticed that something was off, but he felt pretty confident that everything would go well. The [Blood Shield]''s success had proven how his body didn''t reject the Niqols'' old methods, so he believed that the same would happen for the other technique.


    "Are you sure you have enough potion?" Khan asked.


    "[Zaza] has been more than happy to help me after learning that we were going to use the old methods," Liiza repeated.


    "What about your stomach?" Khan continued. "We didn''t eat a lot."


    "I ate the usual," Liiza commented. "I even left out part of what you brought in the hope of making me sleepy."


    "I''m feeling a little dizzy," Khan announced in a dramatic tone.


    "I will make you feel dizzy if you don''t stop disturbing me," Liiza threatened. "We are doing this. Deal with it. And, no, I won''t stop even if you disturb me."


    Liiza didn''t need to raise her gaze from the knife to know that Khan had started to plan ways to disturb her. He could only give up on making her stop the procedure. Khan loved her even more when he saw how deeply she knew him, but the requirements of the technique still annoyed him.


    Khan wanted to add a few jokes, but his mind went blank when he saw the level of concentration that Liiza reached during those short silent seconds. She had worn the usual aloof expression that she showed to the others, but it contained a deeper meaning now. She looked as if the procedure could kill her, but Khan knew that she wasn''t worried about herself.


    The knife eventually dug into her palm and opened a deep wound. Pale-red blood began to fall in the small cauldron, and Liiza enlarged her injury once she felt that the process was too slow.


    Liiza made sure not to reveal any emotion to reassure Khan. She had cut out everything useless from her vision and senses, but she could still feel his worried gaze on her. That was something that no amount of concentration could make her ignore. Her mana wanted her to know that he was there.


    Liiza eventually dropped her knife on the ground and placed her palm on the cauldron. An azure glow slowly spread on the item, and its shades darkened as Liiza changed the nature of her mana. She had to create an energy that could connect Khan''s body to the environment and bathe the blood in it.


    Creating something that matched Khan''s unique aura wasn''t a problem for her since she had spent almost three months sleeping in his arms. Liiza had committed his warmth, scent, and reactions to memory. She knew exactly how to modify her mana to suit him.


    Doing the same for the cave turned out to be a bit harder. Liiza had grown familiar with that environment, but no special feeling enhanced her perception. A slight difference in the temperature or staleness of the air forced her to adjust the idea in her mind.


    Adding two different natures to the mana and blending them without destabilizing the energy was challenging. Khan could add sharpness to his mana, but he was nowhere near the smoothness revealed by Liiza now. The transformation appeared natural when she performed it, and he remained speechless in front of her ability.


    Liiza waited until her blood filled half of the cauldron before opening her eyes and picking a flask that she had left behind her. The murky liquid inside it was a potion that Zalpa had made in the past days after Liiza told her about the [Blood Vortex]. The old Niqols was the perfect secret helper for the couple since she had cut ties with the rest of her species, and her affection toward Khan''s girlfriend made her even more willing to help.


    Blood quickly stopped falling from the cut on Liiza''s palm after she took a sip from the flask. The injury didn''t close, but that improvement had already reassured Khan. Moreover, the effects of the potion didn''t alter her control over mana. The energy that covered the cauldron remained stable and didn''t experience any shift in its shades.


    Liiza had to remain in that position for a while. The blood had to absorb the mana naturally, so she could only let it bathe in her energy until it gained new features. Almost one hour had to pass before she removed her hand from the item and nodded in satisfaction.


    "Come here," Liiza ordered. "It''s time to draw the marks."


    Khan left the bed and lay on the ground next to the cauldron. He was still naked from the previous night, while Liiza had donned her robe before starting the process to avoid altering his mindset. She needed him to be entirely focused on the technique since they had to act quickly if something went wrong.


    "Your ancestors were quite kinky," Khan joked.


    "We have also been kinky," Liiza whispered while crouching to leave a kiss on his lips.


    The teasing ended there. Khan closed his eyes to focus on the insides of his body, and Liiza brought the cauldron closer to her side before dipping two fingers into the blood.


    "I''m going to start," Liiza stated. "Make sure to warn me as soo-."


    "[Liiza, I trust you]," Khan murmured without opening his eyes.


    Liiza revealed a loving smile and caressed Khan''s hair before freeing his forehead from his black strands. Her other hand came out of the cauldron at that point, and she let a few drops fall from her fingers before approaching his face.


    The blood was slightly cold, but Khan focused only on Liiza''s firm movement. He had memorized the marks that the [Blood Vortex] required. They were simple drawings that went from his forehead to his toes, so he could follow her with his mind.


    Liiza never hesitated nor committed mistakes. She was perfect. She always dipped her fingers inside the blood after drawing three lines, and Khan eventually started to feel something building up above him.


    His sensitivity to mana allowed him to notice how the blood began to activate as more lines joined the drawing. The technique wanted to create an electrical circuit meant for mana, and its power built up until Khan started to feel uncomfortable.


    Nothing affected Khan''s skin, but he felt that something was about to happen. He understood the reason behind that sensation when Liiza hesitated for the first time since the beginning of the process.


    "Complete it," Khan exclaimed to reassure Liiza, and she left another kiss on his lips before drawing the last line required by the technique.


    Liiza quickly took a step back while dragging the cauldron with her. The lines began to shine in those seconds, and a pale-red glow filled the dark cave. A faint wind also blew from behind her as mana started to converge toward Khan.


    Khan didn''t speak. His complete focus was on the marks that Liiza had drawn, and faint surprise spread in his mind when he studied the nature of the [Blood Vortex].


    Mana flowed naturally toward the glowing lines after they established a connection with the environment, but that energy didn''t immediately enter Khan''s body. It gathered inside the blood and slowly seeped into the skin below.


    The mana didn''t disperse inside Khan''s body either. It remained under the blood and continued to accumulate until it created a copy of the lines inside his skin. The process caused discomfort and even some lingering pain since his flesh couldn''t contain so much energy in the same spot. Yet, Khan endured worse during the meditations, so remaining still wasn''t a problem.


    The issues started when Khan began to feel hot. The mana flowing through the blood created some friction with his skin. The burning sensation was initially milder than what the Lightning-demon style had trained him to endure, but it continued to intensify as the process went on.


    "Is everything okay?" Liiza asked when she saw a frown appearing on Khan''s face.


    "It burns a little," Khan grumbled. "I can still endure for now."


    Liiza wanted to add something, but she forced herself to remain silent. She suppressed her words even when a faint sizzling noise started to come out of Khan''s figure.


    The noise and burning sensation intensified until Khan remained unable to hide most of his expression. Everything started to hurt properly, but he had faced worse during his fastest sprints, so he endured that pain. He wanted to get the best out of that process, and stopping too early would make him feel like he was wasting Liiza''s blood.


    "I''m stopping the technique," Liiza declared when trails of smoke started to come out of Khan''s skin.


    "I can still go on!" Khan complained.


    "I don''t care," Liiza commented while crouching next to Khan and reaching one of the lines on his abdomen to interrupt the technique.


    Liiza voiced a painful gasp when she touched the glowing line. The drawing was so hot that she had retracted her hand instinctively. However, mana quickly covered her fingers when she realized that Khan was keeping those scorching marks on his entire front.


    The marks stopped absorbing mana when Liiza wiped part of the blood away. The scorching sensations filling Khan''s mind faded, but he could only inspect Liiza when he opened his eyes.


    Khan could quickly notice the burn on Liiza''s fingers, and he didn''t hesitate to sit to take her hand. However, she didn''t react to his gesture. Her eyes remained fixed on the chunk of skin that she had uncovered to interrupt the [Blood Vortex].


    Khan''s eyes also went there. A red mark had appeared on that spot since the blood had burnt the superficial layers of his skin. It wasn''t hard to guess that the rest of the lines hid flesh in a similar state, but Khan didn''t care too much since he had almost two days to heal. Instead, he felt happy to feel the mana accumulated right under those injuries.


    "It worked!" Khan exclaimed while turning to show his excited smile to Liiza, but she slapped him before he could look at her face.


    Khan had to hear her sniff to realize what had happened. He tried to turn toward Liiza again, but she jumped to her feet and hurried outside the cave. She even kicked the cauldron angrily, causing the remaining blood to spill on the ground.


    ''I fucked up,'' Khan immediately realized.


    A deep sigh came out of his mouth before he jumped to his feet too. Khan straightened the cauldron up and walked out of the cave slowly. He was still naked, but he didn''t care. He knew that the area was empty.


    His sensitivity to mana led him to the familiar presence sitting in a muddy corner on the cliff''s base, where he found Liiza wearing the most pissed expression he had ever seen on her face.


    ****


    Author''s notes: 3-4 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 173: Slap

    "Wash yourself," Liiza ordered before Khan could get too close.


    "[Liiza]," Khan pleaded, but Liiza''s expression grew even angrier as she pointed at the waterfall a few meters in front of her.


    Khan could only sigh and approach the falling water. He didn''t need to ask what Liiza wanted to gain an idea of her intentions. She was experiencing the same annoyance that he had felt when she cut her palm open.


    The waterfall washed Khan clean. Removing all the marks with simple water was difficult, but he made sure to scrub everything away. The entirety of his injuries slowly appeared in the open, and Liiza could see his state when he turned toward her.


    Deep red marks covered Khan''s front. They created a simple tribal-like tattoo engraved in his skin that went from his forehead and reached his toes. Each line that Liiza had drawn had transformed into injuries that could burn for days if left untreated, but Khan didn''t seem to care about them at all.


    Liiza''s annoyance intensified when she saw Khan waiting for her angry outburst. He cared more about the incoming rebuke than his injuries, and she couldn''t endure that sight for too long. She lowered her gaze, but her wounded palm appeared in her vision at that point.


    An exasperated sigh came out of her mouth as she crouched to hide her head between her knees. Liiza felt incredibly angry about Khan''s carelessness, but she couldn''t blame him too much when she had done the same.


    "[Liiza]," Khan whispered while coming out of the waterfall and nearing his girlfriend.


    His wet feet mixed with the mud and became dirty again, but he barely noticed that. Liiza appeared really angry, angrier than she had ever been. It felt scary to know that he could make her like that.


    "Is my mother right?" Liiza asked without raising her head. "Is our love toxic?"


    "I have no idea," Khan sighed while diverting his gaze. "Does love have a general meaning? Would our species even share that meaning?"


    "Did you wonder if we are good for each other?" Liiza asked while peeking past the white hair that had fallen above her face. "Look at you. My blood did that. I basically forced you to pick the [Blood Vortex]."


    Khan reached Liiza and crouched before her. She hid her face behind her knees again, but her glowing eyes peeked at him when she heard his question.


    "Do you think I would be better off without you?" Khan asked while wearing a loving smile.


    Liiza froze as she reviewed Khan''s life. He had nothing, and he couldn''t even trust anyone. He had a few friends and a Master, but Martha was still in a coma as far as he knew, George was venting his trauma through booze and sex, and Lieutenant Dyester was in the same messed-up state.


    Khan''s best relationships existed among the Niqols, and that after being on Nitis for a bit less than three months. It was sad to consider his situation from that perspective. Still, it also felt quite lucky. Liiza couldn''t even imagine what he would be willing to do without anyone relieving him from his darkest thoughts.


    "I think you would be better without me after a while," Khan honestly revealed while moving her hair away from her half-hidden face. "I can imagine you mending your relationship with the Niqols through me and finding someone who isn''t so broken."


    Liiza had deep problems, especially among such a sentimental species, but she wasn''t hopeless. Her quest toward mental peace didn''t require a journey through the universe looking for the Nak. Ironically, she had started to experience traumas similar to those that afflicted Khan''s mind only after his arrival on Nitis.


    The speech made sense, at least in Khan''s mind, but Liiza didn''t hesitate to slap him again.


    "Is that what you think of my feelings?" Liiza angrily shouted. "Do you think that my mana wants me to use you as a sort of potion?"


    Liiza wanted to slap Khan again, but he grabbed her wrist before she could complete the attack. Liiza tried with her other hand, but Khan blocked her again. He had never stopped smiling since the beginning of their conversation, and his expression only radiated more affection now.


    "If I''m better without you, you are better without me," Khan stated. "We have both been attracted to each other right away, so our reasons should be similar. Also, you have said that before me. Why am I the one getting slapped?"


    "You let my blood hurt you," Liiza rebuked. "You deserve them."


    "You hurt yourself for me first," Khan complained.


    "You stabbed your own leg to resist my mother," Liiza added.


    "You kissed me first," Khan announced proudly, "Which makes everything your fault."


    "Paul would have a different opinion," Liiza smirked.


    "I won''t get to slap you then," Khan voiced a fake disappointed sigh, and Liiza couldn''t suppress her laugh.


    "You are an idiot," Liiza giggled.


    "And you chose to be with me anyway," Khan shook his head. "I''m starting to doubt whether you are as smart as you think."


    Liiza continued to laugh before wearing a warm smile when she saw Khan''s eyes lingering on the cut on her palm. She couldn''t remain angry at him when he was so concerned about her.


    "We are a mess," Liiza sighed before pointing at Khan''s hands with her eyes.


    Khan understood the meaning behind her gesture and let her wrists go. Liiza carefully took his head in her hands, making sure to avoid the injuries that ran across his cheeks, before pulling him between her legs. She helped him turn so that he could sit in front of her without letting anything touch his wounds.


    "Is being a mess bad?" Khan asked.


    "I don''t know," Liiza sighed before leaving a kiss on the back of his head. "I''m just a young girl in love."


    "That makes me a younger boy in love," Khan replied.


    "When do you become seventeen anyway?" Liiza asked one of the questions that had never come up in the past months.


    Khan calculated in his mind before answering and wearing an awkward smile. "My birthday is a bit more than a month. It should match the beginning of the crisis. When''s yours?"


    "The month after yours," Liiza revealed, "Right in the middle of the crisis."


    The two remained silent for a few seconds before exploding into a loud laugh. They weren''t even sure about the reason behind that reaction, but they couldn''t stop themselves.


    "[I''m so glad we found each other]," Liiza whispered as she immersed her face in Khan''s hair. "[I didn''t believe I could be so happy]."


    "[Thank you for saving me]," Khan said in a sweet tone while making himself comfortable between Liiza''s leg. "[I love you]."


    The two reacted almost instinctively to the Niqols language. Their eyes soon met, and their lips touched. Khan even began to turn, but Liiza suddenly stopped him by pushing on some of the spots on his chest that didn''t have injuries.


    "What am I doing?" Liiza scoffed. "No sex until you are healed. You even need to meditate to absorb the mana gathered with the [Blood Vortex]!"


    "But we were so in the mood," Khan groaned.


    "What mood?" Liiza scolded while making Khan turn and forcing him to sit between her legs again. "Mediate again before I slap you again!"


    "The current generations also are quite kinky," Khan sighed dramatically.


    Liiza laughed before nearing Khan''s ear to whisper teasing words. "Finish quickly so that we can move to the kinky stuff."


    Khan found himself inside the meditative state as soon as he heard those words. He began to move his mana as usual, making sure to expand it in areas of his body that remained unaffected by that energy.


    Mana flowed out of his nape and generated painful sensations when Khan''s flesh tried to oppose its expansion. Still, something peculiar happened when it touched the energy gathered through the [Blood Vortex].


    Khan inspected that energy mixing with his mana and dispersing through his body without causing any backlash. His mana didn''t even lose intensity. It seemed to condense the foreign energy before accepting it in his insides, but the training was smooth except for that.


    The meditations mainly had two limits to how quickly they raised the attunement with mana. They caused pain that a soldier might be unable to endure, and they could only use the mana that the mana core released.


    Khan had grown used to the pain rather quickly, but he still had to face the second limit. The other recruits and soldiers had access to the synthetic mana to quicken the process, but Doctor Parket had made him lose interest in that training method. However, the [Blood Vortex] could have the same effects and provide normal mana at the same time.


    The higher amount of mana inside his body made him increase his attunement with mana faster than usual. Khan was unaware of his current level, but he knew that he had crossed the forty percent mark. He even believed it to be quite close to fifty percent but confirming it was troublesome without scanners or doctors.


    The meditation right after the [Blood Vortex] went so well that the injuries caused by the Niqols'' old method almost healed completely in a single session. Moreover, he remained astonished when he studied how much his mana had advanced and compared it to his regular training. He had obtained effects that were five to six times better than usual.


    ''I might become a first-level warrior during the crisis at this pace,'' Khan thought as determination filled his mind.


    Liiza had fallen asleep while Khan meditated. He found her lying on his back, with her head on his shoulder and her arms on his side. She had hold back from hugging him out of fear of touching his injuries even if she clearly wanted cuddles.


    ''I went through so much,'' Khan sighed in his mind as he inspected Liiza''s sleeping face. ''How can I even feel so lucky?''


    Khan moved silently, making sure not to wake up Liiza. He turned and pointed his feet on the ground before sliding his arms behind her back and thighs.


    Liiza didn''t wake up when Khan lifted her softy. His warmth enveloped her, so she felt as if they were in their usual bed. He could bring her inside the cave and lay her on the blankets before reaching his robe nearby.


    Liiza whined when she felt the warmth leaving her, and her eyes started to open, but Khan promptly caressed her cheek and left a kiss on her forehead.


    "[I''ll come back soon]," Khan promised.


    "[You never do]," Liiza complained while showing a loving smile. "[Give me a kiss and try to hurry. It''s cold without you]."


    Khan smiled and kissed her before Liiza turned to the side to make it easier for him to leave her there. He moved to the waterfall while wearing his trousers, and the dull knife soon appeared in his grasp.


    The weapon had many marks on its edges and center, but they didn''t appear as often as before. Khan was getting better at the Divine Reaper. The perfect executions even caused far less damage to the null-grade knife, but it would eventually break anyway.


    The Global Army had given Khan another null-grade knife, but he would use the first-grade once the daylight arrived. It was pointless to hide his power during a worldwide crisis, and fighting with a better weapon would allow him to avoid injuries when committing mistakes.


    The main problem with the Divine Reaper was that Khan had never gotten the chance to blend it with the Lightning-demon style properly. He had found and learnt a few moves during his training, but he didn''t perfect them in an actual battle. His instincts still relied mainly on his legs. He had to think to recall the knife, and that was a problem in a deadly situation.


    The innately sharp first-grade knife would help while Khan developed a fighting style that relied on both his martial arts. Still, he had to make sure to approach the daylight with a decent proficiency level. He didn''t dream about reaching the competent level so soon, but having a success rate in the perfect executions above eighty percent didn''t sound bad. The problem was arriving at that level of expertise with only a bit more than a month left to train.


    ''Mastery beats unstable performances,'' Khan repeated Lieutenant Dyester''s words in his mind often while swinging his knife at the waterfall.


    Khan completed his exercises for the Divine Reaper before moving to the Lightning-demon style. He didn''t forget his foundation, and the competent proficiency level was nowhere close to the peak on the path to complete mastery, so he had to continue practicing.


    The moves that fused the two martial arts came afterward. Khan repeated everything methodically before calling it a day. He had someone to warm up for the rest of the night, and he didn''t know for how long he would be able to enjoy those moments.

 Chapter 174: Daylight

    Time passed no matter how the students and the recruits tried not to keep track of it. A complicated smile, the anxious rebuke from a professor, the parties that lasted long enough to coincide with the lessons, and the general carelessness toward the already slight decorum hinted at the arrival of the daylight.


    Even the most serious recruits started to fall prey to their anxiety and resort to the Niqols'' habits to handle it. Khan once even saw Brandon and Kelly kissing during his usual march toward the mountains.


    The Niqols had a planet to defend, but the eight recruits simply happened to be there. Some humans had developed affection toward Nitis and established meaningful relationships, but that wasn''t their home. The Niqols were only a mission, but the Global Army had left them in the frontlines anyway.


    The recruits would have to put their lives on the line for an alien planet and a different species. In their minds, the mission felt noble, even rightful when considering what they recalled the village near the lake. Still, a different version of the story saw them as nothing more than pawns who had to be there for political reasons. George and the others simply decided not to focus on the second view.


    Khan was the only recruit who shared the same determination as the Niqols. Nitis had brought him a peace that seemed impossible to achieve after Istrone. That cold and dark planet had given him love, new friends, power, and overall happiness. He would go all-out to defend it. His twisted mental state even made him more driven than some aliens.


    Everyone''s days were so packed with lessons, parties, and intimate relationships that they almost failed to connect the azure shades that began to spread in the sky to the crisis when they first noticed them. Recruits and Niqols had given so much importance to that event that it almost felt unreal when it actually started.


    The students had started to imagine the arrival of the daylight as a loud apocalyptic event, but it turned out to be a silent and dazzling moment. Lunch hour had yet to arrive, and the week before the estimated beginning of the crisis had just begun, but calculations couldn''t be perfect when the humans had no scanners or tools in the actual solar system.


    The Global Army''s math came from data gathered through a telescope outside of Nitis'' solar system, so those calculations involved delays and errors. Moreover, its conclusions had never been precise. They had always involved a relatively short period, including that week.


    Khan was attending the usual lesson with Professor Bikatu, the professor in charge of improving the recruits'' sensitivity to mana, when he noticed that some of the Niqols in the squares around him were gazing at the sky.


    The trees in the academy had a large empty spot that the professors had used to set up squares that had specific purposes. Seeing the area from the sky was impossible due to the membranes that hid the academy, but the students'' view had no obstruction from the ground. Khan eventually saw the azure shades piercing the darkness, and his reaction made his companions notice the event.


    "Prepare for battle!" Professor Bikatu shouted, and her words made everyone in the square snap back to reality.


    Similar cries resounded throughout the academy ground. Professors and students echoed that alarm and made everyone aware that the time had come. The daylight had arrived.


    Khan expected panic to spread, but the Niqols left him pleasantly surprised. No one spoke for more than a few seconds. The professors had come up with a plan and had forced the students to memorize it, so everyone knew what role to play. They only delayed their march toward their positions to exchange a few goodbyes, kisses, and promises.


    "Don''t you dare to die on me," George announced while poking Khan''s chest with the side of his fist.


    George''s mindset had improved a lot after abandoning himself to the Niqols'' lifestyle. Professor Supyan''s lessons had also helped him accept his trauma and fuse it with his character. He was wearing a resolute smile when he saluted Khan, and that was his real face even if his mind was ready for war.


    "Don''t let me do all the work again," Khan mocked by imitating his friend and jabbing at his chest softly.


    "Good luck to everyone," Kelly stated before turning to leave a quick kiss on Brandon''s lips and hurrying toward her position.


    The gesture left every recruit except Khan speechless. Brandon and Kelly had been quite secretive about their relationship. Khan had noticed them out of sheer luck.


    "Let''s show everyone what humans are capable of," Brandon announced before turning to reach his position too.


    "Khan, our areas are pretty close," Rodney reminded while winking at Khan. "Come to help once you clean everything up."


    "Khan has to oversee a crowded area," Veronica complained as her bright smile lifted everyone''s morale. "Don''t be lazy."


    "And you don''t defend him too much," Gabriela teased.


    "Khan, did you send that message for me?" Helen asked in a hesitant tone.


    Helen had started to date the Niqols met during the meeting with Ambassador Yeza, but she couldn''t communicate with him. She had eventually asked Khan to act as the middleman, and he couldn''t reject her request since her situation reminded him about his relationship.


    Khan had ended up conveying awkward and overly-sweet messages, but the situation had never been too troublesome since his packed schedule had allowed him to help the couple only once or twice a day.


    "He said that he will tell you those words face to face," Khan said while revealing a genuine happy smile.


    Helen gasped happily, and she couldn''t hold back from hugging Khan. The latter laughed while patting her back. She had been the recruit to change the most inside the academy. She had initially been part of the faction believing in human superiority, but a few months had been enough to change her mind, and Khan could only marvel at how much the Niqols had been able to do in such a short time.


    Helen eventually left Khan and nodded at him before departing to reach her position. Gabriela did the same, and Khan wished the remaining recruits good luck once more before leaving.


    The Niqols had divided the surrounding areas into quadrants and had assigned different teams to all of them. The higher-ups had tried to balance each group, and they had even split the recruits for various reasons, so Khan had ended up with weak companions.


    Khan felt stronger than ever after training with the [Blood Vortex] for a bit more than a month. His body appeared near a turning point that he obviously connected to the checkpoint that divided first-level warriors from other soldiers. He didn''t know what that achievement would involve, but he knew it was happening.


    His sprint across the forest was flawless. His feet barely released noises when they hit the ground, leaves, or roots on his path, and his vision was clearer than ever during his acceleration.


    The entrance of the underground habitation soon appeared in his eyes. The daylight had surprised everyone, so Khan only had his null-grade sharp knife with him. The dull one had broken in the last month, so he had replaced it, but the crisis required his most valuable asset.


    His locker opened and allowed Khan to wear his first-grade knife in no time. His sensitivity to mana made him aware of the faint pressure that had appeared on his side. He could feel the magic item hidden inside the sheath, and even caressing that leather gave him an idea of its power.


    Khan didn''t store the null-grade knife inside the locker. He moved its sheath to his right side before leaving the underground habitation in a hurry. It didn''t hurt to have an additional weapon at hand in case something happened to his magic item. Also, he didn''t know if the crisis could affect the academy, so it felt pointless to leave anything valuable there.


    Khan had to group up with his teammates in an area past one of the mountains. His team was one of the only ones without Niqols in the second year, which stated how much the aliens trusted his battle prowess. No one dared to say it out loud, but many believed him to be one of the stronger students in the academy, if not the strongest.


    Messages flowed from both sides of the mental connection as Khan crossed the familiar forest and reached the mountain in no time. He had already contacted Snow, and the two were exchanging emotions to understand how close they were to each other.


    ''Luckily Aduns resist the radiation quite well,'' Khan found himself thinking while speeding toward his destination. ''Maybe that''s the reason why the ancestors of the Niqols had originally taken them as sacred animals.''


    The screeches of the Aduns filled the sky. The students and professors of the academy were moving outside the forest and past the mountains to reach landing areas large enough to contain many eagles.


    Khan was one of the first to cross the mountain. The sky had cleared even more during the short hour he had required to reach one of the plains that expanded past the academy ground. Dark shades still tried to hide the nature of the event, but any human would understand that a star was about to rise on the horizon.


    Nitis'' unique atmosphere wouldn''t even have dark areas once the star shone directly on the planet. The sky would spread its light everywhere and fill the surface with its radiation.


    Snow landed next to Khan a few minutes after his arrival in the plain. The eagle laid its head on top of him as he ruffled the feathers on its neck. They had to wait for the other Niqols in their team to arrive before departing, and the situation was too serious to play around. Even the Aduns understood that the world was going through something strange.


    Multiple Niqols arrived in the plain and took similar positions. Khan exchanged nods or friendly salutes with all of them before fixing his gaze on the mountain again. He had learnt to know almost everyone in the academy during that period. They were all acquaintances or friends who had been part of drunken jokes, chants, or group laughs during the parties. Yet, they were wearing serious expressions now that the apocalypse had come.


    Niqols eventually started to gather near Khan. His group had two boys named Edil and Kakhir and a girl called Elita. They all featured the iconic beauty of their species. Their figures were slender, and their hair long. Still, their tense expressions didn''t allow them to show those qualities.


    "I''ll rely on you, Khan," Edil announced after bowing when he arrived in the plain.


    "I already feel better," Elita smiled when she arrived and saw Khan''s confident gaze.


    "We can move right away," Kakhir stated when he arrived in the plain since his Aduns was already waiting in the sky.


    The four didn''t waste time and set off to reach their destination. They had to take care of a relatively large area at the beginning of a mountain chain famous for a species of Tainted animals called Talelos, which Khan had started to consider as strange bears after receiving the task and going through a simple briefing.


    The mountain chain was quite far away from the academy, and it even expanded in unknown areas of Nitis. Khan''s group had to fly for almost five hours to reach it, and the four didn''t hesitate to land once they saw the dark-grey peaks stretching in the distance.


    The sky had almost reached a color that Khan knew far too well. Nitis seemed to fight against the dawn and delay its arrival, but the sky was about to become completely azure. A proper morning was about to arrive, even if it were already afternoon.


    The group''s task was to take care of the monsters that came out of the mountain chain and tried to expand into the plain that bordered it. The first part of the Niqols'' plan was to contain and isolate the effects of the sunlight before proper cleaning operations could start.


    Khan inspected his surroundings while patting Snow''s neck to sent it away. The area was quite large, but the mountain chain didn''t offer many comfortable paths. It had two narrow canyons that could act as entrances, but they were relatively close, so the group could take care of both if they went slightly deeper into the plain.


    The three Niqols imitated Khan''s movements among those tense moments. The academic year didn''t say anything about their battle prowess, but Khan''s companions were weak. Liiza had confirmed that after the professors conveyed the plan to everyone.


    The Niqols had high standards, so their weak students weren''t as bad as the weak recruits. Still, that knowledge didn''t reassure Khan too much, especially after seeing the size of the mountain chain with his own eyes. There could be thousands of Tainted animals there. They could overwhelm him even if only one percent of them managed to mutate correctly and leave the canyons.


    "[Keep your Aduns close]," Khan ordered.


    Everything could potentially go well. The monsters could fight each other before leaving the mountain chain. That would ease the group''s work and even eliminate it if they were lucky. However, Khan wanted to prepare for the worse, including abandoning the plain if the situation became too dangerous.


    The three Niqols didn''t hesitate to nod. They didn''t even notice how Khan''s accent was quite good for someone who had been on Nitis for only four months. They were too tense to consider others when the two canyons in the rocky barrier in the distance released an ominous feeling.


    Khan had made sure to bring the group two kilometers from the mountain chain so that they would have enough time to evaluate the nature of the threat and come up with a plan. The two canyons were only a few hundred meters from each other, so it didn''t matter which exit the monsters chose to take.


    Khan''s eyes flickered when he sensed something off in the area in front of him. A vague solitary figure peeked out of the left canyon and started to drool when it saw the four students in the distance.


    The figure shot out of the canyon and charged at full speed toward Khan''s group. Exiting the narrow entrance allowed the four students to inspect its features. The creature had long dark-red fur, the massive body of a four meters tall bear, and a skull-like cover on its head.


    Khan used the last feature to recognize it as a mutated Talelos. Its body appeared stable. The creature had transformed into a monster. Yet, there seemed to be something off with its aggression and the drool overflowing from its mouth.


    "[Do me a favor]," Khan announced while stepping forward. "[Let me fight it alone]."


    Khan didn''t hesitate to draw his first-grade knife and rotate it in his hand. He appeared quite skilled with that weapon, but his experience didn''t go beyond his solitary training.


    "[We should fight together]!" Kakhir complained before repeating the same phrase in the human language out of fear that Khan might have misunderstood him.


    "[I''m the main asset in this group]," Khan explained calmly while gazing at his three companions. "[I can''t fight properly if I don''t know how strong I am]."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I have a dinner tonight, and I can''t attend it with my current schedule unless I publish less. There will be only 2 chapters for demonic sword and 1 for chaos today. I hope you understand my need for this partial break.

 Chapter 175: Sadistic

    The confidence that Khan radiated left the three Niqols speechless. The monster was drawing near at high speed. They could almost feel the ground under them tremble due to its heavy body slamming on the plain while it charged forward, but Khan appeared completely at ease with his back toward the creature.


    The three Niqols were only in the first year, and their battle prowess wasn''t great, but they could understand Khan''s reasons. The period after the solar wind didn''t feature any hunt since the creatures that could mutate had already mutated. Other parts of Nitis had seen monsters in the past months, but that didn''t apply to the area under the control of the academy.


    Khan didn''t have the chance to test the skills developed during that time due to the absence of opponents, and the Niqols didn''t usually rely on sparring sessions to improve, which left him basically out of options.


    However, a single monster had come out of the mountain chain now. It was the perfect chance for Khan, and it would also benefit the three Niqols since they would get an idea of the creature''s power without fighting it themselves. The other mutated Talelos would probably develop different abilities, but their enhanced physical strength should remain a constant, so it wasn''t wrong to study it.


    "Be careful," Elita said when it became clear that none of them would oppose Khan.


    Khan limited himself to nod before turning to shoot ahead. His figure transformed into a shadow that approached the monster at high speed. The creature had covered almost half of the path that divided it from the students, and it didn''t slow down at all when it noticed the incoming opponent.


    The two drew closer until their clash became imminent, but Khan darted on the left before the skull-like cover could slam on his chest. His body spun as he gathered the entirety of his momentum on his right foot before delivering a strong blow that hit on the monster''s neck.


    The monster was immense. It was a mass of muscles and fur that was taller than Khan even when standing on its four legs. The Niqols almost believed that the creature would have pushed him away due to the sheer might that its charge carried, but their mouths opened in astonishment when they saw it flying to the right.


    The mutated Talelos was as surprised as the Niqols. Khan''s timing had been perfect. His kick had landed on the monster when its four legs didn''t touch the ground, and the lack of a foothold had made pushing it away easier. However, he still had to release enough power to move that heavy mass of muscles.


    The monster continued to shoot forward as it moved to the side. Khan had kicked it away, but it retained the momentum accumulated during its charge, so it flew diagonally before crashing on the ground and rotating to create a long hole. The beast took a while to stop, but Khan was already in front of it by then.


    The new position allowed Khan to notice a few details that he had missed from a distance. The skull-like cover resembled a mask made of bones that grew from the creature''s forehead and ended past its chin. Those animals probably had issues eating with that tough shield in front of the mouth. The monster also had long curved claws coming out of its four legs, and its fur carried the faint smell of blood.


    The creature tried to stand up, but Khan shot toward its neck while raising the first-grade knife to his side. That situation appeared perfect to test the Divine Reaper, so he didn''t hesitate to seize it.


    Khan deployed a technique that fused his martial arts. He accelerated before stopping right in front of the monster''s neck. His ankles rotated, and his whole body followed as he stretched his left arm forward.


    Mana gathered on his knife and enveloped it in an azure membrane that carried sharp properties. The speed of the blow was incredible, and the power of Khan''s energy fused with the innate features of the weapon to create what seemed to be an unstoppable attack, but the impact with the dark-red fur brought only disappointment.


    The knife managed to pierce the monster''s thick skin, but only half of the blade seeped into its body. Khan frowned while looking at the scene, but an angry growl soon reached his ears and forced him to focus on the battle.


    The monster turned its head and fixed its angry gaze on Khan. He could see its bloodshot eyes from behind the holes in the skull-like cover. The creature seemed in a frenzy, but it still spent one second in that exchange of glances before roaring and swinging its left paw toward him.


    ''The membrane must have broken before touching its skin,'' Khan concluded in his mind before jumping back to dodge the incoming attack.


    A trail of blood came out of the monster''s neck when the knife left the wound. The weapon had managed to reach decent depths due to its natural enhancements, which only made the creature angrier.


    Khan looked at the bloodied knife while he continued to retreat. No mark had appeared on its edges or surface. The failed execution from before didn''t damage it at all, and he heaved in relief at that sight.


    The magic weapon appeared far more resilient than the null-grade knives, making Khan desire to test his techniques again. His execution had been almost perfect. Now, he only needed to practice until his new abilities became reliable.


    The failure in performing his last technique correctly showed him the reason for the sixty-five points assigned to the Divine Reaper when using it alone. The monster would have been able to hit Khan if it weren''t for the quick moves of the Lightning-demon style, which would have probably left him badly injured. A single mistake had almost doomed him.


    The weakness of the Divine Reaper was evident. It was impossible to use its techniques before reaching the competent proficiency level because a single failed execution could lead to a deadly response. Still, that level of expertise didn''t change that an opponent could dodge an attack and seize the same openings.


    ''It feels so weak on its own, but the army still gave it sixty-five points,'' Khan thought as he stopped retreating and inspected the monster standing up. ''Maybe my perception is completely off since I started training with a good martial art right away.''


    The monster charged ahead, but Khan reached its side before it could pick up speed. A single kick managed to make it crash on the ground again, which made him prepare the knife in no time.


    Khan approached the creature''s rear legs at that time. He performed a sprint to reach his target quickly and accumulate momentum, and his whole body rotated to give power to his swinging motion.


    The complete absence of obstructions felt during the technique made Khan sure about its perfect execution. His knife had gone smoothly through the monster''s leg, but its flesh had yet to show the effects of his attack.


    The monster roared in anger again when it noticed Khan standing behind it. The creature quickly tried to straighten its body to turn and squash him, but it fell to the side when its weight moved on the damaged leg.


    Khan saw the creature''s fur opening into a gory mess and bending in an odd shape. It turned out that he had cut hair, skin, muscles, and femur in a single attack. The monster actually started falling on him since that limb gave up on trying to support its weight.


    Khan had to retreat again, but a smile inevitably appeared on his face. He had always known that the Divine Reaper''s offensive power was great, but he didn''t believe it could reach such insane levels. After all, his opponent was a monster that could endure his kicks, but its innate defenses couldn''t do anything against his knife.


    ''Ninety-five points,'' Khan thought while looking at his knife. ''This is simply too great!''


    His greatest weakness had disappeared. Khan could finally disregard the stronger bodies that the monsters had. He could even kill them in one blow if he hit the right spot. The only problem was how much he could rely on those abilities.


    The scenes that followed left the three Niqols inspecting the scene speechless. The monster couldn''t do much now that it couldn''t use one of its legs. It crawled as its aggression tried to make it reach its targets, but it wasn''t a proper threat anymore, not for Khan at least.


    Khan attacked the monsters in different spots. He focused on the other legs first to make sure that the creature couldn''t move at all before unleashing a flurry of techniques meant to improve his ability with the Divine Reaper.


    The scene appeared quite sadistic. Khan made sure to avoid vital organs with his attacks as he continued to test the Divine Reaper''s techniques, and the monster soon ended up in a gory state. Only its incredible resilience managed to keep it alive throughout that treatment, but it directly lay down at some point. The creature only wanted Khan to deliver the final blow, but he never satisfied its desires.


    Khan''s actions carried no cruelty. The monster had become nothing more than a training dummy in his eyes. He could use it to see how often his techniques failed before a proper opponent and how deeply he could cut it. The [Blood Shield] and Liiza''s ice had never given him a proper understanding of the Divine Reaper''s power, but he filled those gaps in his knowledge in no time.


    "Just kill it!" Edil eventually shouted. "Save your mana!"


    Edil''s scolding forced Khan to remember about the crisis. He had been too caught in his training that he had almost forgotten about his situation. The canyons on the rocky wall in the distance could release monsters at any time, and he wasn''t with his teammates.


    ''Well, you have stopped being useful for a while already,'' Khan thought while looking at the gory figure at his side.


    The bear had deep cuts on its four legs. One of them was even on the verge of separating from its base since it hung from a small patch of skin. Similar wounds filled the entirety of the creature''s body. Khan had gone all-out with his tests, making sure to understand his current level and in which fields he needed to improve.


    ''I''m not as precise as I wished,'' Khan summarized in his mind, ''And I fail to perform the techniques correctly far too often.''


    The membrane covered the knife again as Khan approached the monster''s head. The creature didn''t even oppose the weapon piercing its skull. It only wanted to die after the awful treatment that Khan had reserved it.


    "[Sorry, I''ve been too caught in it]," Khan shouted while drawing the knife and cleaning the blood on the monster''s fur.


    "We noticed!" Khakhir mocked, and his comment made everyone laugh.


    Khan began to walk back to his companions, but he suddenly sensed multiple presences gathering near the canyons. Many skull-like covers soon peeked out of the exits as his eyes remained fixed on those spots. There seemed to be ten monsters ready to get out of the mountains, and some of them even showed signs of special abilities.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to shoot back to his companions before turning to face the mountain chain. His knife stood in front of him as he bent his legs and prepared for the imminent battle.


    The three Niqols did the same, but Khan almost sensed their hesitation. Still, that feeling didn''t come from their inexperience or weak battle prowess. He couldn''t blame them when he was experiencing similar feelings.


    The new monsters appeared far calmer than the first. The ten creatures were all mutated versions of the Talelos, but the transformations had affected them differently. Their furs carried various colors, and their skull-like masks also had different shapes. However, two of them stood out among the group.


    Those two monsters were bigger than their companions. One of them had flames burning on its pale-red fur while the other released a dark gas from under its mask. It was clear that they had developed abilities.


    ****


    Author''s notes: 3-4 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 176: Abilities

    Ten monsters weren''t a force that regular students could face in an open field and without any plan. Khan had seen a group of more than twenty Niqols almost losing against one creature with abilities, so the sight of that pack made him hesitate.


    The situation wasn''t exactly terrible. The monsters mutated from the Talelos seemed to retain the same physical weaknesses. They were massive and resilient, but they could only charge forward and swing their paws. Those simple offensive patterns were easy to handle when facing only one specimen.


    Fighting ten of them at the same time was a big problem, but Khan could imagine a group of Niqols with exceptional battle prowess winning that fight. It would take them some preparations and a slow approach, but the battle was feasible.


    Khan would have even felt confident in dealing with ten monsters on his own if his proficiency with the Divine Reaper had reached the competent level. His attacks with the knife were deadly and ignored every protection, but that happened only when he managed to perform them correctly.


    The speed and flexibility of the Lightning-demon style, the deadly power coming from the Divine Reaper, and the [Blood Shield] gave Khan a complete set of abilities that turned him almost unbeatable against those types of opponents. The issue was that his foundation had deep flaws. He lacked experience with his new techniques, and they were far from perfect.


    Those hypothetical plans were almost pointless in front of the two big monsters. The ominous feeling radiated by the pale-red flames and the dark gas declared how the pack wouldn''t only rely on mere physical attacks and simple charges. Those creatures could probably express the same deadliness that Khan had just started to feel proud of.


    Khan inspected the situation from every angle and perspective, but nothing changed. His battle prowess was unreliable, and his companions were useless. They could probably launch the iconic palm strikes of their species, but they would die as soon as the pack touched them.


    An ideal world where Khan managed to sprint through the monsters and perform ten perfect executions in a row existed, but he didn''t believe to be there. The previous tests had shown him that only two out of three attacks came out fine and that when the monster was already powerless. The tension of an actual battle would make his number of failures increase.


    "[Summon the Aduns]," Khan eventually ordered. "[We can''t fight this]."


    Edil wanted to give voice to a heroic comment that could inspire the group to remain in the area and fight, but he didn''t lie to himself. He was willing to give his life for his planet, but his sacrifice would be pointless there.


    The Niqols silently agreed to Khan''s order and summoned the Aduns. The academy had prepared strategies for similar situations, so they didn''t mind abandoning their position so soon.


    A professor or other higher-ups would occupy strategic areas that could make them able to come in the student''s aid relatively quickly. The closest soldier to Khan''s position would take three hours to arrive in the plain, and the monsters couldn''t do too much damage in that period.


    The monsters didn''t charge toward the four students. They approached them slowly as if they were studying the scene. Still, Snow and the three dark Aduns'' descent forced the two ability users to react.


    The monster with flames coming out of its fur roared before its hair pointed forward and launched a few large fireballs toward the descending eagles. The attacks were oddly fast for their size, but they destabilized before reaching their targets. Yet, their explosion filled the sky near the students with an expanding heatwave and fiery trails that reached the ground.


    The heatwave forced the Aduns to halt their descent and spread their wings to shoot outside its range. The Niqols showed ugly expressions at that sight, but Khan promptly turned to retreat.


    "[Let''s get out of their range]!" Khan ordered, and the Niqols understood his simple tactic, but the same went for the monsters.


    The eight normal monsters charged ahead after the fiery specimen growled. The ground trembled for real now that those heavy creatures stomped it repeatedly, but Khan didn''t fear them. They had started to run too late. The Aduns would have enough time to pick the students up and escape in the sky.


    Yet, even that seemed to be within the monsters'' calculations. The creature that was releasing black gas pointed its mouth on one of the holes in its mask and blew while unleashing the full power of its lungs.


    Khan was holding back his speed on purpose to remain near the Niqols, and the latter weren''t too slow. They still met the superior standards that the aliens tried to create, so even their weak battle prowess was decent according to human criteria. The Aduns in the sky moved freely and without obstruction, so they were only waiting for the students to put enough distance from the monsters before descending again.


    Nevertheless, the black gas that the monster blew from behind its mask moved faster than students and Aduns. The rare light that had started to fill Nitis disappeared as the dark gas engulfed the area within four kilometers.


    Khan immediately noticed that his sensitivity to mana couldn''t help him in that environment. His senses couldn''t pierce that thin gas. He couldn''t even notice the three students behind him. He could see almost decently, but that was too little when eight monsters were running in that direction.


    Breathing became difficult, but Khan didn''t experience any violent reaction. Instead, the Niqols had it slightly worse since they stopped moving to crouch and cough. Their attunement with mana didn''t make them adapt to the new air quickly enough to avoid ending up in that condition.


    Khan found himself in a troublesome situation. He didn''t know how large the cloud was, but nothing could catch him if he continued to sprint at full speed. He could save himself, but the three Niqols would die.


    On the other hand, the monsters couldn''t have the best teamwork. The two leaders with abilities probably were the only specimens smart enough to come up with simple hunting tactics. Those creatures had mutated less than seven hours ago. They couldn''t possibly know the full extent of their new powers.


    ''The two strong ones probably can''t sense me here either,'' Khan thought as he did his best to imagine the creatures'' simple mindset.


    The ten monsters had decided to create that group in less than seven hours. They had to belong to the same pack already, which would explain their instinctive teamwork. Khan could even guess that they had an innate talent toward the hunts due to their nature, but their intelligence couldn''t go too far.


    Khan could imagine only one tactic if he decided to consider the creatures intelligent enough to fuse their newly developed abilities with their usual hunting patterns. The eight normal monsters had shot ahead before the arrival of the cloud, which meant that they had to set their direction beforehand. They were probably still running even if the gas was suppressing their senses.


    ''If it''s just the eight without abilities¡­.'' Khan thought as determination appeared on his face.


    "[Focus on leaving the cloud]," Khan ordered as the Niqols started to straighten their backs. "[I''ll buy some time]."


    "No!" Kakhir shouted as a cough tried to interrupt his explanation. "You are more valuable than us during the crisis. Leave us here."


    Khan felt deep shame for having considered leaving the three students behind. His eyes widened in front of their timid determination. They were weak, scared, and useless in that situation, but they were already willing to sacrifice themselves for Nitis'' greater good.


    Kakhir revealed a weak smile when he thought that his words had managed to convince his companion, but stupor filled his face when Khan grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back on his feet.


    "[Run in that direction and leave]" Khan ordered while pointing at their previous direction.


    "[Nitis has the priority]!" Kakhir shouted while dropping any intention to use the human language.


    "[I''m a human]," Khan smirked. "[I only care about battle merits]."


    Edil and Elita had recovered enough to hear the entirety of that conversation. The three Niqols weren''t too close to Khan, but they had learnt to know his character. They saw through that blatant lie right away, and complaints immediately tried to come out of their mouths.


    "[They can''t catch me]," Khan interrupted them. "[Just go. I can''t fight with you slowing me down]."


    Khan continued to smile, which allowed the Niqols to see right through his intentionally rude words. He was trying his best to make them leave, even if that meant offending them, and their desire to live eventually made them accept his intentions.


    "[We''ll call the professor as soon as we exit this thing]," Elita promised as Kakhir helped her standing up.


    Edil nodded at Khan before the three resumed their march. Khan had kept track of the passage of time during that interaction. Almost a minute had passed, so the monsters had to be almost on him. However, the Niqols were still too close, so he sprinted in the direction where he hoped to find opponents.


    Khan felt angry at himself. He hated the fact that he had considered sacrificing the three Niqols when they were able to show such an intense determination. Khan felt the need to pay them back for teaching him how those pure feelings could survive even in an awful situation. He also needed to vent. Luckily for him, he could do both things at the same time.


    It felt strange to rely only on his vision after spending months using his sensitivity to mana as his first form of perception, but he didn''t forget how to use them. Khan could see clearly even while sprinting among the dark gas, and a huge figure eventually appeared in front of him.


    Khan didn''t even give time to the figure to become clearer. He accelerated until his skin started to hurt and calculated the arrival of the clash perfectly.


    The normal monster continued its mad, blind charge through the cloud, but a vague figure suddenly appeared in the darkness before it. The shadow rotated on itself and dug the ground due to the amount of momentum accumulated in the sprint to throw a rotating kick.


    Khan''s sole slammed on the side of the monster''s head before the latter could realize what was happening. He had successfully hit the uncovered part right behind the mask, and the creature ended up changing direction due to the violence released in the impact.


    Khan saw the monster sliding by his side, but he chased after it while rotating the knife in his hand. He stretched his arm until the tip of his weapon was right above its skull, and he performed a simple stabbing gesture once an azure glow shone.


    The knife didn''t release any sound when it pierced the monster''s head and dug deep into its brain. Khan didn''t even look at the creature after he retracted his weapon. He had performed the technique correctly, so his opponent was dead. That was the way of the Divine Reaper.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I didn''t expect the three hours to be so long. I was about to fall asleep on the keyboard yesterday, so I ended up hitting the bed. Today''s chapters will probably have some delay, but they will come out.

 Chapter 177: Darkness

    More tall figures appeared around Khan as the monsters continued to charge forward. The dark gas had made them unable to notice the death of their companion, but they wouldn''t have cared anyway. They had precise but simple orders, and they didn''t dare to ignore them.


    Khan shot after the nearest monster. His sprint made him reach his opponent in no time, and his left arm stretched before the creature could notice him. However, the knife didn''t manage to pierce the beast''s skull when it stabbed its head.


    The monster noticed Khan at that point. It roared angrily as it turned toward while interrupting its charge. Three of its legs slid on the ground and created long holes as it tried to stop and swing its paw toward its opponent.


    Khan only needed to run around the creature to dodge the incoming attack. He stabbed his opponent''s head again when he reached its side, but he ended up failing to execute the technique correctly again.


    The monster was livid. It tried to put strength in its rear legs and jump at Khan, but a kick slammed its head on the ground. The knife tried to pierce its skull again, but its bones managed to stop the weapon.


    ''Dammit!'' Khan cursed in his mind while interrupting the monster''s attempt to stand up with another kick.


    The creature growled to no end, but Khan''s kicks always managed to bring its head back to the ground. Swinging its paws didn''t help either because Khan could jump on the other side of its body before resuming his offensive. The monster felt powerless in front of the flawless execution of the Lightning-demon style.


    A cracking noise eventually followed the thudding sounds generated by Khan''s relentless offensive. The monster died, but he only felt pissed at his incompetence.


    The other monsters had long since run past Khan while he was busy dealing with his opponent, but the darkness of the cloud didn''t allow him to find them. He could only sprint toward the students in the hope of finding something among that annoying gas.


    Khan had to reach the end of the cloud to find the other monsters. They were about to leave the gas and approach the students who had just stopped to call their Aduns, but he ran among them while throwing kicks left and right to attract their attention.


    The six monsters crashed on the ground, rolled on themselves, or ended clashing with each other. Khan had only needed a few kicks to interrupt their charge, but he found six pairs of fierce eyes pointing at him afterward. His only consolation was that he had finally left that annoying cloud.


    The three Niqols hesitated when they fixed their gaze on Khan''s back. He appeared incredibly small with those huge figures surrounding him. The monsters stood up as angry growls came out of their mouths. They had completely forgotten about their targets after receiving those kicks. They only wanted to pounce at the human now.


    Khan tightened the grip on the knife. He felt no fear in front of those threatening monsters. His figure radiated pure confidence.


    The monsters seemed able to sense Khan''s power. They were angry and even rather stupid, but their instincts told them that their opponent was strong. Their sensitivity to mana was working now that they had left the cloud, and they couldn''t help but hesitate in front of that clear confidence.


    The Aduns screeched when they landed on the ground and let the Niqols climb on their backs, but the monsters didn''t react to that event. They remained still and left their eyes on Khan. They feared what would happen if they dared to lose their concentration.


    One of the monsters began to bend forward, and that slight movement marked the beginning of the battle. Khan shot ahead and thrust his knife forward once the skull-like mask filled his view. His weapon pierced those bones and dug the flesh behind them before creating a hole in the creature''s head.


    A faint satisfaction spread inside Khan when he saw life abandoning the monster''s eyes, but pain took its place as an unstoppable force landed on his side. He lost his grip on the knife as he flew above the monster to his right and blood accumulated in his mouth.


    The monster stood on two feet and swung its paw toward Khan. He couldn''t dodge the incoming sharp claws while airborne, so he moved the [Blood Shield] on his right forearm while crossing his arms in front of his chest.


    The paw hit the forearm and flung Khan further away. He slammed on the ground and rolled on himself as the massive force generated by that simple attack vanished. Still, he soon managed to plant his feet on the terrain and stop himself.


    His right sleeve was in pieces, and part of it hung on his hand. Khan tore it apart as he unsheathed the null-grade knife and threw it in his left palm. The gesture revealed how four bloody cuts had appeared on his right forearm, but they seemed pretty superficial.


    The monsters had charged ahead as soon as Khan had slammed on the ground, and one of them was even about to fall on him after he drew the knife, but the creature ended up hitting nothing. Khan sprinted among his opponents and reached the other side of the group before jumping toward one of the enemies.


    Khan performed an airborne spin before slamming his heel on the monster''s mask. Cracks opened on those bones as the creature''s head crashed on the ground and dug a deep hole.


    The sudden stop made the monster''s back rise, but it was too heavy to perform a complete flip. Khan could stab his knife downward, and the azure glow covering its surface stopped shining on the dark fur when it dug the creature''s nape.


    Khan immediately jumped backward while taking out the knife from the deadly wound. A monster immediately fell on his previous position and turned the corpse''s head into a gory pulp of fur and blood. Nothing would have been able to save Khan if that attack had hit him, but he had learnt from his previous mistake.


    A monster approached Khan from behind, but it didn''t escape his senses. Khan turned before sprinting to the creature''s side and stabbing his glowing knife on the spot right next to its mask, but only the tip pierced the tough skin.


    The creature''s head performed a sharp movement as it turned toward Khan, and the knife ended up snapping in half when the mask hit its side. A swinging paw followed that gesture, but it found no one once the monster completed the attack.


    Khan cursed in his mind while running toward the corpse with the first-grade knife stabbed in its mask. He threw away his broken weapon once reaching his destination, but a pale-red glow spread in the area when he crouched.


    A dense sphere of mana suddenly entered the range on Khan''s senses. He didn''t need to raise his head to understand what was about to arrive, so he quickly pulled out the knife from the mask and ran away. The sound of an explosion reached his ears while he ran away, and a heatwave eventually engulfed him.


    Khan felt hot, but the heatwave didn''t hurt him. He continued to sprint for a few seconds before stopping and turning to gain a clear idea of his situation.


    The four normal monsters had stopped attacking now that their leaders had stepped into the battlefield. A trail of dark smoke came out of Khan''s previous position. The monster''s corpse wasn''t burning, but its charred skin continued to release an ominous gas that tried to hide the two huge figures that had come out from the cloud.


    The two leaders had run through the cloud to hide their arrival, but Khan had been fast enough to dodge their attack. The two monsters had their hungry eyes on him now, and their underlings imitated them as growls resounded from behind their masks.


    Khan replied with his cold gaze. The battle had changed completely after the arrival of the two leaders, and he didn''t know how smart it was to be part of it. He had managed to kill four monsters, but the previous exchanges had highlighted how unreliable his prowess was.


    The first-grade knife returned inside the sheath as Khan began to run away. Angry roars followed that gesture, and the same pale-red light from before shone around him, but he didn''t care. The battle was over for him.


    Khan ran on the plain until Snow had enough room to pick him up without entering the range of the fiery specimen. It didn''t take long before he was high in the sky, far away from the monsters.


    The three Niqols soon reached him, and the group remained above the monsters to keep track of their movements. They had to stay there until a stronger soldier showed up and cleared the area before resuming their task there.


    The monsters didn''t do much after losing their targets. They advanced for a while, but more creatures eventually came out of the mountain chain and started fighting them for control of the plain.


    A messy battle unfolded, and its size increased as its noises attracted more packs living in the mountain chain. The group could confirm the existence of almost fifty monsters, and many of them turned out to be different abilities.


    Khan and the others never had a chance to defend the area, but that was fine. The Niqols had actually expected something like that to happen once the sunlight started to shine on the surface. The students'' role was to delay those creatures once stronger assets arrived to clear the area.


    Of course, the situation wasn''t so desperate elsewhere. The mountain chain was one of the crowded areas on Nitis, so the Niqols already expected Khan and the others to be unable to defend it. They had actually predicted that they would lose control of most of the planet in the initial days of the crisis.


    Edil updated the Niqols in charge of handling the various stronger assets on the changes that the plain experienced. He kept count of the number of monsters and described their abilities accurately so that the experts nearby could decide if their powers were up to the task.


    Kakhir had to separate from the rest of the group to follow a few monsters that decided to run away from the bloody battle unfolding on the plain. The specimens with abilities were trying to enlarge their packs by subduing their opponents, but it took almost an hour before a clear hierarchy formed.


    The monsters had to wait and recover at that point. They ate their dead companions and slept. Khan and the others could start to relax and focus on something else, and he even decided to meditate during those hours.


    His body had been able to endure a direct hit from a monster, but his insides felt off. A vast bruise had even appeared on his side due to that attack, but he couldn''t deny his slight satisfaction.


    Khan had struggled against a single monster on his first hunt on Nitis, but he had just killed four of them in little more than a few exchanges. He had grown incredibly strong in mere months, and he had yet to perfect his abilities too. It felt unreal how much had changed.


    The screech of an Aduns awakened Khan from his meditation. An eagle with peculiar dark-red feathers flew in the area while carrying a middle-aged woman who wore a serious expression.


    Khan didn''t know that Niqols, but she didn''t waste time announcing herself. She appeared in a hurry while she descended toward the resting pack and pointing at the various monsters.


    A dark sphere came out of her fingers and expanded as it descended toward the pack. Some monsters noticed the event and alerted everyone with their roars, but the attack moved too quickly. It only took a few seconds to transform into a black halo that enveloped all the specimens.


    Cries of pain resounded, but Khan couldn''t study what was happening since the halo hindered his vision. The technique remained active until everything went silent and made the woman decide to disperse her darkness.


    The scene that the dispersion of the technique revealed left Khan speechless. The pack had disappeared. Patches of blood stained the ground, but he couldn''t see anything else there. The darkness had also devoured the short grass in that area.


    ****


    Author''s notes: 3-4 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 178: Grasshoppers

    The woman didn''t even look at the ground after retracting her technique. She shot in the distance to go after Kakhir and handle the monsters that had separated from the main pack. Khan, Edil, and Elita limited themselves to follow her departing figure with their astonished gazes.


    It was rare to see strong soldiers in action. Khan had seen something similar on Istrone when Captain Foxnor had taken out many Kred with his lightning, but that event didn''t make him grow used to that power. He had surpassed the human limits long ago, but that was a completely different realm. He couldn''t find words to describe it.


    Edil and Elita felt a similar surprise. They had remained amazed at Khan''s battle prowess, but the woman had shown them what levels mana could make them reach. It was inspiring and scary learning that a single person could wield so much power.


    Their amazement didn''t make them forget about the crisis. The light filling the environment was a constant reminder that Nitis was turning upside-down. Its rich fauna was transforming and expanding, stretching into areas that had typically been safe.


    Khan, Edil, and Elita returned to the ground and waited for other monsters to come out of the mountain chain. Kakhir soon returned while wearing an amazed expression that made his companions realize how stunning it had been for him to see the woman in action. The group could continue their task, but nothing interesting happened even after hours passed.


    A few solitary monsters came out of the canyons at random intervals, but the group took care of them easily. Those creatures had probably remained hidden while the large pack had gone to the plain, which said a lot about their power. One of them ended up having a strange ability that gave it a pinkish halo, but Khan killed it before learning what it did.


    The three Niqols didn''t let Khan fight on his own anymore, but those solitary opponents couldn''t make them sweat, especially with him in the frontlines. The three aliens wanted to improve, but the knife would eventually pierce the creatures'' heads and put an end to that training.


    The situation had stabilized to a level that the four students could handle, and the same happened in many other areas as the stronger soldiers completed their first round of help.


    The Niqols seemed to handle the crisis well, but the truth was far different. The aliens left a large part of Nitis on its own to focus on regions featuring habitations or other structures. They didn''t have enough forces to inspect those places either since all the strong soldiers had to help with the various battlefields.


    "Khan, they are asking about you," Edil said at some point while the cube glowed in his hand.


    Khan had sat on the ground to meditate since monsters had stopped coming, and a frown appeared on his face when he heard Edil. It didn''t make any sense for someone to want to talk with him directly.


    Khan picked his cube and contacted Edil to join the connection that he had set, and the unfamiliar male voice of a Niqols resounded in his mind as soon as the alien boy put his device away. ''There has been a problem with Rodney. Your area has calmed down, so we need you to reach his group.''


    ''What happened?'' Khan asked.


    ''It''s better if you go there yourself,'' The Niqols said before sending a map with precise instructions on how to reach the current position of Rodney''s group.


    Those words were basically orders, so Khan didn''t hesitate to stand up and summon his Aduns. A quick exchange of salutes happened before he jumped on Snow and left the plain.


    Rodney''s group was only an hour away. They handled a relatively barren area that featured small animals, but Khan didn''t know too much about them since each briefing had happened separately. What he knew came from his friend''s complaints and Asyat, who happened to be with him.


    The sky had become completely clear by then. The night had arrived according to his phone, but the sun seemed on the verge of rising. Khan actually didn''t know if he would see it, but his thoughts didn''t linger on that topic for too long.


    The faint secrecy of the Niqols handling the communication had made Khan curious and worried. Rodney had always been quite easygoing about everything, but he was by no means stupid. Khan even believed that his companion understood the politics behind their situation better than everyone else.


    Asyat was also a good friend. She had continued to hit on Khan even after Liiza had started to join the parties, but she wasn''t as clingy as the other girls who flirted with him. He respected that part of her.


    A rocky, barren area unfolded in Khan''s vision as he reached the spot marked by the map in the cube. Hills and short mountains created an uneven terrain filled with cavities, narrow caves, and a few valleys. It had the potential to generate many lairs, but it was too poor for big animals.


    Khan found a Niqols sitting on the ground, and Snow didn''t hesitate to dive toward him. The boy''s name was Mikail. He revealed a broad smile when Khan landed next to him, but his expression returned sad when he recalled what had happened to his group.


    "[Where are the others]?" Khan immediately asked.


    Mikail pointed at a descending path a few hundred meters in the distance. Two hills with odd shapes created a tunnel that led under the surface, but Khan couldn''t see anything from his position.


    "[We were doing fine]," Mikail explained, "[But a monster with hypnotic abilities appeared, and everything fell apart. The skill isn''t even too strong, but it''s hard to break out of it once it takes control of your actions]."


    "[Couldn''t you help the others]?" Khan questioned.


    "[I regained control of my body only after they left]," Mikail responded. "[I think the monster can''t control four of us at the same time, so I remained here and became able to move again only when I exited its range. The higher-ups told me to let you handle the situation when I notified them]."


    "[Why is that]?" Khan asked in a confused tone.


    "[I''m not sure]," Mikail answered. "[Maybe they are scared of political repercussions. We are still talking about a hypnotized human. Who knows what the monster is making him do]?"


    Khan suddenly realized how things could get complicated in that situation. The monster couldn''t have good intentions, so Rodney and the others probably were up to something terrible. That could lead to troublesome political issues if the Niqols were to handle everything poorly.


    Instead, the responsibility would fall on the humans if Khan were to mess things up. That was a simple political game that had to happen between the two species. Khan simply hated it because it involved lives.


    "[How can I even protect myself from hypnotic abilities]?" Khan questioned.


    Mikail was talking about the hypnotic ability as nothing irrelevant, but that was Khan''s main concern since he had no idea how to handle it.


    "[Right]," Mikail exclaimed when he recalled that Khan''s training probably had never touched those topics. "[You need to create a barrier around your head, something similar to a shield. Can you do it]?"


    Khan limited himself to nod. The mental barrier activated, but it didn''t push away his emotion. It created a protective membrane around his brain that hindered his sensitivity to mana but also blocked external influences.


    "[Good luck, Khan]," Mikail announced when he saw that Khan turned toward the tunnel. "[I wish our species weren''t so wary of each other]."


    "[It''s fine]," Khan revealed a comforting smile after turning toward the boy. "[I''ll come back in no time]."


    Mikail wore a smile too, but Khan only looked at it for a second before moving toward the tunnel. The light in the environment managed to illuminate the passage since the two rocky structures that made the ceiling left multiple openings. Still, he couldn''t see much anyway due to the various turns and narrow spots.


    Khan checked his cube before entering the tunnel. A simple call to Mikail revealed the nature of the species that lived in the area. The monster resembled a grasshopper, but it didn''t look too threatening. Its hypnotic ability was its only problematic feature, but that wouldn''t be an issue for Khan since he had prepared the barrier beforehand.


    Khan didn''t draw his knife. The biggest animal confirmed in that area resembled a small rat, so his kicks would be more than enough to handle every threat. The many narrow corners and turns of the tunnels didn''t suit the Lightning-demon style, but he didn''t want to risk committing mistakes in that situation.


    The mental shield reduced the range of Khan''s sensitivity to mana, but he could still check his surroundings with it. He even approached every corner carefully to avoid falling prey to an ambush in areas that hindered his kicks. Still, nothing seemed to live in the initial parts of the tunnel.


    Khan advanced slowly but steadily. His careful steps would make rocks roll at times, and the echo of their noises made him understand how deep that underground structure actually was.


    Describing it as underground felt incorrect after Khan saw the tunnel opening into a relatively large area. The sunlight shone from above him and highlighted the spots where the two hills failed to meet. He felt inside a long and intricate hole rather than in an actual cave, but the path kept descending, and some darkness eventually appeared in his vision.


    ''How far did they go?'' Khan wondered after he spent more than twenty minutes descending through that structure.


    Khan crossed tunnels, narrow cracks, and relatively large rooms. The areas where the sunlight managed to arrive grew scarcer as he continued to descend, but he felt worried when he saw the complete lack of lifeforms. A few tracks and footsteps appeared on his path, but they only confirmed that he was heading on the correct way.


    A worrying thought filled Khan''s mind, and he felt pretty sure that Mikail shared it. The two didn''t speak about that matter in detail, but they knew that the Tainted animals weren''t too intelligent, especially those as small as grasshoppers.


    The monster''s orders would mainly involve food, which only gave an ominous aura to the matter in such a barren area. Khan didn''t want to think about the situation, but ideas inevitably appeared in his mind, and fears built up.


    A buzzing noise eventually began to fill the underground areas that Khan was crossing. That intense sound seemed able to make the rocky walls tremble and the terrain shake. It intensified as Khan moved forward, and it almost gained deafening properties when the structure opened into a dark gorge.


    Khan found himself on a narrow path that bordered a deep gorge. The area was relatively ample, and he could even notice a few holes connected to the surface on the ceiling about one hundred meters above him.


    The buzzing noise came from the darkness of the crack, but Khan couldn''t inspect it properly with his restrained sensitivity. He had to take his cube out and activate one of its functions to study the area properly.


    The azure symbols on the cube lit up and transformed into a torch that Khan didn''t hesitate to point at the crack. The buzzing noise suddenly went silent when that light shone on the rocky walls, and Khan couldn''t help but gulp when he saw the many black grasshoppers hanging there. They basically filled the entire canyon, but they were nothing more than Tainted animals.


    ''Where is the monster?'' Khan questioned himself before moving deeper along the narrow path.


    The grasshoppers stopped releasing their noises as soon as the azure glow of the cube shone on them, but none of them dared to attack. Khan had plenty of room to perform his kicks there, so he didn''t feel any fear. He only worried about his companions.


    A thudding noise eventually reached his ears. That sound spread from the depts of the area, which seemed to mark the end of the underground structure. A cavity appeared on his left as he pressed forward, and he didn''t hesitate to inspect it since the thuds came from there.


    The cavity wasn''t big. It barely stretched for eight meters, but Khan froze when the azure glow of the cube illuminated its contents. Multiple grasshoppers filled the walls and the ceiling of the small cave, but different figures occupied its floor.


    Something had crushed those figures. They were nothing more than bloody pulps that of fur, flesh, and bones. Khan struggled to recognize them, especially since some grasshoppers were feasting on the floor. Yet, he couldn''t fail to notice Rodney sitting on one of the largest corpses.


    The thudding noise had stopped, but Khan quickly connected it to the bloody rock that Rodney wielded between his hands. He had clearly it to squash the various victims of the monster''s hypnotic ability. His last one was a headless corpse who had already lost most of its features, but its white hair and dark-blue skin remained impossible to ignore even in that state.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I didn''t expect the three hours to be so long. I was about to fall asleep on the keyboard yesterday, so I ended up hitting the bed. Today''s chapters will probably have some delay, but they will come out.

 Chapter 179: Panic

    Everything was still. The grasshoppers had stopped moving. Rodney didn''t look at Khan, but his arms were in the air as he continued to wield the rock firmly. The cave was the embodiment of death and gore.


    Khan didn''t move. He preferred everything to remain still to hold on to the faint hope that he had imagined those scenes. Yet, a third humanoid figure suddenly entered his vision and forced him to think about his next move.


    Asyat was sitting on the ground. Her eyes didn''t move, which confirmed how she was under the effects of hypnosis. The monster was probably waiting for Rodney to finish with the other Niqols before moving to her.


    Khan''s eyes darted through the cavity. The grasshoppers barely showed differences among each other, but one of them was slightly bigger than the others. Moreover, a faint pressure came out of it and tried to reach his mind, but the mental shield prepared beforehand blocked it.


    The monster was at the bottom of the cave, on the other side of the corpses. Khan could reach it in less than two seconds. He even had enough room to kill it with a single blow, but he needed a little longer to accept the scene completely.


    Khan''s figure slowly bent forward, but that slight movement made the entire room come back to life. The monster showed its wings and released the buzzing sound before every other grasshopper in the underground canyon did the same. The rocky surfaces started to tremble as the noise became deafening, and every insect in the cavity shot toward the exit.


    A series of black figures filled Khan''s vision. They weren''t trying to attack him, but their escape made him lose track of the monster. Of course, that only involved his eyes. His sensitivity to mana didn''t manage to reach the end of the cave in its current state, but it could fill the entirety of the exit.


    Khan let the grasshoppers fly past him until a slightly different figure entered the range of his senses. His leg shot upward at that point, and rocks fell from the wall when his foot slammed on that surface.


    The grasshopper grew more chaotic. Their flight became messy and panicked, and the same went for their buzzing noise. Their cry lost the synchrony shown before and turned into a loud but and chaotic series of sounds.


    Khan''s leg remained on the wall until all the grasshoppers had left the cavity. His foot slowly left those rocks once everything was clear, and the squashed corpse of the monster appeared under his sole. A single kick had been enough to kill it.


    The pressure on his mental shield was no more, and his two companions inside the cavity also started to regain control over their movements. Asyat bent to her side before voicing a series of deep breaths while Rodney threw the rock behind him before jumping off the corpse and planting his back on the wall.


    Khan didn''t need to question Mikail to understand that the hypnosis didn''t make you forget what you did. The boy recalled everything that had happened while he was under the monster''s control, so Khan felt sure that the same had happened to his companions.


    "[Eset]," Asyat sobbed while covering her mouth.


    Her exclamation made Khan aware of the corpse''s identity. Eset was a girl in the second year of the academy. She even had a boyfriend among the Niqols, but Rodney had transformed her head into a bloody pulp. Khan would have never recognized her if it weren''t for Asyat.


    "Khan," Asyat whimpered, and Khan checked the state of the underground gorge before walking toward the girl.


    The grasshoppers had lost their cool after the monster died. They were flying up and down the canyon without an apparent destination, and their buzzing noise filled the area. Still, they were virtually harmless, so Khan could ignore them.


    Khan crouched in front of Asyat, and the girl jumped in his arms. Her hands clutched his robe as she dug her face on his chest and started sobbing loudly. She had seen ugly stuff against the [Silent Groundsuckers], but the latest event had been too much for her.


    "Rodney," Khan whispered while caressing Asyat''s hair in the hope that it could help her calm down.


    The boy was trying to retreat even if his back had long since hit the wall. Rodney continued to push himself backward as his eyes remained fixed on Eset''s corpse.


    Rodney remained in that condition until retches climbed his throat. The boy turned to his right to puke, and Khan heaved a helpless sigh. He couldn''t even imagine what the two had to experience under the control of the monster. Rodney had seen his hands killing his own companion. He had to hear and feel the sounds and sensations that crushing a head with a rock caused. That event could break even the most stable minds.


    "It wasn''t your fault," Khan stated while Rodney wiped his mouth clean with his sleeve. "No one has trained against mental abilities."


    Rodney didn''t answer nor turn, but he seemed calmer after those words. Khan could turn toward Asyat. She was still sobbing on his chest, but she had also started to breathe regularly after his caresses.


    "[We have to leave this place]," Khan whispered while reaching the side of Asyat''s head and lifting it toward him.


    Asyat''s teary glowing eyes soon shone on Khan''s face. He could see her transparent tears running down her cheeks. The girl had even left a wet patch on his robe, but he didn''t care. He only wanted to return to the surface and make sure to handle the situation correctly.


    The Niqols nodded weakly, and Khan helped her standing up. Asyat continued to cling to his robe, and he couldn''t find any reason to make her leave him. Even Liiza would understand her behavior in that situation.


    "Rodney?" Khan called while moving toward the exit.


    Asyat hid her face on his chest again when they walked over Eset''s corpse. Instead, Rodney remained crouched toward his puke. He appeared unable to look away from that disgusting spot on the ground.


    "Rodney!" Khan shouted while grabbing the boy''s shoulder, and the latter finally straightened his back to move his eyes on him.


    Rodney appeared in a daze. Complicated thoughts filled his mind, and Khan didn''t even try to guess them. He didn''t have time to give him emotional support now. His hands were literally full with Asyat already.


    "Let''s go," Rodney eventually said in a weak voice. "We must report this."


    Khan could only nod before exiting the cavity. Asyat voiced a high-pitched cry when she found herself in the middle of the swarm of grasshoppers. She directly hugged Khan and let him lead her.


    Rodney followed closely behind. He appeared fine among the grasshoppers, but the same lost expression filled his face while he reached his two companions.


    Khan led the two through the passage, ignoring how Rodney got closer to his shoulder after each step. Asyat, the grasshoppers, and the vivid images of the previous scene made him fail to consider what the boy could think or try to do.


    Everything happened quickly. Rodney suddenly jumped in front of Khan and pushed Asyat. The girl was basically lying on Khan, so she didn''t oppose the attack at all. She flew backward, and her feet went past the passage''s edges in no time. She started to fall inside the canyon, but her hands were still clinging to Khan''s robe, so she dragged him with her.


    Khan saw the darkness of the canyon becoming dangerously close. He almost lost the grip on his cube as Asyat''s weight threatened to make him fall inside that deep hole.


    "What are you even doing?!" Khan angrily shouted while grabbing Asyat''s forearm and making sure that she didn''t fall.


    The mental barrier still covered his brain, but he couldn''t fail to sense Rodney getting closer again. The boy seemed willing to push him too now, but he didn''t plan to stay still.


    The Lightning-demon style had turned Khan''s legs into proper weapons capable of discharging inhuman strength. The Niqols were also generally light, and Asyat wasn''t an exception. He could put everything he had on jumping backward and pulling both of them out of that dangerous situation.


    Rodney almost fell from the cliff when Khan''s figure disappeared from its edges. The grasshoppers tried to make him lose his balance, but he remained on the passage. However, a kick landed on his side as soon as he managed to turn.


    The attack flung Rodney on the right and made him crash on the rocky ground. The boy rolled on himself before slamming on the wall. He tried to stand up, but a shadow reached him and made him stop.


    "What the fuck did you try to do?" Khan asked angrily while planting his foot at the center of Rodney''s chest.


    Asyat had crouched next to the wall behind Khan. She was hugging her knees as pure disbelief filled her expression. She had gone from watching Eset dying to almost falling inside the canyon, and Rodney had been significant in both events. Also, the grasshoppers were still flying around her, which only made her mental situation worse.


    "I''m protecting my position on Nitis!" Rodney explained while trying to straighten his back, but Khan only intensified his pressure and made him hit the ground again.


    "Protecting what?" Khan scolded. "You were under the effects of a monster. What''s there to protect?"


    "You are so na?ve," Rodney scoffed. "Do you think the army will let me stay here after learning what I did?"


    "So, you thought that killing her was the right call?" Khan shouted while applying even more pressure on his chest. "Why did you try to push me too then? Was that about your position too?"


    "I panicked," Rodney justified himself while diverting his gaze, but Khan suddenly kicked his face and made him faint.


    Blood came out of Rodney''s nose, but Khan didn''t care. He felt angry beyond reason. He was in the middle of a worldwide crisis, he had just added another gruesome scene to his memories, and his companion had even tried to kill him.


    ''Why do they try so hard to make me hate humans?'' Khan cursed in his mind before turning to reach Asyat.


    The girl was traumatized, but Khan wasn''t in the right mindset to show compassion. He put an arm under her armpit and forced her to stand up. Asyat instinctively clung to his neck and hugged him tightly.


    Khan could sense her cold tears wetting his neck, but he ignored them. He wrapped his arm around her back and partially lifted her to lead her toward the tunnel. Rodney began to regain his senses when Khan reached him, but a second kick aimed at his face put him to sleep again.


    Khan then crouched to grab the boy''s collar and drag him through the hole. He had his hands full with Asyat and Rodney, but he barely felt their weight. He could march through the underground structure and cross every narrow area without facing great problems.


    Asyat even helped Khan with the fainted Rodney when one of the narrow areas appeared, but she immediately returned into his arms once they reached a larger path. That would probably make Liiza reach her limits, but Khan couldn''t do much about that. He would gladly let her freeze him as long as he could get out of that structure.


    Light eventually shone on his face. Khan exited the tunnel while holding Asyat in his right arm and dragging Rodney with his left. Mikail couldn''t help but show a confused expression at that scene, but he refrained from asking questions when he noticed how pissed Khan appeared.


    "[You have to leave me now]," Khan whispered in Asyat''s ear once they reached Mikail.


    The girl glanced at Mikail before moving her eyes back on Khan. She nodded and hugged him tightly again. He even felt her dry lips leaving a kiss on his neck before she left him to sit next to the Niqols.


    "[Tie him up or something]," Khan vaguely ordered while taking out his cube. "[I have to report something]."


    *****


    Author''s notes: 2-3 hours for the next chapter, hopefully.

 Chapter 180: Camp

    Khan reported everything that had happened in the underground structure accurately. His report included Rodney''s unforgivable behavior, and Asyat''s cube soon lit up since the higher-ups of her species wanted her to confirm Khan''s version.


    The girl wasn''t in a good state, but she mustered her strength to complete the task. Mikail couldn''t help but shoot disgusted glances at Rodney after orders arrived in his cube. He almost couldn''t believe that he had considered that human his companion just a few hours ago.


    "[They were right to be wary of us]," Khan commented when he saw Mikail standing up to drag Rodney to his Aduns.


    The Niqols had tied Rodney up with his own clothes. That couldn''t do much to keep someone capable of wielding mana still, but Mikail wouldn''t hold back from hitting the boy until he fainted if he happened to do something funny.


    The higher-ups had given Mikail orders to bring Rodney to one of the safe locations since he had become unreliable on the battlefield. Khan didn''t know what would happen to him, but he didn''t really care. Rodney had tried to kill him. Khan wouldn''t feel any pity for his situation.


    Mikail left the area, and Khan waited for new orders, but nothing arrived. The lack of communications confirmed how he and Asyat had to continue overseeing that area. Everything there had been relatively calm before the arrival of the monster, so no threats appeared now that Khan had killed that creature.


    Khan didn''t like that situation too much. He still felt pissed that Rodney could have resorted to such an extreme action only to save his position on Nitis. Attacking Asyat was one thing that Khan hated but understood. However, he couldn''t even begin to accept how Rodney had been willing to turn on him afterward.


    Khan and Rodney didn''t have a great relationship, but they had slept in the same room multiple times. They were also members of the elite team sent on a political mission. That alone set specific rules for their behavior, but Rodney didn''t seem to think like him. He didn''t hesitate to try to push Khan down once he started defending Asyat.


    The absence of threats in the area worsened Khan''s situation. Asyat didn''t even try to hold back now that they had remained alone. She took his arm in her grasp and rested on his shoulder while he studied the land or meditated.


    The girl had managed to calm down, but she still used Khan as moral support. She even tried to kiss him a few times, but he always stopped her or directly dodged her attempts.


    It almost seemed that Asyat was doing that on purpose. An ignorant eye would see her attempts to kiss Khan as a form of manipulation that exploited her recent experience. However, he knew the Niqols enough to understand that she was simply trying to vent the awfulness that she was feeling. He was the perfect alternative to a party in her situation.


    "[Why are you so hard to get]?" Asyat complained after Khan dodged another kiss and made her lips end on his cheek. "[I know that you have no interest in me, but can''t you make an exception today]?"


    "[We are in the middle of a worldwide crisis]," Khan tried to change the topic.


    "[One more reason to stop holding back]," Asyat responded while diverting her gaze. "[We might die full of regrets tomorrow]."


    Khan inspected the girl lying on his shoulder. Her feelings appeared serious, so he felt the need to address them adequately, especially after what she had gone through. "[I like you, but I already have someone. I''m sorry]."


    "[Everyone knows about your mysterious girlfriend]," Asyat announced before making sure that his arm could feel her breasts, "[But can''t you make an exception]?"


    ''Liiza will kill me for sure,'' Khan sighed in his mind before pulling his arm out of that tempting situation.


    "[I can''t. I don''t want to]," Khan replied in a serious tone. "[You probably wouldn''t want it like this either. Take your time to accept what has happened]."


    Asyat remained speechless in front of Khan''s honest words. She sniffed as a tear ran down her cheek. Her sad voice followed as she bent to lay on Khan''s lap. "[Let me rest for a bit then]."


    Khan couldn''t do much there. He hoped for the arrival of monsters, but the rocky region betrayed him. He could only remain in that position as Asyat did her best not to fall asleep to forget about everything that had happened.


    ''This is only the first day,'' Khan commented in his mind as minutes passed.


    The first day with the daylight was bound to be harsh due to the sudden increase in the monsters'' population. The initial wave of packs expanding into lands that they had always avoided would create many battlefields, and the Niqols didn''t have enough strong assets to handle all of them. They could salvage their important areas by letting the students buy some time, but they had already accepted that they would lose control of most of the planet.


    Easier days would follow the initial outburst. The monsters would settle in new environments, which would give the Niqols the chance to create specific hunts. The students would have to handle the creatures within the range of their abilities while the stronger assets would take care of the nearby areas that featured too many threats.


    Still, the situation would worsen afterward. The sunlight would continue to fill Nitis for two months, according to the calculations of the Global Army. That time was enough to trigger new mutations on monsters that had already stabilized.


    That would give birth to stronger monsters which the students couldn''t even hope to approach. The Niqols considered that the worst moment of the crisis since it would require their best assets to work together to clear multiple areas.


    The situation would stabilize again after that due to the overall fall in the Tainted animals'' population. The monsters wouldn''t have anything with mana to eat, which would stop further mutations and force them to rely on fights inside their packs.


    Everything was about surviving the first day and the dangerous phase, but Khan couldn''t feel too good about that after seeing what a single unique monster had managed to cause. One student was dead, and another had betrayed him for political reasons. The Niqols would have to abandon more areas if other battlefields ended up facing the same losses.


    Mikail never returned to the barren area. The Niqols sent him to help Khan''s previous group. Instead, he and Asyat eventually had to stand up to fight a strange rat that had developed the ability to spit poison.


    The battle against that creature didn''t last long since Khan killed it in three kicks, but the event finally made Asyat leave his lap and arm. She had calmed down completely. She only wanted to attend the party meant to mourn the losses of the first day now.


    Hours had to pass before the Niqols in charge of the various communications summoned the students back to one of the safe areas established after studying the expansion of the different mutated animals. It was enough for them to send a map through the cubes to notify everyone of the temporary headquarters created after a whole day of reports, and Khan remained stupefied by how quickly the aliens had managed to act after he and Asyat reached their destination.


    The Niqols had established an encampment in a cold area hidden among a mountain chain. That region was relatively close to the academy. It actually was in the most external defensive layer decided before the arrival of the daylight, which proved how successful the first day had been.


    A few short structures that had specific purposes stood in the middle of a sea of tents. Only experts who could concoct potions, provide medical care, or help in the disposition of the troops could enter those buildings. Every other habitation was for the students, and the aliens didn''t even bother to assign names to them.


    Khan didn''t know how the Niqols had managed to create something like that in a mere day. He guessed that they had used some of the underground tunnels, but he remained stupefied nonetheless.


    The actual state of the camp made his amazement vanish quickly. Khan noticed multiple groups of Niqols gathered in empty spots with drinks in their hands or instruments playing sad chants. Many of them featured bandages or new injuries, and their dark mood revealed how the first day didn''t go too well for them.


    Khan moved among the tents until a familiar pair of eyes landed on his side. He turned and saw Liiza staring at him while laying her back on one of the metal sticks that kept the tent open. Her gaze immediately went on his right sleeve to check the injury created by the mutated Talelos, but she quickly stopped inspecting him after confirming that he was fine.


    Khan did something similar. He confirmed that Liiza was fine before diverting his gaze and proceeding on his way. Liiza entered her tent at that point. She had seen her boyfriend, so she could sleep easily now.


    Many Niqols greeted Khan with warm salutes, but some seemed to feel some hesitation when their eyes fell on him. Something was holding them back from showing their usual affection toward him.


    Khan didn''t initially understand the reason behind that odd behavior, but everything became clear when he found the recruits living on their own in tents at the edges of the encampment. He could recognize ostracism when he saw it.


    George, Veronica, Kelly, and Brandon were standing outside of their tents when Khan approached them. His arrival made them stop their conversation and hurry toward him, but their reactions differed greatly.


    Veronica appeared worried, George ran while eyeing the couple, Kelly was angry, and Brandon was confused. Only one event could make them react so differently. Khan could confirm that they knew about Rodney with a simple glance.


    "What have you done?" Kelly asked while trying to keep her voice down.


    "Fought against many monsters mainly," Khan shrugged his shoulders.


    "Don''t play dumb," Brandon continued. "We know that you sold Rodney to the Niqols. You should have let the humans handle him!"


    "Do you know what he has done?" Khan asked as a displeased expression appeared on his face. "He didn''t only try to kill a Niqols. He even tried to push me down a cliff when I tried to help her. Did you want me to leave such a dangerous character around while we still can''t contact the Global Army?"


    The four fell silent when they heard those words. They didn''t expect the situation to be so serious. Their knowledge came from the rumors that had already filled the camp, but they were obviously incomplete.


    "Don''t listen to them," Veronica announced. "You did the right thing. I wouldn''t feel safe with someone like him fighting with us."


    "She is right," George added. "I understand the political issues connected to your actions, but we are risking our lives here. I''m not dying because of him."


    "What if he has ruined everything that we have accomplished until now?"  Kelly complained. "Wouldn''t that make our efforts useless?"


    "Useless but alive," George repeated. "I would have reported Rodney myself if I were in his situation. The guy actually tried to kill him!"


    "He could have handled it better!" Kelly continued. "The political repercussions that this-."


    "Kelly, I don''t care," Khan interrupted her before turning to walk toward the tents more in the center of the encampment.


    Some Niqols might resent the humans after what had happened, but Khan knew that many wouldn''t care, and he preferred to spend time with them. He had yet to check on Doku and Azni even. Also, he wanted to find a drink and vent the annoying feeling that Rodney''s actions had generated.


    The four recruits didn''t initially let him go. That matter wasn''t as simple as his nights spent in the wild. Khan had reported one of them to the Niqols authorities.


    Yet, Doku suddenly appeared in their path. Bandages came out from his sleeve, but he seemed to be fine otherwise. His expression was quite serious, but he didn''t hesitate to smile when he and Khan exchanged a glance.


    "Khan, I was looking for you," Doku quickly explained. "The higher-ups are planning the clearing operations, and they want you to lead one of them."

 Chapter 181: Favor

    The four recruits remained speechless. Even George and Veronica didn''t like that the Niqols would have the upper hand when it came to handling Rodney. They could ignore the matter since it involved Khan, but Doku''s words had reminded them of a simple political tactic.


    Selling someone to the enemy to gain personal benefits was a common practice. Khan had even done the same to gain access to the Niqols'' old methods and build a promising future as an ambassador. However, he had accidentally done something similar by reporting Rodney.


    Khan had improved his position by giving Rodney away. In theory, that result benefited the Global Army since it brought one of the recruits closer to the Niqols.


    Even Kelly had to remain silent in front of those results. The Global Army now had an asset deeply connected to the Niqols'' younger generations. The higher-ups of the alien society also relied on him when it came to important matters. Khan''s actions and performance had led to a striking success in the political mission. Kelly could complain about his methods, but she had to remain silent in front of his undeniable achievements.


    On the other hand, Khan felt conflicted about the matter. Rodney''s issue had left a bad taste in his mouth, but he had been out of options after the boy had tried to push him inside the gorge. Still, gaining benefits from that event made him feel dirty.


    That outcome had been a coincidence that Khan could connect to his performance in the plain, but it felt bad since it came right after Rodney''s betrayal. He could find comfort in the fact that he was getting closer to the Niqols and to his final goal of being together with Liiza in the open, but he still found himself split between two worlds.


    It seemed that Khan could grow closer to the Niqols only by distancing himself from the humans. He didn''t mind that trade, but he wondered whether a better way existed. After all, he had found good people among the humans. Khan couldn''t forsake Lieutenant Dyester, Martha, George, and Veronica.


    Khan didn''t let the conflict inside his mind appear on his face or actions. He didn''t hesitate to nod at Doku before hurrying next to him. The four recruits could only remain in silence as they gazed at the two disappearing among the sea of tents.


    "[Is Azni okay]?" Khan asked while the two moved among the tents.


    Multiple injured Niqols filled his vision. Some nodded when they noticed his gaze, and others raised their cups while showing complicated smiles. It seemed that having Doku next to him confirmed his position as a true ally and made the aliens ignore how a member of his species had tried to kill one of their companions.


    The overall situation in the camp wasn''t too poor. Many had suffered injuries, but Khan couldn''t see anyone in a serious condition. Still, he didn''t delude himself, especially after what he had witnessed in the underground canyon. His question about Azni came from that worry.


    "[She is better than me]," Doku laughed while lifting his left sleeve to show the bandages that covered his forearm. "[I had to fight a damned thing that grew tentacles on its head. I swear, these monsters try to become ugly on purpose]."


    Doku was one of the few Niqols who knew how good Khan had become in the alien language, so he didn''t hold back from using it. He and Azni had been part of the reason behind Khan''s quick improvements, but Doku knew that there was something else. He had even gained a few ideas, but he was pretty good at halting every thought that tried to probe deeper into the matter.


    "[I bet all of this is classified since she isn''t here]," Khan guessed.


    "[That''s right]," Doku explained. "[You''ll learn how we plan to move after the first intense phase. That will involve areas that the humans have yet to see]."


    "[Do I need to drink another potion]?" Khan asked.


    "[That won''t be necessary this time]," Doku smirked while patting his shoulder, and Khan couldn''t help but show a similar smile.


    Doku led Khan a bit outside of the encampment. Some Niqols in bad conditions eventually appeared when the two walked near the alien medical bay, and the sight confirmed what Khan had initially thought. Casualties had happened on the first day. They were only hard to see there.


    The mountain chain had many secluded areas due to the dark snow covering most of its environment and the uneven layout. Doku and Khan walked until a large cave unfolded in their vision. Four adult Niqols stood at the side of the entrance, but they didn''t say anything when the two entered the dark structure. They limited themselves to fix their glowing eyes on Khan before leaving him be.


    Familiar faces appeared once the white glow of Niqols'' eyes made Khan able to see everything in the area. He could recognize Professor Supyan, Professor Kunta, Chief Alu, Zaliha, Mikail, and other prominent students. The cave also had some soldiers that he couldn''t identify, and they all stood around a large circular table with a fuming cauldron at its side.


    A glowing cube placed on the wall next to the group created Ambassador Yeza''s picture with its azure light. Another device on the table depicted a map that enveloped all the areas around [The Pure Trees].


    Khan had always believed to know a lot about those regions, but he noticed many strange marks on the map that described settlements or proper cities that he had never been able to see from the sky. It seemed that the Niqols had kept everything hidden due to the human presence inside the academy.


    "[Are you sure this is a good idea]?" A tall man who carried the iconic features of his species and that Khan didn''t recognize asked while glancing at the wall with Ambassador Yeza''s image. "[Can he even understand us]?"


    "[I think he can answer by himself]," Yeza replied as her sweet voice came out of the cube.


    Khan saw the Niqols in the cave turning toward him and waiting for his answer. He didn''t know how much Yeza could see of the area, but he felt her eyes on him too.


    "[I''ll keep up]," Khan calmly announced while performing a polite bow.


    Khan''s accent was still off, but his words were in the right place. He had even compensated for his flaws by highlighting some sounds and making sure that the meaning was correct.


    Most Niqols in the cave nodded in satisfaction and moved to make room for Doku and Khan. Only the man remained unconvinced and made sure to voice a clear warning when the two approached the table.


    "[I know your kind]," The man threatened. "[You might appear righteous now, but I know that you traded your friend for this spot]."


    Everyone could hear that remark. The Niqols didn''t even try to hide his words. Khan couldn''t help but think about the xenophobic factions mentioned by Yeza, and he felt that politeness wouldn''t work in that situation.


    Khan had slowly transferred part of his understanding about human interactions to the Niqols'' society. He still ignored a lot, but he had learnt how the chain of command wasn''t too strict there, at least in terms of manners. Also, he had long since realized that expressing his real thoughts could help ease some awkwardness, especially when he had the clear support of other important figures.


    "[I got this spot because I''m the best student in The Pure Trees]," Khan responded. "[Niqols don''t put lives at risk to give political rewards]."


    Silence immediately fell inside the cave. Khan''s words had been incredibly sharp. He had praised himself and the Niqols at the same time, leaving the man completely unable to come up with an answer.


    Chief Alu couldn''t hold himself back anymore after a few seconds passed. He covered his mouth as faint chuckles escaped it, and his reaction made the other Niqols break their silence too. Everyone started to laugh, and the man ended up imitating them.


    "[You definitely are a special brat]!" The man announced while patting Khan''s shoulder and leading him to the table. "[I''m Chief Nazyr. I''ve handled the other human camp]."


    Chief Nazyr made a grabbing motion with his hand, and Mikail didn''t hesitate to fill two wooden cups with the liquid in the cauldron next to him. The student quickly handed them to Chief Nazyr, and the latter gave one to Khan before performing the iconic toast of his species.


    Khan followed along and took a short sip from his cup. The strong booze almost scorched his throat, but a pleasant warm sensation filled his chest afterward. It felt so good that he drank again to check if he could go through the same experience.


    "[Only good stuff for us]," Chief Nazyr laughed. "[Always bring someone who can concoct good booze with you, especially when that someone is a woman]."


    The sudden inversion in Chief Nazyr''s personality left Khan''s speechless, but it caused similar reactions in the Niqols around the table. Chief Alu showed a gentle smile while shaking his head, the students diverted their gazes, and the other aliens voiced harsh comments, especially the women in the cave. Yeza limited herself to stare at Chief Nazyr coldly, but her gesture felt so loud that everyone soon brought their focus back on the map.


    The meeting was nothing more than a briefing. The situation on Nitis wasn''t stable enough to create plans right away, but the Niqols felt that those involved with the future attacks had to receive constant updates.


    The first day of the crisis had been messy and impossible to contain, but everything would change in the following period. The packs of Tainted animals and monsters would settle and fight among each other to control certain areas, so the Niqols would be able to understand which lands they could seize back from those creatures.


    The priority wasn''t the actual control of Nitis in that period. The sunlight would continue to illuminate the planets for months and trigger other mutations even in monsters, so the Niqols wanted to focus on lowering their populations to keep them within the range of their best assets'' abilities.


    The Niqols didn''t believe that they could clear the entirety of the planet in a matter of weeks, especially after their whole society had been forced to abandon most of its domains. Moreover, Nitis had many areas that were hard to explore or had always been under the control of Tainted animals. The aliens could only contain and reduce the power that other mutations could give to the fauna.


    Khan and the other prominent students would have to create hunting teams for that exact purpose. The areas that the stronger experts had to handle were simply too many, so the younger generations had to help where they could, and that involved lairs where the population of monsters wasn''t too high.


    The Niqols would give themselves a week to let the situation stabilize before picking the targets of the hunts. The students would have to continue their containment during that time, and the performance on each battlefield would help decide who could be part of the teams.


    Each team leader had the chance to handpick some members of their teams, which made Khan immediately think about Liiza. Still, it would be too obvious if he decided to request her presence, so he opted for another approach.


    "[Doku, I have a favor to ask]," Khan whispered when the two exited the cave after the meeting ended.


    "[I know exactly what you are talking about]," Doku winked at Khan before leading him toward another spot in the mountain chain.


    Doku had clearly misunderstood Khan''s intentions, but he followed him anyway since his sudden reaction left him curious. The two had to cross a narrow path that the melting snow made hard to overcome before reaching a smaller cave.


    The area had a series of glass-like cells at its sides, the same cubicles that Khan had seen in the palace''s basement, and one of them revealed Rodney after Doku tinkered with the azure symbol on its surface.


    Rodney was in a poor state. Chains bound his hands and feet to the dark surface of the cave, and his face was dark as he stared at the ground. He seemed to have given up on life.


    "[He can''t hear nor see us]," Doku explained as a disgusted expression appeared on his face.


    "[Why did you bring me here]?" Khan asked as he felt the atmosphere around him darkening.


    "[You know how emotional the Niqols are]," Doku stated. "[We would have already killed him if he weren''t a human, but his political value is decent. Still, the higher-ups are willing to make an exception to get on your good side]."


    Khan suddenly understood what Doku was offering him, and he promptly shook his head before expressing how he felt about the matter. "[I don''t want to kill him]."


    Khan had already accepted that his twisted mental state would probably make him able to kill humans, especially since he struggled to consider them special compared to other aliens. However, that was an execution, and he desired no part in it. He didn''t want Rodney''s betrayal to gain even darker shades in his mind.


    "[Are you sure? Your army might forgive him]," Doku responded while the disgust on his face intensified.


    Doku felt proper hate toward Rodney, but Khan knew that his feelings didn''t come from the difference between their species. He loathed the boy because he had tried to kill two of his friends after Khan had saved his life. Doku had no words to express how seriously he took that matter.


    "[I''d rather not have another trauma weighing on my mind]," Khan said in the best way he could.


    Doku''s expression eased after he noticed how confident Khan was on the matter. The latter wasn''t sparing Rodney because he deserved mercy. Khan was prioritizing his mental sanity.


    "[I understand]," Doku eventually announced as a complicated smile appeared on his face. "[Let''s get something else to drink now. I bet Azni is worried too]."


    Khan nodded and patted Doku''s back to express how he appreciated that offer. The Niqols nodded, and the two quickly exited that simple prison while forgetting about the matter.


    "[Right, what did you want to ask]?" Doku wondered when he recalled about Khan''s request.


    Khan wore a serious expression as his eyes darted between the encampment in the distance and his friend. He checked that no one was around before whispering something that mattered a lot for him. "[Please, take Liiza in your hunting group. Someone will definitely recruit her, and I prefer her to be with you]."


    Doku''s eyes widened at that honest request. Khan''s expression and gestures even expressed how hard it had been for him to voice it. Yet, it also showed how deeply he trusted his friend.


    "[I need a lot of booze not to connect this to anything]," Doku joked.


    "[I''ll get you drinks until morning]," Khan promised.


    "[I''m the best friend that you could find on this planet]," Doku sighed.


    "[You are]," Khan confirmed, and Doku exploded into a laugh that stated his decision to help him.


    ****


    Author''s notes: 3-4 hours for the next chapter.

 Chapter 182: Friend

    A week had to pass before the Niqols felt confident in sending the students into some areas that the monsters had conquered since the beginning of the crisis.


    The sunlight had never stopped filling Nitis in that period, and the students had left the encampment every day to help contain the relentless expansion of the mutated animals. The new battlefields weren''t as dangerous as the firsts since the higher-ups could study the situation beforehand, but casualties happened anyway.


    Some students had been unlucky enough to witness new mutations on monsters who had fought against many packs after the initial expansion. They had accumulated enough mana to experience a new transformation due to the constant radiation that filled the surface, and the young warriors had to pay the price for that.


    Khan didn''t find anything out of the ordinary. The Niqols always sent him in crowded areas or on the path of violent packs, but they revised his teams depending on what they expected him to accomplish.


    The Niqols didn''t waste strong students on areas that they planned to lose. Khan''s task there was to buy enough time for a powerful soldier to arrive or slow down the pack''s advance to make it meet a different group of monsters.


    Instead, the Niqols didn''t hesitate to send prominent students with Khan whenever he had a chance to stop the advancing monsters. He had even been with Doku, Liiza, and other peers that could claim to be near the level of his battle prowess at times.


    Khan had to vanquish a few bull-like mutated creatures capable of ignoring their huge size and cross many lands in a matter of hours. He had to slow down a pack of rats featuring many specimens that had developed unique abilities. He had even found himself in front of a swarm of bee-like insects that had turned out to be far more populated than expected.


    His encounters with strange creatures didn''t stop there, and those missions didn''t always go as predicted. The Niqols in charge of studying each potential target or traveling pack weren''t always correct, and they could even fail to gauge the actual power of some monsters.


    Khan had found himself forced to retreat in areas that he had to defend, and he had defeated packs that the Niqols didn''t think he could handle. Of course, that had also depended on how good his performance with the Divine Reaper was that day. Still, his groups had always managed to avoid suffering casualties. The worst he had witnessed in the week before the beginning of the hunts had been a few injured aliens.


    The students had no free time in that period, but they couldn''t complain since the entirety of Nitis was turning upside-down. They threw parties in the encampment every night to disperse the constant tension of the battles, and their lack of self-restraint only intensified in that period.


    The encampment was silent only when all the students left to fight, but moans, laughs, and chants filled the nights. The Niqols didn''t hold back to express themselves since they had constant reminders of how short life could be, and many tents remained empty as everyone preferred to sleep in someone''s arms.


    Khan wished to do the same, especially since his birthday had basically arrived. However, he couldn''t find any opportunity to share some intimacy with Liiza without risking revealing his relationship. He couldn''t justify an eventual departure with the crisis unfolding all around that safe area, and someone would notice if he and Liiza tried to hide in one of the mountains nearby.


    The issue had no solution while the crisis raged and everyone remained stuck in the same encampment. Deactivating the tracker on the cube only to have a chance to sneak out would only create suspicion, so Khan had to accept that he simply couldn''t see Liiza.


    Azni tried to help the couple by sending messages that the two couldn''t exchange through their cubes, but she found herself unable to say everything they wanted to convey to each other. Khan managed to remain vague about the most intimate parts, but Liiza suffered from the separation more than him, and Azni had to endure her explicit words.


    Azni didn''t even know where to begin describing Liiza''s message the night before the hunts. Khan saw her blushing as soon as she tried to find words that she felt comfortable with, and the scene only made him feel worse about the whole situation. He could see Liiza''s struggle from how explicit she was with Azni, but they could only suppress their urges for now.


    Khan didn''t depart with the other students the day of the hunts. Everyone had grown used to short hours of sleep and long time spent patrolling or defending certain areas after dealing with the effects of the sunlight for an entire week, so a few orders were more than enough to move the entirety of the camp.


    Khan had the chance to inspect the empty camp that morning. Less than thirty students had remained among the tents, and all of them moved toward an open spot near the large cave to meet the two Chiefs in charge of the various missions.


    Doku had respected Khan''s wishes. The latter saw Liiza following Doku, Azni, and two other Niqols until they created a separate group in front of the cave. Khan and Liiza tried not to glance at each other, but their eyes inevitably met during the walk, and both of them remained in a daze for a few seconds. Luckily for them, everyone was too focused on the imminent missions to notice that short gesture.


    Chief Alu and Chief Nazyr talked to each group personally to update them about the state of their target. They had already assigned them locations that had stabilized, so they only had to inform the students about eventual changes in their layout or population.


    Khan had three companions, Kozh and Vakha from the second year and Ezinet from the first year. The two boys had been famous even before the crisis, while the girl from the first year had revealed exceptional battle prowess during the past week, so she became part of those teams.


    Khan''s group was the only one with only four members, and the Chiefs even briefed it as last. Their target was a pack of strange dog-like creatures with two heads and spikes on their backs. They were mostly Tainted animals, but they also had four monsters that had developed abilities.


    The students that had slowed down that pack in the past week had identified the abilities of three monsters. One could add venomous properties to its spikes and launch them, but the last part wasn''t too useful due to the peculiar position of those sharp objects. The creature couldn''t really aim them at its opponents unless they stood above it.


    Another monster had developed the ability to launch sound attacks through its growls. That specimen had been the main reason behind the repeated failures in stopping the pack since its blows were invisible and unstoppable. It was even hard to predict their actual trajectory.


    The third known ability belonged to the smaller monster in the group. It consisted of a weak form of telekinesis that the creature could apply on itself and others. It was pretty troublesome to deal with, but the specimen''s intelligence had clear limits, so it never applied it to its full potential.


    The fourth monster''s ability remained unknown. The students who had faced the pack had reported that they had noticed a black halo around the specimen from time to time, but they had never seen it do anything. The Chiefs hoped that the aura didn''t have any effect, but they still reminded Khan''s group to be careful.


    The four departed after the Chiefs confirmed that the pack of two-headed dogs didn''t move from their position. Khan and the three Niqols flew for less than two hours until they reached thick woods that bordered a relatively barren area. The sharp change in the environment felt quite surprising, but the reports confirmed the presence of small lakes among the trees, which explained the thriving vegetation.


    Three Niqols waited for Khan''s group at the edge of the woods. Some of the higher-ups had left symbols that acted as sensors among the trees, so those three could keep track of the pack''s movements from their position. Still, they were from the first year of the academy, and their battle prowess was even poor, so they could only cover that role.


    "The pack is still in the lake near this quadrant," One of the Niqols announced while the cube in his hands glowed.


    Khan and the other members of his group could find a more detailed map of the woods in their cubes. The image even highlighted the lake mentioned by the boy and offered a deeper description of the pack.


    Khan and his companions exchanged a meaningful glance that was enough to make them decide to start the hunt. They had used the two hours on their Aduns to create a vague tactic and get some sleep, so they already knew how they had to act.


    "Wait!" The boy from the three Niqols stationed in the area called when he saw Khan''s group approaching the woods. "Didn''t the professor tell you?"


    "Tell us what?" Kozh asked.


    "Someone else has to join your group," The boy explained. "We heard from him just recently. He should almost be here."


    The four in Khan''s group showed confused expressions, but they didn''t complain about that decision. It wasn''t bad to have a helping hand when their opponents were four monsters with abilities.


    Nevertheless, Khan ended up regretting those thoughts when a dark Aduns appeared in the clear sky and revealed its rider. The eagle landed on the surface in no time, and the tall Niqols that jumped off immediately fixed his eyes on him.


    "[Ilman]," Khan announced after Ilman continued to stare at him silently.


    Everyone in the academy had learnt about Khan and Ilman''s fight. The Niqols had ended up blaming Ilman''s dramatic character for that event, so the aliens on the scene couldn''t understand why the professors had allowed him to join that team.


    The silence that Ilman showed didn''t help the tension that had fallen among the group either. He wore a serious expression as his glowing eyes remained fixed on Khan. Still, the latter didn''t show any fear. He only appeared as confused as everyone else about that surprising presence.


    "Khan!" Ilman shouted while spreading his arms.


    The tension among the group intensified as Ilman fell silent right after calling Khan in a firm tone, but everyone remained speechless when the Niqols finished his line. "My friend!"


    ''What?'' Khan thought, but he didn''t have the time to study what was happening since Ilman started laughing and walking toward him while keeping his arms spread.


    "Care to explain?" Khan said while taking a few steps backward, but Ilman didn''t seem discouraged by his hesitation.


    "Come here, my friend!" Ilman shouted again, and his broad smile eventually forced Khan to accept that hug.


    "I must thank you for beating some sense into me," Ilman laughed while patting Khan''s back firmly. "I''ve always sensed that we were meant to be lifelong friends!"

 Chapter 183: Faces

    Pure awkwardness had fallen on the group. Khan''s companions and the three Niqols who had kept track of the changes in the woods didn''t know how to react to Ilman''s dramatic behavior.


    Khan had countless questions, but he blocked all of them out of fear of the answers that Ilman could give. He had already confirmed that the Niqols was crazy, so trying to understand him with a normal mindset was impossible. Only one doubt managed to survive that suppression and eventually made Khan speak.


    "Did you get over Miss Liiza?" Khan asked, trying to appear as innocent as he could.


    That question would have typically arisen suspicion, but the Niqols on the scene felt it to be perfectly normal since Ilman was its target. Everyone knew that Liiza had been the reason behind the fight, so it sounded legit for Khan to worry about that topic.


    "Not at all!" Ilman laughed while patting Khan''s back a few more times. "But you taught me how feelings alone aren''t enough. I have to become a better man, both on the Niqols and human side."


    Ilman let Khan go and moved his gaze on the ground. A tinge of shame appeared on his glowing eyes as calm and surprisingly reasonable words escaped his mouth. "Is my intense love the best for Liiza if it makes me hurt her? I should feel happy as long as she is happy. Thank you for teaching me that."


    Ilman revealed an honest smile as his eyes returned on Khan. The latter couldn''t help but nod and smile too in front of that sudden turn in his personality, but the Niqols didn''t hesitate to shatter that faint satisfaction.


    "I''ll allow you to make Liiza happy until I become a man worthy of her love," Ilman stated in a solemn voice while grabbing Khan''s shoulders. "I''ll fight you for real if you hurt her."


    Khan''s eyes widened, but he quickly transformed his stupefied expression into a frown. He felt lucky that everyone knew about Ilman''s character. The boy had been so convincing with his words that someone unaware of the situation would truly believe in the existence of a relationship between Khan and Liiza.


    "Miss Liiza and I are merely acquaintances," Khan calmly explained, "And mostly due to political reasons. Don''t jump to conclusions."


    "Friends can''t hide anything from each other!" Ilman laughed while letting Khan go again and turning toward the trees. "Don''t make me regret my growth, and show me if a human can love better than a Niqols!"


    Khan moved his questioning gaze on his three companions, but they limited themselves to suppress faint laughs. The disbelief in Khan''s face was too funny for them. His pretense was so perfect that none of them suspected that emotion to be fake. Khan had shown it on purpose to hide how true Ilman''s seemingly unreasonable words had been.


    ''Is he crazy or smart?'' Khan wondered before turning toward the trees. ''Is our mana really compatible?''


    The Niqols on the scene didn''t believe a word Ilman said, but Khan had started to feel curious about the apparent connection that the boy felt. Khan pretended to study the trees while he focused on his sensitivity to mana to check how his energy reacted to Ilman, and a curse inevitably resounded in his mind.


    Khan felt at ease next to Ilman. The latter only happened to be in a troublesome position, but his character wasn''t bad. It even suited Khan''s almost desperate desire for truth in his life. He could always trust Ilman''s words, and that was enough to make them compatible.


    ''Maybe he might help me once Liiza and I come out in the open,'' Khan guessed, but his thoughts soon went back on the mission.


    Ilman was a great addition to the hunting team. Khan had tested his power first-hand, so he knew how strong the Niqols could be. Ilman might even be able to match him if he managed to keep his cool during a battle. Moreover, his potential was great due to his peculiar position in the alien society.


    "[Do you know what we have to do here]?" Khan asked, forsaking the human language now that the situation had turned serious.


    "[Of course]," Ilman replied in a firm tone. "[Did you already divide the targets among yourselves]?"


    "[We''ll charge at the venomous specimen together and take it down quickly]," Khan explained. "[I''ll take the monster with the sound abilities afterward while the others clear the area]."


    "[I''ll help you out with your target then]," Ilman stated. "[It''s better to take it out quickly too]."


    "[We have a plan then]," Khan exclaimed before exchanging a nod with Ilman and his three companions.


    The five didn''t hesitate to shoot inside the woods. They knew where their targets were, so everything was a matter of being silent while approaching them.


    The woods were hard to cross. The terrain was relatively flat, but it featured a layer of soft black leaves that slowed down the group''s advance. Its insides were also dark due to the thick black crowns connecting the various trees and creating a natural membrane that shielded the surface from the sunlight.


    The large dark trunks often forced the five students to change direction and remain on the correct path. They had to reach the small lake from the right side to cut every escape path for the pack, so they often had to adjust their position by using the images in their cubes.


    No one spoke, but no one felt tense either. The last week had made the students aware of their battle prowess and had forced them to grow used to fighting monsters. The two-headed dogs weren''t too resilient either, so inflicting killing blows wouldn''t be too problematic. Those creatures would have never survived for so long if it weren''t for the abilities of the four leaders.


    Khan eventually raised his arm to perform a signal that the group had decided beforehand. He had finally sensed the presence of the pack among that seemingly empty environment, but the creatures that had entered his range weren''t monsters. They were only Tainted animals that the four leaders had probably appointed to patrol the area.


    Khan glanced at Ilman while picking his cube, and the latter imitated him to create a mental conversation that wouldn''t release any sound in the environment.


    ''[There are four Tainted animals ahead],'' Khan explained. ''[Can you sense them]?''


    ''[Of course],'' Ilman confirmed, ''[Two on the right, one straight ahead, and one hidden on the left].''


    ''[How fast are you]?'' Khan continued.


    ''[Faster than the last time],'' Ilman transmitted while showing a confident smile.


    Khan instinctively believed in the Niqols, so he came up with a plan that relied on him. ''[Take care of the two on the right. I''ll handle the others].''


    ''[Can you reach it before it warns everyone]?'' Ilman questioned, but Khan limited himself to smirk before putting his cube away.


    Ilman showed an excited expression as he took his position near Khan''s right side and bent forward to prepare for the imminent sprint. Khan did the same while aiming at a path on his left and turning to glance at Kozh.


    Kozh immediately understood the meaning behind that silent order. He crouched between his two companions and whispered a short countdown. "[Two, one, go]!"


    Both Khan and Ilman shot ahead. The thick trees tried to hinder their sprints, but they revealed the full extent of their agility in that situation.


    Khan crossed ten trees before finding a one-meter-tall two-headed dog in front of him. The dark spikes growing out of its brown fur and its two heads gave it odd proportions, but Khan didn''t let the faint surprise spreading in his mind affect his task.


    The two-headed dog turned to its right when it heard something, but Khan landed on its spiked back before it could even understand what was happening. His steps had been so faint that those needles bent instead of piercing his soles. His feet soon managed to touch the brown fur hidden behind them.


    The Tainted animal tried to look at its back to understand what had landed there, but an unstoppable force soon slammed it on the ground and turned its rib cage into a mess of blood, fur, and shattered bones. Khan had used the creature as a foothold for his second sprint, and the latter couldn''t endure the power released during his acceleration.


    A second two-headed dog was in the distance, behind a series of trees. The creature was slightly bigger than its three companions, which had probably awarded it its position of squad leader in that small patrol team.


    The Tainted animal had noticed Khan when he stopped on its companion, and its mouths opened to launch an alarm. Yet, a kick landed between its necks before any sound could come out of them.


    Khan had noticed that the creature was slightly bigger than its companions, but he didn''t care about that feature. His current proficiency level with the Lightning-demon style placed him far above Tainted animals in terms of battle prowess. Those beasts had become too frail in his eyes. He couldn''t even consider them threats anymore.


    The kick pierced skin, muscles, and bones. The Tainted animal opened into two parts as Khan''s leg dug inside its torso and killed it on the spot. He reached so deep inside its body that he had to use his hands to remove the corpse from his limb after the attack ended.


    Khan turned and saw Ilman nodding at him. The Niqols had two intact corpses lying at his feet. His kills had been far cleaner, but he didn''t feel superior to his companions after witnessing how fast Khan could be.


    The three Niqols who had remained behind the trees soon reached their position, and Khan made the group resume their advance. They met other Tainted animals patrolling the area after a few minutes, but he and Ilman took care of them easily.


    The sound of splashes eventually spread through the quiet area. The event alerted Khan and the others about their arrival to the lair. Still, they didn''t need that reminder since their senses had already notified them about the four powerful presences in the distance.


    The five students didn''t take much to become aware of the position of the four monsters. The mutated creatures appeared utterly unaware of their presence, so Khan and the others could study them in their natural environment and guess which abilities they had.


    The telekinetic monster was easy to recognize due to its small size. The creature was lying on the lake''s shores, but the students couldn''t understand whether it was sleeping or not.


    The venomous monster came after. The creature was scratching its back on a tree, and grey smoke came out of the trunk due to the corrosive properties contained in the creature''s spikes. The group actually felt lucky to sense it there since it was the closest to their position.


    The other two monsters were inside the lake. They seemed to be cleaning themselves, but their features were almost identical, so the students couldn''t understand which one had the troublesome sound abilities.


    The students picked their cubes to rehearse their offensive tactic in silence. Ilman''s addition to their team felt fortunate now since he and Khan could shoot toward the two monsters in the lake at the same time. Still, the group''s priority remained the venomous creature, and the current position of the pack clearly benefited them.


    ''[You go first],'' Khan ordered to his three original companions. ''[Ilman and I will arrive before you know it].''


    Kozh, Vakha, and Ezinet nodded before shooting ahead. The layer of leaves on the ground dampened the noise released by their hurried steps, but the monsters couldn''t fail to notice them once they grew too close. Loud barks resounded in the area before the students could reach the space occupied by the pack.


    The venomous monster was the closest to the steps, and it didn''t hesitate to leave its tree to rejoin its companions. Yet, two shadows suddenly reached the creature''s sides and forced it to stop with their violent attacks.


    Khan slammed his foot on the right side of its torso, and cracking noises resounded in the area. Ilman''s palms fell on the left head, and a disgusting noise came out of that spot.


    The two attacks slammed the dog on the ground, but they didn''t manage to kill it. The monster instinctively released its spikes in that dangerous situation, but Khan and Ilman had made sure to remain outside their trajectory during their offensive.


    The three students reached their companions when the monster''s offensive ended. Their palms didn''t hesitate to fall on the safe spots of the creature''s body, and Khan and Ilman also had enough time to launch another attack.


    The two-headed dog''s body wasn''t too powerful. It was even below average compared to other resilient monsters that Khan had fought in the past. That sudden but violent offensive killed the venomous specimen in mere seconds and turned the first part of their tactic into a success.


    Barks resounded all around the students. The silent aura had turned into a loud mess in a matter of seconds, but they didn''t mind it. They even showed confident expressions when they turned to gaze at their other targets.


    Kozh, Vakha, and Ezinet quickly dispersed to take care of their opponents. They had to kill the telekinetic monster quickly, and one of them also had to handle the incoming Tainted animals.


    Instead, Khan and Ilman shot toward the lake as their eyes darted between the two monsters. They wanted to understand which one had the dangerous sound abilities, but their opponents didn''t mind revealing that secret.


    A dark aura shone out of the specimen deeper into the lake and confirmed its identity. Yet, that radiance morphed before the two students could reach their targets, and multiple animal faces soon became visible among that glow.


    ****


    Author''s notes: 4-5 hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 184: Shadows

    The faces depicted animals that Khan had seen in the reports connected to that pack. They seemed to represent the creatures that the monsters had defeated before reaching the woods, but he didn''t let his mind linger on those thoughts.


    Khan and Ilman had identified the monster with sound abilities, so they didn''t hesitate to converge toward it. The creature was even closer to the shores, so they both decided to take care of their main target before thinking about the specimen with the mysterious skill.


    All the creatures in the area were already barking. Even the Tainted animals busy patrolling the lake had started to echo their leaders'' warnings. The venomous monster had died quickly, and Khan and Ilman were even insanely fast, but they didn''t manage to reach their target before the activation of its ability.


    Some of the barks became heavier for the duo''s ears. Khan and Ilman even sensed a faint pressure on their chest as their steps pierced the lake''s surface and brought them closer to their target. They prepared their attacks when they were only one second away from the monster, but an invisible force suddenly landed on their right sides and pushed them away.


    Khan and Ilman slid on the muddy terrain inside the lake and failed to perform their attacks. The Niqols even risked falling, but Khan made sure to stop him.


    The event had been as strange as the reports described it. The sound attacks were invisible, unstoppable, and it was almost impossible to predict their arrival. Khan and Ilman could use the faint pressure that landed on their chest to learn about the activation of that ability, but everything felt pointless since they would remain unaware of the blow''s trajectory.


    Luckily for the two students, the sound attacks weren''t too powerful. Khan and Ilman felt that their insides were vaguely off, but they remained able to stand and move easily. They didn''t suffer any troublesome injury. It simply was as if a series of punches had landed on their sides.


    The two monsters fixed their angry eyes on the two students, but the latter shot backward to bait their opponents out of the lake. Khan and Ilman didn''t mind the water as long as it failed to reach their knees, but they preferred to leave that unfavorable environment, especially since their fighting styles heavily relied on speed.


    Something seemed to land on Khan and Ilman''s previous spots as they retreated to return to the shores. They couldn''t see anything there, but they heard a faint booming noise. Still, even that detail failed to tell them more about the sound ability since the previous attack didn''t release anything similar.


    The stable and dry ground soon reappeared under their feet. Khan and Ilman kept track of the environment with their senses as their eyes remained on the two monsters. Some Tainted animals had arrived in the area, but Ezinet was more than enough to handle them. Kozh and Vakha had also managed to land a few blows on the telekinetic creature during that time, so their battle seemed to go well.


    Khan and Ilman could use the entirety of their concentration on their target in that situation. Still, the second monster soon claimed part of their attention. The ominous animal faces among its dark halo had become too strange to ignore after that short exchange.


    "[Can you keep the other busy]?" Khan asked as the two monsters charged at them.


    "[Can you kill the other on your own]?" Ilman asked in a serious tone.


    Khan drew the first-grade knife and spun it in his hand before sealing his grip on its handle. "[I should be okay]."


    Ilman limited himself to nod at that gesture. The dramatic aspects of his personality made him silent and driven during a battle. Khan was the squad leader, so the Niqols would follow his orders without voicing useless questions.


    The two monsters left the lake but stopped on its shores. Khan and Ilman felt pressure accumulating on their chest again while the various animal faces on the second monster turned toward them. The two students didn''t remain still, and booming noises resounded behind them as they split to approach their opponents from opposite sides.


    Khan sprinted in a curved trajectory until he found himself in front of the sound monster''s right head. His left arm shot ahead as an azure glow covered his knife and allowed it to open a deep hole in the creature''s skull. The weapon''s tip almost came out of the other side.


    A blow landed at the center of Khan''s torso and vanquished the faint satisfaction he had felt after the correct execution of his technique. The attack made his feet separate from the shore''s muddy ground and flung him back by a few meters.


    Khan didn''t lose his grip on the knife. He had long since promised himself that he wouldn''t commit that mistake again. The monster''s attack had made his insides churn and had filled his mouth with a metallic taste, but his palm never left his weapon.


    The sound monster barked in anger after Khan landed on the ground. Its right head hung lifelessly from its torso, and its sole sight was enough to make it livid.


    The pressure on Khan''s chest returned, and a series of blows landed on his body before he could perform another sprint. Impacts with the invisible energy happened on his belly, face, arms, knees, and thighs. The monster seemed able to attack him from multiple directions and on various spots at the same time.


    The relentless offensive continued as the monster''s barks kept echoing in the area. Khan''s sensitivity to mana failed to sense the trajectory of the blows. Only pain could tell him where the attacks happened.


    Khan felt unable to move, but he knew that he had to get out of that situation before his injuries became too severe. The pain wasn''t the problem there. He simply couldn''t move while that invisible force pushed him left and right.


    A resolute expression appeared on Khan''s face as he struggled to bend forward. Three impacts happened on his chest during the process. He spat blood, but he didn''t stop.


    Khan didn''t need much. The [Blood Shield] moved on his left thigh before waiting for him to find the right opportunity. Invisible attacks continued to land on his body, but he remained still and endured until one blow hit the spot protected by his technique.


    The left leg finally gained a window to move freely, and Khan didn''t hesitate to muster the entirety of his strength to push himself forward. Booming noises resounded behind him as he left the area targeted by the monster''s ability. The restrictions on his body vanished and allowed him to stomp his right foot on the ground to accelerate even further.


    Khan reached the monster in an instant. Booming noises had followed his sprint and were about to catch up with him, but his rotating kick put an end to the creature''s barks.


    Khan''s foot slammed the monster''s left head on the ground. His knife glowed as he removed his leg to open a path, but a clanging noise resounded when his weapon pierced the fur and hit the skull.


    The monster used that chance to raise its head and open its mouth, but Khan promptly kicked it close. His knife was still on its head, so he used it to keep the monster still as his feet landed non-stop on his opponent.


    The knife dug deeper into the skull as Khan''s kicks continued to fall. The innate sharpness of his magic weapon and the incredible force created by his powerful martial arts eventually made the sharp tip pierce the bone and reach the brain. Only a few more attacks had to follow before life abandoned the creature''s eyes.


    Khan spat the blood that had accumulated in his mouth before pulling out his knife and straightening his back. The troublesome sound monster was dead, but his body was sore everywhere. He felt as if he had just received a violent beating, and a sense of weakness even tried to spread inside his mind.


    However, his senses warned him about the massive discharge of mana that was happening near him. Khan turned to his right and saw Ilman retreating as a series of shadows flew toward him.


    ''What the fuck?'' Khan cursed in his mind.


    The monsters didn''t seem to have limits to the abilities that they could develop. They could go from simple physical enhancements to troublesome skills like that hypnotic power of the grasshopper.


    It was generally easy to guess what each ability did after seeing it in action, but those shadows left Khan completely clueless. His confusion even intensified when he noticed the animal faces with their mouths open in front of those dark masses of energy.


    Khan couldn''t remain still for too long since some of the shadows stopped chasing Ilman and turned toward him. He didn''t know what those things did, but he had no intention of finding out. He quickly jumped back and sprinted toward their source.


    A dark halo continued to cover the monster that had released the shadows. At times, some faces managed to leave that ethereal membrane with some of its darkness. Yet, the creature seemed to suffer during the process. Its heads pointed at the ground, and its eyes were closed as the ability remained active.


    Khan felt curious, but that feeling didn''t make him forget his priorities. His speed brought him to the monster''s side in no time, and his knife glowed as he swung it toward the left neck.


    A clean cut severed the head from the rest of the body and made the monster howl in pain. The sudden injury made it retract all the shadows released in the environment, and Ilman finally gained some time to catch his breath. Yet, his eyes widened when he saw Khan standing so close to the creature.


    "[Its aura absorbs mana]!" Ilman shouted in a desperate attempt to warn Khan, but his voice arrived one second too late.


    Khan turned to shoot a confused glance toward Ilman, but the dark aura under him suddenly expanded and flung him away. Multiple animal faces passed through his body while bringing part of the darkness with them. An intense sense of weakness quickly filled him and made him unable to land properly.


    Khan fell on the ground before spinning on himself until a tree stopped him. He was awake and could feel the knife in his grasp, but his body didn''t answer his orders.


    The shadows left Khan and returned to the monster. The dark halo that covered its figure intensified as its eyes moved on him. All the animal faces in its aura also fixed their gazes on Khan as they prepared themselves to come out again.


    Khan inspected his body during those seconds. The parts of his flesh that had fused with mana seemed to have dried up. They didn''t lose their improvements, but they were devoid of energy now.


    His focus quickly went on his nape to force his mana core to release more energy and refill his body. The organ didn''t hesitate to follow his orders, but the monster charged ahead at that point.


    The faces on the dark aura started to come out as the monster ran. Blood fell from the severed neck, but the creature didn''t seem to care about its injury. It only wanted to kill its prey.


    Ilman wanted to help Khan, but he hesitated to get near the monster. The dark aura covered the entirety of its figure, meaning that it would drain his mana as soon as he touched it. Khan had the knife, but he would need to come into contact with the dangerous halo, which would put him in the same state as his companion.


    Ilman couldn''t save Khan when that dangerous ability was active, but he got ready to shoot ahead once the halo dimmed. Meanwhile, Khan focused the entirety of his efforts on giving power to his body, especially his left arm.


    The monster eventually got so close that it could jump on Khan. He could see the many animal faces surrounding its relatively small figure, and his arm shot ahead as soon as its sharp teeth entered his range.


    The azure glow shone in the area for only a second. The creature''s brain hid it after Khan stabbed the knife inside its mouth.


    ****


    Author''s notes: This chapter covers yesterday''s release, so you can expect two more chapters. I don''t know if I''ll be quick enough not to affect Demonic Sword with the second, but another one will definitely arrive in the next hours. I''ll keep you all updated anyway.


    Just one thing. I hate being unable to warn you beforehand, but I can''t do much on the site without publishing a chapter. I usually use my discord for these unexpected announcements, so do join it if you want to remain updated. You can find the link in the book''s synopsis.

 Chapter 185: Failures

    Blood flowed down Khan''s arm and tainted his white sleeve. The shadows that enveloped the two-headed dog dispersed as life abandoned its eyes. The monster didn''t have the chance to bite its prey since death arrived in a mere instant.


    Khan voiced an annoyed groan as the monster fell to the ground. He supported himself on the tree behind him to sit and point a foot on the corpse. The bloodied hand and knife released an awful noise as he pulled them out of the creature''s mouth, but his ears were growing used to hear that.


    Weakness filled most of his body. Khan had gone through a beating before losing most of the mana inside his flesh. He felt the desperate need to sleep and meditate, but the chaos of the battlefield still raged around him and kept him awake. Still, the state of the fights turned out to be quite reassuring.


    Kozh and Vakha had long since gained the upper hand on the telekinetic monster, and Ilman could join them after Khan took care of the creature with the shadows. The last mutated specimen couldn''t last long against the joint assault of the three students.


    Meanwhile, Ezinet had taken care of the Tainted animals converging on the lake. The pack had about thirty members busy patrolling the area, but the girl could defeat them easily. Her palms were too deadly for creatures that didn''t undergo mutations, and she was even too nimble for them.


    Khan didn''t feel the need to recover in a hurry. His companions could take care of the remaining enemies by themselves. Also, he had killed two monsters on his own, so he deserved some rest.


    The Niqols took care of the remaining animals quickly. The telekinetic monster was troublesome, but Ilman ended up being too fast for its annoying ability. The rest of the Tainted dogs stopped trying to invade the area after their leaders died.


    "[You are a real warrior]!" Ilman laughed while approaching Khan after the battle ended. "[I thought I would be closer to your level. I''ve never been so wrong in my life]."


    "[Don''t shout]," Khan complained. "[Let me sleep for a bit]."


    "[Nonsense]!" Ilman shouted while crouching to put his shoulder under Khan''s armpit and forcing him to stand up. "[You must go back to the camp and celebrate this victory]."


    Khan was too tired to shake Ilman off, and he felt no desire to argue against his dramatic mindset. He was willing to agree with everything the Niqols said as long as it made him shut up faster. Yet, a doubt appeared in his mind after hearing those words.


    "[Won''t you come back to the encampment]?" Khan asked as the three Niqols gathered around Ilman and him.


    "[I''m afraid that I have yet to atone for what I did]," Ilman explained while shaking his head. "[The Niqols'' regulations and my guilt don''t allow me to come back]."


    Khan didn''t say anything. He let Ilman help him walk through the woods until he felt strong enough to move on his own. The atmosphere around him was pretty happy since the hunt had been successful, and he felt able to join that mood after a while.


    Ilman wasn''t too bad when the topic didn''t involve Liiza. He was loud and unreasonable but also extremely honest and reliable. Still, Khan liked how he couldn''t return to the camp just yet. His problems would only increase otherwise.


    The three Niqols from the first year were still at the edges of the woods when the hunting team came out. A simple exchange of smiles and proud cries was enough to notify them about the mission''s success, but they still spent time questioning each student to obtain clear reports.


    Ilman and the other Niqols didn''t even try to hide Khan''s achievements. He actually had to correct them at times to avoid exaggerations. His fame among the aliens was already incredible, so he wanted to prioritize the accuracy of the reports to benefit future plans.


    "[I will see you soon]," Ilman announced when Khan and his three initial companions prepared themselves to jump on their Aduns. "[We are some of the best warriors among the students, so the professors will honor us with the harshest hunts]."


    "[Don''t make me do all the work next time]," Khan joked as he jumped on Snow''s back.


    "[You need to stop improving then]," Ilman laughed, and the group departed quickly afterward.


    The encampment was only a few hours from the woods, so Khan preferred to handle the matter about his mana during the travel. His body almost completely recovered by the time the sea of tents appeared in his vision. He still felt sore in many spots, but the weakness that had filled him after touching the shadows had dispersed.


    The encampment was relatively empty. The hunt didn''t take long, and the woods had even been nearby, so Khan''s group could return before lunchtime. The four couldn''t even find a cauldron brewing booze at that hour, so they decided to get some food and rest until everyone returned.


    Khan had slept in a tent picked randomly in the last week. He didn''t want to be among the ostracized recruits, especially since Kelly would only annoy him, but he also preferred to avoid being at the exact center of the encampment.


    The Niqols partied too hard for someone who couldn''t even spend time with his girlfriend. Khan would only risk losing control of his actions if he spent night after night listening to the happy couples around him. The situation didn''t improve too much in his current tent, but he could avoid random Niqols ending up inside it by mistake.


    ''I guess I''ll be seventeen tomorrow,'' Khan thought as the screen of his phone lit up and allowed him to check the date.


    Khan and the other recruits had left the chargers provided by the Global Army in the academy when the crisis started, but the arrival of the daylight had made them superfluous. Their phones would never turn off since Nitis always had light now.


    Memories of the last year crossed Khan''s mind as he removed the dirty robe and wore one of the new ones that the Niqols left in each tent. A lot had changed in that short period. He almost couldn''t believe how he was living in the Slums only a while ago.


    The first year in the Global Army had made Khan experience a lot. He had learnt how to wield the magical energy called mana, but he had also gone through terrible events. Istrone alone could make kids of his age abandon the battlefield forever, but he was still there, fighting in the frontlines as if it were the most normal thing to do.


    A smile eventually appeared on his face. Khan had believed that happiness would have forever been out of his reach after coming back from Istrone, but Nitis had proven him wrong. That cold planet could make him feel warm even in its darkest moments. He felt intense love and affection even as everything around him turned upside-down.


    Khan couldn''t see his girlfriend, but she was fine and shared the same intense love. He felt annoyed about that separation and their situation, but she was usually there, mere tents away from him. That was enough for now.


    Rodney had tried to kill him, and some of the recruits even hated his behavior. However, Khan had found true friends among them and the Niqols. Even Ilman had turned out to be relatively okay in the end.


    The duality of his life was almost hilarious, but that was fine as long as he remained able to experience that happiness. Khan felt to understand Lieutenant Dyester''s teachings very well now. He was in the middle of a global crisis, and a lot tried to go against his situation, but those struggles didn''t make him unable to appreciate everything he had.


    Even the Global Army didn''t feel too bad when Khan considered everything he had gained from that despicable organization. He had seen alien worlds, obtained friends, a loving girlfriend, and he had become strong.


    Everything Khan had learnt had helped him shape his feelings. He had gained the chance to vent some of his desperation and pain. He had managed to exploit it to grow stronger than his peers, but it was clear that his current level wasn''t nearly enough in that dangerous universe.


    The Niqols had soldiers who could vanquish entire packs made of monsters with abilities, but they still feared the daylight and its consequences. Meanwhile, Khan barely had enough power to join specific hunts.


    Khan felt the need to be stronger to protect what made him happy. The Nak would probably require even more from him, so he couldn''t settle for a few kicks and some knife attacks. He needed proper magic.


    ''I need to make it work,'' Khan thought as he finished dressing up and sat at the center of his small tent.


    The final lesson of the training for his element was perfectly clear in his mind. Khan had committed the execution of the Wave spell to memory in the last period. He knew how the expert in the program unleashed that incredible power, but he had always failed to replicate it even after practicing hard.


    Khan stretched his hand forward and activated the mental barrier. His mind grew cold before the mana inside it moved according to the flow used by the expert in the training program.


    The Wave spell expressed destruction, so Khan thought about the vivid memories of the Second Impact to imagine that meaning. He wanted his mana to express the same power that the fall of the Nak spaceship had discharged in the Slums.


    Mana gathered on his right palm as Khan focused on the vague theory behind the Wave spell. He knew that the chaos element required a personal approach, but that was hard to find when he lacked basics. Imitation was his only path for now.


    Azure energy covered his hand before its shades changed. The mana gained a pale red-purple color as it started to tremble, and Khan''s eyes sharpened as he forced himself to intensify those effects. The air in front of his palm seemed to twist at some point, but everything suddenly dispersed.


    His palm stopped glowing for no apparent reason. Khan lost control of his mana even if he didn''t commit any mistake. The failure didn''t hurt nor inflict damage to his flesh, but he failed to perform the spell anyway.


    No curse resounded in Khan''s mind. He had experienced that failure countless times already, and he had grown used to feeling lost in front of that event by then. In theory, his execution was perfect, but he remained unable to perform the Wave spell. He didn''t even come close to creating the destructive energy described in the training program.


    Khan had already considered fusing what he had learnt about manipulating mana with that training, but the two approaches appeared opposite at their core.


    The training program stated how Khan had to cut away his feelings to control the chaos element, while the Niqols'' teachings required emotions to manipulate the nature of the mana. Those paths stood on completely opposite fields, so he preferred to rely on the human ways since he had more experience there.


    Moreover, the Niqols had a strange approach to spells. Liiza''s ice didn''t only come from the mana inside her mind. She needed to apply a special influence on the environment to make sure that it replicated the effects that she set.


    Khan lost track of the passage of time as he continued to practice. He didn''t have anything to do for the rest of the day, so he immersed himself in his training. The tests with the Wave spell only used his mana even, so he never reached his limits since his mana core continued to refill his brain with energy.


    His training went on for hours until steps resounded outside his tent. Khan initially ignored that event, but he quickly stopped his practice when he sensed three familiar presences walking directly toward the entrance of his habitation.


    It didn''t take much before Azni, Doku, and Liiza entered the tent. Khan''s eyes widened when he saw their bloodied robes and stern expressions, but he relaxed a little since the Niqols didn''t seem injured.


    Still, the Niqols didn''t let his confusion end there. Doku threw a series of flasks full of good booze in front of Khan as Azni sat in front of him. Her boyfriend made sure that the tent''s entrance was sealed correctly before taking his place next to the girl and opening one of the bottles.


    "[I''m really drunk today]!" Doku shouted after taking a single sip from the flask. "[I can''t trust my eyes anymore]."


    Khan frowned, but his eyes widened when Liiza crossed the two Niqols and jumped on his lap. Khan shot a confused gaze toward her, but his mind went blank when her cold lips fell on his mouth.


    "[Such good booze]," Doku continued to shout in an obvious forced tone.


    "[Why is he shouting]?" Khan whispered when Liiza raised her face.


    "[It''s better like this, trust me]," Azni commented while patting Doku''s shoulder. "[This idiot needs to convince himself that everything is happening inside his mind to lie to our superiors. Don''t worry. He had to do something similar with me when we got together]."


    "[When you temped me until I ignored my position as squad leader]," Doku complained before taking another long sip from the flask as soon as his eyes ended on Khan and Liiza.


    "[I didn''t know I made you so unhappy]," Azni pouted.


    "[Azni]," Doku pleaded when he realized that he had misspoken, and the couple started bickering under Khan and Liiza''s surprised gaze.


    "[What are you doing here]?" Khan eventually asked while turning to look at his girlfriend.


    Liiza''s hands were on his cheek, but she slowly moved them on his back as she wrapped her arms around his neck. They slowly slipped inside his robe and caressed his bare skin while she bent her head forward and showed her brightest smile.


    "[Did you really think that I would have ignored your birthday]?" Liiza responded in a loving tone. "[I asked Azni for her help as soon as I found a chance]."


    "[My birthday is tomorrow]," Khan teased, but Liiza promptly tapped his forehead.


    "[Don''t be picky now]," Liiza said in a pleading tone. "[Hold me tightly. We don''t have much time, and I have been cold for an entire week]."


    ****


    Author''s notes: It''s pretty late, so I''ll deal with Demonic Sword now. The second chapter for Chaos will arrive after those three, so I guess 6-7 hours.

 Chapter 186: Announcement

    The few hours that Khan managed to spend with Liiza felt terrific. The couple had to experience that separation after almost cohabitating for months. One week wasn''t long at all, but it had hurt nonetheless. Their attachment wasn''t completely natural in the end.


    Khan and Liiza exchanged tight hugs, sweet words whispered in each other''s ears, and long kisses that often ended in meaningful stares. They couldn''t go any further with Azni and Doku in the tent, but they couldn''t remain alone either since the two Niqols were their alibi. Still, their eyes told everything they needed to say.


    Doku never fully got over the issue. He had managed to suppress his thoughts for a long time, and Liiza''s boyfriend wasn''t an important matter either, but his identity could cause serious issues. The Niqols were investing a lot of trust in Khan, but his relationship with the daughter of their main ambassador could create reasonable doubts about his actual motives.


    Now, Khan was a human who had approached the Niqols'' ways honestly, but his relationship with Liiza could make him appear as a soldier hungry for political merits. The situation was simply too coincidental not to raise suspicion.


    Those who saw Liiza and Khan together would never think that they were faking their feelings. Still, appearances could affect politics a lot, especially when it came to two different species that already failed to trust each other. It was very likely that the higher-ups from both sides would force the couple to separate to prevent the eventual leak of information or similar events if they were to uncover that relationship.


    Azni, Doku, and Liiza eventually had to leave. The encampment grew too crowded as the various hunting teams and students returned, and the absence of a few famous members of the usual parties wouldn''t go unnoticed.


    Khan had to join the parties too. He had to celebrate the successful hunt with Kozh and the others, and he wanted to see how the others had fared in those important missions. After all, most of those Niqols were good acquaintances with whom he had often exchanged laughs in the last period. Khan cared about their well-being.


    It turned out that all the hunts had gone well. The Niqols had studied everything carefully before assigning those important tasks to the students. Some had suffered injuries, and a few monsters had managed to escape once the situation had become too harsh. Still, the missions had remained a success.


    The Niqols had finally taken the first step toward Nitis'' retrieval, and everyone knew that the higher-ups had also been busy. They didn''t say anything to the students, but it felt obvious how the aliens didn''t deploy only their weaker troops that day.


    The party progressed nicely and continued to be loud even as morning approached. The voices that filled the encampment changed nature. They went from happy shouts and chaotic chants to whispers, moans, angry arguments, and slow songs more fitting for the tired atmosphere.


    Khan checked his phone and heaved a tired sigh when he calculated how little time had left before the usual morning gathering. He wouldn''t be able to sleep for long, but that was fine. The forceful separation from Liiza was allowing him to rest more than usual. His days were simply busier.


    Khan reached his tent and lifted the entrance''s fabric, but he shook his head when he found two naked Niqols on the bed. The couple didn''t even bother to use the simple lock of the habitation. The smell of booze filled its insides and explained how the two aliens could forget something like that.


    Khan quickly went looking for a new tent, but a familiar figure appeared in his vision during his search. He found Doku sitting on the ground, near a cauldron that still released some sweet smoke.


    "[Is everything okay]?" Khan asked while nearing Doku and picking one of the seemingly clean cups near the cauldron.


    "[I made Azni blush tonight]," Doku revealed before taking a sip from his cup.


    "[It feels strangely good, right]?" Khan laughed while bending inside the almost empty cauldron to get his drink.


    "[I''ve never seen her sleeping so peacefully]," Doku scoffed while Khan sat next to him. "[She didn''t even wake up when I left the tent]."


    "[I found Zaur and Zezag in my tent]," Khan commented while changing the topic. "[She finally got over me]."


    "[It''s surprising that she stuck with you for so long]," Doku replied while raising his cup. "[She isn''t exactly known for her patience with men]."


    "[I know. Liiza told me about that]," Khan sighed before performing the usual Niqols'' toast.


    The two drank as their empty eyes stared at the encampment. Everything was peaceful, but the bright sky shining above them made them unable to relax completely. The sun had yet to appear, but they couldn''t forget about the crisis anyway.


    "[How long have you two been together]?" Doku eventually asked.


    "[Since I stepped on Nitis basically]," Khan replied.


    "[How did it even happen]?" Doku chuckled.


    "[I don''t really know]," Khan sighed. "[I stared, she stared. She kissed me, and I kissed her]."


    "[Did you learn about her position before or after the kisses]?" Doku continued.


    "[Don''t insult my love]," Khan warned while shooting a cold glance at Doku.


    Khan almost didn''t control that reaction. It had been an instinctive gesture caused by the sole idea that someone could question his feelings.


    Doku remained surprised, but he quickly lowered his gaze and shook his head. A helpless sigh escaped his mouth before he explained himself. "[Sorry, I didn''t mean to. I can''t stop worrying about my species with everything happening around us]."


    "[I know]," Khan uttered while lightly poking his forehead to relax. "[I''m also sorry. My mind gets messy when Liiza is involved]."


    "[Every Niqols on the planet would be proud of you]," Doku joked. "[Well, maybe Yeza and Ilman might have something to say on the matter]."


    "[Ilman is strangely fine about that]," Khan reveled, and Doku''s shot an astonished glance at him.


    "[Did you tell him]?" Doku asked.


    "[Please]," Khan sneered. "[That guy is making everything up in his mind. He just happens to be right]."


    "[He has crazy instincts]," Doku said in disbelief.


    "[Indeed]," Khan laughed. "[I took longer to realize what I felt]."


    Doku laughed with him, but the two eventually sighed again. They felt tired after such a busy day, but talking like that felt nice. The only issue was the light that shone on the planet.


    "[Is the stuff about mana true]?" Doku asked. "[Azni couldn''t stop talking about that after we left]."


    "[How do you expect me to explain that]?" Khan responded. "[I didn''t even know that mana could affect feelings before coming to Nitis]."


    "[Isn''t that obvious]?" Doku frowned. "[What did you think would have happened after putting mana in your brain]?"


    "[Humans are dumb]," Khan admitted.


    "[I know one who isn''t]," Doku announced while patting Khan''s shoulder.


    Khan groaned before taking a long sip from his cup. He felt a bit annoyed that he couldn''t just jump in Liiza''s bed and sleep with her, but it felt good to talk about the situation with Doku.


    "[It hit us suddenly]," Khan explained. "[I wasn''t in a good place when I arrived here, but my eyes kept falling on her. I wanted to feel bad about it, but everything just vanished whenever I saw her. Then, she kissed me, and I gave up]."


    "[It must feel good since you share those emotions]," Doku guessed.


    "[It''s the best thing in the world when everything is going well]," Khan replied, "[But it''s awful when something happens]."


    "[I bet that the life in the camp is killing you]," Doku mocked.


    "[I''m keeping myself busy]," Khan whined before showing an awkward smile. "[I guess I''m sleeping more than usual at least]."


    "[No wonder]," Doku laughed while showing a proud expression. "[I now know what you had to do to keep that blush on her face]."


    "[I think it''s easier for us]," Khan stated as a hand reached his chin. "[It''s almost craving for us. I don''t see it as effort]."


    "[I saw the craving today]," Doku winked. "[I should feel lucky that you didn''t start doing it right in front of us]."


    "[Oh, trust me, I considered doing that more than once]," Khan joked.


    The two laughed before falling silent and losing themselves in their thoughts. The morning gathering continued to draw close, but they had silently decided to remain up until their cups became empty.


    Doku and Khan eventually turned toward one of the tents near them when they sensed a presence approaching its entrance. Azni peeked out of the opening while making sure that the fabric covered the rest of her body, and her sleepy voice soon reached the duo. "[Hi, Khan. Doku, come back to bed]."


    Khan couldn''t help but smile when he saw Azni''s blushing cheeks. The girl appeared a bit shy about that, and Doku didn''t hesitate to stand up to reach her.


    Doku and Khan didn''t exchange salutes. They had gone through that scene many times already. It felt almost normal for Khan to see Doku disappearing with Azni somewhere. The couple only waved at him before sealing the entrance of the tent.


    Khan didn''t immediately stand up to resume his search for a tent. His cup still had some booze, and the camp had finally gone silent. All the students were trying to sleep for a couple of hours before going back to the mess. That peace felt almost magical when he thought about how deeply Nitis had transformed.


    It almost felt like a waste to use the few hours left before his return into the mess to sleep. The peace that Khan was experiencing now was the reward that everyone was fighting so hard to obtain. He wanted to enjoy it, even if his mind would curse him later on.


    .


    .


    .


    The following days didn''t involve any special hunt, but more special meetings happened throughout the entire week. The Chiefs and the other higher-ups kept Khan and the prominent students updated on how the crisis was evolving, so everyone felt prepared when another mission arrived.


    Ilman turned out to be correct. The boy joined Khan''s group in the hunts that followed, and the two seized success after success even if their teammates changed from time to time.


    The chaotic swarms of Tainted animals and monsters that had spread on Nitis slowly showed signs of losing power. Khan could see the crisis relaxing its grip on the planet on a daily basis. His battles never became easier since the Niqols kept assigning him to challenging missions, but he could study how his friends began to appear happier during the usual parties.


    The special role that the Niqols had given to Khan didn''t even bother him. He actually liked how he always had the chance to give his best during the hunts.


    His expertise with the Divine Reaper improved at high speed due to the various challenging situations he faced. No training area could force Khan to experience the same amount of danger. He grew used to blood, battles, and struggles, and his new abilities became somewhat reliable.


    Still, a major player had yet to step into the battlefield. Khan and the other recruits knew that the Global Army was doing something during the crisis. They weren''t aware of its actual tasks, but it felt obvious that the humans were actively cooperating with the Niqols. The students simply couldn''t learn anything since they couldn''t contact anyone from the camp.


    That confusion transformed into surprise when an announcement hit the camp. The students had fared relatively well during the last period. Deaths didn''t happen anymore, and it almost felt as if everything could go back to normal in no time, but the two Chiefs made sure to remind them how serious the situation still was.


    "[A formal meeting with the human troops stationed on Nitis will happen at the end of the week]," Chief Alu announced to the horde of students that had gathered right outside the encampment.


    "[Everyone will have to fly there that day]," Chief Nazyr continued. "[We will abandon this camp, enjoy the meeting, and move toward another secure location ready to face the new surge in the monsters'' power. You have my compliments for surviving the first part of the crisis]."


    ****


    Author''s notes: You can expect 2 more in the following hours.

 Chapter 187: Smile

    The announcement took everyone by surprise. Khan was standing among the crowd of students gathered in front of the Chiefs, but everyone turned to look at him nonetheless. He had become the representative of the human species in those months, at least for the younger generations, so hearing about the Global Army made the Niqols inspect him.


    Khan shook his head to express his ignorance about the whole matter. Many knew that he had no contact with the Global Army, but some needed that reminder. Also, the students wanted to see if he had information to share later on at the party, but he had to disappoint them.


    Khan glanced at George, who was nearby. The boy was holding hands with Havaa, but his gaze was far from relaxed. Khan could actually read awkwardness in his eyes. His mind wasn''t thinking about the political meaning behind that meeting. George felt conflicted at the idea of seeing Natalie again.


    ''He is hopeless,'' Khan sneered in his mind before searching the other recruits with his eyes.


    Helen was somewhere among the crowd, surrounded by other Niqols girls, and she shook her head when she met Khan''s gaze. Brandon and the others were near the group''s edges, and they also gestured their ignorance about the whole situation.


    None of the humans seemed to know what the Global Army had in mind, but that felt normal after the long period without communication. Khan was merely hoping that one of the recruits could guess something due to eventual knowledge of the protocols, but his companions disappointed him.


    Rodney sounded like a recruit who could know something about the topic, but Khan couldn''t even begin to imagine where an eventual interrogation would even lead to. The boy was smart enough to trade information with his freedom, and that decision wasn''t up to Khan. He had chosen to leave everything in the hands of the Niqols, and he preferred it that way.


    "[The human troops have probably taken care of a different quadrant]," Doku explained when he noticed Khan''s confusion. "[They must have protected the teleport and the areas nearby]."


    The Niqols had turned after confirming that Khan didn''t know anything about the matter, but Doku and Azni had continued to pay attention to him. They were even next to him in that gathering, so they didn''t hesitate to start a conversation.


    "[Some Niqols must have been with them to check everything passing through the teleport]," Khan commented.


    "[I bet they forced them to deactivate the device]," Doku announced.


    "[Can we even do that]?" Azni asked.


    "[The humans would have probably refused during normal times]," Doku uttered, "[But everything has been pretty tense after the solar wind. I bet our superiors are making use of that event to ignore part of the Padlyn''s deal]."


    "[Some deals might even not apply during wartime]," Khan added.


    "[Exactly]," Doku agreed. "[We would have never let you stay on Nitis if we weren''t confident in our ability to suppress you. No offense, of course]."


    "[None taken]," Khan smiled.


    The sunlight had gone on for more than three weeks by then. Everyone knew that the second spike in the crisis'' dangerousness was close, so the timing of the meeting sounded too perfect to be a coincidence.


    The Niqols were probably trying to gather their forces and prepare for the imminent worsening of the crisis, which included adding humans to the fray. Khan didn''t mind that development, but he inevitably considered how facing Paul and the Captain would affect his life.


    Khan almost forgot how he wasn''t a Niqols at times, but the meeting would surely require him to behave as a human. The sole idea of meeting his superiors made him feel as if everything he was experiencing was nothing more than the dream of a delusional kid.


    Khan''s face didn''t reveal his profound mental state, but his mask shook when Liiza appeared in his eyes. Everyone had started to leave, so he had managed to find her among the crowd. She was alone as usual, but she turned toward him when she felt his gaze on her.


    Liiza was wearing the usual cold expression that she showed in public, but her eyes quickly inspected her surroundings to make sure that no one was looking at her. She lowered her head at that point, and a warm smile appeared behind the white hair that had fallen on her face.


    Khan felt warm when he saw Liiza going through all that trouble just to show that simple gesture. The crowd of students moving back to the tents eventually blocked his vision, and she wasn''t in her previous spot anymore when he managed to gaze in that direction again. Still, the warmth remained and made him stand still to focus on appreciating that feeling.


    "[Is everything okay]?" Doku asked when he noticed that Khan had yet to start moving back to the encampment.


    "[Are you going to start right away]?" Khan asked after snapping back to reality.


    "[I think we''ll join the party later than usual today]," Azni commented while wrapping her arms around Doku''s torso and shooting a meaningful glance at him.


    Doku initially frowned in confusion, but everything became clear in his mind when he looked at this girlfriend. He almost fell in a daze before recalling that his friend still needed an answer. "[What she said]."


    Khan smiled while shaking his head. He directly turned and waved his hand to salute the couple, and the two Niqols imitated him without diverting their gazes from each other.


    Khan took one of the first empty tents that he found and sealed its entrance. The warmth in his chest was almost about to vanish, and he couldn''t do anything about that. Yet, he could train until his power allowed him to keep that feeling close.


    The Niqols began to set the cauldron and prepare the materials needed to concoct the booze. Groups started to chant and test instruments. Everyone was getting ready for the usual celebrations that would last until morning, but Khan didn''t want to join them right away. He felt the need to train a bit more that day. He almost feared that he would lose chances to see that smile otherwise.


    Khan drew his first-grade knife and scrutinized it. He had picked up the habit to check its edges and surface carefully every night to make sure that his failures in the techniques of the Divine Reaper didn''t affect its structure.


    The weapon turned out to be fine. Marks had yet to appear on its dark surfaces. It was as perfect as the day Khan received it.


    The next step in his training saw him performing a few tests with the Wave spell. He had yet to succeed in getting close to something that resembled a decent execution. Still, he slowly understood what the training program meant when it explained the chaos element''s need for a personal approach.


    Some of the things described in the training program didn''t work for Khan. Instead, a few parts that the lessons advised against helped his execution of the spell. He had continued to fail without producing any effect, but the red-purple color of his mana had intensified as he kept testing the procedure.


    That day wasn''t any different. Khan sat, stretched his hand, thought about the Second Impact, and failed to achieve anything close to decent. A few curses ended up leaving his mouth when he stopped, but he quickly went back to the other part of his training afterward.


    His meditation began as usual. Khan forced his mana to spread through his unwilling flesh. His body didn''t want to change and sent waves of pain to express that feeling, but Khan barely felt them anymore. He pushed everything into spots that the energy had yet to touch, and everything proceeded as usual. However, something different happened after he spent a few hours immersed in that partial trance.


    Khan''s mana suddenly failed to cover the same amount of flesh as before. It stopped halfway through before the areas affected by the mana became slightly brighter.


    The azure halo generated by that new radiance expanded throughout the rest of his body. It filled every corner of his insides and applied to his flesh a weaker version of what Khan usually did during the mediations.


    ''What is happening?'' Khan wondered before understanding what that glow would cause.


    The glow generated by the mana inside his body carried weaker effects of the actual energy, but it still affected everything it illuminated.


    The parts of the body that Khan had yet to reach during his regular meditations suddenly experienced the influence of mana and began to improve. The event generated painful sensations everywhere, and they piled up until he felt forced to lay on the ground.


    Khan tried to stretch his limbs as if he were dealing with normal cramps, but that couldn''t solve his problem when the source of his pain came from inside him. He even stopped the flow of energy from his mana core, but that also didn''t help. The glow was already in place, and nothing appeared able to stop it.


    Sweat covered Khan''s skin as he wriggled on the ground and waited for the process to end. He had slowly understood what was happening, so he knew that everything would be over once his flesh adapted to the new state that the glow was enforcing.


    The flesh that Khan''s mana had yet to affect improved without developing sharp changes in its structure. That energy didn''t fuse with his tissues, but it elevated their nature to a state close to what mixing with actual mana would create.


    The painful sensations filling Khan''s mind slowly quieted down until they completely disappeared. The sweat that had accumulated on his face, hands, ankles, and opening of his robe evaporated to leave a cold sensation on his bare skin. He felt comfort in that coldness, but a lot more reached his mind after he calmed down completely.


    A wave of power filled his body as the halo became unable to affect his flesh any further. Khan felt that his base power had increased after that unexpected event. He had initially thought that something had gone wrong with his meditation due to the sudden interruption of his growth, but he understood what had happened afterward.


    ''Did my attunement with mana reach fifty percent?'' Khan shouted in his mind as he straightened his back to sit on the ground and check his body.


    There didn''t seem to be anything different in him. His muscles had remained identical, and the same went for everything else outside his skin. However, his insides had changed in ways that he couldn''t completely describe.


    Khan promptly stood up with the idea of testing his techniques, but he almost lost his balance during the process. He had felt too light. The force released by his legs had also made him jump.


    Khan immediately accepted that he would require some time to grow used to his status as a first-level warrior.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Stable releases used to be one of my strong selling points, but I always seem to mess things up with Chaos. I didn''t forget the 3 chapters that you still need. I''m rested and everything, so you''ll get them.

 Chapter 188: Intense

    Khan didn''t feel in his own body. Everything he had learnt to do in seventeen years of life had become useless in the span of a meditation. He used to know how much strength to apply to walk. He had learnt to ignore the many sensations that spread through his skin, ears, nostrils, mouth, and ears. He never once noticed the weight of his body, but that was over.


    The years spent honing reflexes and developing instincts that took into consideration the limits of his body had become useless. Khan was different on a primordial level now. He almost felt overwhelmed by how much had changed in mere hours.


    His body felt light. The tent was only three meters tall, but Khan felt able to jump over it without requiring mana. That lightness didn''t even affect his strength. He had never believed that his muscles could hold so much power.


    All that power mixed with his sudden lightness made his posture unstable. Khan had to think about balancing his strength to remain on his feet. His equilibrium was off, and he ended up swaying whenever he failed to control his power.


    Those issues weren''t too relevant compared to all the sensations that were assaulting his mind. Khan could feel the cold air inside his tent from the bare spots on his skin. The rays of light that passed in the fabric''s holes were a bit too bright for his sensitive eyes. His ears picked sounds that went as far as the faint whispers in the tents around him. The scents of his habitation were different when they entered his nostrils. Even his own saliva had changed taste.


    The changes weren''t necessarily bad. Khan could understand what was happening rather quickly. He was experiencing the same intense sensations that Liiza could generate inside him by simply existing, with the only difference that they involved every aspect of his life now.


    His mana had started to affect the entirety of himself, which naturally involved how he perceived the world in general. Khan was sensing and experiencing everything through organs enhanced by that magical energy. Those stark changes were only normal. They only felt overwhelming when they all happened at the same time.


    Khan gave himself time to grow used to those changes. He couldn''t test his new power with his senses all over the place anyway, so he stood still while waiting for everything to lose some intensity.


    That time allowed Khan to focus again on his insides. He could vaguely calculate how only half of his flesh had fused with the mana. Everything else had only improved due to the influence that the energy spread.


    That other half had yet to reach the proper fusion, but it had also grown immune to the lingering influence. Khan entered the meditative state to see how his training had changed after reaching that checkpoint, and he felt disappointed to notice that he couldn''t spread his mana as before.


    Khan could still accelerate the flow of mana, but it didn''t directly affect his flesh anymore. Instead, meditating intensified the influence that lingered in the part that had yet to fuse with that energy.


    The more intense version of that influence forced his non-fused flesh to improve, but it didn''t allow him to focus on specific areas. Khan could only enhance himself as a whole now, which inevitably slowed down his overall growth. Still, that felt inevitable at his current level.


    ''No wonder it''s harder to reach the higher levels,'' Khan commented in his mind as he interrupted his meditation and dispersed the intense pain that had spread throughout his body.


    His growth wasn''t only slower now that he had to rely only on the influence of the mana that had already fused with his flesh. The process was also far more painful since it affected half of his body at the same time. Khan had raised the bar of the minimum suffering that he had to endure to improve.


    Still, the breakthrough didn''t only bring bad news. Khan''s growth had suddenly become far slower and excruciating, but moving his mana inside his body had become far easier. The energy flow had become smoother since the entirety of his flesh had gained a basic attunement level now.


    His mind slowly adapted to his new sensitivity. Khan felt that it would take him a few days to turn those intense sensations into his new normality, but he didn''t feel worried about the next battles. Mere minutes in that condition had already made everything somewhat bearable. A night of sleep should be able to turn him battle-ready.


    Khan waited a little more before deciding to move. At first, he jumped on his spot. It was strange to feel the actual tremors released during the impact of his feet with the ground, but that became easy to accept after a few minutes. He started to test his steps at that point, and finding the right balance took less and less as attempts piled on.


    Khan alternated jumps, steps, sharp turns, and basic physical training to gain confidence in his new body. He had to persevere for an entire hour before feeling ready to test his martial arts, but he continued with the simple exercises even at that point.


    His ignorance scared him. Khan didn''t know anything about first-level warriors or above, and he had already tasted the fear of his own power when he was in Ylaco''s training camp.


    Khan wouldn''t dare to go into battles that could potentially lead to casualties while wielding a power that could hurt his companions and himself. He could take risks in a safe environment, but everything on Nitis was about life and death right now.


    Another hour had to pass before Khan grew almost used to his new state. His senses were finally starting to click with his instincts, and he didn''t feel inside a foreign body anymore, not entirely at least.


    Khan drew the first-grade knife from the sheath that never left his side and made his mana gather on its surface. His eyebrows arched when he saw how quickly he could send his energy to the weapon, but his new state didn''t improve his control and manipulation. His sensitivity to mana had improved, but the breakthrough didn''t affect the other two fields.


    A deep breath escaped Khan''s mouth after he placed the knife back in its sheath. The tent didn''t give him much freedom, but he could stretch his legs without reaching the fabric on the other side.


    Khan started with the simplest techniques of the Lightning-demon style as if he were trying to learn it from scratch. His legs moved slowly as he made sure that his mana followed at the correct speed.


    His careful approach turned out to be unnecessary due to how much he had waited before approaching the martial art. Khan had already regained a good control over his body, and he had even learnt how quickly he could move mana now. His proficiency with those moves had reached the competent level, so it only took him a few slow attempts before growing used to his new features.


    Khan felt almost whole after performing all the techniques of the Lightning-demon style. He wasn''t perfect yet, but he was getting there. His mind only had to adapt to that new state.


    The party had long since started by the time Khan felt in control of himself. It was even about to reach its final phases, but he didn''t leave his tent yet. He wanted to see how his new body reacted to the booze, but a heavy doubt pressed on his thoughts and made him unable to join the event until he made up his mind about it.


    ''Should I tell the Global Army during the meeting?'' Khan wondered as he sat on his bed and went over the many consequences that revealing his breakthrough could cause.


    Khan had been in the Global Army for a little less than eleven months. The soldiers would definitely see his early breakthrough as proof of his talent. However, he knew that the [Blood Vortex] had something to do with the matter.


    The Niqols'' technique had made Khan save entire weeks of training even if he had used it only a handful of times. That alone proved how valuable the [Blood Vortex] had been, but it also created a troublesome possibility. The Global Army might connect his quick growth to his favorable position among the aliens and investigate him thoroughly.


    Khan didn''t know if he could hide his growth behind his mutations, but even that was clearly a risk. The safest option would be to remain silent, but he wanted the Global Army to learn about his talent. That didn''t only involve a possible future with Liiza either. He needed merits to climb the ranks and learn more about the Nak.


    The matter was quite annoying, and Khan couldn''t find a solution on his own. Yet, he knew someone who knew a lot about life as a wealthy recruit. George had also earned his complete trust, so a serious conversation appeared necessary.


    Khan had to interrupt his reasoning when he sensed three familiar presences approaching his tent. His sensitivity to mana didn''t only allow him to identify the three Niqols. It also gave him the chance to notice them when they were still a few tents away from his habitation.


    The trio moved directly toward his tent, and Khan didn''t hesitate to jump out of his bed to unlock the entrance. Doku''s surprised face unfolded in his vision when he lifted the fabric, but those raised eyebrows transformed into a relaxed smile in no time.


    Khan moved to the side to let the three Niqols inside. Doku appeared quite drunk already, but a proud smile never abandoned his face. Instead, it only widened when he dropped a series of flasks to the ground and jumped on the bed.


    Azni was blushing, and she continued to appear shy about that, but she hid her feelings behind her full cup. The girl limited herself to smile at Khan before hurrying on the bed and lying inside Doku''s arms.


    Liiza was the last to enter the tent. She was still wearing the cold expression that she showed in front of the others, but Khan quickly allowed her to relax by sealing the entrance.


    Liiza jumped on Khan as soon as he straightened his back. He found his girlfriend in his arms, clinging with legs and arms on his waist and neck. Her lips found his mouth in no time, and the two soon found themselves on the ground.


    "[I''m not in the best mental state today]," Khan whispered to Liiza''s ear when he managed to lift his mouth from her lips or neck. "[I''m struggling to hold back]."


    Liiza wanted to question Khan, but she had to cover her mouth to suppress the faint moan that the soft bite on her ear had generated. Her free hand instinctively reached the back of Khan''s head to cling on his hair. He could sense her sensual pull, and everything felt far better with his new body.


    Khan wasn''t lying about his poor self-control. His body still felt too much right now, and he couldn''t completely hold back, especially when those moments together had become rare.


    Feeling Liiza clinging on his hair made Khan gave in to his feelings for a few seconds. Her pull only became stronger as his mouth descended through her neck and reached the opening of her robe on her chest.


    Khan wasn''t thinking straight, so he continued. Liiza ended up voicing a sweet moan when she took his head in his hands and brought him face to face with her.


    Khan revealed a playful smile, and Liiza couldn''t help but smile too even if she wanted to scold him. Neither of them didn''t bother to glance at the bed even after Liiza''s moan, but snores eventually reached their ears and made them turn toward the couple.


    Doku and Azni had fallen asleep in each other''s arms, and both of them snored pretty loudly. Khan snapped his fingers a few times to see if they woke up, but they appeared too drunk, tired, or both to bother about that gesture.


    "[Khan, why are you so pushy tonight]?" Liiza asked without moving her gaze away from the couple.


    "[I''ve become a first-level warrior]," Khan explained while imitating her and keeping his eyes on the couple. "[Everything is a bit too intense now]."


    Khan had to turn toward Liiza when he sensed her hands clinging on the chest opening on his robe. Her eyes were wide, but a beaming smile had appeared on her face. She almost felt on the verge of crying due to how happy she felt about that achievement.


    "[Maybe it''s better to cuddle tonight]," Khan teased while caressing her cheek.


    Liiza bit her lower lip as struggle appeared on her face, but the couple snored again and attracted her attention. She then fixed her eyes on Khan again while wearing a meaningful expression.


    Khan widened his eyes in surprise, but another snore reached his ears. The couple appeared in a coma. They didn''t react to any external stimulus, which made him give up on even trying to hold back.


    "[Remember, slow]," Liiza whispered when she managed to find his ear in that storm of kisses. "[Everyone is drunk, but I still can''t scream]."


    "[You don''t like slow]," Khan teased, but Liiza promptly bit his ear and made him laugh.


    The two exchanged another meaningful glance at that point before immersing themselves in the silent pleasure that the previous weeks didn''t give them the chance to enjoy.


    ****


    Author''s notes: This chapter covers yesterday. I''ll work on the first for today now.

 Chapter 189: Gathering

    Finding a moment when to talk with George in private turned out to be quite hard. All the students had to join separate hunts or patrols every day, and the parties at night often involved partners. Khan was the only one who didn''t have the chance to be with his girlfriend.


    Khan could have some intimacy with Liiza when Doku and Azni decided to sacrifice their time alone or noticed a slightly messier party, but that happened rarely. Khan didn''t even want to ask the couple favors after everything they were doing for him already, so his situation remained quite lonely as the day of the formal meeting approached.


    The talk with George happened the night before the relocation. The boy was too conflicted about seeing Natalie after spending more than three months among Niqols. He had drunk on his own during most of the party, and Khan used the chance when he left the encampment to pee to question him about the average level of the recruits.


    George had changed a lot, even if his character had remained the same. His growth had been more a matter of acceptance rather than general maturity. Living as a Niqols had helped him in ways that he didn''t believe possible, and that gratitude had ended up condensing in the form of feelings for Havaa.


    The boy was already drunk when Khan managed to have his conversation, but he described everything perfectly. Still, Khan had to spend most of what remained of the party listening to his rants about Natalie''s coldness and Havaa''s sweetness.


    Khan didn''t mind helping George in those moments. He would have preferred that conversation to happen in a better situation, but everyone seemed to lack time in that period, so he didn''t complain.


    George knew a bunch of data when it came to achievements among recruits. Apparently, it was challenging for someone to become a first-level warrior in the first year at the Global Army due to multiple factors that often didn''t involve talent.


    The recruits in the first year were always pretty young. They were still growing, which made raising their attunement with mana more challenging. Many of them had access to synthetic mana, but they couldn''t abuse that resource since it could create impurities in their energy in the long run.


    The second year usually was the time when the Global Army could identify the talented recruits. Becoming first-level warriors in the first six months of the year would show their talent and prove that they were worthy of special attention.


    Khan didn''t reveal his state to George. He trusted the boy, but he didn''t want to take even more risks. Moreover, George''s explanation confirmed Khan''s fears. He had advanced too quickly, so he had to wait before telling everything to the Global Army.


    Truth be told, Khan didn''t know if he could keep his level hidden from the stronger soldiers, but he had reasonable justifications if they discovered it before his notification. His ignorance was a shield that would serve him perfectly in that situation.


    The talk about Natalie and Havaa didn''t interest him too much, mainly because George couldn''t make up his mind about women. Khan would have already chosen to remain with Havaa if he were in his situation. The decision felt even obvious since Natalie didn''t have any interest in relationships.


    Also, George had basically relied on Havaa''s feelings in that period to improve his recovery, so it didn''t sound right to abandon her. He even felt something for her.


    The only hindrance in that relationship was the difference between their species since George''s status was quite peculiar. He wasn''t a noble, but his family was wealthy. Meanwhile, Havaa was an ordinary student, so their potential union couldn''t have political interests.


    Khan couldn''t say much there. He gave his honest opinion, which George only half-listened since he was too drunk to remain serious for too long. Khan wanted him to follow his feelings and ignore the complicated issues connected to politics. Still, he wasn''t sure whether the boy had truly understood his point even after they separated.


    The conversation had ended up lasting so long that George left only one hour before the departure. The students didn''t have anything truly important in the encampment, so they didn''t need to prepare for the event. Yet, Khan laughed internally when he thought about how hungover the Niqols would be during the travel.


    In the end, Khan decided to spend that remaining hour roaming among the tents while enjoying the remaining booze. His endurance had reached insane levels after becoming a first-level warrior, and the same applied to his alcohol resistance. Remaining awake wasn''t an issue, especially since he had gotten many chances to sleep in those weeks.


    It didn''t take much before an alarm resounded from cubes placed at the corners of the encampment. That noise wasn''t too loud, but it remained annoying enough to wake up even the Niqols who were still drunk. The aliens knew their kind so well that they had developed special countermeasures for those occasions.


    Groans and curses resounded in the camp as all the students left their tents and gathered in empty spots to summon their Aduns. Most of them had already planned to deal with the rest of the hangover during the flight, even if they didn''t know how long it would take them to reach the location of the meeting.


    Chief Alu and Chief Nazyr were in an empty spot right outside the encampment, and they shook their heads when they saw the zombie-like walks of the students. Still, neither of them said anything about that issue. They wouldn''t dare to scold younglings who had spent almost four weeks fighting on the frontlines.


    Aduns filled the sky when everyone in the camp set off. The two Chiefs led the group across the sky in a straight line toward the location that would hold the meeting with the Global Army.


    Khan didn''t meditate nor sleep. He wanted to commit that path to memory. The Chiefs seemed to fly in the general direction of the human camp, and the familiar mountain chain that expanded behind the glowing city eventually appeared under the group.


    The Chiefs didn''t stop there. They flew deeper into the mountain chain until those tall structures opened to create a large valley that had a dark gorge in its middle.


    The scenery appeared marvelous, and the sunlight revealed all its details. The valley had a vaguely rectangular shape, and the gorge connected its short sides. Flat areas filled with dark-grey grass and sparse spots with multicolored flowers expanded from the long sides of the crack. At the same time, the short edges connected the mountain chain to a marvelous palace far different from the structure where the recruits had met Ambassador Yeza.


    The palace had three main buildings connected by shorter structures that featured bridge-like passages at their top. The buildings at the sides had square shapes that ended up in flat roofs encircled in short black fences. Instead, the central construction was rectangular and featured two long balconies at its sides, with one opening on the valley and the other toward the mountain chain.


    The entire palace was dark-grey, but its surfaces were darker when it came to the structures that connected the three buildings. Multiple black spots also filled each side of the structure and marked the presence of windows.


    It was clear that the palace didn''t have battle purposes. It felt like an expression of the Niqols'' artistic sense rather than a structure with deeper meanings. Khan could quickly guess that the aliens mainly used it for political reasons, which suited the event perfectly.


    The Chiefs made the group circle the area a few times before leading everyone on one of the mountains nearby. The students left their rides there before reaching the valley on foot, and a surprisingly calm aura enveloped them as soon as they stepped on the dark-grey grass.


    That atmosphere resembled the calm aura of [The Pure Trees], but it felt more intense. A faint smile appeared on Khan''s face when he sensed the vague tiredness of the travel disappearing in a few seconds under the positive properties of that influence.


    Similar smiles appeared on the students. Some still had headaches even if the flight had lasted for almost half a day. The aura washed over their hangover and allowed them to appear as lively as possible.


    "[Clean yourselves up and wear decent clothes]," Chief Alu ordered while wearing his usual gentle smile. "[The humans will arrive at night, so hurry up]."


    "[Go in the habitations behind the palace and don''t waste time]," Chief Nazyr added. "[You had enough fun already. You can be serious for one night]."


    A few laughs resounded among the group of students while the Chiefs led everyone across the long valley. The palace appeared immense when they had the chance to inspect it from its base, but no doors appeared in their view. It seemed that the structure featured hidden entrances.


    "[I bet you can''t wait to see your superiors]," Doku mocked when he approached Khan from the side.


    "[Shouldn''t you bow to some higher-up inside the palace or something]?" Khan laughed.


    "[I believe this is outside of my reach]," Doku explained while pointing at one of the small structures that appeared once they crossed the palace. "[Only Liiza and some members of important tribes can go there]."


    "[Maybe it''s better like this]," Khan exclaimed before sensing a familiar presence and turning his head toward his source.


    "[My friend]!" Ilman shouted when he saw Khan''s eyes falling on him. "[You are sharp as always]."


    Ilman had just come out of one of the structures behind the palace. His hair was still wet, and he had yet to close his robe. His slender figure and underwear were in the open, and some girls couldn''t help but gasp at that sight.


    Ilman ignored those attentions while waving his hand toward Khan, but his face turned serious when he noticed that Liiza was looking at him. He immediately closed his robe and performed a deep bow toward her, but a sigh escaped his mouth after he raised his head and found her walking toward the palace.


    Everyone could see that scene. Khan could follow Liiza''s departing figure with his eyes without worrying that his gesture could arise suspicion. The girl approached the smooth dark-grey surface of the palace, and a few metal layers slid open to reveal an entrance after she placed her hand on it.


    ''She must be so pissed today,'' Khan thought as a sweet smile appeared on his face when the layers of the palace closed behind her figure.


    "[Maybe that''s for the best]," Doku whispered. "[I''ve seen how poorly you hold back]."


    "[You didn''t see anything]," Khan sneered. "[You and Azni were both dead drunk. It''s not my fault if your nose could smell the aftermath]."


    "[These human friends won''t hesitate to exploit your kindness]," Doku joked.


    "[You were literally sleeping on my bed that night]," Khan complained.


    "[Who was sleeping where]?" Ilman asked after he arrived next to the duo and heard the end of that conversation.


    "[Life in the encampment]," Khan lied shortly. "[Doku here likes to enjoy it to the fullest]."


    "[Because he is a true Niqols]," Ilman laughed while patting Doku''s shoulder.


    "[Why aren''t you inside the palace]?" Doku asked.


    "[I asked to be among the students]," Ilman explained as he escorted the duo toward one of the structures. "[I don''t have the best character when it comes to political matters]."


    Both Doku and Khan nodded to agree with those words, and Ilman laughed again. The three exchanged a few more jokes during the walk as the students flowed into the different structures to clean themselves up and wear new robes.


    Khan and Doku cleaned themselves quickly, and Ilman led them back into the valley once they came out. Azni and other Niqols joined them as they took their place among the dark-grey grass, and the same went for the recruits.


    Servants eventually came out of the palace to place multiple cauldrons among the valley. Khan and the others could watch them concocting the special booze meant for that event while they waited for the meeting to start.


    Then, the familiar noise of the Aduns'' wings spread through the area, and the group could witness the arrival of the human troops in the valley when they raised their eyes toward the bright sky.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I will move to Demonic Sword now since it''s super late already. I will write the fourth chapter for chaos after taking care of my first book.

 Chapter 190: Punch

    The dark-blue uniforms worn by the humans almost made them look like Niqols, but the sunlight revealed their true nature. Khan couldn''t see much from his spot, but he didn''t fail to sense the immediate tension that had fallen around him.


    The change didn''t really apply to Khan due to how close he had become with the Niqols. George and Helen could also partially ignore that new atmosphere since they had relationships to state their honest approach to their alien companions, but the others felt awkward.


    The arrival of the human troops turned that relaxed gathering on the grass into a political meeting. The Niqols had to work for the greater good of their species now, so they couldn''t treat the recruits among them as simple companions anymore.


    "[We should greet them]," Doku announced before standing up.


    Khan, Azni, and the others imitated him and crossed the valley to approach the palace again. The Niqols that led the humans to the area had made the group land in one of the mountains near the structure, and the students weren''t the only ones who moved to wait for them.


    The students almost stopped moving when they saw the dark-grey walls of the palace sliding open to reveal an entrance. The sight didn''t surprise them, but the Niqols that came out of it left all of them stunned.


    Ambassador Yeza was wearing one of her usual revealing dresses. She was so stunning that even the Niqols behind her struggled to keep their gazes straight. Only Liiza, who stood by her side, and Khan, who was captivated by his girlfriend''s gown, managed to look elsewhere.


    Azni snapped back to reality before her companions, and she poked both Doku and Khan with her elbows. The two stopped staring at Yeza and her daughter and performed a bow, and the other students soon imitated them.


    "Let''s greet our guests properly, shall we?" Yeza asked while wearing a bright smile, and the students didn''t hesitate to walk behind her group to create a proper greeting party.


    The humans soon descended from the mountain. Khan saw Captain Erbair, Lieutenant Kintea, Paul, the other Lieutenant and squad captains, various soldiers, and all the recruits stationed on Nitis. He didn''t recognize many faces, especially those from Brandon''s camp, but he noticed how their auras had changed.


    Khan mostly noticed the difference in the recruits from his camp, especially those he had learnt to know better than the others. Harris, Natalie, and Sonia appeared more mature but in a sad way. Their uncaring eyes almost described how the crisis had affected their livelihood heavily.


    The human group was relatively small, smaller than Khan expected. They had suffered losses in those weeks, which wasn''t surprising considering their situation. Also, the Global Army was willing to send its most promising recruit among the Niqols. Khan couldn''t imagine what the others had to do to ensure the survival of the teleport.


    The changes weren''t too unexpected, but Khan still felt strange in front of the humans. He performed a military salute, but he didn''t sense any belonging in that gesture. Bowing felt more natural now.


    "[Greetings, Ambassador Yeza]," Captain Erbair bowed before showing a stern smile.


    "We finally have the chance to meet again," Yeza exclaimed in an enchanting tone. "It''s a pity this meeting had to happen during such awful circumstances."


    "I hope my envoys have served you well," Captain Erbair uttered.


    "They have completed their tasks perfectly," Ambassador Yeza announced before waving a hand in Khan''s direction. "We would be lost without Khan."


    The unexpected mention made Khan frown, but his expression instantly turned into a respectful smile that he didn''t hesitate to hide with a bow toward Yeza. Everyone had turned toward him after that announcement, and most of them shared his surprise.


    ''She is really holding up her end of the deal,'' Khan thought as he straightened his back and revealed his respectful smile to everyone who was still looking at him.


    The past deal with Yeza involved Khan''s political career, and mentioning him in front of his superiors would significantly improve his value. The event had been unexpected, but he accepted it happily. The ambassador in charge of handling the relationship between the two species had actually vouched for him.


    Paul kept his eyes on Khan for a bit longer than the others, but he eventually joined the exchange of polite salutation with the other Niqols. The meeting had officially started, and the group split since only the higher-ups or notable figures could enter the palace.


    Only Captain Erbair, the two Lieutenants, and the older soldiers followed Yeza, Liiza, and the other higher-ups of the Niqols inside the palace. The other remained outside and waited for the wall to hide the entrance before moving toward the valley again.


    "[I should probably greet the others]," Khan sighed when he saw Brandon and the others hurrying toward the squad leaders and the other recruits.


    "[Don''t forget to bring the other to drink]," Doku commented.


    "[They must celebrate in the Niqols'' way]," Ilman added, and his words almost sounded like an order.


    "[Don''t make any of them fall into the gorge]," Azni reminded them, and the three boys instinctively looked at the crack a dozen of meters from their position.


    The valley was vast, and the same went for the crack. The sunlight illuminated its upper parts and revealed the details of those rocky surfaces. Still, the bottom of the gorge remained dark due to how deep it was.


    "[I won''t get my hopes up with the squad leaders here]," Khan explained.


    "[Maybe we can pretend to get offended to get you out of a boring situation]," Doku proposed. "[A signal might work].


    "[Doku, you took weeks to learn how to wink properly],"


    "[Months]," Khan corrected her while pretending to cough.


    "[Do not worry]," Ilman announced. "[I will understand when Khan is bored with a single glance]."


    "[That will be hard since I''m already bored]," Khan laughed before nodding at the three Niqols and turning toward the group of humans.


    His actions didn''t go unnoticed. All the recruits and squad leaders glanced at Khan when they saw him splitting from his Niqols friend. Yeza''s announcement from before had made him the most interesting figure among the envoys.


    "How the fuck did you even do that?" Paul asked as soon as Khan approached the humans.


    "I must be good with women," Khan laughed while glancing at George.


    "Humans and Niqols can confirm that!" George shouted before mustering his courage to approach Natalie.


    ''Why is he even scared?'' Khan commented in his mind before disregarding the issue to focus on Paul.


    "How are things out there?" Khan asked.


    "They are as messy as they can be," Paul sighed. "We lost a bunch of recruits in the first week, and the situation didn''t improve too much afterward. So many survived only because we abandoned the camps and hid near the teleport since Captain Erbair was in charge of defending it."


    "Did the Niqols send reinforcements?" Khan continued while pointing at one of the cauldrons in the distance.


    "As if," Paul snorted. "We were about to obtain clearance to send some weapons here, but Rodney happened."


    Khan fell silent and continued to stare in front of him even if Paul were trying to study his reactions. He wouldn''t reveal anything on the matter until he understood where Paul stood regarding the topic.


    "No one is holding a grudge against you," Paul reassured when he understood the reason behind Khan''s silence. "Well, Rodney''s family will definitely hate you, but we are keeping your name outside of the official reports for now. Everyone is mostly happy that one of you managed to get close to the Niqols."


    "Is he rich?" Khan asked without turning.


    "Pretty wealthy, but not too influential," Paul explained. "Don''t worry. You are quite untouchable for now."


    Khan nodded, and his thoughts immediately went toward another topic when silence fell again. Yeza''s announcement had made it difficult for him to inspect his peers properly, but he believed that none of them had noticed his breakthrough. Even Paul didn''t seem to realize that he was walking side by side with another first-level warrior.


    "So, did you have fun before the arrival of the sunlight?" Paul teased, clearly hinting at what George had said before.


    "I have restrictions," Khan joked while pointing at the side of his neck. "I''m afraid everything has to remain a secret."


    "You are enjoying this, aren''t you?" Paul asked.


    "How untouchable am I exactly?" Khan smile.


    "Move on, soldier," Paul snorted. "Don''t forget that I''m your superior."


    "I wonder if I can ruin my image fast enough to affect your promotion," Khan wondered while bringing a hand to his chin.


    "Name your price, scoundrel," Paul gave up.


    Khan glanced behind him. Everyone was busy catching up, and the azure symbols on the six envoys'' necks often lit up since they risked revealing something connected to the academy. Still, no one was looking in his direction anymore. Even George and Veronica were too busy with the other humans to pay attention to him.


    His eyes eventually fell on Kelly. She was with Brandon next to a short woman whose presence appeared as strong as Paul. She probably was one of the squad leaders of the other camp, and Khan couldn''t help but notice how close Kelly seemed to her.


    "I''m close to beating Kelly up," Khan whispered. "The restrictions don''t allow me to tell you why, but she has tried to get in my way many times already."


    "I should have gotten a drink first," Paul sighed while massaging the spot between his eyebrows. "Whose fault is it?"


    "Neither," Khan responded. "She is strict while I''m free, but she gets mad since she can''t control me."


    "Oh, that''s easy," Paul exclaimed. "You have yet to realize it, but you are already a few steps above the other recruits on Nitis. You might even be above me in terms of sheer political value. The higher-ups would directly throw away complaints filed by recruits if they were to involve you."


    "That''s reassuring," Khan commented.


    "You should check your position on the lists once all of this is over," Paul suggested. "You should be able to fit in some positions as a squad leader in alien planets after what you have achieved here."


    "You still don''t know what I did," Khan frowned.


    "And you have no idea what I would do to make Ambassador Yeza compliment me," Paul scoffed. "That alone will become part of your profile."


    "I can ask her to see you if you want," Khan proposed.


    "Can you?" Paul gasped as his eyes lit up in pure joy.


    "No," Khan laughed before hurrying toward the first fuming cauldron that he found.


    Paul silently cursed him, but a smile eventually appeared on his face. Khan had basically ensured his promotion to Lieutenant. He couldn''t say anything to that recruit.


    The servants from the palace had continued to handle the preparations for the event. The valley had less than two hundred people, but those Niqols prepared thirty cauldrons in different spots of the area.


    The valley was a few kilometers long, so those cauldrons never overlapped. The various groups that formed during the event could also have the chance to decide between a crowded area or some privacy.


    Many Niqols had sat around the fuming cauldron approached by Khan, and they didn''t hesitate to hand him a cup. Doku, Azni, and Ilman were there, and the girl promptly pointed at the edge of the group with her eyes. Havaa was in that area, and she was staring at the incoming humans.


    Khan had been the first human to approach the cauldrons, so he could turn and watch the awaited scene unfold with his three friends. Havaa took a deep breath before standing up and walking toward the incoming recruit. George was doing his best to catch up with Natalie, and the girl was even showing rare smiles at his jokes.


    The crisis had been hard for Natalie. Still, that reunion had reminded her of how easy it had always been to talk with George. Seeing that he didn''t change at all during those months was even heartwarming, but Havaa''s arrival made her frown. Her surprised expression only intensified when she saw Havaa punching George on his nose.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Hey, look! Chaos got a new chapter! Jokes apart, this covers yesterday, which means that you''ll get two more for today and two for tomorrow. I slept for 13 hours, so I should be able to write everything before and after Demonic Sword''s next release.

 Chapter 191: Entertainment

    The sudden punch left everyone speechless. Only a few had paid attention to the entire scene, but no one could miss George after some surprised gasps resounded in the area. The boy was sitting on the ground, and a hand covered his nose as blood flowed out of it.


    The recruits froze, and Paul''s hands instinctively went in his hair when he thought about the many political consequences that the event could cause. George was even in his class, so he knew that he had to handle the issue by himself.


    Natalie had just started to feel some relief after the tough weeks that she had to experience, so anger filled her face when she gazed at Havaa. She didn''t care about George enough to get into a fight for him, but that girl had hurt her by hitting her friend.


    Paul decided to step forward and defuse the situation, but Khan stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder. The soldier turned to question him, but he discovered that he didn''t move his eyes from George and Havaa.


    Khan performed a grabbing gesture with his free hand, and Ilman promptly put a cup filled with booze in his palm. Khan handed that cup to Paul before repeating the process to get a drink for himself.


    Paul continued to stare at Khan in confusion, but the latter soon whispered to explained the situation. "Let them handle that. Everyone has waited for this to happen since learning about the meeting."


    Paul wanted to complain, but his words remained stuck in his throat when he saw the other Niqols staring with prying eyes at George and Havaa while taking quick sips from their cups. Everyone seemed serious about the situation but for stupid reasons.


    Natalie prepared herself to voice an angry berate, but Veronica reached her and pulled her away before she could say anything. The same confusion that afflicted Paul fell on Natalie, and she couldn''t help but question her friend with her gaze while she continued to pull her away.


    That confusion spread among all the recruits. Only Khan and the others who had lived in the academy knew what was happening and managed to take it as a mere fight between partners.


    George rarely managed to keep his mouth shut, especially after drinking. Almost every student had learnt about his previous love interest, so they had waited for that event to unfold. Still, they didn''t expect Havaa to hit him when he was talking with Natalie.


    "[That''s a bit too-]," Doku began to comment, but Azni slapped his shoulder to make him stop speaking.


    Paul noticed that interaction and glanced at Khan again, hoping that the latter could give him explanations. Yet, Khan only had short answers for him, and he even had to whisper them out of fear of Azni''s anger. "She has been George''s girlfriend during these months."


    "That''s still-," Paul tried to argue, but he didn''t contain his voice, so a series of annoyed gazes converged toward his figure and made him go silent.


    "The Niqols generally like gossips, especially those involving couples," Khan explained through whispers.


    Paul could only nod while Khan took a sip from his cup and remained focused on the scene. The soldier turned to look at George and Havaa and discovered that the other envoys had taken care of calming down the recruits who wanted to intervene.


    "Why aren''t you helping them?" Paul asked in a faint voice.


    "This is a perfect spot," Khan responded. "I''m not giving it up."


    "[Khan]?" Azni''s cold voice resounded from behind the two, and Khan immediately fell silent. Paul also understood the silent threat and stopped talking.


    "[Why did you do it]?" George asked in a poor accent. "[We were just talking]!"


    "[I know what talking means for you]," Havaa scolded angrily. "[Did these months mean nothing to you]?"


    "[Of course, but my family-]," George replied, but Havaa suppressed a sob before kicking his leg and leaving the scene in a hurry.


    George followed her departing figure with his gaze, but an army of disappointed eyes unfolded in his vision when he turned to look at his companions. Some of the Niqols were even shaking their heads.


    "[A man who can''t listen to feeling-]," Ilman started to shout while standing up, but Khan and Doku promptly reached his shoulders to keep him on the ground.


    Ilman still struggled, but Azni''s cold glare eventually put an end to his desire to scold George. The girl appeared ready to kill to preserve her source of gossips.


    George remained in that position for a few seconds before exploding into a loud groan. He nimbly jumped on his feet and wiped his bleeding nose before turning toward Natalie.


    "I''m sorry," George announced. "We can''t be together."


    Natalie''s eyes widened before her eyebrows closed into a frown. "We have never come close to that."


    George pretended not to hear that answer. He began to run in the direction where Havaa had left, but he stopped after a few meters to turn toward Khan''s group and voice a request. "Can I get a cup before g-."


    The boy couldn''t complete his request since a series of angry reprimands flew in his direction and forced him to resume his march. Curses and satisfied nods appeared among the group of Niqols after George left the areas, but Ilman''s sudden announcement ruined that mood. "[Love wins in the end]!"


    "[We have yet to see if she accepts to get him back]," Azni commented.


    "[Don''t appear too excited about it]," Doku teased.


    "[Come on]," Azni complained while pulling Doku''s sleeve. "[They are so cute together]."


    "[We are cuter]," Doku winked, and Azni blushed in front of that unexpected gesture.


    A series of cute exclamations resounded among the group when Azni hid her face in Doku''s chest. Ilman ended up being the loudest of them, and Khan also showed an honest smile at the sight of the happy couple.


    "What did you even do during these months?" Paul whispered when Khan rejoined him.


    "You might discover that some of us have changed after adapting to the Niqols'' lifestyle," Khan vaguely explained, and Paul stared at him for a few seconds before giving up on the matter.


    The recruits found it hard to join the Niqols right away, but Khan, Helen, and Veronica did their best to unite the groups while the servants were still setting everything for the meeting. Tables filled with food slowly appeared on both flat areas at the sides of the gorge, and the event soon moved there.


    The atmosphere in the valley wasn''t tense. The main meeting was happening in the palace, and the Niqols discovered how easier it was to connect with the humans when Khan helped them out. That was the first time someone of their age had grown so close to them, so he could effortlessly act as a bridge between the two species.


    Doku, Azni, Ilman, Asyat, and the other Niqols that had built a good relationship with Khan also helped since they knew that a good performance in the event would help their human friend. They didn''t hesitate to bring the recruits inside their groups and make them join their conversations.


    Many recruits remained biased or hesitant about the vague carelessness shown by the Niqols. The squad leaders also avoided drinking too much since they couldn''t consider the event a simple celebration. Their serious approach made them unable to miss how deeply Khan had entered that social environment, and the four of them didn''t forget to memorize that detail.


    Yeza''s mention and the scenes during the meeting put Khan above the other envoys. The squad leaders felt that the humans had finally gained a decent foundation regarding the relationship with the Niqols. It might take a few years, but Khan could transform into the connection they needed to get past that mutual distrust and start developing a proper alliance.


    George returned a few hours later. He had a few bruises on his face, but Havaa held his hand as they walked back to the event. The girl was even blushing, which caused a series of excited gasps and laughs, with the loudest being Ilman and Azni.


    "Why is everyone so excited?" Paul questioned Khan about that reaction.


    "Ask the others," Khan laughed. "I''d rather not be the one to have this awkward conversation."


    Paul listened to his advice and questioned the other envoys. Veronica ended up revealing everything to the squad leader, even if she blushed and used shy words to explain the matter.


    The squad leader had no words to express how he felt. Paul didn''t know whether to feel angry that George had left the meeting to be intimate with his girlfriend or happy that another recruit had established a strong relationship with the Niqols.


    In the end, Paul let go of the matter and decided to ignore every strange outcome that had resulted from that political mission. It was part of the envoys'' tasks to blend with an alien species without forgetting their origins. George seemed to tend too much toward the Niqols, but he chose not to care that day.


    Truth be told, all the recruits needed to relax and vent the stress accumulated in the past weeks. They didn''t have the parties to vent their tension, and their missions had been messy due to the lack of proper tools at their disposal.


    The humans had to live in constant tension during those almost four weeks. The small area under their control was their only advantage over the Niqols since the weaker troops could always retreat and rely on stronger troops if the situation became too dangerous.


    The peaceful meeting helped the humans rest their minds and enjoy a night among the hellish landscape that Nitis had become.


    "What will you say to your family?" Khan asked once George separated from Havaa and walked past all the compliments and teases voiced by the Niqols.


    "What can I even say?" George shrugged his shoulders before taking a sip from his cup. "It''s not totally stupid from a political perspective, right? I''ll get to see this alliance flourish while my talented friend does all the work for me."


    "I wish it were so easy," Khan sighed while toasting with George and moving his gaze on the palace.


    Some of the important figures who had entered the palace were on the long balcony of the central structure. Khan was too far away to recognize all of them, but Captain Erbair, Yeza, and Liiza were easy to find even at that distance.


    Captain Erbair was too tall to mistake her for a Niqols, Yeza had her unique charm, and Liiza made Khan feel warm. The others were nothing more than vague figures in his vision.


    It seemed that the meeting inside the palace had reached a cordial phase since many Niqols and humans were on the balcony. Still, Khan noticed how Liiza and Yeza left the area together and in a hurry.


    The two Niqols didn''t immediately return on the balcony. Khan only shot glances every once in a while when no one looked, but he kept track of the changes on the palace. It felt strange for such important figures to disappear from the main event, but a familiar screech eventually reached his ears and revealed the nature of the situation.


    The group in the valley noticed a dark-grey Aduns when they glanced at the sky, but they quickly disregarded the matter. Only Khan continued to inspect the eagle because it was his girlfriend''s ride.


    Liiza soon appeared on the open roof of the right building and jumped on her Aduns to leave the palace. At the same time, Yeza returned to the central balcony and resumed her political tasks.


    ''They must have fought,'' Khan concluded in his mind as he followed Liiza''s Aduns crossing the valley.


    Snow almost replied to the emotions filling Khan''s mind, but he made sure to stop it. He couldn''t follow her now even if he desired to do it with every fiber of his body.


    A helpless sigh escaped Khan''s mouth as he decided to bring his focus back on his surroundings, but a faint tremor suddenly reached his feet. No one except for the squad leaders seemed to have felt it, but a stronger vibration soon ran through the valley and made everyone aware of the event.


    Khan looked at the Niqols to understand how worried they were about the earthquake. They didn''t appear scared. They only frowned in front of that event, and annoyance filled their faces when the tremors intensified even more.


    The first sign of danger appeared when a crack opened at the edges of the gorge. Yet, panic didn''t spread since azure symbols appeared on the ground and the gorge''s walls to reinforce their structure. Everything continued to tremble, but nothing broke anymore.


    Liiza stopped above the valley when she noticed the azure symbols. It took her a while to notice the earthquake, but she didn''t feel worried about the event either. However, her peculiar position allowed her to see that cracks continued to open in some mountains around the area.


    The students couldn''t see those events from the bottom of the valley, but that wasn''t enough to cause worry. Liiza had to see a massive claw coming out of one of the cracks to understand that something was deeply wrong.


    Liiza made her Aduns shoot toward the group, but her expression froze when her senses noticed something giant hiding right inside the gorge''s edges. Her eagle unfolded its wings to stop its momentum, but everything happened too quickly for her to do something about the incredible event.


    Part of the gorge''s edges exploded even if the azure symbols were reinforcing them. A dark-green lightning bolt shot out of the rocky surface and illuminated a massive mutated Lysixi that had pointed its strange mouth toward Liiza.


    The lightning bolt was too fast for the Aduns. It hit its chest and spread part of its destructive power on the other side.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Only one chapter left to cover yesterday''s release.

 Chapter 192: Worry

    Ilman''s feelings bordered what humans would define as madness, but they were real. His gaze moved on Liiza as soon as the dark-green light of the lightning bolt filled the area. It was as if he could instinctively sense that she was in danger.


    The lightning bolt pierced the Aduns'' chest and released what remained of its power on the other side. Liiza couldn''t do anything as the attack hit her right shoulder and flung her out of her ride.


    The Aduns and Liiza started to fall as the Lysixi stretched its massive body forward to reach its prey. Similar scenes happened everywhere in the area as other giant monsters came out of the mountains and gorge. They all appeared as mutated versions of the lizard that the envoys had seen in the underground tunnels, but Ilman didn''t care. His full attention was on the woman he loved falling toward the darkness.


    The gorge was vast. Even his best leap couldn''t cover all of it. However, Ilman believed to be fast enough to catch Liiza mid-air and reach the opposite wall before touching the bottom of the crack.


    A suicidal plan quickly formed in his mind as chaos unfolded. Everything went in slow-motion in his eyes as he came up with a desperate idea to save Liiza''s life.


    Ilman wouldn''t be able to control his fall, but Liiza might have the chance to climb back to the surface if he brought her on the opposite wall. That alone wouldn''t save her life and would most likely kill him due to the speed reached before the impact, but it could create some hope for her.


    Determination appeared in Ilman''s eyes as his muscles tensed up. He was ready to sacrifice his life if that gave Liiza a slim chance to survive. He felt no hesitation as he bent himself forward to muster his strength, but a shadow crossed his vision before he could sprint ahead.


    Strong winds followed the passage of the shadow. Ilman hair fluttered and his robe almost opened due to the intensity of those gales. His gaze left Liiza''s falling figure for the first time since the beginning of that chaotic event, and reassurance spread inside him when he managed to identify the boy who had moved before him.


    Khan had gone through everything that Ilman had experienced, but his emotions had been far stronger. His resolve to risk his life to save Liiza had also been more intense, but he could actually back it up with some confidence.


    Khan had been a first-level warrior for a week already. Hunts had followed his breakthrough, but he had always held back during them to avoid arousing suspicion. However, everything had disappeared after the lightning bolt hit Liiza.


    Giant monsters capable of eating Khan with a single bite were coming out from every surface of the valley, but he didn''t feel any fear. His immediate reaction could make others wonder about his relationship with Liiza, but those worries didn''t exist in his mind either.


    A deafening urge resounded Khan''s mind and made it impossible for him to think about anything else. He had to save his loved one. All the worries, fears, and consequences had to wait for when Liiza was safe.


    Khan reached an unfathomable speed when he called upon the entire power that his body could unleash. The air transformed into a dense membrane that tried to slow him down as he shot ahead, but his eyes managed to see everything clearly.


    The gorge was too vast, even for Khan. He couldn''t cross it in a single jump, but the Lysixi coming out of the walls had created multiple footholds that he could use.


    The giant lizards coming out of the walls and the boulders flying in the gorge allowed Khan to see a path. His experience in the Lightning-demon style told him that he could cross the opening thanks to the new power that filled his body.


    Khan generated winds as he moved forward, but his steps didn''t release any sound. The edges of the gorge were falling apart, but the tiny boulders created a path that led him directly to the back of the lizard.


    The monster was stretching its giant body toward the center of the crack in a desperate attempt to catch the falling Aduns. The creature had become almost seven meters long after the mutations. It was even using its tail to reach deeper parts of the canyon, and Khan didn''t hesitate to use it as a bridge to get closer to Liiza.


    The mutated Lysixi didn''t notice Khan''s arrival. His steps on the dark-green scales were too faint, but his pace changed when he reached the tip of the creature''s mouth.


    Khan almost stopped once he stepped on the mouth''s tip. The Lysixi noticed him at that point, and its claws tried to converge in his position, but a massive force suddenly flung its head downward.


    A rumbling noise spread among the canyon as Khan jumped using all the strength that his legs could muster. The central parts of the canyon didn''t have debris, so he couldn''t commit any mistake. Yet, his feelings made his mind reach levels of concentration that he had never experienced before. His leap was perfect.


    Khan flew as his body slowly spun. He went so fast that even the improved skin obtained after the breakthrough burned in some spots. A direct clash with Liiza would only kill her, but he had calculated his rotation perfectly.


    Liiza had almost lost consciousness after the lightning bolt pierced her shoulder. Her worry for her Aduns and her pain had kept her vaguely awake, but seeing Khan flying toward her made her eyes widen in surprise and concern.


    Liiza immediately realized where she was, so seeing Khan flying in the middle of the gorge made her fear for his life. Still, everything happened too quickly for her to do anything. Khan reached her before she recalled what had happened.


    Khan didn''t hit her directly. He continued to rotate with the same momentum generated during his jump and grabbed her gently before continuing to shoot ahead.


    The impact remained hard to endure for Liiza even if Khan had done his best to make it easy for her. Moreover, the speed that she reached wasn''t something that her body could endure. Her bare skin started to burn as Khan held her close to his chest and gazed at the path ahead.


    Khan was far faster than Ilman, but he couldn''t reach the other side of the gorge even after using the Lysixi. Grabbing Liiza had made him slow down and descend toward the wall, but that area had a path that he could walk.


    Many monsters had come out of the wall and had filled that area with falling boulders. Khan continued to descend diagonally until he reached those cracked rocks, and one of them eventually appeared in front of him.


    "[Hold still]," Khan whispered as his eyes remained on that boulder.


    Liiza instinctively wrapped her arms around his chest, allowing him to focus the entirety of his attention on the issue at hand. Khan''s side slammed on the falling boulder and pushed it away, but he used his free hand to keep it close.


    The boulder continued to fall, but Khan nimbly jumped on it. His eyes went on the sky now that he had finally gained a foothold. Many rocks and giant lizards filled his vision, but he didn''t consider them as potential threats. They were his path toward the surface.


    Liiza tightened her grip on Khan''s chest when he jumped upward. His faint steps landed on multiple cavities on the wall as he pushed himself closer to the surface.


    Khan climbed until he exhausted the viable cavities, but he turned toward the falling rocks at that point. A suitable boulder was right above him, and he didn''t hesitate to jump there.


    The new spot opened new paths. Khan saw other cavities and boulders, and he quickly jumped again by following a simple tactic. He had to prioritize the boulders since they would end at some point. Instead, the wall would still be there once they fell past him.


    Khan climbed until the surface reappeared in his vision. A Lysixi had come out from a spot above him and had created a large cavity that could lead him back on the valley with a single jump. Yet, the creature was still there, and it had noticed his arrival.


    That monster was smaller than the lizard seen on the other side of the canyon, but fuming claws grew from its eight legs. They appeared able to melt everything they touched, including the rocky cavity that allowed it to stand next to the surface.


    A single touch from those claws would cleave Khan in half, but he didn''t feel any fear while jumping away from the wall to reach a falling boulder behind him. The second foothold allowed him to leap back toward a higher spot of the wall that was quite close to the cavity occupied by the mutated Lysixi.


    The creature couldn''t follow his movements, but the instant that Khan spent on the second foothold told it that the prey was coming. The Lysixi started to stretch its claws forward even if Khan disappeared from its vision.


    The claws aimed for Khan even after he jumped off the boulder, but he didn''t panic. He had never intended to reach the mutated Lysixi in a straight line. A small rock stood between him and those fuming talons, and that was enough to make him change direction mid-air.


    The small rock shattered as Khan performed a quick jump that led him next to the lizard''s head. The creature remained stunned, but Khan vanished right after. He climbed the small wall behind the monster until his feet stepped on the dark-grey grass of the valley.


    Khan didn''t stop there. The monster was behind him, but other mutated Lysixi were coming out in the distance. The safest spot appeared to be the center of that side of the valley, and he reached it in no time.


    "[Khan]," Liiza sobbed when Khan placed her on the ground.


    Liiza had hidden her face on his chest, but burns had appeared on her hands, forearms, legs, and neck. Her shoulder had never stopped bleeding either, and Khan''s speed had only worsened her injury.


    Still, the pain felt during the flight had awakened her completely. Liiza had recalled everything that had happened, and tears inevitably fell from her eyes.


    Khan didn''t need to question her to understand the source of her sorrow. Liiza had just lost the friend that had accompanied her throughout the long years as an outcast. Her Aduns had been her only trusted companion before Khan''s arrival, and its corpse was somewhere in the depths of the gorge now.


    "[I couldn''t save Zama]," Khan explained while holding her hand. "[I''m sorry]."


    Liiza tried to stand up and go toward the gorge, but Khan hugged her before she could stand up. The girl struggled to escape his grasp and shouted the Aduns'' name, but she eventually hid her face in Khan''s neck to cry.


    Khan studied Liiza''s injuries while she wrapped her arms around his neck to hide her face even more. The burns weren''t an issue, but blood still flowed out of the hole in her right shoulder. He had to patch that wound before it became too severe.


    A powerful presence entered Khan''s range while he was busy tearing apart a piece of his robe. His hand immediately went on his sheath and drew the first-grade knife as he turned toward the source of that sensation, but his eyes widened when he noticed Yeza.


    Dark blood had tainted the woman''s revealing dress and hair, but she didn''t seem to care. Yeza''s face was cold, but evident worry filled her eyes as they moved between Khan and Liiza.


    Khan wanted to relax his face, but he noticed that his muscles didn''t reply to his thoughts. His grip on the knife remained firm, his eyes continued to express coldness, and his feet had instinctively prepared another sprint.


    The dangerous situation and the injured Liiza crying in his arms had made Khan focus the entirety of his power on protecting her. Of course, that was an irrational desire in front of her mother, and Khan slowly managed to lower his knife, but his expression remained cold and wary.


    ****


    Author''s notes: This chapter covers yesterday. I need two more to handle today''s release now. I think the first will come before I move to Demonic Sword. The second will arrive afterward.

 Chapter 193: Bridges

    The relationship between Liiza and Yeza was far from good, but the latter still loved her greatly. She had been on the balcony of the palace''s central building when the chaos had unfolded, and she had immediately noticed the dark-green lightning bolt hitting Liiza.


    Yeza was incredibly strong. Her position had requirements that went beyond simple political skills, and she met all of them perfectly. However, her power was useless in that situation. Liiza was too far away.


    Despair had started to spread in Yeza''s mind when she realized how powerless she was in that situation. Still, a peculiar scene unfolded in her vision before she could lose herself to grief. She saw Khan unleashing an unfathomable speed and jumping after her daughter while everyone had yet to realize what was happening.


    Something strange happened in Yeza''s mind. She wasn''t thinking clearly, but she still felt confident that Khan would succeed in saving her daughter''s life.


    That confidence made her jump from the balcony, step on the ground, and run toward the valley''s left side. Khan had reached Liiza by then, so Yeza already knew where he would land.


    A mutated Lysixi came out of the ground in front of her, but Yeza barely looked at it. She softly pressed her palm on the scaled chest, and the creature spat a torrent of blood before collapsing on its back. Part of its dark insides fell on her hair and dress, but she didn''t care about her appearance when she had yet to confirm the state of her daughter.


    A smile appeared on Yeza''s face when she saw Khan jumping on the surface while carrying Liiza in his arms. She felt even happier when she noticed that her daughter was alive, but the sobbed screams that called the Aduns'' name turned her expression dark.


    Yeza knew that she couldn''t offer Liiza any emotional support. Their relationship was too bad, and she suffered when she realized that Liiza would have to go through that pain on her own. Her daughter was all alone in the world now.


    However, something even stranger happened while she continued to run forward. Liiza abandoned herself to Khan''s hug with ease that Yeza had never seen in her daughter. Moreover, Khan appeared truly in pain and worried about her situation.


    Yeza was an expert in manipulating mana and political interactions, but her true mastery was in the study of people. She could understand secrets from hidden glances and uncover relationships from vague gestures. Liiza was her weak point in that ability, but she couldn''t fail to sense the deep feelings that the couple was sharing now.


    Everything became more evident when Yeza reached the duo. Khan raised his knife in an instinctive attempt to protect Liiza from an unknown threat, and his desire had been so strong that he couldn''t lower his weapon even after recognizing Yeza.


    Moreover, his expression carried the same determination that Yeza had seen during the meeting. She couldn''t fail to connect that secret Niqols'' partner with the girl in his arms.


    Khan managed to lower his knife after a few seconds, but the coldness in his eyes didn''t disappear. Still, Liiza was in pain, and she needed medical attention, so he didn''t hesitate to consider her health a priority.


    "She is injured," Khan limited himself to say while using the human language on purpose.


    Yeza snapped back to reality and hurried toward the couple before placing a hand on Liiza''s head. Her mana flowed inside the girl and fixed her injuries in a matter of seconds, but the latter only held Khan tightly as strength returned inside her body.


    Instead, Khan glanced at Yeza and met her cold gaze. He immediately realized that she had understood everything, so he waited for her judgment.


    "[Since when]?" Yeza eventually asked, and hearing that voice made Liiza raise her head in surprise.


    Liiza''s grief had made her fail to realize that someone had healed her, but hearing that voice forced her senses to focus on her surroundings again. Yeza''s stern face appeared in her teary eyes, and she instinctively glanced at Khan to understand what they had to do.


    Liiza immediately understood that her gesture had been a mistake, so her eyes darted back on Yeza. Still, her attempt to hide how deeply she cared about Khan''s opinion only made the situation more obvious.


    A wave of panic swept Liiza''s mind. Her thoughts were still a mess due to Zama''s death, and the fear that her actions had uncovered her relationship with Khan only worsened her mental state.


    Her breath became irregular, but a familiar warmth spread from the back of her head and calmed her down. Liiza turned again toward Khan and relaxed when she saw his loving smile. Another sob inevitably escaped her mouth as she made their foreheads touch and took his face in her hands.


    Yeza struggled to maintain a cold expression. She saw the love in Khan''s caresses and smiles. She noticed the affection in her daughter''s reactions. Her position had forced her to consider the political implications and dangers that the relationship could cause, but those worries vanished in front of the couple''s feelings. They even felt offensive in front of their intense emotions.


    "[Right after my arrival on Nitis]," Khan revealed when he and Liiza turned to show their firm gazes to Yeza.


    "[It was my fault]," Liiza quickly added. "[He would have neve-]."


    "[It was only a matter of time before we ended up together]," Khan interrupted her, and the two exchanged meaningful glances.


    Yeza could almost read their intentions in those gazes. Liiza wanted to take the blame for the relationship, but Khan didn''t let her. She then questioned him with her eyes, and he made her understand that they were in that mess together.


    The two seemed on the verge of kissing after that silent exchange of gazes. Yeza had to clear her throat to claim their attention.


    Khan and Liiza snapped back to reality and fixed their eyes back on Yeza. The situation around them had only grown more chaotic, but they only cared about her judgment.


    "[You have no idea what I can do with my mana]," Yeza threatened while bending toward Khan. "[I hope you don''t force me to review the Niqols'' long history in torture techniques]."


    Yeza then turned toward Liiza to continue. "[You have seen how men are. Don''t give yourself away easily even if our species finds it hard to hold back]."


    Liiza sniffed before performing a weak nod, but something in her gesture made Yeza frown and question the couple. "[Did you two have sex already]?"


    "[I won''t accept your opinion on the topic]," Liiza stated while showing a firm expression.


    Yeza''s frown deepened and forced Khan to add something to defuse the fight. "[We have been careful. We have used protections]."


    Liiza and Yeza turned toward Khan, and he obviously chose to look at his girlfriend. Both women appeared angry about something, and Khan guessed that they didn''t want him to step between them.


    "[You have gone through a lot]," Khan explained while pulling Liiza closer to his chest. "[This isn''t the time to argue with your mother]."


    Khan''s words reminded Liiza about Zama, and a sob accompanied the nod that she used to answer him. Yeza''s eyes widened in astonishment. Khan had actually managed to stop Liiza''s angry outburst.


    "[Your father would like him]," Yeza commented, and Liiza turned to show an angry expression toward her mother.


    Khan managed to stop the second outburst by calling her name with the Niqols'' accent, but he also turned to say something to Yeza once Liiza calmed down. "[With all due respect, you aren''t helping]."


    Yeza ended up smiling at that remark, but she quickly covered her mouth. She couldn''t appear happy when the crisis had reached such a critical point. Still, she had been unable to hide her feelings after confirming that her daughter had someone worthy of her trust during that problematic situation.


    "[We''ll talk properly after everything is over]," Yeza eventually sighed before turning her gaze on the valley. "[Make sure to be there for her. Zama was a good Aduns]."


    Khan nodded even if Yeza wasn''t looking at them. Liiza''s grasp on his neck tightened as she realized what had just happened. That announcement wasn''t a proper approval of their relationship, but it was something that went in the right direction.


    The valley had fallen deeper into chaos during those minutes. The Niqols and humans in the palace had chased after Yeza, but mutated Lysixi had blocked their path. The students and recruits on the other side of the crack had tried to reach their higher-ups, but monsters had eventually stopped their advance.


    Both Niqols and humans needed to regroup and create proper battle formations to get out of that situation. The pack of Lysixi wasn''t too numerous, but all of its members were monsters that had developed abilities. Yeza, Captain Erbair, and soldiers at a similar level wouldn''t have problems against them, but the same didn''t apply to the others.


    "[Khan, help the other students]," Yeza ordered. "[Bring Liiza with you. I will make the higher-ups regroup and join you before leading everyone to another safe location]."


    "[How should I reach th-]?" Khan began to ask, but Yeza suddenly tapped the ground to activate one of the functions that the Niqols had set there beforehand.


    The entire valley was full of monsters, and the students were on the other side of the gorge, so Khan didn''t know how to reach them. Yet, many openings appeared on the rocky walls of the canyon after Yeza''s gesture. Large bridges full of cracks came out of the holes and stretched toward the other sides.


    Azure symbols filled the bridges and increased their stability. Khan saw some Lysixi attacking them only to have a shining membrane blocking their abilities. That protection even deflected the fuming claws of the giant lizard near the spot where he had landed.


    "[Can I trust you with this task and my daughter]?" Yeza asked without turning.


    Yeza appeared in a hurry to leave, but she didn''t move. She wanted to hear that Khan had understood how important those things were for her.


    "[Of course]," Khan confirmed in a calm voice that made Yeza smile in satisfaction.


    Yeza didn''t want loud or arrogant announcements. She had already seen how Khan had been ready to risk his life to save Liiza. Still, she needed to hear how he felt about the task, and his calm comment expressed his confidence perfectly.


    Yeza shot forward at that point. Khan took that as the signal that the mission had started. He stood up while lifting Liiza with him, and she didn''t hesitate to complain. "[You can''t fight like this. Put me down]."


    "[I''m not going to fight until I reach the other side]," Khan commented, and Liiza immediately understood what he wanted to do.


    Liiza hid her face and hands inside Khan''s robe before covering the bare skin that she couldn''t protect naturally with her ice. Khan waited for the process to be over and shot ahead when Liiza pinched his side.


    The bridges were still stretching forward. They would reach their counterparts on the other side soon, and the Lysixi had given up on stopping the process.


    The lizard on the bridge near Khan had also stopped attacking and had turned toward him, but it stretched its long body on the structure when it lost track of his figure. Khan would need to pass over its body to go on the other side of the gorge, but that wasn''t a problem for him.


    The Lysixi didn''t even notice when Khan crossed it. He had only needed to perform steps too faint for the creature''s senses. The monster in front of him also was quite similar to the lizard seen in the tunnel, so he didn''t need to perform long jumps that would have made him slow down.


    Still, Khan didn''t feel satisfied with a simple sprint. The first-grade knife was already in his left hand, and testing a technique at that speed wouldn''t even slow him down. Moreover, lowering the number of monsters sounded like a good idea.


    Khan reached the end of the bridge and jumped on the structure stretching from the other side. The action inevitably slowed him down and forced him to release some sound, so the Lysixi turned. Yet, a long wound that went from its neck to the base of its tail opened during the process.


    "[You have said no fights]," Liiza complained once Khan stepped on the other side and stopped running.


    "[Technically, it was training]," Khan justified. "[I''m not used to deploying my full power]."


    "[I''ll forgive you if you kiss me and hold me tightly afterward]," Liiza whispered.


    "[Now]?" Khan asked as he glanced at the students who had noticed their arrival.


    "[Yes, now]," Liiza repeated, and Khan gave in to her request.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I have decided to hit the bed right away today. I will clear Demonic Sword right after waking up before focusing wholeheartedly on Chaos, especially since this part requires my best mental state. If everything goes well, you will get five chapters tomorrow to cover everything that I owe you (1 missed from yesterday, 2 for today, 2 for tomorrow).


    Also, thank you for being so understanding and patient toward this messy writer.

 Chapter 194: Tail

    The Niqols'' sensitivity to mana generally was pretty good, so they sensed Khan and Liiza stepping among their group even if they didn''t turn. The humans didn''t study that topic in the academy, but some of them had developed decent senses anyway, while others had simply heard the couple stopping behind them.


    Paul and the other squad leaders were keeping the three mutated Lysixi that had attacked the group at bay, so many students and recruits had seen Khan saving Liiza. Ilman had even cheered after the event, so missing it had been quite impossible.


    The other side of the gorge was quite far away, and the confusion of the battlefield never gave the group the time to perform a long inspection. They focused on the fact that Liiza and Khan were fine, but they didn''t go further, so no one noticed the intimacy shown by the couple. Yet, the scene that unfolded in their eyes after Khan and Liiza crossed the bridge left everyone stunned.


    Khan lowered his head to kiss Liiza right in front of everyone. It felt good, incredibly good to savor each other''s lips after having spent long weeks in different tents. That feeling was even more intense since they could finally stop pretending in public.


    The chaos unfolding in the valley forced Khan to keep the kiss short, but Liiza tightened the grip on his neck and made him remain on her lips. Khan couldn''t help but smile and wrap both arms around her waist to bring her closer, and the two separated after she decided to hide her face on his chest again.


    Khan gently caressed Liiza''s hair while she tried to use his warmth to fight the grief that was devouring her insides. She could stop herself from exploding into tears only due to the vague acceptance that her mother had shown toward her relationship. Still, that break from her sad emotions never lasted more than a few seconds.


    Many saw that stunning scene, and the voices that followed made everyone aware of what had happened. Azni had voiced a high-pitched excited cry, Ilman had shouted some encouragement, and George didn''t hold back from expressing his surprise. Everything else was a series of murmurs, gasps, and exclamations that eventually reached those involved in the battle.


    Paul, Felicia, and the other two squad leaders were busy fending off the three monsters trying to approach the group. They were all first-level mages and warriors, so mutated creatures weren''t too much of a problem for them. Yet, the three Lysixi had developed abilities, and one of them appeared able to crack its tail at an unfathomable speed, which ended up controlling the pace of the battle.


    The other two Lysixi also had troublesome abilities. One of them spat a sticky fluid that forced the squad leaders to retreat or use spells to remove it. The other seemed able to make anything shake as long as it kept its gaze fixed on it.


    Those abilities wouldn''t be too troublesome if taken singularly, but the monsters appeared intelligent enough to deploy a raw battle formation. The sticky fluid creature made the squad leaders unable to advance, the quick tail forced them to dodge often, and the specimen with the powerful gaze dispersed every spell they tried to cast.


    The battle had reached a stalemate, with the squad leaders unable to advance or launch spells and the monsters waiting for one of their opponents to commit a mistake. Jumping on the creatures would solve most of the problems, but no one was fast enough to dodge the tail. Even Ilman had to remain behind.


    The surprised gasps, rumors, and other voices informed the squad leaders about Khan''s return. None of them had seen Khan crossing the gorge, but they had learnt about his success in the feat, so they had confirmed that he had grown faster in those months.


    The battle required a fast soldier who could approach the monsters, so Paul didn''t hesitate to jump back and turn to call Khan. Still, his expression froze when he saw the end of the kiss and the subsequent loving hug.


    Khan raised his head to inspect his surroundings after Liiza hugged him tightly. An honest smile appeared on his face when he saw Doku and Azni, but his expression turned awkward when he noticed Ilman''s proud expression.


    The awkwardness intensified when Khan went over all the stunned humans. Liiza was still the untouchable "Miss Liiza" in their minds, so the scene shook them deeply. Instead, the Niqols added faint smiles when their eyes met Khan''s. They had a complicated relationship with his girlfriend, but they respected her current grief.


    The awkwardness reached its peak when Khan found Paul staring at him. The soldiers'' hands were in his hair as he expressed his complete disbelief.


    Khan wanted to say something, but the scenes of the battle claimed the entirety of his attention. He inspected the abilities of the three monsters and quickly understood what the squad leaders lacked. They needed him to sprint past the fast tail and disrupt the creature''s teamwork.


    "[Can I let Azni take care of you for a bit]?" Khan whispered to Liiza''s ear.


    Liiza could be very useful in that situation, but her mental state was a mess. Half of her world had fallen apart after Zama died. Khan believed that she would join a battle if necessary, but he wanted to spare her that struggle.


    "[It''s never a bit with you]," Liiza complained while raising her face to fix her eyes on him.


    "[I''ll come back soon]," Khan promised as a hand reached her cheek.


    Liiza nodded, and Khan left a quick kiss on her lips before walking toward Azni. The two didn''t need to say anything. Azni took Liiza''s hand, and the latter whispered soft words before separating from Khan.


    "[The tail is really fast]," Ilman warned when he saw Khan walking toward Paul.


    "[I''m faster]," Khan announced, and Ilman smirked proudly.


    "I''ll stop the monster with the annoying tail," Khan declared when he reached the stunned Paul. "Make sure to kill one of them in the meantime."


    "Why can''t you be a normal soldier?" Paul cursed without moving from his spot.


    "A normal soldier wouldn''t be helpful here," Khan replied in a vaguely mocking tone.


    Paul turned toward the battle. The squad leaders were about to lose their ground now that he had abandoned his position. He had to return and make Khan join the fight, but he didn''t forget to voice a reminder first. "You and I will need to have a long talk once everything is over."


    "Your spot in the line is behind Ambassador Yeza," Khan joked before running to the side and waiting for Paul to reach his position among the squad leaders.


    Paul''s return relieved some pressure from the other squad leaders'' but only because he added a target to the threatening tail and vibrations that one of the monsters could cause. The four soldiers never had the time to gather their mana to launch spells, so they limited themselves to dodge and escape from the expanding sticky fluid.


    Khan waited until he confirmed that the lizards weren''t paying attention to him. The monster with the fast tail kept an eye on its surroundings, but Khan disappeared during the sprint. The creature noticed his absence when he had already reached the trio.


    The first monster on Khan''s path had the powerful gaze. He felt confident in slashing its eyes or killing it directly with a perfect technique, but he couldn''t take risks in that situation.


    Khan jumped on the monster''s head and mustered the entirety of his strength to leap toward his real target. The latter was at the center of the trio, but a massive force suddenly slammed on the side of its flat head and pushed it toward its companion.


    Khan found himself airborne, but that lasted for less than a second since the lizard''s head had been close to the ground. The knife in his hands shone with an azure light as he stabbed it at the center of the creature''s skull.


    The execution had been perfect, but the lizard didn''t stop moving. Instead, it grew angry and made its quicky tail crack toward Khan. The latter dodged it by stepping on the creature''s back and approaching the base of that annoying limb.


    A swift attack with his blade severed the tail. The limb was quite large at its base, but it remained thin due to the Lysixi''s strange bodies, so the knife was enough to cut it with a single slash.


    The monster bellowed in pain and tried to turn toward its opponent, but a fireball exploded on its face and pushed it back by a few meters. Khan had to jump off the creature to remain next to the two lizards, but he had to sprint away when he saw the sticky fluid flying toward him.


    Khan didn''t fear that substance, but his waist suddenly trembled and made him lose his balance. He fell to the ground and started rolling on himself due to the momentum accumulated in the first part of the sprint.


    The two monsters approached Khan as he slid on the ground, but a fireball and a dense gas flew toward them. The first attack exploded on one of the lizards'' back while a dark cloud covered the other creature''s head.


    The two monsters found themselves unable to reach Khan, so he could stand up and back off safely. Meanwhile, one of the squad leaders from the other camp unleashed a beam-like ability that pierced the dark cloud and made the creature inside it fall lifelessly on the ground.


    Khan noticed the fuming hole in the lizard''s head before turning toward the squad leader who had launched that threatening attack. A trail of smoke came out of the woman''s fingers, but she quickly waved her hand multiple times to disperse the heat accumulated there.


    ''That''s dangerous,'' Khan commented as he watched the other squad leader taking a deep breath before clapping his hands in front of his chest.


    The gesture created a soundwave that flew toward the tailless lizard. The attack landed at the center of its body and almost opened it into two parts. The monster had survived the fireball, but the last spell killed it once and for all.


    Only the monster with the sticky substance remained. A fireball had hit its broad back, but that wasn''t enough to kill it. Still, its companions had died, so it tried to escape in front of the obvious disadvantage.


    Paul didn''t let the creature run. He jumped forward and crossed the layer of sticky substance to grab the monster''s tail. He closed his eyes, and a wave of energy seeped inside the lizard, ran through its back, and reached the back of its neck.


    Khan saw the monster''s head exploding into a rain of dark blood. The squad leaders had only needed a short window to kill three giant mutated creatures. They were strong, and their display of power proved to him once again how incredible spells could be.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Long story short, I fucked up. I woke up at a decent hour, opened the word file, and just didn''t write. Take yesterday as my break. I''ll also go slow today and make only another chapter, but I plan to stick to the five-chapters plan tomorrow.

 Chapter 195: Goddesses

    The group could finally experience a peaceful moment. The squad leaders had done an excellent job keeping the monsters at bay, but both students and recruits couldn''t feel completely safe. Still, Khan''s arrival had helped turn the situation in their favor.


    Khan inspected the four squad leaders with deep interest. He had learnt everyone''s names, but he could add abilities to the descriptions in his mind now.


    Paul''s element was unclear, but he seemed to require physical contact to activate his spells. The sheer power of his ability balanced those disadvantages and created a skill that could kill in a few seconds.


    Felicia''s element was fire, and she had only shown her fireballs during the battle. Her attacks weren''t as powerful as her companions'' abilities, but she could cast them multiple times in a row without getting tired. Moreover, their range was decent, and they didn''t require long preparations.


    Iris'' element was unclear. She appeared older than her fellow squad leaders, and her short dark hair enhanced the mature aura that surrounded her body. Her abilities involved the threatening bright beam that had pierced the mutated Lysixi from side to side.


    The last squad leader, Ryan, clearly had an element connected with the wind or the air in general. He appeared as old as Paul, but he had short dark hair, and his eyes were so clear that they created a stark contrast with the dark shades of his skin.


    Ryan was short but thick. His muscles bulged from under his military uniform, and his last spell seemed to have forced them to inflate. The man was the source of the dark gas and the sharp soundwave, and their differences were the main reason behind Khan''s struggles to recognize his element.


    ''Are they stronger than me?'' Khan wondered as he walked past the squad leaders to return among the group.


    The Lightning-demon style gave Khan a massive advantage, especially now that he had become a first-level warrior. He could probably defeat the squad leaders in a one versus one as long as he attacked first. The Divine Reaper also gave him incredible deadliness, but he felt he fell short in terms of destructive power.


    The students and the recruits created a path for Khan while he was busy cleaning his knife with his sleeve and walking back to Liiza. Azni had been with her the whole time, but she didn''t dare to miss Khan''s battle, and she didn''t hesitate to reveal a warm smile when he took her in his arms again.


    "[I told you it would have been quick]," Khan whispered while kissing Liiza''s on the side of her head.


    "[I was about to step in when the Lysixi survived your attack]," Liiza teased while slipping a hand under his robe.


    The event had taken Khan by surprise too. He didn''t expect the lizard to continue its offensive even after he dug a hole in its brain. Those creatures seemed too big to die due to the small injuries that his knife was able to open.


    The students around the couple remained speechless once again. Most of the girls there had tried to flirt with Khan during his stay in the academy, but it felt obvious that he had already ended up with Liiza back then. They even connected her usual blush to their relationship, and murmurs eventually filled the group.


    Khan could almost hear everything those Niqols said, and he felt grateful that most of the humans on the scene couldn''t understand their language. He didn''t want them to learn those gossips so soon, especially while the valley was still a mess.


    "What did Ambassador Yeza say?" Paul asked as he and the other squad leaders approached Khan.


    Everyone had seen Yeza reaching Khan and Liiza, and their new open behavior even hinted at her acknowledgment of their relationship. Azni had gossips ready to spread among the Niqols, but she held back and limited herself to smile every time her eyes fell on the couple.


    "We have to wait for her to gather the higher-ups and bring them here," Khan explained. "She''ll lead us to a safe location afterward."


    Paul nodded, but his struggle was evident. That emotion was even stronger in the other squad leaders. All of them tried to keep their eyes on Khan, but they always fell on the girl snuggling closer to his chest. She was basically uncovering his torso as her hands went deeper inside his robe and her mouth left soft kisses on his bare shoulder.


    Liiza''s mental state was awful now, and her mother had sort of acknowledged her relationship. Khan''s higher-ups weren''t there either, so her self-restraint didn''t bother to appear.


    Her explicit behavior put the humans who had never gotten used to the Niqols'' customs in an awkward position. The squad leaders mostly managed to force themselves to keep their eyes on Khan, but the other recruits instinctively diverted their gazes. It was simple politeness on their end not to stare at those intimate actions.


    "Do we have to remain here?" Iris asked in an annoyed tone.


    "How long do you think it will take them?" Khan asked while pointing at the palace with the hand that held the knife.


    Everyone turned to look at the palace, and the scene that unfolded in their eyes left them dumbfounded. Yeza had quickly regrouped with the other higher-ups and had led them back near the building before making them advance across the valley to reach the students.


    Many mutated Lysixi had charged toward their group as soon as they came out to the ground, gorge, or mountains nearby. Some creatures had even been closer to Khan and the others, but they didn''t mind them as they rushed toward the strongest warriors in the valley.


    Their charge toward Yeza''s group appeared almost instinctive. The monsters knew who they had to defeat to conquer the area, but their efforts ended pitifully.


    Almost fifty monsters had come out of the valley and the mountains nearby. That massive number of mutated creatures would make the squad leaders tremble in fear, but they were nothing more than dummies in front of the overwhelming power shown by the higher-ups.


    Yeza was dazzling as she danced among the abilities, tails, claws, and teeth that flew toward her. Her body appeared able to dodge those attacks on its own. She performed elegant but sharp turns whenever something was about to reach her, leaving her untouched even if five monsters tried to gang up on her.


    Moreover, her hands were deadly weapons. Yeza was holding her true power back since higher-ups from another species were on the scene, but that didn''t make her weak. She only needed to touch her opponents to make them puke a torrent of blood. The spot where her fingers landed didn''t even seem to affect the power of her ability.


    Captian Erbair was also hiding her true power, but she appeared unstoppable nonetheless. She was massive but incredibly fast. Her body resembled a cannonball as she covered long distances in less than a second to slam head-on on the monsters.


    The impact with those creatures directly shattered their scales and insides. Khan even turned in time to see her slam her massive arms on a monster''s head to turn it into a bloody pulp.


    Khan had to go all-out to handle even the weaker monsters. He was strong, but he couldn''t allow himself to commit mistakes. However, those fights couldn''t make the higher-ups sweat. They easily handled multiple mutated creatures and their abilities at the same time without ever stopping their advance.


    The leaders of the two factions did most of the work. The two Lieutenants, the Chiefs, the soldiers, and the other Niqols in the group rarely had the chance to do much.


    They tried to help multiple times, but their leaders ended up killing their targets before they could even reach them. The Lieutenants and the other soldiers wanted to show off a bit in front of Yeza, but they never got a chance to shine since Captain Erbair and the enchanting Niqols were simply too strong.


    Iris lost the desire to complain. She remained stunned in front of that sheer display of power. It was rare to see higher-ups fight, but the sight was spectacular, and knowing that they weren''t using the entirety of their abilities made everything even more surreal.


    Yeza and Captain Erbair weren''t even close to being human in terms of the power that they wielded. They were goddesses of war who were having fun among monsters putting their lives on the line to take them down.


    Liiza felt Khan''s hug tightening while he remained captivated by that scene. She raised her eyes only to see how a deep resolve had appeared on his face.


    The power revealed by the two leaders was his goal, at least one of his first goals. Khan knew that Captain Erbair was only a third-level warrior and mage, which meant that beings stronger than her existed in the world. Many of them were potential threats, and the Nak were among those.


    "[I''m not watching your mother]," Khan explained without moving his gaze from the battle when he felt Liiza''s gaze on him.


    "[I know]," Liiza sighed before resuming her snuggling. "[That power suits you. You will obtain it in no time]."


    "[Of course he will]," Ilman shouted from behind the couple as he approached the two to pat Khan''s shoulder. "[We will reach the peak of our respective worlds]."


    "[Ilman, this was kind of a romantic moment]," Khan scolded, but Ilman ignored him to focus on Liiza, who looked at him from behind Khan''s shoulder.


    "[My condolences for Zama]," Ilman announced in a serious tone while performing a deep bow. "[Your Aduns deserves the loudest party that The Pure Trees can offer]."


    Both Khan and Liiza remained stunned in front of that serious statement. Liiza even sniffed before performing a respectful nod to show her appreciation.


    "[Also, for what it''s worth, I''m happy that you have found someone who can make you smile]," Ilman continued. "[I''m even happier that the honor went to Khan. You couldn''t find a better human or Niqols]."


    "[You are making me blush now]," Khan joked, but Liiza pulled his hair to make him shut up.


    "[Thank you, Ilman]," Liiza responded. "[I''m sorry I couldn''t give you what you wanted]."


    "[Nonsense]," Ilman contradicted. "[You more than anyone else deserve happiness, and I''m glad that Khan can give it to you]."


    Ilman took a few steps back to return among the crowd watching the higher-ups, and the couple watched him getting too far away to hear their comments.


    "[He isn''t a bad guy]," Khan said while focusing on Liiza to see if that interaction had improved her mood.


    "[He is cute]," Liiza commented before wearing a faint playful smile at the jealousy that flashed in Khan''s eyes.


    Liiza approached her mouth to Khan''s ear as he turned to look at the battlefield again and whispered words that sounded far more captivating than the scenes unfolding in his vision. "[Don''t forget that nothing can stop us from sleeping together now. Can I ask you not to leave me alone at least tonight]?"


    Liiza appeared almost scared to ask that favor. Her suppressed begging tone made Khan give up on any training he had planned for when Yeza brought the students to a safe location. His girlfriend needed him, and he wouldn''t deny her his company.


    The two ended up exchanging a long kiss without bothering to worry about their surroundings. The higher-ups seemed on the verge of defeating all the monsters by themselves since those creatures kept charging at them. It was hard to feel in danger when Yeza and Captain Erbair made giant lizards explode every time they moved.


    Similar thoughts spread among the rest of the group. They might not need to abandon the valley if everything continued to progress so smoothly. Still, both students and recruits ignored something that only those with vast knowledge of monsters could guess.


    The mutated Tainted animals were usually quite independent, especially those that managed to develop abilities. They created packs to improve their hunts, but they would never charge toward certain death. Their survival instincts would prevent that.


    Nevertheless, the monsters kept charging at Yeza and Captain Erbair recklessly without caring for their lives. Their dead companions had already shown them how the two warriors were unbeatable at their level, but they continued to shoot toward them as if driven by an unreasonable hunger.


    It turned out that hunger wasn''t their drive. The mutated Lysixi were attacking out of fear of something that showed its face only when the pack had almost disappeared.


    A mountain right behind the palace opened into two parts before revealing a massive cavity that contained countless mutated Lysixi. Those creatures came out of their lair to storm the valley and uncovered a pair of shining dark-grey reptilian eyes that made all the snow in the area light up as their glow intensified.


    The event made the entire valley tremble. The snow started to move on its own and generated multiple avalanches that threatened to submerge the dark-green plains among the mountains.


    A primordial aura that everyone could sense also spread from the mountain with the massive crack as a giant set of claws came out of its dark insides. Those talons appeared as big as the short buildings behind the palace.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I didn''t forget about the 5 chapters. I''ve only slept for a very long time. Of course, this doesn''t count among the 5.

 Chapter 196: Lucky

    The atmosphere in the area went from relaxed to chaotic. Only a few seconds had passed between the appearance of the new opponents and the avalanches. Still, that time had been enough to make everyone in the valley understand that the situation had changed drastically.


    The danger carried by the incoming avalanches paled in front of the primordial aura radiated by the giant creature inside the mountain. The valley was big, and the students were quite distant from the palace, but they felt that suffocating pressure as if it were right on them.


    The Chiefs, the Lieutenants, and the other soldiers finally had the chance to show their power since Yeza and Captain Erbair turned toward the new threat to show their surprise. The two leaders had also believed to be almost over with that crisis, but the world was ready to throw far more at them.


    Khan didn''t know how to react to the giant mutated Lysixi coming out of the mountain. He had almost grown used to sensing monsters, but the new creature made a chill run down his spine.


    The giant creature seemed to be far stronger than its peers. It even appeared to control the large pack of Lysixi. Khan felt almost sure that the new threat couldn''t be a simple monster.


    Khan glanced at the Niqols before moving his eyes on the squad leaders, but his inspection left him disappointed. Everyone was as stunned as him, which revealed how his companions were also unaware of the nature of that new threat.


    Only the higher-ups could have answers to his doubts, but they were too busy to gaze at their underlings. They didn''t take long to vanquish the monsters already around them, but they couldn''t divert their attention when the sea of lizards was about to descend toward them.


    "[Ilman]?" Khan shouted during that desperate moment since he was the only Niqols who could react quick enough to the scene.


    "[I don''t know]," Ilman replied as he kept his wide eyes on the giant creature coming out of the mountain.


    Khan tightened his grip on Liiza''s back and lifted her a bit. He was ready to run away at full speed if the situation turned out to be too much, even for the higher-ups. He also had to decide what to do quickly since the avalanches were about to submerge everyone.


    Remaining in the valley wasn''t an option. Khan could run away, but he didn''t know where. He had memorized the path crossed during the flight, but that only confirmed how lost he was.


    An azure halo suddenly shone among the group. The sudden radiance startled the students awake and made them pick the cubes in their robes. Khan''s device had also lit up, and he didn''t hesitate to touch it to establish the mental connection.


    "[Go here without us]," Yeza''s voice resounded in Khan''s head, and a detailed map accompanied it.


    The map described many areas and had far more details than any other mental image Khan had ever received. He could even zoom in on a specific location to inspect its general environment.


    A distant location had a mark that made it stand out from the rest of the areas. Khan could vaguely guess that it would take the group half a day to fly there, but getting on the Aduns was impossible in that situation.


    Still, Yeza''s orders were clear. The students had to leave the higher-ups in the valley and reach the safe location on their own. It seemed that the new threat was too much even for the leaders.


    "[Hop on my back]," Khan whispered while relaxing his grip on Liiza''s back.


    Liiza didn''t complain. She quickly went behind Khan and jumped on his back. Similar scenes happened among the other Niqols as Doku announced the contents of the mental message. The students knew each other''s abilities quite well, so they didn''t hesitate to rely on the fastest among the group if their speed weren''t good enough for the task.


    "Let us be in the lead with you," Felicia interrupted the Niqols and Khan, who had already turned toward the direction of the safe location. "We can handle snow."


    A fireball appeared on Felicia''s palm, and that simple gesture convinced the Niqols. Khan, Ilman, Doku, and the four squad leaders stepped in front of the group before gazing at the glowing avalanches ready to sweep them.


    The group was on the right side of the gorge. They only had to run past the avalanches to reach a safe spot where to wait for their Aduns, but the glowing dark-grey snow carried an ominous aura as it approached the group.


    Only a few seconds separated the group from the snow. Khan prepared himself to deploy everything he had achieved with the Lightning-demon style to run over the avalanche, but he didn''t feel too confident in the task.


    Khan was strong and fast, but he was in front of a tall wall of snow under the control of a monster that even the leaders had to take seriously. He could jump and rely on light steps, but his opponent remained a natural calamity that didn''t give him many options.


    "We''ll open a path," Felicia announced. "The priority is to remain on the plain. Don''t fall."


    Gulps and deep breaths resounded as the rumbling noises of the incoming snow intensified. The clash was a few seconds away, but everyone remained still.


    Then, Felicia and Ryan launched their spells. A large fireball and a large gale shot forward and clashed with the glowing avalanche. The two attacks pierced the snow and created a conical opening in that calamity, but those two attacks only opened a path where the group could jump.


    Liiza hid her face on Khan''s back when she sensed that his body tensed up. What followed was too intense for her to feel it clearly. A heavy pressure fell on her arms and legs since she had wrapped them around Khan''s neck and waist, and her gown broke in many spots due to the friction generated with the air.


    Khan flew. He mustered the entirety of his strength to jump forward and use the opening created by the squad leaders to gain some ground over the overwhelming avalanche. He did his best to remain in the air as long as possible, but he eventually fell on the glowing snow and used his quick steps to fight against the force pushing him toward the gorge.


    The rest of the group couldn''t even come close to performing as well as Khan. Ilman and those capable of surpassing the tall avalanche jumped on that glowing snow but ended up falling prey to its raging momentum.


    Other students and recruits exploited the opening created by the squad leaders to run inside the avalanche for a while, but the snow eventually trapped them in its unstoppable grip.


    The avalanche pushed almost everyone backward, and someone inevitably fell inside the gorge. Khan was barely maintaining his balance on that slippery and unstable surface, so he couldn''t keep track of what was happening behind him. Yet, Liiza could look behind her now that his speed had fallen, and she saw many familiar faces disappearing among the glowing snow.


    The avalanche appeared never-ending. Khan continued to leap forward, but the snow under his feet moved in the opposite direction, so he ended up losing ground instead of gaining it. Still, he did his best to limit that trend, and a deep sigh escaped his mouth when everything around him stopped flowing toward the gorge.


    "[Khan]," Liiza pleaded as she released her grasp to jump off him, but Khan promptly bent forward to make her remain on his back.


    Liiza shot a confused glance toward him, but her expression darkened when he saw his cold expression. The couple didn''t need words to express their intentions in that situation. Khan was telling her how he wouldn''t let her go until they were in a safe area.


    Liiza couldn''t complain, but she felt better when Khan turned to help the survivors. The squad leaders, Ilman, and a few Niqols had managed to remain on the new surface, but everyone else was under that thick layer of snow.


    The avalanche had turned the valley into a dark-grey glowing spectacle. The gorge was large enough to remain visible, and the bridges had also survived the calamity, but almost everything else had ended up submerged by the snow.


    The castle was too tall to fall prey to the calamity, and a relatively large area around the higher-ups had remained untouched by the snow. However, none of those strong warriors dared to divert their eyes from the many lizards approaching them.


    The giant leader had even disappeared inside the snow. The suffocating pressure that had filled the valley had vanished after the creature used the glowing material under its control to hide its presence.


    Khan only allowed himself to perform a quick inspection of the area before focusing on his group. The snow made it hard for him to sense the students and recruits hidden under the surface, but he helped everyone he could and even spent some time digging in the spots where he felt something.


    Many had ended up surviving the calamity, and Khan could only rejoice at that sight. He heaved a relieved sigh whenever a familiar face came out of the snow, but his anxiety intensified as time passed.


    The giant leader didn''t come out even if the higher-ups had started fighting the horde of lizards. Khan didn''t know whether the creature was waiting for an opening or was misleading everyone. Still, he didn''t want to remain in the area long enough to find out.


    Some recruits and students remained missing no matter how deeply those who had reached the surface dug. Khan and those who had some experience with tragedies inevitably exchanged understanding gazes after they spent a whole minute without finding anyone else.


    The situation was still tense, so many failed to understand how tragic everything was. The Niqols didn''t have problems accepting what had happened, but the recruits struggled to accept that some of their friends were still missing.


    Someone had to force them to move. Doku, Ilman, Azni, and the other Niqols naturally glanced at Khan in the hope that he could handle that issue, but he had no power over those recruits. A few of them probably respected him enough to follow his directives right away, but he didn''t have the time or the authority to command the others.


    Only the squad leaders were in the position to force the recruits to move, but they didn''t get the chance to use their authority since a massive figure suddenly came out of the snow. The suffocating pressure returned as a giant reptilian mouth pierced the surface and ate two recruits who had been busy searching for their missing companions.


    Khan almost remained frozen in fear as the monster revealed its giant body while gulping the two humans. It didn''t manage to make the second recruit enter its mouth completely, but its teeth severed the girls'' right leg and made it fall on the snow.


    Everyone panicked. The giant monster had appeared among the group, and its glowing eyes revealed how the two recruits didn''t satisfy its hunger. Those reptilian organs inspected its potential targets coldly and noticed that some of them had already started running away.


    Khan and the Niqols knew where they had to go, so they didn''t hesitate to run toward the mountains. The squad leaders, and envoys, and some other humans who managed to overcome their fears chased after them, but the monster didn''t remain still either.


    The glow radiated by the snow intensified as its texture changed. Khan was relying on his faint steps, but his feet fell inside the surface after the monster changed it to trap the group inside its hunting area.


    The snow went from incredibly soft to solid in an instant. Khan saw his right foot digging the surface before remaining stuck inside it. No amount of strength allowed him to break free of that prison. He couldn''t leave the area, and his thoughts immediately went on the girl on his back when he accepted that he had no power over his situation.


    "[I''m going to throw you]," Khan announced while taking Liiza''s wrists and forcing her to break the grip on his neck.


    "[What]?" Liiza asked in surprise.


    Liiza had yet to realize how desperate the situation was, but Khan''s announcement made her understand that everyone who had touched the snow was dead. Even Felicia''s fireballs appeared unable to melt the surface that was keeping her feet locked in an unbreakable grip.


    "[No, no]!" Liiza complained. "[Don''t you dare throw me]!"


    Khan pretended to be deaf to Liiza''s complaints. Truth be told, his physical strength wasn''t something that she could match. He could force her legs to leave his waist easily, and his girlfriend soon appeared in his arms.


    Khan was ready to use that time to give Liiza a chance to survive. Almost nothing could make him stop, but his girlfriend knew him too well by then. Liiza took Khan''s face in her hands and fixed her glowing eyes on him before voicing a simple request in a firm voice. "[Khan, let me die with you]."


    Almost nothing could stop Khan, but those words made his determination waver. He was suppressing his fear of death to prioritize Liiza''s well-being, but she shared his feelings. She didn''t want to lose her Aduns and her boyfriend on the same day.


    "[Liiza]," Khan said in a begging tone, but she promptly shook her head.


    "[We have been incredibly lucky]," Liiza smiled as faint tears appeared on the corners of her eyes. "[Don''t add pain to my love]."


    Khan wanted to ignore her request, but even the mental barrier failed to remain in its place in front of Liiza loving expression. He could only heave a helpless sigh before pulling her mouth closer to his lips. In his mind, death couldn''t be too bad if it arrived after sharing a long kiss with his girlfriend.


    "[Stop wasting time]," Yeza''s voice suddenly resounded in the area, and everyone snapped out of their desperation to turn toward the giant monster.


    An azure halo had created a cubical prison around the monster. The cage had come out of the plain hidden by the snow and had trapped the giant lizard, but its glowing surfaces weren''t strong enough to survive the creature''s physical strength.


    Cracks opened on the azure prison whenever the giant lizard slammed its head and claws on those shining surfaces. It was clear that the cage wouldn''t last long, but it still gained enough time for Yeza and a few higher-ups to reach that area.


    "[Move, move]!" Yeza shouted, and the group suddenly discovered that the snow wasn''t trapping their feet anymore.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to hold Liiza tightly and shot forward. The same went for the other students and recruits who finally found a chance to escape. Everyone left the area quickly, but Yeza made sure to shout one last announcement before they got too far away. "[Khan, take care of my daughter]."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I bet some of you thought I had fallen asleep. Four more. Anyway, I hope you like the new cover.

 Chapter 197: Concerns

    Khan didn''t think about the deeper meaning of Yeza''s words right away. She had decided to shout that announcement, which basically forced the humans to accept his relationship. Still, the situation was so dangerous that his mind stored her voice in the back of his mind and prepared itself to release it only when he reached a safe area.


    Everyone shared the same mindset. The valley''s defenses had managed to buy the group some time, and the higher-ups were bound to do the same. Still, the avalanche and the giant monster had already inflicted casualties, so the students didn''t dare to remain in the area any longer.


    The recruits and squad leaders followed after those who had learnt where the safe area was. Khan was in the lead far in front of them, but he turned to check that everyone was following him from time to time. The fact that Liiza was in his arms didn''t affect his movements at all.


    A deep bellow resounded throughout the valley when the giant monster broke free of the azure cage. Yeza and many higher-ups had reached the creature''s position by then, but Khan took that event as the time to stop worrying about others.


    Ilman, Doku, George, and those who were important to Khan were in safer positions already. Liiza was even in his arms, so he could ignore everything else. The priority was to cross the mountains, and he accelerated to reach that destination faster.


    Khan didn''t summon the entirety of his speed since Liiza was in an odd position. She was in his arms, in front of him, so she would suffer too much if he went all-out. Still, he became fast enough to leave his companions behind.


    The sterile environment of the mountains soon unfolded in his vision. Snow filled the areas and sides of those tall structures, but the region remained unfamiliar even with the map in his mind.


    Khan moved forward until he couldn''t see the valley anymore. His senses searched for every trace of danger around him, but everything appeared empty. He couldn''t find monsters or other threats, so he advanced until Liiza pulled his hair.


    "[This is enough]," Liiza explained as Khan slowed down to hear her voice. "[No monster can see the Aduns from here]."


    Khan nodded before stopping completely. He could vaguely see the figures of his companions in the distance, and he heaved a sigh of relief when familiar faces appeared in his vision.


    It took only a few minutes for the entirety of the group to gather in the uneven spot among the mountains where Khan had stopped. The group of students and recruits had lost a quarter of its members, but everyone was still too shocked to think about the event.


    No words resounded among the group. They didn''t dare to waste time after having escaped from such a dangerous situation. Everyone used their mental connections to summon their Aduns while exchanging meaningful glances.


    Many eyes ended up on Khan. His interactions with Liiza still left almost everyone stunned. Both students and recruits couldn''t understand how the two could reach such a level of ease.


    However, the Niqols could see something deeper than simple feelings in the simple gestures that the couple exchanged. They gasped at how carefully Khan let Liiza on the snow. Faint smiles appeared on their faces when they saw the two looking at each other with eyes that carried many words. They would toast at that evident show of love if it weren''t for their tragic situation.


    The humans had it a bit harder, especially when it came to the squad leaders. They didn''t ignore Yeza''s announcement. Actually, they had understood its meaning thoroughly. The alien ambassador in charge of the relationship between the two species had officially acknowledged Khan and Liiza as a couple.


    Paul had told Khan to consider Liiza as a princess during his first days on Nitis, so that announcement had turned him into a prince. Khan was more than untouchable now. He had become the pillar on which the humans had to build that political relationship.


    "How bad is our luck?" George cursed while nearing Khan. "This is the second time already. I''m starting to believe that everything is my fault."


    Khan smiled when he saw George and Havaa holding each other''s hands. The girl even clung to George''s arms once he stopped in front of his friend.


    "It must be me," Khan stated while pointing at the azure scar visible from the opening of his robe. "I have one tragedy more than you."


    Liiza slapped Khan''s chest before glaring at him. Those depressing rants made her angry, but he didn''t hesitate to caress her cheek and bring her closer to his chest. Liiza would have usually made it harder for him, but her grief was too intense that day.


    "So," George cleared his throat while looking at that scene, "This explains a lot."


    "I didn''t want to keep us hidden," Khan explained, "Not from you at least."


    "Don''t worry," George shook his head. "I understand completely. I''m happy for you, both of you."


    "I didn''t expect Yeza to approve you so quickly," Azni commented while approaching the two couples with Doku.


    "[She has seen them together]," Doku added. "[Who can even be against them after that]?"


    "Khan, we need to talk," Paul announced while the couples gathered.


    Khan glanced at Paul. He was with the squad leaders, among the other recruits, and the four wore stern expressions. It seemed that they wanted to use that peaceful moment while they waited for the Aduns to talk about the matter.


    "Now?" Khan asked.


    "We have to set a few things clear," Paul announced.


    Khan sighed before kissing Liiza''s head and breaking his embrace to move toward the human group. Yet, Liiza didn''t let him go. She took his hand to wrap his hand around her waist so that they could approach the squad leaders together.


    "[This might be classified]," Khan whispered.


    "[I was ready to die with you]," Liiza reminded. "[Do you think I would care about the regulations of your species]?"


    Khan wanted to contradict her, but he felt that no words could work. Liiza''s expression had never been so resolute. She had lost Zama, but her mother had acknowledged her relationship. Khan had basically become her whole world, and she had no intention to leave him alone.


    Moreover, Liiza had understood the situation far better than Khan. She was the daughter of an ambassador. She knew how influential Yeza''s name was, and she could use part of that power in front of the humans.


    "What is it?" Khan asked once he reached Paul.


    The squad leaders remained at Paul''s side to let him handle the conversation. Brandon, Kelly, and the other envoys were right behind them, while the other recruits were further behind.


    "I hoped we could remain alone for a while," Paul said in an awkward tone while forcing himself not to look at Liiza. "This issue is something that concerns humanity as a whole."


    "Are you trying to separate me from my man?" Liiza asked in a cold tone and perfect human accent.


    Khan, the Niqols, and the humans shot surprised expressions toward Liiza. They had never heard her talking like that. Paul and the other squad leaders started to worry about the political consequences that their next words could cause.


    "[We wouldn''t dare]," Paul eventually uttered while performing a deep bow.


    Paul pointed at a spot nearby, and a small group moved there. The squad leaders, the envoys, Khan, and Liiza walked among the snowy environment and separated from their companions to have that private conversation.


    The Niqols and the students let themselves go a bit now that their leaders weren''t on the scene. The aliens didn''t suffer many casualties since they had developed better instincts throughout the years spent hunting. Still, their intense emotions made them unable to ignore the companions lost during the crisis.


    The recruits were worse off. They had gone through losses only recently due to their battles near the teleport, so they had yet to grow used to the event.


    Sobs and sniffs resounded now that students and recruits had the time to realize how much they had lost during those short minutes. They did their best to suppress their grief, but tears inevitably fell.


    "Do you have any preference about the language, Miss Liiza?" Paul asked once the group stopped in a slightly distant spot.


    "Speak your language," Liiza ordered. "My presence here must not risk causing misunderstanding among you."


    Khan shot another surprised glance toward Liiza. She had never been involved in political situations, and it felt strange to see her caring so much about the issue. Still, he had to admit that he liked seeing her using her authority to order his superiors around.


    Paul felt awkward about the situation, but he took a deep breath before stating the nature of the topic. "Your relationship arises concerns. We want to confirm that your loyalty is still in the right place."


    Liiza opened her mouth to complain, but Khan promptly pulled her closer to interrupt her. His eyes went on the other recruits before revealing a sad smile and giving the best answer that the restrictions allowed him to say. "Do you have any idea what we had to do in the academy?"


    Paul frowned, but he noticed that the envoys lowered their heads when Khan made them recall the scenes in the village. Fighting monsters was far better than what they had to see there.


    Khan relaxed his grip on Liiza, and she understood that her time to speak had come. Her expression turned dark as she gave a brief explanation of what had happened during the solar wind. "The Niqols have a harder time dealing with emotions, and the sunlight for a few months ago has taken us by surprise."


    An azure symbol appeared on the side of her neck near the end of her explanation, but she stopped speaking before triggering the punishment. She couldn''t add other details, but the squad leaders could fill the gaps by themselves.


    Paul and the others had kept the solar wind a secret, so they knew what it could cause on the unprepared Niqols. Yet, they didn''t expect the aliens to send the envoys to clean up the mess. Learning about that actually made them feel awful, and Ryan even had to cover his mouth to suppress retches.


    "I''m still here after everything," Khan continued. "What else do I have to prove?"


    The squad leaders couldn''t muster the strength to say anything. None of them dared to question Khan''s loyalty. His explanation didn''t solve their doubts, but they didn''t feel right questioning someone who had given the Global Army so much already.


    Screeches resounded among the sky during that sad silence. Everyone glanced at the sky and showed broad smiles at the sight of many Aduns approaching the area. Only Liiza kept her face hidden in Khan''s chest, and he made sure to hold her tightly during the event.


    The Aduns were the kings of the sky. The group would be safe after hopping on their backs. The tragic events from before were about to turn into nothing more than a bad memory, but a breathtaking event diverted everyone''s attention from the pack of eagles.


    Nitis'' orbit was peculiar, and the same went for its atmosphere. Khan didn''t know how everything worked during the crisis, but he was sure that the sun would have eventually appeared in the sky. Still, he didn''t expect that to happen so suddenly.


    A blinding yellow sphere suddenly became visible in the sky. It started as a bright spot in the azure spectacle right above the group, but it quickly transformed into a sight that the humans found familiar.


    The sun didn''t rise. It suddenly became visible among the sky, and its intense light blinded the incoming Aduns. Those creatures cried in pain as that radiance filled their eyes and forced them to change their trajectory.


    The eagles stopped flying toward the group to hide from the new light that filled the sky, and Khan remained speechless when he felt the mental connection growing thin. He found himself unable to contact Snow now that the sun had appeared.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I think you can all see how I''m struggling to write lately. The issue doesn''t involve my two stories. I think it''s a matter of concentration, which I don''t seem able to muster. The effects of this distraction are even worse on Chaos'' Heir since writing a single chapter can take even five hours.


    Anyway, I can''t write 5 chapters of Chaos in a single day in this condition. I think I''ll throw one or two additional chapters every day until I''ve settled this debt.

 Chapter 198: Path

    The appearance of the sun swept away the hope that had spread among the group. The Aduns would have solved every problem, but they turned out to be unable to withstand the intense light radiated by that flaming star.


    Khan didn''t know how to react to that scene. He tried to call Snow through the mental connection, but his words couldn''t reach the other side. A barrier had appeared between his Aduns and him, and no amount of mental shouting could get past it.


    Khan instinctively looked at the Niqols, but they appeared as surprised as him. They didn''t expect the sun to hinder the mental connections with the Aduns. They didn''t even predict that the creatures would have been unable to withstand that radiance.


    "What is happening?" Felicia asked while moving her gaze among the group, but she found no one with answers.


    Felicia, the other squad leaders, and those who managed to study the situation without letting panic take over their minds could understand what was happening. That conclusion wasn''t even too hard to reach. It simply was too stunning and depressing.


    The Aduns were an essential part of the Niqols'' lives and society. The humans on Nitis had also learnt to appreciate how valuable those creatures were after the aliens had allowed them to go through the taming test.


    Those eagles were one of the few stable assets during the crisis, but the arrival of the sun had changed that fact. Khan and his group found themselves on foot now. Their path to salvation had vanished in a matter of seconds.


    Khan quickly touched his cube. The map appeared in his mind, and he tried to calculate how long it would take to reach the safe area on foot. He struggled to come up with an accurate estimate, but he could guess that the travel would take entire days, if not a couple of weeks.


    The monsters on the path were another issue that Khan couldn''t ignore. The past weeks spent hunting had taught him how messy Nitis had become. The group was bound to find multiple packs during the travel, and eventual alternate paths would only stretch their stay in the wild.


    Still, Khan didn''t see other options. The Aduns were unavailable, and the Lysixi had clearly turned against the Niqols. The aliens probably had other methods to cross long distances, but he believed that everything had become unrealizable after the arrival of the sun.


    "[Liiza]," Khan whispered in the hope that his girlfriend could tell him something that he didn''t know.


    Liiza had studied the scene after hearing the painful cries of the Aduns. The situation was tragic, and she was as lost as everyone else in the group. Yet, she knew who could help.


    Liiza took her cube and started a mental conversation. Other Niqols did the same to contact some members of their tribes, and Khan inspected their faces to see if he could hope again. He mostly saw dark expressions, but he turned to look at Liiza when he sensed her eyes on him.


    "[Zaza can''t help right away, but she will try to meet us]," Liiza announced while placing the cube on the snow.


    The device spread its light on the dark-grey surface and recreated the map. The humans could finally study how distant the safe area was, and desperation inevitably appeared on their faces at the sole thought that they had to cross so much on foot.


    Liiza stepped on the map and used her feet to point at each checkpoint stated by Zalpa during their mental conversation. "[We have to cross the mountain chain, the lakes, and the marsh to meet Zaza. Getting to the safe area should be easy once joining her]."


    The path marked by Liiza went a bit off track. It didn''t go directly toward the safe area, but Khan didn''t dare to underestimate the help that Zalpa could offer. She probably was as strong as Yeza, and her knowledge of the crisis was far deeper than the rest of the Niqols.


    "[Zaza]?" Iris asked.


    "She is an ally," Khan shortly explained without moving his eyes from the map. "I suggest you call her Zalpa. She doesn''t like humans too much."


    "Why should we trust her then?" Paul asked while stepping on the map to mark the quickest path to the safe location on the snow. "We would lose many days of travel if we decide to follow this new path."


    "She knew that the sunlight would have caused a mess even before humans," Liiza coldly explained. "She probably is the best expert when it comes to this situation."


    "Why wasn''t she with Ambassador Yeza then?" Felicia continued.


    "Her position toward humans doesn''t suit the new ways adopted by the Niqols," Khan gave another short explanation.


    "Why would she even help us then?" Paul wondered. "I won''t put what remains of our forces here in the hands of a xenophobic alien."


    "How come you even know about all of this?" Kelly joined the conversation. "Why didn''t you tell us about such an important figure?"


    Khan wore an aloof expression while moving his eyes among the squad leaders and the envoys. Even Veronica was wearing a confused expression. It was clear that Khan didn''t only keep his relationship with Liiza a secret. That realization even made sense when considering all the nights that he had spent outside the academy.


    "She was my nanny," Liiza intervened. "I wanted her to know Khan, but I made him promise not to say anything since her situation is unique."


    Liiza wasn''t as good as Khan when it came to lies, but her cold expression and the authority coming from Yeza prevented eventual questions. The squad leaders accepted that the matter involved the couple. Also, Liiza had vaguely hinted at how close she was with Zalpa with her announcement. That explained why the humans could trust that unknown ally.


    Paul and the other squad leaders fell silent as they inspected the map. The path marked by Liiza would make them lose a few days of travel, but they would end up gaining from that detour if they added an actual expert to their group.


    "Do any of you know what these areas have in store for us?" Iris asked while looking at Liiza.


    "We usually fly over these empty regions," Liiza shook her head.


    "Walking blindly isn''t ideal," Ryan commented.


    "We would walk blindly anyway," Felicia stated.


    "We can still wait here," Paul suggested while looking at the sun high in the sky as a hand partially covered his eyes. "The Aduns might come back, and the same goes for our superiors."


    "My mother wouldn''t lose the chance to show off," Liiza explained. "The monster must be powerful for her to send us in the wild on our own."


    "She probably didn''t expect the Aduns to fly away," Paul continued, but Liiza shook her head.


    "We must walk," Liiza exclaimed before storing her cube and glancing at Khan.


    "You heard her," Khan said as he reached Liiza to take her back into his arms.


    "Khan," Paul called to discuss the matter a bit more.


    "That thing can hide in the snow," Khan promptly replied. "We are walking on snow."


    The squad leaders and the envoys glanced at the snow under them while Khan resumed walking back to the rest of the group. The ground couldn''t be too deep there, but the monster had shown the ability to cause avalanches. Hiding under that dark-grey layer didn''t sound too impossible, so they hurried after Khan.


    Khan took care of explaining the situation in both languages. The group didn''t accept that decision too easily, especially after learning how long they would have to travel through the wild. Still, it was clear that they didn''t have other options, so everyone eventually started moving.


    The mountains remained barren even after a few hours passed. The group didn''t have problems adjusting their direction with the map in their cubes, but other problems became evident as that march continued.


    The snow could appease the group''s thirst, but the lack of food was an issue they couldn''t ignore. Khan and the squad leaders could endure their hunger better than others due to their status as first-level warriors, but they would also starve if they remained in that condition.


    The issue was that the mountain chain stretched for a long time. The group would take a few days to cross it, and the absence of food would become hard to bear for some of the recruits. The Niqols would be a bit better off, but the starvation would slow down their advance anyway.


    Khan, Ilman, Doku, and the squad leaders ended up in charge of the group. The Niqols and the recruits didn''t complain that they made every decision, but they didn''t have much to discuss to begin with. Groans and curses resounded when they understood that they wouldn''t have the chance to sleep that day, but the situation didn''t give them different options.


    The group spent an entire day walking among the snowy and uneven environment of the mountain chain. They had to climb and descend hills multiple times to stick to their path, and the effort only made them tired faster.


    The second day of continuous travel brought most recruits to their limit. The lack of sleep, the uneven terrain, and the lack of food managed to defeat even those with a high attunement level. They could still move forward, but their leaders opted to make them rest for a few hours. They simply didn''t want their underlings to be completely useless in case a battle fell on them.


    "Just like Istrone," George laughed after those resilient enough to skip another night of sleep set the guard duty.


    Khan smiled, and warmth appeared on his face when he saw Liiza walking toward an isolated spot near a steep rocky wall that marked the base of a mountain. She even cleared the snow on the ground before turning toward her boyfriend.


    Everyone noticed that scene, and the squad leaders had to divert their gazes to avoid voicing reprimands. The spot chosen by Liiza would keep her hidden from the rest of the group and grant her some privacy. Her choice was perfect for her and Khan, but it wasn''t ideal in that serious situation.


    Khan ignored the squad leaders and the curious glances that the recruits shot toward him when he crossed the rocky corner and reached Liiza. The humans noticed how many Niqols did something similar, even if many had to remain visible since the area didn''t offer too many hidden spots.


    Liiza sat on the dark-green grass that had come out in the open after she removed the snow from the ground. She laid her back on the rocky wall as her intense eyes remained fixed on Khan. He almost lost himself in that glowing gaze, but a series of foreign presences suddenly entered the range of his senses and forced him to divert his attention.


    Cawing noises filled the area and alerted everyone about the arrival of unwanted guests. Khan raised his eyes and saw a flock of big dark-red birds descending toward the group. He couldn''t study them clearly since they were still far away, but his knife ended up in his hand right away.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I bet some of you thought I had fallen asleep. Four more. Anyway, I hope you like the new cover.

 Chapter 199: Hunger

    Each bird was as big as a man''s chest. They resembled crows, but they had two pairs of wings and curved beaks. The flock filled the bright sky with a dark-red cloud that descended toward the group and prepared to storm the snowy area.


    No one knew why the sunlight didn''t affect those creatures, but they were too fast to let the group think about the issue. The flock was only a few seconds away from filling the area occupied by those young troops, and only a few of them could step up to face the danger. The long travel without food had made even the most resilient of them unable to stand.


    Khan, Ilman, and the squad leaders exchanged a worried glance when they inspected the surface. They could see other students and recruits struggling to stand up, but they wouldn''t be helpful at all in that condition.


    Khan glanced at Liiza. She could also fight, but her position was odd. The flock was descending toward the crowded part of the area, and she wouldn''t have the time to reach it before the initial impact.


    Liiza nodded when she saw the hesitation in Khans'' eyes, and he didn''t hesitate to shoot toward the friends farther away from his position. Orders also came out of his mouth during his sprint. "[Ilman, protect George and Havaa]."


    The couples in the group had settled in various partially isolated spots. Doku and Azni had even found a good place where to exchange intimate moments without letting the others see them, but their area was on the path of the flock.


    Khan arrived in front of them in an instant. He was ready to defend them, but the couple tried to complain. Still, they felt weak after the prolonged starvation. The birds were even on the verge of clashing with the recruits in front of them. They only had the time to stand up before the loud caws fused with painful cries.


    The flock moved quickly. It only took a few seconds to reach Khan''s position, but an azure halo had already covered his blade by then.


    Khan kicked directly at the dark-red cloud, and his attack released a rumbling noise before clashing with the birds. Blood and feathers immediately rained toward him and hindered his vision, but nothing escaped his senses.


    Two birds flew past the barrage of feathers and crossed his position to reach Doku and Azni. However, Khan continued to rotate on his rear leg as his arms spread. One monster saw the glowing knife severing its body in half, while the other ended up in Khan''s grasp.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to rotate again to throw another kick forward. He even used that chance to launch the monster toward the cloud before waving his left arm a few times. Maimed corpses fell at his feet, but he didn''t stop attacking until the bright sky unfolded in his vision again.


    Doku and Azni had to deal with little to no threats due to Khan''s efforts. The flock was full of monsters, but they were pretty frail. Moreover, none of them had shown abilities, so everything had been a matter of avoiding being overwhelmed.


    Khan glanced at his two friends before moving his sharp eyes on the sky. A few cuts had opened on Doku and Anzi''s arms, but they were superficial. Still, the flock in the distance was turning to prepare another assault. The painful cries behind him explained how effective the first attack had been, so he understood that the current tactic wouldn''t work.


    "[Khan]," Liiza called as she approached him.


    Liiza pointed her hand at a spot behind Doku and Azni, and a wall of ice grew from the snow. The structure was only two meters tall and three meters large, but it was thick enough to endure the assault of the flock.


    Liiza took deep breaths after the feat. She appeared tired, but she could remain on her feet. Doku and Azni even nodded at her to express their gratitude.


    "Take cover!" Iris shouted from the other side of the group.


    Ilman had sprinted to reach George and Havaa, but the squad leaders shot toward the other underlings to defend as many Niqols and humans as they could. The crow-like monsters didn''t give them the time to cast spells, but their martial arts had been enough to relieve some pressure.


    Khan could inspect the state of the group now that he had turned to look at Liiza. Many had suffered injuries, and some of them were quite severe. A few recruits were even lying lifelessly on the snow as pools of blood expanded from their figures.


    The squad leaders had helped, but they were only four first-level warriors without their spells. They could probably fight the entire cloud of monsters on their own, but protecting the group behind them was pretty impossible.


    Iris, Ryan, and Felicia prepared their spells while the recruits and Niqols tried to find cavities hidden by the snow or in corners created by the rocky walls nearby. They were ready to counterattack properly now, but that would temporarily disregard the lives of their underlings.


    Khan found Ilman with his eyes, and the two exchanged a meaningful glance. George and Havaa had been in an isolated spot already, so they could find cover before the return of the flock. Ilman was free to defend those still in the open, and Khan silently agreed to do the same.


    Khan jumped forward. He took Liiza by her waist and threw her toward the couple under the ice wall. Doku and Azni widened their eyes before catching the girl mid-air and moving their attention on their friend.


    The couple couldn''t find Khan in his previous position. He had already reached a group of recruits who had been too weak even to attempt to find cover, and Ilman was nearby, protecting a few Niqols that the snow had tricked. Those aliens had started digging after sensing a hole under them, but they had only found a short pit that didn''t offer any protection.


    The flock returned, and many monsters slammed on the ice wall in a desperate attempt to pierce it. The clash filled the outer surface of Liiza''s spell with blood since it remained intact, and she didn''t stop expanding her ice to make sure that the monsters didn''t open any significant crack.


    The rest of the dark-red cloud swept the area occupied by the group again. The first to face the monsters were Khan and Ilman, who unleashed a flurry of palm strikes, kicks, and slashes that managed to protect those behind them from most creatures.


    The monsters reached the four squad leaders afterward, and a spectacle of lights began. Ryan gave birth to an intense wind that made the cloud stop for a second, Iris launched her piercing beam toward a crowded area, and Felicia threw fireballs everywhere else.


    The discharge of those three spells killed many monsters in a single exchange. Paul only had to punch away the few birds that managed to fly past that destructive barrage. His attacks were precise and powerful. His arms resembled snakes as they cracked in the air while killing the few creatures that entered his range.


    The flock couldn''t advance further. It rose higher in the sky instead of forcing its way forward, but it didn''t leave the area. The monsters flew toward the sun before turning to dive back at the group.


    Khan and Ilman didn''t know how to protect the recruits and Niqols behind them from that vertical attack. They jumped among them and prepared themselves to do their best, but the squad leaders stepped forward to place themselves right under the descending dark-red cloud during that time.


    The monsters reached an insane speed and threatened to squash everything under them, but the four squad leaders didn''t feel any fear. Ilman and Khan shared the same confidence, but their efforts didn''t involve only their safety. Still, their worries ended up being unnecessary.


    Ryan used his control over the wind to generate another spell that made the descending dark-red cloud shrink. Intense gales forced the monsters to slam on each other and slow down their advance, and Iris didn''t waste that chance. She shot one of her piercing beams, and the attack crossed the flock from side to side, killing many birds at the same time.


    Those who continued to descend even after that display of superior might had to deal with Felicia''s fireballs. She only managed to launch three of them before the flock reached the surface, but her attacks had appeared quite effective against those feathered creatures.


    Khan, Ilman, and Paul relied on their martial arts to kill as many monsters as possible after those creatures stormed the surface. Many corpses fell on the dark-grey snow that had started to melt after everything that had crashed there. That barren and pure area had turned into a bloody spectacle in a matter of minutes.


    The flock dispersed in the area before flying higher in the sky. Khan and the others prepared for another wave, but they remained surprised when they saw the monsters leaving. It seemed that those creatures had given up on the hunt.


    Everyone remained silent even after the flock left the area. The group wanted to be sure that they had actually won, but sighs of relief eventually started to resound. Even the squad leaders relaxed, and Khan also accepted that they had won that battle.


    The faint happiness felt due to that feat didn''t last since the state of the battlefield was impossible to ignore. Many dead monsters had tainted the dark-grey snow, but they couldn''t hide the few corpses among them. One Niqols and three recruits had died during the sudden assault, and many more had suffered injuries that required immediate attention.


    Some recruits and Niqols exploded into tears due to the casualties, but the others looked at the dead monsters with hungry eyes. Grief existed in the minds, but they couldn''t think about it with their stomachs grumbling to no end.


    Almost everyone remained silent out of respect for that sad moment, but Khan couldn''t allow himself to waste time. The group was basically standing on top of a pile of food, which could attract other predators. The flock had found them, so the same could happen with other monsters. The new threat might be too strong for them, and it might even force them to leave the area, so eating had the priority now.


    Khan picked a few birds from their legs before bringing them next to the ice wall where Doku, Azni, and Liiza had remained hidden. The couple smiled at that sight, but Liiza pouted even if Khan could read the hunger in her eyes.


    "[Do you know how to cook them properly]?" Khan asked, and Doku forced himself to stand up.


    "Squad leader Felicia!" Doku shouted with his weak voice while pointing at a relatively empty spot in the area. "I need your help to set off a fire. Can you help?"


    The woman initially felt surprised, but she eventually nodded and approached Doku. The two started preparing the fire to cook those monsters in no time while the other squad leaders handled the issue about the corpses.


    "[You have thrown me]," Liiza complained when Khan sat next to her and let the coldness of the ice wall spreading throughout his back before taking her into his arms.


    "[It was quick]," Khan explained before mocking her a bit, "[And fun]."


    "[You are lucky to be cute]," Liiza snorted before cuddling on Khan''s lap and closing her eyes.


    "[Thank you, Khan]," Azni exclaimed after Liiza finished teasing Khan.


    "[I''m glad you are okay]," Khan announced. "[Everything is already quite grim. I would have found it hard to bear all of this if something happened to you]."


    "[I suspect someone would have helped you getting through that]," Azni smiled while glancing at Liiza half-sleeping in his arms.


    Khan caressed Liiza''s hair before focusing on the squad leaders. He had obtained another demonstration of how strong spells were, which intensified his desire to get his hands on the Wave spell. Still, the scent of roasted chicken soon reached his nostrils, and every complicated thought vanished in front of his hunger.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I wanted to warn everyone about my break, but I found myself unable to write anything as soon as I made that decision. Anyway, I''m back now.

 Chapter 200: Shout

    Everything improved only to worsen again. Felicia and Doku made sure to refill everyone''s stomach. Khan, Ilman, and the squad leaders had killed many monsters, so the entirety of the group got the chance to appease their hunger. Yet, the lack of that distraction allowed them to focus on what they had just survived and lost.


    The calm achieved after scaring away the flock forced the recruits to acknowledge their new situation. They had gone from fighting to defend the teleport to a struggle for their very survival. The battles had been part of a mission before, but everything was different now.


    The crisis didn''t differ between the species. It killed both humans and Niqols without caring about their status, wealth, and origin. Only power mattered in the wild, and it became clear how the aliens were one step above the recruits in that field.


    The recruits weren''t only generally inferior in terms of sheer battle prowess and experience. The casualties suffered by the group also affected them deeply, which sounded strange when the Niqols experienced stronger emotions. Those young humans had not been used to death, but the crisis quickly educated them in that field.


    Moreover, the recruits had seen Niqols helping them without minding their different species. That sight was heartwarming, but it also originated deep regret.


    The humans had learnt about the solar wind before the actual event, but they had let it happen without warning the Niqols. That cruel decision had been easy to make from their safe and distant camp, but it only caused disgust now.


    The recruits had been proud about the idea of exploiting their superior knowledge to make the Niqols suffer and force them to ask the humans for help. Yet, those same Niqols were protecting and defending them now. It was hard to describe how bad the humans felt after sharing food and sleeping next to the students.


    The group left the area in a hurry after eating and storing some provisions. They couldn''t carry much due to the lack of backpacks and similar items, but they didn''t want to end up in the previous grim situation. Still, the food issue would be over once they crossed the mountain chain, which was bound to happen the very next day.


    The squad leaders prioritized leaving the battlefield to avoid meeting predators attracted by the appealing smell of the corpses. They didn''t even bury the Niqols and human bodies since they could act as baits for eventual monsters.


    The food didn''t accomplish miracles, so the group had to sleep right after reaching a new safe area. Khan and Liiza could finally be alone for a while, but they only rested in each other''s arms after finding a relatively isolated spot.


    The third day of the travel finally caused a change. The mountains suddenly stopped filling the groups'' vision and opened into a plain covered in snow that stretched far in the distance. The vegetation appeared scarce or hidden by the dark-grey layer, and faint winds started to blow after diving deeper into the new area.


    Liiza checked the map often to make sure that the group was on the right path. It was easy to get lost in the snowy plain due to the lack of structures that the group could use as signals. They could only rely on the mountains behind them, but they were a bit too vague as a landmark.


    The doubts and worries disappeared when a frozen lake appeared on their path. The group could finally confirm to be on the right way toward Zalpa, but they still needed to inspect the area thoroughly and compare what they learnt with their maps to understand where they were.


    It turned out that the group was slightly off the planned course, but adjusting it wouldn''t be a problem. They would only lose a few hours of travel, which were nothing when they thought about how distant they were from their destination.


    The temperature rose as the group continued their march. Dark-green grass replaced the snow, and small bushes also grew near the shores of the other lakes that appeared on the path.


    The environment didn''t feature animals in its frozen areas, but Tainted creatures started to appear once the snow retreated. However, most of them lived inside the lakes and couldn''t breathe outside. Even the few monsters that the group found shared that feature.


    The group initially felt safe since the monsters couldn''t leave the lakes, but the lack of water became an issue they couldn''t ignore after spending two days traveling in the area. Even the food became scarce and forced the squad leaders to come up with plans to fish out the Tainted animals and monsters.


    The emptiness of the areas outside the lakes hinted at how dangerous the monsters inside the lakes were. The environment was far from barren, so it didn''t make sense for packs to ignore it. The group didn''t find anything on the surface, so something had to make it uninhabitable, and only the creatures in the water could succeed in that feat.


    The creatures that occupied the lakes could be strong enough to prevent other packs from appeasing their thirst, but humans and Niqols were far smarter than monsters. Also, the group could coordinate their spells and approach the hunt safely.


    The lakes mainly contained an odd species of fishes capable of changing the color of their scales to hide inside the dark waters. Some Niqols recognized them, but the presence of monsters made their knowledge unreliable due to the abilities that those creatures might have developed.


    Still, the group didn''t need to learn the nature of those abilities. The lakes didn''t hide the presence of the monsters, and those creatures weren''t even too big, so Iris could slowly take them out with precise beams aimed at their heads.


    Liiza also helped by freezing large chunks of the targeted lake whenever the monsters tried to send their Tainted underlings toward the group on the shores. Felicia and Ryan supported her in the process, so no one risked facing dangers.


    The lake chosen by the group was relatively small since they aimed to clear it completely. The hunt provided more food and water, and it also told the squad leaders that they could repeat the process throughout that region as long as they continued to pick small targets.


    The barren mountain chain had exhausted the group, but the travel through the plain filled with lakes restored their physical condition. Both Niqols and students could rest and eat quite freely, and the lack of dangers on the surface allowed them to ignore the constant pressure that surrounded them.


    That peaceful period ended as the vegetation started to thrive and the lakes expanded to transform into a large marsh that featured multiple muddy areas. The change in the environment made the group enter in the last part of their travel, but it also brought their mindset back into the crisis.


    It had taken the group many days to reach the marsh. They had already entered their second week of travel, but everything could potentially end after crossing that region. Liiza even contacted Zalpa to confirm that she was on her way to meet them. The last struggle separated students and recruits, so tension inevitably fell on them again.


    That marsh differed from the region that Liiza and Khan had almost started to view as their personal home. It almost completely lacked stable areas. Mud and dirty water covered the entirety of its surfaces, and a few giant trees occupied sparse spots. Those plants had dark trunks as large as buildings, and their roots spread for many meters before going underground.


    The water reached the group''s knees in many areas. The roots that spread on the surface also hindered the travel, but the trees could act as signals since the maps had marked them.


    The travel inevitably slowed down due to the many hindrances that the environment put in front of the group. Still, the monsters remained the main threat. Packs of snakes and leeches filled the shallow dirty waters. Some of those mutated creatures had even developed abilities, but they couldn''t do much when Khan and the others were at their peak.


    The trees started to appear more often as the group trod forward, and patches of ground begun to replace the mud and dirty water. The destination was finally in sight. They would meet Zalpa in the strange forest past the marsh, but an unexpected event happened when they entered their last day of travel.


    Khan, Liiza, and Zaliha were the first to notice multiple presences quite close to their position. They would have normally changed direction in front of such a numerous group, but they decided to walk toward them since the source of that mana came from Niqols.


    The other group did the same when it sensed those potential allies. Almost thirty familiar Niqols appeared in front of Khan once the two teams met. Those aliens were the servants who had worked in the valley. Khan even recognized someone that he had only seen during the meeting with Yeza.


    ''His name should be Zura,'' Khan thought while glancing at the middle-aged Niqols in the lead of the other group.


    Zura had been the servant who had given Khan the warm change of clothes after he stabbed his own leg. His presence made Khan reevaluate how joyful that meeting was since it forced him to recall Yeza''s comment about the xenophobic Niqols.


    "[This is a fortuitous meeting]," Zura bowed once the two groups got close enough to talk.


    The Niqols wore the same blank face that Khan had seen in the palace, but his gestures were polite enough to put the squad leaders in a good mood. The other aliens behind him also bowed to greet the other group and built a friendly atmosphere in mere seconds.


    "[It''s nice to meet allies for once]," Ilman announced while performing a bow, and the squad leaders imitated him after voicing polite greetings.


    Khan also performed a bow, but he didn''t say anything in that situation. Still, he didn''t miss the curious and surprised glances that converged in his position when Liiza took his hand to wrap his arm around her waist.


    Many didn''t hear Yeza''s announcement, especially the servants who had remained inside the palace during the outburst of monsters. The relationship between Khan and Liiza was a surprising event which her political position highlighted.


    Liiza didn''t care about her legacy, but the same didn''t go for the other Niqols. She remained part of her mother''s tribe, with claims on her position as ambassador. Yeza was even a unique figure in the social and political environments, so Liiza''s partner was an important topic for some aliens, especially those loyal to the old ways.


    Liiza didn''t consider that her actions could cause problems. Yeza had acknowledged her relationship, so no one could dare to say anything about it. However, Khan had become paranoid even before teleporting toward his first alien planet, and that feeling couldn''t remain silent after recalling about the xenophobic groups of Niqols.


    "[How did you escape the valley]?" Ilman asked without adding any negative meaning to his tone.


    "[The Lysixi left the tunnels connected to the palace, so we used them to leave after Yeza sent us the location of the next safe area]," Zura shortly explained, and the squad leaders nodded even if they didn''t know anything about the tunnels.


    "[Aren''t you off track]?" Zura continued after placing his cube on the muddy ground and creating the map with its azure light. "[You came from the valley, right? How did you even end up here]?"


    "[Liiza had an ally in this area], Ilman revealed while pointing at the forest in the distance. "[We planned to meet with her before reaching the safe location]."


    "[Do you mind if we tag along]?" Zura asked as his eyes moved toward the four squad leaders.


    "[Not at all]," Iris replied before performing another polite bow. "[We must stick together in this dangerous period]."


    Khan slowly led Liiza on the opposite side of the newly arrived Niqols after the groups fused and resumed the march. Only she noticed those vague actions, but he limited himself to reveal a meaningful gaze when she looked at him with her questioning eyes.


    Liiza didn''t understand the reason behind Khan''s actions, but she accepted them for now. She would simply question him once they got some privacy.


    The marsh eventually ended, and a thick forest unfolded in front of the group. The same giant trees with roots that spread on the surface filled the next region and created a wild scene. That would be another tricky area to explore, but Khan rejoiced at the sight of proper footholds.


    The students and recruits remained stunned in front of that strange environment for a few seconds, but Zura suddenly shouted something in the Niqols'' language that most aliens didn''t understand.


    The shout distracted everyone and made them unable to see how their new companions curved their fingers into claws and slashed them at the humans in their surroundings.


    The event had been too sudden and unexpected. The newly arrived Niqols had already blended with the group, so they didn''t have problems finding human throats. Their fingers pierced skin and muscles easily and made blood spurt out everywhere.


    Everything happened too quickly, even for the squad leaders. Iris had focused on the sudden shout only to move her attention on the painful cries of her underlings. She noticed Zura''s attack only after his fingers pierced her throat.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Also, I know that I''ve promised many chapters before the break. Long story short, I lack the time and the energy to write them while I handle two stories. I''m sorry.

 Chapter 201: Hesitation

    Khan instantly realized that his worries had become true, but he felt powerless in that situation. The shout had managed to surprise him too, so the newly arrived Niqols completed their attacks by the time he understood what was happening.


    Blood filled Khan''s vision. The newly arrived Niqols'' group featured thirty members, and almost all of them managed to find a suitable target. Large cuts opened on many human throats as the aliens'' sharp fingers stabbed them. Khan had never seen that technique, but his knowledge allowed him to understand its functioning during those short seconds.


    Brandon, Kelly, Helen, and Veronica managed to dodge the incoming attacks, and the same went for a few more recruits. George, Felicia, Paul, and Ryan weren''t in the Niqols'' range, so they didn''t have to deal with any threat. However, everyone else suffered from the sudden offensive, and most of those injuries ended up being deadly.


    Khan didn''t know the recruits as well as the students, but he had forced himself to learn everyone''s name. He had even instinctively studied their behavior due to his social paranoia, so he could claim to be everyone''s acquaintance. Still, most of them fell to the almost dry ground as their hands reached their throats in desperate attempts to close their large injuries.


    The event had been a one-sided slaughter. Khan had expected the new Niqols to be relatively unfriendly, but he would have never predicted them to attack right in the middle of the wild. He believed that they would have tried something sneakier after reaching a safe place, but the reality had turned out to be far different.


    Everyone seemed to freeze while many of the injured recruits fell to the ground and died in the following seconds. Most students didn''t know how to react to that scene, and the other Niqols didn''t feel the need to attack again right away. The most surprising aspect of that scene was Iris'' death, which arrived only an instant after the rest of the humans.


    The recruits who had dodged the incoming attacks or had succeeded in salvaging their vital spots were the first to scream. Their terrified voices forced everyone to snap back to reality and made them accept the nature of the situation. The newly arrived Niqols had almost killed most of the humans in the group.


    Khan jumped back while lifting Liiza and drawing his knife. The three squad leaders and the surviving recruits did the same, and the newly arrived Niqols imitated them.


    A strange scene formed. The humans and the servant stood at two opposite sides of a small battlefield at the forest''s edges. Instead, the stunned students remained among the two groups, but they turned toward the other aliens as they prepared themselves to fight.


    "[What did you even do]?!" Ilman shouted as his wide eyes moved among the servants and the corpses on the ground.


    The humans didn''t say anything, and even Liiza and Havaa remained silent. The two girls were the only Niqols who had retreated with the humans, but they waited for the other aliens to answer Ilman before deciding what to say in that situation.


    "[We did what our species should have done a long time ago]," Zura stated without showing the slightest tinge of regret. "[The alliance with the humans has made us forget our ways. We must sever this connection to reclaim our old values]."


    "[What nonsense is this]?" Ilman complained. "[Our species has gained immensely from the alliance with the humans. We have managed to let go of the most brutal aspects of our past without losing power]!"


    "[How do you describe this situation then]?" Zura asked while waving his hand to point at the two groups and the marsh expanding at his right side. "[Our ancestors knew about the sunlight, but we didn''t bother to study the old knowledge due to the trust in the new ways. The Niqols'' blood spilled during the crisis on your hands]."


    "I''m tired of this idiocy," George snorted before stepping forward and leaving Havaa''s tight embrace. "You killed our companion, so you are our enemies."


    George was livid. His eyes tried to remain on Zura, but they often fell on a corpse standing a few meters from his position. Natalie''s lifeless face revealed pure terror and confusion. She had died without understanding what was happening around her.


    The other recruits shared the same anger. They all had friends and companions among the corpses on the ground, so their emotions were about to burst out. Khan even felt how many of them started to move their mana to prepare techniques or spells.


    Khan felt angry about the sudden turn of events. The servants didn''t only kill many recruits. They had also endangered the overall survivability of the group by removing many of its members. Still, he didn''t let his emotions get over his head.


    The three squad leaders shared the same mindset. They held back for a very simple reason that Khan had considered as soon as he saw the students remaining at the center of the battlefield. It was unclear whether the young aliens would side with the humans or the members of their species.


    "[I am ashamed of being part of your same species]," Ilman eventually announced while raising his palms toward Zura to prepare for the battle.


    The Niqols around Ilman imitated his gesture. The students had only needed that small input to decide which side to take. That choice felt even easy since they almost had no connection with the old ways.


    "[Do you dare to raise your hands against the older generations]?" Zura asked as a disappointed sigh escaped his mouth. "[Do you really wish to side with the humans even after what happened during the previous crisis? Did you forget how many young Niqols died due to the political schemes of those hideous parasites]?"


    A wave of hesitation spread among the group of students. Every Niqols suspected that the humans had kept the knowledge about the solar wind a secret to maximize their potential gains. The higher-ups of the Global Army had never admitted anything, but the political silence that had followed that event was a clue that the aliens couldn''t ignore.


    The students had ignored that clue during the journey toward the forest, mainly because they knew that simple recruits didn''t have much power over those political decisions. However, they couldn''t help but hesitate when they had to choose whether to fight members of their species or not.


    "[What are you doing]?" Ilman questioned while turning toward the Niqols around him. "[They have just committed an act of treason against our political allies. Don''t show any hesitation]."


    Ilman''s words did little to help those undecided Niqols. The truth of the situation was undeniable. Except for the envoys, the humans behind them had probably been aware of the solar wind, but they didn''t do anything to warn the aliens. The recruits might have had no power over that matter, but that didn''t make them innocent.


    "[Your words are pointless]," Zura chuckled. "[Doubts have already seeped into their minds. Just step aside and let us end them. No one would suspect us with Nitis in this state]."


    "[I would know]!" Ilman shouted in a resolute tone.


    Ilman couldn''t betray his feelings about the matter. He didn''t ignore that the humans might have helped with the solar wind, but that was a completely different topic. He remained focused on the present, on the servants who had assassinated many recruits.


    Khan had remained focused on the conversation, but a soft pull diverted his attention on the girl in his arms. Liiza was also staring at the two groups of Niqols, but she had instinctively tightened her grip on Khan''s robe when she understood that the situation could lead to an ugly battle.


    Only a third of the human group had survived the sudden attack. That would grant a numerical advantage to the servants if the students decided to step aside.


    The servants weren''t weak either. Many of them were adults with power similar to first-level warriors. Moreover, their techniques were unclear. They still abided by the three major fields taught in the academy, but they were different from the palm strikes usually deployed by the students.


    Liiza actually feared what would happen if a battle were to unfold, and Khan understood her feelings by a simple glance at her worried gestures.


    ''We might lose even if the other Niqols were to help us,'' Khan thought before glancing at the knife in his hands, ''Unless I''ve become as strong as I think.''


    "[Do you want to step aside]?" Khan whispered while showing a sad smile toward Liiza.


    Liiza raised her worried face before her eyebrows closed into a frown. "[I won''t remain out of this]."


    "[We fight then]," Khan announced before leaving a quick kiss on her lips. "[Your spell can turn the battle in our favor. Make sure to use it wisely]."


    "[You are planning to go in there on your own, aren''t you]?" Liiza asked as her frown deepened.


    "[You know that they can''t catch me]," Khan said while wearing a confident expression.


    Liiza didn''t like the idea of remaining in the backlines while her man jumped in the middle of the enemy group, but their abilities almost forced them to take those roles. Her frown deepened even more, but her face eventually relaxed.


    "[We won''t hesitate to treat you as enemies if you keep blockin-]," Zura voiced a threat, but a surprising event suddenly unfolded in his vision.


    Zura had missed Khan and Liiza''s quick kiss, but he didn''t overlook the long one that followed their whispers. His strange reaction made everyone look past the students and focus on the couple exchanging that intimate gesture before the battle.


    Surprise inevitably spread among the servants. They had seen how intimate Khan and Liiza appeared during their short travel together, but the couple had never exploded in such evident expressions of their feelings. Still, that long kiss removed every doubt. Liiza and Khan were in a relationship, and their feelings also seemed incredibly deep.


    "[Yeza''s tribe is doomed]," Zura heaved a disappointed sigh, and the servants behind him showed evident disgust.


    Khan and Liiza completely ignored that reaction. They exchanged warm smiles and soft words that no one could hear after they separated. Then, Khan turned toward the servants and took faint steps forward to approach Ilman and his group.


    George, the squad leaders, and the other humans instinctively followed Khan. They quickly created a simple battle formation that made sure to highlight their innate talents.


    Khan, Paul, Brandon, Kelly, Veronica, and George ended up on the frontlines. They were all ready for battle, but they stopped when Khan reached Ilman.


    "[I would understand if you decided not to fight with us]," Khan exclaimed, but a series of snorts promptly resounded among the students.


    "[Nonsense]!" Ilman shouted.


    "[Don''t try to protect us]," Azni uttered. "[We are in this together]."


    "[I can''t believe someone could be so vile to commit an act of treason during a global crisis]," Doku commented.


    Other comments resounded among the students as Niqols stepped forward to join the humans. The fact that Khan had tried to give them a way out of that situation only reminded them of the friendships built during the past months.


    Those students couldn''t betray their feelings, and most of their group soon joined the humans. Only a few Niqols unwilling to fight against their own kind remained on the sidelines, but the numerical advantage moved on Khan''s favor anyway. The issue remained the sheer power of the servants, but the squad leaders didn''t hesitate to address it.


    "You all should focus on the weak ones," Paul ordered in the human language since most recruits didn''t know the other. "Let us handle the other leaders."


    Paul looked toward Khan to wait for his nod, but the latter didn''t react to that gesture. Paul wanted Khan''s help, but he appeared unable to hear anything.


    Cold thoughts had started to fill Khan''s mind now that the battle was imminent. Many servants were staring at him due to his previous kiss with Liiza, and some still had blood falling from their fingers.


    Those aliens had killed many humans. They had dared to betray their political allies during such tough times. It felt unfair to die at the hands of those aliens after surviving many packs of monsters, but Khan didn''t focus on those thoughts.


    The images of Istrone reappeared in his vision, but they didn''t manage to make Khan sweep away the coldness that was invading his mind. The servants would probably punish Liiza for being with him. They might kill her or worse, so he stopped caring about how bad he might feel after the battle.


    Istrone''s events had brought Khan to tears, but he didn''t feel any hesitation now. He was ready to deploy deadly attacks against the Niqols. He felt able to kill like never before.


    "Khan?" Paul called as the silence between the two groups became deafening.


    The squad leader wanted to plan a simple battle tactic before charging toward their opponents, but Khan had already decided that he wouldn''t be a part of that. His figure disappeared as soon as coldness filled the entirety of his mind, and one of the adult servants lost her head.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I wanted to warn everyone about my break, but I found myself unable to write anything as soon as I made that decision. Anyway, I''m back now.

 Chapter 202: Mana Control

    Khan found it hard to describe what he was experiencing. He wasn''t thinking too much about his mental state, but he could feel intense emotions creating a chilling and calm mindset.


    Khan felt his survival instincts which naturally came from the dangerousness of the situation. However, there was something more intense there. He was experiencing the emotion that he had been scared to feel but that he couldn''t suppress now.


    Living among the Niqols and his relationship with Liiza had expanded his emotional spectrum. He didn''t feel like the humans anymore. His love could touch levels of intensity that no other member of his species had ever experienced, but the same applied to the very opposite emotion. Actually, his cracked mindset allowed him to go far deeper into that mental state.


    Khan had survived the Second Impact, Istrone''s rebellion, and many ugly scenes on Nitis. His mind had long since stopped belonging to a boy, and his many experiences had allowed it to reach dark areas that stable humans couldn''t even consider.


    That feature worsened against the servant. Those Niqols were putting his life, his relationship, and his girlfriend in danger. They had also killed many humans in a vile and sudden act of betrayal. No amount of self-restraint could stop Khan from falling into the dark depths of his mind, which gave birth to a clear and calm killing instinct.


    The Lightning-demon style fused with the sheer power of a first-level warrior made Khan''s sudden attack impossible to notice. He didn''t even bend his body at that time. He simply disappeared from his spot to dive into the enemy lines.


    The servants weren''t living beings in his eyes anymore. Khan saw heads, necks, and chests. He was treating everything as a target for his deadly glowing knife.


    The Niqols next to Zura lost her head, a hole opened in the man behind her, a deep cut appeared on the woman''s neck further behind, and similar scenes followed. Everything happened so quickly that the servants located Khan only after he had crossed the entirety of the enemy group.


    Zura and the other Niqols revealed surprised and worried expressions as they inspected the gap that had appeared among their group. Their gazes eventually converged on the bent figure at the end of that path. Khan slowly turned his head, and his cold azure eyes seemed to glow with a chilling light under the radiance of the sunlight.


    The path treaded by Khan had some corpses and an injured Niqols. It started with the headless woman and continued with a dead man, a woman who was desperately holding her bleeding neck, a body with a gory hole at the center of his forehead, and another headless corpse.


    The path ended with Khan standing on the crushed head of a Niqols. The deadliness of the sudden attack left both allies and enemies speechless. Even Khan''s closest friends had never seen him performing his martial arts with such blatant perfection.


    The sheer power of Khan''s assault didn''t come from his expertise in the martial arts but from his ability to fuse his techniques. The Divine Reaper gained the Lightning-demon style''s speed, adding a level of deadliness that his sprints couldn''t typically have.


    Khan had also been wise in his attacks. He had yet to reach the competent proficiency level with the Divine Reaper, so his knife failed to express its intended deadliness at times. Still, he had focused vital spots that even his sheer physical strength could pierce. Even the injured woman eventually died due to how deep the cut on her neck was.


    Paul, Ryan, and Felicia were familiar with the difference in power between a regular recruit and a first-level warrior. They knew that the sheer might deployed by Khan couldn''t possibly belong to the former category, but the situation didn''t give them time to ponder about the issue.


    Ilman voiced a battle cry that made both groups snap back to reality and charge forward. Khan found a series of glowing eyes converging on him. Only part of the Niqols turned toward the humans and students. Almost half of the servants decided to take care of him first.


    Khan didn''t dare to remain in his position. He jumped back before shooting to his left side. A young-looking Niqols had predicted his movements and had stretched her curved fingers to block his path, but he didn''t hesitate to duck and rotate on himself to deliver a powerful roundhouse kick at her side.


    The backlines had weaker Niqols. The girl''s ribs shattered and her lung collapsed as Khan''s kick sent her flying toward the servants behind her. He could have opened a hole in her torso, but that attack would have stopped his momentum, so he had limited his power.


    The servant quickly proved themselves worthy of their superior battle experience. Khan saw a tall male Niqols jumping on his path and crossing his hands in front of his chest.


    The Niqols had used the time lost during Khan''s attack to locate him and interrupt his movements. The alien planned to use his body to stop him, and he didn''t hold back from deploying a technique that darkened his skin.


    Khan''s sensitivity to mana told him that his opponent was a first-level warrior and that the amount of energy summoned to darken his skin was massive. The alien was deploying a spell.


    The Niqols'' timing had been quite good. Khan didn''t have much room to dodge the alien, but he could still avoid a direct impact if he jumped to his side and rolled. Still, that would leave him on the ground. Moreover, a tough wall wasn''t something that he had to fear.


    A failure in the execution of the Divine Reaper would force Khan to slam on the Niqols'' chest, which would lead to injuries. He couldn''t risk that, so he put everything he had on leaping and rotating mid-air to maximize the amount of power gathered on his descending heel.


    A thudding noise followed the impact between Khan''s heel and the top of the Niqols'' head. The alien''s mouth opened as he gritted his teeth to endure the power discharged during the impact.


    A few teeth broke and flew out of the alien''s mouth, and a line of pale-red blood descended over his forehead, but he managed to endure the attack. The skin on his arms and shoulders regained its natural color as he tried to grab Khan''s leg, but the latter promptly used his free foot to kick himself away from that situation.


    Khan flew above the servants that had hurried to catch him. He was almost six meters from the ground, so the aliens had the time to prepare for his landing.


    Another adult servant stepped among his allies and moved them away to point his hands at Khan. His fingers followed the human''s fall, and the air in front of them suddenly ignited.


    Khan saw a trail of fire flying toward him. The flames followed his descent. They even seemed to morph into a snake''s mouth, but he had to stop looking at them to cover his face with his arms.


    A scorching sensation filled Khan as the attack detonated on his arms. The explosion flung him away and made him slam on the ground.


    The Niqols who had cast the spell started to turn at the sight of his fuming target, but his eyes widened in disbelief when he saw him jumping back to his feet. The alien couldn''t contain his surprise when he saw Khan tearing away his charred sleeves and revealing that his arms were still in one piece. They featured many charred spots, but those injuries weren''t even close to being severe.


    "[He has a defensive spell]!" The Niqols promptly shouted, and Khan used that instant to run away.


    The warning only reached the servants who had turned to deal with Khan. The students and humans had started to fight, and the battlefield''s chaos forced them to focus on their surroundings.


    The servants had remained close together, and that didn''t change after the arrival of their opponents. The battlefield was relatively small. Ryan and Felicia rarely found the chance to launch their mighty spells, but the students managed to open them a path from time to time.


    Blood had spilled as soon as the two groups clashed. Paul, Ilman, and the squad leaders had tried to limit the superior power of the servants, but they couldn''t prevent some of them from slashing their fingers at their companions. Khan had managed to kill two first-level warriors with his surprise attack, and he had even attracted the attention of other powerful Niqols, but that wasn''t enough to prevent casualties on his side.


    The outcome of the clash between first-level warriors and weaker troops was obvious. No amount of care, strategy, or diversions could save the students and recruits who ended up in the range of the powerful servants.


    The human side had fewer first-level warriors but more troops, so they could focus on overwhelming their opponents. They would have to pay those small victories with blood and sacrifices, but both students and recruits showed no hesitation in their charge ahead.


    The scene would have been far different before the arrival of the sunlight, especially when it came to the recruits. Most of them would have been too scared to charge ahead before experiencing the cruelty of the crisis. Instead, they approached their enemies fearlessly now, even if some were blinded by anger.


    Khan swept the battlefield quickly. George, Doku, Azni, Ilman, and Liiza were doing fine. They had instinctively decided to fight together and protect Liiza since they knew how powerful her ice was.


    Something similar was happening with Felicia and Ryan. Their spells were powerful, so both students and recruits were doing their best to fend their opponents off and give them enough space. Each attack defeated a servant, so protecting those powerful assets was a priority even if the situation forced them to be near the frontlines.


    Paul ended up having a crucial role in protecting the other two squad leaders. The servants had initially approached him carelessly, and they had remained stunned when their chests or heads exploded after a short contact with the human. The event quickly told the Niqols that Paul was dangerous, so everyone tried to avoid fighting him.


    Khan only wasted a few seconds inspecting the battlefield before diving back into it. The few members were the servants'' greatest weakness, so he proceeded to take care of those busy fighting to worsen that feature.


    An old-looking woman was waving her nimble fingers in the air. Those body parts were sharp knives capable of severing everything they met, and the Niqols in front of her couldn''t help but retreat as she stepped forward.


    The woman wore a confident smirk, but her expression froze when a hole opened at the side of her neck. She had to use a hand to check the actual injury since Khan''s movements had been too quick and smooth. The Niqols didn''t even notice his passage, but her opponents didn''t hesitate to exploit that opportunity and overwhelm her with palm strikes.


    Another woman with a far younger complexion was giving Paul a hard time. She used strands of her long hair as whips that managed to keep the squad leader distant and block Ryan and Felicia''s view at the same time.


    The two squad leaders never had a clear shot in that situation, but a hole suddenly opened at the center of her throat as a knife pierced her from behind. Khan''s technique had failed, but he had still shoved his weapon all the way through the neck until it came out of the other side.


    Khan obviously had to waste a second to draw his weapon out of the woman''s neck, but the servants around him didn''t manage to catch him since he kicked his dead enemy toward the incoming Niqols. The window created by that gesture allowed him to disappear again.


    The servants would shout something whenever Khan reappeared on the battlefield, but their efforts to keep track of his movements were pointless. He could run around the crowd and reap lives whenever he found a suitable chance.


    The servants couldn''t even focus on Khan since some of their opponents were quite dangerous. They were losing ground, and that trend quickened as the number of their members continued to fall.


    "[Behind me]!" Zura suddenly shouted, and the servants quickly took a few steps back to stand behind their leader.


    Twelve servants had remained, and only six of them were first-level warriors. Instead, the enemy group was still quite numerous, even if corpses lay among them.


    "[Show them the power of the old ways]!" Zura ordered as he pointed his hand toward Paul.


    Paul instinctively crossed his arms in front of his face to prepare for a ranged ability, but nothing came out of Zura''s fingers. The squad leader started to lower his guard, but a surprised expression soon took over his confused face.


    Paul grabbed his left forearm and tightened his grip, but nothing seemed able to stop the ability. His veins bulged as worm-like waves of energy ran under his skin until they tore it apart.


    Khan jumped backward and stopped running toward his target when he saw most of the skin on Paul''s left forearm exploding. He knew a technique that could cause those effects. Zura had deployed the [Mana Control].


    ****


    Author''s notes: Also, I know that I''ve promised many chapters before the break. Long story short, I lack the time and the energy to write them while I handle two stories. I''m sorry.

 Chapter 203: Assassinations

    Zura''s incredible technique made the human group take a step back and interrupt the assault. They didn''t know what was happening, but they didn''t dare to get too close when an enemy could make their skin shatter with a simple wave of his hand.


    Some Niqols who had heard stories about the old ways could probably understand the nature of the [Mana Control], but they didn''t know its details. They weren''t sure whether Zura could deploy it against all of them or only Paul.


    Ilman knew something more due to the unique role of his tribe, but he also ignored the level of expertise that Zura had reached. Moreover, the boy couldn''t understand who Zura could target with his deadly technique. After all, the battle had lasted for mere minutes. Becoming able to control the mana of a single opponent was already an incredible feat.


    Instead, Liiza and Khan knew every detail about the [Mana Control] since the latter had the chance to learn it. They were aware of the harsh requirements that accompanied it, so they started to see Zura in a new light after his feat.


    However, the situation didn''t change too much. Paul''s injury didn''t turn the tables of the battle. The servants were still losing, but they had managed to instill fear in their opponents.


    Khan quickly realized that he couldn''t let the situation continue like that. Zura would only learn to manipulate the mana of more opponents if he allowed him to study them from a safe position. The chaos of the battlefield benefited the human group, so he had to restore it.


    Many eyes had converged on Khan after he stopped running. The servants didn''t want to lose track of his position, but they had no control over the matter. They limited themselves to voice warnings as soon as his figure disappeared and resumed running around them.


    Zura promptly jumped among his underlings while the other five first-level warriors took specific positions at the edges of the battle formation. They were clearly trying to protect him, and their behavior disclosed important information about their power.


    Everyone understood the nature of that behavior. The servants were probably protecting Zura because he was the only one capable of deploying that threatening technique.


    Felicia and Ryan didn''t hesitate to step forward and launch their spells. A sharp gale and a large fireball flew out of their figures, but two powerful servants jumped on their trajectory to intercept them.


    The two servants crossed their arms in front of their faces and chests and let the spells crash on them. The impact generated two different explosions that torn their white robes and gave birth to trails of smoke. Still, the squad leaders saw how their targets had only suffered superficial injuries once they managed to check their state.


    The skin on the servants'' arms and torsos featured a tight array of pale blood vessels. The two Niqols could deploy the [Blood Shield], and they didn''t have to limit it to small spots. They could cover almost a third of their bodies with that defensive technique.


    The human group''s morale almost fell when they saw that their strongest assets had failed to inflict any damage with a direct attack. Their hesitation deepened when Zura raised his hand from behind the servants and pointed it at Felicia. They felt the need to run away, but they stopped their tracks when a head flew in the air between the two teams.


    Khan didn''t remain stunned by the servants'' old ways, so he had seized that silent opportunity to reach one of the Niqols that had deployed the [Blood Shield]. He had aimed for the neck, but the Divine Reaper succeeded, so his knife beheaded the alien.


    Liiza shared a similar mindset. She had held back her spell until now, but the opportunity created by Khan allowed her to take her opponents by surprise.


    A thick layer of ice came out of her position and spread quickly until it reached the enemy group. Only some servants managed to react to the sudden event. They jumped back to dodge the incoming spell, but the ground under them froze nonetheless.


    The servants who couldn''t react to Liiza''s spell ended up stuck on the ground, with a layer of ice trapping their feet. Instead, those who had jumped saw a series of sharp spikes growing out of that frozen layer.


    Khan''s assassination had claimed the servants'' attention, so Liiza''s ice ended up trapping most of them. The Niqols who fell on the spikes saw injuries opening on their legs, and only a few of them succeeded in protecting themselves or avoiding those sharp traps.


    Zura found himself unable to complete his technique. He had jumped and had used the [Blood Shied] to protect his feet. Still, he couldn''t do anything to improve the situation of his companions.


    Felicia and the others had remained stunned, but Khan and Liiza made them snap back to reality. The human group charged ahead as another gale and a fireball flew in front of them.


    The spells hit the unprotected spots of the servants'' group. Those Niqols were too busy trying to free themselves from the ice to deploy any defensive technique, so the fireball and the gales ended up having deadly effects.


    A first-level warrior saw her torso opening in half after the gale hit her. The spell didn''t cut her from side to side, but it reached deep enough to make some of her organs spurt out together with a torrent of pale-red blood.


    The fireball landed in a spot occupied by weaker servants. It didn''t land directly on anyone, but its explosion burned two Niqols who were stuck in the ice. The flames melted part of Liiza''s spell, but Felicia had done her best to limit that effect by aiming at her opponents'' heads.


    Khan didn''t immediately attack after beheading the servant. He let the battlefield fall into chaos as he ran around the enemy group. The explosion of the two spells distracted the Niqols from him, so he used that chance to cut the neck of the first alien that he found.


    The humans and recruits eventually reached the servants and quickly killed those who were still struggling to free themselves from the ice. Two more first-level warriors died after being overwhelmed by a series of palm strikes and techniques that they couldn''t dodge. The weaker Niqols obviously had it far worse in that exchange.


    Twelve servants had remained when Zura revealed the [Mana Control], but the last exchange left only four of them alive. Two of them were first-level warriors, and one of them had even fallen prey to the ice.


    The first-level warrior stuck in the ice pointed his hands at the ice and released a wave of flames that partially burned his legs. He appeared unable to deploy the [Blood Shield], but he endured the pain and jumped out of the melted layer to turn toward the marsh.


    The Niqols wanted to run away, but a familiar figure appeared on his path before he could escape the area frozen by Liiza. Khan jumped to slam his knee on the alien''s face, and his knife descended right after. The weapon pierced his opponent''s head smoothly.


    Ilman reached one of the weaker servants stuck in the ice and delivered a precise palm strike at her head after dodging her panicked attack. The girl died quickly, and the dying scream of the other weak Niqols soon resounded in the area.


    Khan and Ilman exchanged a glance before focusing on the escaping figure in the distance. Zura had left the battlefield as soon as he understood that the battle was over, but the two boys couldn''t let him go after all the deaths he had caused.


    Khan and Ilman didn''t need words to decide what to do. They were the fastest in their group, and Zura was slower than them, so they shot toward him without showing any hesitation.


    Khan was far faster than Ilman. The Niqols struggled to keep up with him, but Zura wasn''t too far away, so the difference in their speed didn''t matter too much.


    Zura turned when he sensed the arrival of those two opponents. His usual aloof face had turned into an ugly expression that expressed the full spectrum of his emotions. The defeat didn''t only hurt him due to the loss of his companions. It had also damaged his belief in the old ways.


    Zura studied the situation in less than a seconds and realized that he still had a chance to escape. His opponents were a mere boy and the annoying human who had killed many of his companions. He could fight, and he even knew how.


    Khan couldn''t help but stomp his feet on the muddy ground to stop his sprint when he saw Zura pointing in his direction. Water and dirt flew in everywhere due to his sudden action and even more spread around him as he shot toward his left.


    Khan wasn''t sure whether Zura had managed to understand his aura. He had been careful, but he had also been at the center of the attention for a long time. There was a chance that the Niqols could use the [Mana Control] on him, and he didn''t want to risk getting hit by it.


    Zura snorted. He couldn''t focus on Khan''s mana when the latter was doing his best to avoid being in the trajectory of his fingers. The Niqols turned toward Ilman and prepared his fingers for the imminent impact, but a shadow suddenly appeared at his side.


    Khan had been fast enough to reach Zura as soon as he decided to focus on Ilman. The mud and shallow waters didn''t hinder his movements nor affect his speed. His knife rose to reach the Niqols'' neck, but his eyes widened when he saw a hand grabbing his wrist.


    "[You are predictable]," Zura revealed in a chilling tone while pulling Khan and placing his palm on his face.


    Khan sensed the mana inside him escaping his control. A foreign force had entered his body and had taken over his energy. Zura was trying to make his face explode, but the blood vessels on that spot quickly clotted.


    A faint rumbling noise filled Khan''s ears as his vision blurred. Pain spread on his face, and a headache immediately filled his head. However, he was alive, and he could feel that his condition was far from bad.


    Zura widened his eyes in surprise. He could recognize the [Blood Shield] when he inspected the opening among his fingers. His mind froze when he realized that a human was relying on the Niqols'' old ways to protect himself, but his stupor ended when a powerful blow landed on his belly.


    Khan had regained his focus during Zura''s stupor. He had delivered a powerful kick as soon as he felt able to move his mana, and the blow made the Niqols spit a mouthful of blood.


    Zura had no words to describe Khan''s strength. The latter wasn''t only as strong as him in terms of physical power. He could even deploy techniques that the other servants struggled to learn.


    Khan resembled the perfect fusion of the human teachings, the Niqols'' old ways, and their new ways. Moreover, his young age made his achievements spectacular.


    Zura felt his will to fight fading, but he forced himself to tighten his grip on Khan''s face anyway. Yet, he lost control of his body when a palm strike hit his spine and made his insides tremble. Ilman had finally reached his opponent, and he didn''t hesitate to deliver one of his strongest attacks toward a vital spot.


    Khan''s knife lit up as he forced his arm to twist. His physical strength overwhelmed Zura''s, and his weapon severed the Niqols'' forearm. Ilman delivered another palm strike, and Khan followed with a piercing attack.


    Zura''s lung collapsed as the glowing knife pierced the center of his chest. Blood filled the Niqols'' mouth as his eyes darkened. Khan drew his weapon and slashed it at his side with a quick moment to remove some blood from its edge, but his gaze remained on the dying alien. He didn''t stop looking at him even after he fell next to his feet.

 Chapter 204: Leader

    Zura died silently. Only his fall released a plopping noise that didn''t manage to go far due to how shallow the waters were in that area were. Still, that sound echoed in Khan''s ears and became louder as his mind left its dark depths.


    The battle was over, so Khan could resume thinking normally. He could start inspecting everything that had happened in the past minutes with his usual mindset, and the scenes that unfolded in his eyes made his mood plummet.


    Zura''s corpse was right under him. Khan couldn''t see his face, but he still recalled the desperate and unwilling expression that the Niqols had worn before dying. His eyes then moved toward the rest of his team. It was impossible to miss the many corpses amassed among them. Most belonged to the servants, but others had familiar shapes instead.


    Khan''s cold eyes moved among those corpses. He found it hard to recognize the servants that he had killed. He had moved too quickly during the battle, and he had never focused on the actual features of his targets. Everything was a mass of foreheads, necks, and chests in his mind.


    Khan lowered his gaze as he tried to recall how many had fallen under his attacks. He couldn''t feel sure about their actual number. It was as if his mind didn''t record the moments when his blade or kicks managed to kill an opponent.


    ''Killing has become easier,'' Khan realized.


    His thoughts didn''t involve his personal power. Khan had become strong, so he knew that his attacks had gained a deadliness they lacked before. His realization concerned his mental state. Making up his mind about taking a life had become easier.


    Khan didn''t know how he felt about that. Part of him felt dirty and disgusted about what he had become. Yet, his more practical side forced him to accept that he would have lost a lot if he didn''t kill those Niqols.


    The last battle had been different from Istrone''s events. Khan had focused on his survival back then. A deep desire to remain alive and go back home had driven his actions, but he had felt bad about them anyway. It had taken him a long time on Nitis to heal his mental state.


    Instead, the recent battle had something more than simple survival instincts. Khan had barely considered the servants'' beliefs, and he didn''t spend much time thinking about his own life. He had only wanted to protect Liiza and those close to him.


    Khan didn''t know how much he could justify his actions. He had acted out of love, but he had still taken many lives. Was his emotion more important than those Niqols? Some of them were younger than him, but he had severed their heads without showing any hesitation.


    Khan even hated how he didn''t feel as bad as before. Overcoming the suffocating emotions caused by Istrone''s events had taken a while, but nothing similar arrived now. Khan was cold, disgusted, and depressed, but he could move forward without relying on the mental barrier. The crippling sadness that he had gone through in the past didn''t return.


    ''Does this make me a killer or a soldier?'' Khan wondered as his eyes moved on Zura''s corpse and inspected the expansion of his pale-red blood on the muddy ground. ''Does this make me both?''


    The lack of crippling sadness threw Khan directly into the same emptiness he had experienced in the past. He felt as if he had gone back to before Nitis. He had regressed to the lost kid who couldn''t bear to remain on Earth anymore.


    It turned out that his regression was only an illusion. A familiar cold sensation suddenly spread on the bare parts of his arms before filling his chest. Khan snapped back to reality and noticed that Liiza had reached him. She had wrapped her arms in the insides of his robe to take his torso in her embrace.


    "[Are you okay]?" Liiza whispered as her worried eyes moved on his face.


    Khan had managed to protect himself from Zura''s attack, but a few cuts had inevitably appeared. Still, they weren''t deep, and they had even stopped bleeding. His face would only need a day or two to heal.


    Khan wanted to confirm that his injuries were nothing serious, but the words remained stuck in his throat. He could sense that Liiza wasn''t worried about his physical state. She knew how hard Istrone had been on Khan, so she wanted to check his current mental state.


    Everything felt better when Liiza was in his arms. Every fiber of Khan''s body and mind seemed to recall how he had overcome the emptiness experienced after Istrone.


    "[I was losing myself a bit]," Khan whispered as he wrapped his arms around Liiza''s waist to pull her even closer. "[Everything is better now]."


    Liiza revealed a warm smile before hiding her face in his neck. Khan immersed one of his hands in her hair and caressed her nape. He kissed her head a few times before approaching her ear and lowering his voice so that no one could even try to hear him. "[Are you okay]?"


    Zama had died less than two weeks ago. Liiza''s grief was still intense, but she had still fought many members of her species. Khan''s problems felt meaningless in front of what she had to overcome in the last period.


    Liiza rotated her head so that she could gaze at Khan''s worried face from the corner of her eyes. She bit her lips when she sensed that many Niqols and humans had gathered around them now that the battle was over, but Khan promptly lowered his ear to make sure that she could whisper words meant only for him.


    "[I''m fine now that I''m in your arms]," Liiza whispered.


    Khan could only tighten his embrace. She was experiencing the same emotions, and she had found the same solution. The feelings that they shared were the best cure and reward. Everything else seemed useless since they could enjoy each other warmth and coldness.


    Felicia cleared her throat and coughed a few times to claim the couple''s attention, but Khan and Liiza ignored her. They would remain in that position as long as they wished, and the Niqols around them stared at the squad leader to make her let go of the matter.


    Liiza and Khan separated on their own a minute later. They exchanged a few soft kisses before rejoining the battlefield in each other''s arms. Their group had suffered many casualties, and they both tightened their embrace at the sight of a familiar corpse.


    Azni, Ilman, George, and Havaa were fine. Doku had an ugly cut on his shoulder, but it didn''t seem too deep, and Azni was already patching it up. Paul''s left arm was in bad condition. His forearm had almost lost the entirety of its skin, and the bandages around the injury leaked blood even if they were pretty tight.


    The rest of the humans were relatively fine, except for Kelly, who had lost a chunk of her hand. Brandon was helping her, but her situation wasn''t critical.


    The students were also quite fine, but Khan could see how their number had fallen. Asyat, Zeliha, and other Niqols that he had learnt to know better than others were okay, but many others had died, and their corpses were on the ground around him.


    Gabriela had died during the surprise attack, and Veronica cried next to her corpse. Khan felt the need to say something to console her, but he limited himself to glance at George. The latter understood the meaning of his gesture and approached Veronica with Havaa. The three quickly fell prey to their sorrow.


    The group would find it hard to move right away, but a few of them required medical attention. Paul, Kelly, and some Niqols had bad injuries that could lead to problems if left untreated. Paul was an exception since he was a first-level warrior, but the others didn''t have that privilege.


    Zalpa was in the forest, only one or two days of travel from the group''s location. Liiza could even contact her to make her come in their direction and spare some time. One last effort divided humans and students from a potential safety.


    "[We should leave now]," Khan sighed, half-hoping that no one could hear his words.


    His hopes shattered in mere seconds. The area was completely silent, and only sniffs resounded from time to time. Everyone could hear his comment, and their eyes soon converged on the few injured members of their group.


    Ilman nodded and helped a girl that he was consoling to stand. Doku and Azni also jumped to their feet, and everyone else slowly imitated them.


    Khan found a series of eyes converging on him. The Niqols, even the few who didn''t join the battle, glanced at him and waited for him to move. The event initially surprised Khan, but the proud smile of his girlfriend ended up revealing the nature of those gestures.


    The Niqols had seen Khan fight. They had acknowledged his power, his loyalty, and the intensity of his feelings for Liiza. He wasn''t only one of them. He was a potential leader that they trusted more than Paul, Felicia, and Ryan.


    The three squad leaders could only nod when Khan glanced at them to inspect their reactions. He could finally understand what Paul had said before. His power, relationship, and the acceptance that the Niqols showed toward his figure made him untouchable.


    Moreover, the last battle had added something more to his figure. Khan had become a leader, at least when it came to the students.


    "[Let''s hurry to the forest]," Khan ordered. "[Our priority is to reach Zalpa. We''ll take care of our sorrow after ensuring our safety]."


    His closest friends were the first to nod and gather behind him. Felicia and Ryan quickly arrived too, and everyone else followed. The group put its injured members at its center and let Khan pick the path.


    Khan didn''t decide much. Liiza contacted Zalpa and placed her cube on the ground from time to time to adjust the direction. The group entered the forest and treaded forward carefully to avoid meeting monsters. The path featured some packs, but it seemed that the heavy aura surrounding the group was scaring them away.


    The lack of dangers made the group advance quickly. The forest was full of faint noises that seemed to resound in the distance. The big trees also hid most of its environment, but nothing could escape Khan''s senses in that situation.


    "[We should be almost there]," Liiza revealed as she studied the map in her cube.


    "[Did Zalpa even try to meet us halfway]?" Khan sighed.


    "[You know how she is]," Liiza responded. "[I''m not sure she would have helped us if the situation weren''t so tragic]."


    "[You are right, Lii]," A hoarse voice suddenly resounded from the peak of one of the trees nearby. "[Why would I even help humans]?"


    An ugly figure slowly became visible on top of the tree. Everyone could see the old Niqols who had odd features. Her long red hair and the faint red shades in her glowing white eyes made her unique among the alien species. Some of the students even gasped in surprise at the sight of those shades.


    "[It''s an honor to meet you again]," Khan promptly said while separating from Liiza and performing a deep bow.


    "[You are still around]," Zalpa snorted before jumping off the tall tree and landing in front of the group.


    Zalpa had fallen for more than eight meters, but she didn''t show any pain when her landing created a hole in the ground. She didn''t even hesitate to step forward and approach Khan and Liiza.


    "[It''s nice to see you, Zaza]," Liiza exclaimed happily before jumping in her arms.


    Zalpa revealed a surprised expression in front of that sudden affectionate gesture. She raised her head to inspect Khan and search for answers, but her confusion only intensified at the sight of his evident sadness. He was hurting to see Liiza in that condition.


    "[Let''s go back to my cave]," Zalpa threatened. "[You''ll tell me everything there]."


    Khan nodded without showing any fear, and his reaction left Zalpa stunned again. She could almost see the profound changes that had affected that cursed boy. She would easily mistake him for a Niqols if it weren''t for his physical features.

 Chapter 205: Privacy

    Zalpa led the group through the forest and never stopped until she reached a narrow cavity in the ground hidden by a series of leaves that radiated an ominous aura. She carefully removed the cover and guided everyone through the many dark passages that unfolded after the entrance until she arrived in a relatively large area that Khan found familiar.


    The underground area was similar to the cave that Khan had seen during his first meeting with Zalpa. Red symbols covered the rocky walls and filled the circular hall with an eerie light. She had hung a few Tainted animals and monsters to the ceiling, and two empty cauldrons stood on the ground.


    The peculiar sight would normally leave students and humans stunned, but they were too tired to question Zalpa. They had to travel for many hours to reach the cave, so they sat on the ground as soon as she felt that they had arrived in a safe area.


    Liiza had returned in Khan''s arms during the travel, but she had to leave him to plead Zalpa when she hesitated to take out potions. The old Niqols wouldn''t hesitate to heal the students, but she didn''t want to help the humans. Still, she found herself unable to refuse Liiza due to how sad she appeared.


    Luckily for the group, Zalpa already had many potions in store. She only had to modify some of them to increase their effectiveness on humans. Those remedies abided by the old ways, so they exacted a price in terms of mana that made Paul, Kelly, and the injured Niqols fall asleep in a few minutes.


    Zalpa didn''t immediately demand a summary of what the group had gone through in the past weeks. She tinkered with one of the red symbols on the wall to reveal a hidden cavity that contained a stash of food, and she threw a few ingredients into a cauldron to prepare drinks.


    Everyone soon had drinks and food at their disposal, and many ended up falling asleep after their exhaustion had the better of them. Only a small part of the group remained awake and gathered around Zalpa to explain what had happened since the meeting in the valley.


    "[The sunlight is stronger than I expected]," Zalpa commented after Khan completed his explanation. "[The Lysixi should have been immune, like the Aduns, but it seems that this crisis is worse than before. Also, I can''t believe that those damned bastards have turned on their own kind]."


    "[Don''t you agree with them]?" Khan asked.


    "[I definitely do]!" Zalpa declared while moving her eyes between Khan and the girl sitting between his legs, "[But surviving the crisis should have the priority. We can always kick out the humans after they help us with the sunlight]."


    "[Zaza]," Liiza called while adjusting her position between Khan''s legs.


    "[I gave you food, drinks, and potions]," Zalpa snorted. "[I will say whatever I want]!"


    Liiza sighed, but Khan promptly caressed her hair. She glanced at him before taking his hand, kissing it, and wrapping it around her waist. Khan could only hold her tightly at that point.


    Zalpa inspected the situation with aloof eyes. Khan''s story had been detailed, but he had avoided mentioning a few important events. He didn''t say anything about Zama''s death, and he had also decided to keep Yeza''s acknowledgment for himself. It was better to let Liiza talk about those topics when she felt ready.


    Still, Zalpa wasn''t stupid, and she also knew Liiza quite well. She couldn''t understand the precise reason behind her lingering sadness, but she noticed how the couple wasn''t hiding the nature of their relationship anymore. Moreover, the Niqols and humans around them treated those affectionate gestures as a regular occurrence, which revealed that something had changed in those months.


    Felicia, Ryan, Brandon, and George were the only humans around Zalpa, and they inevitably remained surprised in front of her blatant hatred toward their kind. The old Niqols also ignored them completely and looked only at Khan and Liiza, so they never had the chance to join the conversation.


    However, at least for now, the humans didn''t feel the need to interrupt the conversation. Zalpa had allowed them to rest and recover, so they didn''t want to endanger that situation. Their doubts and questions would have to wait for when Khan was alone.


    Zalpa glanced at the humans and students for the first time since the beginning of the conversation after the couple fell silent. They mostly avoided her gaze or bowed politely, but their reaction only annoyed her.


    "[Alright]," Zalpa eventually exclaimed before standing up. "[Lii, come with me. Let''s have a real talk]."


    Liiza nodded and stood up while taking Khan''s hand. He imitated her, and Zalpa didn''t forget to voice her disagreement with that scene. "[Do you have to bring him along]?"


    "[Zaza, just accept him]," Liiza replied while lowering her head and blushing a little. "[Even my mother did that]."


    Khan tried to maintain a stern face, especially after everything that had happened in the past days, but Zalpa''s surprised expression made him feel a bit proud. Of course, the old Niqols didn''t hide her annoyance, which she revealed by staring at him coldly.


    "[What tricks did you use to make Yeza accept you]?" Zalpa asked, and everyone on the scene bent toward Khan to listen to his explanation.


    That topic was quite popular, but the crisis had made everyone unable to question Khan about it. They didn''t even have any right to ask that stuff due to Liiza''s past and position.


    "[I can''t say anything]," Khan reminded by pointing at his neck.


    The envoys had to drink a restriction before the meeting with Yeza, so Khan had never managed to describe what had happened back then. He could only talk with the other recruits in the academy about that event, but he had never disclosed much.


    Zalpa snorted again and closed the distance between her and Khan in less than a second. He found her hand on his neck. The sudden event made Felicia and Ryan start to stand up, but Khan showed them his palm to interrupt their actions.


    Two azure symbols lit up on Khan''s neck, and Zalpa closed her eyes before pulling her arm back. Khan felt as if she ripped a chunk of his skin off, but everything turned out to be okay when he checked one of the spots previously occupied by the restrictions.


    Liiza had remained still during the scene. She knew that Zalpa wouldn''t hurt Khan due to how important he was for her. She had limited herself to show a firm expression while continuing to stare at the old Niqols.


    "[Won''t this create political issues]?" Khan asked while scratching his neck a few times and clearing his throat to get rid of the strange feeling that the removal of the restriction had originated.


    "[The humans would have removed it anyway]," Zalpa commented before crossing her arms and waiting for an answer.


    "[I refused her]," Khan simply explained, and those few words were enough to leave everyone stunned.


    Yeza was so beautiful that even those who weren''t into women would find it hard to refuse her. The feat would be harder to accomplish in a formal meeting where the Niqols could reveal her captivating abilities. Yet, Khan claimed to have overcome the challenge, and many understood that his relationship had played an important role there.


    Zalpa didn''t believe his words, but Liiza nodded as soon as her eyes fell on her. The old Niqols could only accept that truth, but she continued to feel annoyed about it. She didn''t say anything before turning and walking toward the opposite side of the cave.


    Zalpa tinkered with a red symbol, and another cavity opened. The new area resembled a proper room with other runes on its walls, and she didn''t hesitate to enter it.


    Khan and Liiza followed Zalpa, but the latter turned to grab his neck again after the others in the cave became unable to see the trio. Zalpa pushed Khan on the nearby wall, and her expression revealed deep killing intent as she studied his face.


    "[No one can refuse Yeza]," Zalpa stated in a chilling voice. "[I won''t let you trick Lii]."


    "[I did]," Khan repeated without showing any fear.


    Zalpa tightened her grasp, but Khan''s face remained resolute. That reaction only enraged her, but Liiza soon placed a hand on her arm.


    "[He is the only reason why I managed to overcome Zama''s death]," Liiza explained, and her revelation left Zalpa stunned.


    The old Niqols felt unable to pour strength into her grip. She let Khan go as she turned toward Liiza and took her into her arms. Liiza sniffed, but she quickly pushed her away to inspect Khan''s neck.


    "[He isn''t tricking me]," Liiza explained without looking at Zalpa. "[My mother decided to let him go after he stabbed his own leg]."


    Zalpa''s gaze immediately went on Khan, and he nodded to confirm those words before focusing on Liiza. The grief that the girl had suppressed until now had returned after talking about Zama, and he couldn''t let her handle it on her own.


    Zalpa didn''t know what to say. Every fiber of her body was against the political relationship between Niqols and humans. Still, the scene in front of her made her belief shake. Khan and Liiza shared the same emotions. Actually, Khan''s feelings appeared stronger at times.


    "[You could have chosen a good Niqols]," Zalpa sighed.


    "[I chose him]," Liiza whispered while wrapping her arms around Khan''s torso, "[And I won''t forgive you if you threaten him again]."


    "[It''s fine]," Khan whispered.


    "[It''s not]!" Liiza shouted, forcing Khan to show a helpless smile toward Zalpa.


    "[I will never like you]," Zalpa commented.


    "[I don''t care]," Khan responded. "[Though let''s try to go along for her sake]."


    Zalpa cursed in her mind. Khan was even focusing on Liiza''s well-being. She couldn''t find anything against him, so she snorted before looking toward the entrance.


    "[We should leave tomorrow]," Zalpa announced while changing the topic.


    "[Can''t we delay the departure by one day]?" Khan asked.


    "[Why is that]?" Zalpa questioned in her hoarse voice. "[Are humans so frail]?"


    "[Tomorrow is Liiza''s birthday]," Khan revealed, "[And the Niqols would only benefit from a party]."


    Liiza revealed a warm smile before moving her arms around Khan''s neck and kissing him. Zalpa''s ended up opening her mouth in surprise. Khan didn''t only remind her about Liiza''s birthday. His suggestion even focused on the students'' well-being.


    "[I guess I can use one day to prepare a few things]," Zalpa admitted. "[We still need to march for a while before reaching the safe area in the end]."


    "[Thank you]," Khan said during a polite bow after Liiza let his lips go.


    "[I''m not doing this for you]," Zalpa snorted. "[We also have to talk about the techniques that you are using. Your knowledge might be incomplete, and I don''t want Lii to get hurt because of that]."


    "[We want the same thing then]," Khan added, and Zalpa scoffed in front of that innocent answer.


    "[Zaza]," Liiza uttered in a cute voice as she lowered her head to hide her faint blush, "[Can we use this room? We never had a decent chance to remain alone after everything that has happened]."


    "[I refuse to let a human fuck you while I''m here]!" Zalpa promptly shouted, and her voice was so loud that it resounded even in the other area.


    "[Zaza]!" Liiza scolded.


    "[I don''t care]!" Zalpa continued. "[I can barely bear to see you two together. I won''t give you the chance to remain alone]!"


    "[Do you prefer us to do it in front of everyone]?" Liiza teased, but her voice carried a faint determination that Zalpa didn''t miss.


    "[You wouldn''t dare]," Zalpa gasped.


    "[I don''t know]," Liiza whined while tightening her embrace. "[I felt so sad lately, with only Khan to cling on to. My emotions are bursting. I wouldn''t really care if someone were to see us. He might prefer the forest to avoid unwanted attention, but there are many monsters there. I don''t know if we have a choice]."


    Zalpa opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out of it. She cursed using words that Khan didn''t know before groaning loudly and addressing the request. "[Fine, take the damned room]!"


    Zalpa cursed again before leaving the room and closing the entrance. The rocks moved to seal the area, but a simple red symbol appeared in that spot. Even Khan knew how to activate it. A bit of mana and some pressure would be enough to open the wall again.


    "[I didn''t expect you to use your grief to our advantage]," Khan stated, but a sniff followed his words.


    Cold tears fell on his neck and made him lift Liiza before sitting on the ground. It took a few caresses and some kisses to make her reveal her face. She was finally dealing with her grief, and Khan could see how that feeling was overwhelming her.


    "[Don''t lie if it hurts you this much]," Khan scolded her softly while caressing her cheek.


    "[At least we got some privacy]," Liiza showed a warm smile disrupted only by her tears, "[So make sure to hold me tightly]."

 Chapter 206: Safe area

    Being in Zalpa''s cave gave the group the chance to have a proper party and face the losses that the crisis had caused. Khan and Liiza eventually joined the event, but they remained among their friends only for a short time before returning inside their room.


    Zalpa''s mood was awful, but she distracted herself by preparing smelly potions meant to make the journey toward the safe location easier. She even let Doku handle the second cauldron so that the others would never lack drinks.


    The cave didn''t have many cups, but the students made sure to pass them so that everyone could drink. The envoys joined them without hesitation, and they even helped the few other humans in the cave with that tradition.


    The humans deployed on Nitis had suffered incredible losses during the crisis and Zura''s betrayal. More than forty recruits had occupied the two camps before the arrival of the sunlight, but less than ten of them had remained now. One of the squad leaders had also died.


    Rodney''s position was unclear since the higher-ups of the Niqols had to take care of delivering him to the humans, but no one bothered to think about him. The crisis had taken so much from the group that everyone eventually got drunk.


    Khan and Liiza finally had the chance to spend some meaningful time together, which allowed him to help her take care of her grief. He couldn''t do anything spectacular, but being there for her ended up being enough to improve her mood.


    Liiza found it hard to control herself after she overcame her grief, but she didn''t even bother to try to suppress her raging emotions. Zalpa had granted privacy to the couple, and she didn''t dare to waste it. She and Khan basically spent the entire day of her birthday in their room, with him leaving only to grab food and drinks.


    Many gazes fell on Khan whenever he took those short strolls outside the room. The squad leaders wanted to question him about his power, while his friends wished that he could join the celebration. Yet, he only had Liiza in mind that day, so he limited himself to short salutes before returning into his girlfriend''s arms.


    Zalpa had to muster the entirety of her self-control to enter the room and have the conversation about the old ways. She made sure to visit the couple during the night of the second day after making sure that they weren''t up to anything naughty.


    "[What a damned brat you are]," Zalpa cursed when she entered the room and saw the couple''s state.


    Khan and Liiza were naked, but they were using their torn and dirty robes to cover themselves. Liiza was sitting on Khan''s lap, with her half-sleeping face laid on his bare shoulder. Instead, Khan was caressing her hair while his free hand adjusted the clothes used as a blanket and her legs under it.


    Zalpa didn''t miss the evident blush on Liiza''s face, and the scene left her conflicted. Except for Khan''s ability to satisfy Liiza, Zalpa noticed that she was feeling better after spending that long time with him. Yet, Zalpa didn''t like seeing her so used to being in Khan''s arms. Part of her motherly instincts still viewed Liiza as a kid.


    "[Zaza, thank you for this]," Liiza whispered while caressing Khan''s right leg with her feet.


    Zalpa could see Liiza''s actions even if the robes covered her, but she couldn''t feel angry at that time. She actually revealed a faint smile in front of Liiza''s peaceful voice.


    Khan''s protective stance toward Liiza also reassured Zalpa. He never failed to adjust her to make her comfortable and warm. The old Niqols had to admit that she had never seen such a perfect couple before, but she didn''t dare to voice those thoughts.


    Zalpa didn''t remain in the room for a long time. She limited herself to hear Liiza and Khan''s descriptions of the [Blood Vortex] and [Blood Shield] before adding a few simple explanations.


    It turned out that Yeza had given Khan the complete techniques. They didn''t lack anything, so Zalpa could only add some advice. She knew the old ways better than the current ruling generation of Niqols, and the couple committed to memory her words.


    Zalpa let Khan and Liiza be after that short interaction, and the couple spent the rest of the night together. They came out of the cave early in the morning of the next day, with Liiza still wearing her evident blush.


    Zalpa didn''t give specific orders, but everyone had understood that they had to wake up early that day. The group found the old Niqols already up, and she quickly forced them to sit so that she could apply her potions.


    Zalpa applied a few lines of dense and smelly dark ink on everyone''s faces. Then, she poured a few drops of another smelly liquid on their heads before moving to other potions.


    The squad leaders didn''t like that treatment, but they didn''t oppose it. They could sense that Zalpa was far stronger than them, and the effectiveness of her potions was undeniable. The skin on Paul''s forearm had completely regrown, and the same went for the injuries of the others.


    Only Kelly would need proper surgery once she regained access to human technology. Zalpa''s potion had closed her injury, but it didn''t regrow the missing piece of her hand. She had lost her thumb and forefinger, and only a prosthesis could fix that.


    The group left the cave after Zalpa completed her preparations. The forest reappeared in their view, but the old Niqols made everyone run among the large trees and long roots. She never bothered to check the path ahead, and she was so nimble that those behind her struggled to keep up with her speed.


    An explanation arrived after the group ran for an entire day and saw the trees around them getting scarce. Zalpa needed to stop to check the map, so Liiza had the chance to question her about her recklessness. Many believed that she was simply confident in her abilities, but the answer revealed a far different truth.


    "[What do you think the potions are for]?" Zalpa responded. "[I made all of you invisible to many species of monsters. We can rush our way toward the safe area like this]."


    No one asked questions anymore after that explanation. Zalpa pushed the students and humans to their physical limits to reduce the amount of time spent in the wild, but she didn''t forget to take care of their exhaustion.


    Zalpa dug multiple holes in the ground and reinforced them with red symbols drawn with her blood every time the group took a break. She used those pits as simple cauldrons meant to prepare fuming potions that had different effects.


    Some trails of smoke kept the monsters away and hid the group''s presence. Others quickened everyone''s recovery, while a few cauldrons simply contained nutrient drinks meant to bring students and Niqols back to their peak.


    The breaks never lasted more than a few hours due to how incredible Zalpa''s methods were. She spent half an hour creating the holes and concocting the potions, and the group used the rest of that time recovering. As for Zalpa, she rarely ate or drank. She never appeared tired during the journey.


    A plain full of bushes and short grass followed the forest, but trees reappeared after the group traveled for two more days. Zalpa''s potions allowed everyone to skip sleep without enduring any drawback, so the group managed to cross long distances in far less time.


    A forest that featured tall trees with thick and wide crowns made of large black leaves followed the plain. Many monsters occupied that environment, but Zalpa changed direction whenever she sensed something with her incredible sensitivity to mana. Her potion could make them invisible, but she still had to avoid meeting the packs.


    Crossing the second forest took a bit more than expected due to its crowded environment. Still, the group eventually reached a solitary mountain that grew right among that thick array of trees. Zalpa led everyone on the other side of that rocky structure, and a waterfall connected to a lake eventually became visible.


    Zalpa began to use red symbols on her arms as she moved along the shores of the lake. The group had to swim for a bit and cross a narrow path to reach the areas hidden by the waterfall, but they only found a rocky wall there.


    "[Take a step back]," Zalpa announced as she approached the wall filled with dark-grey moss.


    No one dared to ignore her order, but everyone paid close attention to her actions. Zalpa approached the moss and drew sharp lines on its wet structure. She didn''t use her blood at that time, but azure symbols lit up anyway after she activated a few of them.


    The symbols there were quite intricate, so Zalpa took a while to activate all of them. However, the wall started to tremble after she completed the process. Boulders covered with moss fell from higher parts of the mountains as the rocks in front of her began to open to create a tall passage.


    The boulders always fell into the lake, but the group on the narrow path inevitably moved their attention above them to make sure that nothing tried to hit them. Meanwhile, the tall passage began to open and revealed that the mountain''s insides were mostly empty.


    "[Let''s move]!" Zalpa ordered once the rocky wall stopped moving.


    The group couldn''t see much from the narrow passage, but everything became clear once they stepped on the small spot where Zalpa had activated the symbols. The mountain''s insides unfolded in their vision, and a faint azure light allowed them to recognize most details.


    The insides of the mountain weren''t actually empty. The Niqols had dug an immense part of the structure away but had left a tall palace at the end of that enormous cavity.


    The building was similar to the structure where Khan and the other envoys had met Yeza, but it featured an evident lack of aesthetic details. It had a dark and smooth surface, but its windows were small and uneven. Its roofs also fused with the rocky walls of the mountain and made the palace part of the structure.


    The palace was a structure meant for war times. It didn''t have any political purpose, but the group didn''t care about that. They felt ecstatic to see a new home that didn''t involve the dangers of the wild.


    Azure symbols filled the entirety of the enormous cavity and immersed the area in a pale radiance. That glow allowed the group to see some familiar figures standing on the rare balconies of the palace. Captain Erbair, Yeza, and the other higher-ups from both species waved at Zalpa and their underlings when they saw them moving toward the safe structure.

 Chapter 207: Vait

    The smooth walls of the palace inside the immense cavity slid open when the group arrived. Multiple layers made of dark metal moved to reveal a tall and large entrance that didn''t feature any luxurious door. It was nothing more than a rectangular hole that the students and recruits could cross to enter a vast hall.


    The stark change between the wild and the palace''s insides left the group pleasantly surprised. Soft and thick dark-red carpets covered the entirety of the room''s floor and spread on the steep staircases connected to the area. Simple tables surrounded by chairs occupied different spots of the main hall, and two chimneys containing blue flames occupied the center of two walls.


    The blue flames didn''t release any smoke, but their light added a brighter glow to the faint azure light that illuminated the palace''s insides. Moreover, those fires weren''t as hot as they should be, but they remained warm enough to make the environment cozy even for humans.


    The walls featured the same silken artworks that the envoys had seen during their meeting with Yeza. Dark-red and proper scarlet shades put an end to the blackness and greyness that filled most Niqols'' structures. The abstract pictures captivated both students and recruits, but the arrival of the higher-ups soon claimed everyone''s attention.


    Yeza, Captain Erbair, the Lieutenants, and various adults from both species descended one of the three staircases connected to the main hall. The higher-ups'' expressions were initially proud and happy, but they turned into dark faces once they realized how few of their underlings had survived.


    ''Did they also lose someone?'' Khan wondered when he failed to see some familiar faces among that group, especially when it came to the soldiers.


    That detail wasn''t enough to confirm that the higher-ups had suffered losses since the other adults could be in different areas of the palace, but Khan didn''t dare to keep his hopes up. He had seen how strong the leader of the mutated Lysixi was. The creature definitely had the power to kill some of his superiors.


    Yeza was strangely wearing a robe that covered most of her body. Her clothes still carried a luxurious aura, and they were tight enough to reveal her enchanting curves, but she wasn''t half-naked as usual.


    Her appearance was still too much for the students and recruits. Only Khan, Liiza, and Zalpa could avoid falling prey to her incredible beauty, and they ended up reacting differently to her arrival.


    Zalpa had worn a vaguely annoyed expression as soon as she entered the palace. She didn''t like seeing humans walking inside structures built by Niqols that believed in the old ways. The artworks and dark-red shades carried her species'' history, and those soldiers didn''t know anything about it. She felt as if Yeza had allowed heretics inside a holy place.


    Khan took that chance to inspect the higher floors of the palace. He couldn''t see much from his position, but he had noticed dark figures peeking from the dark handrails above him. Many Niqols had decided to observe the arrival of the human group, and Khan mostly saw unfamiliar faces among them.


    At first, Khan felt worried about those Niqols due to Zura''s betrayal, but his fears soon transformed into curiosity. He had initially believed those aliens to be servants, but their robes and behavior hinted at a far different truth. They most likely were members of other academies or tribes.


    Khan couldn''t continue his inspection since Liiza tightened the grasp on his robe when the group of higher-ups got close. He had entered the palace with an arm wrapped around her waist, but she revealed her anxiety once the inevitable meeting with the superiors drew near.


    Yeza had acknowledged the couple in the middle of a tough battle. The crisis didn''t give her the time to question Khan and Liiza properly, but the situation was different now.


    Khan also realized how the situation could be troublesome now. He had grown so used to being with Liiza that he had almost forgotten the main problem with their relationship. They belonged to different species, so political repercussions were bound to arrive.


    Paul had confirmed that Khan was untouchable. His importance among the young generations of Niqols made him a priceless asset in the relationship between the two species. He was the perfect candidate for the position of ambassador on Nitis.


    However, the depths of his feelings for Liiza could create worries. Khan had even ignored direct orders from both Paul and Captain Erbair. The positive outcome of his decision didn''t change that fact.


    "I''m glad that so many of you made it here," Yeza exclaimed while wearing a warm smile that seemed able to relieve the group from the tension that had filled the last part of the journey.


    The soldiers couldn''t hide their emotions as well as her. The human group had lost a lot during the crisis. Only a fourth of those elite recruits had survived the recent events, and one of the squad leaders had also died.


    The outcome wasn''t completely terrible. Those losses would be worth it if they helped improve the relationship with the Niqols, and the current scene showed a unity that would have been unthinkable only a few months ago.


    The two interracial couples were only a minor detail that added value to the unity demonstrated by the group. The recruits stood among the Niqols without showing any worry, and their closeness was so evident that the higher-ups could notice it without questioning their underlings.


    Many worried and meaningful glances also fell on Khan, who was in the group''s lead right behind Zalpa. It was clear how both Niqols and humans cared about his situation and looked up to him. Captain Erbair was surprised to notice how even the squad leaders shared part of those feelings.


    "[I couldn''t let Lii in the wild]," Zalpa snorted. "[I''ll take my leave now]."


    Zalpa turned without looking at the recruits and students that had been with her for an entire week. Still, Yeza promptly called her. "[Zalpa, please, the sunlight will continue to illuminate Nitis for at least another month. Your knowledge of the old ways is priceless in this period]."


    "[My knowledge has always been priceless]!" Zalpa shouted. "[Those who have decided to forsake the old ways are to blame for this situation. You have failed as leaders]."


    Captain Erbair and the other soldiers remained speechless. They had never seen someone scolding Yeza and the other Niqols'' leaders so openly, but the latter''s acceptance surprised them even more.


    The Niqols among them lowered their heads in shame. Only Yeza continued to look at Zalpa, but the brightness of her face dimmed after that comment. Still, she endured the blow like a true leader and proceeded to do what was in the best interest of her species.


    "[We committed a terrible mistake]," Yeza announced without showing any shame. "[Please, remain here and help us plan the next move]."


    Zalpa stared at Yeza. She was still half-turned toward the palace''s exit, and most of her wanted to leave those Niqols on their own. Yet, Liiza''s pleading gaze eventually entered her vision, and she found herself unable to resist it.


    Zalpa voiced a curse that most Niqols couldn''t understand before turning to march toward the group of leaders. Yeza smiled at that sight, but her expression froze when she saw Zalpa crossing her and moving toward the end of the hall.


    "[I''ll take the second basement for myself]," Zalpa exclaimed before approaching a dark-red drape that hung from the wall.


    Zalpa lifted the drape and tinkered with the azure symbol behind it. The rune seemed to oppose her commands, but she eventually forced it to activate.


    "[The humans didn''t know about the basement]," Yeza commented as red shades appeared on the symbol and the wall slid open.


    "[They do now]!" Zalpa snorted before entering the narrow staircase that her actions had uncovered.


    Yeza sighed and shook her head, but another comment suddenly resounded from the narrow passage and echoed throughout the hall. "[The brat isn''t too bad]."


    The wall closed, and Khan saw a series of eyes landing on him. Some Niqols and the soldiers didn''t know that Liiza and Zalpa were close, but they only needed to follow those stares to understand that the old alien was talking about him.


    Khan didn''t know how to behave there, but a faint smile appeared on his face when he noticed that Liiza had lowered her head to hide her happiness. Zalpa meant a lot to her, and she felt glad that she had started to accept her boyfriend.


    "I think we should all take a few days to recover and handle our respective political matters," Yeza eventually announced, putting an end to the awkward situation.


    Yeza then stepped forward and pointed at the students in the group to follow her. The soldiers did the same, but various events delayed that division.


    "[Leave everything to me]," Azni whispered after bending toward Khan.


    "[There will be a party, and you can''t miss it]," Doku winked before pulling his girlfriend away.


    "[My friend, let''s do our best in these briefings]!" Ilman shouted while patting Khan''s shoulder. "[What we have learnt during our journey might save lives]."


    "[See you later, Khan]," Asyat smiled.


    Other Niqols made sure to salute Khan as they moved toward Yeza. The latter tried to maintain a warm expression, but her smile widened when she saw the glares that Liiza shot at the girls. The squad leaders also felt awkward when they saw how popular Khan was.


    "Let''s hurry," Captain Erbair uttered as her bionic eye moved between the two couples. "You''ll have time to meet later."


    George and Havaa exchanged warm smiles before separating, but Liiza hesitated. She feared her mother or the soldiers could find excuses to keep her away from Khan. Her mother''s acknowledgment might not be enough now that they were in a safe place.


    "[Can I-]?" Liiza started to ask, but her mother promptly interrupted her.


    "[Liiza, he has political matters to attend privately]," Yeza said in a loving voice. "[Besides, we have a lot to talk about, especially if you are serious about him]."


    Yeza''s affectionate smile didn''t convince Liiza, but Khan made her turn toward him by pinching her side. Liiza wanted to show her pout, but her expression melted when a sudden kiss landed on her lips.


    Liiza accepted the reality of the situation as Khan''s warmth spread on her face. She and her boyfriend were prominent members of the new generation, but that was it. They had no power over those political matters in Yeza and Captain Erbair''s presence.


    Their privileged position depended on how well they behaved among their respective species. Khan and Liiza had to join the political game to remain together. Their relationship couldn''t escape it.


    Khan didn''t want to prolong that kiss in front of Yeza and his superiors, but Liiza didn''t give him much choice on the matter. She wrapped her arms around his neck as soon as she felt that he was pulling his head back.


    Khan could only let her decide when they had to separate. He forgot his situation as he abandoned himself to that loving coldness. Their kiss even risked to last long enough to arouse him, but Liiza let him go right before that.


    The two exchanged loving stares as they pulled their arms back. Liiza left to approach Yeza, and Khan followed her with his eyes. He diverted his gaze only when she reached Azni, who immediately whispered in her ear and made her blush.


    ''She''ll be fine,'' Khan rejoiced in his mind. ''She isn''t alone anymore.''


    A series of awkward and stern stares awaited Khan when he turned toward the human group. He pretended not to see them as he walked toward Captain Erbair, performed a military salute, and joined the rest of the recruits. His mind already started to long for Liiza''s cold embrace, but his face remained serious.


    George patted his shoulder and nodded proudly, but he halted his action as soon as some soldiers glared at him. Captain Erbair and Yeza exchanged a bow before turning toward opposite staircases to lead their groups in different areas of the palace.


    The students and the recruits peeked behind them to check on the companions that had accompanied them through the wild during the last weeks, but their respective leaders promptly cleared their throats to make them focus on the path ahead. Khan exchanged one last glance with Liiza before resuming his inspection of the many Niqols that occupied the upper floors.


    The second inspection confirmed that Khan had never met most of those aliens. He saw a few vaguely familiar figures among the adults, but the others were strangers.


    Captain Erbair and the other soldiers appeared familiar with the palace. They led the group into a vast corridor right after reaching the second floor, and they remained silent as they crossed many ample rooms containing a few Niqols.


    "You sure had fun in the academy," Captain Erbair commented without turning when the group reached a more isolated area. "I will need a complete briefing from all of you. It''s time to spend some time among humans."


    Captain Erbair tried to remind her underlings about their political situation, but a shout suddenly resounded behind the group and ruined her attempt. "Helen!"


    Everyone turned toward the source of that shout and found a Niqols breathing roughly on the other side of the corridor. It was hard to bring the aliens to that level of exhaustion, so it was safe to assume that the boy had probably run through more than half of the palace to reach the human group.


    "[Vait]!" Helen shouted before shooting a pleading glance toward Captain Erbair.


    Vait was Helen''s boyfriend. The two had met during the meeting with Yeza, and they had dated during the months before the crisis. The arrival of the sunlight had kept them apart since they had to take care of different areas, but they could finally reunite now that many Niqols had gathered inside the palace.


    "He is quite important among the Niqols," Khan commented while covering his mouth, "Probably as important as Miss Liiza."


    Captain Erbair glared at Khan, but she eventually sighed. "Make it quick."


    Helen thanked Khan with her eyes before running toward Vait. The human group could soon watch the couple''s reunion.

 Chapter 208: Interrogation

    "They definitely know that we are the troublemakers," George commented.


    "We literally walked inside the palace with a Niqols in our arms," Khan responded. "What did you even expect?"


    "You will be fine," George comforted. "Both Yeza and Zalpa are on your side, and the same goes for everyone else. I bet that Kelly will also defend you."


    "That''s the issue, right?" Khan sighed. "Why would I even need that? I just went out with a girl."


    "Who happened to be the only daughter of the ambassador in charge of the relationship between our species," George added.


    "Shouldn''t I gain points for that?" Khan scoffed.


    "Depends on which side benefits from your relationship," George explained.


    "I benefit from my relationship," Khan said in an annoyed tone before focusing on his friend. "By the way, are you okay? I''m sorry I couldn''t pay attention to you all. Liiza had the priority. I hope you can understand."


    The soldiers had led the group in a part of the palace that the Niqols had left to them. The area featured a large rectangular hall connected to many rooms that the higher-ups were currently using to interrogate the recruits.


    The soldiers had yet to summon Khan and George, so they had decided to sit on the soft carpet to wait for their turn. Everyone else had already gone through the interrogations and had taken a room, but the higher-ups continued to remain silent.


    "Don''t even mention it," George stated while waving his hand. "I know how much pressure you have on you. I''m actually glad that Liiza can heal what this damned crisis is forcing you to endure."


    "I''m not sure I even need healing anymore," Khan revealed while inspecting his hands. "Fighting and killing are getting easier. I fear I''ll forget how I felt after Istrone."


    Khan''s hands were clean, but he could feel the blood that soaked them. Still, that sensation didn''t disgust him. Actually, he hoped that his past realization would come true again.


    ''My happiness comes from the blood on my hands,'' Khan repeated in his mind.


    Khan didn''t feel proud of his thoughts, but he also desired a break. He was tired of facing traumas after traumas even if he did his best in every situation. He couldn''t help but hope that all that blood could lead toward the happiness that he desperately needed.


    "That''s a good sign, I guess," George sighed. "I risked ignoring Professor Supyan''s teachings. I went from hitting on Natalie to watching her corpse with another girl in my arms."


    "Natalie''s death isn''t your fault," Khan scolded.


    "I know that," George continued, "But I think that we shouldn''t have to face so much. Is the universe going crazy or just bad luck? I''m growing tired of this."


    "And it''s not over yet," Khan chuckled.


    "We must go on different planets once we get out of Nitis," George suggested. "We''ll finally know who is the unlucky one then."


    George''s statement was nothing more than an innocent joke, but he realized how troublesome those words had been when he saw Khan''s sad smile. The situation was far from easy, especially with both of them being in a relationship with a Niqols.


    Those words forced the two boys to think about their future. They would both have to face problems due to their relationships, but the nature of those issues was far different. George had to deal with his family, while Khan had to face what the political environment would throw at him.


    Those weren''t even the entirety of their problems. George would have to decide where to live if everything with Havaa went well, while Khan had to understand how to hunt the Nak without forsaking Liiza.


    The path ahead appeared incredibly harsh, and leaving Nitis would only worsen it. Leaving their girlfriends would restore their freedom, but the two boys didn''t even consider that option. Havaa and Liiza were the very reason why they could laugh and joke when so little had passed from Zura''s betrayal.


    A door in the hall suddenly opened, and Lieutenant Kintea came out. The soldier only needed to point at George to make the boy stand up and follow him inside the room.


    Khan remained alone in the hall. He felt a bit hot, and that sensation made him smile. Liiza had grown used to his warmth, and the same had happened to him.


    Khan drew the cube from the insides of his robe. He played with the device in his hands as his hesitation prevented him from sending a message to his girlfriend. His relationship was finally in the open, but he didn''t know how freely he could act. Doing nothing seemed the safest approach.


    A door eventually opened, and George reappeared in the hall only to walk straight toward one of the rooms. Khan would normally feel confused about that behavior, but he couldn''t say anything when he saw that Lieutenant Kintea inspected the situation from his habitation.


    The soldier didn''t summon Khan. He sealed his door as soon he made sure that George had entered a room. The Global Army wanted to limit the interaction among recruits during the interrogations, and Khan respected that wish.


    The cube in Khan''s hands started to glow while he waited for his interrogation to start. He immediately checked it, and a smile appeared on his face when he confirmed that Liiza had left him a simple message.


    "[Everything went well here]," Liiza''s voice resounded inside Khan''s mind and reassured him about the Niqols'' side.


    ''It''s on me then,'' Khan thought as he continued to stare at the cube.


    It felt good to receive his first mental message from his girlfriend, but Khan couldn''t bathe in that sensation since a door suddenly opened. He didn''t even need to check who was standing at the room''s entrance to understand who would interrogate him. Everyone had seen where Captain Erbair had decided to stay.


    "Sit somewhere," Captain Erbair casually ordered when Khan followed her inside her room.


    The habitation was large but simple. It featured a large bed, a wooden table with a few chairs, a second area that acted as a bathroom, and the usual azure menus on its smooth dark walls. Most of the room was empty, but Khan guessed that the Niqols didn''t put any furniture there on purpose. A structure meant for war required space where soldiers could train in the end.


    Khan took one of the chairs, but Captain Erbair decided to sit on the bed in a spot next to the wall. She was too tall for those simple seats.


    The Captain didn''t bother to use the menus on the wall. She tapped on her bionic eye, and its red light flashed a few times before returning stable. Khan guessed that she was recording him, but she immediately corrected his thoughts.


    "This thing has an accurate scanner," Captain Erbair explained while pointing at her bionic eye. "It will warn me as soon as you start to lie."


    "I understand, ma''am," Khan stated, and Captain Erbair stared at him to make sure that his intentions were honest.


    "Let''s start then," Captain Erbair eventually said before pointing at an azure symbol on the wall next to Khan. "First of all, place your hand on that rune. It will remove the restrictions that the Niqols have made you drink."


    Khan frowned, but he didn''t voice any question. The sole fact that the Niqols were letting the envoys remove the restrictions confirmed that they had sealed a deal with the humans.


    Khan followed the Captain''s orders. He stood up and placed his palm on the azure symbol, which brightened during that interaction. Khan felt cold under that radiance, but an even stranger sensation filled his mind. He sensed something melting inside his neck.


    The symbol''s light dimmed once the process ended. Khan left the wall and checked his neck with his hands. He even closed his eyes to inspect the area with his mana, but he didn''t find anything. The Niqols had really decided to lift his restrictions.


    "Return to your seat," Captain Erbair ordered. "I want short and honest answers. I can fix uncomfortable truths, but I can''t trust you if you try to hide them. Are we clear?"


    "Yes, ma''am," Khan promptly uttered before sitting on his chair again.


    "Good, let''s go in order then," Captain Erbair responded as her bionic eye started to blink. "State your name."


    "Khan," Khan replied.


    "What''s your mission on Nitis?" Captain Erbair asked.


    "I need to improve the relationship with the Niqols," Khan explained.


    "Do you think the humans have succeeded in the task?" Captain Erbair asked.


    "Partially," Khan responded.


    "How is that?" Captain Erbair continued.


    "The Niqols still hold grudges due to the events related to the solar winds," Khan honestly replied.


    "Do you hold grudges about that?" Captain Erbair asked.


    "Yes," Khan answered without showing any hesitation.


    "Do you think the other envoys feel the same?" Captain Erbair questioned.


    "Yes," Khan gave another honest answer.


    "In your case, is that grudge strong enough to make you betray humankind?" Captain Erbair asked.


    "No," Khan replied, even if he felt conflicted about that topic.


    Khan didn''t hate humankind, but he had mixed feelings about the Global Army. He had achieved a lot thanks to its teachings, but he had also witnessed scenes that would haunt him for a long time for the same reason.


    "What did you do in the academy?" Captain Erbair didn''t stop.


    "Trained and partied," Khan responded.


    "Is it true that you have left the academy basically every night of the last months?" Captain Erbair continued.


    "Yes," Khan admitted.


    "Was Miss Liiza the reason behind your travels?" Captain Erbair asked.


    "Yes, mostly at least," Khan revealed.


    "Did you make a move on Miss Liiza even if your superiors had expressly ordered you to hold back?" Captain Erbair asked.


    "No," Khan honestly replied.


    "Explain yourself," Captain Erbair ordered.


    "I had planned to hold back, but she kissed me," Khan explained.


    "Did you establish a relationship out of fear of the political repercussions for your refusal?" Captain Erbair asked.


    "No, I couldn''t refuse her," Khan admitted.


    "Did you remain with her due to potential political gains?" Captain Erbair continued.


    "No, I love her," Khan responded.


    "What about her?" Captain Erbair asked. "Did she use you to gain access to classified intel?"


    "No, she loves me," Khan announced.


    "How can you be sure of that?" Captain Erbair asked.


    "I believe feelings are quite hard to explain, ma''am," Khan replied.


    "Did your relationship with Miss Liiza affected your version of the story concerning Rodney''s attempted murder?"


    "No, he tried to push me down a cliff after I saved his life," Khan explained.


    "Did ambassador Yeza try to use your relationship with her daughter to coerce classified information?" Captain Erbair asked.


    "No, she found out about us in the valley," Khan replied.


    Captain Erbair sighed. She was getting tired of those questions, especially since they weren''t leading anywhere. Moreover, she didn''t want to ask anything specific. She knew that something was off, but she wished to let Khan off the hook due to how important he had become for the Niqols. She was actually holding back during the interrogation.


    A mere recruit couldn''t reveal much. Khan had even spent most of his time in the academy, without any connection with the human camp. An eventual betrayal wouldn''t change anything in the current situation, so Captain Erbair preferred to keep him clean when it came to the official records.


    "Let''s wrap it up," Captain Erbair announced. "I have only a few questions left for you. Where does your loyalty lie?"


    "With me," Khan responded.


    "What''s your personal goal?" Captain Erbair asked.


    "Finding the Nak," Khan revealed.


    "Is that the reason behind your enrollment?" Captain Erbair continued.


    "Yes," Khan replied.


    "One last question," Captain Erbair exclaimed. "Did you become a first-level warrior?"


    "I''m not sure," Khan explained.


    "What do you mean with that?" Captain Erbair asked while scratching the side of her head. "How can you not know that?"


    "Well," Khan revealed an awkward smile, "No one has ever taught me what happens when you reach that level, so I can''t be sure."

 Chapter 209: Nature

    Captain Erbair had almost forgotten about Khan''s background. The other wealthy recruits had a general understanding of mana that he lacked. He didn''t even have the chance to learn about those topics in the academy since he had teleported to Nitis only a couple of weeks after Istorne''s crisis.


    Khan didn''t even get the chance to learn about the first-level warriors and mages on Nitis since the Global Army had sent him to the alien academy. His knowledge had deep empty areas, but that didn''t seem to hinder his growth.


    "First-level warriors can''t expand the mana normally anymore," Captain Erbair shortly explained. "They have to improve about half of their body at the same time, which obviously leads to slower growth. Did you reach that point?"


    "I think I have," Khan admitted with the same tone used during the rest of the interrogation.


    Captain Erbair tapped on her bionic eye a few times, and its light brightened in the process. The soldier stood up and started pacing around Khan, bending whenever she needed to take a closer look.


    "Your Tainted status and element make my device fuzzy," Captain Erbair announced, "But I can confirm that you have become a first-level warrior. Our superiors will remain speechless once they learn about this."


    Khan felt the need to say something, but he eventually decided to remain silent. Captain Erbair tapped her bionic eye once, and its light returned to its usual intensity. The soldier scratched her chin as she walked back to the bed and activated the menus on the wall next to it.


    The Captain remained silent, and Khan imitated her, but the situation soon turned awkward. Khan could read what his superior was doing with the menus, and her actions appeared completely unrelated to the interrogation.


    "Ma''am?" Khan cleared his throat after a whole silent minute passed.


    "The Niqols can truly do wonders with mana," Captain Erbair exclaimed. "Humans like to see them as an undeveloped species, but I can''t see the difference between our technology and their use of mana."


    "Is something the matter, ma''am?" Khan asked since he felt that Captain Erbair was trying to hint at something.


    "You would use your mutations as an excuse for your quick growth if I try to probe you on that topic, right?" Captain Erbair guessed.


    "That''s correct," Khan stated.


    "Let''s talk a bit off the record," Captain Erbair sighed before turning toward Khan. "Our superiors don''t care about what happens down here. They look at a report, check the numbers, and decide what to give us according to what we have achieved. Some will get a promotion, while others will have to go to another forgotten planet to add more merits to their profile. A few will remain here, and you have almost met the requirements for that role in these few months."


    Khan felt excited, but he didn''t let that emotion appear on his face. He knew that the Captain was trying to tell him something, so he silently waited for her to complete her speech.


    "I''ll be frank," Captain Erbair uttered. "The ambassadors always use their position for their own benefits to some extent. I know that you have done the same, and I''m saying this without questioning your feelings for Yeza''s kid. I''m only worried that your relationship might make you forget your real home."


    "Do you think I''ll betray the Global Army, ma''am?" Khan asked.


    "No, you need it to find the Nak," Captain Erbair declared. "Take my words as a warning from a soldier who has seen quite a lot in her life. Feelings aren''t always enough, especially when it comes to politics. You can get lucky, but you should be careful. You might end up losing the support of both species over trivial things outside of your control."


    Khan wanted to question the Captain, but he felt that the conversation was over, at least for her. He couldn''t understand if her words were an honest warning or a political action meant to drive him toward other parts of the Global Army, but he still memorized them.


    "Get going now," Captain Erbair snorted while lying on the bed. "We have a lot to plan with the Niqols. Apparently, some of their reactionary groups are using the sunlight to stir a mess on the planet, and we have to help put them down. Good job with the traitors, by the way. You''ll gain a lot if you make it through this crisis."


    The revelation left Khan stunned for a few seconds, but everything made sense when he thought about it. Zura''s betrayal couldn''t be an isolated event since his eventual victory wouldn''t have led anywhere. Those servants alone couldn''t change the Niqols'' society, but the situation would be far different if all the reactionary groups across Nitis decided to revolt.


    Thinking about the army of adult Niqols that Khan might have to face made him drop his polite silence and question the Captain about something that his lackluster education had failed to teach him. "What do I need to do to become a first-level mage?"


    "Nothing special," Captain Erbair explained while crossing her arms in front of her eyes. "Spells have grades. Prove that you can perform a few first-grade ones, and you''ll get your star."


    Khan sighed in his mind while performing a military salute that the Captain couldn''t see and leaving the habitation. The hall unfolded in his vision, and he could quickly find an empty room by inspecting the azure symbols on the doors. He picked one randomly and sealed it before throwing his dirty clothes on the floor.


    Khan''s room was identical to Captain Erbair''s. He could find a new robe laid on the bed, but the habitation didn''t contain anything else. His phone still worked, so he could check the time. It was already past midnight, but he didn''t feel tired at all.


    ''Zalpa''s potions are incredible,'' Khan thought as he picked his cube from the floor to send a quick update to Liiza.


    The past months and his breakthrough had made Khan able to remain awake for many days in a row without feeling any fatigue. Zalpa''s potions had kept him at his peak, so he decided to spend the night training. Still, he first threw himself in the bathroom to wash away the dirt accumulated during the long travel to that safe area.


    Messy thoughts filled Khan''s mind, but he barely paid attention to them. Only his current situation mattered, but everything looked quite grim. He wouldn''t have to fight only monsters anymore. Some Niqols had also decided to become his enemy.


    Khan knew that he was incredibly strong, but that only when it came to his level. He had seen how the servant had almost managed to counter his abilities. He had even suffered a few hits, which went against what the Lightning-demon style taught.


    His current power wasn''t enough. The rebellious Niqols would probably even have warriors as strong as Yeza and Captain Erbair, so Khan wouldn''t have the chance to affect the battles as much as he wished.


    Khan didn''t like that. He wanted the power to protect what he had, and a deep desire to train filled his mind as those thoughts continued to rage inside his mind. He didn''t even bother drying his hair or donning his new robe after exiting the bathroom. His eyes were on one of the empty areas near the bed.


    The crisis had forced Khan to stop his methodical training routine, but he didn''t forget it. He performed all the moves of his two martial arts before sitting on the floor and approaching the annoying exercises.


    His return among humans didn''t make Khan disregard everything he had learnt in the academy. He valued the teachings about the three major fields of mana a lot, so he repeated the exercises connected to them before moving to the last part of his training.


    His ability to manipulate mana didn''t allow him to use the techniques obtained by Yeza without Liiza''s help. Khan didn''t care too much about the [Blood Vortex] since it wouldn''t lead to immediate benefits, but the situation was different for the [Blood Shield]. He wished to bring the latter to the next checkpoint, but he didn''t even know where to begin gathering the required materials.


    Khan''s foundation in the Niqols'' ways simply didn''t meet the proper requirements, so he could only move to the last part of his training after completing all the previous exercises. His power would get an immense boost if he mastered the Wave spell.


    Hours passed as Khan remained immersed in his attempts to cast the Wave spell. His mana always turned purple-red, but he continued to fail in the final part of the ability. He never managed to discharge the energy accumulated in his palm.


    Khan''s mana core never stopped refilling the energy depleted during his attempts, so he could keep going as long as his patience lasted. Still, one of the azure symbols in the room suddenly brightened, and the walls slid open to reveal Liiza''s hesitant figure.


    "[I did it]!" Liiza happily exclaimed when she noticed Khan sitting in the empty area in front of her, but she quickly wore a frown at the sight of his training stance.


    "[How did you even get here]?" Khan asked as a happy smile appeared on his face.


    "[These buildings always have secret passages]," Liiza explained as she stepped into the room and tinkered with the symbol behind her to close the wall. "[I''ve learnt to open them to sneak out of my home many years ago]."


    "[How did you even find me]?" Khan laughed while standing up to greet his girlfriend.


    "[I followed the signal on your cube]," Liiza pouted while pointing at the device on Khan''s bed. "[The same cube that you didn''t use to contact me]."


    "[I thought we still had to hold back or something]," Khan explained before approaching Liiza and pulling her into his arms.


    "[I also don''t know how much we can do]," Liiza revealed as she snuggled closer in Khan''s embrace. "[My mother forced me to listen for entire hours to her warnings. She even feared that I could be pregnant at some point]."


    "[We have been careful]," Khan coughed as an awkward feeling spread in his mind when he realized that Yeza knew how intimate her daughter''s relationship was.


    "[She didn''t exactly like that we used my dad''s old stuff]," Liiza giggled. "[Though she reaffirmed her acceptance of our relationship. She even gave me more condoms]."


    Khan tried not to memorize those last words since he wanted to remain able to show a straight face the next time he saw Yeza. He focused on the faint blush that had appeared on Liiza''s face, and his smile only broadened at that sight.


    "[What were you doing anyway]?" Liiza asked. "[I''ve never seen you training like that]."


    Liiza knew about Khan''s element, but he had never talked about his training method since she wouldn''t be able to help with the human ways. He had even made sure to attempt to perform the Wave spell only when he was alone due to the innate dangerousness of the chaos element.


    "[That was me failing to perform a spell]," Khan sighed while breaking the embrace and looking at the spot where he had trained only a few seconds ago. "[I know that using the chaos element is difficult, but I should have the amount of control required for such a simple spell]."


    Liiza frowned and pulled Khan''s arm before questioning him again. "[What do you mean by control]?"


    "[That''s the theory behind the spell]," Khan explained while turning to inspect Liiza''s frown. "[I need to cut away emotions and choose a specific idea of destruction to force my mana to release similar effects.]."


    Liiza''s frown deepened, and Khan questioned her with his eyes to understand the reason behind that gesture. Liiza appeared stunned, but she eventually heaved a helpless sigh followed by a disappointed statement. "[How dumb can humans even be]?"


    Liiza left Khan and walked across the room to sit on the bed. She shook her head in disappointment, but she decided to explain herself since Khan continued to keep his confused gaze fixed on her. "[How do you even plan to control the chaos element? That''s the freest type of mana! You are literally going against its nature by suppressing it]!"

 Chapter 210: The whore and the liar

    Khan didn''t know what to say. What Liiza labeled as free was nothing more than unreliable energy for humans. The amount of control that he had to develop during the twelve mental exercises served the purpose of preventing unwanted effects, which felt normal when it came to such an unstable power.


    Still, Khan trusted Liiza and her knowledge about mana enough to probe her on the topic. "[How do Niqols handle the chaos element]?"


    "[We don''t]," Liiza explained. "[None of us has it. We have mana since birth, so the Nak have only managed to cause monstrous mutations during their attack]."


    "[How can you be sure that my approach is wrong then]?" Khan asked. "[I know for a fact that some humans have learnt to use spells with the chaos element]."


    "[They are still only using a small part of its power]," Liiza rebuked. "[You should imitate the Nak instead of doing the exact opposite. They don''t try to control their mana. They let it run free]."


    That topic was a partial secret. The Niqols had to deal with the Nak in the past. Still, they had never revealed anything about those events to the humans.


    Khan had learnt the truth about the matter from Liiza. Apparently, the younger generations had studied the events connected to the invasion. Yet, they couldn''t gain access to everything that their species had developed unless they became important inside their respective tribes.


    The elders didn''t want the younger generation to rely too much on technology and lose familiarity with mana. They kept the intel a secret to let the students focus on their foundation, but they didn''t hold back from releasing tools and techniques that could improve their growth to the public.


    The tall buildings in the cities came from that knowledge. The humans even believed that the Niqols had spaceships hidden somewhere on Nitis. The aliens didn''t engage in interplanetary travels, but they knew what space contained.


    "[So what]?" Khan asked while spreading his arms. "[Should I just try to cast the spell without bothering to control my emotions]?"


    "[Well]," Liiza exclaimed before remaining silent for a few seconds to sort her thoughts. "[I can''t say for sure, but I think you aren''t ready to do it. Mana can feel you. It will sense your hesitation. You have even tried to suppress it until now, so it might decide to hurt you on purpose]."


    "[You are talking about it as if it had feelings]," Khan scoffed as he started to approach the bed.


    "[Mana is more than simple energy]," Liiza declared while crossing her legs to sit more comfortably on the bed, "[Especially in your case. I believe that even your dumb species has understood that the chaos element requires a different approach]."


    Khan sighed before throwing himself on the bed. Liiza giggled and threw a pillow at him as soon as he started to turn toward her.


    "[Don''t take my words lightly]!" Liiza laughed before picking the second pillow and wielding it in front of her like a shield. "[I''m trying to teach you how to use mana properly]."


    "[Is the pillow part of the lesson]?" Khan joked as he put the first pillow under his head and turned to stare at the dark ceiling. "[I always pay attention to what you say, but I can''t risk my life to test your theory. My body might directly explode if I something goes wrong]."


    "[I know]," Liiza sighed before reaching Khan and putting the second pillow next to him.


    Liiza lay down and wore a warm smile. Khan couldn''t help but turn toward her and fall prey to her captivating expression.


    "[What is it]?" Khan asked after the two remained next to each other in silence for a while.


    "[It''s our first time in an actual bed]," Liiza explained while biting her lower lip, "[But our superiors might summon us in a few hours]."


    Khan left his pillow to approach Liiza slowly. She smiled as she followed his movements with her eyes. Khan ended up above her, with his knees and palms pointed at her sides. He bent forward to kiss her head before whispering something to her ear. "[We might have time since I''m already naked]."


    Liiza laughed and turned to face Khan. The latter had only worn the clean underwear since he didn''t want to stain his new robe with sweat, and Liiza didn''t miss that detail when she entered the room.


    "[You''ll say anything to get between my legs]," Liiza whispered before lifting her legs and wrapping them around Khan''s waist. "[You are lucky you are cute]."


    .


    .


    .


    "What has happened to you?" George almost shouted when he noticed the marks on Khan''s neck, but his eyes soon fell on the blushing Niqols who was holding his hand. "How can you be here?"


    The azure symbols inside the rooms occupied by the humans had transformed into a simple message a few hours before lunchtime. Yeza had invited everyone to attend a formal meeting, so the recruits and the soldiers had quickly gathered in the hall.


    No one could miss Liiza''s presence at that point. The girl had ended up remaining in Khan''s room since the two had lost track of the passage of time, and she couldn''t bother to use the secret passage. She had nothing to hide, so she had come out hand in hand with Khan. The only issue was that everyone could see the aftermath of their passion.


    Khan had many hickeys on his neck, but they were healing quickly due to his status as a first-level warrior. His back was a different matter, but he didn''t worry about it since no one could see the deep marks that Liiza had left there.


    Liiza''s skin also carried many marks, but they were on her thighs, chest, and butt. Her robe didn''t allow anyone to see them, but her blush had already revealed enough.


    "Maybe don''t shout that next time," Khan sighed before glancing at his superiors.


    The soldiers showed different reactions that went from disappointment to approval, but Captain Erbair didn''t let that situation continue for too long. She heaved a helpless sigh before clearing her throat to claim everyone''s attention and lead the group across the corridor.


    "[Why didn''t you bring Havaa with you]?" George whispered as the group followed behind Captain Erbair, but Veronica promptly slapped the back of his head.


    "Don''t bother them," Veronica scolded.


    "She wouldn''t have been able to find you since you don''t have a cube," Khan explained.


    The soldiers in front of the recruits glared at them, but they quickly turned again. They were ready to scold their underlings, but Liiza''s presence made everything too awkward, so they let the matter go.


    Liiza kept a straight face, but Khan knew that she wasn''t exactly fine. They didn''t sleep at all, and Yeza''s message had even interrupted them. Her thoughts were still on the messy bed, but she remained silent to hide her aroused voice. She and Khan talked only through short lines whispered to each other''s ears.


    Yeza, many students, and other Niqols were waiting for the humans in the main hall on the first floor. A series of polite bows happened after Captain Erbair''s group descended the staircase, and many glances toward Khan and Liiza inevitably followed that event.


    Khan showed an awkward smile to Ilman, Doku, and Azni before approaching them when Yeza led everyone in another part of the palace. George and Helen did the same with their respective partners, but similar scenes happened among the group. The recruits and the students had become friends after spending weeks in the wild.


    "[You really can''t stay away from each other, can you]?" Doku commented at the sight of the couple.


    "[I told you that it wasn''t a problem for us to sleep together]," Azni snorted.


    "[That''s how true Niqols should behave]!" Ilman laughed.


    "[We are in the same palace as our superiors]," Doku complained. "[We should focus on the crisis]."


    "[You should have let Azni sleep with you]," Liiza scolded. "[The sunlight might still kill us all]."


    "[We slept together, but that''s the issue]," Azni voice another annoyed statement.


    Ilman shot a confused glance toward Khan, and the latter cleared his throat before using the best words he could find to describe what happened. "[They only slept]."


    Azni highlighted his explanation with another snort, and Ilman oohed to express his understanding. The Niqols who overheard that conversation chuckled, but they turned their heads when Liiza glared at them. The matter involved Azni, and she didn''t want anyone to laugh about her problems.


    Yeza led the group into a large hall on the first floor. The area was quite big and seemed able to contain even a hundred people. Many rectangular tables encircled by chairs occupied the floor, and bottles full of familiar drinks stood on them. They even had multiple cups around them that only waited for the Niqols and humans to pick them.


    Khan and his friends instinctively occupied a table. Doku and Ilman opened the bottles and started pouring drinks, and no one dared to refuse them. The soldiers tried to glare at Khan and George, but they gave up on the matter when they saw that all the other recruits decided to drink without showing any hesitation.


    "I''ll try to be short so that everyone can go back to a well-deserved rest," Yeza announced without translating her line in the Niqols language.


    Yeza had taken a seat at a table next to a wall. She had stood up to make her announcement, and she didn''t return to her chair when her line ended. Instead, she placed her cube on one of the azure symbols and made a map spread on every surface of the hall.


    A map appeared on the walls, tables, floor, and ceiling. The humans and Niqols in the hall could choose the surface that they found more comfortable to inspect the picture, but most of them ended up lifting the bottles to use their tables.


    The map was quite vague. It depicted an area that covered many regions, but it started to zoom in on two mountains when Yeza began to speak.


    "Many monsters will go through the second round of mutations during this period," Yeza explained as the mountains began to fill the entirety of the map. "We could wait for this moment to pass in the safety of this palace before resuming the hunts. Yet, some Niqols have decided to betray their species. These rebels have even occupied important structures, and we won''t let them settle inside them."


    The mountains became closer and revealed a muddy valley between their bases. Scarce trees and a small river occupied the area, but a tall structure eventually appeared as the images went deeper into the swamp.


    "This palace has been a crucial strategical location during many wars," Yeza continued. "Its defenses are incredible, but the rebels don''t know how to activate all of them, not yet at least. We must act quickly and reclaim this structure before our enemies turn it into one of the main assets of their rebellion."


    Yeza''s wasn''t trying to explain anything during that meeting. She was only announcing that the group would soon take part in a siege, but the actual battle tactic had yet to take form.


    "Someone will bring food now," Yeza announced. "You can inspect the map as much as you want while you enjoy today''s lunch. I''m eager to hear your suggestions about the imminent attack."


    Yeza approached her table and picked her cup, but she didn''t sit. She walked directly toward the exit while voicing a last surprising statement. "[Khan, come with me]."


    Khan rolled his eyes and left his cup on the table before standing up. Everyone was looking at him, but those gazes soon fell on Liiza since she didn''t remain in her seat.


    Khan didn''t even try to talk. He knew how Liiza was when it came to her mother, so he didn''t try to make her remain in the hall. The girl didn''t give him time to think either. She took his hand and moved toward the exit.


    The couple found Yeza right outside the hall, but the latter quickly shook her head before speaking in a warm tone. "[I''m sorry, Liiza. I''m afraid I need to talk with him alone]."


    "[What''s this about]?" Liiza asked.


    "[I need to threaten him properly]," Yeza explained while showing an innocent smile. "[It''s my job as your mother to make sure that he is too scared to hurt you]."


    Khan and Liiza remained speechless, but they couldn''t really say anything there. Liiza had to go through that speech yesterday, and Khan''s turn had arrived.


    "[I''ll find you when we are done]," Khan reassured, and Liiza kissed him softly before returning inside the hall.


    Khan found Yeza smiling at him when he turned toward her, but she quickly pointed at one of the doors in that corridor. The duo approached it after a few steps, and a small room unfolded in their vision when they crossed it.


    The room had the same furniture as every other environment inside the palace. Khan saw a small table, bottles at its center, three chairs around it, and a series of artworks on the walls.


    "[I can speak my language, right]?" Yeza asked while sitting on one chair. "[Liiza has told me that you have worked hard to learn it]."


    "[She helped me a lot with that]," Khan revealed before sitting on the chair on the other side of the table.


    Yeza sighed as she stared at her cup in silence. Khan noticed how she appeared slightly off. She didn''t reveal anything strange inside the hall, but she had stopped using her captivating arts now that they had reached that small room.


    Yeza didn''t lose a single ounce of her beauty. The Niqols was wearing a normal robe, and she wasn''t using her sexy gestures, but she remained stunning. Khan only felt that she had stopped trying to claim his attention on purpose.


    "[I already told you that you resemble Liiza''s father]," Yeza eventually broke the silence. "[You and Liiza have a difficult path ahead. I also still believe your relationship to be toxic, but that shouldn''t stop me from telling you my story and hope that you can learn from it]."


    Khan immediately nodded. Truth be told, he had been quite curious about Yeza''s version of the story. He had only heard about Deni from Liiza, so he never managed to get a complete picture.


    "[Liiza''s father, Deni, was as driven and in love as you]," Yeza explained. "[I had feelings for him, but they never reached the same intensity. Moreover, I knew my true nature, so I have always refused him to avoid hurting him]."


    Yeza took a long sip from her cup before placing it on the table. She stretched her hand to reach the bottle, but she eventually retracted it without refilling her drink.


    "[I like controlling men with my beauty]," Yeza continued. "[I even like controlling them in bed, but my species has always been my priority. I have never minded mixing my job with my pleasure, but Deni''s love wasn''t something that time could suppress].


    "[His feelings were so strong that I''ve eventually decided to accept them. Of course, he knew about my character, and he had even promised me not to care about my affairs as long as they remained political. I believed him, and love eventually blossomed inside me too]."


    Khan remained speechless. Messy thoughts filled his mind, but he suppressed them. He wanted to hear the end of the story before evaluating the matter properly.


    "[It turned out that his love couldn''t survive my character]," Yeza stated. "[He broke his promise and started growing jealous. He eventually had to leave since I couldn''t and didn''t want to give up on my position]."


    "[Did you ever tell this to Liiza]?" Khan asked.


    "[What''s the point]?" Yeza scoffed. "[Her father made me hope that someone like me could enjoy love, but he ended up betraying that feeling. I''m already hurt, so I don''t mind taking Liiza''s hatred as long as I can preserve her good memories. I don''t want her to feel as the daughter of the whore and the liar]."

 Chapter 211: Sadness

    The Niqols generally had simple relationships. Mutual attraction led to dating, which would transform into proper love if feelings were to bloom.


    Those relationships were deep, intense, and strong, but they were based on how open the Niqols were toward their feelings. The aliens rarely went against their emotions, which made the interactions between partners straightforward. It was easy to understand whether their bonds only had physical attraction or had something more.


    Even Khan, George, and Helen had found good partners relatively easily. The Niqols'' straightforward approach to emotions and their lack of self-restraint had helped those humans get over the differences between their species. Things had been slightly different for Khan, but he knew that everything would have been harder with Liiza if she didn''t reveal her attraction right away.


    Yeza didn''t fall in that category. She had always been aware of the problems that her character could cause, especially among such an emotional species, but she didn''t give up on it. Instead, she had decided to isolate herself and focus on politics to avoid ending up in relationships that couldn''t have a future.


    Deni had made her hope that she could have something similar to her peers. His intense love had made Yeza take a chance. He had allowed her to believe that she could fulfill her feelings. Yet, her character had turned out to be too much in the end.


    The words that Captain Erbair had spoken just yesterday resounded inside Khan''s mind. Yeza was the living proof that feelings weren''t always enough. Her situation was unique, but she had still proved how a relationship featuring mutual love could end for various reasons.


    Khan had learnt to evaluate and recognize different characters due to the social paranoia developed in Ylaco''s slums. However, he had to admit that his approach to relationships was still naive.


    Khan couldn''t blame himself there. His young age and poor experience in that field made him innocent and pure, so he couldn''t evaluate Yeza''s situation accurately. Part of him continued to believe that she was at fault due to her affairs, but could he really blame her? According to her words, she had done everything she could to warn Deni about her character.


    Khan believed that Yeza''s relationship was too complicated to study with his inexperienced mind. He obviously couldn''t evaluate it according to human canons, but he could start to understand her when he relied on his broad mindset.


    Understanding Yeza felt depressing. It actually hurt Khan to try to relate to her situation. Something even brought his mind to the Nak and his nightmares. He could find similarities between his desperation and Yeza''s character when it came to the problems that they could cause in a relationship.


    "[Don''t think too hard about my words]," Yeza continued when she saw that Khan lowered his gaze. "[I only wanted to broaden your perspective. You have power over my daughter''s happiness, so I can''t let you remain a na?ve kid. Your mind is in the right place, but you need to be more than that to be with her. You need to become a man who can help her face her political responsibilities]."


    Khan couldn''t help but raise his gaze. Yeza was taking that relationship seriously, so she wanted to prepare him for the problems that Liiza''s status could cause. She was acting as a concerned mother who wanted her daughter''s path to be smooth and happy.


    "[I want to do my best]," Khan honestly revealed. "[I don''t know much about politics, but I''m learning. Still, I hope you can understand that I don''t care about them. I only wish Liiza''s happiness]."


    Yeza''s eyes widened in surprise. Khan had the gall to voice such an honest revelation before her, the main ambassador in the relationship between the two species. She didn''t know whether to see that as brave or dumb. His honesty left her shocked, but a warm smile eventually broadened on her serious face.


    "[You should never say such words in the open if you want to get the approval of my tribe]," Yeza chuckled while covering her mouth.


    "[I have just been honest to my girlfriend''s mother]," Khan said as a timid smile appeared on his face.


    Yeza inspected Khan, and she soon heaved a helpless sigh. She focused on her drink and traced the cup''s edge with her fingers as a comment escaped her mouth. "[Look at me. I''m getting so emotional in front of my daughter''s first serious man. My age is making me lose ground against a kid. I wonder if I''ll start desiring grandchildren in a few years]."


    Khan''s expression froze as soon as he considered the idea of having a child with Liiza, and Yeza laughed when she saw that scene. She voiced another comment, but her tone gained a chilling aura near the end of the line. "[I was joking. I hope you won''t get my daughter pregnant anytime soon]."


    "[We are extremely careful about that]!" Khan promptly reassured, but his quick reaction only made Yeza laugh again.


    "[At least you know how to keep her satisfied]," Yeza teased. "[I might forget what my daughter''s natural shades are if you two continue like this]."


    Khan directly diverted his gaze as an awkward laugh escaped his mouth. He didn''t want to talk about sex with his girlfriend''s mother.


    "[Well]," Yeza sighed before standing up, [I hope you won''t forget my words. You shouldn''t if you like having that thing between your legs. I''m an emotional woman when it comes to my daughter. I don''t know what I might do to those who hurt her]."


    Khan''s expression went blank. Those words finally revealed a stark similarity between Yeza and her daughter. It seemed a common trait of Liiza''s family to threaten his manhood.


    "[You can remain in this room if you want to avoid those curious glances]," Yeza said while moving toward the door. "[We''ll probably plan things out for a few more days, maybe even a week, so this meeting isn''t crucial]."


    Khan''s expression turned serious as he inspected Yeza''s departing figure. He had another important question that he couldn''t suppress.


    "[Ambassador Yeza]," Khan called as he stood up, "[Is the toxicity of our relationship really a bad thing]?"


    Yeza had almost reached the door, but she stopped her tracks and turned to inspect Khan. The intense resolve in his eyes saddened her, but she wanted to respect that feeling.


    "[You two are nothing more than kids]," Yeza explained in a calm voice, "[Even worse than kids. I don''t know much about you, but it''s clear that your life wasn''t easy. Liiza is the same, so you two have developed a deep need for each other]."


    "[Isn''t that what Niqols strive to obtain]?" Khan asked.


    "[Yes, but that between two normal partners]," Yeza responded. "[You found each other when you had nothing else. Developing such an intense love is almost normal in your situation, but it leaves it with a frail foundation. I''m not sure it can survive in the open, once you''ll have to face the real world]."


    "[I''m no stranger to the true nature of the world]," Khan commented.


    "[I wasn''t speaking about that]," Yeza corrected. "[I wish you had found each other after experiencing some good aspects of life. You simply don''t know any better right now]."


    Khan opened his mouth to speak, but he found himself unable to say anything. He had to sort his thoughts before managing to voice a simple question. "[Isn''t it better to get this love sooner]?"


    "[Is it]?" Yeza wondered. "[If your feelings are as strong as you two say, you would have eventually found each other anyway, maybe without being so broken. Right now, you both need those emotions, so you aren''t completely selfless about them. I''m not questioning your love. I''m just saying that you are both using part of it to heal your sadness]."


    Khan diverted his gaze as those words echoed in his mind. Yeza heaved another sigh before crossing the door to leave him alone with his thoughts. She knew that her revelation might have been too profound for such a young boy, but she couldn''t hold back since her daughter was involved.


    Khan didn''t even hear the door closing in front of him. He tried to dissect Yeza''s words to inspect them from different perspectives, but it soon became clear that she was right. Both Khan and Liiza even knew about that. They didn''t only love each other. They were also relying on their feelings to keep moving.


    "[Come out, Liiza]," Khan said, and a wall on the other side of the room slid open.


    "[How could you sense me]?" Liiza asked while stepping out of the secret passage. The wall behind her closed as soon as she entered the room.


    "[I didn''t]," Khan revealed while turning toward Liiza to show a teasing smile. "[I just know that you would have never left me alone with your mother if you had the chance to spy on us]."


    Liiza pouted, but her face soon broke into a warm smile when Khan reached her to wrap his arms around her waist. She wanted to kiss him right away, but a tinge of sadness appeared in her expression when she saw him hiding in her neck. She could only imitate him at that point, and the two remained in that position for a few minutes.


    "[Did you hear everything]?" Khan asked when he raised his head.


    "[Yes]," Liiza revealed after leaving his neck and keeping her gaze lowered. "[I didn''t expect my parents to have these problems. No wonder I am a mess]."


    "[You are a beautiful mess]," Khan stated while taking Liiza''s face in his hands and lifting it to make their eyes meet.


    "[I''m your beautiful mess]," Liiza pouted, "[So don''t get strange ideas over what my mother said. I don''t care if we are instinctively using each other. We''ll deal with that together if problems appear]."


    Liiza''s earnest answer made Khan''s doubts melt. He didn''t care about anything when those glowing eyes illuminated his face and filled him with feelings that allowed him to find beauty in his dark life.


    The two kissed, but they quickly separated. Khan and Liiza were in the middle of the palace, next to a hall full of superiors and friends. Their mental state was even far from ideal, so continuing to be so intimate was risky. Still, their eyes spoke words that they both knew far too well.


    "[You should take your time to think about your parents]," Khan suggested, trying to defuse that reckless situation, but Liiza didn''t help him.


    Liiza took his hand and led him toward the door. She tinkered with the azure symbol there to seal the entrance before turning to push Khan toward the table gently.


    "[Liiza]," Khan attempted to stop her with the last brim of self-restraint in his brain, but everything fell apart when he sensed her cold hands slipping under his robe to caress his bare torso.


    "[My parents'' stuff is too much to take right now]," Liiza explained before showing her pleading expression. "[Help me silence my thoughts]."


    Khan and Liiza could have left the area. They had the chance to use the secret passages or the main corridor. No one forbid them from returning to Khan''s room, but they remained there. The sole idea of delaying their intimate moment for even a second sounded like torture.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Robbers stole my dad''s car yesterday, so everything has been pretty hectic. Everything is kind of fine now, except for my schedule. I need a few hours for the next chapter, but everything should go back to normal tomorrow.

 Chapter 212: Anger

    The days that followed the meeting were awkward.


    Liiza had a hard time accepting that her mother wasn''t completely to blame for what had happened to her family. Liiza had hated her for too long, but she couldn''t ignore what she had overheard. Yeza was a hard woman to love, but she had been fair with Deni. It actually seemed that he had taken advantage of a moment of weakness only to betray her trust later on.


    Khan wasn''t completely fine either. Captain Erbair, Liiza, and Yeza''s words never stopped resounding inside his mind. He worried about the political environment, his power, and his relationship, but no real solutions appeared in sight.


    Captain Erbair was right. Feelings weren''t always enough in relationships, and Khan and Liiza might have to face that truth. Yeza''s story had even proved how the problems didn''t have to be strictly political. Some features in the partners'' characters could lead to a division, and Khan feared that his desperate goal to find the Nak might fall in that category.


    The revelations about the chaos element also filled his mind with doubts. Liiza believed that the human approach to the Wave spell was dumb, but she couldn''t help him develop a new method either. She even felt that Khan shouldn''t test his luck right away due to how he had treated his mana until then. After all, a single failed attempt might really make him explode.


    Khan found himself stuck among issues that he couldn''t solve. He couldn''t do anything to fix the toxicity of his relationship, the political environment was basically on hold during the crisis, and his power couldn''t gain any immediate benefit. Moreover, he had to deal with Liiza''s poor mental state without forgetting his friends, superiors, and the higher-ups of the other species.


    Needless to say, Khan felt overwhelmed during those days, but he was far from alone. He was doing his best to help Liiza, but everyone could see that she did the same.


    The palace wasn''t too different from the academy. The students soon understood that they could use some of its areas to have parties, and the few recruits left on Nitis didn''t hesitate to join them. Khan and Liiza weren''t an exception, but they limited themselves to a few hours of celebrations before going to his room or the first isolated place that they found.


    Those celebrations mostly started in the late afternoon and continued until deep into the night. Instead, meetings with the higher-ups occupied the hours before lunchtime. Yeza never failed to summon everyone to inspect their target inside the muddy valley at the base of the two mountains.


    It turned out that the palace inside the valley was only one of the important locations that the rebels had captured with the help of the sunlight. Multiple structures that had served the Niqols for centuries had fallen into their hands, but Yeza''s group only had to take care of what was near them.


    The absence of Aduns was an issue that the Niqols didn''t expect and couldn''t fix. The Lysixi had also become unreliable due to the sunlight, so crossing long distances and gathering information had become impossible for now.


    Yeza could only make her group focus on one target due to those issues, and she even had to approach the fight carefully. The siege was only the last of her problems. Her team would have to cross multiple regions potentially occupied by monsters that had gone through the second round of mutations before reaching the muddy valley.


    Tension built up as the days passed. Both humans and Niqols knew that each meeting drew their departure closer. Yeza even planned to deploy most of the troops inside the palace for the mission, so it was clear that she had no intention to retreat or fail to capture the muddy valley.


    The group was looking at a one-way journey, and the humans among them couldn''t say anything. The soldiers didn''t establish any friendly relationship with the Niqols, so they didn''t feel the need to help them. Yet, their mission forced them to deploy as much manpower as possible in the battles, and Yeza knew that. She never held back from counting them as part of her force.


    The growing tension only added worries to Khan, but he barely had the time to think about that with everything going on inside his mind. It seemed that his life had gone back to the peaceful times in the academy, with the only difference that he didn''t have to keep his relationship hidden.


    The students and recruits enjoyed six entire days of break inside the palace, but Yeza wanted to put an end to that peaceful period, and Khan and Liiza were the first to learn about that.


    A surprising message appeared in Khan''s room on the night of his sixth day inside the palace. The azure symbols on the walls brightened and woke him up as they transformed into orders that carried Yeza''s name at their end.


    "[Is it mine or yours]?" Liiza complained in a sleepy voice as she used the bed''s blanket to cover her face.


    Liiza and Khan had never held back from sleeping together after the silent acceptance of their respective superiors. She was currently on Khan''s chest, but the light of the orders was annoying her.


    "[It''s from your mother for both of us]," Khan revealed, and Liiza immediately uncovered her head to inspect the walls with her sleepy eyes.


    ''[Khan, Liiza, use your young and cute aura to convince the old hag],'' Khan and Liiza read on the walls.


    The message didn''t say anything else. It didn''t add any detail, and it didn''t even mention Zalpa, but the couple knew that Yeza was talking about her.


    "[Is she spying on us]? Liiza scoffed.


    "[We didn''t exactly play it low recently]," Khan joked while reaching the back of Liiza''s head to caress her.


    Liiza voiced an annoyed curse before lying on Khan and hide her head in his neck. She left a few kisses there, but Khan straightened his back and made her sit on his lap.


    "[I think she means now]," Khan chuckled when Liiza''s annoyed face appeared in his vision.


    "[Of course she means now]," Liiza whined, "[Which means that we have to depart soon. Don''t you want to make the best out of our safe time left]?"


    Khan''s eyes widened before lowering at his side. Liiza was right. Yeza must have asked them to gain Zalpa''s favor since the battle was close. The time to assault the castle inside the muddy valley had finally arrived.


    "[Zalpa will have to wait a bit]," Khan commented when his eyes returned on Liiza.


    Liiza caressed his cheek before wrapping her arms around his neck and whispering in her cute voice. "[More than a bit]."


    .


    .


    .


    Zalpa had never come out of the second basement during those days. No one had ever mentioned her either. Yet, everyone could guess that some Niqols had interacted with her to question her about the crisis.


    The palace''s corridors were almost empty at night. The only areas that still had someone were the large halls with the parties, but Khan and Liiza didn''t have to cross them to reach the first floor. They could arrive in front of the drape that hid the basement''s entrance without meeting anyone.


    Liiza didn''t take much to make the walls move and uncover the narrow staircase that led to the lower levels of the palace. A prison almost identical to that seen during the meeting with Yeza unfolded in the couple''s eyes after they descended from the steps.


    Liiza quickly found the entrance to the second underground floor and unlocked it. The couple soon arrived in a familiar environment illuminated by dark-red light. They saw a couple of cauldrons, red symbols, and Tainted animals hanging from the ceiling.


    ''How did she even bring Tainted animals here?'' Khan wondered as his eyes focused on a dirty figure sleeping on a simple bed on the other side of the basement.


    "[Are you Yeza''s last resort]?" Zalpa shouted while straightening her position to sit on the bed.


    "[Zaza, you know that helping us is the right thing]," Liiza promptly responded.


    "[Is it though]?" Zalpa asked before jumping to her feet and approaching one of the cauldrons to check its insides. "[Niqols who believe in the old ways are finally showing themselves. Why should I help stop them]?"


    "[Because I am on the other side]," Liiza replied as she and Khan approached the old Niqols.


    "[You can still change your mind]," Zalpa sighed when the couple arrived in front of her. "[I wish you would, Lii]."


    Zalpa glanced at Khan after her comment, but her eyes quickly went back to Liiza. She had basically asked Liiza to go back to the old ways while her boyfriend was holding her hand, and she didn''t appear too proud about it.


    Khan had reached the basement with the intention of remaining silent. He didn''t delude himself. Zalpa''s past comment about him wasn''t a complete acknowledgment since she still hated the humans. She only liked that he was treating Liiza properly.


    Khan wanted to let Liiza handle the talk, but his annoyance reached its limits after the last comment. He was giving his everything to Liiza, the Niqols, and Nitis as a whole. Khan had done his best since his first day on that alien planet. He had approached every teaching in the academy with utmost seriousness, and he had even learnt techniques from the old ways.


    The last days in the castle had been tense, but the situation for Khan had been even worse. His head was full of problems that he couldn''t solve, but he still did his best. He took care of Liiza and his friends, trained like a madman, and helped in every meeting. He couldn''t remain silent when Zalpa spat on his effort.


    "[What else do I need to do]?" Khan voiced an angry complaint that surprised both Liiza and Zalpa. "[Do you want me to paint my skin and stare at the sun until my eyes turn white? I understand that you have a problem with humans, but why can''t you put them aside for me? I''m more Niqols than most of the students in the academy! I abide by the old ways more than most of Liiza''s superiors]!"


    Liiza tightened her grasp on Khan''s hand, but she held back from hugging him. She was the only one on the entire planet who knew how much Khan did every day. She actually felt surprised that his patience had lasted for so long.


    Zalpa had also remained speechless in front of that angry outburst, but she couldn''t remain silent. Everything Khan had said was true. He had earned enough respect to deserve an answer.


    "[Your kind is cruel, cynical, and weak]," Zalpa explained. "[You throw away lives only to gain mere political benefits, and you show no respect toward your power. You take everything you can without paying any price. You feed on a few exceptional individuals and claim their merits as your own. You are no better than worms]."


    Zalpa revealed how her hatred toward the human wasn''t mere xenophobia. Her disgust had a solid foundation that Khan couldn''t contradict. Everything she had said was true, at least when it came to a general view of humankind.


    "[Don''t treat me as a human then]," Khan declared. "[I don''t care how you see me. I''ll even let you take me as a Nak if that makes it better for you]."


    Khan partially hated himself for saying those words, but the cold sensation spreading from his hand appeased that feeling. Everything was worth it as long as it was for Liiza.


    "[That''s not better at all]," Zalpa''s snorted, but her expression seemed to relax. She had seen what Khan went through every time he slept. She knew that his statement must have taken everything he had.


    "[Then find another method to trust me]," Khan continued while pointing at the cauldron next to him. "[You are a shaman, right? Do some shaman stuff to test me or something. I''ll let you do whatever you want as long as you start trusting me]."


    "[Are you willing to go this far just to get my help against the rebels]?" Zalpa chuckled in disappointment while shaking her head.


    "[I don''t care about that at all]," Khan announced. "[I''m doing this to make Liiza happy. She cares a lot about you]."


    Zalpa felt a tinge of shame spreading inside her mind. Her expression froze as she raised her eyes toward Khan to inspect him. His resolve was honest and intense. Even the Niqols would struggle to match his determination.


    "[I can arrange that]," Zalpa didn''t give up. "[I can test you, but the process can hurt you badly. It will even leave a lasting mark on you. Do you really want to gain my approval]?"


    "[Khan]," Liiza called, and her action made the cold smirk on Zalpa''s face widen. She believed that Liiza would make Khan give up on that matter, but the rest of the phrase left her speechless once again. "[Don''t overdo it. She is still an old woman]."


    "[Don''t worry]," Khan smiled while pulling Liiza closer. "[She has finally given me a chance. Nothing else matters]."

 Chapter 213: Tattoo

    Liiza didn''t like to see Khan hurting himself for her sake. She didn''t want him to put so much effort into getting accepted by Zalpa and the Niqols society as a whole. She would gladly take his place and shoulder that burden, but opposing his resolve would only go against what made him so exceptional.


    Khan''s selfless determination was unstoppable when it came to a few topics. Liiza would only risk offending him if she tried to oppose that resolve, and she would even fail to make him give up on the matter. The best path was to show him her support and take care of him properly once he succeeded in his plan. In Liiza''s mind, Khan couldn''t fail when he put his whole self into something.


    Zalpa didn''t expect that turn of events. Liiza and Khan were extreme characters, but she believed that they could suppress each other''s radical features when they were together. Still, they actually ended up condoning and supporting them if the situation required it.


    Zalpa could see that Liiza wasn''t happy about the situation, but she also noticed her earnest desire to support Khan. The girl couldn''t stop him, so she would do everything in her power to make his path easier.


    Both Liiza and Khan were willing to give their everything to their partner. That sight partially reassured Zalpa, but it also hinted at the dysfunctional aspects of their relationship. Their determination was in the right place, but their minds didn''t abide by the spectrum that ordinary people should have.


    ''[They are influencing each other],'' Zalpa concluded in her mind.


    The old Niqols inspected the couple to try to understand whether their situation was healthy. She knew that the crisis was highlighting the extreme aspects of both personalities, but she didn''t mind that too much. Her focus was on Liiza''s well-being. Zalpa wouldn''t hesitate to drive Khan away if she felt that his presence was hurting her.


    However, Zalpa could only end her inspection with a curse that never managed to leave her mouth. She felt ashamed of herself in front of Khan''s intense resolve and Liiza''s effort to suppress her worries. She would go against everything she preached if she didn''t show any respect for those feelings.


    "[Where do you want the mark]?" Zalpa asked before turning to reach one of the monsters hanging from the ceiling.


    "[Maybe I should know more about it before deciding]," Khan suggested while inspecting Zalpa cutting open the odd bear with her bare fingers.


    "[I''m going to draw a mark on you]," Zalpa explained as she seized bloody organs from the monster and put them in the insides of her robe. "[If your feelings are honest and pure, the mark won''t hurt you. Otherwise, it will burn like crazy for a few weeks. It might even require an invasive removal depending on how bad your emotions are]."


    Khan''s eyebrows arched in surprise, but no fear appeared in his mind. The explanation ended up reassuring Liiza too. The two did not doubt the feelings that they shared.


    Zalpa returned to the couple while carrying a bunch of gory materials in her dirty robe. A patch of dark blood expanded on her clothes, but she didn''t mind it and promptly picked those organs in a specific order to throw them into the cauldron.


    "[Blood]," Zalpa ordered, and Khan quickly left Liiza to stretch his hand.


    Zalpa drew a knife from the insides of her robe and cut Khan''s palm open. She did her best to pierce his skin without using her mana since she didn''t want to spoil that material, and blood eventually started to fall inside the cauldron.


    "[The mark will become a lifelong testimony of your feelings if everything goes well]," Zalpa continued before removing Khan''s hand and proceeding to send mana into the cauldron to make everything in its insides melt. "[Choose the spot carefully]."


    Khan and Liiza exchanged a glance, and they ended up showing a warm smile when he uncovered his torso. He showed his back to his girlfriend before pointing at his shoulder and asking for her advice. "[Left or right]?"


    "[We might have to fight soon, so pick the right]," Liiza responded.


    "[You heard her]," Khan laughed while turning to show his back to Zalpa.


    "[Sit]," Zalpa ordered, and Khan didn''t hesitate to execute those orders. He crossed his legs and sat on the ground before shooting a confident smile toward Liiza.


    Zalpa took a few minutes to prepare the liquid inside the cauldron. She requested Liiza''s blood at some point, and she dipped two fingers inside her potion once everything was ready. The old Niqols then pulled Khan''s hair and made him show her his face since she needed to draw a few marks there.


    "[You''ll fall into a trance]," Zalpa explained while drawing complicated marks on Khan''s forehead, nose, and cheeks. "[Your feelings will fight while I draw the mark. The ink will seep into your skin, and your body will accept it only if your emotions are worthy]."


    Khan nodded once Zalpa let go of his head. He started to feel dizzy as soon as she placed her fingers on the back of his right shoulder, and confused images slowly replaced the basement.


    Khan found himself among complete blackness. He could stand, but he couldn''t see the ground under him. His sensations also were nothing more than a mere echo. It was clear that his body wasn''t there.


    Lights slowly appeared in front of Khan. That glow slowly took Liiza''s features. It transformed into a white silhouette of the girl, and he didn''t hesitate to approach her.


    A second light appeared on Khan''s path before he could reach Liiza''s figure. The familiar azure shades revealed the nature of that glow even before it took a detailed shape. Khan coldly inspected the radiance growing and transforming into the Nak from his memories in a few seconds.


    The two figures remained still and expressionless. Liiza radiated a cozy coldness, while the Nak had a chilling warmth around its ethereal shape. They represented how Khan felt about them. Liiza reminded him of all the lovely nights spent in their home in the marsh, while the Nak carried the scorching memories of the Second Impact.


    ''Is the test asking me to choose between them?'' Khan wondered as he inspected the two figures.


    The choice felt obvious. Khan quickly approached Liiza''s glowing figure and tried to touch her, but his hand seeped past them. He felt as if her white light didn''t want him to touch her.


    ''Is it rejecting my feelings?'' Khan wondered before correcting himself. ''No. It won''t accept them unless I''m certain about my position.''


    Khan felt able to understand what the test wanted from him. He couldn''t explain that sensation, but he went along with it without lingering on pointless thoughts. He had encountered a problem, but solving it would require something that he wasn''t willing to do.


    "I can''t abandon my goals," Khan stated, and his muffled voice echoed throughout the dark area before dispersing in the distance.


    A hideous smirk appeared on the Nak''s face after that statement. Its light intensified while the opposite happened to Liiza''s figure. It seemed that the test was moving in the wrong direction, but Khan didn''t panic. He couldn''t fall prey to his fears after spending the last days thinking about his problems.


    "This test would make me lose all my respect for the Niqols'' old ways if it didn''t understand the true nature of my situation," Khan mocked before glancing at Liiza''s dimming figure to show a complicated smile. "How can I let her continue sleeping on my chest when I shake every time I close my eyes?"


    Khan turned toward the smirking Nak to heave a helpless sigh. He raised his hand, and a scorching sensation spread on his palm when he touched the center of the alien''s torso.


    "You forced me to hate you for reasons that I still can''t understand," Khan said, "But I won''t let you affect her. My desperation isn''t alone anymore."


    The smirk on the alien slowly disappeared, and its face morphed to gain Khan''s features. He could see deep into his desperation when he looked at those ethereal eyes. The sorrow accumulated throughout twelve years on nightmare was right in front of him. He had long since decided to fix it, and Nitis had added a reason to his goal. Khan wanted to get better so that Liiza wouldn''t suffer by looking at his pain.


    The Nak and Liiza vanished, and the blackness around Khan shattered as the basement slowly filled his vision. The test was over, but an uncomfortable stinging sensation spread from his shoulder and made him unable to focus on his surroundings.


    Khan turned to look at his right shoulder. He couldn''t see much from there, but he still noticed a few azure lines spreading down his back. Their color was almost identical to his scar and mutated strands of hair.


    "[Your resolve is stunning]," Zalpa sighed before covering her palm with mana and manipulating it until it transformed into a mirror-like surface.


    Khan could inspect his shoulder when he looked at his reflection. An azure cross that featured S-shaped lines at its center had appeared on the back of his right shoulder. The mark glowed for a few seconds before darkening and transforming into a proper tattoo.


    "[You won''t be able to remove it through normal methods]," Zalpa explained. "[This mark is part of you now. No Niqols would ever dare to question your feelings now]."


    "[What does this mark mean]?" Khan asked, but a sniff suddenly reached his ears and made him turn toward Liiza.


    Liiza was covering her mouth as a single tear fell from her eyes. She took timid steps toward Khan before crouching to sit on his lap. Her hands moved among his hair before going around his neck to pull him closer and make their foreheads touch.


    "[You need to stop doing this]," Liiza whined. "[A single mind is too little for all this happiness]."


    Khan didn''t hesitate to hold Liiza tightly. She instinctively hid her face on his neck and gave him the chance to question Zalpa with his gaze. The old Niqols stared at him for a few seconds before heaving a deep sigh and voicing an answer.


    "[That symbol means love or union]," Zalpa revealed while diverting her eyes, "[And it has a vague eternal sense added to it]."


    "[Thank you, Zaza]," Khan smiled.


    Zalpa voiced an annoyed snort. "[Don''t get carried away. I still hate humans. You might have gained my approval, but I''ll help you only because of Liiza]."


    "[Help with what]?" Khan asked in confusion, and even Liiza raised her head to show a confused frown to Zalpa.


    "[You are about to jump into a battle with warriors far stronger than you]," Zalpa replied. "[You won''t be able to affect its outcome, but you might need to protect Liiza with your body. Improving your Blood Shield is the least I can do for her]."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I failed again to deliver the second chapter on time. The first took far longer than expected. Give me a few hours.


    Also, you can find the symbol on my discord, or if you google "eternal love rune".

 Chapter 214: Teachings

    Zalpa''s statement inevitably made the couple excited. Khan stood up without letting go of Liiza, and the girl had to wrap her legs around his waist to cling to him.


    "[I''m already regretting this]," Zalpa snorted when she saw the two young faces brimming with gratitude.


    "[She would be far easier to like if she weren''t so grumpy]," Khan commented as Liiza put strength in the arms around his neck to make her legs reach the floor slowly.


    "[It''s part of her charm]," Liiza giggled while fixing her intense gaze on him.


    Liiza partially let go of Khan''s neck to move a hand on his right shoulder. Her fingers carefully reached the tattoo and traced its edges when she confirmed that Khan wasn''t hurting.


    "[Can you stop lusting after each other for a bit]?" Zalpa scolded before turning to walk toward the bear-like monster with the open belly. "[I''m trying to teach you something important, you damned horny kids]."


    Liiza would have normally called Zalpa''s name to complain about her words, but she only voiced a happy laugh now. Khan also smiled while nodding at his girlfriend. It was hard to contain their emotions after the test, but they did their best to focus on the old Niqols since her teachings had the priority.


    "[It can be dangerous to reach the superior checkpoint of the Blood Shield when your body isn''t ready to endure its drawbacks]," Zalpa explained while gesturing to the couple to follow her. "[Still, I bet that you don''t care about the risks]."


    "[Everything should be fine]," Khan said in a confident tone.


    Khan had been able to use the [Blood Shield] before becoming a first-level warrior. His body had improved, so the next checkpoint of the technique shouldn''t cause any problem.


    "[You shouldn''t underestimate its power]," Zalpa continued as she proceeded to cut a thumb-sized lump of flesh from the monster with her bare fingers. "[The old ways always carry risks, but their requirements protect you. You would normally have to wait for your manipulation ability to reach the right level before approaching the next checkpoint, which would give you time to improve your body. Your situation is different, so you can''t realize how much power you are ingesting]."


    Zalpa knew that Yeza had unlocked the [Blood Shield] for Khan, and she was about to do the same with the next checkpoint. That would give an immense boost to his defensive power, but it would also leave him clueless about the actual cost and requirements of the technique.


    "[Make sure to watch carefully]," Zalpa announced. "[The procedure never changes. You only have to apply more power and find better materials to reach higher checkpoints]."


    Zalpa used her bare foot to clean a spot on the floor from the dust before placing the lump of flesh there. Then, she sat and stretched her hands to let her palms hover right above the gory item.


    Mana accumulated on her palms and created an azure radiance that illuminated the lump of flesh. The blood still flowing out of the material reversed its course and started gathering in its center.


    "[You must be gentle]," Zalpa described. "[Use your mana to teach the blood how to clot without breaking the flesh. Part of your energy will naturally become part of the material and empower its structure, but you need to make sure that nothing breaks during the procedure. You might ingest a flawed version of the Blood Sheld otherwise]."


    The flesh''s edges eventually dried up, and Zalpa reached for the maimed corpse of the monster and squeezed some of its insides to make blood flow out of them. She gathered that dark liquid with her hands before slowly pouring it on the material.


    "[Yeza has probably used the flesh from a Tainted animal to unlock the Blood Shield inside you]," Zalpa explained. "[Yet, the second checkpoint requires more energy, and only a stronger material would be able to contain it. I used a monster''s flesh now for that exact reason, but I still need to refill it with blood and repeat the procedure until enough mana fuses with its structure]."


    Zalpa did exactly as she explained. She poured blood on the chunk of flesh before gently clotting it in its center. She repeated that process methodically, without ever falling prey to hurry or impatience. Her movements were slow but firm. Liiza and Khan couldn''t help but remain in a daze when they inspected her.


    "[It''s ready]," Zalpa eventually exclaimed. "[Come to inspect it. I don''t want you to be completely clueless about its current power]."


    Khan nodded before crouching in front of Zalpa. He carefully stretched his arm forward and let his sensitivity to mana gather as much information as possible while he hovered his palm above the flesh.


    The chunk of flesh felt strong. Khan guessed that it was slightly above his first-grade knife in terms of mana accumulated in its insides. Zalpa had created an organic magical item in a matter of minutes, and he had been lucky enough to inspect the whole process.


    "[Don''t limit yourself to sense it]," Zalpa snorted. "[Touch it, savor its texture, smell, and noises. You have mixed your life with mana, so all of your senses can help you study it. Abandon your human bias]."


    Khan gulped before nodding again. He began to lower his hand, but Zalpa voiced a simple reminder before he could touch the flesh. "[Be gentle, gentler than you are when you touch Lii]."


    Khan mustered the entirety of his self-restraint to keep a straight face, but Liiza needed to divert her eyes to avoid showing something. Both of them had been everything but gentle during their last passionate intercourses.


    The flesh''s wet surface released a squelching noise when Khan''s forefinger touched it. He only needed a few seconds to get used to the material''s texture and gain enough confidence to place the rest of his hand there.


    No blood came out of the flesh even when Khan applied some pressure. He could sense a solid core at the center of the material, and he made sure to commit its features to memory. Then, he bent forward to smell it, and the intense scent of blood filled his nostrils. Something felt different compared to the typical odor that raw meat usually had, but Khan couldn''t find the exact reason behind that sensation.


    Zalpa nodded in approval when she saw how serious Khan was. He even licked the chunk of flesh near the end of his inspection to add more data to his mind.


    "[So, do I only need to replicate the same effects next time]?" Khan asked when he straightened his back.


    "[You''ll need a better core material and far more power]," Zalpa explained, "[But yes, you''ll be fine as long as you create something similar to this. It doesn''t matter if you fall short in terms of power and fail to reach the next checkpoint in one go. You can still stack up weaker items until you hit your goal]."


    "[Though I bet you don''t advise that since it would mean that my manipulation ability has yet to reach the right level]," Khan guessed.


    "[That''s correct]," Zalpa replied. "[Remember, you should prioritize the perfection of the clotted blood over its power. It''s pointless to make a stronger material that doesn''t express the Blood Shield properly. You might end up ruining everything you have built inside you with a single reckless mistake]."


    Khan took those teaching to heart as he picked the lump of flesh and brought it close to his mouth. He glanced at Zalpa to check whether he could proceed, and he didn''t hesitate to gulp it after she nodded.


    His chest immediately felt heavy. Khan could sense the chuck of flesh reaching his belly and dispersing its nutrients in no time before the [Blood Shield] activated on its own.


    The blood vessels at the center of Khan''s chest clotted to create a head-sized red array. The effect expanded until it almost covered the entirety of his torso and made him sweat.


    Khan felt as if his body was about to halt its functions. He couldn''t force himself to remain without so much blood for too long, so he focused on his mana to suppress the technique.


    The intricate array of blood vessels slowly waned as they went back to their normal functions. Khan''s back arched as he took a deep breath, but he eventually bent forward to crouch on the floor. Drops of sweat fell from his forehead as his body dealt with the aftermath of [Blood Shield], but his mind soon went on the lump of foreign materials inside his chest.


    Khan moved those materials across his body and confirmed that the technique didn''t become harder to use after improving. Moreover, he now had enough of them to activate the [Blood Shield] in two different spots. He didn''t even need to use all of them at the same time, so the drawbacks wouldn''t be a problem as long as he was careful.


    "[Get out of here now]," Zalpa ordered in her hoarse voice. "[I''ve been too long with you already. I have things to prepare]."


    "[Will you join the attack then]?" Liiza asked before bending toward Khan to help him stand up.


    "[I will come, but I won''t join the battle]," Zalpa announced. "[I still can''t force myself to kill Niqols who share my beliefs]."


    "[I think that will be enough for my mother]," Liiza declared. "[Thank you, Zaza, for the battle and us]."


    Liiza wore a bright smile that made Zalpa heave a helpless sigh. Khan had an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer when he saw that happy face. The couple exchanged a meaningful gaze, and Zalpa felt the need to smile at that scene.


    "[Zaza, can I ask you one last thing]?" Liiza said while diverting her gaze from Khan to look at the old Niqols.


    "[What is it]?" Zalpa asked.


    Liiza lowered her head and tightened her embrace before speaking with a timid voice. "[Can you give us one more day? I don''t want to give up on this peace just yet]."


    Khan chuckled and began to caress Liiza''s hair. The girl moved her attention back on him, but Zalpa angry curses soon resounded in the basement. "[As if I would lie to Yeza just to let her horny daughter fuck a human for one more day]!"


    Khan and Liiza began to laugh as they hurried toward the staircase that led to the upper floors, and their voice grew louder when another course reached their ears. "[Yes, run away before I make you spit the Blood Shield! Damned brats! I''m the best shaman of my generation. I won''t let two kids use me like this]!"


    Zalpa continued to curse, but her voice stopped reaching Khan and Liiza when the wall that divided the two basements closed. The two exchanged a glance before exploding into another laugh and hurrying toward the first floor.


    The morning was about to arrive, but the humans had adapted to the Niqols schedule in those days. The castle would be empty until a few hours before lunchtime, so the couple could run and have fun freely while hurrying back to Khan''s room.


    Liiza and Khan held hands as they crossed halls, corridors, and staircases. They ended up stopping many times to exchange intense kisses that led to giggles or intense gazes. Every corner of the palace felt cozy enough for an intimate break, but they grew shorter once they risked removing each other''s clothes in the open.


    It felt hard to keep track of what happened when they reached the room. Khan and Liiza''s minds were full of fierce feelings that neither of them could suppress. The sight of the tattoo even rekindled that passion whenever the couple was about to stop.


    Liiza and Khan ended up skipping a meeting for the first time that day. They didn''t even eat, but neither of them cared about that. Their mad passion calmed down in the middle of the afternoon when the Niqols started preparing the usual parties, but a message reached everyone''s rooms and cubes before that.


    Khan and Liiza couldn''t help but explode into a loud laugh when they read the message on the room''s walls. Yeza had sent a general update throughout the palace where she stated that the attack would start in two days. Zalpa had listened to Liiza''s request.

 Chapter 215: One year

    The atmosphere inside the palace grew even tenser after Yeza''s announcement, but the Niqols knew how to deal with it. They threw a massive party the day before the departure that saw the presence of adult aliens and some soldiers. Their participation initially made things awkward, but the booze vanquished that feeling rather quickly.


    Khan and Liiza didn''t waste a single second of the time that Zalpa had given them. Massive problems that they couldn''t solve filled their minds, but they made sure to appease them through their overflowing feelings. They didn''t show their faces often, and the other couples imitated that behavior. Everyone made sure to spend a few hours together before taking care of their loved ones.


    The day of the departure saw a large group amassing in the large area in front of the palace. A small army made of a hundred Niqols and few humans gathered inside the mountain and followed their superiors'' orders to take their spot in the simple battle formation planned in the previous days.


    The muddy valley wasn''t nearby. The group would take a bit more than two weeks of constant travel to reach it on foot. They would even need to spend that time in the wild without proper knowledge of the fauna since no one had the chance to perform thorough inspections without the Aduns.


    The students and recruits who had traveled with Zalpa didn''t worry too much about the monsters. They had seen how easily the old Niqols had ensured that no danger ever appeared on their path, and they even had many powerful assets leading them at that time.


    However, some doubts still existed in their minds, mostly due to the timing of the travel. The sunlight had theoretically entered its last phase. According to the soldiers'' math, Nitis would regain its iconic constant night soon. They had calculated that it would take between two and four weeks for the sky to return dark.


    The group might even witness the event during their travel. The crisis was about to end, but that didn''t manage to raise morale. The issue with the Aduns had halted most hunts, meaning that Nitis was full of monsters that had been free to thrive under the sunlight for entire weeks. Some of them had probably also gone through the second round of mutations.


    Khan and the others might avoid meeting monsters during the travel, but those creatures were a problem that they would eventually have to face. The battle inside the muddy valley might even attract some packs due to the massive discharge of mana that it would inevitably feature.


    Nitis might require entire years to return to its past stability, especially since the rebels had decided to make their move. Many battles would follow the end of the crisis, but the soldiers couldn''t wait for them to arrive. The planet''s chaos would work in their favor once they regained access to the teleport.


    Khan could easily understand those political matters, and he could even guess that his superiors were betting a lot on him to gain more freedom on Nitis. Still, those motives barely managed to make their way inside his mind. He would give his everything in each battle but for very different reasons.


    Zalpa revealed the full extent of her expertise by shielding the army with countless potions that she had prepared in a matter of days. The group departed after that process ended. They abandoned the safety of the mountain to step into the wild.


    Long and silent days followed the departure. Khan was among his friends, but none of them dared to speak for too long. The army was already quite loud on its own, so they didn''t want to add noises that could waste the effects of Zalpa''s potions.


    The higher-ups led their underlings across the regions fearlessly. The army had a series of scouts that inspected the areas and updated Yeza constantly, so she could always find a path that would limit the number of breaks or battles.


    The army''s size didn''t allow it to avoid monsters altogether, but those meetings led to one-sided slaughters. Even packs with more than thirty specimens were nothing more than ants in front of all the powerful soldiers in the group.


    Breaks still happened, but they were rare, and they never left room for intimacy. Yeza''s knowledge of Nitis'' layout had allowed her to pick resting areas even before the travel, which mostly featured empty zones that offered a complete view of their surroundings. Everyone slept in the open and near their companions to ensure that no one got lost or worse.


    The group crossed the environments seen during the meetings. The forest led to a small plain connected to a series of dark rivers. The vegetation began to thrive again afterward and forced the army to tread among thick woods. Mountains eventually followed before the path transformed into a plain.


    The army had to change its pace and approach depending on the environment it was crossing, but the leaders took care of every decision, so the underlings only needed to imitate them. Random battles and issues with the breaks affected the schedule planned in the palace, but the two mountains containing the muddy valley appeared in the distance only a day later than expected.


    The travel had taken a total of two and a half weeks. Khan needed George''s reminder to recall that their first academic year was over, but neither of them had the time to think about the topic. The sunlight illuminated Nitis even as the group settled in a spot near the two mountains. The crisis was still ongoing, so the matters concerning the Global Army felt too distant from their current situation.


    "The rebels have probably already learnt about our arrival," Yeza announced when she made the army stop next to the river that led into the muddy valley. "Let''s set up a camp quickly and rest. We''ll take one day to remove the fatigue accumulated during the travel. The battle will follow."


    The announcement made most underlings gulp, but none of them fell prey to fear. The crisis had trained them for those situations, so they quickly began to work on the encampment.


    The Niqols had prepared provisions and portable tents that revealed how mana could replace technology for the most part. One of the aliens carried a backpack filled with glowing cards that made the ground raise once they touched it. A series of short triangular structures soon grew on the relatively barren shores and created an encampment capable of containing the entire army.


    That scene would normally surprise the humans and many students, but everyone was too tense to pay attention to those valuable tools. Their entire focus was on the imminent battle and making the best out of the time before that.


    "[I never expected us to be our greatest enemy during the crisis]," Ilman announced before gulping the booze in his cup.


    "[I never expected to share drinks with you]," Azni joked. "[Nitis must have really gone crazy]."


    Everyone laughed at that comment. The Niqols had obviously thrown a party after they completed their tasks, and Khan and his friends had sat in a circle to enjoy those short hours together.


    The army had orders to sleep early the next day, so the students and recruits planned to enjoy that event to its fullest. Some soldiers and adult Niqols also shared that mindset and decided to get drunk or join the chants echoing among the camp.


    "[I can''t believe that we have been here for six months]," George chuckled as Havaa laid her head on his shoulder.


    "[Right, you use years to divide the level of your instruction]," Doku commented. "[That still feels stupid]."


    "[We are so different]," Helen sighed, but a warm smile appeared on her face when Vait placed a hand on her back.


    "[We have all changed a lot]," Azni announced, "[Especially you and those two over there]."


    Helen blushed, but she imitated the others in the circle by glancing at the couple on her left. Liiza was sitting on Khan''s lap, and the two often exchanged whispers that led to cute laughs or intense stares.


    Khan and Liiza noticed that the attention had moved on them, but they still exchanged a series of teases that only they could hear before turning toward their friends. Different expressions that mostly showed affection or approval unfolded in their vision and made them smile warmly.


    "[I didn''t change at all]," Khan stated, but his words transformed most affectionate expressions into glares. Liiza even had to cover her mouth to suppress her laugh.


    "[Don''t laugh]," Azni mocked. "[You are no different from him. No wonder you two get along so well]."


    "[She is just jealous]," Khan joked while wrapping his arms around Liiza''s waist.


    "[I want you two to remember that I had to babysit your relationship when you still acted as edgy kids]," Azni sneered, and everyone laughed again, Khan and Liiza included.


    "[Though they fooled all of us]," George admitted, "[Except Ilman, I guess]."


    "[My intuition is unmatched on Nitis]," Ilman proudly announced.


    "[I wouldn''t put it like that]," Khan rolled his eyes.


    "[And I was lucky enough to witness everything]," George cleared his throat before emptying his cup.


    Laughs resounded among the group again. Teases, jokes, and stories about their memories on Nitis followed as the group tried to make the best out of that last party. Other Niqols and humans joined and left as the hours passed, but the celebrations eventually started to end.


    "[Well]," Ilman exclaimed before standing up and spreading his arms, "[I''ll try to end the celebrations like a true Niqols. Wish me good luck]!"


    Everyone saluted Ilman, but Helen and Veronica turned toward the boys to shoot questioning glances as soon as the Niqols left.


    "[He will try to find a girl tonight]," Khan explained.


    "[Did he finally get over Liiza]?" Azni asked as curiosity filled her eyes.


    "[Not really]," Doku revealed. "[He is only trying to experience a normal life to find his true self]."


    "[And he doesn''t want to die as a virgi-]," George began to say, but Havaa slapped the back of his head before he could finish his line.


    "[How come you three know so much about him]?" Azni asked. "[We have barely spent time together in the past days]."


    "[Men only need a gesture to convey entire speech-]," George exclaimed, but Havaa slapped the back of his head again to interrupt him.


    "[What was this for]?!" George asked in surprise.


    "[I don''t need a reason to slap you]," Havaa proudly declared before continuing to speak in a softer tone, "[And it''s getting late]."


    George revealed a blank expression in front of Havaa''s meaningful gaze, but he quickly snapped back to reality. He threw away his cup and wrapped an arm around the girl''s waist to lift her as he jumped to his feet.


    Havaa giggled as she wrapped her arms around George''s neck and stretched her legs to make him put an arm under her knees. He rotated on himself to tease his girlfriend before stopping to face his companions and voice odd salutes. "[I have to take care of my woman''s needs]!"


    Havaa slapped the back of George''s head again, but the latter didn''t care. He started to laugh as he turned and carried her back to his tent.


    "[I''m surprised Havaa lets him talk at all]," Azni commented when the couple disappeared among the tents.


    "[He is an idiot]," Doku chuckled.


    "[He is a good idiot]," Khan corrected before laughing with his friend.


    "[We''ll also take our leave]," Helen announced as she and Vait stood up elegantly. "[I don''t know if you''ll see us tomorrow, but we will be at your side during the battle]."


    A round of salutes resounded again, and others soon imitated the couple. It didn''t take long before the circle only had Khan, Azni, Doku, and Liiza left.


    "[I won''t even ask if you''ll come out of your tent tomorrow]," Azni said in a helpless tone, and Khan and Liiza shook their heads to confirm her guess.


    "[We won''t get out either]," Doku announced. "[I bet that the entire encampment will remain empty tomorrow. The battle is worrying everyone]."


    The comment made a sad aura fall among the four, but they fought it by relying on their partners. Both couples silently stood up and exchanged simple waves of their hands before separating to reach their respective tents. They didn''t need to say anything since their friendship was already beyond those things.


    The following day went as Doku had predicted. The camp was almost empty, and no one celebrated or roamed among the tents. Everyone dealt with their anxiety by training, sleeping, or focusing on intimate intercourses. The only interruption in that free time was a message that appeared inside each habitation and described the battle plan.


    "[Your mother is definitely spying on us]," Khan groaned as he straightened his back to sit cross-legged on the ground and study the battle plan.


    "[At least she is choosing to interrupt our sleep instead of the other stuff]," Liiza joked in a sleepy voice before adjusting her position to lay her head on Khan''s lap.


    Khan only needed to place his cube on the ground to take control of the battle plan and inspect it from different points of view. He could even read the names that would make each platoon. He was on the sidelines while Liiza would remain behind to focus on her spell.


    "[Don''t you dare to get caught]," Liiza stated after studying the battle plan. "[I won''t hesitate to leave my position otherwise]."


    "[Are you trying to encourage me by using your safety in a threat]?" Khan asked as he tinkered with the azure drawing on the ground.


    "[I know how your brain works]," Liiza proudly declared, and Khan couldn''t help but divert his gaze from the battle plan to focus on her.


    Khan caressed Liiza hair, and she wore a smile as she took one of his crossed legs in her arms as if it were a pillow. She was the epitome of cuteness in that position, and Khan couldn''t help but express his feelings.


    "[Did I already tell you that I love you]?" Khan whispered.


    Liiza opened her eyes and turned to glance at Khan. His loving azure eyes appeared in her vision and made her emotions burst.


    "[Yes, but never stop saying it]," Liiza responded before placing a hand on his abdomen. "[Get down so that I can also tell you how I feel]."


    The couple enjoyed that loving moment as long as possible, but the morning eventually arrived. Humans and Niqols left their tents and saluted those who would remain in the camp before starting their march toward the two mountains nearby.


    Zalpa did her best to hide the army''s presence, but her help ended there. She only made sure to nod at Khan and Liiza before returning to the camp and preparing a medical bay. She knew that many would need it.


    ****


    Author''s notes: The second chapter will be late again, damn me. According to my calculations, which are always wrong, it will take less than two hours for me to complete it.

 Chapter 216: Traps

    The two mountains stood in the middle of a plain featuring many barren spots, especially near the shores of its small rivers. A thriving flora would normally fill that area, but the constant sunlight in the past two months had killed many of those plants. Dark-green grass still grew, but its appearance was far from healthy. The vegetation there couldn''t survive the massive change.


    Only the areas shielded by the huge mountains still had flourishing plants. Those tall and large structures were barren in the zones exposed to the sunlight and full of life in the others. The valley had barely gone through any changes during the crisis since only a few sunrays managed to reach its depths.


    The army only needed one hour to reach the mountains, but they slowed down their pace on purpose to make sure that the scouts could arrive in their positions. Yeza made the group stop whenever she received an update on the valley, but her face didn''t show any satisfaction in those moments.


    The entrance of the valley was vast. The two mountains grew closer on the other side, which made it the harsher path to tread. The ground grew muddy as the group stepped on the shadows created by the two tall structures and began their slow advance into the enemy territory.


    Utter silence disrupted only by the noises of the river and the faint winds filled the area. The march of the army added squelching noises due to the many feet digging into the mud. Only Khan, Ilman, and a few experts who practiced fitting techniques could avoid causing those disturbances, but their efforts were useless among their loud companions.


    The army wasn''t trying to sneak up on the rebels. Yeza had announced how they had probably already learnt of their arrival. That had even become a certainty now that her group had entered the valley. The careful approach had the sole purpose of avoiding eventual traps on the path.


    Rare trees began to appear on the shores of the rivers as the army reached deeper parts of the valley. Annoying bushes also began to grow as the air dampened. The temperature fell, but it didn''t stop the weaker underlings from sweating. Anxiety built up, but everyone showed firm resolve during the march.


    The army had yet to assemble in a battle formation. The higher-ups led the underlings across the valley while keeping their senses alert. Yeza and other experts in the sensitivity field could read the mana in the environment like a book and uncover every secret that it hid. Their sole presence helped the young humans and Niqols endure their tension and filled their minds with confidence.


    The river narrowed together with the valley, but the area remained quite vast. The annoying mud was the only issue capable of hindering the army, but that applied only to the younger troops. The higher-ups had ways to deal with that challenging terrain.


    Multiple azure lights suddenly flashed among the army, and everyone immediately stopped. That was one of the signals planned before departing from the encampment. Yeza would use the cubes in the Niqols robes to convey orders through a simple code. The devices had blinked twice, which meant that Yeza had ordered a complete halt of the march.


    Khan peeked past the higher-ups in front of him to inspect the situation. Liiza and his friends were near him, and they didn''t hesitate to fall prey to the same curiosity.


    Yeza and a few Niqols took careful steps as they separated from the rest of the army. They advanced for twenty meters before stopping and stretching their arms forward. Long seconds filled with deafening silence followed that gesture, but a series of rumbling noises soon resounded throughout the valley.


    The ground shook for a few seconds before a series of explosions unfolded at some distance from Yeza''s group. Mud and dirt flew in every direction as a long patch of the valley''s floor detonated and left behind a line of red flames that hindered the army''s path.


    The explosions didn''t manage to hurt Yeza''s group, and the experts could soon move forward to deal with the flames. That fire seemed to have magical properties since it continued to burn on the wet ground without any fuel, but the Niqols dealt with it through similar methods. They tinkered with the mana along the fiery line until they deactivated the trap.


    The fire quickly vanished, and Yeza''s group could reunite with the army. The cubes flashed a single time, and the march resumed.


    Khan and the other underlings couldn''t help but stare at the large patch of charred ground when they crossed it. The area affected by the trap stretched until the other side of the valley and was six meters large. It would have killed many rows of troops if they were to activate it with their feet.


    The trap announced the arrival into the area affected by the rebels, and the army didn''t have to wait long before meeting more traces of their presence. Yeza ended up stopping the march multiple times since she found more defensive mechanisms that required her attention.


    The army could witness more explosions, rows of arrows covered in venom shooting out of the rocky walls in the distance, deep holes filled with spears, and a strange patch of mud that acted like quicksand. Those traps appeared simple, but all of them could kill many experienced warriors if caught by surprise. They were deadly and placed in intelligent locations, but nothing seemed able to escape Yeza''s senses.


    The situation didn''t improve when the castle finally appeared on the path. Its form was almost identical to the safe structure that the army had used before the travel, but moss covered a vast part of its surfaces. Moreover, the red symbols glowing on its black metal announced how the rebels had already altered some functions.


    Yeza forced the group to stop again. A deep frown appeared on her face as her eyes darted among the environment. Khan and those with decent sensitivity to mana could immediately understand the nature of the issue. The mana in the area all around the castle was a mess that featured different behaviors and dark spots.


    Even Yeza struggled to understand how many traps the area had. The rebels couldn''t take control of all those defenses, so they had placed new ones on top of them to create a messy and chaotic array that even the best experts would find hard to decipher.


    Yeza could open a path, but the time required by the task was immense. She would need an entire week only to gain a general idea of the array of traps before even starting its removal.


    The cubes among the army blinked four times and made those who had those devices pick them to hear the mental message. Yeza''s voice resounded in their minds and compelled them to retreat by a few meters.


    Khan and the other Niqols conveyed those others to the recruits before the army began the partial retreat. Only Yeza and Captain Erbair remained behind, but the soldier joined the group after a short conversation with the Niqols.


    "Crouch and cover your eyes!" Captain Erbair shouted after the army stopped and glanced at Yeza in the distance. "She is about to trigger all traps at once!"


    The explanation made the group search for a better spot. They approached one of the sides of the valley and created a line alongside its rocky wall before crouching. Khan and Liiza were using a small corner to hide their figures, but they both peeked at Yeza to inspect her actions.


    Yeza checked that the entire army had reached a safe spot before turning toward the palace. She closed her eyes and stretched her arm forward as mana flowed toward the tip of her fingers. She seemed about to cast a spell, but the azure shades of her energy soon vanished.


    "[My mother''s element deals with feelings]," Liiza whispered. "[She can give them form and alter them. Most Niqols consider her a rare genius since her element gives her a natural advantage in our techniques]."


    "[Is her element to blame for her lasciviousness]?" Khan asked.


    "[Khan, we are our element]," Liiza explained without moving her eyes from her mother. "[Our mana takes the shape of our character and enhances its features. You are one of the few exceptions to this truth, but that won''t last. Your element will eventually become a core part of your personality]."


    The silence that followed those words worried Liiza since she knew how delicate the topic was with Khan. She wanted to turn to inspect him, but he promptly placed a hand on her head to reassure her. The couple could continue to focus on Yeza, but that didn''t last long.


    A tremor ran throughout the air around the castle. The event had been too evident to miss, but it had also been relatively invisible. The area had blurred for a mere second before returning to its normal state.


    Nothing seemed to happen, but Yeza jumped back before continuing to retreat without moving her gaze away from the castle. An earthquake soon arrived as the ground around the structure lit up to show its azure and red shades. Multiple traps activated at the same time and made it impossible to keep track of the scene.


    Explosions destroyed a large chunk of the muddy area and set it aflame, but an acid liquid soon came out of the ground and put an end to the fire. Spears and arrows shot from different spots of the rocky walls, but they also melted when they hit the toxic swamp that now surrounded the castle.


    The temperature then rose and evaporated the toxic liquid, transforming it into a green cloud that started to spread in the valley. Yeza didn''t hesitate to glance at some adult Niqols, and they immediately left their safe spot to face the incoming threat.


    The three Niqols who had left their position stepped forward before pulling their arms back. Their palms opened as they started to push an invisible wall that made the veins on their foreheads bulge.


    The scene felt strange. The Niqols were clearly struggling to push something forward, but they weren''t touching anything. However, winds suddenly blew from behind the army and made the toxic cloud flow toward the other end of the valley. It turned out that the three experts had taken control of the air in the environment.


    More traps detonated while the Niqols dealt with the toxic cloud. Boulders fell and rolled around the castle, holes opened to reveal sharp weapons, and the water in the river even surged to transform into a snake-like shape that slammed its head on the area.


    Each trap made the walls or the ground shake. Many Niqols and humans had to glance above them to make sure that no boulder fell on their heads. Luckily for them, their area seemed stable enough to survive that mess.


    The valley took a whole minute to return silent and even more to disperse the dirt and smoke accumulated around the castle. The area never became completely clear, but Yeza made the cubes flash once when only a thin fog separated the army from their target.


    Liiza and Khan exchanged a long kiss before separating. The battle plan saw them taking their position into the formation once the castle was in sight, and their roles were far different. Liiza had a supportive role due to the vast area that her spell could cover, while Khan had to deal with the annoying assets that the rebels wanted to protect.


    "[Leave the strongest to me]," Khan said when a familiar figure approached his side.


    "[Only if you reach them first]," Ilman laughed, and the two exchanged a resolute nod.


    More Niqols and two soldiers gathered around Khan and Ilman. Their group had the least troops compared to the other teams, but that felt natural when their role was so specific. They never had to join the fray unless they felt certain about taking out a troublesome asset. They were assassins who had to thrive in the chaos of the battlefield.

 Chapter 217: Explosions

    The army assembled into a battle formation as it advanced through the thin pale-grey fog. Khan, Ilman, and a few others were on the left side of the main group and let the latter approach the castle before them.


    The fog slightly hindered everyone''s vision, but it never fully hid the area. The castle remained visible, even if only in the form of a vague shadow that featured no details.


    Khan drew his knife and wielded it firmly with his left hand. His expression grew colder as he followed the two soldiers and the adult Niqols in charge of his team. He was right between those leaders and the other students, and Ilman made sure to remain near his side.


    The two soldiers were strong and relatively young, but they didn''t gain any battle merit throughout their lives. Casper, the bald, short man with an unkempt beard, had two stars on his right shoulder and none on his left. Instead, Lorna, the slender woman with short blonde hair and dark eyes, was a second-level warrior and a first-level mage.


    Their level was enough to award them with a promotion, but they remained simple soldiers. Khan still didn''t understand how the ranks in the army worked, and Nitis'' state had never given him a chance or the time to gather intel about that topic. Yet, he could guess that the issue had something to do with their background or actual achievements.


    As for the adult Niqols, Khan had never managed to learn her name. She was one of the aliens he had met in the palace, but they had never interacted due to their different position and duties. Still, Khan could sense how her power seemed to be slightly below Casper.


    The students behind Khan were Niqols specialized in quick attacks, but their power felt underwhelming. Except for Ilman, none of them would have the chance to kill Niqols with power similar to first-level warriors or above unless they worked together or found a lucky opening.


    Many thoughts about the situation and the power of the team tried to rise inside Khan, but he silenced them. He couldn''t lose his concentration. He had to give his everything on his sprints and maximize the number of perfect executions of the Divine Reaper.


    The many traps triggered by Yeza had turned the area into a mess of holes, fuming patches, dangerous puddles, and broken weapons. The fog also carried an acrid smell that the three Niqols didn''t manage to remove when they blew the toxic cloud away. The odor forced many eyes to release tears, but only when it came to weak students.


    Khan had to pay attention to his path, but his sensitivity to mana helped in the task. Luckily for him, each dangerous or annoying spot resulted from traps, which left behind mana that he could sense. His eyes were partially unreliable when it came to distant areas, but he could compensate for that easily.


    The army trod through the fog and approached the castle slowly. The air didn''t move, and the river had stopped flowing in that area, so the battlefield was utterly silent except for the few steps heavy enough to echo among the rocky walls. Niqols and humans also voiced surprised gasps whenever they walked on some broken weapons or puddles, but those noises vanished quickly among the fog.


    A scarlet light suddenly flashed on the castle before vanishing among the fog. A whooshing noise followed and grew louder until Yeza''s deafening shout resounded throughout the battlefield. "[Shield]!"


    Yeza''s order made a few Niqols jump next to her and point their hands toward the ground. A wall grew in front of the central team before an explosion resounded on the other side. The structure partially broke as flames spread on its surface, but the aliens dispersed them by making that chunk of terrain fold on itself.


    "[Charge]!" Yeza shouted once the path ahead reappeared, and everyone started to run.


    Battle cries echoed on the battlefield as the army dropped its silent approach. The Niqols and humans didn''t abandon their position, but each team advanced far faster than before.


    Three lights flashed on the castle, and the whooshing noise returned, but multiple sources caused it now. The fog didn''t allow the army to understand the trajectory of those projectiles, so each team leader gave different orders.


    "[Shield]!" Yeza shouted, and a thick wall rose from the ground. Her team hid behind it and waited for the explosion to unfold.


    "[Halt]!" The Niqols in charge of the backlines ordered to make everyone stop.


    "[Take cover]!" Lieutenant Kintea, who was in charge of the team on the right, shouted, and those behind him jumped on the rocky wall to hide.


    "[Disperse]!" Lorna ordered, and her team members sprinted in different directions that still brought them closer to the castle.


    Khan went on his left and made sure to keep the rocky wall close. The whooshing noise grew louder, but it crossed his position and culminated in an explosion behind him.


    Two more explosions resounded on the battlefield. One of them happened on the wall in front of Yeza''s team and the other on the area that divided her from Lieutenant Kintea''s group.


    Flames filled those three spots, but the wall fell forward to fuse with the ground and suppress them. As for the two other fiery areas, the army let them go to resume the charge forward.


    It didn''t take much for the red flashes to reappear. The whooshing noises returned, but a series of painful cries resounded after the detonations happened. Khan had sensed another projectile crossing his position before exploding somewhere behind him and taking the lives of two students who had decided to run together.


    Those scenes repeated themselves in a relentless cycle that eventually added scarlet shades to the fog due to the many fires that the army left behind. A scorching smell filled the area, but no one noticed that change with the tension that filled their minds.


    Painful cries, orders, and shouts mixed with the mess that had descended on the battlefield. Everyone tried to remain close to their team leaders in the hope of increasing their chances of survival, but Khan''s group was an exception.


    Khan ran as if his life depended on it. He tried his best to sense the arrival of those exploding projectiles whenever the whooshing noise reached his ears, but he failed to feel them until they came close to his position.


    Khan changed direction whenever the red lights flashed on the castle. Those devices mostly focused on Yeza''s team since it contained the highest number of troops, but projectiles still flew on the other groups. They were so fast that Khan never managed to understand their form, but he didn''t care too much about that. He had a goal shared by all his companions.


    In theory, a frontal attack against such a big castle would have little chance to succeed. The structure had many defenses in places, and it could even rely on the rebels in its insides.


    However, the army''s firepower wasn''t weak. Yeza, Captain Erbair, and even the weaker first-level mages could unleash an overwhelming power with their spells. Moreover, the attackers'' main goal was to bring their leaders close enough to affect the structure''s functions.


    The rebels practiced arts belonging to the same time as the castle, but Niqols had adapted its functions to the new ways throughout the years. Yeza and other experts in the manipulation of mana had a high chance to take control of the various symbols now tainted with red shades.


    The battle would be over once the castle fell, and the rebels knew that far too well. They assaulted the army with their defenses, but their enemies also knew what they had to face. The projectiles managed to kill a few Niqols who didn''t stick to their leaders'' orders, but their group mostly survived that barrage of attacks.


    Khan felt lost from time to time. He often remained alone among the fog only to run into some of his companions whenever the castle launched another attack. The structure slowly grew bigger in his eyes as he continued to advance. The army was about to reach their destination, but the rebels didn''t hesitate to give their everything during that last part.


    The usual red lights flashed on the castle, but they didn''t stop at that time. Khan almost stopped running when he saw that the red radiance continued to shine for nearly half a minute.


    Panic immediately filled his mind. Khan sprinted forward without bothering to change direction. He rushed his way toward the side of the castle as multiple whooshing noises filled the fog. His senses soon became able to locate many threats, but that only made him accelerate.


    Only a few seconds had to pass before explosions began to fill the battlefield. The orders shouted by the leaders mixed with painful cries and rumbling noises. The entire valley shook as the temperature rose due to the appearance of countless fires. The foggy area transformed into a red hell that didn''t seem to know the end to its chaos.


    Khan sensed projectiles flying above his head and exploding behind him until one of them exploded relatively close to his position and flung him away with the heatwave that it created. He flew for a few meters, but he didn''t lose control of his movements.


    After the landing, Khan rolled on the ground before jumping to his feet and resuming his sprint. The explosions finally ended, but he couldn''t see much. A single drop of sweat fell from his forehead as he tried to understand the true nature of the shadows that the flickering flames created among the fog, but he failed in the task.


    A ringing noise had taken control of his right ear after the close explosion, but that issue didn''t last long. It ended when Khan realized that the shadowy shape of the castle had spread high above him. He had basically reached his destination, but a series of dark figures suddenly appeared on his path.


    Khan immediately sprinted to the side, but he didn''t forget to keep track of those figures. The latter advanced for a few steps before amassing in front of the castle. In Khan''s vision, they were nothing more than a vague black area in the middle of the scarlet fog, but his sensitivity to mana allowed him to recognize them as Niqols.


    Yeza''s voice resounded throughout the fog as another mass of dark figures advanced toward the castle. "[This castle belongs to true Niqols. Traitors who can''t respect a global crisis aren''t worthy of what our ancestors left behind]!"


    "[You and your generation have ripped away from our species what made us Niqols]!" A rough voice resounded from the black figures near the castle. "[Our ancestors built these structures for us. You can ask the humans for new ones since you like them so much]."


    Khan stopped retreating and half-crouched. Those words told him how the situation had progressed. The rebels had finally left the castle to prevent the army from reaching the red symbols. The battle was about to enter its critical phase, so he had to remain nearby to fulfill his role.


    Winds suddenly blew toward the castle. Khan''s hair had gotten quite long during his time on Nitis. It reached the halfway mark of his neck, so it fluttered as those gales pushed the fog behind the structure and cleared the battlefield.


    Khan finally became able to see the many fires and the two armies. Many had survived the explosive barrage. It even seemed that Yeza''s group was better off compared to the other teams.


    Ilman was near Yeza''s group, while Casper and Lorna stood close to the rocky wall. The adult Niqols was right behind Khan, while the other Niqols were farther away from the castle.


    Khan had ended up on the frontlines of his team, but he didn''t have the chance to think about his position since a series of presences became clear in his mind as the fog continued to leave the area.


    A small team of Niqols appeared on his side of the battlefield. Khan diverted his attention from the two armies and turned to see a group of aliens that had tried to use the fog to hide their presence. It seemed that his enemies also had a team of assassins ready to take out troublesome targets.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I need a few hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 218: Fast blows

    An awkward exchange of gazes happened. Khan was alone on the left side of the battlefield, with the army of rebels to his right and the enemy team of assassins ahead. His companions were behind him in different locations, so he ended up staring at the Niqols who had tried to use the fog to hide.


    The enemy group of assassins only had five members, and they were all adults. He sensed that the man in the lead was at the same level as Casper, but the others were weaker, which meant that he could face them. Yet, he remained still since the dispersion of the fog had made the battlefield end in a silent stalemate.


    Khan tightened his grip on the knife as he waited for something to happen. He didn''t dare to be the first to move when both sides had warriors far stronger than him. It was also against his role to attract attention to him.


    His opponents seemed to share his intentions. The enemy Niqols remained still as they inspected the rest of Khan''s team. It wasn''t hard to notice the other assassins, especially since they had recognized the imminent threat. The two groups were sharing the same part of the battlefield, and Khan''s side had the numerical advantage. However, his companions were quite distant, except for the adult alien.


    The silence felt deafening, but a series of lights soon shone on the battlefield and attracted everyone''s attention. Lieutenant Kintea was in charge of the team featuring a series of experts with ranged abilities, and he didn''t hesitate to give a silent order during that stalemate.


    A fireball, a fiery serpent, a series of arrows, a glowing spear, a sharp gale, and a blue mass flew above Yeza''s group and crashed on the enemy army. Only a few rebels managed to react to the wave of destruction unleashed by those attacks. Many died in a single exchange, and the event marked the beginning of an angry charge accompanied by battle cries.


    The assassins in the rebel army moved their attention away from the two armies when they saw that the battle had started, but a peculiar scene soon unfolded in their vision. They saw their leader pushing Khan''s arm away with a bloody line spilling out of his cheek.


    Khan had exploited that distraction to attack the man in charge of the enemy team, but the latter had managed to react to his abrupt offensive. He had lunged his knife forward to aim for the Niqols'' head, but the alien had managed to raise his arm and deviate the blow. The weapon only managed to graze his cheek, where it left a long cut that almost reached the ear.


    The Niqols was still surprised, and his balance wasn''t ideal, so Khan decided to press on. He twisted his wrist to slash his blade at the alien''s forearm, but the latter reacted at an unfathomable speed.


    Time seemed to slow down in Khan''s eyes. His knife glowed with an azure light as it approached the alien''s forearm pushing his wrist, but the Niqols also attacked. The fingers of his left hand curved and released mana that took the shape of long claws as he swung them toward Khan''s waist.


    Khan didn''t have time to think. He had to trust the instincts developed throughout his battle to decide how to deal with that situation. He could give up on his attack and retreat, but he opted for another path.


    The Niqols'' attack was faster. The glowing claws traced an ascending slash that aimed to rip Khan''s entire torso to shred, but they found themselves unable to rise after they landed on his side. The alien''s eyes widened as he cut part of the robe and uncovered the array of clotted blood vessels that had stopped his technique from digging into Khan''s skin.


    The glowing claws began to slide across the patch of abdomen protected by the [Blood Shield]. They left superficial cuts that didn''t release any blood as they tried to reach the part of the skin not affected by the defensive technique, but they stopped moving when a sharp pain spread in the Niqols'' mind.


    Khan had continued his attack after deploying the [Blood Shield]. He had twisted his wrist to make his knife fall on the alien''s forearm, which severed it with a clean cut. The Niqols couldn''t help but stop his offensive, and Khan used that chance to run toward the other enemy assassins.


    The Niqols shouted in anger when he saw Khan running away, but he couldn''t follow after him since another opponent arrived. The adult alien in Khan''s team had charged ahead and had decided to take care of that injured enemy.


    Khan felt off after deactivating the [Blood Shield]. He gritted his teeth as his mind grew lighter and his heart transformed into a hammer that attacked his rib cage. The second checkpoint of the Niqols'' technique was a bit too much to endure at his current level, but he could continue to run after using it, so he didn''t mind those side effects.


    Khan didn''t fail to understand what had actually happened. He realized how impressive his previous feat had been. He had exchanged blows with a Niqols who felt as strong as Casper, a second-level warrior, and he had won.


    The power of the [Blood Shield] was incredible, and his clever use of the surprise effect had allowed him to leave a severe injury on his opponent. Khan didn''t only attack while the two armies distracted everyone. He had also used the seconds of disbelief experienced by the strong Niqols to complete his attack.


    Khan also knew that the exchange had been quite lucky. The Niqols'' power had even left him speechless since the former had managed to react to his fast surprise attack. It was clear that he couldn''t stand his ground in that battle, so he had used the first opportunity he found to move toward other opponents.


    The rest of the enemy assassins felt frightened in front of the scene. Khan had won the exchange of blows with their team leader, and he was running toward them now. Yet, they didn''t have the chance to escape since he was faster than them.


    The first Niqols to appear on Khan''s path was a woman who mustered the entirety of her courage to face him directly. Pale-red blood vessels became visible on her neck as she charged ahead to swing her hands at her opponent. She tried to interrupt Khan''s momentum, and she partially succeeded, even if most of her feat came from his state.


    Khan was still dealing with the drawbacks of the [Blood Shield] when he saw the woman stepping forward. Her hands were blades ready to behead him, so he ducked to slash his knife at her side. He failed to perform the Divine Reaper correctly, but a deep cut opened on his opponent''s waist anyway.


    Khan''s knee slid on the ground before he jumped back to his feet. The quick exchange had cleared part of his dizziness and had made him ready for his next opponent.


    A male Niqols had leaped toward him after seeing his glide. It was hard to keep track of Khan''s movements even if the other assassins were at his same level, but the previous exchange had forced him to slow down. The alien didn''t miss that opportunity and raised his knee to deliver a strong blow aimed at Khan''s chest.


    The Niqols timing had been exceptional, but he didn''t expect Khan''s martial art to be so flexible. The latter stomped his right foot on the ground and rotated on himself before going airborne. His left leg helped give more power to the mid-air spin and allowed him to fly over the alien''s attack.


    Everything had happened in less than a second. Khan spun above the Niqols'' raised knee before delivering a powerful kick to his face. The alien''s vision went dark as the attack made him fly to the left.


    The last two Niqols approached Khan at the same time before he could touch the ground. The woman among the two was wielding a short spearhead that she didn''t hesitate to lunge forward. Instead, the male alien deployed a variant of the palm strikes that saw him placing a hand on top of the other and thrusting them forward.


    The aliens'' timing had been good again. Their attacks would land on Khan before he could touch the ground. The situation seemed to force him to rely on the [Blood Shield] again, but he didn''t know its effectiveness against the palm strike.


    Khan quickly decided that avoiding the palm strike had the priority. The [Blood Shield] appeared on his right palm as he stretched his hand to grab the spearhead and pull. The woman''s stance was firm, so she remained in her spot as Khan used her to flung himself forward.


    The two Niqols followed Khan with their eyes as they saw him flying past them to land behind the woman. The latter turned, but the sharp tip of the glowing knife immediately filled her vision before it made it go dark.


    The man tried to deploy his palm strike while Khan was busy drawing the knife out of the woman''s head, but a foot suddenly appeared on his face and forced him to duck. The Niqols tried to continue his attack by aiming at Khan''s unprotected groin, but his leg descended in no time and hit his opponent at the center of his forehead.


    Khan couldn''t muster much strength from his stance, so the Niqols only felt intense dizziness spreading throughout his mind when he slammed on the ground. Still, he didn''t recover fast enough to dodge Khan''s next attack. The glowing knife dug a hole in his head and killed him on the spot.


    Khan opened and closed his right hand to disperse the tense feeling that had filled it after activating the [Blood Shield]. He turned to see the state of the other assassins, and he was pleased to see that his companions had taken care of them.


    Casper, Lorna, Ilman, and adult Niqols, and the other surviving students in his team had gathered behind him, but they didn''t hide their surprise in front of his battle prowess. The humans had learnt that Khan had become a first-level warrior, but they didn''t expect him to be so strong right after that breakthrough.


    Khan didn''t waste time dealing with those stares. He gazed at the battlefield and noticed how chaotic the situation had become after only mere minutes. The two armies had fused to create a messy battlefield that featured multiple smaller fights.


    Many died every time Khan blinked. The battlefield was merciless, especially to those who happened to suffer from the reckless attacks of the leaders. Finding openings among that mess would be challenging, but Khan was ready to give his everything to reduce the number of losses that his side had to suffer.

 Chapter 219: Battlefield

    Khan had to admit that he had underestimated the battlefield. He had been in messy battles between Istrone and Nitis, but he had never seen something so massive and chaotic.


    The two armies had clashed in the area right in front of the castle, and Lieutenant Kintea''s team had to join the main group since the situation didn''t leave openings for ranged attacks. Almost two hundred Niqols and humans were fighting in a relatively small battlefield, creating a crowded and deadly environment that Khan didn''t know how to approach.


    Each path had a battle. Spells and attacks powered by mana flew everywhere and often traveled for a few meters before reaching a target. Khan even witnessed instances of friendly fire, which were inevitable considering how crowded the area was.


    The rest of his group shared that hesitation. Their task was to remove troublesome targets, but they didn''t know how to approach the battlefield. The weaker Niqols in the team had initially believed that their role would have made them safer than those in the frontlines. However, the reality of the situation soon became evident. That large battle had no safe areas.


    Khan tried to inspect everything calmly, but the pressure he felt intensified with each second that he spent standing still. His eyes darted among the battlefield in a desperate attempt to find a safe path, but he only saw chaos in his vision.


    Moreover, each area had his friends or acquaintances, and he often saw some of them falling under the enemy offensive. Death was the true ruler of the battlefield, and it could arrive randomly.


    Khan eventually noticed a peculiar scene. A group of young Niqols had surrounded an adult alien who could withstand their blows due to the sheer thickness of his skin. It was clear that he was empowering his natural defenses with his mana, but that wasn''t everything. The man was also relatively nimble and could use his fingers to tear a path among his enemies.


    The young Niqols couldn''t do anything in that situation. At times, their palms managed to land on their opponent, but those attacks didn''t lead to any result. The man endured everything and used those openings to sever what his fingers could reach. He traced lines of blood in the air whenever he swung his hands.


    That battle was relatively close to the edges of the battlefield. Khan only needed to cross a few Niqols entangled in other fights to reach that position. That would leave him among the mess, but he didn''t care. Khan couldn''t remain on the sidelines anymore. He preferred to be in danger rather than watch the aliens who had partied and fought with him dying while he didn''t move a single step.


    Khan shot ahead without warning his companions. The first battle on his path featured two young Niqols dodging each other''s techniques, but one of them lost her head as soon as he crossed that position.


    The second battle had three Niqols and a soldier. They appeared equally matched, but Khan planned to change that. One of the two enemy aliens seemed as strong as a second-level warrior, but the chaos of the battlefield didn''t allow him to see the shadow approaching him from behind.


    Khan prepared himself to slash the back of the man''s knees, but the latter suddenly dodged to his right to jump away from the path of a fireball that was flying toward him. Khan ended up in the spell''s trajectory during a slow phase of his sprint since he had started his attack, so he couldn''t avoid the fast projectile.


    The [Blood Shield] covered Khan''s arms and torso as he used the instant before the impact to protect his head. The fireball hit his crossed forearms and filled him with a scorching sensation before flinging him away.


    Khan flew until he hit an adult Niqols behind him. The latter didn''t see him since she was busy dealing with another alien, and the impact disrupted her momentum, giving a chance to her opponent to inflict a deadly injury.


    Khan''s sleeves were on fire, but he tore the burning parts away as soon as he landed on the ground. Then, he rolled to his left and jumped to his feet before inspecting the scene. A woman was lying lifelessly on the uneven terrain. A puddle of pale-red blood expanded from her throat, and a slender male alien stood next to her.


    The panic caused by the sudden situation made Khan raise his knife as soon as he saw the bloody dark sword wielded by the Niqols. His senses were deafening him. The mana in the area forced his mind to absorb countless pieces of information that only intensified his confusion and prevented him from realizing whether the swordsman was a foe.


    The Niqols nodded before performing an abrupt dodge to his right that partially avoided the attack launched by a rebel behind him. Khan saw blood filling the air behind the alien''s left shoulder. His ally had managed to avoid a deadly blow aimed at his neck.


    Khan regained his concentration and prepared himself to help his ally, but his mind suddenly sensed a dangerous mass of mana approaching him from behind. He instinctively jumped to his left and saw an ethereal yellow spear crossing his previous position before ending at the center of his ally''s chest.


    The man had been too caught in his new opponent to notice the spell. His eyes widened when the attack pierced his chest and continued to fly forward, stabbing the raised right arm of the woman behind him.


    Khan shot ahead and reached the woman in an instant. The latter had launched an attack to the ethereal spear to shatter it, so she could only jump back when she noticed the shadow approaching her at an insane speed. Yet, Khan leaped after her and lunged his weapon forward. Pale blood vessels started to appear on the Niqols'' face, but the glowing knife managed to stab the upper part of her face before the technique could protect her.


    Khan fell on the woman''s corpse, but he promptly jumped back to avoid ending inside the battle in front of him. His ally and his opponent were lying lifelessly on puddles of pale-red blood. He didn''t even have the time to understand their level, but that didn''t matter anymore now that they were dead.


    The scene tried to fill Khan''s mind with thoughts, but the chaos of the battlefield suppressed them. His sensitivity to mana made him hear a concert played by the waves of energy flying around him.


    Khan found it impossible to think among those deafening sensations. They almost made him unable to move due to the pressure that accompanied them. Still, his body acted as soon as one of them became too close to his position.


    A Niqols had approached Khan when she saw that he was standing still among the battlefield. Her sharp fingers had descended as soon as she reached his position, but he stepped forward to avoid the attack.


    The woman tried to wave her hands after Khan, but a foot suddenly landed on her nose and made her fly backward. Khan sprinted toward his opponent to finish her as soon as she landed on the ground. However, another ethereal spear flew in his direction and threatened to hit his chest.


    Khan crouched and slid on the ground. He had reacted so quickly that the woman had ended up falling on him. The event interrupted his momentum and trapped him, but he quickly pushed his opponent away.


    The woman began to roll at his side, but she immediately pointed her palm and knees on the ground to stop herself. Her back was facing Khan, but she didn''t hesitate to wave her free hand blindly behind her.


    Khan noticed the attack as soon as he tried to straighten his back. Sharp fingers were flying toward his face and forced him to bend to his left to dodge them. The woman''s timing had been perfect, so her nails managed to dig two cuts that connected his right eye to his ear.


    The woman tried to push herself toward Khan after her attack failed to inflict serious injuries, but the latter promptly grabbed her arm and pulled. Meanwhile, his right leg rose and prepared itself to discharge an attack as soon as the opponent arrived.


    The Niqols covered her face with her free arm as soon as she saw Khan''s foot flying toward her. That simple protection didn''t prevent her vision from growing blurred, and her opponent didn''t let her go either.


    Khan pulled the woman and slammed his foot on her again. A cracking noise eventually reached his ears as her forearm broke and opened the path for a direct attack. The Niqols tried to free herself, but Khan''s grip was firm, and his offensive relentless. He was basically sitting on the ground, so he couldn''t muster much strength, but he compensated by kicking his opponent''s face until it transformed into a gory mess.


    Khan felt the instinct to lie down after letting go of the woman, but he felt utter fear when he inspected the battlefield from his position. He was sitting among attacks that flew through the air and Niqols struggling to kill each other. He would get stomped if he dared to remain there.


    A familiar scene appeared in Khan''s vision as soon as he stood up. He noticed his initial target behind two Niqols who were exchanging blows madly. The alien was still fighting against younger troops, but another friendly face had joined them. Doku was there, doing his best to take down the powerful opponent with his precise palm strikes.


    Doku''s attacks failed to do much, but he seemed able to slow down his opponent''s offensive. Still, the latter continued to use his incredible defensive ability to injure the Niqols around him. It appeared that taking him down would require a steep price.


    Khan wiped away the blood flowing from the cuts on the right side of his head before shooting ahead. His knife flashed as he jumped right in the middle of the two Niqols exchanging reckless blows, and his ally soon noticed that he was continuing to attack a headless corpse.


    The Niqols with the enhanced skin managed to stab his fingers in a student''s chest, but a shadow soon appeared in his vision. Khan came out from behind his injured companion and reached his target in an instant. His knife rose even faster and stabbed the lower part of the alien''s mouth.


    The knife pierced past the mouth and reached the brain. The Niqols continued to move and tried to close his arms on Khan''s throat, but the latter pulled his weapon and opened his opponent''s head in half.


    It had taken a while and many deaths, but Khan had finally killed the target chosen when he was still outside that mess.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Only one chapter of Chaos and two of Demonic Sword today, and the same goes for tomorrow. A good friend of mine completed his master''s degree, and he is taking everyone out to dinner. I can''t go with my current schedule, so I''ve decided to slow things down these two days.

 Chapter 220: Chase

    Doku and Khan didn''t have the time to exchange words. They nodded at each other before the rage of the battlefield fell on them and forced that small group to separate.


    Khan sprinted among the group of Niqols and rare humans while swinging his blade and kicking whenever he found a good opportunity. The chaos of the battlefield still ruined every plan that tried to form in his mind and forced him to improvise, but his speed and deadliness gave him an advantage that most didn''t share.


    Khan had a specific role in that battle, but it was impossible to keep it in mind in that situation. He could barely think at all with the pressure that the mana around him applied to his senses. Khan soon lost himself among the cycle of sprints, dodges, and attacks that his body performed. He emptied himself of every useless feeling and sensation to blend with the battlefield and become nothing more than an expression of his expertise.


    Interrupting the flow of his thoughts and regressing to a mere mass of instincts seemed the only valid option in an area that lacked order. Planning something would only lead to hesitation, which usually brought death, and Khan couldn''t die there. He didn''t allow himself to commit mistakes after surviving through twelve years of nightmares. He couldn''t be sloppy now that he had found someone who could grant him peace.


    Khan didn''t have the time to appreciate how easy it had been for him to blend with the battlefield. It felt almost natural to adapt his movements and flow among the waves of mana that reached his senses.


    His reactions quickened, his attacks became more precise, and his movements grew smoother. Khan experienced his strongest state yet, but he couldn''t appreciate it. His thoughts were elsewhere, hidden by a dense and seemingly empty layer that forced his mind to remain immersed in the mana around him.


    The head of a young rebel exploded when Khan kicked it, but he quickly bent backward to dodge an ethereal spear flying in his direction. Another young rebel tried to attack him while he was in that odd position, but he performed a back handspring to get out of that situation.


    The rebel tried to chase after Khan, but the latter threw a kick at his opponent''s head. The attack shattered the girls'' teeth before breaking her neck and flinging her backward.


    Khan shot to his right. He had instinctively chosen the annoying spear-thrower as his next target, but it had taken him a while to identify the Niqols responsible for those spells. However, he had eventually explored the messy battlefield enough to notice a tall woman conjuring those yellow ethereal weapons out of thin air.


    His last sprints had brought him closer to his target. Still, the woman seemed to have realized that he was coming for her since she retreated whenever he got too close. She even had a group of young Niqols around her that opened a path and fought to protect her.


    Each step forward that Khan took led him in another battle, but he didn''t complain nor hesitate. It felt almost good to be lost in that mess. Khan felt as if every move he performed was better than the previous. He was striving toward the perfection that his current level could touch, and a tinge of ecstasy inevitably seeped inside his seemingly empty mind.


    Khan began to welcome battles. He rejoiced whenever his target retreated and gave him the chance to fight a bit more before reaching her.


    A fireball flew across the battlefield, and Khan risked getting in its trajectory. The spell carried an immense amount of mana, so he sensed it before it was too late. He could stop and let the attack pass, but his body continued to move forward.


    Khan jumped to fall to his knees and started sliding on the ground. His back bent backward as he almost lay down and continued to glide. He kept his eyes open as the fiery projectile crossed his position. The scarlet flames shone in his vision, but that scene lasted for less than a second. The fireball soon continued its flight and exploded as soon as it landed on someone.


    The fireball had made many take a step back, so Khan could take his opponents by surprise when he jumped back to his feet. The two young Niqols on his path only saw a shadow before both of them found a horizontal cut splitting their foreheads into two parts.


    Khan was too immersed in the battlefield to rely on moves that could reduce the issue caused by failed executions of the Divine Reaper. He slashed and lunged freely without worrying about the success of his techniques. He danced according to the rhythm of the mana around him, and his approach led to evident benefit.


    His smoother moves and quicker reflexes weren''t the only aspects affected by his strange mental state. His martial arts also benefited from the absence of thoughts, especially when it came to the Divine Reaper. Khan couldn''t remember the last time he had failed to execute his techniques correctly, which led to a sharp improvement of his battle prowess.


    Khan didn''t limit the Divine Reaper to lunges or slashes aimed at vital spots. He didn''t fear eventual failures, and the success of his executions allowed him to kill in ways that he had been too scared to attempt.


    The knife glowed as Khan approached a male Niqols who appeared as strong as a second-level warrior. The alien wasn''t paying attention to him, but he turned when he sensed the mana behind him gaining sharp properties.


    The Niqols quickly stepped forward to push his opponent away and turn to face the new enemy. Khan had his knife near his chest, ready to thrust it as soon as his opponent entered his range, but the alien managed to attack before that could happen.


    The man joined his palms before making one of them slide toward Khan through a sharp movement. The gesture released a curved azure line that flew forward at high speed.


    The line''s mana carried the same nature as the energy around the knife, and Khan didn''t miss that detail. His first instinct was to dodge, but the Niqols quickly released a second attack that joined the first and transformed them into a sharp cross.


    Khan would have to slide to his sides to dodge the azure cross, and his body even started to crouch to proceed with that plan. However, everything changed when a cruel smirk appeared on the Niqols'' face. The man kept his palms ready to attack again as soon as Khan picked a direction.


    Khan continued to crouch, but his movement soon transformed into an abrupt leap that made him fly in the top-right opening of the cross. The sudden event surprised the Niqols since he had prepared an attack aimed toward the ground. He couldn''t move his palms in time to adjust the trajectory of his technique, so he abandoned his initial plan and raised his arms to protect his face.


    Khan stretched his knife forward and turned his wrist so that the blade would end up in the path of the Niqols'' forearms. The latter barely managed to protect his face before his arrival, but his eyes widened when he saw the glowing weapon cutting his left wrist and approaching his face.


    The alien began to dodge to his right, but he was one second too late. The knife reached his nose and started digging his flesh while he continued his evasive maneuver. The Niqols ended up completing his move, but blood suddenly spurted out of his face. The weapon had managed to cut half of his nape during the attack.


    Khan began to roll on himself while still airborne and continued the movement once he landed on the ground. He went back to his feet in an instant without wasting time checking the opponent behind him. His senses had already told him that the man had fallen.


    Similar scenes happened while Khan continued to move forward. He didn''t always kill, especially when his opponents were stronger than him, but his deadliness remained far above average. Many of those who appeared on his path died or suffered severe injuries that significantly affected their battle.


    Khan also had to change direction many times. Everything was fine when he met young rebels or adults at his level, but he couldn''t jump among those with the power of second-level warriors recklessly. He had killed some of them, but he had always needed to exploit the surprise effect or similar tricks in the feat.


    His chase of the spear-thrower led him to the other side of the battlefield, but he always made sure never to get near its center. The area had strong warriors everywhere, but the real leaders were fighting in the middle of that mess, and no one could disturb them.


    Khan never tried to inspect the center of the battlefield, mostly because he felt that the waves of mana there had enough power to sweep him away. Yet, he saw spells and people flying from that location at times, so he could keep track of the trend of the overall fight.


    His side was winning. Khan didn''t know how or why, but he could see the ranks of rebels thinning as the battle continued to unfold. The fight among the leaders would probably play an important role in the assault''s outcome, but that wasn''t his problem. Performing well among that mess helped more than enough.


    Another spear flew in his direction, but he dodged it with a single sidestep. Niqols jumped toward Khan, but he slashed, kicked, lunged, and sprinted depending on the nature of the situation. He even ran away when necessary, but his target remained in sight, and he eventually reached her.


    The woman was only a first-level warrior, but her spell was annoying and deadly. Her spear barely had any weight, so she could throw them across the entire battlefield. Her aim was even incredible, but the chaotic nature of the area made her hit rebels at times.


    Khan''s relentless chase had led the woman and her team to the edges of the battlefield. They could still retreat into the empty areas at the side of the castle, but that would only open the path for her opponents. The rebels had to stop the enemy army from reaching the structure, so leaving the mess wasn''t an option.


    The woman could only continue to escape Khan by reaching the part of the battlefield on the opposite side of the castle. The two armies had blended by then, so that area had the same number of allies and enemies. Yet, it also featured the rear team.


    Khan had reached the point when no battles stood between him and the spear thrower. The weaker Niqols around her couldn''t help but shake in fear when they saw that fast opponent sprinting toward them. They had kept track of Khan''s feats during their retreat, so they knew that their numerical advantage might fail to lead to a victory.


    The tall woman among them threw a spear aimed at Khan. The spell appeared even faster at that distance, but the same went for him. The previous battles had perfected his moves in ways that even he struggled to believe.


    Khan jumped forward, and his opponents opened their mouths in surprise when they saw him stepping on the yellow spear. The ethereal fabric of the weapon felt strange under his foot, but it was dense enough to act as a foothold.


    The spear shattered into a cloud of light that dispersed in no time when Khan leaped again. The weaker Niqols lost him until he landed on the heads of two of them.


    The landing was so soft that the Niqols almost failed to notice his arrival, but what followed carried opposite properties. Khan raised his glowing knife as part of his mana rushed downward and instantly increased his weight.


    Khan slammed on the ground, carrying the two Niqols with him. The two aliens fell, and their heads ended up in the holes dug by Khan''s feet. The event attracted the attention of their companion, who focused on the blood flowing out of the cavities, but another surprising event soon entered their vision.


    Half of the spear thrower''s head fell among the Niqols and filled their minds with utter fear, but only a few had the time to move. Khan didn''t hesitate to throw kicks around him, crushing the skulls or rib cages of anyone who dared to be too slow to leave his range.


    Khan chased the escaping Niqols, but ice suddenly grew from the ground under them and pierced their legs before transforming them into frozen statues. The latter quickly shattered into countless shards and revealed the rear team at some distance from the main battle.


    Liiza lowered her hand and revealed a warm smile when she saw that Khan was safe. The latter couldn''t break his concentration, but he still nodded at his girlfriend. She didn''t add to avoid distracting him, and the two soon focused on other parts of the battlefield.


    Khan felt refreshed after that short interaction. He was ready to follow the waves of mana again, but a scene made that faint happiness end up with the rest of his thoughts. He saw Azni carrying Asyat on her shoulders. A river of blood had replaced the latter''s right leg.

 Chapter 221: Complaints

    Azni limited herself to glance at Khan before suppressing every emotion and pressing forward. She knew that her friend could bring Asyat back to the camp far faster than her, but he was too valuable on the battlefield to abandon it.


    Khan understood her thoughts and let her go without saying anything. Still, that sight ruined the pleasant emotion that seeing Liiza had generated and made him go back to a grim thoughtless state that carried a deeper resolve than before.


    Thoughts tried to seep past his empty mental state as he dived back into the battlefield to resume his role. Khan had killed a lot by then, but he found himself surprised to realize how frail life was. Death often descended whenever his knife darted, but he had never fully acknowledged how his friends could very well be in the opposite situation.


    What if the rebels had someone like Khan on the battlefield? His friends would die for the sole reason of standing on his path. That worry seemed strong enough to put an end to his special mental state, but everything stabilized and became firmer than ever once he reached a simple, instinctive conclusion. He couldn''t control anything there, so it was pointless even to try.


    That conclusion mostly came from his poor level, but Khan saw how even the stronger soldiers failed to save their lives or affect the battlefield meaningfully. They had opponents who could reduce their influence, which applied to the leaders on both sides. Khan would have to be more powerful than Yeza to begin having more control, but that sounded vague since his current knowledge didn''t allow him to comprehend the state he had to reach.


    The acceptance of his small and even disposable role only improved everything that he had experienced before. Khan moved faster, had sharper reactions, and was deadlier than ever once he rejoined the mess. He lost himself, but he preserved a firm resolve at that time. He wanted to perform better to end that chaotic battlefield quickly.


    More rebels fell by his hands as he resumed his search for troublesome targets. The battlefield seemed to enlarge as the number of troops shrunk. The rear team took care of the injured within their reach or transported to the camp those that managed to leave the mess.


    The ruthless and relentless battles eventually culminated in a slow advance toward the castle. Yeza''s side was forcing the enemy army to retreat and was exploiting that trend to kill as many opponents as possible. Khan and everyone else could go crazy now that the rebels were focusing on defending themselves or retreating.


    The numerical advantage also benefited the battle among the leaders. Yeza and Captain Erbair saw adults Niqols or soldiers joining their fights and helping them against the rebels who had been able to face them until now. That bloody assault seemed about to end soon, but azure light suddenly flashed among the troops, giving the signal meant for a full retreat.


    Yeza didn''t stop the assault right away since the army was close to achieving a complete victory, but her expression changed when she checked her cube. The scouts on both mountains had alerted her of an imminent threat. The event wouldn''t give her the time to end the battle or capture the castle.


    "[Retreat]!" Yeza suddenly shouted among the disbelief of her allies.


    "[What do you even mean]?" Captain Erbair immediately complained. "[We are so close to ending this in a single assault]!"


    Yeza wished to have the time to explain everything to her allies. She realized how hard it could be for them to give up on everything they had achieved during the assault, but the situation didn''t leave her other options.


    Yeza knew that words would only make her army waste time without leading to actual conclusions. She stopped advancing and turned to run away from the castle without bothering to add anything else. She even controlled the mana around her to make it echo her feeling in the hope that her underlings would follow her without questions.


    The Niqols, both young and adults, trusted Yeza deeply, and the wave of emotions that enveloped them helped remove the hesitation they felt in front of her order. They regretted leaving a battlefield that had taken the lives of many of their companions, but something disastrous seemed about to fall on them, so they decided to follow their leader.


    The humans had a harder time accepting that decision, but they couldn''t remain on the battlefield on their own, so they followed the Niqols as questions escaped their mouths. Some of the soldiers even dropped their polite tones when they requested proper explanations.


    Khan could only snap out of his strange mental state and join his retreating allies. He didn''t understand what was happening, but he didn''t need to. His position only allowed him to follow orders.


    The rebels felt confused, but they disregarded the meaning behind their opponents'' retreat and decided to use that chance to attack. Azure symbols flashed on their forearms or chests as mental communications reached them, but they ignored them due to the frenzy that filled their minds.


    The rebels had just gone from utter desperation to hope. The battlefield had transformed so quickly that they didn''t have the chance to think about their actions. They fell prey to their intense desire to kill those invaders, which made them disregard any potential danger approaching the valley.


    A strong group of aliens had survived among the rebel army. Those Niqols didn''t hesitate to launch spells that ended on the backs of their retreating enemies as they continued to chase after them.


    Yeza''s army began to experience losses again, which only intensified the hesitation and confusion that had never stopped to fill her underlings. The humans grew even louder with their complaints, especially Captain Erbair since she had seen one of her Lieutenants falling prey to a strange scarlet bullet that exploded into a mass of fire once it reached the escaping troops. Yet, Yeza continued to run and make her emotions flow around her.


    A series of hoarse screeches suddenly resounded throughout the valley and put an end to the complaints. Both armies glanced above them and noticed that a series of big figures had started descending inside the area. Yeza didn''t need to explain her reasons anymore at that point. It was clear that she was trying to bring her group away from that flock of Tainted animals and monsters.


    Khan only managed to memorize a few flashy features during the short time he spent inspecting the flock. He saw dark feathers, straight, long beaks, and glowing scarlet eyes. Moreover, the scene had another terrifying detail. The specimen in the lead of the flying group was far bigger than the others and had two pairs of huge wings that shone with a silver glow.


    Panic immediately filled the troops on the ground. Yeza''s group did its best to run away from the valley, while the rebels immediately stopped their offensive to return to the castle. However, the flock dived at an unfathomable speed and reached the ground before anyone could get to their destinations.


    Many monsters and Tainted animals descended on the rebels since they were directly under them. Instead, the leader and some relatively big creatures chased after Yeza''s army.


    The leader of those bird-like creatures abruptly stopped its descent when it was close enough to the ground. It spread its four wings as the silver glow that covered them intensified. The feathers on those limbs quickly stood up before shooting after the Niqols and humans desperately trying to leave the area.


    Each feather was as long as a man''s forearm and carried the leader''s dangerous mana. A rain of sharp and heavy projectiles fell toward the ground and forced everyone to deploy defensive techniques or perform evasive maneuvers.


    Khan sensed everything happening above him clearly, even if his eyes didn''t point at the monster. The feathers carried so much mana that missing them was impossible, so he jumped left and right to avoid everything that tried to fall toward him.


    The feathers dug the ground and made spiderwebs of cracks open when they released their power. Their effects were deadly, and they even succeeded in piercing some of the defensive measures that the troops had stopped to deploy.


    Everyone expected that attack to end soon due to the limited resource used in the offensive, but the monster soon proved them wrong. The creature seemed to have an endless number of feathers since that deadly rain continued to fall even after its third wave. Those who had stopped to defend themselves ended up dying due to their miscalculation of the mutated beast''s power.


    Khan was relatively fine. The feathers were fast, but so was he. He was even slippery enough to perform precise dodges that often led him to avoid those projectiles by mere centimeters. Still, Khan couldn''t feel happy about his situation since he had to witness the assault ripping the rear team to shreds.


    The rear group had ended up in the lead of the retreat after Yeza''s orders, but their members were very different in their nature. Some were Niqols capable of deploying spells that could influence the battlefield significantly, while others were relatively weak troops in charge of bringing the injured back to the camp.


    The rain of feathers killed most of those weak troops on the spot and gave the others a hard time. A slaughter unfolded in Khan''s eyes, but his skin soon started to burn as he mustered all the power contained in his body to accelerate and reach his girlfriend.


    Liiza had deployed a layer of ice on her back to protect herself from the feathers that fell on her, but her spell couldn''t stop the attacks completely. Her ability shattered after two projectiles stabbed it and left bleeding injuries near her spine.


    Liiza didn''t stop running away, but the feathers eventually began to fall toward her again. She could obviously sense them, but she wasn''t fast enough to dodge all of them since they covered a relatively large area.


    Two of the four feathers flying toward her were about to hit her back, but Khan suddenly jumped in their trajectory. He faced the projectiles with the [Blood Shield] covering the outer side of his right arm and the glowing knife in the other.


    One of the feathers landed on his arm and slid across it. The projectile''s favorable angulation allowed the [Blood Shield] to deviate its trajectory and made it slide across the array of clotted blood vessels. Entire chunks of his skin vanished as the sharp attack acted as a brush razor, but he eventually managed to send it away.


    Meanwhile, another feather tried to hit his shoulder but met the glowing knife first. The weapon cut right through the projectile, but the latter was too long, and its texture was equally tough across its whole structure. Khan severed the enhanced quill in half and deviated its trajectory, but his blade suffered the same fate. It broke right after completing the attack.


    Khan didn''t have the time to think about his knife. He performed a messy landing on the ground before retrieving his balance and turning to inspect Liiza, but he found her on her knees, with a hand covering a bloody patch that had once been her left shoulder.


    A feather had managed to hit her even after Khan had given his everything. Liiza had lost the entirety of her left arm in the process. The energy discharged by the feather after the landing had also disrupted her balance, making her fall to the ground.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to reach Liiza and throw her on his shoulders. She didn''t oppose the process since she had long since noticed that Khan was behind her. Instead, she used that time to cover her injury with a layer of ice. She wasn''t fine but losing a limb didn''t make her panic.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I''m having trouble focusing today. The next chapter will take a few hours to arrive.

 Chapter 222: Desperation

    The rain of feathers didn''t stop, but Khan could avoid everything that tried to fly toward him. Carrying Liiza inevitably slowed him down but only slightly. He remained fast enough to dodge the monster''s threatening ability.


    Liiza and Khan didn''t say anything to each other, and she didn''t try to jump down either. The crisis had already made her confirm that her weight barely affected his speed, and it was clear that she couldn''t deal with the feathers on her own, especially after losing an arm.


    Khan couldn''t feel the pain radiated by his right arm. He didn''t even think about his broken knife. Only the sensations caused by the falling feathers and the exit of the valley existed in his mind.


    Painful cries filled the valley as Niqols and humans continued to die. The monsters'' screeches resounded among the two mountains, but they couldn''t suppress the familiar voices that reached Khan''s ears. The Niqols he had learnt to know during the last months were dying, and he couldn''t do anything about that.


    The higher-ups from both species soon reached the rear team and lowered the damages caused by the feathers. Yeza seemed able to make those projectiles change their trajectory, Captain Erbair could punch many of them away, and the other powerful troops also performed similar feats.


    Soon, only those who could deal with the feathers or had found suitable protectors continued to run in the valley. Still, the deaths didn''t stop since many monsters directly dived on the escaping group to kill with their sharp talons.


    Khan did everything in his power to remain near Yeza, and she didn''t make it hard for him. An aura capable of fending off the monsters surrounded the Niqols'' leader, and she didn''t hesitate to use her ability to protect her daughter.


    The valley''s exit eventually grew close enough to fill the survivors with hope, but the ground in front of them suddenly opened to reveal a series of mutated Lysixi. It turned out that the battle between the two armies had attracted more than one pack, and the scouts couldn''t see the second coming.


    A series of spells immediately shot toward the monsters coming out of the ground. Every ability user in the escaping group launched powerful attacks that killed the creatures before they could jump on the surface. Yet, more Lysixi soon replaced the dead and continued their charge.


    A few Niqols managed to use the window created by the spells to jump past the holes created by the Lysixi, but those creatures soon sealed the path and bellowed in anger. The escaping group had to stop to avoid those threatening monsters, but that action only exposed them to the rain of feathers.


    The two packs weren''t working together. The bird-like monsters screeched at the mutated Lysixi and diverged part of their offensive on them. Khan almost hoped that the two groups would forget about them, but that didn''t seem to be an option.


    The mutated Lysixi created a proper wall with their bodies while Khan''s group tried to understand what to do. They couldn''t advance, but they couldn''t stay there either since feathers continued to fall and some of the flying monsters had even landed near them.


    Many eyes fell on the two leaders. Niqols and humans tried to find answers in Yeza and Captain Erbair, but it was clear that they were as lost as them. The two packs weren''t leaving any path open even if they didn''t plan to share their targets peacefully.


    Utter desperation fell among the group. Plans formed and crumbled in Khan''s mind as he tried to find a way out of that situation. He had a shot at leaving. He was fast enough to sprint past the Lysixi, but that only if they were distracted.


    Khan eventually experienced nefarious thoughts when death seemed imminent. He hated what was appearing in his mind, but he couldn''t ignore the products of his survival instincts.


    Khan quickly came up with a list of who he was willing to sacrifice to save his life. The names of the soldiers or adult Niqols didn''t affect him, but he felt dirty when he saw that many of his acquaintances had made it there. His only consolation was that his close friends weren''t there.


    "[Mom]?" Liiza asked in a weak voice when she realized how desperate the situation was.


    Yeza stared at Liiza and the desperation that she felt melted. It had taken Liiza entire years and that terrible situation to rely on her mother, and the latter couldn''t help but feel happy about it.


    Yeza heaved a deep sigh before showing a warm smile. She knew what she had to do. In theory, her position as an ambassador made her the most valuable asset in the valley, but she didn''t care about politics now. She had a chance to save her daughter, and no hesitation stood on that path.


    "[Convince the old hag to come back home]," Yeza ordered in a warm voice, "[And don''t make kids before you have established yourself in the tribe. Did you hear that, young man]?"


    Khan found himself unable to speak when looking at Yeza. He could read her intentions on her face, and his throat closed because of that. He could only nod to answer her.


    "[What does this mean]?" Liiza asked.


    Liiza had lost a lot of blood, and pain filled her mind. She had used the entirety of her concentration to straighten her back enough to inspect the situation, so she was utterly exhausted now. Her mind couldn''t process the meaning behind Yeza''s words.


    Yeza didn''t answer. She closed her eyes before unleashing a wave of mana that crossed her underlings and expanded until it reached the monsters and Tainted animals in the area.


    Khan had felt as if a dense gale had crossed his body. Nothing had happened to him, but he didn''t fail to notice how all the flying monsters after his group fell to the ground. The same happened to the Lysixi. Yeza had made more than fifty monsters faint at the same time without affecting any of her underlings.


    The incredible power revealed by Yeza left Khan stunned. He had no idea that the Niqols could deploy such a strong ability. It felt almost surreal that a single mage could accomplish something like that.


    The humans and Niqols in the group shared Khan''s amazement. Hope even appeared in their expressions, but their faces darkened when they saw that the monsters didn''t remain asleep. Those creatures began to wake up mere seconds after falling to the ground.


    "[Khan]!" Yeza shouted, and her words seemed to carry hidden meanings meant only for him.


    Khan immediately snapped back to reality and sprinted toward the Lysixi. He ignored everything happening around him and jumped past the sleeping monsters to resume escaping from the valley.


    Liiza struggled to raise her back. She was lying on Khan''s right shoulder, and he was holding her legs with both arms, so she didn''t have to worry about her balance. She could gaze at the rest of the escaping group, and her eyes widened after noticing that Yeza wasn''t moving. The monster with two pairs of wings was even charging at her.


    Khan wished to go deaf. Liiza called her mother in a tone that broke his heart. She even mentioned him a few times, but he forced himself to ignore everything and focus on escaping. He only made sure to tighten his grip on Liiza''s legs to prevent her eventual attempts to run toward Yeza.


    Yeza''s smile widened when she saw how sad Liiza felt. She could finally confirm that her daughter cared about her, but her eyes eventually had to move on the four-winged monster. Her glare forced the creature to interrupt its charge and inspect its opponent in fear. That gave her the time to grab the only human that had remained in the area.


    Captain Erbair felt dizzy. Her surroundings had turned into nothing more than vague images after Yeza unleashed her ability. Then, she felt someone pulling her from her shoulder.


    Captain Erbair initially helped the pulling force since she believed that someone was dragging her away from the valley. However, when her vision stabilized, she found herself farther than before from the valley''s entrance.


    "What have you done?" Captain Erbair asked without bothering to use the Niqols'' language.


    "I couldn''t keep them busy on my own," Yeza revealed while letting Captain Erbair go and showing a sorry smile.


    Captain Erbair inspected her surroundings at that point. The Lysixi and the flying monsters had surrounded Yeza and her, but they didn''t attack. Those creatures appeared scared of the two leaders even when they had an overwhelming numerical advantage.


    "Is this your doing?" Captain Erbair asked.


    "I can make them scared," Yeza sighed, "But monsters with such big packs don''t give in to fear. They probably think that we are more valuable than all our underlings."


    Captain Erbair inspected the distant valley''s exit. A few monsters were running in that direction as they tried to catch the survivors with Khan in the lead. Those creatures weren''t enough to scare away the underlings, but the latter''s priority was to leave the area.


    "You killed us," Captain Erbair coldly stated.


    "It''s our role to protect the younger generations," Yeza announced. "Your species will be fine. You have good soldiers."


    "Humans don''t think like that," Captain Erbair complained while moving her eyes on the monsters around her.


    "I know," Yeza chuckled. "That''s why I didn''t give you any choice."


    "Bastard!" Captain Erbair cursed while turning toward Yeza and grabbing her shoulders.


    "Come on now," Yeza laughed. "We are already dead, but we can buy more time for our underlings. Let''s focus on putting up a good fight, shall we?"


    Captain Erbair wanted to crush Yeza on the spot, but she couldn''t deny the nature of her situation. Monsters were all around her, and some of them had gone through the second round of mutations. Many had abilities, and both packs even had reinforcements near the castle or on the ground. Death was inevitable even for a soldier as strong as her.


    "You are lucky that I like to fight," Captain Erbair sighed while letting Yeza go.


    Yeza revealed a happy smile, but the two leaders soon had to turn toward the monsters. The latter had finally managed to overcome their fear and had launched a joint offensive.

 Chapter 223: Broken

    Khan put as much energy he could muster into his escape. He ignored his surroundings, the struggling girl in his arms, and her screams to focus on leaving the valley.


    The mountains eventually ended, but Khan kept running. The encampment was one hour from the valley, but he planned to reach it in less than thirty minutes by maintaining his top speed.


    His sensitivity to mana tried to send information to his brain, but Khan didn''t let anything disturb his concentration. He feared what Liiza''s pleading would do to his mind if he let them inside, and the situation didn''t allow mistakes. He couldn''t waste Yeza''s sacrifice.


    Not many kept up with his speed. The adults behind Khan did their best to salvage what they could, so they slowed down their escape on purpose to help the injured and make sure that they weren''t leading monsters to their encampment. Some higher-ups even stopped running after a while to deal with the few creatures still in pursuit.


    The camp never appeared in Khan''s vision until he crossed an invisible barrier that transformed the scenes in his vision. Familiar triangular structures and an old Niqols wearing a worried expression replaced the barren shores.


    "[She lost her arm]!" Khan shouted, and Zalpa quickly pointed at one of the habitations.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to enter the tent and drop Liiza on the ground carefully. Wet cheeks and teary eyes inevitably appeared in his vision and forced him to accept how much Liiza had suffered during the escape, but Zalpa quickly pushed him away to handle her arm.


    Khan didn''t mind those rude manners. He kept his eyes on Liiza as he crouched on the ground and waited for Zalpa to work her magic. Liiza was only partially awake, so she didn''t fight the old Niqols as she ripped her robe apart and began to draw lines on the left side of her chest. Zalpa initially used only mana during the process, but she cut her palm and added blood to retrace the signs.


    Liiza ended up with three glowing red symbols by the time Zalpa left her. The ice that covered the hideous injury had long since shattered, but the blood loss had also stopped. Khan even saw the skin on the maimed shoulder twitch every few seconds.


    "[The pain will soon become unbearable]," Zalpa explained after turning toward Khan. "[I need to take care of the others, so I can''t be with her all the time. You must make sure that she won''t remove the technique]."


    Khan nodded before approaching Liiza and sitting next to her as soon as Zalpa left that spot. He took her hand and held it tightly as that scene triggered other awful memories. He had been in the same situation on Istrone after the soldiers found Martha.


    Zalpa opened her mouth, but she felt unable to say anything. She wanted a thorough description of the battle, but Khan was in no condition to give it.


    "[I''ll come back later to fix your arm and check on her]," Zalpa announced before heaving a deep sigh when she noticed that Khan didn''t react to her words.


    Khan couldn''t feel the pain coming from his right arm. He didn''t even bother to store his broken knife back in the sheath. The weapon remained on the ground to his right while he left worried kisses on Liiza''s hand and hoped with everything he had that everything would go well.


    "[It tickles, dummy]," Liiza said in a weak voice as some clarity returned in her eyes.


    Khan immediately bent forward to caress her hair. Liiza revealed a warm smile as she lost herself in his warmth, but the glow of the red symbols suddenly intensified and transformed her face into an expression of pure pain.


    Liiza screamed in pain and tried to turn, but Khan pulled her hand and used that chance to make her lay her head on his lap. Liiza didn''t calm down and threatened to lay on her left, so Khan wrapped an arm around her neck and pushed her down from her right shoulder.


    Liiza kicked and tried to break free, but Khan was too strong. She tried to summon her mana, but the pain was too intense. Desperation eventually filled her mind and made her rely on pleads.


    "[Khan, make it stop]," Liiza pleaded in a broken voice.


    A scream followed her words, and Liiza didn''t forget to fix her desperate eyes on Khan when the wave of pain ended. He wanted to look away, but he couldn''t leave her alone during the process, so he endured his desire to interrupt the procedure and shook his head.


    Liiza soon screamed again, and her struggles didn''t stop. Pleads came out of her mind whenever the pain allowed her to think, and some of them became curses as Khan kept refusing her.


    The healing process tortured both of them. Liiza was so in so much pain that she started threatening Khan with topics that she knew would hurt him. She used their relationship, and her words felt like knives that pierced his chest whenever they reached his ears.


    Khan never answered. He couldn''t find the strength to speak there, and his only consolation came from the state of Liiza''s injury. New flesh appeared during the most painful phases of the healing process. Bones, muscles, and skin slowly grew to recreate the missing limb.


    The pain wasn''t constant. The red symbols gave Liiza a break when her mind and body were about to reach a breaking point. She could finally calm down in those moments, but the memories of her threats didn''t allow her to rest.


    "[I''m sorry]," Liiza said during one of the breaks as tears fell from her eyes. "[I don''t want to say those things, but it hurts so much]."


    Khan felt able to speak again when he gazed at her regretful expression. He revealed a proud smile before whispering words in the most loving tone that he could muster. "[Don''t worry about me. You are doing great]."


    "[Khan]," Liiza called as fear seeped in her voice, "[It''s coming back. I can feel it. Quick, make someone else take your place. I don''t want to say those things to you]."


    "[I''m not going anywhere]," Khan stated before bending forward to leave a long kiss on Liiza''s forehead.


    Liiza smiled, but the pain quickly returned and restarted the cycle of screams, curses, and threats. Khan didn''t budge, and his eyes often fell on the growing arm as he tried to calculate how long that process had to last. The results of his study were disheartening, to say the least.


    Zalpa entered the tent to check on the couple a few times, but she found herself unable to do anything. Liiza only had to wait for the technique to end, and Khan refused to let her hand go to get his arm treated. Also, he hoped that the pain spreading from his injuries would replace what he experienced during Liiza''s screams, but his mind betrayed him.


    The healing process lasted almost half a day. The pain ended and the red symbols went dark when Liiza''s arm completely regrew. The limb was slightly darker than the rest of her body, but it slowly returned to its natural color.


    Liiza finally managed to sleep after everything ended, but Khan didn''t let her go. He remained awake and listened to her breathing to confirm that everything was alright. He even caressed her whenever bad dreams tried to ruin her rest.


    ''What will happen to us now?'' Khan wondered while Liiza rested.


    His relationship wasn''t at stake, but too much had happened during the crisis. The Niqols had lost their main ambassador, and the monsters had decimated his group. Khan wasn''t even sure of how many had survived since he had yet to leave the tent.


    His worries and thoughts vanished when Liiza woke up and smiled at him. The two exchanged a long kiss that tried to make up for everything they had to endure during the healing process. Liiza even checked her new limb, but it still felt too sore to work properly.


    "[Don''t get up]," Khan ordered, but Liiza didn''t listen to him.


    "[I want to see who survived]," Liiza said while dressing and straightening her back, but she suddenly lost her balance.


    Khan moved to make her fall on his chest. Liiza sniffed as she held his robe tightly. She felt weak and useless, but Khan decided to fulfill her wish. He wrapped an arm around her back and helped her stand up.


    Liiza and Khan walked out of the tent slowly, and he never let her leave his arms. The camp appeared empty when it unfolded in their vision, but they found Zalpa sitting next to a tent as they started inspecting it.


    "[What do you think you are doing]?" Zalpa scolded when she saw the couple.


    "[How is the situation]?" Khan asked.


    Zalpa wanted to force Liiza to rest, but she found it impossible to ignore her begging expression. The old Niqols heaved a helpless sigh before standing up and doing her best to summarize the situation. "[Very few have survived]."


    "[Can we see them]?" Khan continued.


    "[None of them are alone]," Zalpa explained. "[You would only disturb them now. Let everyone rest for the rest of the day. We''ll understand what to do tomorrow]."


    "[Zaza]," Liiza pleaded.


    "[I can''t right now, Lii]," Zalpa didn''t give in. "[It''s not only about the physical injuries. The battle might have broken some of them]."


    Liiza could only give up on her request in front of Zalpa''s firm refusal. She pulled Khan''s robe, and he understood the hidden meaning behind her action. He nodded at Zalpa before walking Liiza back to their tent.


    Khan sat on the ground, and Liiza took her place on his lap. The girl forced herself to use her left arm, but it was still too unresponsive. Yet, she used her other limb to place it inside Khan''s robe and perform an odd hug.


    "[How are you]?" Khan felt the need to ask when tears fell from Liiza''s eyes. He didn''t want to leave her alone with her thoughts.


    "[I''m broken]," Liiza whispered as she adjusted her position to hide her face in Khan''s neck. "[My planet is experiencing a global crisis, deaths have become a normal occurrence in my eyes, and the person I trust the most is a human met a bit more than six months ago. I''m deeply and thoroughly broken]."


    Khan remained silent as he tightened his embrace. Liiza started to kiss his neck to deal with her sorrow according to the Niqols'' way, but sobs soon interrupted her. Her grief was too intense to deal with it by losing herself in her boyfriend''s warmth.


    "[It''s fine]," Khan whispered to her ear. "[I''m here]."


    Liiza exploded into tears. She sobbed loudly and wrapped her legs around Khan''s waist in a desperate attempt to get even closer to him. A sad cry eventually escaped her mouth as Khan did his best to support her. "[It would have been easier if I still hated her]."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I''m super late today. The second chapter will arrive in some hours.

 Chapter 224: Familiar

    Liiza faced her grief in a way that Khan could only describe as human. Her tears didn''t stop flowing even after she fell asleep in his arms. Processing her feelings without relying on parties or intense sensations had exhausted her.


    Khan didn''t sleep. He lay Liiza down and let her use his lap as a pillow before facing everything he had experienced during the battle. A lot had happened in mere weeks, and he had never had the chance to process those events on his own.


    Nitis had transformed Khan. The Niqols had given him so much, and part of that wasn''t necessarily good. He had learnt the depths of his personality, which were incredible when they involved its bright shades. His love was powerful, intense, and profound. His affection toward his friends was pure and honest. His determination and resolve were immense.


    However, the dark shades of his personality shared those intense and powerful features. His desperation was boundless, his coldness could make him see his acquaintances as sacrificial pawns, and his detachment was scary. Khan''s kill count had skyrocketed, and he didn''t even keep track of it anymore. He didn''t like taking lives, but he wouldn''t hesitate to wave his knife if the situation required it, and the event wouldn''t affect him too much either.


    Khan had learnt to feel with more intensity than aliens who basically worshipped emotions. The cracks in his personality had only widened because of that. His emotional spectrum had expanded on both good and bad sides, and he couldn''t take any of that back. His mind forced him to experience everything, which wasn''t ideal when his intense love for Liiza and his cold approach to battles coexisted.


    The lack of regret for regret was the feature that scared Khan the most. He wasn''t a murderer who justified his actions through delusional thoughts. He could inspect everything with impersonal eyes and understand when something was generally wrong. Yet, he had his reasons for everything that appeared bad or evil.


    The killing of the mutated Niqols was an act of mercy. Khan had spared that species from a massive amount of pain. His betrayal of the Global Army was nothing important. Even Captain Erbair saw it as a regular occurrence when it came to ambassadors. The blood on his hands always had a reason. He wasn''t a mindless killer. He was a soldier with orders who happened to be good at taking lives.


    The world could be evil and cruel. Khan''s nightmares were a constant reminder of how life could punish ordinary people for no reason at all. That alone made him accept that he wasn''t turning into a monster. He was only joining the unavoidable system that ruled over the whole universe. Violence was a common theme that no species seemed able to escape.


    Still, the nature of the world was only part of the reason behind his current acceptance. It would have taken Khan far longer to be at peace with his present self if it weren''t for the girl sleeping on his lap. Liiza had taught him so much about feelings that he didn''t even recall how he faced them before. Also, she had given him love so intense that all the ugly scenes seen during his life felt worth it since she could rest on him.


    Khan knew that it was easier to be like that on Nitis. The humans on Earth would probably struggle to accept his new intensity, but it was too late now. He already felt like an alien among his species, so he didn''t care about the possible problems that his changes could cause.


    There was something else among that mess of emotions. Khan didn''t forget about the mindless and almost instinctive mental state he had reached during the battle. Everything had felt simpler among the chaotic discharges of mana. He had flowed and fought like never before, and part of him desired to experience that again.


    The long day ended as Khan remained immersed in his thought and made sure to cuddle Liiza whenever she went through bad dreams. Soon, only the worries about his friends stayed in his mind. He had yet to understand how many had died on the battlefield, and he hoped with everything he had that none of his close friends had fallen.


    His worries didn''t make him interrupt Liiza''s sleep, but loud voices eventually reached his tent and woke her up. The couple exchanged a long and sweet kiss before standing up and leaving the habitation to check what was happening in the camp.


    "I saw her in a daze!" Lieutenant Kintea''s voice resounded throughout the camp and led the couple to a small gathering in a relatively empty spot among the tents.


    Khan and Liiza could soon inspect the situation. Lieutenant Kintea and two soldiers stood in front of Zalpa, who limited herself to examine them with her cold eyes. A few familiar figures sat around them, and their faces appeared quite serious. They almost failed to notice the arrival of the couple due to their interest in the conversation.


    Other Niqols and humans came out of the tents and reached that small gathering. Khan and Liiza could finally gain an idea of who had survived the battle in the valley, and the situation was grim for both species.


    The human side had Lieutenant Kintea, the two soldiers, George, Paul, and Kelly. They all appeared in a decent state, but that felt almost normal after spending an entire day resting under Zalpa''s care.


    The Niqols'' side had a few adult aliens, Ilman, Azni, Asyat, Doku, Havaa, and other students with whom Khan had never bonded too tightly. They were also relatively fine. Even Asyat''s leg had grown back, but the girl didn''t appear too excited about it, and Khan could understand why after witnessing the painful healing process.


    "[Where is everyone else]?" Khan asked as he tried to inspect the insides of the tents nearby through his sensitivity to mana.


    "[This is everyone]," Doku revealed before moving his gaze on the ground.


    Khan''s eyes widened in surprise. The group didn''t even reach twenty-five members. It also lacked many faces that he had grown used to having around. Helen, Veronica, Brandon, Zeliha, and many who had traveled with him during the last period didn''t make it out of the valley.


    The army initially counted one hundred troops, but the battle and the sudden arrival of the two packs had killed more than three-quarters of them. The situation was so poor that Khan struggled to feel glad about the survival of his closest friends.


    The event had been rather lucky. Ilman, Doku, and George had relied on their experience and abilities to survive the battle and help those around them. Azni had accompanied Asyat back to the camp, so she could avoid facing the two packs. Also, the monsters had focused on the stronger troops during the sudden attack, so those students had managed to avoid ending up in a deadly situation.


    That lucky turn of events didn''t change the nature of the situation. Too few had survived, and the battlefield had even broken the spirits of many of them. The army was no more. Their group was no more than a team full of people who didn''t want to fight anymore.


    "Khan, this isn''t the time for that," Lieutenant Kintea scolded before pointing at Zalpa. "I saw Captain Erbair falling into a daze after Ambassador Yeza''s ability. She must have done it on purpose to weaken our side!"


    "Yeza just saved our lives," Khan commented. "Are you sure you want to bring this up now?"


    "I can''t remain alongside aliens ready to sacrifice our leader for petty political strategies," Lieutenant Kintea snorted. "How do you expect us to follow orders now?"


    "Do you think I care about how you feel?" Zalpa asked in her bad accent.


    "Your leader killed Captain Erbair on purpose!" The woman next to Lieutenant Kintea shouted. "This betrays everything we have built in the past years!"


    "Politics," Zalpa snorted. "You don''t know if you''ll survive the light, but you worry about politics."


    The survivors had been too focused on their escape to inspect their surroundings. Only Lieutenant Kintea had seen that Captain Erbair had become unresponsive after Yeza unleashed her ability. He knew that his words had little value since he lacked proof. Yet, he wanted to gain something out of what he had witnessed, but Zalpa was a wall that his threats couldn''t pierce.


    "This is useless," Khan sighed while bringing Liiza closer to his chest. "[Zalpa, what do we do now]?"


    "I''m still your superior!" Lieutenant Kintea complained, but Khan ignored him as he approached his friends and sat among them.


    "[We can''t do much]," Zalpa revealed. "[Returning to the castle might be our best option]."


    "[Won''t that make all of this pointless]?" Azni asked while sitting closer to Liiza to envelop her in a hug.


    "[It''s better than trying to seize an area filled with monsters with nothing but kids and idiots]," Zalpa declared, but she soon voiced a weak "[sorry]" when she understood that she had gone too far.


    "You even plan to retreat now," Lieutenant Kintea exclaimed in disbelief. "You didn''t join the battle, so why would you be in charge now?"


    "You should consider shutting your mouth," Zalpa threatened.


    "Why is that?" Lieutenant Kintea asked. "Will you kill me too?"


    "You have insulted Yeza in front of her daughter," Zalpa explained.


    Lieutenant Kintea wanted to say something, but he couldn''t find good words when everyone glared at him. Even the humans around him didn''t seem to agree with his approach. Only the female soldier next to him appeared willing to support his argument, but that felt pointless right now.


    Khan honestly didn''t care whether Lieutenant Kintea was telling the truth. He only wanted the shouts to end. The situation was too grim, and that behavior worsened it.


    "[What happens after we return to the castle]?" Khan questioned.


    "[We wait to receive further orders]," Zalpa replied.


    "That''s it?" Lieutenant Kintea scoffed. "Your plan is to wait for everything to end?"


    Zalpa was about to lose her cool, but a peculiar sight suddenly filled her vision. The event was impossible to miss and soon made everyone gaze at the sky.


    A wave of darkness moved through the sky and left behind dark shades that the Niqols knew far too well. The sunlight seemed to retreat in front of the shadows that took control of the world. It didn''t take much before Nitis'' iconic night swept away the day.


    The darkness finally returned. Tears fell from the Niqols'' eyes as they stared at the familiar black sky. Only Liiza remained almost expressionless since she had cried too much the previous day. Also, an idea was taking form in her mind as Nitis regained its natural colors.


    Khan couldn''t help but smile at that nostalgic sight, but pure happiness soon diverted his attention elsewhere. Foreign emotions spread inside his mind when the sunlight disappeared. He sensed Snow calling for him, and he didn''t hesitate to summon it in the area.


    The other Niqols experienced the same happiness when they reestablished the connection with their Aduns. Those creatures were a big part of the aliens'' lives, so regaining access to their minds brought some consolation to their poor mental state.


    Only Liiza couldn''t experience that feeling, but her idea allowed her to avoid thinking about Zama. She even voiced her plan while her companions remained astonished. "[We should fly to the elders]."


    The sudden announcement made everyone divert their attention from the sky. Both Niqols and humans turned toward Liiza in a desperate attempt to add more details to her proposal.


    "[That makes sense]," Zalpa announced, "[But I can''t leave you alone in the wild. You might face a flock of monsters, and moving as a group will only make you flashier]."


    "[I can go]," Liiza explained. "[That''s my tribe''s role in the end]."


    "[How do you plan on reaching them without Zama]?" Zalpa asked, but she regretted voicing that question when Liiza laid her head on Khan''s shoulder.


    ****


    Author''s notes: This chapter fills yesterday''s release, but I''ll take a break today since I don''t have time to write everything I failed to complete. I''d rather rest than force myself back into the cycle of sleeping every two days. I don''t want to burn myself, and I need to preserve the story''s quality, so I will slow down today to restore my schedule. Chapters will go back to normal in 26 hours.

 Chapter 225: Changes

    The meeting had been an emotional rollercoaster for Khan. He had gone from utter sadness about the number of casualties suffered in the valley, cold anger toward Lieutenant Kintea for his insults, and pure bliss at the sight of the night. Yet, Liiza managed to add confusion to those feelings.


    The meeting didn''t give Khan the time to accept how many of his companions had died. He didn''t need to control the discussion either since Lieutenant Kintea had no power over Zalpa. He had called Snow as soon as the night descended, so he could immediately understand what Liiza''s gesture meant.


    The elders were a topic that the Niqols mostly kept for themselves. They were one of the classified information that the humans weren''t allowed to learn, and Khan had never probed too much. His species couldn''t go past the tribes since Yeza handled that relationship, so his knowledge had always remained relatively vague.


    The Niqols divided their society into tribes, but their oldest members could become elders whose power came into play when it came to worldwide matters. Khan felt sure that they had something to do with the current division of the various armies on Nitis, so it made sense for those political figures to decide what role his group had to play.


    However, Liiza had hinted that Khan would accompany her, and Zalpa''s reaction explained how deeply she hated that idea. Liiza was right when she claimed that her tribe made her perfect for that role, but bringing a human along was forbidden, even after a global crisis.


    "[I won''t show him anything]," Liiza explained while snuggling closer to Khan. "[I just want him to be with me during the travel]."


    Khan wrapped an arm around Liiza''s shoulders, and she didn''t hesitate to get closer to make their foreheads touch. They could feel their desire to face their losses in the Niqols'' way, but Lieutenant Kintea didn''t let that conversation proceed smoothly.


    "Why should Khan go to the elders?" Lieutenant Kintea questioned. "He has no political relevance. I should be the one to attend the meeting."


    "There won''t be any meeting," Zalpa scoffed. "This isn''t a political occurrence. Khan will accompany Liiza in a classified location and wait for her to be done."


    "Why can''t one of us go with her anyway?" Lieutenant Kintea continued. "All of us have Aduns, and it would be safer to travel with an adult."


    "I don''t trust any of you," Zalpa shortly explained before turning to approach a cauldron nearby.


    Lieutenant Kintea wanted to speak again, but the woman next to him placed a hand on his arm to interrupt him. The soldier shook her head, and the Lieutenant finally gave up on the matter. The latter only shot a meaningful glance at Khan and nodded a few times before returning to his tent.


    The woman and the other soldier also left the area. Soon, only the Niqols, Khan, George, Paul, and Kelly remained in that part of the camp. Many of them kept their gazes on the ground, while others couldn''t stop inspecting their companions and thinking about many missing faces.


    Life was frail. Khan didn''t know how else to describe that scene. Veronica''s kindness, Helen''s growth, Zaliha''s pride, and all the features that he had to learn about those who didn''t make it out of the valley had disappeared in a short day. So much only lived inside his memories now.


    Khan wouldn''t forget his past months. Lieutenant Dyester would be disappointed if he hid away all his painful memories. Khan wasn''t even sure his new emotional spectrum could allow him to disregard everything experienced on Nitis. After all, he could value his happiness so much because he knew sorrow and pain.


    The silence that had fallen among the group only reminded them of those lost during the battle, but no one was in the mood to speak. Sad smiles and hugs happened whenever eyes met. Kelly didn''t hold back from nodding at Khan either. Her past complaints about his behavior felt pointless after everything they had experienced during the crisis.


    "[I believe everyone wants to drink]," Zalpa announced, breaking the silence and attracting everyone''s attention.


    Zalpa turned to carry four cups filled with strong booze to the group. She then returned to the cauldron, repeating the process until everyone in the empty spot had a drink. She obviously prioritized the Niqols, but Khan felt happy enough to be the first among the humans to get his part.


    "[Today might be hard]," Zalpa exclaimed after sitting among the group, "[Tomorrow might be even worse, but the future will be bright with you as the new older generation. Your stronger foundation will bring the Niqols to new heights]."


    "[Zaza, this isn''t the right time]," Liiza complained, but a sniff suddenly resounded among the group and made everyone turn toward the source of that noise.


    Tears fell from Ilman''s eyes as he nodded repeatedly. He gulped his cup before raising it to the sky and shouting. "[For Nitis]!"


    Azni shook her head as a helpless sigh escaped her mouth. Doku patted her head before gulping his cup and raising it to the sky. He didn''t shout, but he still spoke loud enough to make everyone in the group hear his voice. "[For those who aren''t here]."


    "[Both humans and Niqols]," George added before emptying his cup and rising it to the sky.


    Some also drank their whole cups before raising them to the sky. Khan and Liiza avoided emptying them, but they still joined that toast. The event lasted only a few seconds, and everyone soon went back to normal celebrations.


    The couples didn''t leave the party quickly. They had learnt how quickly the crisis could kill them, so they wanted to remain among their friends as long as possible. They would have time to share intimate moments with their loved ones, but not that day.


    Everyone pretended to have forgotten about Liiza''s idea, and Khan played along. He didn''t ask anything and focused on dealing with the feelings caused by the aftermath of the battle. He knew that Liiza would explain everything once they remained alone anyway.


    The group tried their best to be loud, but everything felt too silent, even if Ilman shouted whenever someone talked to him. Khan and the others had grown used to entire crowds of Niqols celebrating around them, and that small gathering couldn''t match them.


    Awkward and sad silences still fell among the group, but Zalpa always said something to put an end to those moments. She even tried her best to be less grumpy than usual, and Liiza shot warm smiles toward her whenever she caught her suppressing mean comments.


    The atmosphere lightened before growing heavier again in a cycle that repeated itself for many hours. The booze seemed endless when Zalpa took care of refilling the cups, and the group''s thirst wasn''t too different. Everyone drank a lot. Even Khan ended up feeling dizzy by the end of the event.


    Most of the Niqols and humans there had been awake for mere hours, but no one complained when their friends got too drunk to remain outside of their tents. The group soon dispersed, and Khan and Liiza also left.


    "[What do you have to do with the elders]?" Khan asked before helping Liiza lie on the ground and throwing himself next to her.


    "[Just see them as very old Niqols]," Liiza explained as she removed her dirty clothes and threw them toward the corner of the tent.


    "[I hope they don''t make us fight again]," Khan whispered while Liiza opened his robe and lay on his bare chest.


    The two had yet to wear clean clothes. Zalpa had been alone in the camp, so she didn''t prepare clean robes for the group. Still, the survivors barely cared about their smell or appearance. The party actually worsened those two features.


    "[Are they strong]?" Khan asked as he moved his hands on Liiza''s bare back and enjoyed how the booze in his system enhanced the sensations caused by her cold body.


    "[The Niqols get stronger with time]," Liiza groaned. "[Of course they are strong]."


    "[Why didn''t they fight with us]?" Khan continued.


    "[You know how important it is for us to prepare the new generations]," Liiza reminded. "[They would have intervened only if we truly risked losing Nitis]."


    "[I hate them already]," Khan admitted.


    "[Me too]," Liiza revealed. "[I guess we can be as dumb as the humans]."


    "[You are lucky you are cute]," Khan teased, and Liiza immediately voiced a sweet chuckled.


    The two soon kissed before sticking to the Niqols'' traditions. They were still physically and mentally sore, but they didn''t dare to waste their time together. They didn''t know when their death would arrive, but they were in each other''s arms right now. The world felt perfect when they abandoned themselves to their passion.


    An entire day had to pass before loud screeches resounded in the sky and alerted the camp about the arrival of the Aduns. Khan only half-donned his dirty robe before hurrying outside his tent to welcome his eagle. Liiza began to follow him, but she eventually decided to remain at the habitation''s doorsteps.


    A series of flying figures pierced the barrier before diving toward the tents. Khan soon saw a white feathered creature landing on him and voicing even louder screeches. Similar scenes happened in the camp as humans and Niqols rejoined their Aduns and did their best to show them their affection. Even Lieutenant Kintea couldn''t help but feel happy about that reunion.


    Snow pecked Khan''s head with its beak softly. The two could feel each other''s happiness through the mental connection, and that emotion only grew stronger as they went back to their old habits. Khan ruffled Snow''s feathers while the latter directly sat on him to play with his hair.


    Zalpa eventually put an end to that playful reunion. Liiza approached Khan and Snow when she saw that the old Niqols was walking toward them. He didn''t miss her arrival, and Snow let him go when it sensed his feelings.


    "[I have already prepared potions that will hide your presence]," Zalpa announced as Khan stood up. "[Nothing has tried to get to the Aduns, so the area should be safe for now. I think you should depart right away]."


    Khan and Liiza nodded, but Zalpa shook her head when she saw that they were still wearing the robes from the battle. She ordered them to remain there before picking up potions, a backpack with provisions, and new clothes from one of the larger tents and bringing them to the couple.


    Khan and Liiza changed inside their tent, and Snow tried to follow them. The Aduns was too big for that small entrance, but that didn''t stop it from sneaking its head inside it. The Aduns wasn''t ready to separate from Khan so soon. It wouldn''t let him leave its gaze until they had a long flight together.


    "[Remember our orders]," Zalpa reminded after the couple exited the tent.


    "[He won''t even get near the elders]," Liiza promised.


    The blush on Liiza''s face made Zalpa glare at Khan, who pretended not to understand the nature of that gesture. He limited himself to make Snow lower its head so that the old Niqols could apply the potion on its feathers.


    Zalpa moved to the couple after dealing with the Aduns. She applied the same type of potions used during the army''s journey to that location. Her methods would make Liiza and Khan almost invisible to eventual monsters, but she still worried about them.


    "[Come back here after you are done]," Zalpa ordered. "[We will remain here in case the elders decide to send us hunting]."


    Khan and Liiza didn''t like that possibility, but they still jumped on Snow to begin their travel. Khan could confirm that Liiza''s left arm had almost regained its former strength when she grabbed his waist to cling onto him. He remained worried about her endurance, but the Aduns sensed those feelings and decided not to go too crazy.


    Azni and the others gathered around Snow to wave their hands at their companions, and the Aduns soon set off. Khan could finally experience the beauty of flying again, but Liiza quickly tightened her embrace since the event was forcing her to recall Zama.


    "[Our first flight together was like this]," Khan shouted to make sure that his words could pierce the strong winds caused by Snow''s speed.


    Liiza hid her face in his hair, but he sensed that a faint smile appeared on her face since her mouth was on his neck. It felt almost unreal how much things had changed in a bit more than six months.


    Liiza could still recall when she took Khan to the mountain chain for the first time. They had been nothing more than strangers attracted to each other due to their mana back then, but she had allowed him to cling to her waist nonetheless.


    The situation had turned upside-down afterward. Khan and Liiza had developed an intense and passionate love that had led them to that familiar but opposite position. Liiza clung to Khan and held him tightly, separating from him only to adjust Snow''s direction. She didn''t need to check any map to know where the elders lived.

 Chapter 226: Meeting

    The couple didn''t say much during the flight. Khan and Liiza were out of words and tears, and exhaustion filled their minds. They could experience how tired they truly were after getting away from their group and roaming among the dark sky.


    The months under the sunlight had featured constant tension that Khan and Liiza didn''t fully acknowledge until they left. The winds and familiar darkness that enveloped them while they flew through the sky forced them to feel how deeply Nitis and they had changed.


    Nitis had regained its natural shades, but everything was different. The changes didn''t only affect its fauna and overall environment. Khan and Liiza felt unable to appreciate those wonderful sceneries after everything they had gone through. They couldn''t experience the same na?ve happiness from the months before the crisis.


    Khan and Liiza hugged each other, exchanged casual kisses, and filled their partner with caresses, but they didn''t speak. Those gestures were enough to express how they felt. The sunlight had brought them even closer, but it had also shattered their previous view about the world. Their respective love was their only consolation.


    Liiza grew tired of clinging to Khan''s waist after the couple spent an entire day flying above lands that he had never seen. Khan didn''t hesitate to place her on his lap so that she could wrap her legs around his torso. The new position almost made them fall prey to their passion, but Snow made sure to express its annoyance when it felt that they were going too far.


    It felt nice to experience that complete intimacy. That was different from the time spent in the castle. It reminded Khan and Liiza of the cave in the marsh when they had a home for themselves. The world around them had disappeared and had left them with nothing more than Snow''s back, but they didn''t desire anything else. Their happiness reached its peak only when they were truly alone.


    It turned out that an entire day of travel wasn''t enough to reach the elders. The couple had to take a few breaks to let Snow rest and handle natural needs. Of course, Khan and Liiza inspected every area multiple times before deciding to stop there and create a cozy home. They never remained too long on the surface, but they always made sure to enjoy that time together.


    Snow landed in a simple-looking plain after almost three entire days of flight. The area appeared empty, except for the short vegetation that covered the surface, but Khan felt that something was off. He didn''t sense anything specific, but he couldn''t be at ease either. The region carried a strange pressure that didn''t allow him to relax.


    "[The elders are just ahead]," Liiza stated while taking Khan''s hand and moving toward the center of the plain.


    "[I thought I couldn''t see them]," Khan replied without halting his steps.


    "[No human should ever see these areas]," Liiza explained.


    "[Are you creating troubles for me]?" Khan asked.


    "[Maybe]," Liiza revealed before taking his arm in her embrace, "[But I want you to see Nitis'' true face. I''m tired of these traditions]."


    Liiza fixed her timid eyes on Khan, and he didn''t hesitate to free himself to wrap an arm around the back of her waist. Liiza tried to appear resolute, but it was clear that the meeting worried her a little, and Khan wouldn''t let her face it on her own.


    The two walked until they crossed an invisible barrier that transformed the scenes in their vision. Khan''s mouth opened in surprise when he saw an immense circular gorge replacing the simple plain, but he soon realized that he had barely scratched the surface of the area''s secrets.


    A circular metallic structure slowly unfolded in Khan''s vision as he approached the gorge''s edges. Scarlet symbols glowed on its smooth and dark surface, filling the entire area with a red halo that carried a chilling feeling.


    ''Is this technology?'' Khan wondered when he noticed that the scarlet halo hid azure tubes near the base of the circular structure.


    The building resembled a dome with a flat roof that fused the studies of two different species. Khan recognized the Niqols'' old ways in the scarlet symbols, but he didn''t fail to notice how the tubes were almost identical to those seen in the teleports. Moreover, the structure didn''t have the iconic hidden doors seen in the other palaces. It had actual entrances marked with words written in the alien language.


    "[Don''t look at me for answers]," Liiza chuckled when she noticed Khan''s questioning eyes on her. "[I also don''t know much about this area. The new generations learn about these locations, but the actual knowledge arrives only after we become actual members of our tribes]."


    "[The Global Army would pay any price to learn about this]," Khan commented after his eyes returned on the odd dome.


    "[I know]," Liiza replied. "[We have similar buildings all around Nitis, but the older generations want us to study mana in its pure form before gaining access to technology. I can''t disagree after watching the humans in battle, but I wonder if we could compromise a little]."


    Khan sighed and brought Liiza closer to her chest. He knew what she was thinking. She wanted to improve the Niqols'' society to prevent so many losses.


    ''Zalpa is right,'' Khan thought as he caressed Liiza''s hair. ''This generation will bring the Niqols to greater heights.''


    "[Let''s go]," Liiza eventually said in a sweet voice after leaving Khan''s chest and taking his hand.


    The canyon had steep staircases dug inside the ground that led to its bottom. The steps appeared unstable, but Khan confirmed that the red symbols on their surfaces granted them a metallic texture. The couple could reach the flat dome in no time, and Liiza quickly led him toward one of the tall entrances.


    The red symbol on the entrance transformed into a palm-shaped figure when the couple approached it. Liiza pressed her hand there, and Khan noticed that a small bloodstain had appeared on the wall after she retracted her arm.


    The symbol confirmed Liiza''s identity and returned to its previous shape. Yet, it flashed with a soft light that didn''t match the other runes on the structure.


    "[An elder should come out soon]," Liiza explained while sitting in a spot right next to the entrance.


    Khan sat next to Liiza, but she didn''t hesitate to jump on his lap. The two rested in each other''s embrace as they waited for the elder to arrive.


    A few minutes had to pass before the dome''s entrance opened and let a wave of dense mana flow out in the environment. The energy filled the entirety of the canyon, but the symbols on the structure quickly brightened and absorbed it, returning the area to its previous state.


    Khan couldn''t focus too much on that process since a heavy presence manifested itself after the entrance closed. A tall figure had appeared next to the Khan and Liiza, but neither had seen it leaving the dome.


    "[I thought humans were still forbidden from seeing these areas]," A hoarse voice resounded in the area and applied heavy pressure on Khan.


    Khan felt unable to move under that pressure. He could only raise his eyes to inspect the elder. The figure belonged to an old woman with long red hair and glowing scarlet eyes. Wrinkles filled her cold face, but her slender body seemed to brim with power.


    "[He is-]," Liiza began to speak, but the elder interrupted her.


    "[We receive reports from the various tribes]," The elder announced before fixing her intense gaze on Khan. "[You must be Khan]."


    Khan wanted to stand up and bow, but the pressure didn''t allow him to do anything. Cold sweat started to fall down his forehead as the elder continued to inspect him. He felt naked in front of those scarlet eyes. The Niqols seemed able to study every corner of his mind easily.


    However, the pressure suddenly vanished when the elder revealed a warm smile and performed a polite bow. Khan remained speechless, and his surprise only intensified when the old Niqols spoke in a motherly tone. "[Thank you for taking care of my great-granddaughter. The whole tribe was worried about her. I''m glad that she had you during the crisis]."


    ''Great-granddaughter?!'' Khan shouted in his mind before performing a timid nod and moving his eyes on Liiza.


    Liiza blushed before diverting her gaze and laying her head on his chest. She was happy that the elder had acknowledged her relationship, but she couldn''t stop thinking about the possible consequences of that event. Her relationship had become so serious that she inevitably considered taking it to the next step.


    "[The situation must be tragic for you to be here]," The elder exclaimed while tapping the black surface of the dome a few times. "[Tell me everything]."


    The wall soon opened to reveal a small compartment containing a big flask and three cups. The elder picked everything and poured the drinks before sitting in front of the couple. The three exchanged a silent toast before Liiza started her story.


    The elders received updates, but they remained ignorant about many details. Liiza''s great-grandmother knew about the attack on the valley, but she wasn''t aware of its outcome. She also needed Liiza to describe the months before that to check whether Yeza had told her everything.


    "[So, Yeza is dead]," The elder sighed. "[She would have become a great elder, but her legacy is equally promising]."


    Liiza couldn''t help but sniff at those words. Yeza''s death was still too close to her mind, but she managed to suppress her grief and remain focused on the conversation.


    "[It seems that the sunlight has only helped reveal problems rooted deeply in our society]," The elder continued. "[Maybe we are to blame for this outcome. We tried to evolve too quickly, without worrying about the consequences that progress could cause]."


    Khan couldn''t help but feel a strange detachment in the elder. She talked about Nitis'' matters as if they didn''t involve her. She had appeared sad about Yeza''s death, but she didn''t linger too long on that revelation.


    "[What should we do now]?" Liiza asked after the elder fell silent.


    "[Your role in this crisis is over]," The elder stated. "[The elders must step into the battlefield to prevent the annihilation of the younger generations. Go back to a safe area and wait for us to clear the planet. We''ll hold a meeting to decide the Niqols'' future after taking care of the monsters]."


    "[That''s it]?" Liiza questioned. "[What about the rebels? Won''t they get any punishment]?"


    "[Do you want us to reduce the Niqols'' population even more]?" The elder asked. "[I can''t blame them too much. They have seen their traditions crumble in a matter of decades. In their minds, they were only defending what made them true Niqols]."


    "[But-]!" Liiza wanted to complain, but the elder raised a hand to interrupt her.


    "[I''m sure some elders will mention this topic]," The old Niqols said, "[But these matters are outside your control now. Go back, rest, wash away the sorrow accumulated in this period. Your generation did well. I''m sure you''ll create a better future]."


    Those words didn''t make Liiza happy, but she remained silent anyway. Khan sensed her grip on his robe tightening, so he decided to put an end to the meeting. He wrapped an arm around her waist and forced her to stand up with her before performing a polite bow.


    "[Thank you, elder]," Khan exclaimed, and Liiza uttered similar words after suppressing her conflicting feelings.


    "[I wouldn''t thank us so soon]," The elder announced in an aloof tone.


    Khan and Liiza raised their heads to inspect the elder, but they found themselves unable to speak when they saw that she started to levitate without breaking her sitting position.


    "[I can see the intensity of your feelings]," The elder explained as she continued to rise toward the sky. "[I''ll fight to give you a chance, but I don''t think you should take it]."


    Liiza and Khan didn''t understand what she meant, but they kept their eyes on her figure as she flew higher in the sky and disappeared behind the dome''s roof. The meeting was over, but the couple didn''t feel glad about that. Something in the elder''s words had given birth to a faint worry inside them.


    ****


    Author''s notes: This chapter fills yesterday''s release, but I''ll take a break today since I don''t have time to write everything I failed to complete. I''d rather rest than force myself back into the cycle of sleeping every two days. I don''t want to burn myself, and I need to preserve the story''s quality, so I will slow down today to restore my schedule. Chapters will go back to normal in 26 hours.

 Chapter 227: Decision

    Nitis appeared peaceful from the sky, but Khan and Liiza barely gazed at the surface while Snow flew back to the palace inside the mountain.


    The two had informed Zalpa about the contents of the meeting, and she had decided to regroup in their previous safe area. Crossing long distances wasn''t an issue now that the Aduns had returned, so she didn''t mind leaving the couple alone for a few more days.


    Khan and Liiza knew that their role in the crisis was over, but they couldn''t disperse the worry that the elder''s words had caused. Countless possibilities crossed their minds as they hugged each other silently. They didn''t know what Liiza''s great-grandmother meant, but they couldn''t appease that awful sensation anyway.


    ''What can even happen?'' Khan often found himself asking that question in his mind.


    Khan didn''t know what could cause problems after everything he had overcome. His friends'' lives were safe now, and his relationship was stronger than ever. The humans had also silently acknowledged his importance among the Niqols. In theory, nothing could threaten his current position or source of happiness.


    However, Khan continued to feel that something was off, and Liiza''s worried face confirmed that he might have failed to consider something. She was as clueless as him, but she also sensed that something could threaten the state they had fought so hard to obtain.


    Liiza and Khan didn''t voice their worries since they lacked a proper source. They didn''t need words to understand what was happening inside their minds. They limited themselves to immerse their minds in the peaceful sensations caused by their partner. A simple hug could make everything disappear, and they did far more than that. Snow''s back was a personal world that protected and cherished their love.


    Days went by as Khan led Snow toward the solitary mountain containing the safe palace. The flight required many breaks that the couple didn''t hesitate to stretch as long as possible. A lingering sadness still filled their minds, but they slowly dispersed it by relying on each other''s presence.


    Liiza''s world had turned upside down, and the same had happened to Khan''s mind. Their relationship and the many events in the past months had deeply affected their characters, and the faint peace brought by the elder''s decision had forced them to face those changes.


    Most changes were positive. Liiza had overcome her status as an outcast and had established herself among the Niqols. Instead, Khan had discovered a lot about himself. He had matured, and his feats on Nitis had turned him into a priceless asset. He felt sure that the Global Army would grant him countless benefits once it learnt about everything that had happened.


    Still, both Liiza and Khan had to pay a steep price for those gains. They had to overcome Nitis'' dark side and watch many of their friends fall. The blood and corpses that they had to leave behind added a disgusting taste to their happiness. At times, they found themselves wondering whether they deserved those beautiful feelings when so many didn''t get the chance to experience them.


    Liiza had been Khan''s beacon of hope after Istrone, but they switched their roles after the meeting with the elder. He knew the emptiness that death could cause, and his support prevented Liiza from falling prey to her negative thoughts.


    The world could be unfair, but that wasn''t their fault, and Khan did everything in his power to make Liiza understand that part. They had done their best and lost a lot, but they had managed to return in each other''s arms, and failing to cherish that lucky outcome would only insult those who didn''t get that chance.


    The mountain in the middle of the forest eventually appeared in their view. Snow landed near the waterfall, and the couple approached the secret entrance that opened on its own as soon as it sensed those familiar presences. Khan and Liiza could enter the palace in no time, and they quickly noticed how the atmosphere there reflected what was happening in their minds.


    Zalpa''s group had been closer to the palace, so they could reach it far earlier than the couple. Also, Khan and Liiza had traveled slowly, making them arrive at their destination a whole week after their companions.


    The atmosphere that greeted them in the palace was quite grim. Doku and the others were sitting around a long table filled with food and drinks in the main hall. The smell of booze that filled the area revealed that their party had lasted more than a single day, but Khan and Liiza understood how they felt.


    "[You are finally back]!" Azni groaned.


    "[You know how they are]," Doku laughed while patting the girl sitting on his lap. "[I feel bad for Khan''s Aduns]."


    "[You can''t blame them for seeking refuge in their emotions]," Ilman announced while trying to stand up, but a wave of dizziness filled his mind and forced him to fall back on his seat.


    "[Did you leave something for us]?" Khan asked as a faint chuckle escaped his mouth.


    "[You should hurry before George wakes up]," Havaa commented while poking the boy sleeping with his head on the table.


    "[I''ll have another cup]," George weakly said while trying to raise his head, but his girlfriend promptly pushed him down.


    Khan and Liiza couldn''t help but smile at that scene. Rejoining their friends felt good. They showed happy faces even when they looked at Paul and Kelly. The two humans were also sitting at the table, and their condition wasn''t better than the others.


    "How was the meeting?" Paul asked as he rubbed his face to try to disperse the hangover that filled his mind.


    "I didn''t join it," Khan lied while Liiza led him on an empty chair next to Doku and Azni.


    "I get it!" Paul exclaimed. "It takes a woman to make you stick to the rules!"


    "Paul, get some sleep," Kelly scolded before standing up and patting the squad leader''s shoulder.


    Paul showed a displeased expression, but he eventually put his cup aside and stood up. The two humans climbed the staircase together before disappearing into one of the corridors.


    Liiza let Khan sit on the chair to take her place on his lap, and Azni quickly handed them a flask with two cups. The couple joined the drinking, but it was clear that the party was already over.


    The group exchanged a few jokes, but they mostly remained silent. Ilman shouted chants from time to time, but his drunkenness eventually had the better of him and made him fall asleep on the table. Asyat wasn''t in the best condition either, so she decided to return to her room after a while.


    George woke up in time to discover that only Ilman and the three couples had remained on the table. His head hurt, but his feelings were worse. Still, Havaa didn''t allow him to get another cup.


    "[What happens now]?" George voiced an annoyed snort as he threw his head back and placed his feet on the table. "[Do we just pretend that the past months didn''t happen]?"


    "[I don''t know]," Khan sighed, but a warm smile appeared on his face when Liiza took his head in her arms.


    "[How are you two]?" Doku asked when he noticed that sweet interaction.


    "[We went through the bad part]," Liiza exclaimed while caressing Khan''s hair. "[Going back to normal is impossible, but that doesn''t feel too sad anymore]."


    "[Maybe we should also take a long trip]," Azni suggested in a surprised tone. "[How did you even accept to be happy when so many have died]?"


    "[It''s easier when you have already gone through something similar]," George commented while he continued to stare at the tall ceiling. "[You make everything bad disappear and focus on the good left in your life]."


    "[When did you become so wise]?" Havaa teased.


    "[I didn''t do anything]," George scoffed. "[I owe everything to Khan, Professor Supyan, and you. I don''t know what it would have become of me otherwise]."


    Khan couldn''t help but smile in front of George''s earnest statement. He rejoiced to see that his friend was in a relatively good spot. The general sadness that filled the group was impossible to disperse in that short period, but George was better than many others due to what he had learnt on Nitis.


    "[I wonder where Professor Supyan went]," Khan changed the topic. "[I haven''t seen him since the events with that giant Lysixi]."


    "[I hope he is safe]," George replied. "[Maybe I''ll get to thank him one day]."


    "[Does this feeling ever leave]?" Doku asked while moving his eyes between the two humans. "[How long does it take to feel better]?"


    George straightened his head to glance at Doku, and his eyes soon moved on Khan. The latter was also glancing at him, and the two understood that their friend needed some moral support. The Niqols were resilient when it came to sadness, but the recent events had been too much even for them.


    "[It doesn''t leave]," Khan revealed.


    "[But it does get better with time, especially if you have something good in your life]," George continued.


    Doku heaved a helpless sigh, and Azni laid her head on his shoulder while wearing a similar expression. They both remained silent for a few seconds before Doku cracked a joke. "[I guess I need to get drunk with you all often]."


    "[That''s the fate of every good soldier]!" George exclaimed as he tried to reach the cup in front of him, but Havaa promptly slapped his hand.


    The others laughed at that scene, but they all felt that the party was over. It didn''t take much before they silently decided to stand up and return to their rooms.


    The situation improved during the following days. A sad atmosphere continued to envelop the group, but they slowly dealt with it. The parties and their Aduns helped a lot, especially now that all the survivors had reunited. They even flew together from time to time, even if they remained in the areas around the mountain.


    The group finally experienced a taste of the peace obtained after fighting for entire months. At first, it felt strange to be without worries, but they slowly accepted that new state. All of them started to laugh more often, and no one bothered to train.


    Khan and Liiza almost forgot about the elder''s words as they accepted their return to a normal life. The process was slow, but each day looked brighter than the previous. They could spend time among friends and loved ones without having the fate of the planet on their shoulders. They could finally be carefree kids again, and life couldn''t get better than that.


    Nevertheless, the world wasn''t over with them. The group had noticed that the number of monsters in the surrounding areas had fallen during that peaceful period. Khan and the others had never seen battles, but they could confirm that someone was hunting those dangerous creatures.


    The hunts decided by the elders had clearly started, and they were obviously going well. Khan and the others almost couldn''t believe how quickly the monsters disappeared from the regions around the mountain, and that process seemed to affect even areas farther away. The students and recruits weren''t the only ones going back to normal. Nitis was also retrieving its peace.


    The process inevitably reminded Khan and Liiza about the elder''s words. They didn''t know when the meeting among those powerful figures would happen, but that event grew closer as the monsters continued to disappear. The couple would soon learn about Nitis'' future, and that knowledge brought the previous unsettling worry back.


    Azni and the other noticed how Khan and Liiza grew distracted, but they never questioned them about the issue. Everyone was reacting to Nitis'' peace differently, and the couple''s situation was unique, so it didn''t feel right to probe the two when they didn''t say anything about their problems.


    The worries culminated during a seemingly ordinary afternoon. Khan''s group, Kelly, and Paul were enjoying their lunch when Zalpa appeared in the main hall. The old Niqols had never left the palace''s basement in that period, so her arrival attracted everyone''s attention.


    Zalpa wore an aloof expression, but her eyes fell on Liiza and Khan before she took a deep breath and explained the reason behind her presence in the hall. "[The elders have come to the conclusion that the Niqols as a whole need to retrieve their harmony before opening themselves to foreign cultures. They want all the humans to leave the planet. They didn''t specify for how long]."

 Chapter 228: Future

    The worries that had filled Khan and Liiza''s minds in the last period finally took form, and they appeared as awful as they had feared. The two were sitting on the same chair since the lunch had already reached the drinking part, but they instinctively dropped their cups to fall in a tight embrace.


    "[That''s bullshit]!" Azni shouted, but Zalpa raised her hand to silence eventual complaints.


    "[The elders feel that the Niqols are too divided right now]," Zalpa explained. "[They believe that we won''t be able to find a true unity until we spend some years without external influences. Still, they promise that they will warn the humans once they plan to reopen Nitis to other species]."


    "[How many years do you think they''ll make us wait]?" Paul asked in a cold tone.


    "[I can''t say for sure]," Zalpa replied before pointing at Paul and Kelly. "[You two should warn your superiors about this decision. They will need the elders'' help to contact the rest of your species and plan the departure, so send them to me in a couple of hours]."


    Paul nodded before following Zalpa''s hand with his eyes. The old Niqols used two fingers to point at the two interspecies couples on the table while voicing more orders. "[You four, come with me. Let''s talk in private]."


    Everyone on the table inevitably moved their eyes on the two couples. Khan mostly saw worries in his friends'' gazes, but he couldn''t address those feelings in his current situation. His mind was a mess held together by hope and Liiza''s coldness, and the same went for her.


    The two couples followed Zalpa inside the second basement and halted their steps after the old Niqols stopped at the center of the area. Zalpa turned and remained silent as she inspected the four worried faces in front of her.


    Zalpa pitied the two couples a bit, but it wasn''t her place to contradict the elders, especially when she agreed with their decision. The Niqols'' society was in pieces right now. The sunlight had uncovered problems that had lasted even before the arrival of the humans on the planet. Her species needed time to decide how to move forward, and unity was necessary for the vast political environment of the universe.


    "[The elders don''t want this to look like a punishment]," Zalpa resumed their explanation. "[The Niqols are at their weakest right now, and our whole society requires an overhaul. We can''t do that with other species roaming the planet and pursuing their political interests]."


    "[Zalpa, the humans have shed blood for the Niqols]," Khan complained in a disappointed tone. "[Young recruits have died in battles that you have ordered us to fight. How can we even accept this after everything we have been through]?"


    "[I''m sure the humans will get something from the elders]," Zalpa replied. "[You only have to wait for your superiors to contact them]."


    "[I thought we were the cold ones]," George commented, doing his best not to sound cold.


    Zalpa didn''t miss the coldness radiated by the couples, but she also felt glad that they didn''t immediately berate her. Khan, George, Liiza, and Havaa knew that the Niqols had led them in the basement for a reason, and they hoped that it would concern their relationships.


    Khan noticed how a tinge of worry appeared on Zalpa''s face, but she dispersed it by taking a deep breath. Her expression returned aloof as she explained the reason behind that private meeting. "[The elders won''t force anyone to remain on Nitis. You can leave with your partners if your feelings don''t allow you to separate]."


    Hope inevitably filled the two couples. They were both holding hands, and their grip tightened when they felt that their separation wasn''t mandatory. Of course, they had yet to analyze Zalpa''s words fully, but that could come later.


    "[However]," Zalpa added before the couples could cheer, "[The elders can''t turn you into ambassadors since the Niqols have yet to gain unity. They can''t send you into political missions when you still don''t know what goals you have to pursue]."


    "[What does that mean]?" Liiza promptly asked.


    "[It means that the Niqols won''t be responsible for your actions]," Zalpa declared after heaving a deep sigh. "[You won''t be able to contact Nitis after your departure, and you will also lose the privileges connected to your tribes since you won''t take part in this important social process]."


    "[Are the elders testing us]?" Havaa exploded. "[Do they want to see who is loyal to their species? What nonsense is this]?"


    "[Please, calm down]," Zalpa pleaded. "[The elders have to prioritize the Niqols as a whole. Giving you a chance to leave is already a lot]."


    "[Sure]!" Havaa shouted. "[They are only forcing us to decide between our species and our partners. That sounds totally fair]!"


    "[I thought that the Niqols had a deeper respect for feelings]," George mocked while pulling Havaa in his embrace to calm her down.


    "[We do]," Zalpa stated, "[But the elders can''t predict that the Niqols will become after this period. They might decide to put limits to the external influences indefinitely, making those who leave unable to become proper members of the new society]."


    "[Are you implying that the rebels can win]?" Liiza asked in a chilling tone.


    "[I don''t think that will ever happen]," Zalpa admitted. "[I''m only trying to explain the reasons behind this decision. You can remain on Nitis and help build an open-minded society, or leave and live your feelings. You can''t have both]."


    The elder''s words finally became clear in Khan and Liiza''s minds. The couple also started to consider her suggestion. Liiza''s great-grandmother wanted the two to refuse the chance to remain together.


    "[The decision is final]," Zalpa declared. "[It will take some time for the humans here to establish a connection with their superiors, but the day of the departure will eventually arrive. I suggest you start thinking about it immediately. Your choice will affect your future deeply]."


    The two couples understood that the conversation was over. Zalpa wanted to say much more, but it wasn''t her place to affect that decision. She couldn''t bear that responsibility. Liiza and Havaa had to pick a path on their own to avoid regrets, especially since they would have to live with that choice for the rest of their lives.


    Liiza had never held Khan''s hand so tightly, but he barely felt that. The worry caused by the elders'' decision had emptied him of every other sensation. He couldn''t stop thinking about the issue, and conflicting opinions surged in his mind as he inspected the situation from different perspectives.


    Khan would never pick a path that would cause problems in his relationship. Liiza was the best part of his life. He had given his everything to preserve what he had with her, but he couldn''t have power over that decision. She had to choose what was best for her.


    When Khan imagined himself in Liiza''s shoes, he could guess the battle happening in her mind. Liiza had always been an outcast among the Niqols, so severing her ties with her species would only bring her to her previous state. Yet, that would also force her to depend on Khan for everything since he would become her only social connection in the entire universe.


    Moreover, Liiza had just seen her mother giving her life to save her. She had finally become a proper member of the Niqols'' society, and her tribe expected a lot from her. Liiza would be perfect to lead her species toward greater heights since she respected the old ways without forsaking the importance of progress. She could become a splendid ambassador.


    Except for Paul and Kelly, the others had remained on the table in the main hall. A series of curious and worried eyes fell on the two couples when they came out of the basement, but no questions resounded after seeing their pensive and ugly expressions. Azni and Doku wanted to say something, but Ilman ended up glaring at them when he noticed their behavior.


    The two couples couldn''t muster the strength to move their gazes on their friends. They had too much to consider, so they approached the staircases to return to their rooms silently. The others could only let them go since they sensed how heavy the atmosphere among them was.


    Each step that Khan made toward his room echoed in his chest. He felt hammers hitting his heart as he approached the inevitable conversation. He felt the need to grab Liiza, run on Snow''s back, and leave toward regions where those problems didn''t exist, but he never let those delusional dreams take control of his actions.


    The two couples separated without saying any words. George and Havaa were the first to disappear behind a door, but the same soon happened to Liiza and Khan. The two found themselves in the familiar barren room, and they instinctively moved to the bed.


    Khan and Liiza continued to hold hands as they sat on the bed. They remained silent as they fixed their eyes on the azure symbol on the wall in front of them. They let the glow of the rune distract them for a few seconds, but that effect soon ended and forced them to talk.


    "[I-]," Khan began to speak, but Liiza promptly placed a finger on his mouth.


    "[Not now]," Liiza said in a pleading tone before pushing Khan on the bed.


    Liiza then laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped his arm around her waist. One of her hands went under his robe to envelop his side in her fingers. Instead, the other closed on his clothes, holding them as tightly as she could.


    "[I want you to choose what''s best for you]," Khan announced after Liiza remained silent for a whole minute.


    "[And I want to choose what''s best for you]," Liiza giggled. "[We can''t find a solution, so let''s not decide]."


    "[Liiza]," Khan called her in a scolding tone.


    Liiza giggled again before uncovering his shoulder and leaving a soft kiss there. She then pulled herself closer to Khan before tracing the edges of his scar with her fingers. She seemed to fall in a daze, but a request eventually came out of her mouth. "[Describe what would happen if I left with you]."


    Khan''s eyes flickered, but he forced himself to think about the matter seriously when he noticed the seriousness in Liiza''s face. He sorted his thoughts for a few seconds before wearing a smile and starting his story. "[The Global Army won''t be able to refuse our requests. I should be the most promising ambassador in the world, and your knowledge is priceless. You''ll find a place among the humans in no time, and I''ll make sure never to leave you alone]."


    "[What happens after that]?" Liiza asked.


    "[We would go back to Earth at some point]," Khan continued, "[And you would force me to talk to my father. Your presence probably wouldn''t change the outcome of that conversation, but I know that I would still feel grateful to you]."


    "[Then]," Liiza asked as she adjusted her position on his shoulder.


    "[We would probably get married]," Khan said as a warm smile appeared on his face. "[I don''t really know how it works, nor where we would live, but I''m sure that everything would be fine as long as we are together]."


    "[What about kids]?" Liiza timidly asked. "[Do you want them]?"


    Khan had never really considered that topic, but Liiza''s question forced him to think about it, and his smile only broadened when he imagined a happy family with her.


    "[I think I want them]," Khan whispered, "[With you at least]."


    "[I feel the same]," Liiza revealed. "[I wonder if our different species would cause problems]."


    "[We would rely on the Global Army for that]," Khan reassured. "[I would only wait for me to fix the nightmares issue. You know, I''d rather avoid passing them to our kids]."


    "[I would be able to oversee your progress with mana if I came with you]," Liiza stated. "[I''m sure you would go back to a messy state without me]."


    "[I won''t answer that]," Khan chuckled.


    "[Don''t you want to affect my decision at least a little]?" Liiza asked while raising her head toward Khan''s face.


    Khan turned his head to look at Liiza, and his smile became even warmer as he answered. "[I''m afraid of what I might force you to do]."


    "[I know two languages]," Liiza said, "[But I can''t find the words to describe how much I love you]."


    "[It''s the same for me]," Khan admitted while turning toward Liiza and pulling her until their whole bodies met. "[I feel saved every time you look at me]."


    The two kissed each other before letting their foreheads touch. Their minds were a mess of fears, worries, and desires, but none of those emotions appeared on their faces while they focused on the sensations radiated by their partner. They were at peace even among that chaos, even if they both knew that she would eventually have to make a decision.


    "[Hey, let''s take a few days to think about it]," Liiza suggested. "[Help me clear my head while we still have time]."


    "[You sure like to use nice words to ask for sex]," Khan teased.


    "[Shut up and kiss me, dummy]," Liiza complained, but her pout melted when Khan''s warm lips fell on her mouth.

 Chapter 229: Promise

    Liiza and Khan didn''t talk about the elders'' decision, but time wasn''t on their side.


    Lieutenant Kintea immediately started to work with Zalpa to contact the elders and come up with a solution for the current situation of his troops. The crisis had ended up destroying the teleport, so the humans needed the Niqols'' help to contact their superiors and plan the migration from the planet.


    The elders didn''t hesitate to reveal part of their technology to help the humans in the matter. Lieutenant Kintea and the other two surviving soldiers obtained a beacon capable of sending messages in space, and they quickly activated it to contact the superiors. The Global Army had a telescope placed right outside Nitis'' solar system, so it didn''t take much for an answer to arrive.


    Everything became easier after establishing a connection with the Global Army. The elders allowed the humans to bring a small space station near Nitis to start the departure, and Lieutenant Kintea kept his underlings updated about the process. Soon, only one day remained before the arrival of the vehicle that would put an end to the political missions on the alien planet.


    Khan and Liiza had spent that period as if the inevitable departure didn''t exist. They had enjoyed themselves as much as possible between parties and passionate moments, and their friends didn''t question them about the issue.


    George had never been able to keep secrets for himself, especially after drinking. Azni and the others had learnt that the two couples had a chance to remain together, but their options were equally awful. They couldn''t even begin to imagine what Havaa and Liiza were going through in that period, so they did their best to pretend that everything was normal.


    Zalpa didn''t come out of her basement at all. She knew how harsh the situation was, and she was worried that her presence would affect the two girls'' decision.


    Zalpa wanted Liiza and Havaa to remain on Nitis, but both of them were pretty rebellious. She was afraid that her actions would push them to leave the planet. The old Niqols pitied both couples, especially Khan''s, but her mind remained set on helping the separation with her absence.


    Paul, Kelly, the two soldiers, and the Lieutenant had also spent most of that period in their rooms. They had never bonded with the Niqols too much, and they didn''t want to be around parties that didn''t welcome them. They simply waited for the day when they could finally leave that planet to arrive.


    Khan spent the day before the departure peacefully. He took Snow for a long flight and did his best to explain what would happen. The Aduns didn''t fully understand his words, but the feelings that seeped past the mental connection gave it an idea of the imminent separation.


    The Aduns were Tainted animals with high resilience to different atmospheres, but Khan had seen what the sunlight had done to them. In theory, he could take Snow with him, but the many different environments he would have to explore in his missions would only hurt the eagle. Khan would be forced to leave Snow in a safe area many times, and he didn''t want that sad outcome for his loyal companion.


    Snow didn''t take that news happily. It took many detours and flew recklessly while returning to the mountain. The Aduns hoped to ruin Khan''s departure by arriving late to the castle, but he slowly calmed it down. The eagle could only give up and drop him near the waterfall angrily when it understood that the event was inevitable.


    A party welcomed his return to the palace. No one wanted to address the lingering sadness in the hall, so everyone did their best to celebrate as hard as possible.


    Khan lost himself in the joyful faces of his friends and partner. His problems didn''t exist when he remained immersed in those affectionate gestures, jokes, and laughs. Part of him even believed to have found true happiness in those short hours, but the celebration inevitably came to an end.


    Doku and Ilman limited themselves to nod when they saw that Khan and Liiza started to leave the main hall, but Azni jumped on him to perform a tight hug. The girl didn''t say anything, but a faint sniff resounded when she left his chest and hid her face to return to her boyfriend.


    Azni''s gesture broke the illusion created by the party, but the couple didn''t fall prey to their emotions. Khan and Liiza quickly approached the staircase and walked slowly toward their room. They never left their partner''s hand during the stroll, but the reality of the situation became impossible to deny after the door closed behind them.


    "[Liiz-]," Khan tried to say, but Liiza promptly jumped on him and trapped his lips in a long kiss.


    The kiss felt almost violent. Liiza wrapped her arms and legs around his neck and waist, forcing him to hold her from her butt. She then pulled his hair in a desperate attempt to make him walk toward the bed, but he couldn''t let her spend more time without talking.


    "[Liiza]," Khan said in a scolding tone when he managed to free his lips from Liiza''s desperate passion.


    "[No, we still have time]," Liiza pleaded while trying to reach his mouth again, but Khan pushed her on the wall and pressed with his waist to support her without needing his arms. His hand went on her hair and pulled it to trap her head.


    "[So rough]," Liiza teased as a captivating smile appeared on her face, but Khan mustered the entirety of his self-restraint to remain focused on the issue.


    "[Liiza, I need to know]," Khan begged while making their foreheads touch. "[Please, we need to talk about this before it''s too late]."


    Liiza sighed and released the grip on his waist to place her feet on the floor. Khan took a step back and let her leave the wall, and she seemed to calm down as a warm smile appeared on her face.


    "[We switched position]," Liiza giggled while placing a hand on his cheek. "[I''m the one who doesn''t want to talk now]."


    "[The reason didn''t change]," Khan smiled while taking Liiza''s hand. "[Talking will force the rest of the world to become real]."


    Liiza''s smile broadened, but tears suddenly appeared on the corners of her eyes and made her leave Khan. She turned to walk toward the bed, but she never sat there. Khan kept his eyes on her back and noticed how her hands closed into tight fists.


    "[I thought about it, a lot]," Liiza whispered without turning. "[I''ve given my everything to inspect all my options. Honestly, I would choose to remain with you even if that meant going through a hundred crises]."


    Tears appeared in Khan''s eyes, but he suppressed them. Everything about him wanted to jump on Liiza, take her in a tight embrace, and tell her that they would be fine, but he had to wait for her speech to end. He could already sense that a "but" was about to arrive.


    "[Yet, I couldn''t stop thinking about all the warnings]," Liiza continued. "[We both know that our relationship isn''t completely healthy. We rely on our love to save ourselves from the grim aspects of our lives. Our feelings resemble an addiction]."


    Liiza sniffed, and Khan instinctively took a step ahead, but the girl voiced a plead when she sensed that gesture. "[Wait! I won''t be able to finish if I sense your warmth]."


    Khan closed his eyes to calm down before retracting his leg. A wet sensation spread on his right cheek, but he ignored it to focus on his girlfriend again.


    "[Mana hurried us into a relationship]," Liiza explained. "[Our feelings have exploded as soon as our lips met. Still, I wonder if they did that for the wrong reasons. I can''t help but hear my mother''s warnings in my mind, and we both know that she might be right. We are broken, and we are partially using each other to remain in one piece]."


    Khan couldn''t deny that statement. He and Liiza had also acknowledged the toxic aspects of their relationship long ago, but they had decided to fix them together slowly. However, the elders'' decision had changed their situation in ways that forced them to reevaluate that choice.


    "[I wish we had time to heal together]," Liiza cried. "[I wish I wouldn''t have to choose between you and my species. I wish that my mother''s death didn''t make all of this harder than it is, but how can I leave my tribe after she died to save me? How can I abandon the Niqols after they suffered so much]?"


    Khan stepped forward when he saw tears falling next to Liiza''s feet. He hugged her before he could even attempt to stop himself, and she immediately clung her hands to his arms. Khan sensed something wet spreading from her palms. It seemed that she had cut herself with her fingernails.


    "[We can still do both]," Khan pleaded as tears fell from his eyes. "[You can still come with me and return to Nitis after the elders reopen their borders. It doesn''t matter if the rebels win. We can always make them change their minds later]."


    Liiza sobbed before patting Khan''s arms. He relaxed his embrace and allowed her to turn. Their eyes met, and more tears fell from them when they noticed the sad expression of their partner. They almost couldn''t believe how something so intense and beautiful was causing such deep pain.


    "[Khan, if you ask me to follow you, I wouldn''t be able to refuse]," Liiza admitted in a pleading tone as her hands grabbed the opening in his robe. "[However, love shouldn''t be like this, right? I should have a choice. I want to be able to refuse and still decide to be with you]."


    Khan opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out of it. He wanted to tell her to follow him. Everything inside him was screaming to beg her to move in the Global Army, but he found himself unable to voice requests that could hurt her.


    "[Khan, Khan, listen to me]," Liiza cried while taking his face in her hands. "[We have been incredibly lucky to find each other. Our timing was simply off. We can''t appreciate what we have until we fix each other, but that requires growing without the safety of our love]."


    "[I don''t want to go back to a world without you]," Khan revealed, "[But you can''t be happy with me, not right now. I''m only afraid that I might lose you forever]."


    "[Remember my mother''s words]," Liiza replied as a warm smile appeared on her face. "[Mana made us find each other. Believe that it will do the same after we have fixed our issues. Let''s live our lives and grow to a point when we can truly love. I know that we will meet again then]."


    "[I will search for my happiness without you only if you promise me to do the same]," Khan stated. "[You won''t be able to grow if you cling to the hope of meeting me again]."


    "[Dummy]!" Liiza sobbed. "[I had to say that. Don''t hurt yourself for me even now]."


    "[What can you even do? Break up with me]?" Khan joked as tears continued to fall from his eyes.


    Liiza smiled, but her sobs became too hard to suppress in front of that separation. She hid her face on Khan''s neck and cried loudly as she realized what was happening.


    "[Why am I so sure that I won''t love anyone else so deeply]?" Liiza cried without leaving Khan''s neck.


    "[It''s the same for me]," Khan confessed as he took her head in his arms. "[You have cursed me forever]."


    Liiza left Khan''s neck and fixed her eyes on his face. She loved him so much, but they only had a night left together, and she knew exactly how she wanted to spend it.


    "[Let''s enjoy this curse one last time]," Liiza sniffed while wiping away her tears with Khan''s robe. "[I won''t cry. Promise that you will do the same]."


    "[I promise]," Khan said while wiping away his tears. "[Let''s not ruin this memory]."


    Liiza nodded, and the two kissed before falling prey to their passion. Everything grew hazy as they lost each other in their raging emotions, but neither of them managed to stick to their promise.


    ****


    Author''s notes: The second chapter will arrive soon.

 Chapter 230: Departure

    Azure lights appeared on Nitis'' dark sky early in the morning. The scene initially scared some Niqols due to the resemblance with the crisis, but the true nature of the event became clear in a matter of minutes.


    The lack of clouds made the space station''s arrival impossible to miss. The giant vehicle resembled a large star that had flown too close to Nitis'' orbit. The azure light radiated by its neon and glowing tubes filled the sky in its surroundings and created a bright patch that tried to shine on the surface.


    Orders appeared in each room of the palace and warned everyone about the imminent departure. The humans had to leave, so formal salutations became mandatory. Still, Azni and the others didn''t need orders to gather past the lake next to the mountain and wait for their friends to come out.


    Lieutenant Kintea, the two soldiers, Kelly, and Paul were the first to leave the mountain and cross the narrow passage that led on the other side of the lake. The Niqols on the scene didn''t hesitate to perform bows when the group reached them, but nothing else happened. The humans crossed them to stare at the smaller light that had separated from the halo created by the space station.


    The Niqols also moved their eyes on that descending glowing dot. Soon, the silhouette of a small spaceship became visible in the dark sky. It only took a few minutes to reach the surface and land in an empty spot.


    Azni, Ilman, Doku, and Asyat remained astonished in front of the spaceship''s speed. They inspected its three engines and its curved front, but their eyes soon went on the five humans marching forward. Lieutenant Kintea''s group didn''t hesitate to approach the vehicle.


    The group on Niqols inspected the spaceship''s insides after it opened its metal doors, but they eventually turned to examine the waterfall. Two humans had yet to come out of the mountain, and anxiety built inside the students as they prepared themselves to say goodbye.


    Two figures eventually became visible on the narrow passage. George and Havaa held their hands as they crossed the lake and reached the Niqols. The couple then exchanged a long kiss, but Havaa pushed George away when her tears became impossible to contain. The girl turned to run back inside the mountain as her sobs resounded in the area.


    "[I wish things were different]," George commented while showing a sad smile toward the students.


    "[Make sure not to drink too much once you get back among the humans]," Doku winked before reaching George to hug him.


    "[No recruit would be able to keep up with me anyway]," George scoffed before separating from Doku and falling prey to Azni''s embrace.


    "[Take care of yourself, George]," Azni whispered. "[Don''t cause any mess]."


    "[I''m a responsible soldier]!" George complained, and the couple exploded into a laugh.


    "[I hope to see you again soon]," Asyat uttered after Azni let George go.


    "[I''ll come back to Nitis as soon as possible]," George replied before exchanging a short hug with the girl.


    "[Don''t forget the Niqols'' way]!" Ilman shouted as he ran toward George and squeezed his head between his arms.


    "[Why are you always so intense]?" George cursed but laughs soon accompanied his words.


    "[Nothing can stop my raging feelings]!" Ilman declared before letting George go and patting his shoulders a few times.


    "[I''ll miss you too]," George announced as he took a step back to escape Ilman.


    George performed a polite bow toward the adult Niqols on the scene and began to approach the spaceship, but a dark figure suddenly descended on him and slammed him on the ground. The boy found himself trapped in his Aduns'' pecks and laughs inevitably escaped his mouth.


    "I will miss you too!" George laughed as he hugged the Aduns'' neck and straightened his position. "Make sure to eat a lot and find a good companion. I don''t want to see you without a partner when I''ll return to Nitis."


    The Aduns screeched toward the sky and snuggled its head on George''s chest one last time before setting off and disappearing in the darkness of the sky. The boy could only heave a helpless sigh at that sight, and a single tear fell from his eyes as he turned toward the students.


    "[Take care of Havaa for me]," George requested. "[Don''t let her remain fixated on me]."


    "[She will forget you in no time]," Azni mocked, but the warm smile that appeared on her face and made George nod happily.


    "[Thank you for everything]," George exclaimed after performing a polite bow. "[Please, make sure to convey my gratitude to Professor Supyan if he is still alive]."


    "[You can count on us]," Doku announced, and George finally found the courage to turn and reach the spaceship.


    The students turned toward the waterfall after George disappeared inside the spaceship. Their anxiety increased as they waited for Khan to appear, but something else distracted them and made their eyes move on the sky.


    A screech resounded in the sky as another Aduns flew in the area and landed next to the spaceship. An adult Niqols jumped off her eagle while carrying a human covered in thick chains. The boy had his mouth, hands, and legs bound by those chinking items, but the students didn''t fail to recognize him. It seemed that Rodney had survived the crisis in the safety of his prison.


    The adult Niqols didn''t waste time. She threw Rodney inside the spaceship before jumping back on her Aduns and setting off. The students didn''t have the chance to express their disgust toward the boy since Lieutenant Kintea took care of securing him on a seat on the other side of the vehicle.


    The scene had added a filthy feeling to the tension that enveloped the students, but everything disappeared when they saw a figure leaving the waterfall. Khan marched on the narrow passage, but he was alone.


    Azni covered her mouth, and tears began to form in her eyes when Khan revealed a faint smile toward his friends. The sadness radiated by his expression was impossible to describe by simple words, and the students seemed able to experience it as he drew close.


    "[She couldn''t make it]," Khan quickly explained, but he couldn''t add anything else since Azni jumped on him.


    Doku joined his girlfriend in the embrace, and Khan could only pat their backs as he tried to commit to memory the coldness radiated by their bodies. He almost couldn''t believe that he had grown so close to the two aliens in little more than half a year.


    "[I''ll watch over her and find a way to make you end together]," Azni promised.


    "[Azni, it''s fine]," Khan said in an affectionate tone while patting her head. "[This goodbye is only temporary. I''ll see you all again sooner or later]."


    "[But you were so-]," Azni continued as tears started to fall from her eyes, but Doku covered her mouth to make her stop.


    Azni glared at Doku, but she understood her mistake when she noticed that Khan''s eyes had also started to produce tears. The girl felt incredibly sorry, but Khan shook his head suppressed his sadness to reveal a warm smile.


    "[I want the greatest party of all time once we reunite]," Khan laughed.


    "[You can count on me]," Doku proudly announced. "[The entirety of Nitis will learn to respect the importance of my parties. I''ll become an authority in every celebration]!"


    "[Don''t put strange ideas in his mind]," Azni complained now that Doku had let her mouth go. "[Remember that I''ll have to deal with him in these years]."


    "[I don''t want you to get bored]" Khan winked, and Doku exploded into a laugh in front of Azni''s pout.


    The two Niqols didn''t want to let Khan go, but a screech soon resounded above them. The three wanted to glance at the sky, but a mass of white feathers slammed them on the ground before they could understand what was happening.


    "[Snow]!" Khan scolded before exploding into a happy laugh.


    The Aduns sat on Khan and prevented him from standing up. Snow even screeched proudly to announce its superiority, but Khan could sense through the mental connection that the eagle was trying to keep him on the planet.


    "[We have talked about this]," Khan whispered as he ruffled Snow''s feathers. "[You need to keep an eye on Liiza for me, okay? I must leave, but I can''t do that with an easy mind unless I know that both of you will be fine]."


    Snow screeched again, but sadness seeped in its voice at that time. Khan could only continue to ruffle its feathers until the eagle decided to let him stand up.


    "[You are the best Aduns on the entire planet]," Khan declared while hugging Snow''s neck, and the eagle lowered its head to voice another sad screech.


    Doku and Azni remained silent in front of that scene. They could relate to the sadness in Snow''s voice. Khan had become an important member of their lives, but he would have to leave for many years now.


    Snow eventually left Khan and flew toward the peak of the mountain, disappearing among the dark sky. He could sense that the Aduns was still nearby, and he even understood its reasons. The eagle wanted to wait for Liiza to come out of the palace.


    ''Good boy,'' Khan thought before finding another pair of arms around his neck.


    Asyat hugged Khan tightly, and the latter didn''t hesitate to do the same. The two didn''t say anything, but that gesture was enough to express that they would both miss each other.


    The next salutes ended up being far rougher than the others. Ilman jumped on Khan as soon as Asyat let him go and wrapped his arms around his torso to lift him.


    "[Don''t you dare to forget about me]!" Ilman shouted as he waved Khan left and right. "[What are years compared to our friendship]?!"


    Khan laughed and let Ilman do what he wanted with him. The boy was almost more violent than Snow while he expressed his affection. Khan didn''t even notice that the upper part of his robe had fallen by the time he returned to the ground.


    "[You never change, do you]?" Khan laughed as he covered his shoulders, but a series of stunned gazes filled his vision during the process.


    Doku''s mouth had opened in surprise, Asyat''s eyes had widened, Ilman had fallen silent, and Azni had started to cry even harder than before at the sight of the rune on Khan''s shoulder.


    "[Right]," Khan helplessly sighed as he inspected his tattoo for a few seconds before covering it again.


    "[No, no]," Azni muttered. "[You can''t leave. I''m sure that even the elde-]."


    "[Azni]," Khan interrupted her. "[We have already made up our minds. As I said, this isn''t goodbye. We''ll all meet again. Take care of her and yourselves]."


    "[This is so unfair]!" Azni shouted, but Doku promptly took her in his arms and prevented her from speaking any further.


    "[You should leave before she tries to take down your ride]," Doku suggested as a sad smile appeared on his face.


    "[I''ll see you soon, my friends]," Khan declared before turning, performing a bow toward the adult Niqols, and approaching the spaceship.


    Tears wanted to come out of Khan''s eyes, but he suppressed them. A tinge of hesitation filled his body when he was about to step on the spaceship, but the memories of the previous night eventually gave him enough strength to proceed. He had to leave to learn how to love correctly.


    Every event experienced on Nitis filled his vision as he walked toward the first empty seat that he found, and everything culminated with the memories of the last night. The promise and that goodbye filled with tears darkened his face and made him desire to remain alone. He felt the desperate need to see Liiza, but she had made the right decision. Neither of them would have been able to separate if they could gaze at their partner during those final moments.


    The noise caused by the metal doors of the spaceship made Khan raise his eyes. He noticed Rodney, but his mind didn''t allow him to think about the boy now. His gaze went on the outside world where he saw that all his friends had started to cry. Khan only managed to show one last smile before the vehicle sealed its entrances and set off.


    ****


    Author''s notes: The second volume will end here. It lasted far longer than I expected, but I think it turned out quite well. I know you are split between wanting more battle or more romance, but I can''t satisfy everyone. I can only write what I feel it''s necessary. Anyway, see you tomorrow at the beginning of the third volume!

 Chapter 231: Sir

    The mental connection with Snow grew weaker as the spaceship flew toward the space station. The vehicle accelerated before slowing down and causing a series of clunking noises during its landing. Its doors opened and revealed a bright environment filled with white light tainted only by the azure glow of the tubes that ran on its smooth dark surfaces.


    Earth''s air flowed inside the spaceship and brought relief to the humans'' lungs. The soldiers and recruits'' bodies recognized their home, but that sensation only filled Khan''s mind with sadness. He remained focused on the mental connection with Snow until that portal into the Aduns'' thoughts closed and transformed into nothing more than a faint dot. It still existed, but he could easily overlook it if he didn''t pay attention.


    A series of soldiers stood next to the spaceship and performed military salutes as Lieutenant Kintea and the others stood up. Dark-blue uniforms and white stars flashed in Khan''s vision, but he barely committed them to memory. Orders also resounded, but nothing seemed able to enter his ears. His body moved, but his mind was too sore to study all the inputs that reached it.


    The clanging noise that resounded after Khan jumped off the spaceship forced Khan to accept how final that moment was. He had spent a bit more than seven months on Nitis, but everything was over now. He was back in the human world, and his thoughts hid in a dark corner of his mind to delay that realization.


    Khan followed Lieutenant Kintea and the other soldiers, but he didn''t study his surroundings. His eyes remained firm, but they didn''t look at anything. He was a mere body empty of sensations and emotions that walked through bright and warm corridors before stopping inside a large hall. Multiple desks featuring interactive screens filled Khan''s vision, but his gaze immediately went on the long glass at the end of the area.


    "The interrogations will start soon!" The woman in charge of the team that had picked up the envoys shouted. "We will begin with-."


    The woman stopped speaking when she noticed that Lieutenant Kintea had raised a hand, and the latter promptly explained himself. "There is no need to interrogate the others. I''m more than enough to provide a complete report."


    The woman inspected Lieutenant Kintea. She didn''t know if the soldier wanted to let his underlings off the hook or was simply looking to improve his value, but Khan soon claimed her attention. He had approached the window without caring that all the eyes in the hall had fallen on him.


    "It''s fine," Lieutenant Kintea reassured before the woman could scold Khan. "We went through a lot on Nitis. Let''s deal with the report now."


    The woman''s gaze returned on Lieutenant Kintea, and she eventually nodded before pointing at one of the corridors connected to the hall. She watched the soldier leave, and a simple order escaped from her mouth as she moved to follow him. "Send the others to their rooms for now."


    The soldiers in her team performed a military salute before approaching the envoys. Still, they soon found out that everyone was quite responsive, especially Kelly, Paul, and the two higher-ups. Rodney had remained inside the spaceship, and someone had probably already brought him into a cell, so only George and Khan didn''t move immediately.


    George inspected Khan for a few seconds, but he eventually decided to leave with the soldier. He wanted to be with his friend, but his mind was also a mess. He needed some time alone.


    Khan inspected the world past the long window. He had initially managed to see Nitis clearly, but the dark planet became hard to notice as the space station left its atmosphere.


    His palm went on the window as everything he had loved so hard in the past months grew farther away from him. The glass felt cold, good cold, but it couldn''t suppress the dense sadness that was slowly filling his body.


    "Your room awaits," A tall man said after waiting for a few minutes that Khan noticed his presence.


    Khan ignored the soldier that had approached him from his left. He didn''t care enough about the Global Army to lose those last glimpses of Nitis.


    "You must come with me," The soldier insisted, but Khan continued to turn a deaf ear to his words.


    The space station was fast, too fast for Khan''s tastes. Nitis soon disappeared among the blackness of space, but he continued to search for the planet. He hoped that memorizing that dark spot would allow him to find it again in the future.


    Khan''s blatant disregard for his situation was getting on the soldier''s nerves. The latter reached for the boy''s shoulder, but he suddenly felt unable to move his arm. His eyes widened when he saw that Khan had grabbed his wrist.


    The soldier opened his mouth to complain, but his tongue froze when Khan turned to inspect him. His cold eyes moved slowly and went from the man''s face to his shoulders. The latter had a single star on his right. He was a mere first-level warrior.


    The soldier had treated Khan as a simple seventeen-year-old boy, but that misconception crumbled when he inspected those cold eyes. Khan''s gaze radiated a chilling calmness that sent waves of fear down the man''s spine. The latter could only accept to be in front of a warrior who had far more experience than him.


    "[Does-]," Khan began to speak, but he closed his eyes when he realized that he was using the Niqols'' language. He spent a few seconds in silence before resuming voicing his question. "Does the room have a window?"


    The soldier didn''t know why he wasn''t fighting to escape from Khan''s grip. His very instincts were telling him to go along with that situation. He almost failed to realize that an answer had left his mouth. "No, they don''t."


    "I won''t go there then," Khan stated as he let the soldier go. "Does this space station have a training hall?"


    "Yes, but-," The soldier tried to explain that the Global Army rarely allowed the use of training halls inside the space stations due to their high consumption of synthetic mana, but Khan didn''t let him finish.


    "I''ll go there," Khan announced. "Lead the way."


    Khan began to walk toward the center of the hall, but he soon turned toward the soldier since he didn''t know which corridor would lead to the training hall. The man didn''t know what to do, but the slight soreness that had spread throughout his hand told him that Khan was strong enough to hurt him. That sensation and the cold eyes fixed on him eventually made him decide to go along with that request.


    The two crossed many corridors silently, and the soldier didn''t hold back from glancing at Khan whenever his curiosity had the best of him. That walk felt strange. The man was clearly leading that march, but he sensed that Khan was in charge.


    "We are here," The soldier announced after stopping in front of a grey metal door. "You only need to-."


    "I know how training halls work," Khan interrupted before taking out his phone and placing it next to the door.


    The action didn''t lead to any result. Khan''s phone had died after the weeks spent inside the castles. The envoys had left their chargers somewhere on Nitis, and they didn''t need them under the sunlight, but their devices had inevitably turned off after the constant night returned.


    Khan heaved a helpless sigh in front of the unresponsiveness of his phone. He moved to his right and pointed at the door, but the soldier found himself in a pickle.


    "The hall will use my Credits if I activate it," The soldier explained, hoping that Khan would give up on the matter.


    "The Global Army will pay you back," Khan coldly replied.


    "You can''t know that!" The soldier complained.


    "Then call someone," Khan ordered. "Tell them that Khan wants to use the training hall."


    Under normal circumstances, the soldier would never bother his superiors over a kid, but the firmness in Khan''s words made him pick up his phone. The man sent a message to the woman interrogating Lieutenant Kintea, and her answer left him stunned.


    The soldier raised his eyes to stare at Khan in disbelief, but the latter didn''t appear surprised to see that reaction. Khan radiated pure confidence, and he even made that aura appear normal on him.


    "You are free to use the training hall as long as you want," The soldier uttered before timidly adding another word, "Sir."


    Khan decided not to address that topic and waited calmly for the soldier to touch the door with his phone and press a few options. The entrance slid open, and the man performed a military salute when Khan entered the training hall.


    The door closed behind Khan as soon as he tapped the metal floor a couple of times. Menus quickly appeared under his feet, but he ignored them to place his phone in the corner of the hall.


    The training hall immediately started to charge the device as Khan undressed. He threw the upper part of his robe next to his phone and drew his broken knife before removing the sheathe from his waist. The Niqols had made him leave the cube on Nitis, so he didn''t have anything else. Khan even took off his shoes and remained in his loose trousers before approaching the menus.


    Khan was no stranger to the training programs in those halls, but everything was different now that he had become a first-level warrior. He needed to activate puppets powered by mana to test the level of his martial arts.


    The training hall never stopped Khan. It allowed him to pick all the programs he desired, so he didn''t hesitate to choose something suitable for his level. Clanking noises immediately resounded from behind the walls as azure shades seeped into the white light that illuminated the area.


    The walls on the opposite side of the hall took a few minutes to open. Khan saw a three meters tall black puppet leaving the tubes and wires that kept it connected to the workshop. Azure lines ran across the dummy''s body and revealed the presence of mana in its metal. It felt like a proper first-level warrior when he inspected the sheer amount of energy contained in its body.


    Khan closed his eyes as the puppet charged toward him. It was fast, but it felt slow when he inspected it with his senses. He had enough time to muster his mana and shot forward through a simple movement that made him end behind the dummy.


    The puppet immediately turned, but its quick movement revealed a diagonal cut on its oval face. Its four red eyes went dark as half of its head separated from the rest of its body and fell to the floor.


    "Level four," The training hall announced.


    Descriptions of the enhancements resounded in the hall, but Khan ignored them. He focused on the fact that the program had brought him directly to the fourth level, but that felt almost normal since he was far stronger than an ordinary first-level warrior.


    The training hall retrieved the puppet and took a few minutes to build the next challenge, but its difficulty ended up disappointing Khan. He shook his head when he saw three dummies coming out of the workshops inside the walls.


    ''The program is preserving the synthetic mana,'' Khan concluded in his mind.


    Khan had picked a training program meant for first-level warriors, but the Global Army had set clear limits to the amount of mana that the hall could use. He didn''t know if that was limited to the space stations due to their short stashes of energy, but he soon let go of his disappointment.


    Facing three opponents almost as strong as first-level warriors wasn''t an easy task. Khan''s abilities simply happened to counter those challenges. Still, he decided to ignore those issues and focus on falling inside the unique mental state experienced in the muddy valley.


    The three puppets charged at Khan. They had different sizes, speeds, and structures, but none of them was as fast as him. The first one to approach him found a vertical cut on its face after failing to catch him. The second dummy suddenly flew toward the third dummy as the metal on its side caved in, but precise kicks soon reduced their heads into a mass of wires, gears, and dark shards.


    "Level six," The training hall announced, but Khan didn''t hear that.


    Khan''s mind only paid attention to the mana in his surroundings. He felt able to smell the difference between natural and synthetic energy. Everything seemed so obvious that Khan wondered how he had failed to sense that in the first place.


    The training hall soon created five puppets, and Khan moved as soon as he sensed that the flow of mana in his surroundings changed. He ducked, side-stepped, kicked, and waved his weapon without thinking. He didn''t even care that his knife lost chunks of its broken blade from time to time.


    The training program eventually forced Khan to rely on the [Blood Shield]. He even found himself flying around when he fell in the middle of a trap, but he never suffered severe injuries. A few bruises had appeared on his torso, arms, and mouth when he noticed that the hall wasn''t sending dummies anymore.


    Khan raised his eyes toward the wall and noticed the words "level ten" shining with a green light. He had completed the training program, and the debris around him only confirmed how fierce the battle had been. However, he still felt full of energy, even if some sweat had appeared on his body and a faint soreness had spread inside him.


    ''I guess a training program can''t compare to an actual war,'' Khan thought before browsing the menus to the floor to make some robots clear the hall.


    Khan inspected his knife as he walked back to his phone. His weapon had initially featured a long blade, but only a sharp chunk shorter than four centimeters had remained now. He had mostly performed perfect executions of the Divine Reaper during the battle, but that didn''t seem to be enough for a cracked item. His only consolation was that he had almost reached the competent proficiency level in his second martial art.


    Khan was about to pick his phone, but someone suddenly knocked on the door. He used the menus to open it, and a helpless smile appeared on his face when he saw George crossing the entrance to show a bottle of booze and two glasses.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I''ve thought a lot about my current schedule lately. I can handle publishing so much each day, but that only if I cut away everything else from my life, so I''ve decided to establish Saturday and Sunday as partial breaks. I will publish 1 chapter for Chaos'' Heir and 2 for Demonic Sword those days to fix eventual delays accumulated during the week, rest, or enjoy my life a little. I hope you can understand my position. By the way, today is Saturday for me, so there won''t be a second chapter.

 Chapter 232: Request

    "How did you even find booze up here?" Khan laughed when George walked proudly toward him.


    "You should never underestimate the power of a driven man!" George announced before sitting in front of Khan and filling the two glasses.


    The two instinctively toasted according to the Niqols'' traditions and took a long sip before revealing disgusted expressions. The liquor was different from what they had become used to drinking on Nitis. It had a strong flavor that made their throats burn for a few seconds before spreading warmth in their stomachs.


    "I should have asked Doku for some recipes," George complained.


    "Knowing how to make booze is the last thing you need," Khan mocked, and the two boys exploded into a loud laugh.


    "Hey, I''m heartbroken here," George stated while trying to suppress his laughs. "I need some liquid love to keep going."


    "You should be careful," Khan suggested. "You don''t have anyone stopping you from becoming an alcoholic now."


    "Is it strange that I already miss her slaps?" George asked. "Havaa knew how to hurt without really hurting me. I don''t know if that makes sense."


    Khan''s smile grew helpless as he nodded. He could vaguely understand what he meant, even if his experience with that topic involved Liiza''s violent passion.


    "We have been the luckiest boys in the entire universe for a few months," George sighed as he picked up his cup and drank a small sip.


    "How is it?" Khan asked in front of George''s frown.


    "It does get better after the first sip," George commented, and Khan didn''t hesitate to test that for himself.


    The liquor soon filled his throat with its intense flavor again, but it didn''t burn with the same intensity as before. Khan even managed to start appreciating that taste.


    "Maybe you should stop being a soldier and make your brand," Khan joked.


    "Life would definitely be easier," George groaned while inspecting the robots cleaning the debris in the hall. "It looks like you also need a break from all of this."


    "I was just blowing off some steam," Khan responded. "I think I frightened the soldier who led me here. The guy even called me sir after leaving me."


    "The two of us have more experience than most of the soldiers in this space station," George scoffed. "Our eyes see the world differently, and they can understand that when they look at us."


    "They don''t know how lucky they are," Khan chuckled.


    "They have no idea," George confirmed before refilling both cups.


    A few drinks went by as the two boys cracked jokes, but silence eventually fell among them. It felt hard to keep talking when it was just the two of them.


    "Did you already think about your next move?" George asked after a few silent minutes went by.


    "I have no idea," Khan admitted. "What about you?"


    "On this topic," George cleared his throat. "I know that we have joked about this, but I wouldn''t mind following you. We make a good team. The Global Army will throw promotions at us if we keep performing so well everywhere we go."


    Khan''s eyes opened in surprise, but warmth soon replaced that feeling. He could see that George didn''t want the two of them to separate, especially after everything they had experienced, but his desire felt slightly forced. Khan believed that his friend was partially suggesting that for him.


    "George, have you thought about going back on Earth?" Khan asked with all the affection that he could put in his tone.


    "Why would I go back on Earth?" George questioned. "I can already think about the countless political obligations that my family would force me to attend."


    Khan heaved a deep sigh as he sorted out his thoughts. He knew George well, and he valued his friendship a lot, but he couldn''t let him commit a mistake out of fear of remaining alone.


    "George, why did you leave Earth in the first place?" Khan asked.


    "Why do you even ask?" George questioned in an annoyed tone. "You know damn well why I left."


    "I also know that Professor Supyan has helped you make peace with that reason," Khan continued. "You don''t need to be away from Earth anymore. You can go back home and show to your family and the Global Army the kind of man that you have become."


    "A young drunkard?" George asked.


    "One of the most promising warriors in the entirety of the Global Army," Khan corrected.


    "You should have said that I was the most promising warrior if you really wanted to convince me," George laughed.


    "Impossible," Khan joined his laugh. "That would be me."


    "Success corrupts even the best of us," George sighed, but his laugh ended when he noticed that Khan had started to stare at him with warm eyes.


    "Khan, why do you want to remain alone so badly?" George asked. "You have been there for me when I was a mess. Why can''t I do the same for you?"


    "I can''t consider you a friend and use you at the same time," Khan declared while laying the back of his head on the wall. "Love doesn''t work like this."


    George wanted to correct Khan. He could see that his words involved Liiza and the recent separation, but he still desired to reassure him. Yet, something told him that Khan probably needed to be alone.


    "You are helpless," George cursed. "You are strong enough to inspire an entire generation of recruits, but you don''t let anyone learn from you."


    "No one should be like me," Khan said, and his smile left George speechless.


    Istrone and Nitis had filled George with bad memories, but Khan surpassed him in that field. George also knew something affected his friend in ways that he couldn''t understand. Mere traumas couldn''t forge such a firm, driven, and strong character without other details that he couldn''t see.


    George believed to be quite close to Khan''s mindset. He even felt confident enough to claim that he was one of the few people in the entire universe who could understand him. However, there was a gap that he couldn''t fill. George couldn''t reach the same depths of Khan''s mind that Liiza had managed to touch.


    Nevertheless, George trusted Khan deeply. He knew that his friend wasn''t a reckless idiot who could fall prey to booze or similar dangerous distractions. Moreover, Khan was smart enough to understand what would benefit George the most and drive him on that path.


    "Promise me that you will ask for my help if you ever find yourself in a tough spot," George requested after accepting that he couldn''t do anything else for Khan.


    "Of course," Khan promised. "You are at the top of my list right now."


    George didn''t find any lies in that statement, and the event rejoiced him. His worry slowly vanished as he refilled the cups and called for another toast.


    The two boys resumed their rounds of jokes, but someone interrupted them by knocking at the hall''s doors. George initially panicked due to the liquor, but Khan didn''t care about that enough to delay the opening of the entrance.


    George widened his eyes when he saw Lieutenant Kintea entering the training hall with a small backpack on his shoulder, but Khan''s calm movements calmed him down. Khan stood up and performed a simple military salute before sitting back to the floor, and George imitated him.


    Lieutenant Kintea inevitably gazed at the bottle and cups between the two boys, but he pretended not to see them. He cleared his throat and stepped deeper into the training hall before speaking in a polite tone. "George, can you leave us? I need to speak with Khan."


    George nodded before standing up again. Yet, he recalled something when he was about to reach the exit, and Lieutenant Kintea had to watch as the boy went back to Khan, filled his drink, and took the bottle with him without forgetting about his cup.


    Lieutenant Kintea''s patience seemed about to reach its limits during that slow scene, but he didn''t say anything. Khan sealed the door after George left, and the soldier took that as the signal to explain the reason behind his visit.


    "The Global Army is aware of everything that has happened on Nitis," Lieutenant Kintea explained. "I hope you don''t mind that I mentioned your relationship with Ambassador Yeza''s daughter."


    "It''s fine, sir," Khan calmly replied as he picked his cup and laid his back on the wall.


    "Excellent," Lieutenant Kintea exclaimed. "I believe you can understand how valuable you have become for the Global Army. Your feats on Istrone and Nitis can grant you access to every destination you desire. I''m sure you can even strive to become a Lieutenant this year. You would only have to apply for the position."


    "I''m still unclear about my future, sir," Khan honestly admitted.


    "I would like to give you more time," Lieutenant Kintea exclaimed, "But we can''t remain on this space station for too long. Besides, your second year has already begun, and you are quite behind in many aspects of your education. That obviously wouldn''t be a problem if you were busy elsewhere, but I need you to tell me what you want to do first."


    "Do you mean now, sir?" Khan asked.


    "I can give you a few hours," Lieutenant Kintea responded. "Why don''t you check your phone to find a suitable position? I''m sure that the Global Army has already updated your profile."


    Khan nodded, and Lieutenant Kintea revealed a polite smile before leaving his backpack on the floor and approaching the exit. The phone fell in Khan''s hand after the door closed behind the soldier, and a series of notifications appeared as soon as he turned the device on.


    Nitis was a classified area, so the messages from outside the planet had to go through a briefing. Khan had even left the human camp after a single month, so he didn''t gain access to the Global Army''s network for a long time.


    However, those restrictions didn''t apply anymore now that Khan was on the space station. He could see that Luke and Bruce had sent a few messages while he was on Nitis. Most of them tried to check on his situation, while others updated him about Martha''s condition.


    ''She is still in a coma,'' Khan understood after reading all the messages.


    After loving Liiza so hard, Khan could only see Martha as a dear friend. He missed their casual conversations and her constant support. Her gentle and mature words would be able to alleviate his sadness, but it seemed that her body and mind still needed time to heal.


    Khan didn''t reply to Luke and Bruce as he checked his profile. A long list of tasks and positions meant for first-level warriors unfolded in his eyes. Most of them wanted him to become a foot soldier in different environments, and those jobs even had a number of Credits written next to them, but Khan couldn''t understand whether those sums were good or bad due to his ignorance in the field.


    Only a couple of labels involved roles as an apprentice ambassador, but they were on special academies on Earth. They even required Khan to have high grades to pay for his enrollment.


    After reading those labels, Khan felt forced to consider Earth as an option, but everything inside him opposed those thoughts. Going back there meant returning to a world where everything he had experienced on Nitis didn''t matter. Moreover, he still lacked the knowledge, confidence, and power to face his father.


    The crisis on Nitis had broadened Khan''s understanding of mana, forcing him to realize how weak he was. Khan was exceptional for his age, but he was still powerless. He couldn''t save anyone nor affect the scales of a battle, and that felt unacceptable right now.


    The injuries caused by the monster''s feathers had long since healed, but Khan still recalled how his best efforts had been pointless. Liiza had lost an arm even if he had jumped in front of an attack for her. The value of his life couldn''t be high if he could only achieve so little by putting it on the line.


    The desire to improve transformed into a faint need. Khan would have been able to discuss Liiza''s situation with the elders if he were stronger. He wouldn''t have witnessed so many deaths during the crisis if he had the power to take over entire battles on his own.


    Khan then recalled the backpack left by the soldier. He approached it quickly, and a dark-blue military uniform unfolded in his vision when he opened it. The clothes seemed to fit him, but his eyes grew resolute when he saw the single star on the right shoulder. The secrets behind his nightmares, the solar system, and the Nak also required far more than that, and simple academies couldn''t make him stronger.


    .


    .


    .


    After two hours, Lieutenant Kintea returned inside the training hall and felt surprised to find Khan deep into a meditative state. Still, his arrival in the area awakened him.


    "Did you make up your mind?" Lieutenant Kintea asked when Khan opened his eyes.


    "I did," Khan said while picking his phone and throwing it on the military uniform next to him. "I won''t join any platoon or academy."


    "Why is that?" Lieutenant Kintea questioned. "Those environments are perfect for your growth, especially after everything you have experienced."


    Khan shook his head as the resolve in his eyes intensified. He had given his everything, but he had still seen his happiness slip through his fingers. He wanted to get stronger quickly, and only one place could grant him that.


    "Send me to the battlefield," Khan firmly requested.

 Chapter 233: Ecoruta

    The Global Army wasn''t at war, at least politically. Humankind had many interests across the universe, but it didn''t have a proper enemy since the Nak already occupied that spot.


    Still, battlefields existed on different planets. Most of them were environments devoid of other intelligent species but with Tainted animals and monsters that the Global Army had to suppress to continue harnessing eventual resources. However, others involved complicated interests and aliens that the humans wanted to help to obtain benefits.


    Ecoruta was one of those environments. The planet featured two intelligent species constantly at war, and the humans had decided to side with one of them to get a share of the natural resources. Apparently, that world was like Onia since it contained one of the core metals used in the creation of vehicles meant for space.


    Khan had learnt something about Ecoruta after the solar wind when he discussed the event in the human camp. Still, Lieutenant Kintea granted him access to classified information that expanded his knowledge about the planet as soon as he decided to send him there.


    Ecoruta was similar to Earth in terms of length of the days and temperature, but its fauna and flora were obviously different. Also, the two intelligent species that lived there were rather unique and opposite between them.


    The Global Army had sided with the Guko, an extremely intelligent alien species that lacked the physical prowess to defend themselves against their opponents. They were short. Most of them didn''t even cross one meter. Two antennae grew from their oval heads, and their skin was green. They all had three big eyes lined up in the upper part of their faces, large mouths, and two cavities where humans typically had noses.


    The Guko''s incredible intelligence made them pragmatic, a feature that the Global Army had used to establish a cooperation between their two species. Those aliens knew that they didn''t have any chance against their opponents, so they didn''t hesitate to ally with the humans in exchange for part of the precious metal of their planet.


    The opponents called themselves Stal. They were a driven alien species with physical prowess that went beyond both Ef''I and Kred. The reason behind that incredible power came from their peculiar anatomy since they basically hosted two people in the same body.


    Almost all the Stal were three meters tall. Their facial features were very human-like, but they had two heads and rough brown skin that resembled dry ground. Moreover, they had four thick arms that they could control freely. Their only issue came from their two brains since they carried two different personalities that affected their overall thinking capabilities.


    The Guko and the Stal had shared Ecoruta in peace for a long time. The Stal actually used to protect the Guko from the dangers in the environment. The planet''s fauna was between Earth and Nitis when it came to the number of Tainted animals and monsters. Those beasts weren''t everywhere, but they existed and made certain areas dangerous.


    However, the arrival of the Nak had changed that situation. Ecoruta had experienced something similar to the First Impact a few centuries ago, and the event had transformed its society deeply.


    The Stal had always been in charge, and their poor intelligence had never allowed the society to experience industrial breakthroughs. Still, they had found themselves full of Nak''s technology after surviving the invasion, which had allowed the Guko''s intelligence to shine.


    The two species had inevitably grown apart after that point. The Stal couldn''t understand much about the Nak''s technology, but the Guko had never stopped studying it. Their intelligence had also given them the chance to develop weapons capable of compensating for their weaker bodies.


    The two species didn''t remember exactly how their actual division happened. They had started living in different areas and developing new habits. The Guko couldn''t accept to return to their state of a protected kind, so a clash eventually happened, and the wars spread throughout the planet.


    Initially, the Guko suffered incredible losses. They had the wits and the right tools, but the Stal had accumulated battle experience since forever. They knew how to handle a war, and their lower intelligence didn''t prevent them from learning how to use their opponents'' weapons.


    Still, the Guko learnt quickly, and they soon managed to stop the Stal''s offensive. Then, when the humans found Ecoruta, the Guko didn''t hesitate to seal a deal with them to gain the upper hand in the war and occupy half of the planet.


    ''The Global Army has experienced a few technological leaps in only fifty years of cooperation with the Guko,'' Khan read on his phone from the report that Lieutenant Kintea had sent him. ''Many alien species wish to take our place, but we have kept them at bay by sharing part of our gains with them and showing the Guko that only we can provide the best support.''


    Khan turned off the screen of his phone and put it in his pocket. He had memorized everything there was to learn from the report, and the situation was even quite clear in his mind.


    Ecoruta didn''t need the Nak to obtain mana, but the Stal had never been able to use it properly. They had developed simple martial arts and techniques that enhanced their physical prowess, but their poor intelligence had always been a limit that they couldn''t overcome.


    The Guko had the chance to develop wonders after the Nak''s invasion, but their bodies were too weak to handle martial arts and spells correctly. Their pragmatic mindset had made them focus solely on the technological field, and the humans wanted to reap those fruits.


    The Stal couldn''t produce the Guko''s weapons on their own, but they had stolen many of them during the initial stages of the war, and they kept doing that after every victory. Those tools were their only chance to fend off their technologically superior opponents, so the Global Army''s role was to prevent those thefts and help in specific battlefields.


    Khan tried to adjust his clothes, but nothing he did made them feel right. He had donned the military uniform, but it felt too tight after getting used to the comfortable Niqols'' robes. Still, he gave up on the matter as he left the training hall and followed a simple map of the space station that Lieutenant Kintea had provided to give him more freedom on the vehicle.


    The dirty robe and the empty glass were still on the floor, and Khan ended up staring at them for a few minutes. Those white clothes felt like his last connection to Nitis, but he couldn''t carry them with him. He didn''t even have a home where to leave them. Khan could only sigh and close his eyes as he turned to leave the training hall without bothering to remove those items.


    The space station appeared almost empty when all the soldiers inside it were busy with different tasks. Khan didn''t even need to reach specific locations, so he could roam freely and avoid the areas that could feature people.


    Khan ended up in the hall with the long window. The area was empty now that the interrogation had ended, so he could spend some time losing himself in the blackness of space. He would depart in less than twenty-four hours, so he couldn''t do much while everyone else prepared themselves for their next missions.


    Sadness spread inside Khan when he realized that he couldn''t find anything that hinted at Nitis'' presence. The space station had already gone too far away from the planet. He wasn''t even sure the vehicle was still in the same solar system.


    The emptiness of space appeased Khan''s mental state for a while, but he eventually grew bored of that spectacle. He didn''t want to remain alone with his thoughts, and he had already decided to complete his training session later, so he didn''t know how to occupy that time now.


    An idea eventually appeared in his mind and made him pick up his phone. The network had tests on specific subjects, and their results would end up on his profile, so he quickly found something connected to the Niqols'' language.


    Khan sat on the floor as he read and answered the various questions that the device showed to him. The test turned out to involve more than the simple Niqols'' language. It questioned Khan about their society and Nitis as a whole, using what the humans had learnt over seventy years of cooperation as the subject.


    A wave of disappointment filled Khan''s mind when he saw a "B" filling the screen. That wasn''t a bad score, but he wanted to ace the test. However, after he inspected his wrong answers, he noticed how many aspects of the Niqols society still escaped his knowledge.


    That wasn''t his fault. The test had tried to question Khan about matters that only his superiors could know. He didn''t know much about the information shared by the Global Army or the actual martial arts passed to the aliens. Still, his knowledge of the language and some traditions had allowed him to obtain a positive score anyway.


    Khan knew that the list connected to his profile had changed now. He would probably find new roles as an apprentice ambassador if he checked, but he didn''t bother to look. The "B" only proved that he needed more experience, and the Ecoruta was the perfect place where to gain it.


    The seconds felt endless now that Khan had run out of things to do, so he gave up on his initial plan and went straight for his room. The map allowed him to find it in no time, and he didn''t hesitate to dive into his training after sealing its entrance.


    Khan performed every exercise he knew, giving more importance to the Niqols'' teachings since they progressed better than his spells. He repeated the training until he felt tired enough to sleep.


    The nightmare barely affected Khan''s sleep. His mind was elsewhere, even during his sleep. He didn''t feel anything when the Nak approached him to imprint the image of the solar system in his mind.


    An alarm eventually rang in his room and forced him to wake up. Khan noticed on his phone that Lieutenant Kintea had summoned everyone on the hall that contained the teleport, and he didn''t hesitate to walk there. Familiar faces unfolded in his vision when he entered the circular area with the priceless device, and he immediately felt that a series of eyes fell on his right shoulder.


    "Stop staring!" Lieutenant Kintea shouted. "Let''s end this quickly. The space station needs to save synthetic mana, so we will have to teleport twice to reach our destinations. Khan, you go first."


    Khan snapped back to reality, but he eventually nodded and stepped forward to approach the teleport. Of course, his departure ended up taking more time than Lieutenant Kintea desired.


    "I hope life grants you the happiness you deserve," Kelly announced while stretching her arm forward, and Khan smiled before shaking her hand.


    "Don''t claim the spotlight too soon," Paul scoffed when Khan shook his hand.


    "I thought I didn''t have to hold back," Khan joked as a faint smile appeared on his face.


    "I''m not saying this for you," Paul announced. "I pity the poor soldiers that will have to compare themselves to you. Show some mercy, and let them believe to be strong for a few days."


    "I''ll do my best," Khan promised.


    "That''s exactly what I''m worried about," Paul snorted, but his expression grew warmer when their hands separated. "Don''t die."


    Khan nodded before falling in George''s embrace. The boy squeezed him hard for so long that Lieutenant Kintea had to clear his throat to remind him about the situation.


    "Remember that you have a brother on Earth," George stated.


    "It would be impossible to forget," Khan smiled before patting George''s shoulders. "I''ll make sure to visit you once I get back. Don''t drink yourself to death until then."


    "It won''t have the same taste on my own," George sighed. "I think I''ll take some time to clear my mind before going back to girls. They are harmless, mostly."


    "You really are incredible," Khan laughed, but Lieutenant Kintea cleared his throat, so the two boys hugged each other again before ending their salutations.


    Khan stepped on the teleport, and synthetic mana soon filled the area above the oval platform. George smiled at him, and he couldn''t help but show the same confident expression, but his vision soon went dark before regaining focus on a different circular hall filled with unknown soldiers.


    "The new soldier has arrived," A voice resounded from under Khan.


    Khan lowered his eyes and noticed that a short green alien was standing right outside the oval platform. Its antennae waved left and right as its three eyes inspected a screen placed next to the teleport.


    "Khan," The Guko said while reading the writings on the screen, "Seventeen years old; Mana core quality: Organic A-tier; Element: Chaos; Attunement: fifty-one percent; Mana capacity: Impossible to estimate due to the mutations experienced during the Second Impact."


    The different description of his mana capacity distracted him from his first meeting with that alien species, but a problem soon became evident. Khan noticed that all the soldiers in the circular hall had started to look at him with strange eyes. They couldn''t ignore that someone with an Organic A-tier mana core was about to join a battlefield.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Yesterday has been a mess followed by 12 hours of sleep. I''m on the chapters now. I''ll do my best to recover the missing ones too.

 Chapter 234: Trench

    The Guko continued to speak. "Martial arts: Lightning-demon style and Divine Reaper; Proficiency level with the said martial arts: Co-."


    "Stop right there," Khan interrupted the alien.


    Three eyes rose to inspect Khan, but they quickly returned to the screen as the alien resumed its description. "Lightning-demon style: Competent proficiency level; Divine Reaper: Nov-."


    "I said stop it!" Khan shouted. "You have no right to reveal private information."


    The Guko looked at Khan again. Its eyes carried no emotions, but they weren''t cold. The alien simply found no difference between inspecting a screen or Khan.


    "Everything listed here is already part of the Global Army''s network," The Guko explained in its perfect human accent. "My team can gain access to private information about every new asset that reaches Ecoruta to choose a suitable role. I believe you want us to evaluate your power correctly before sending you to the surface."


    Khan wanted to complain, but the situation seemed hopeless. The training halls and the scanners could record every result, so it wasn''t a surprise that the Global Army was aware of most of his abilities. Still, it didn''t feel good to get exposed so easily, especially when some of the soldiers in the room had shown a clear interest in his mana core.


    ''Don''t tell me that they will try something nasty while I''m down there,'' Khan thought as the Guko resumed reading the data on the screen.


    The short alien and the familiar air in the room had revealed how Khan had yet to reach Ecoruta, but he dismissed that information to point his cold eyes on the soldiers. The white medical coats hid the shoulders of their uniforms, but he didn''t need to see them to understand their level. Khan could sense that the room featured only a couple of humans stronger than him.


    "The briefing is complete," The Guko announced after revealing Khan''s score on the test about the Niqols. "You will join the thirty-seventh battalion. Lieutenant Amos Pouille will be the leader of your platoon. Do you have something to ask before reaching the surface?"


    Khan moved his eyes on the Guko while drawing his cracked knife from his sheath and voicing a simple request. "I need a new first-grade weapon."


    "You will visit the armory on the way to the spaceship," The Guko promptly replied. "You can step off the teleport now. Follow Eunice to the hangar."


    Khan nodded and stepped off the teleport while inspecting his surroundings. The Guko had already lost interest in him and had reached a shorter console near the wall. The other soldiers in the room had also turned to look at their screens.


    A corridor expanded from the hall, so Khan guessed that he had to cross it. He sensed the soldiers peeking at him when he walked past them, but he couldn''t do much about that behavior.


    A young woman with short curly brown hair, dark skin, and clear eyes became visible once the bright corridor expanded into a rectangular hall. She had a larger version of a phone in her hands, one star on each shoulder, and Khan could read the name "Eunice" written on the tag appointed on the left side of her chest.


    "Khan, correct?" Eunice asked when she saw Khan leaving the corridor. "My superiors have warned me about your sudden arrival. I must say that you are more good-looking than I expected."


    "How could you expect that?" Khan frowned.


    "Oh, you might not know about this," Eunice exclaimed. "Nitis'' reports went public right before they informed us about your arrival. We have naturally looked you up on the network afterward."


    "What do you mean by us?" Khan asked after heaving a helpless sigh.


    "The soldiers on this space station," Eunice revealed before placing a finger on the corner of her mouth. "We have forwarded what we learnt to the soldiers on the surface. I might say that everyone is eager to meet you."


    ''How much did Lieutenant Kintea even reveal?'' Khan cursed in his mind before voicing a question that worried him a little. "Why did you expect me to be good-looking?"


    "Well," Eunice announced in a timid voice as her eyes went on the screen to avoid Khan''s stern gaze. "Only a good-looking man would have been able to make a Niqols'' princess fall for him."


    ''I fucking knew it!'' Khan shouted in his mind before dismissing that statement. "She wasn''t a princess. The Niqols don''t have that type of society."


    "I see," Eunice nodded while showing an awkward smile. "I guess we only read the parts that involved you, and you know how it works with rumors. People tend to hear what they like instead of the truth."


    "No, I don''t know how they work," Khan stated in an annoyed tone. "Can we go now?"


    "Of course!" Eunice exclaimed in front of Khan''s evident irritation.


    The woman turned and led Khan across the space station. The two crossed a series of empty corridors until they arrived before a door that Eunice unlocked with her device.


    A small square room that featured a single console unfolded in Khan''s vision when the door slid open. Eunice turned to give him some privacy, and he slowly stepped inside the area.


    Only a few steps divided Khan from the console. Its screen showed a series of instructions that told him how to handle the device and gain access to the actual armory.


    It turned out that Khan couldn''t see the weapons with his own eyes before picking one of them. He had to use the console to choose something fitting to the level of clearance that his phone carried.


    Khan didn''t know how much his phone would allow him to do, but he nodded after placing it in a small hole next to the screen. His device unlocked most of the first-grade weapons listed on the console, and their price even disappeared.


    Khan followed the console''s instructions to filter through the list and find knives or short blades that suited the Divine Reaper. It turned out that the armory had many of them available for his clearance level, and detailed descriptions accompanied each label. He could read information about the materials and methods used to produce those weapons together with their features.


    The Divine Reaper''s training program had given Khan a detailed description of the knife that suited the martial art, so he didn''t take long to choose one of them from the list. All the labels went dark at that point, and the console even allowed him to retrieve his phone as clanging noises resounded from behind it.


    A spot under the screen soon slid open and revealed the weapon that Khan had requested. It was a simple-looking knife with a slightly soft brown handle and a long, pointy black blade that featured two sharp edges. An azure line ran across both faces of its thick body and connected its tip to the small guard.


    Khan wielded the new knife and waved it a few times. His new weapon was heavier than the last, but that didn''t affect his movements. Covering it with mana also didn''t cause any problem. He felt able to fight with it right away.


    ''Do you wish to recycle your old weapon?'' Khan read on the console before drawing his cracked knife and placing it in the drawer under the screen.


    The console closed, and a spinning wheel appeared on its screen, but the words "No value" soon replaced it.


    ''I guess I won''t get my hands on Credits anytime soon,'' Khan thought before storing the new knife in the sheath and leaving the armory.


    "Lieutenant Pouille''s platoon is currently fighting," Eunice revealed as she resumed leading Khan across the space station. "We''ll try to drop you near the trench, but it will be up to the pilot to decide how close the spaceship can get to the battle."


    "Understood," Khan firmly replied, and the lack of fear in his expression captured Eunice''s interest.


    "You know," Eunice said while turning toward Khan. "It''s rare for soldiers to end up here in the middle of the academic semester. Did you offend someone by dating the Niqols'' princess?"


    Khan''s irritation only grew as Eunice kept mentioning Liiza. Nitis'' events were still too close to his mind for him to talk about it with a stranger.


    "Why would you think that I offended someone?" Khan asked.


    "Someone with your profile would never choose a battlefield on purpose," Eunice explained, "Especially this one."


    "Is the situation on the surface that bad?" Khan questioned.


    "It''s quite messy," Eunice sighed. "The Guko have lost too much during the initial phases of the war, and the Stal aren''t dumb when it comes to battles. They never show themselves unless they know how to counter air support. They basically force us to fight on their terms."


    Khan limited himself to nod. He didn''t only dodge the annoying question. He had even learnt something more about the Stal. It seemed that simple reports couldn''t describe all the features of an entire species.


    "So, about the Niqols'' princess," Eunice reminded as curiosity filled her face.


    "I''d rather focus on the mission," Khan interrupted with his cold voice. "You are about to send me in the middle of a battle, right?"


    Eunice could only fall silent after that statement. She even hurried across the corridors to reach a large hall containing multiple spaceships, and she promptly pointed at the smallest vehicle in the area.


    The vehicle seemed barely able to contain three people. It had a pointy front covered by a glass that revealed the presence of two seats, but its back was large and featured two circular engines.


    A soldier was enjoying a cigarette while leaning on the glass. The helmet and dark visor prevented Khan from inspecting his facial features, but he could notice the absence of a beard, and his senses revealed that he was a first-level warrior. Khan could also check his left shoulder from his position, which showed that he was a first-level mage too.


    "Jakob, you know that you can''t smoke here," Eunice scolded.


    "Do you have any idea of how good the filtration system of this space station is?" Jakob groaned as he straightened his position. "So, he is the guy from Nitis. Did you find out what he did wrong to end up here?"


    "We don''t have time for this," Eunice scoffed while shooting worried glances toward Khan. "Lieutenant Pouille''s platoon is in the middle of a battle. He might need Khan''s help."


    "How can a single soldier even change the situation in the trenches?" Jakob asked. "He will only waste more synthetic mana."


    "Our superiors still have ordered to send him to the surface immediately," Eunice complained.


    "Don''t worry," Jakob said while patting the spaceship behind him. "This beauty can reach the thirty-seventh battalion in no time."


    "Don''t take detours when you come back," Eunice ordered. "You have already wasted your monthly share of fuel. I can''t hide your trips anymore."


    "Nothing turns a woman on more than a nice trip in space," Jakob laughed as he pressed a button on the spaceship that unlocked its glass.


    "Please, forgive him," Eunice shook her head in shame. "He is an incredible pilot, but his priorities aren''t exactly virtuous."


    "She is just mad that I''ve never used that fuel for her," Jakob laughed as he threw his cigarette away and lifted the glass to jump on the left seat. "Nitis guy, come here. We don''t want to keep you from the mess."


    "I swear that I''ll report you one of these days!" Eunice shouted while Khan left her side and hurried toward the spaceship.


    "Jump in," Jakob ordered.


    Khan walked around the spaceship before jumping directly toward the seat. Jakob pointed at some belts after he sat down, and the two quickly fastened them.


    The glass descended on them after Jakob pressed a series of buttons. Some holograms came out of the various lights that appeared after the pilot turned on the spaceship. The vehicle even began to tremble as the engines started to accumulate power.


    The spaceship slowly left the floor and started to approach one of the walls of the hangars as Jakob moved the rectangular steering wheel. Khan wanted to memorize the pilot''s actions, but a side of the hall suddenly opened and captured his attention.


    A blue planet appeared in Khan''s vision. He had seen Ecoruta from the pictures in Lieutenant Kintea''s report, but no image could depict the beauty of that scene.


    "The acceleration can be tough to handle," Jakob warned as the spaceship slowly left the hangar. "You should lay your head on your seat."


    Khan followed those orders before a sudden force fell on his body and pressed him on the seat. The spaceship had accelerated as soon as it left the hangar, and he barely had the time to inspect the blackness of space before the planet filled his vision.


    "This feeling is the best, am I right?" Jakob laughed as he led the spaceship inside Ecoruta''s atmosphere and dived toward a brown patch of ground that Khan couldn''t study from that distance.


    "I only have time for a question, so I''ll get right to the point," Jakob uttered. "How does it feel to do it with a Niqols? I mean, aren''t they cold?"


    Khan directly ignored that question as he peeked at the environment past the glass. Details appeared on the surface as the spaceship continued its descent. He soon became able to see a vast plain occupied by a series of unclear figures that stood on opposite sides of the area.


    Azure lights flashed in the empty area that divided the two platoons. They resembled spells, but Khan couldn''t believe that both sides could launch the same types of attacks.


    The lights turned out to belong to weapons. Khan soon became able to notice long rifles that fired masses of energy in the hands of the soldiers taking cover behind a long, short wall. He could finally understand what Jakob meant when he mentioned the trenches. It seemed that both sides were using barriers and long holes to protect themselves from the incoming bullets.


    "They will take me down if I slow down," Jakob announced as the spaceship got dangerously close to the surface. "You can look forward to a rough landing. I''d start holding on to your seat if I were you."


    Khan didn''t hesitate to follow those orders. He adjusted his position before grabbing the sides of his seat. Jakob nodded while moving the entirety of his focus on the scene ahead. The spaceship seemed on the verge of crashing on the surface, but he abruptly pulled the steering wheel and made the vehicle''s tip turn upward.


    The scenery seen from the glass rotated, but Khan suddenly lost his foothold. He lowered his eyes in time to notice that he had started to fall at high speed toward the surface. The lower part of the spaceship had opened to release his seat and send him on the battlefield.


    Only thirty meters separated Khan from the ground, but his speed was too great. Jakob had made use of the spaceship''s momentum to fling him toward the surface. Khan feared that the landing could kill him, but a series of pillows quickly grew from under his seat.


    Khan didn''t feel anything when his seat hit the ground. He expected a violent impact, but the pillows had managed to absorb all the force generated by the incredible speed. They even prevented the opening of cracks on the surface.


    Khan didn''t have the time to feel amazed about the event since a series of azure bullets began to fly above his head. They were close enough to worry him, but none of them seemed able to hit him while he remained on the seat.


    Everything became clear in his mind at that point. Jakob had to make him perform that abrupt landing to dodge the bullets that filled the battlefield. Moreover, the barriers next to the trench prevented him from ending up in the trajectory of those projectiles made of energy while he continued to sit.


    Khan quickly unfastened his belt and half-bent forward as he moved toward the trench. Whooshing noises and orders spoken in the human language reached his ears as he got closer to his platoon. His senses alerted him whenever a bullet flew above his head, and they also allowed him to find the strongest soldier in the group ahead.


    The items used to build the barrier were quite unique. They had appeared as a black metallic layer capable of enduring the bullets crashing on their surface when Khan inspected them from the sky. However, they were transparent now that he looked at them. The soldiers had also dug a series of steps on specific spots of the trench to peek past the defenses and fire their weapons from relatively safe areas.


    "Lieutenant Pouille!" Khan shouted as he jumped inside the trench to appear before a soldier with two stars on each shoulder. "I''m Kha-."


    "I know who you are!" A tall man with short black hair, unkempt beard, dark eyes, and dirt on his face shouted while glaring at Khan. "Those bastards have gone through all this trouble just to send a single soldier to my battlefield. Don''t bother wasting time with the introductions. Grab a rifle from one of the corpses lying around and start shooting!"


    Lieutenant Pouille seemed to forget about Khan after those orders. He turned to inspect the area past the barrier before glaring at some soldiers to his right. Then, his rough voice resounded inside the trench again. "I can see that you aren''t shooting! Drop those cigarettes and fire at some aliens before I throw you over the barrier with my own hands!"


    Khan watched Lieutenant Pouille marching toward those underlings for a few seconds before inspecting the trench. Almost everyone was on the steps dug in the ground to fire at the opposing army. The bottom of that long channel only had corpses or injured soldiers. Spots full of mud created by sweat and blood filled the area, and a few rifles eventually appeared in his vision.


    Khan stepped forward and jumped over a corpse to land in front of a rifle. It was heavy, but he was strong enough to feel comfortable with that weight. Still, he had no idea how to use it, so his eyes quickly went on the soldiers around him.


    Part of the trench in a distant spot in front of Khan suddenly blew up and interrupted his inspection. Something had managed to pierce the barrier and destroy part of the channel, engulfing a series of soldiers in the explosion.


    A series of painful cries reached his ears before a shout conveyed clear words that the soldiers echoed throughout the trench. "They have a tank!"

 Chapter 235: Tank

    Khan knew that word. He had seen tanks passing through the Slums from time to time, but he found an unfamiliar vehicle when he jumped on the steps next to him and inspected the battlefield from behind the transparent barrier.


    Khan couldn''t see much from that position. The opposite barrier was nothing more than a black line that hid the enemy trench, but that only made the tank easy to find. The vehicle had a spider-like structure, with four huge legs that featured spiky wheels halfway through their bodies. A simple cubical cabin stood on those thick limbs, and a long fuming barrel came out of it.


    The tank had crossed the barrier with two legs to make better use of its height. That exposed it to the enemy fire, but Khan noticed how the bullets that fell on its surfaces didn''t leave any mark. The mana spread over the black metal and dispersed most of its power before it actually hit the vehicle.


    ''Does it repel mana?'' Khan wondered before dismissing that thought.


    The enemy trench was one hundred meters from his position, so his senses could be slightly unreliable, but the tank contained enough mana to make his inspection accurate. Khan could immediately notice that the mana didn''t occupy the actual materials that made the vehicle. Most of it was somewhere inside the cabin.


    Khan felt his mind slipping into the mindset experienced in the muddy valley. Mana was everywhere on the battlefield. It had different forms, but he could still sense it clearly. He could even recognize the iconic taste of its synthetic version since the magazines of the rifles and tank relied on it.


    The bullets were fast, but they couldn''t escape his senses. Khan could listen to the song played by the mana, and his mind inevitably immersed itself inside it.


    The tank turned its barrel toward a different spot of the opposite trench before amassing power. Then, it released a giant bullet that blew up part of the barrier and filled the channel with painful cries.


    Khan turned to his left to inspect the aftermath of the explosion. The bullet had fallen closer to his position at that time, causing a wave of dust and dirt to engulf the area. Still, he remained able to sense the many projectiles that flew from both sides of the battlefield.


    Injured soldiers ran outside the cloud to reach protected areas of the trench. They supported each other during that messy march, but Khan noticed how some of them were already dead. Those troops simply didn''t realize that until they lay their companions on the ground.


    The scene was gory and merciless. Missing limbs, maimed bodies, large injuries, and blood filled Khan''s vision, but he barely felt anything. He almost couldn''t believe how used he had become to those images.


    Moreover, the situation there was different from Nitis. Khan didn''t know any of those soldiers, and the Global Army had decided to join the war between Guko and Stal to pursue personal benefits. In his mind, those deaths were partially their fault.


    Khan''s eyes flickered when he sensed a bullet flying in a straight line toward the soldier behind him. The latter was peeking past the barrier to fire at the tank, but the incoming projectile would hit him if Khan let things stay as they were.


    Khan didn''t think. He jumped toward the steps to his right and grabbed the soldier''s military uniform to pull him down while he landed on the trench. The young man tried to complain after falling with his back on the ground, but the bullet that crossed his previous position made those words freeze in his mouth. He knew that the projectile would have blown his head if Khan didn''t intervene.


    "Thank you," The young man muttered, but Khan had already started to ignore him to glance at the battlefield past the barrier.


    "Is the tank immune to bullets or something?" Khan asked while moving his eyes on the magazine of the rifle in his right hand. "Is it mana resistant?"


    "What?" The soldier said in a confused tone before sorting his thoughts to explain the issue. "The rifles can''t do much against the tank because their bullets aren''t dense. The idea is to have larger magazines without losing deadliness."


    "Spells should still be effective, right?" Khan questioned.


    "It depends on the spell," The soldier replied, "But it''s hard to find something that can retain its density after flying for so long. No one in this platoon can do it."


    ''The Divine Reaper should be able to cut through it then,'' Khan thought, but a rough voice suddenly resounded inside the trench and forced him to move his focus elsewhere.


    "What are you two even doing?!" Lieutenant Pouille shouted while walking toward Khan and the young man. "Jump back on the barrier and shoot down that tank!"


    The young soldier quickly stood up and performed a military salute before contesting the order. "Sir, our rifles can''t do anything against that tank, sir. We need air support, sir."


    "There won''t be any air support," The Lieutenant snorted. "We must hold our position with what we have, so get back on those steps and start firing!"


    The young man wanted to say something, but an explosion resounded behind him and dispersed his thoughts. When the soldier turned, he noticed that Khan was already inspecting the area. The tank had fired, and another part of the trench had transformed into a cloud of dust that hid corpses.


    The third bullet was even closer than the other two. If that trend continued, it would only take two more projectiles to reach their position. It seemed that the tank had every intention to destroy the trench methodically.


    "We can''t continue like this, sir," The young soldier complained after turning toward the Lieutenant. "We can only retreat without air support."


    "Negative," Lieutenant Pouille declared. "Our orders are to hold this position, and that''s exactly what we''ll do. Don''t make me repeat myself."


    Khan glanced at the Lieutenant to inspect the expressions that seeped into his face. The soldier appeared committed and driven. He didn''t look like the time willing to ignore orders.


    "Did you hear me?" Lieutenant Pouille asked. "Get back on-."


    The Lieutenant didn''t have the chance to finish his line since another explosion resounded in the trench. The tank had hit an even closer spot now, and soldiers inevitably amassed behind Khan and the young man since they had nowhere else to go.


    "Sir, we are getting destroyed!"


    "Sir, we can''t deal with the tank!"


    "Sir, what are our orders?"


    The soldiers shouted reports and questions that the Lieutenant didn''t know how to address. A crack appeared on his expression when he glanced at the poor state of his underlings. He knew that the situation was hopeless, but that scene forced him to explain his reasons.


    "Our superiors are trying to deal with the anti-aircraft gun behind the enemy trench," Lieutenant Pouille explained. "They can''t do much until they take it down, and this area is too important to let the Stal have it. We have to buy time for them to find a solution."


    "But we won''t survive for long, sir," The young soldier next to Khan announced.


    "I know," Lieutenant Pouille revealed as a tinge of regret appeared on his face, "But these are our orders, and we have to stick to them."


    A wave of helplessness spread among the soldiers gathered behind Khan. The Global Army was basically asking them to die, and they couldn''t do anything about that. They had nowhere to go, and they would be charged with treason even if they managed to escape.


    "I won''t die just because you ask me to," Khan scoffed before throwing the rifle to his right.


    "What are you doing, Nitis guy?" Lieutenant Pouille asked when he saw Khan drawing his knife and approaching the barrier. "Our superiors didn''t clear us for a frontal charge."


    Khan didn''t hear those words. He had cut away everything except for the mana on the battlefield. The Lieutenant was stretching his arm to grab him, but his focus remained on the tank. He felt the synthetic energy flowing toward the barrel.


    The tank fired, and Khan jumped past the barrier. The massive bullet was fast, but it flew toward a spot to Khan''s left, allowing him to sprint past it and run toward the vehicle.


    Khan was running on the trajectory crossed by the massive bullet, so no one fired in his direction. The explosion in the trench had also provided him with some cover, so only a few Stal noticed his figure crossing the battlefield quickly. Those aliens tried to aim their rifles at him, but he was too fast, and the projectiles that tried to fly in his direction only ended up crossing his previous positions.


    The symphony played by the mana on the battlefield filled Khan''s mind and raised his concentration to insane levels. He found himself in front of the tank in no time, and his knife glowed with azure light as it performed two quick slashes.


    Khan stopped right in front of the barrier. Strange growls reached his ears as the aliens inside the trench shouted orders, but they never got the chance to aim their rifles at him since the tank claimed the entirety of their attention.


    Half of the tank''s barrel separated from its main body and fell to the ground. Sparks also appeared on one of its front legs as it became unable to support the vehicle weight anymore and bent forward. The deep cut that had appeared on the limb made the whole weapon turn to its left until it crashed on the ground.


    The event left everyone speechless, but the tank''s fall didn''t mark its end. A whooshing noise resounded from the cabin as its top and sides opened to reveal a huge two-headed alien that appeared too big for that seat.


    The Stal punched its four arms to the ground to jump back to its feet. Khan could now inspect the huge alien in its entirety. It was almost three meters tall, and its dark eyes radiated pure anger as it pointed its two right arms toward him.


    Khan inspected the event coldly and prepared for his first clash with a Stal, but a bullet suddenly pierced both heads. The alien fell lifelessly to the ground while Khan glanced at the opposite trench. He couldn''t see much from his position, but he noticed golden hair behind the rifle that had fired that bullet.


    The nature of his situation forced him to snap back to reality. A series of Stal had peeked out of the barrier to aim their rifles at him, but he moved before bullets could hit his figure. Khan had already found the few aliens that seemed stronger than him, so he charged in the opposite direction to deal with the weaker ones.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Yesterday has been a mess followed by 12 hours of sleep. I''m on the chapters now. I''ll do my best to recover the missing ones too.

 Chapter 236: Tall

    The Stal''s trench was large, and it lacked the steps next to the barrier since those aliens were tall enough to peek without needing them.


    Khan couldn''t remain on the other side of the barrier since he had no cover there, so he jumped inside the trench. The Stal in front and behind him fired their rifles, but he sprinted forward to hide behind the aliens.


    Dark blood spurted inside the trench as the bullets hit the aliens, and a loud growl followed the event. The Stal lowered their rifles after that order, and Khan used that chance to slash his knife at the alien that blocked his way.


    The trench was barely enough to contain the Stal. They were too big, and they could prevent Khan from sprinting past them if they stretched their arms. However, he could duck or jump between their limbs while swinging his knife to carve a path.


    The alien in front of Khan saw a deep injury opening at its side while he ducked to sneak between its left leg and arm. That wasn''t enough to stop the Stal, but Khan stabbed his knife at the center of its back after crossing it.


    That injury also failed to kill the Stal, but it lost control of its leg and arms after Khan retracted his knife. His attack had severed its spine, putting an end to its battle.


    ''They are too tall,'' Khan cursed in his mind while he turned to kick an alien charging at him.


    Khan had grown in the last year, but most of the Stal were three meters tall. He would have to jump to reach their heads, but that would make him waste too much time. Khan couldn''t allow himself to have that weakness when he was behind the enemy lines, so he aimed his attacks at other vital points. The Stal''s anatomy was different from the humans, but they had a few areas in common, especially their spines and joints.


    The kick landed on the Stal''s waist, but it didn''t budge. Khan widened his eyes in surprise when he saw the alien closing its four arms on his raised leg, but he quickly retrieved it.


    Realization immediately dawned upon his mind. Khan had miscalculated how strong those aliens actually were. Their physical prowess was insane due to their peculiar features. The Stal in front of him was a first-level warrior, but it counted as two of them thanks to its odd body.


    That delay gave enough time for a Stal to approach Khan from behind. He found himself trapped between two aliens. Eight arms stretched toward him and left no path open.


    Khan jumped forward and stepped on one of the upper arms. The alien tried to move its other limbs toward him, but a deep vertical cut opened on its right head as he shot ahead.


    The alien felt dizzy for a few seconds, but it soon fell forward, hindering the Stal that had tried to approach Khan from behind. The injured Stal tried to restore its balance, but it felt unable to control its huge body with only one head. Its battle and life inside that society were over.


    Khan found four arms flying in his direction as soon as he landed. He didn''t have enough time to dodge them, but he could reduce the amount of power that would fall on his figure.


    Khan sidestepped the right arms before covering his right side with the [Blood Sheild]. The blood vessels on his limb and face clotted before two punches landed on them. An immense force followed the event, but Khan mustered the entirety of his physical strength to remain in his position. His feet ended up digging the ground, but he managed to avoid flying away.


    The Stal showed a surprised expression when it saw Khan remaining in one piece after its attack. Its free arms tried to swing toward its opponent, but Khan slipped past its limbs to reach its chest and stab his knife.


    The weapon pierced the rough brown skin, but that injury didn''t stop the Stal. The alien tried to close its arms to trap Khan in a violent embrace, but he jumped while preserving the sharp mana around his knife. The technique ended before he could reach the space between the two heads, but a massive amount of blood spurted on his figure nonetheless.


    The alien fell backward, giving Khan the chance to extract the knife and shoot forward. The trench seemed immense, and dozens of Stal occupied it. He had countless opponents to deal with, but his senses suddenly noticed something surprising.


    A series of battle cries reached the enemy trench as humans peeked past the barrier and fired at the unaware aliens. Khan had created a disturbance that had claimed most of the Stal''s attention, making them unable to notice the arrival of their opponents. Many of them didn''t even have the chance to raise their rifles before bullets pierced their chests and heads.


    The Stal didn''t retreat after that event. Khan saw an alien charging at him, but a precise bullet suddenly pierced its chest and killed it. Khan turned to see that the young soldier saved previously had his rifle pointed at the enemies trying to charge toward him. The man didn''t hesitate to fire whenever he had a clear shot.


    Khan found himself without anything to do. The entirety of his platoon had reached the enemy trench, and the surprise effect created with his actions had given his allies the upper hand. Even the stronger Stal couldn''t do anything when a series of bullets landed on their bodies before they could try to reach their rifles. A slaughter unfolded and ended quickly under his cold gaze.


    "Don''t stop here!" Lieutenant Pouille shouted. "Cross the trench and reach the damned anti-aircraft gun!"


    Khan immediately jumped outside the trench and searched for the weapon mentioned by the Lieutenant. His gaze eventually converged on a tall cannon that had its barrel pointed at the sky. A series of Stal were protecting it, but they began to take steps back as more soldiers climbed out of the trench.


    Mana started to cover Khan''s knife as he prepared himself to sprint forward. He could reach the cannon far faster than his companions, but Lieutenant Pouille''s voice shattered his plans before he even started to deploy them. "Nitis guy, we need that cannon! Don''t make it end like the tank!"


    Khan wanted to shoot a questioning glance at the Lieutenant, but the Stal next to the cannon started to run away to escape from that battlefield. The soldiers began to cheer at that sight, but an explosion suddenly engulfed the weapon and turned it into nothing more than scraps and fuming metal shards. The aliens had decided to destroy the tall gun instead of leaving it to their opponents.


    The event put an end to the cheers, but the soldiers remained rather happy about that outcome anyway. They had turned a potential defeat into an incredible victory, and Khan was the reason behind that success. Their eyes converged on their new companion, but their expressions froze after inspecting his state.


    Khan wasn''t cheering. His expression remained cold as blood flowed down his face and uniform. The previous alien had covered him in that dense dark liquid, and he didn''t bother to wipe it away yet.


    The calmness that Khan radiated left the soldiers speechless. Some of them even recalled how unfazed he had been inside the trench. He appeared at ease in that chaotic environment. It seemed that the battlefield was his home.


    Those thoughts inevitably saddened some of the most empathetic soldiers. Khan was among the youngest of the platoon. Seeing him so used to the battlefield made many of them wonder about his life. They didn''t dare to imagine what he had to go through to reach that mental state.


    Even those who had the time to read the reports sent by the team on the space station couldn''t imagine how bloody his life had been. Many of those soldiers had only focused on funny aspects like his relationship with Liiza, so they didn''t learn about Istrone and the actual battles on Nitis. Yet, they promised to themselves to read everything thoroughly once they found the chance.


    "Snap out of it!" Lieutenant Pouille shouted. "Grab their rifles and everything valuable they have left behind. Nitis guy, come with me."


    The soldiers immediately diverted their gazes to focus on the trench when Khan turned. They didn''t want to meet his cold eyes, but they didn''t hesitate to glance at him once he crossed them to reach the Lieutenant.


    Lieutenant Pouille had started to walk back toward the allied trench, but Khan reached him quickly. He stepped at his side before adapting to his pace and waiting for words to resound.


    Khan had started to learn how the higher-ups thought, and he had even defied a direct order. He expected a scolding to resound soon, but Lieutenant Pouille ended up surprising him.


    "What you did was reckless," Lieutenant Pouille stated. "You shouldn''t throw away your life just because you have gone through some hard stuff."


    "I wasn''t in danger, sir," Khan said after dispersing his surprise. "The bullets are faster than me, but I can still dodge them."


    "Don''t use today to justify your actions," Lieutenant Pouille scolded. "You might not be so lucky the next time, so keep in mind that you aren''t alone on the battlefield. You must learn how to trust your companions."


    Those words sounded strange when the one speaking them had almost let his entire platoon die to stick to his orders, but Khan didn''t disregard them. Still, he didn''t need that reminder to know how to behave on the battlefield. He simply couldn''t trust strangers so soon.


    "Also, try not to break things when you have the chance," Lieutenant Pouille ordered. "The Global Army will spare a lot of synthetic mana if we manage to take weapons directly on Ecoruta instead of receiving them through the teleport."


    "Understood," Khan uttered while waiting for more words to come, but the Lieutenant remained silent until the two reached the barrier.


    "Stop following me," Lieutenant Pouille scoffed while stepping on the other side of the barrier and jumping inside the trench. "I have official matters to handle. You can join the others. They will show you around."


    Khan stopped and watched the Lieutenant approaching a bunker dug in the ground near the end of the trench. His gaze turned on the enemy barrier after the soldier disappeared inside the structure, and he saw many figures crossing the battlefield while carrying multiple rifles.


    The soldiers appeared ecstatic to have won the battle. Khan guessed that they were mostly happy about their survival, but his thoughts never went too far in the topic. He only inspected their faces to memorize them. Those men and women would be his companions on Ecoruta in the end.


    "Thanks for saving our asses, Nitis guy!" One of the soldiers shouted before throwing three rifles inside the trench.


    "They sent a true powerhouse from HQ," Another soldier laughed while also throwing his weapons in the channel past the barrier.


    Soldiers slowly gathered around Khan as they launched their weapons and voiced different thanks. They clearly wanted to get to know him, but a patch of golden hair suddenly claimed his attention.


    "Hey, you," Khan said, making all the soldiers around him turn toward the woman carrying four rifles. "Thank you for before. That was a nice shot."


    The woman appeared in her early twenties. She was short, with a slim figure and a pair of brown eyes. Her uniform had one star on each shoulder, and a long rifle different from the others seen on the battlefield hung from her back through a loose belt.


    "You have been dumb to run across the battlefield," The woman said while throwing her weapons into the trench. "We might have gotten the tank and the anti-aircraft gun if you waited for the higher-ups to come up with a solution."


    The woman then jumped past the barrier and crossed the trench to walk across the barren plain. Khan stopped looking at her only when he heard that the soldiers around him had started to laugh.


    "Don''t mind her," The young man that Khan had saved before announced. "Gloria has developed an odd attachment to rulers and orders after her family threw her away."


    "What did she do?" Khan asked.


    "Nothing much from what I''ve learnt," The man revealed. "Her family couldn''t afford to nurture many descendants, so it sent her here. Honestly, she is the only completely innocent soldier on Ecoruta."


    "What do you mean by innocent?" Khan questioned as a frown appeared on his face.


    "The mortality rate here is insane for us foot soldiers," The young man explained in a surprised tone. "Only those who have done something wrong would end up in this place."


    "What did you even do on Nitis?" Another soldier, a woman, promptly asked. "You should be able to get a nice position in some safe place with your strength."


    "I bet it''s about the alien girl, right?" A short man exclaimed while voicing a shady laugh. "What did you even do to her to end up in this place?"


    Khan noticed that the topic interested the soldiers a lot. Everyone bent forward while waiting for an official statement about that gossip. Khan wanted to lie his way out of that conversation, but he found himself unable to do that when the matter involved Liiza.


    "I''ve loved her," Khan declared in a tone so firm that made the soldiers'' faces freeze. Still, he didn''t remain on the scene to inspect those expressions. He turned and crossed the barrier before jumping past the trench and marching in the same direction as the blonde woman.

 Chapter 237: Popular

    Hurried steps resounded from behind Khan as he marched across the brown-yellow plain. He didn''t know where to go, but he guessed that his platoon would have a base of some sort behind the trench.


    Khan could have asked his companions for indications, but he had found himself unable to deal with the questions that involved Liiza. He had teleported on the battlefield to suppress those thoughts, but it seemed that the soldiers wouldn''t let him go so easily.


    "Nitis guy, wait!" The young man saved before shouted after reaching Khan''s side. "I''m sorry for before. They aren''t bad. We just got excited after seeing a new face."


    Khan finally had the chance to inspect the man. He was taller than him, with short black hair and green eyes. His skin had brown shades, and his uniform featured a single star on his right shoulder.


    "My name is Khan," Khan uttered.


    "Right, right," The man exclaimed. "I''m Felix. My family has sent me here after I broke a container with synthetic mana meant for me."


    "I know," Felix laughed when Khan turned to show his frown. "I''m quite clumsy."


    "Is everyone here like this?" Khan sighed. "Did you all cause problems on Earth?"


    "Not only Earth," Felix continued to laugh. "You can see Ecoruta as a chance for atonement. The Global Army will clear our profiles of every red spot after serving for a few months here."


    "It doesn''t seem like the Global Army cares whether you live or die," Khan commented.


    "I wouldn''t be so hard on Lieutenant Pouille," Felix explained. "He is like us. Rumors say that he offended one of the noble families, so he must stick to his orders to get out of this planet. He''s actually quite nice when we aren''t busy fighting."


    ''Where did Lieutenant Kintea even send me?'' Khan cursed in his mind before disregarding the issue. He had asked for a battlefield, and Ecoruta fitted those requirements perfectly.


    "I thought the Global Army would have elite soldiers here," Khan guessed.


    "As far as I know, it has been like when the Global Army first arrived on Ecoruta," Felix announced. "However, the Guko''s weapons have turned these battlefields into the trench warfare that you have seen before. The whole planet is basically divided in half, and those damned anti-aircraft guns prevent us from flying directly behind the enemy lines. In short, it''s a bloody mess."


    "How can an entire planet have anti-aircraft guns?" Khan asked.


    "Well, the Guko initially developed weapons meant to oppose a second alien invasion," Felix explained. "Still, the Nak didn''t return here, and they started to fight the Stal afterward, so they found themselves with tons of anti-aircraft guns with no purpose. They would have remained in some armory if the humans didn''t arrive."


    Everything made sense in Khan''s mind. He still believed that the Global Army was working with the Guko to deploy troops in unprotected spots, but that didn''t seem to be his battalion''s role.


    "So, how do things work here?" Khan questioned. "Do we just set another trench now?"


    "Are you so eager to jump into another fight?" Felix laughed, but Khan''s cold expression made him gulp and decide to answer seriously. "We will wait for HQ''s orders. We''ll probably advance until we arrive in another important area while the Guko and other soldiers set camps and defenses here."


    Khan didn''t need to question Felix about how Lieutenant Pouille planned to build another trench since a series of structures appeared in his vision. He could see a large square building that featured spiked wheels and a series of vehicles that resembled excavators. It didn''t take him long to understand that he had reached the camp.


    "Does that thing move?" Khan asked in a surprised tone.


    "Incredible, right?" Felix exclaimed. "That''s Guko''s technology for you. They have built a moving camp capable of containing entire platoons. Though I must say that some features remain short even if they meant this structure for humans."


    Khan nodded as he continued to inspect the moving camp. It felt incredible that such a big structure could follow the platoons as they advanced or retreated. He couldn''t even begin to list the number of benefits that such habitations could provide. Something like that would have saved the lives of many Niqols in the battle inside the muddy valley.


    "The camp is a bit cramped, but you''ll get used to it quickly," Felix continued. "It also has a few vehicles in its hanger, but none of us can use them. Food sucks, but we can''t do much about it. There isn''t much privacy either, but the filtration system keeps everything quite odorless."


    "Training halls?" Khan questioned.


    "The Guko didn''t know where to put it," Felix responded. "They are a pragmatic species, so they sacrificed a few services to prioritize other aspects. We are lucky to have showers at all."


    Everything sounded relatively standard for a battlefield, and Khan also noticed how Felix didn''t say anything about his mana core. He wasn''t sure whether the team on the space station would leak that information later on, but it seemed that no one on the surface knew about that feature for now.


    Khan could see the golden-haired woman entering the camp. Its dark metal doors slid open and revealed an environment illuminated by artificial white light, but he couldn''t inspect much from his position. Meanwhile, Felix continued to peek at him, and his actions became so blatant that he felt the need to address them.


    "What is it?" Khan asked.


    "Don''t you feel the need to wipe the blood out of your face?" Felix said while pointing at the dark liquid that had dried up by now.


    "I''ll take a shower once I find a room," Khan revealed.


    "You can''t take a shower now," Felix declared. "We have precise hours for some activities. The meals happen three times a day and last only thirty minutes, while men can take showers in the morning. The Guko didn''t think that would have needed separate bathrooms, so we have to take turns."


    "Can I get a new uniform, at least?" Khan questioned while pointing at the vast stain of blood on his chest.


    "You''ll always find new ones in the rooms," Felix responded. "Laundries are unusually fast here."


    The two boys didn''t say anything else. They approached the camp and witnessed as the metal doors slid open on their own. Felix then jumped in the corridor and guided Khan across the structure, describing each area and its purposes.


    The insides of the moving camp were extremely simple and small. Someone slightly taller than Khan would have trouble crossing the short doors and using the showers. Still, that allowed the structure to feature multiple areas capable of providing the soldiers with everything they needed.


    The dining hall and the dormitories were the biggest areas inside the camp. The former featured a series of long metal tables with stools connected to their structure. Instead, a long room had a series of bunk beds on both sides divided by a narrow passage that could contain only two soldiers walking side by side.


    The platoon had hung a curtain halfway through the room to create two different areas and allow men and women to sleep separately. The women had the bottom of the hall to give them more privacy and prevent unexpected visits in case of sudden crises or similar events.


    Each bed had a clean uniform folded on their pillows. Most had names written on the metal that supported the mattresses, but Khan easily found an empty one. Felix even showed him how to use the laundry, so he could change and put the star on the right shoulder of his clean clothes.


    The kitchen was completely automatic and inaccessible for ordinary soldiers. Still, the structure featured an area with praying mats and consoles that the platoon could use to relax and hang out. The hall was too small to contain all the men and women in the moving camp, so they had come up with a schedule to use it. Yet, Felix revealed how everyone usually remained on their beds or left the building in the hope of getting some privacy.


    "That''s everything for our tour," Felix happily announced after bringing Khan to the dining hall. "Women usually shower before dinner, so it will take another hour for food to arrive, but there isn''t anything else to do here, so it''s not bad to get good seats this early."


    Khan limited himself to nod before summarizing everything he had learnt in his mind and imagining his next months in that environment. Everything appeared rather dull, but that felt fine after Nitis'' events. He needed a routine and a stark change from his life on that cold planet, and Ecoruta was perfect for that.


    Soldiers had entered the camp while Felix had shown Khan around, but no one had approached them. Their previous interaction with Khan had made things awkward, so they limited themselves to inspect him from afar while they read the reports on their phones. It didn''t take much before everyone learnt about the Second Impact, Istrone, and Nitis.


    Felix appeared envious of the other soldiers. His eyes continued to fall on his pocket while the duo waited for the dinner to arrive, and Khan eventually decided to address the issue.


    "You should read the report," Khan stated as he took his phone. "I should also see it to see what it says about me."


    Felix hesitated, but his self-restraint vanished when he saw that Khan had opened Lieutenant Kintea''s report on his phone. The soldier didn''t hesitate to draw his device and do the same before immersing himself in Nitis'' events.


    ''This is so sloppy,'' Khan commented in his mind while reading the report.


    Lieutenant Kintea had skipped many details, especially those that could put the Global Army under a bad light, to focus on the few accomplishments of the political mission. Khan ended up being at the center of them since his name appeared whenever the soldier spoke about the relationship with the Niqols.


    ''Khan has carried out his task as potential ambassador perfectly,'' Khan read one of the lines quoting Lieutenant Kintea. ''Even the Niqols have acknowledged his dedication to his species, power, and flexibility. It''s not surprising that the alien princess has fallen so hard for him. I found it hard to talk with him due to all the time he spent with her or among other Niqols.''


    "Wow," Felix exclaimed after going through the report. "Did you really lose so many troops? Maybe it''s for the best that the planet is off-limits for now."


    Felix realized that he had said too much when he noticed Khan''s glare. He wanted to say something to correct his words, but groups of women suddenly entered the dining hall since they had finished showering. Their arrival claimed the attention of the men in the room, but they didn''t seem interested in those gazes.


    All the women had their phones in their hands, and gasps often resounded among them. They couldn''t even stop sneaking peeks at Khan whenever they read about his feats of relationship. Some even giggled before approaching the stools near him. Felix could barely contain his excitement when he understood that he had become the friend of the most popular soldier in the camp.


    ****


    Author''s notes: My grandfather died yesterday, and I spent most of today between the funeral and my family. I don''t know how many chapters I''ll manage to write, but I''ll try to push something on a daily basis. I''ll let myself be like this until Monday when I''ll resume with the normal schedule. I''m sorry for the countless issues.

 Chapter 238: Settlement

    "Oh, you poor thing," The woman who had sat next to Khan said while placing a hand on his shoulder. "It must have been awful to lose your girlfriend after going through so much. Those Niqols must have no understanding of feelings. Luckily you are back among humans now."


    "Clara is right," The woman sitting in front of Khan exclaimed. "Interspecies couples rarely last due to the many differences in the customs, but don''t worry. You are among friends now."


    "A broken heart can be the deadliest of the injuries," Another woman sitting in front of Felix announced. "Maybe talking about it can help. We should go for a walk one of these days. This area is quite barren, but there is a beautiful lake just past the plain."


    "Hope, don''t bother him already," The second woman scolded. "You can''t expect him to forget about the alien so soon."


    "Julia, you shouldn''t scold others because they have asked what you are too timid to say," Clara scoffed, and Julia lowered her gaze as her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.


    ''Lieutenant Kintea has just become my archenemy,'' Khan cursed in his mind as he tried to ignore the situation. ''Now I understand what George has said about the women in the army.''


    The report depicted Khan as a magnificent man. He wasn''t only an incredible soldier and a talented ambassador. He was also faithful and capable of deep feelings. His good looks only added positive features to the great image that Lieutenant Kintea had created for him.


    Ecoruta was a battlefield where death could arrive abruptly, especially for a platoon made of foot soldiers. That unique situation had made both men and women inside the moving camp disregard normal ideas about decorum to prioritize a straightforward approach.


    Every day could be their last, so they had to make the best out of them. Those soldiers'' behavior resembled the Niqols for some aspects, but Khan could sense the lack of honesty in their gestures. The women who had approached him didn''t know anything about him. They were only going after the image that Lieutenant Kintea had created in the hope of finding a perfect partner.


    Of course, those intentions didn''t apply to everyone, but it was clear that both men and women in that platoon had developed a deep interest in Khan. After all, the report depicted him as a hero who could love without caring about the physical differences that could afflict two species.


    "You can always bring me for a walk," Felix stated in an excited tone before changing his approach when he saw the glares flying in his direction. "Khan needs to know everyone sooner or later. It''s only proper to go out as a group."


    Felix patten Khan''s shoulder in a desperate attempt to show how close he had gotten with him. Still, that gesture didn''t prove much since Khan didn''t play along and only inspected his surroundings in the hope that the meal would arrive soon.


    Khan would usually voice a few smart words and leave in that situation, but he was starving, and the strict schedule inside the moving camp didn''t grant him much freedom when it came to meals. He had to endure those ignorant comments about his situation and the Niqols before coming up with a plan to escape.


    ''I miss Snow,'' Khan sighed in his mind when he felt caged in a situation that he couldn''t avoid. ''What does Clara even want? She must be at least ten years older than me.''


    Everyone in the platoon was relatively young. Most soldiers barely appeared to be past twenty, but a few exceptions existed, and Clara was one of them. She was cute, and her face didn''t have any wrinkle, but Khan could feel the age gap in her gestures. She resembled a poor imitation of Yeza, who failed to read the situation and use her beauty correctly.


    "The Niqols feel more than humans," Khan eventually explained when he couldn''t endure those comments anymore. "They experience life differently and have respect for what''s truly important. Humans have a lot to learn from them."


    The sudden comment and the meanings that it carried left the four soldiers around Khan and those listening to him stunned. They didn''t expect him to defend the Niqols so firmly after what he had gone through on Nitis.


    "Well, it''s still unfair how they treated you after everything you have done for them," Clara complained, trying to save her face from her last comment.


    "They had to take care of their species as a whole," Khan continued to defend the Niqols. "They gave her a choice, and she chose to remain."


    Silence fell again among the group. The report didn''t mention that detail, but Khan''s story only grew sadder after hearing it. Luckily for him, clunking noises started to come out of the table until a spot under him slid open to reveal a tray with food.


    "I told you that these seats were goo-," Felix tried to brag, but he fell silent when he saw Khan diving into his food.


    Khan had grown used to every kind of food after living in the Slums and on Nitis. He could understand that the quality of the meals on Ecoruta wasn''t great, but he had tasted worse in his life, so he devoured everything before the trays stopped coming out of the tables.


    No menus appeared on the table after he finished eating his meal. Khan could only accept that the camp wouldn''t give him the chance of ordering another round, so he prepared himself to leave. Yet, Clara noticed his dissatisfaction and didn''t hesitate to use it.


    "You can take part of my rice if you want," Clara declared. "These portions are too big for me anyway."


    "You can also have mine," Julia exclaimed. "Have this egg too. I can''t really handle it when I can''t recognize its species."


    "Same here," Hope sighed. "Also, the life in the trenches is often sedentary. I''m afraid I might get fat if I keep eating so much."


    Getting fat while carrying heavy guns and practicing with mana was virtually impossible. Khan was also certain that the soldiers in the trenches would often skip meals due to the nature of the conflict, but he didn''t mind where that conversation was leading. He lifted his tray and let the three women throw food inside it before resuming his meal.


    The four had to watch as Khan wolfed his second meal in no time. They almost remained speechless in front of the amount of food that he could put in his stomach, but they didn''t say anything about that until he finished eating.


    "You must be in your growing phase to be so hungry," Clara commented.


    "That made you sound incredibly old," Hope chuckled.


    "Who did you call old?!" Clara almost shouted.


    "Ladies, you are all young and beautiful," Felix said while trying to put an end to that argument.


    "That sounded creepy," Julia whispered in a timid tone.


    Khan ended up revealing a smile at those funny interactions, but he didn''t forget the main reason behind his arrival on Ecoruta. He had to get stronger, and that required training. Establishing friendly relationships with women who only cared about his fame wasn''t on his list.


    "Where are you going?" Felix asked when he saw Khan standing up.


    "I''ll meditate on my bed," Khan responded without adding other details, and he moved toward the exit of the dining hall without giving anyone the chance to stop him.


    A series of gazes followed his departure, but he ignored them. Khan went straight for the dormitory and sat on his bed before immersing himself in the meditative state.


    Time moved quickly while Khan forced his mana to intensify its effects on his body. Training after becoming a first-level warrior felt incredibly slow since he had to rely on the passive influence of that energy. Still, Khan had a plan to accelerate the process. The only problem was that he lacked the ability to deploy it.


    Figures moved past Khan, and voices reached his ears as the other soldiers filled the dormitory and lay on their beds. Very few of them decided to train. Most directly slept or waited for everyone to fall asleep so that they could reach their partners or leave the room with them.


    Everything was silent by the time Khan opened his eyes. It was barely midnight, but the strict schedule in the moving camp had made most soldiers decide to rest. He could hear faint voices echoing through the corridor outside the dormitory, but they were too vague to understand what they said.


    Normally, Khan would decide to pull an all-nighter to complete his training schedule, but he didn''t know Ecoruta enough to feel confident in getting tired before a possible battle. Lieutenant Pouille could send the platoon on another trench the very next day, and he wanted to be at his peak.


    However, a problem appeared after Khan lay down to sleep. Ecoruta''s temperature was similar to Earth''s, so he could deal with that warmer environment. Still, the dormitory contained almost thirty soldiers, and the cramped space made their presence impossible to miss. The environment inevitably grew hot to the point that he felt unable to sleep.


    Khan didn''t expect that problem to arrive, especially after living in the Slums for so long, but it seemed that his body rejected those warm temperatures now. He couldn''t relax enough to sleep, leading him to give up on his initial plan after spending ten minutes wide awake.


    Khan jumped off his bed silently and left the dormitory to approach the camp''s exit. He passed in front of the hall with the praying mats, but he only saw a couple flirting in the corner that he didn''t hesitate to ignore.


    The exit slid open when Khan approached it, and a cold breeze swept him, immediately bringing comfort to his mind. Part of him already decided that he would sleep outside that night, but that only if he completed his training quickly enough.


    Ecoruta was similar to Earth at night, except for the two moons high in the dark sky. The lack of artificial illumination in the area also added vibes experienced only on Nitis. Still, he quickly disregarded them when he noticed a group of four soldiers laughing and chatting right past the corner of the moving camp.


    Khan initially planned to let the soldiers be, but his gaze inevitably fell on the metal flask that they were passing around while blowing the smoke of their cigarettes. Smoking seemed quite common on Ecoruta, but he barely noticed that at the sight of such a familiar situation.


    The four soldiers fixed their gazes on Khan when they saw him walking toward their group. Some frowned as they tried to understand his intentions, but he quickly explained himself through a soft voice. "Do you mind sharing that drink with me?"


    The request surprised the soldiers, but they eventually exploded into a laugh that they suppressed as soon as they recalled about the late hour. The woman with the drink then handed the flask to Khan, and he took a short sip before passing it to the man to his left.


    "Do you want one?" The man asked while showing the pack of cigarettes, but Khan shook his head as he sat on the ground and laid his back on the camp''s spiked wheel.


    "I didn''t expect you to be the drinking type," The woman commented. "Though I would also drink after having dinner with those three."


    "I learnt on Nitis," Khan revealed while accepting the flask handed by the second woman.


    "That planet must have been messier than the report said," The second man stated.


    "I couldn''t help but overhear what you said during dinner," The first woman uttered. "Why did she decide to remain on Nitis?"


    "Her species needed her," Khan half-lied to avoid giving more explanations. "Why is everyone so interested in her?"


    "We can''t do much down here," The first man exclaimed. "Gossips make everything easier to endure."


    Khan revealed a smile since those words made him think about Azni, but he suddenly sensed a powerful figure approaching the camp. He turned toward the trench, and the soldiers did the same before seeing Lieutenant Pouille marching forward while muttering vague words.


    "You should be sleeping," Lieutenant Pouille scolded as he approached the entrance.


    "We''ll go soon, sir," The first woman chuckled while showing a radiant smile.


    "No, I meant it as an actual suggestion," Lieutenant Pouille replied. "Our victory has created a flaw in the enemy defenses. We have orders to take over a settlement tomorrow."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I''m back.

 Chapter 239: Squad

    "We don''t have the equipment to take over a settlement!" The first man immediately complained before adding a weak "sir" at the end of his line.


    "What do you want me to say?" Lieutenant Pouille sighed. "HQ has seen an opening after our victory, so we must exploit it. We''ll have a briefing early in the morning to come up with a plan."


    "Do we even know something about this settlement''s defenses?" The first woman asked.


    "We can''t see anything outside the range of the anti-aircraft gun in the settlement," Lieutenant Pouille shook his head. "HQ needs us to go there and inspect the situation."


    "Sir," The second girl called in a pleading tone.


    "I can''t do anything," Lieutenant Pouille explained. "We have already received orders. Nitis guy, don''t act on your own next time."


    Khan didn''t reply. He showed a calm expression even if he felt slightly pissed. The Lieutenant wanted to blame him for the current situation, but he couldn''t see how that was his fault. After all, remaining inside the trench against the tank would have led to a bloody defeat. Khan wouldn''t regret saving lives.


    Lieutenant Pouille left after shaking his head again. The noise caused by the metal door resounded among the silence of the night and created an awkward atmosphere. The four soldiers lowered their heads, sighed, and muttered faint curses, and Khan hesitated a bit before inspecting them.


    "It''s not your fault," The first woman said as soon as she noticed the hesitation on Khan''s face. "I bet that the Lieutenant is as pissed as all of us. He only has a hard time showing it."


    "A very hard time," Khan commented while picking the flask that the second man handed him. "How did he even offend the noble families?"


    "I have a theory," The first man announced.


    "Here he goes again," The second woman chuckled while throwing her cigarette away.


    "It fits perfectly," The first man scoffed before clearing his throat. "Lieutenant Pouille was with someone in the noble families, romantically."


    "How can a Lieutenant get so close to the noble families?" Khan asked.


    "How did you get in the Niqols'' princess pant-," The first man began to voice a question, but the first woman interrupted him by punching his shoulder and glaring at him.


    "She wasn''t a princess," Khan heaved a helpless sigh, "And the Niqols don''t use underwear."


    "Wait, really?" The second man immediately asked.


    "No, I lied," Khan stated, and the two women laughed at the sight of the men''s disappointed expressions.


    "You shouldn''t play with a man''s feelings like this," The first man complained. "My dreams shattered before taking form."


    "Forgive them," The first woman shook her head. "They are idiots."


    "It''s fine," Khan smirked as George and Ilman''s faces appeared in his mind. "I''m good among idiots."


    The soldiers laughed before passing the flask around and lighting more cigarettes. They spent half an hour exchanging jokes and introducing themselves properly, but they eventually went back inside the moving camp to rest and prepare for the next day. Only Khan remained outside to enjoy the cold breeze that filled the night.


    ''They seem nice,'' Khan found himself thinking once silence fell around him.


    The first woman, Delia, had short brown hair and dark eyes. She was as tall as Khan, and her figure appeared quite fit. She was a first-level warrior and mage, and the other soldiers seemed to treat her as the leader of that group.


    The first man, Ian, was tall and muscular. He had short black hair and dark eyes, and his uniform featured a single star on his right shoulder. He liked to joke around, but Khan could sense the faint maturity hidden by that behavior.


    Faith and Milo were siblings, and they shared a few physical features. They had fair skin and golden hair, but Faith liked to keep it a bit long. Their uniforms didn''t feature stars, but Khan could sense that they were both close to becoming first-level warriors.


    Khan couldn''t understand the reason behind their presence on Ecoruta. The short interaction with the four soldiers had only given him a vague idea of their relationship and character.


    Delia and Ian were the oldest of the group, and the two siblings had taken them as leaders to follow on the battlefield. The former were aware of that situation, and they had accepted that role, which naturally made them develop some affection toward their younger companions.


    Khan had felt familiar feelings during those interactions, but everything had ended now that he was alone again. It wasn''t too late, but he didn''t know whether he would get the chance to sleep properly even if he went back to his bed. The sole idea of returning to that cramped dormitory made him lose every desire to rest, so he soon closed his eyes and summoned his mana to begin his usual training schedule.


    Mana appeared on his hands before he controlled it to move over his body. Khan increased and reduced the amount of energy used during the training until the alarm on his phone rang.


    Khan set another alarm before moving to the exercises that involved the manipulation of mana. He joined his hands and summoned his energy as different thoughts and feelings flowed inside it.


    The mana changed color and texture depending on what Khan added. Except for a firm sharpness, the effects were faint and unstable. He was improving every day, but he was still far away from Liiza''s level. It would take him many months to become able to use the [Blood Vortex] and add power to the [Blood Shield] on his own, but he didn''t fret. Being so close was already incredible.


    The alarm rang again, and Khan moved to his physical training. He repeated all the techniques he knew and tried to smoothen those that involved both martial arts. He didn''t know how long it usually took to reach the advanced proficiency level, but he felt that only constant training could bring him there.


    In the end, Khan sat to dive into the exercises for the Wave spell. He didn''t forget Liiza''s words, but he couldn''t attempt something so dangerous when his ability with mana was still lacking. His idea was to succeed through the human methods and study the chaos element for a while before deciding how to proceed, but that moment didn''t want to arrive.


    His training with the Wave spell didn''t involve any physical exercise. His mind had also grown quite resilient after everything he had overcome. His mana was the only variable, but he didn''t seem able to run out of it, so his attempts ended up lasting until a siren resounded in the structure behind him.


    The morning had arrived, but Khan didn''t manage to appreciate the dawn due to his deep concentration. Still, the siren forced him to interrupt his training and approach the entrance of the moving camp.


    A series of sleepy soldiers marching through the corridors appeared in his view. The scene told Khan that the men had already taken their shower, but he also noticed how no one seemed to mind yesterday''s deaths.


    Khan followed his companions while they gathered inside the dining hall. Lieutenant Pouille was already there, and Khan didn''t take long to find Felix and the soldiers from the previous night waving at him. The former was with the three women from yesterday, so he joined Delia and the others.


    "Let''s plan things out before breakfast arrives," Lieutenant Pouille announced as he placed his phone on an opening in the wall behind him to activate a series of holograms.


    "I''m sorry, sir," A woman that Khan couldn''t see clearly from his position called. "I don''t see the reinforcements from the battalion. We lost quite a few soldiers yesterday."


    "There won''t be any reinforcements," Lieutenant Pouille stated before putting his hands forward to silence the gasps and voices that had resounded after his words. "The Stal are already moving away weapons and provisions from the settlement. It won''t take long before another trench appears, so we don''t have time to regroup."


    Khan saw disappointment spreading among his companions but no sadness. He noticed a few soldiers lowering their heads to hide their dark expressions, but that was it.


    It seemed that Ecoruta didn''t leave room for grief and similar feelings. The soldiers had probably grown used to losing companions, or they simply didn''t establish deep relationships due to the dangerousness of the battlefield.


    ''Maybe I can notice these differences because I''ve grown used to the opposite approach,'' Khan guessed in his mind as he continued to study his new environment.


    Part of Khan felt glad that his new companions had experience in those aspects, but he inevitably felt out of place. He couldn''t be like them. He couldn''t throw away everything he had learnt on Nitis.


    Lieutenant Pouille resumed his explanation while Khan began to accept that he would probably remain alone on Ecoruta. "Our job is to take control of the settlement and salvage all the resources we can find. We won''t be able to deploy any tactic since we don''t know much about the area. Our attack will be direct and swift."


    The holograms on the wall moved until they took the shape of a simple map. Khan could recognize the two trenches from yesterday, a river deeper into the enemy territory, and a black dot that he guessed marked the Stal settlement.


    "Can we even take the Stal by surprise?" Khan asked since the map didn''t feature any natural barrier.


    "They will notice us as soon as we enter the range of the jammed area," Lieutenant Pouille revealed before tinkering with his phone to activate a hologram that depicted a vehicle that resembled a truck. "A small squad will join me inside the ram to attract the Stal''s attention and open a path for the others. Do we have volunteers?"


    No one answered. Even Khan remained silent in front of that offer. Lieutenant Pouille was basically asking them to jump blindly into enemy territory and fight until the rest of the platoon arrived. That role was almost suicidal.


    "I''m not surprised," Lieutenant Pouille announced before tapping on his phone again. "I took the liberty of forming the team on my own."


    A list with seven names appeared next to the truck, and Khan cursed in his mind when he saw "Nitis guy" written among them. It seemed that he had already claimed too much attention in the trenches.


    "This isn''t a punishment," Lieutenant Pouille exclaimed when he saw the dark expressions on the seven mentioned by the list. "This is a chance to prove your value. The Global Army will make sure to note down your names after this mission."


    "If we survive," Delia whispered before immersing her hands in her short hair.


    "What is HQ even thinking?" Ian cursed while making sure to keep his voice down.


    Delia and Ian''s names were on the list, and the same went for Clara. Khan could also find the other three soldiers through a quick inspection of everyone''s expressions. Lieutenant Pouille had chosen the oldest and strongest assets for the squad.


    "Your luck is awful, my friend," Ian sighed.


    "It''s fine," Khan dismissed those words. "I''m not good with rifles anyway."


    "You should learn," Delia whispered while pointing at the golden-haired girl who had killed the Stal riding the tank. "Gloria always manages to be in the backlines thanks to her good aim. I wish I could also handle rifles as well as her."


    The tables opened as trays with the breakfast started to arrive. It seemed that the meeting had ended there, but Lieutenant Pouille summoned the seven who would join him in the mission once everyone finished eating.


    The Lieutenant didn''t give the group the time to introduce themselves. He led everyone in a seemingly empty area of the moving camp before taking out his phone and making the metal wall in front of him slide open to reveal a relatively small hangar.


    The area only contained four vehicles. Khan immediately found the truck shown during the meeting, and he felt slightly disappointed to see its actual size. It was nothing more than a small rectangular structure with spiked wheels and a pointy metal front that featured small windows.


    The firm material of the windows was dark, so Khan couldn''t inspect its insides, but the Lieutenant quickly unlocked the doors at its sides to reveal eight seats. The truck didn''t have anything else.


    "Take your position," Lieutenant Pouille ordered. "We should arrive near the settlement in a few minutes."


    "How fast is the camp?" Khan asked since the soldier''s statement conflicted with the map shown just a few minutes ago.


    "Oh, right, you can''t possibly know it," Lieutenant Pouille said while pointing at the floor. "We have started to move as soon as everyone gathered in the dining hall. You can''t feel it because the Guko''s technology is incredible."


    ****


    Author''s notes: My grandfather died yesterday, and I spent most of today between the funeral and my family. I don''t know how many chapters I''ll manage to write, but I''ll try to push something on a daily basis. I''ll let myself be like this until Monday when I''ll resume with the normal schedule. I''m sorry for the countless issues.

 Chapter 242: Hands

    It didn''t take a genius to understand the Stal''s intentions, but they were still surprising. Imprisoning those humans made no sense from a tactical standpoint since none of them had any political value. Most of the soldiers on Ecoruta were even outcasts who had caused problems inside their families.


    ''What do they even want to do with us?'' Khan wondered as the Stal wielding handcuffs and sacks approached both human groups.


    Khan couldn''t find answers to his doubts. His paranoia made him think that his mana core had something to do with it, but he didn''t dare to consider the possibility of such a complicated ploy when he had yet to decide how to act.


    His risky escape paths slowly vanished as the Stal grew closer. Khan knew that his chances were less than slim, but they only worsened as the aliens approached the humans without breaking the encirclement. Each second spent hesitating put him into more danger, but he couldn''t make a decision, especially when death didn''t appear impending. He would remain alive as a prisoner, while the rifles would probably kill him if he tried to run away.


    The hesitation ended up making that decision for Khan. Only a few seconds had to pass before his chances to escape vanished completely. Still, he immediately switched his mindset to prepare for an eventual jailbreak. When a Stal approached him, he raised his hands forward to make sure that it didn''t tie them behind his back.


    The Stal didn''t seem to care about that detail. It handcuffed Khan''s hands with those heavy tools before covering his head with the black sack. He felt unable to see anything afterward, but his sensitivity to mana still worked perfectly, and he could clearly sense the alien taking away his knife.


    Khan had to force himself to remain still when he sensed two thick arms wrapping themselves around his waist and lifting him. The Stal barely felt his weight as it carried him toward the platform where the other aliens were gathering the prisoners. Khan could notice the entirety of his team around him, but his focus was on the mana inside his body. Everything worked perfectly, so he had to come up with a plan.


    The entirety of his knowledge ran through his mind as the platform began to descend. Khan heard the ground closing above him, the Stal''s random grunts and growls flew toward his ears, and their strong smell filled his nostrils, but he remained focused on his thoughts.


    Khan didn''t experience any fear. An alien species had taken him prisoner, and he didn''t know what would become of him, but he didn''t panic. Actually, his mind seemed to work faster under those terrible conditions. It was something similar to the mindset that he obtained during battles. The tragedies were his home.


    ''I can''t become a prisoner if the Nak have already trapped me for years,'' Khan joked in his mind before suppressing those thoughts and going back to his situation.


    Many details of his imprisonment were still unclear. His best bet would normally be Lieutenant Pouille, but he didn''t know if they would end up in the same cage. The Stal might commit that mistake, but that event felt unlikely with a Guko leading them.


    Khan could also put his hopes on his companions. Some of them were first-level mages, which hinted at the possibility of destructive spells. However, he put those thoughts on hold for now. He would consider them only after studying the eventual underground cages.


    After clearing those topics, Khan dived deeply into everything he had learnt throughout the years. He had spent too little on Ecoruta to realize that his expertise already differed deeply from regular humans.


    Khan''s power came from two worlds. His core was still human since he mostly relied on his martial arts while fighting. Yet, the Niqols'' way had become an important part of his being. He didn''t approach the mana through the teachings of the Global Army anymore.


    Still, his expertise with the Niqols'' arts had yet to reach decent levels. His sensitivity to mana was great, and his control was above average, but his manipulation couldn''t touch Liiza''s realm. He was vaguely successful when it came to adding sharpness to his energy, but that was it.


    The [Blood Shield] was a defensive technique that would obviously prove itself useful during an eventual escape, but it couldn''t break him free of his shackles. Khan could only think about his martial arts after excluding everything else, but he found only disappointment there.


    The Stal had taken away his first-grade knife. Khan couldn''t rely on the deadly Divine Reaper, and the Lightning-demon style couldn''t help against those aliens due to their incredible physical prowess. He could still hope that his jailer would be weak, but he didn''t dare to bet everything on unclear information.


    Khan found himself lost. All his power felt useless when the Stal could outnumber him or limit his offensive. A mere alien species with incredible physical strength had been enough to put him into that awful situation.


    ''Am I really so weak?'' Khan wondered when the platform stopped moving and the Stal began to march forward.


    The Stal had rendered Khan useless by taking away his knife. He cursed himself for having such an evident weakness. The situation would be different if he could launch his spell, but that wasn''t the case. His only option seemed to kick his way out of that prison, which was obviously unfeasible.


    Khan tried to wrap his mind around his problem while keeping track of his movements. The Stal were far from graceful. He could understand whenever his jailer turned or walked in a straight line, and his senses inevitably brought another wave of worries. The aliens kept marching for entire hours, which only shattered every vague plan he had developed.


    ''I''ll only end up in the middle of the enemy territory if I take the first available elevator,'' Khan concluded in his mind as he started to repeat in his mind the turns that the Stal had taken.


    A series of "left" and "right" resounded in Khan''s mind in an endless cycle that took complete control of his mental faculties. He added a new direction to that silent prayer every time the Stal took another turn, but he didn''t dare to lose focus. His ability to find the elevator near the river depended on how much he could memorize.


    The worries that accompanied that idea never managed to appear in Khan''s mind. He knew that the Stal would probably advance now that Lieutenant Pouille''s team had lost its claim on the territories past the river, but Khan didn''t care. A lot could go wrong in that situation, so he focused on what was within his power.


    The long march changed pace as grunts and vague cries seeped past the black sack to reach Khan''s ears. He tried to understand what was happening through his sensitivity to mana, but the Stal gave him answers before he could find them on his own.


    The Stal removed the sack on Khan''s head before throwing him away. He tried to inspect his surroundings, but the impact with a metal wall made his consciousness go dark for a few seconds. When his vision stabilized, he found himself inside a small black cell illuminated by dim light.


    Khan immediately snapped out of his stupor and straightened his position to move forward. The cell appeared open, and he could even see the back of the group of Stal marching through the corridors right outside the entrance. However, something suddenly appeared on his path and forced him to halt his track.


    Nothing had appeared in his vision, but Khan knew that a dense layer of mana had covered the entrance. The mass of energy was transparent, so he could see everything happening in the corridor, but he didn''t feel confident enough to touch it.


    A crackling noise followed by a painful cry resounded in the area while Khan tried to study the barrier. Those sounds came from his right, while the Stal were moving toward his left, so he could link them to another prisoner. It didn''t take him long to understand that someone had tried to touch the dense mass of mana and had suffered because of that.


    Khan disregarded the barrier to focus on his situation at that point. The cell was large, and its advanced technology stated how the Guko had probably built it to contain Stal. The corridor had similar architecture. It was large and tall, completely made of dark metal, and dim white lights came out of its corners to illuminate the area.


    The Stal continued to throw humans inside cells without stopping marching through the large corridor. Khan couldn''t understand their intentions, but he could confirm that he would remain alive for the time being.


    Khan stopped inspecting the area after the Stal disappeared and noises stopped echoing throughout the corridors. The structure didn''t have much else to study, so he sat on the floor and repeated the turns taken by the aliens in his mind before focusing on coming up with an escape plan.


    "Is Lieutenant Pouille here?" A voice suddenly resounded from his right.


    "Lieutenant Pouille?" Another voice came out from the cell to his left.


    "Is the Lieutenant here?" A third prisoner shouted, and Khan recognized Clara''s voice even if a series of cells divided him from her.


    "I''m here," Lieutenant Pouille eventually shouted, and his voice came from a distant spot on Khan''s left. "Stop crying and shut up! They might come to beat us up."


    "What should we do now?" A soldier asked, completely disregarding the previous orders.


    "What''s the plan, Lieutenant?" Another voice resounded.


    "Is the Global Army aware of our position?" A third soldier shouted.


    "HQ knows about these underground structures," Lieutenant Pouille explained, "But they can''t study them from space. We have even gotten far away from our initial position, so you can forget about reinforcements."


    "What do you mean, Lieutenant Pouille?" Clara cried in a pleading tone. "Why was a Guko working with the Stal? Why did they even take us prisoner? Do they want to trade us with HQ?"


    "How the fuck would I even know that?!" Lieutenant Pouille shouted in an angry voice. "I''m only a Lieutenant. HQ gives orders, and I follow them. Still, let me break it down for you. No one is coming to save us."


    More pleads resounded from the various cells, but Lieutenant Pouille didn''t answer anymore. Khan could only hear as the many voices quieted down before turning into occasional cries and sobs.


    ''Is this a way to get rid of troublesome soldiers?'' Khan wondered after sorting out his thoughts. ''Is the Global Army really unaware that some Guko are working with the Stal?''


    Khan''s paranoia affected his thoughts, but he tried to suppress them to avoid developing biases about the situation. Nothing told him that the Global Army had something to do with his imprisonment. The cooperation between the two alien species was still suspicious, but he couldn''t find anything that involved the humans in the matter.


    Khan went back to his planning. He repeated the left-right prayer in his mind before trying to develop a tactic that could allow him to escape. He still didn''t know much about his situation or the Stal''s intentions, but he had to solve a major problem first.


    In the current state, Khan would be unable to deal with a single first-level warrior from the alien species. His experience could give him a chance against those strong beings, but he didn''t know it would take to win in a direct clash when relying only on his kicks.


    Saving time was mandatory while deep inside an enemy structure. Khan couldn''t give the Stal the chance to alert their companions in the eventuality of a battle, but he couldn''t perform his deadliest techniques right now.


    His thoughts didn''t lead anywhere, and they eventually turned into desperation. Khan couldn''t find any solution, and Liiza''s face appeared in his vision as he started to accept that his life was in the Stal''s hands.


    Khan almost couldn''t believe how intense his feelings for Liiza were. He had said goodbye and tried not to think about her, but she always reappeared whenever he let his mind wander. It felt almost funny to compare his current state to his life on Nitis. He had left that dark planet mere days ago, but that time already felt like an eternity.


    A surge of anger made Khan slam his arms on the wall to his right. The thick handcuffs didn''t even leave a mark on the dark metal, and the impact didn''t damage their structure either. They also seemed meant for a stronger species, which only removed any idea of breaking free through brute force from his mind.


    ''Liiza would have frozen these things with a simple thought,'' Khan smiled while thinking about his talented ex-girlfriend. ''Zalpa could have turned them into dust by blowing on them. Even items resistant to mana can''t do much when someone forces their very nature to change.''


    Khan had initially desired to blame his ineptitude, but an odd idea formed in his mind as he continued to think about the Niqols. He raised his hands and stretched his fingers before tilting his head to inspect them from a different angle. He had to admit that they could look like short blades.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I need a couple of hours for the second chapter.

 Chapter 243: Price

    ''What''s the difference between a first-grade weapon and a first-level warrior?'' Khan wondered as mana started to seep out of his skin and move toward his hands.


    Khan quickly halted his actions and retracted his hands before inspecting the corners of his cell. He didn''t know if the area had cameras, but he refused to take risks, especially now that he might have solved his greatest problem.


    The question continued to resound in his mind even after he stopped testing his theory. Khan had long since committed to memory the requirements for the Divine Reaper. He had performed those techniques with mere dull null-grade weapons, so his hands could work. He felt sure that his body met the minimum requirements for the martial art.


    Khan felt even more confident after thinking about the Niqols. They could transform caresses into punches as long as they manipulated the mana accordingly, so the same had to be true when it came to blades. Applying sharpness also was Khan''s best field since he had already become used to that meaning by training in the Divine Reaper.


    Everything seemed perfect. Khan almost couldn''t believe how he had failed to consider that possibility until now. He only had to transform the Divine Reaper into a Niqols'' martial art to deploy the same effects with his bare hands.


    The process would obviously be complicated for normal humans. A weapon would help create the sharp membrane required by the Divine Reaper, but Khan felt confident in replicating it on his hands. The situation would be different with other features, but he knew that he could succeed when it came to sharpness.


    Khan had finally decided how to take care of his jailers quickly. He couldn''t test his theory out of fear of being discovered, and he didn''t know how effective his attack would be, but he wasn''t lost anymore.


    The time to define the rest of his escape had arrived, but he could only wait before approaching those essential parts of his plan. The Stal would have never thrown Lieutenant Pouille into those cells if the barrier couldn''t stop his spells. The same would probably apply to the eventual jailers that would pick him up, and Khan could guess that something similar would happen to the rest of the prisoners.


    Khan had to understand how the Stal behaved and gain insights into their intentions before deciding how to act. The situation would remain hopeless if multiple aliens were to appear for each prisoner. However, he had a chance to do something if he had to deal with a single Stal. Its level wouldn''t matter too much since he planned to exploit the surprise effect to the fullest.


    Only a deafening and tense wait could bring answers. Khan didn''t know what the Stal wanted to do with him and his group, but he remained calm and made sure to preserve his condition. He didn''t meditate nor train since that would make him hungry faster, and he even avoided moving as his entire focus went on gathering information about his imprisonment.


    Khan''s habits made him perfect for that role. The Slums had taught him how to endure hunger and thirst. His nightmares and time on Nitis had made him used to spend entire days without sleeping. The many tragedies overcome throughout his life had given him a firm mindset that could survive heavy stress. He could wait calmly without growing anxious or committing mistakes.


    It was hard to keep track of the passage of time inside the underground cell, but Khan could rely on his phone for that. The Stal didn''t need to take the device away since it had lost connection with the Global Army''s network even before going underground.


    The night arrived, and the morning replaced it, but no Stal walked through that corridor. Only the afternoon brought a change to the long hours that Khan spent as alert as possible.


    A single Stal suddenly walked from the left of the corridor and crossed the various cells until it arrived in front of the last one. Khan counted the alien''s steps after it moved past his entrance. He then heard a few cries and the noises caused by clear physical struggles before a thudding sound put an end to the matter.


    The steps then resounded again. Khan didn''t move, but his eyes remained fixed on the barrier. The Stal crossed his cell with a fainted soldier held firmly in two arms, but he disregarded his companion. His focus remained on the alien as he tried to find items or armors that might protect it when picking prisoners. Khan even paid special attention to its power to prepare for his turn.


    The barrier hindered Khan''s sensitivity to mana, but he could still inspect something when the Stal was in front of his cell. The alien was a first-level warrior, while the prisoner in its arms was only close to that level. Moreover, he noticed that the Stal wasn''t wearing the dirty rags seen during the previous battles. It had a tight dark suit that covered the entirety of its torso and simple metallic protections on legs and armpits.


    The Stal crossed the entrance of Khan''s cell before he could gain a clear idea of the suit and protections'' power, but he didn''t mind that too much. He was planning to kill his future jailer quickly, so he couldn''t aim at those spots. Everything was fine as long as the aliens kept their necks and heads uncovered.


    ''Not yet,'' Khan reminded himself before repeating the route to the platform in his mind.


    A single inspection wasn''t enough to create an escape plan. Khan didn''t know if the Stal would behave differently the next time they decided to take one of the prisoners, so he continued to wait.


    The night arrived again, and the morning followed, but Khan had to wait for the afternoon to hear the heavy steps of another Stal. The jailer didn''t change, and it also wore the same protections. Still, it didn''t have yesterday''s soldier in its arms, and the walk past Khan''s cell lasted slightly less too.


    The noises of a physical struggle and painful cries resounded for a few seconds before the Stal returned to the left side of the corridor while carrying a soldier. Khan could sense that the prisoner was a proper first-level warrior, which filled his mind with hope.


    Everything would become problematic if his jailer ended up being a second-level warrior, but he could handle things easily with someone at his level. Khan didn''t know how the Stal planned to keep the entire platoon alive if they kept picking only one soldier a day without bringing water or food. Still, he didn''t care too much about that since the situation benefited him.


    Khan had used the steps to guess how long it would take for a jailer to appear in front of him. The last prisoner was only two cells away from him, meaning that it would take three more days for his turn if that trend continued.


    Remaining without food or water for three more days would be harsh, but Khan knew that his body could take it. His battle prowess would be far from ideal, but he had to seize every chance he got.


    The next day was identical to the previous. The same armored Stal crossed the corridor, reached the rightmost cell, and knocked a prisoner unconscious before dragging them somewhere.


    Something different happened on Khan''s fifth day of imprisonment. A few Stal went cell by cell to deliver simple trays that contained a small white bar and a simple flask full of water. A small spot opened in the barriers to allow the passage of those plates, and the aliens didn''t leave each entrance until the prisoners gave those tools back. It wasn''t hard for the humans to understand those strange growls when four hands pointed at the items.


    Khan behaved impeccably. He ate the small bar and gulped all the water without even bothering to understand their taste. He had heard the noises of heavy beatings before, so he quickly gave everything back before sensing the small opening in the barrier close.


    The previous routine resumed on the sixth day. The now-familiar armored Stal reached the cell on Khan''s right and beat the soldier inside it before dragging them away.


    The tension in Khan''s mind intensified once the heavy steps stopped resounding throughout the corridor. He had managed to ignore loneliness, boredom, and fear the previous day because he had a goal, but everything came back stronger than before now that his plan was about to start.


    The white bar and the small flask of water only managed to put a patch to his hunger and thirst. His lack of sleep also filled his mind with a faint weariness. Yet, he remained as focused as ever, even if intense emotions raged inside him. It seemed that he could grow calmer in the hours that preceded a battle.


    Khan counted the hours without looking at his phone. He had never managed to understand if the cells featured cameras, but he didn''t dare to take risks, especially now. The wait felt endless, and his emotions only intensified after each minute, but his body instinctively relaxed while that chaos filled his mind.


    Then, the echo of familiar steps reached his ears. Khan''s mind went blank as his thoughts vanished. It was now or never, so he deployed the preparations he had imagined during the past days.


    Khan had played everything in his mind countless times after coming up with a plan. His imprisonment would end soon, after seven days spent in a cell. He would escape or die trying.


    Khan slightly stretched his legs before placing his back on the wall to apply some pressure. His position didn''t reveal the tension that afflicted his muscles. No one would notice that he wasn''t really sitting on the floor.


    Each step that reached his ears filled his body with the need to tremble, but no muscle moved. Khan remained perfectly still as he closed his eyes and played the incoming battle in his mind one last time. Then, he opened them right before the Stal appeared in front of his cell.


    Khan immediately noticed his first miscalculation. The Stal stepped forward without waiting for the barrier to go down. Its body crossed that dense mass of mana without suffering any injury.


    A series of images flashed in Khan''s vision while the Stal bent downward and pulled two of its arms back to prepare punches. He had nothing but time in the previous days, and he had spent them considering what could go wrong with his plan. That granted him the promptness needed to decide whether to fight the alien inside the cell before it completed its attack.


    The barrier was a miscalculation, but Khan knew that he wouldn''t be able to be as quick as he wished if he let the Stal grab him. Even if he somehow managed to get out of that strong grip, he would still be in an unfavorable position that wouldn''t allow him to perform a quick kill.


    The thoughts about the barrier vanished as his right leg shot forward. Khan slowed down his attack on purpose, and the alien didn''t disappoint him. The Stal voiced a growl as the hands prepared for the attack opened to grab the incoming limb.


    Khan unleashed all the power amassed inside his left leg when he sensed the alien''s thick fingers wrapping around his ankle. He jumped forward without bothering to control his movements, and he ended up being so fast that the Stal couldn''t use its free arms to stop the assault.


    Nevertheless, the Stal chosen to be a jailer was an experienced warrior. Its reflexes were incredible, so it promptly pulled Khan from his leg. He felt a massive force interrupting his charge, but he didn''t care about the imminent clash with the floor. Only the alien''s throats existed in his view.


    Khan performed what he didn''t dare to try in the past days. Mana accumulated over his stretched and tense right hand to create a sharp membrane. He swung his chained arms at the Stal''s heads while it pulled him downward. The [Blood Shield] covered his back right before slamming on the floor, but intense pain reached his mind anyway.


    A mess followed. Khan forced his vision to focus, but a torrent of blood hindered it. Then, the Stal''s heavy body fell on him, but he quickly tried to lift it. Still, the action revealed the true source of his pain. His back had always been fine, but the same didn''t apply to his right hand.


    Khan noticed the deep cuts on the alien''s throats before focusing on his right hand. The Stal''s heads hung from small patches of brown skin as blood continued to flow on him. His attack had almost beheaded his opponent, but his weapon had paid the price to that achievement.


    Countless cuts had opened on his right hand, and his fingers had even bent unnaturally. The same applied to his palm, which seemed split into two parts. It was clear that his injuries didn''t affect only his skin. His bones and muscles had also suffered from the drawbacks of the Divine Reaper.


    ****


    Author''s notes: The chapters will obviously be late tonight.

 Chapter 244: Escape

    Khan wanted to scream, but only suppressed groans came out of his mouth as he pushed himself away from under the Stal''s corpse. Curses resounded in his mind, and pain made a mess out of his thoughts, but intense anxiety also fought against those sensations to remind him about his situation.


    His jailer was dead. His escape had begun. Khan couldn''t allow himself to waste time or cry over his hand, but the pain felt unbearable. He ended up on the verge of fainting every time his cracked fingers or palms moved.


    Khan headbutted the wall behind him in a desperate attempt to suppress part of the pain spreading from his right hand. A second of peace filled his senses, but everything soon returned and almost froze him on the spot. Still, he slammed his head on the dark metal again and used that short moment of clarity to decide what to do.


    Istrone came back to his mind. Khan thought about Ethel, but he refused to consider amputating his hand. He wouldn''t even know how to do it in that situation.


    His eyes eventually fell on the metal protections on the Stal''s limbs, and an idea formed in his mind. Khan threw himself over the almost beheaded corpse and tinkered with one of those metal shields to open it. It turned out that the item had two metal laces that featured a single button on their surfaces.


    The laces unlocked when Khan pressed those buttons. He tore away part of his trousers before applying his hand on the metal protection and tying it with the help of his mouth. The armor was far too long to be useful with the Divine Reaper, but he couldn''t find a better solution for now.


    Khan slammed his head on the metal wall again before adjusting his cracked hand on the metal protection and tying it firmly with the bandages. Blood fell from his forehead, but he ignored it. After creating a tight knot, he closed his eyes to enter the meditative state and see whether his mana could help with his injury.


    The mana had affected the entirety of Khan''s body after becoming a first-level warrior, but only half of it had improved completely. The other half was still in the process of fusing with his energy, and his cracked hand featured many spots like that.


    Still, Khan noticed that the pain dimmed when he forced his mana to send stronger radiations. The different suffering that usually accompanied meditations arrived, but he could only rejoice when he experienced that since he saw that his hand was trying to heal on its own.


    ''Not now,'' Khan reminded himself before snapping out of the meditative state and focusing on his situation.


    His experience with the mental barrier turned out to be helpful. Khan pushed away his pain to create a small but peaceful environment inside his mind. He could think almost clearly there, and that was enough for now.


    ''Can I cross the barrier now?'' Khan wondered while inspecting the dead Stal.


    Everything was silent. Khan didn''t know whether the structure had silent alarms, but they would be outside his control, so he disregarded those fears. His focus was on the Stal''s corpse. The alien was so tall that its legs had remained outside the cell. Still, the barrier didn''t do anything to them.


    Khan took away another protection from the Stal''s limbs before throwing it toward the barrier. A crackling noise resounded before that dense layer of mana flung the metal item back inside the cell. Khan bent to his right to avoid the piece of armor, and his eyes inevitably fell back on the dead alien.


    ''Does it need a genetic signature?'' Khan wondered. ''No, they would have been able to give the trays without opening the barrier otherwise.''


    That conclusion forced Khan to dive on the Stal. He took out its metal protections, removed the tight suit, and even tore apart the rags that covered its lower body. The two huge dongs of the alien appeared in his view, but he paid no attention to them as he continued searching for something that could make him cross the barrier.


    Khan found something only when he inspected the alien''s hands. One of them had a metal ring that felt like a magical item after a second inspection. Khan quickly took it, and a change immediately happened.


    The crackling noise returned after Khan seized the item. The barrier began to affect the corpse and dug its way through the two legs. It only took a few seconds before the mana cut the alien''s limbs.


    The deadliness of the barrier left Khan dumbfounded for a second, but he forced himself out of that mental state to jump to his feet. The ring was too big for his fingers but too small to become a bracelet, so he used his cracked hand to wear it.


    A wave of pain spread from his wounds as he wore the ring with his little finger and ring finger. Khan clenched his teeth as he checked that the item didn''t risk slipping out on its own. Everything was perfect, so he approached the barrier.


    The slight hesitation in Khan''s movements vanished when he noticed that his left hand crossed the barrier without problems. He even felt the synthetic mana falling on his skin, but that sensation lasted for less than a second since he prioritized getting out of the cell.


    ''I did it!'' Khan couldn''t help but shout in his mind when he stepped on the corridor.


    His excitement didn''t make him forget about his situation. Khan inspected both ends of the corridor and confirmed that he was alone. He instinctively turned to his right, but a series of thoughts inevitably appeared in his mind when he noticed that everything remained silent.


    ''Are they really unaware about my escape?'' Khan wondered as his eyes fell on his cell.


    The Stal had to open the barrier to deliver food, but that didn''t happen now. Yet, in theory, Khan would have had to cross it anyway since the alien had come to pick him up.


    Khan had paid incredible attention to the sounds that had reached his cell during the last days. He knew that the Stal didn''t say anything while picking up the other soldiers. The ring didn''t even have buttons, so he felt relatively sure that he couldn''t send communications from his end.


    The only possible conclusion was that the barrier wouldn''t have opened at all. Still, that created questions since Khan would have needed to cross the dense layer of mana anyway.


    Khan felt the need to run away immediately, but he would need a long time to reach the initial platform. He didn''t even know whether the underground structure would feature other areas on his path, but he felt certain that the Stal would eventually notice his escape.


    The unclear functions of the underground structure forced Khan to come up with a simple plan. A good escape required a distraction, so he bent forward to pick up one of the severed legs push it toward the barrier.


    The barrier rejected the severed leg, but Khan tried a different approach. He put the limb at his side and carried it like the jailer had done with the soldiers the previous days. Then, he tried to enter his cell, and his eyes lit up when he noticed that the dense layer of mana finally allowed the passage of that foreign item.


    ''They would have needed to retrieve the trays personally if they didn''t open the barrier,'' Khan summarized in his mind after understanding how the barrier worked. ''I can carry things out.''


    Khan let go of the severed leg and hurried toward the next cell. The soldier inside it had noticed that something had gone wrong, and Khan''s appearance almost made him shout in excitement.


    "Shut up," Khan whispered before the soldier could say anything. "Stay still, and trust me."


    The soldier covered his mouth with both his hands after that reminder. A frown appeared on his face when Khan bent forward and wrapped his limbs around his waist, and a complaint tried to seep out of his fingers when he saw the barrier growing close in his vision.


    The soldier didn''t have time to complete his complaint since Khan brought him out of the cell in no time. The barrier didn''t oppose the process, and the man could soon stand up on his own.


    "Than-," The soldier tried to express his gratitude, but Khan interrupted him with a glare before approaching another cell.


    Similar scenes unfolded as Khan went cell by cell to carry his platoon into the corridor. No one understood how he had managed to escape, but they waited for him to free everyone while making sure to keep their mouths shut.


    The last imprisoned soldier was Lieutenant Pouille. The man didn''t need reminders, so Khan could carry him out of the cell silently. Still, a gasp inevitably escaped his mouth when he noticed that his entire platoon was standing in the corridor.


    "How did you even-," Lieutenant Pouille tried to whisper, but Khan promptly interrupted him.


    "I don''t have time to explain," Khan replied while keeping his voice down. "I''ve memorized the path back to the elevator. We must leave now."


    Those whispers managed to reach the soldiers on the other end of the group due to the deep silence. Everyone inevitably smiled and nodded at that news, but hands fell on Khan''s shoulder when he turned to begin the escape.


    "We won''t be able to reach the initial elevator if the Stal have habitations along the way," Lieutenant Pouille stated while showing his handcuffs, "Especially with these."


    "I know, but it''s better than advance without a clear target," Khan complained.


    "We can fight our way toward the nearest elevator before stealing something on the surface," The Lieutenant suggested while pointing at the left side of the corridor.


    "You can go there," Khan whispered while pointing at the right side of the corridor. "I''ll stick to my plan."


    "The Stal''s forces must have expanded after our defeat," Lieutenant Pouille explained. "The safest place where to resurface is behind the enemy lines."


    Khan felt anxious since freeing all the soldiers had taken a few minutes. He wanted his escape to start right away, but he had to admit that Lieutenant Pouille''s words held some truth.


    The lack of alarms or reinforcements even stated how confident those aliens were about their underground prison. Khan didn''t know if the Stal were too stupid to consider those aspects. The situation had too many variables, and his knowledge of Ecoruta wasn''t on par with the Lieutenant. He didn''t want to put his trust in someone else, but he had to admit that his power alone might end up failing him during a solitary escape.


    "Wait for a second," Khan whispered before hurrying toward his cell and carrying the huge Stal outside.


    The soldiers instinctively gathered around Khan, but they let the Lieutenant pass. The latter''s eyes widened in surprise when he saw Khan removing the metal protections and the tight suit before handing them to his group.


    Khan couldn''t use something so long for the Divine Reaper, but his companions might find those items useful. Lieutenant Pouille didn''t hesitate to pick the suit, while others took the pieces of armor to wear them or use them as weapons.


    Then, Lieutenant Pouille followed Khan on the other side of the group as he started marching toward the corridor''s left. The soldiers behind them didn''t know who was in charge, but they tried to be as silent as possible as the escape began. They even half-bent forward to imitate Khan''s movements.


    "Why is no one coming?" Khan whispered.


    "There might be only one Guko in this area," Lieutenant Pouille guessed without wasting more words in his explanation.


    That short line was enough to reassure Khan. The Stal probably had no idea how to use the underground structure or their items properly, and the presence of a single Guko could explain those many flaws in the prison.


    "Can you fight?" Lieutenant Pouille asked when his eyes fell on the messy bandages and long protection on Khan''s right hand.


    Khan had been able to use only his right hand with the Divine Reaper before, but that would be almost impossible now since the long armor would hinder his slashes. He could probably perform something decent if he waved his chained arms from right to left, but that was far from ideal nonetheless.


    "We must find a way to remove these handcuffs," Lieutenant Pouille announced after noticing that Khan hesitated to answer, and the latter could only nod as the group went deeper inside the enemy territory.

 Chapter 250: Pain

    Khan felt on fire even if the [Blood Shield] continued to protect his back. The passage was long, and its steepness prevented him from adjusting his position or controlling his descent. He was almost free-falling, but he prepared himself for the inevitable landing.


    Many presences drew close as Khan continued to slide on the passage. Pain tried to make him unable to keep track of them, but he suppressed everything for the time being.


    Then, when Khan felt close enough to his companions, he forced himself to bend forward and kicked the ground to jump. The long leap made him cross the messy group, and his airborne rotation allowed him to land comfortably without ending on his companions.


    Ecoruta''s two moons couldn''t illuminate the depths of the canyon, but no one dared to stay still. Many tried to hurry forward only to trip on their companions or eventual rocks standing in their path.


    "Calm down and use your phones!" Khan shouted when he sensed the clumsy advance of his companions.


    A series of gasps resounded among the narrow passage before a few screens lit up and illuminated the area. Khan was already holding the severed hand, his knife, and the Lieutenant''s phone in his left hand, so he couldn''t rely on his device. Still, his experience of Nitis and his sensitivity to mana allowed him to turn and proceed along the passage without needing sources of light.


    The group began to advance steadily. Some had suffered injuries, but the adrenaline running through their bodies allowed them to ignore their pain and focus on the escape. Many doubts had even tried to fill their minds, but no one dared to speak when the threat of the Stal was so close.


    Khan didn''t have the time to study the environment. He prioritized getting out of the settlement''s range, so he advanced blindly, doing his best to memorize every turn or branch that appeared on his path.


    The canyon didn''t follow a simple route. Its initial narrow passage enlarged and shrunk randomly, and it even revealed multiple paths that stretched in different directions.


    Khan didn''t want to lose himself, and the paths that stretched to his sides could lead him closer to enemy settlements, so he did his best to advance in a straight line. That hurried and silent march had to continue for an hour before he felt confident enough to take the first turn that led to a relatively large area and rest.


    The soldiers behind Khan instinctively followed him. They adapted to his pace, pointed their screens toward him to imitate his steps, and stopped as soon as he turned to face them.


    Multiple lights fell on Khan. At first, they moved over his body and stopped whenever they found an injury, but they eventually converged on the gory spectacle in his left palm. Everyone could see the large patch of blood created by the severed hand, the dirty phone, and his phone.


    "What-?" One of the soldiers asked, but Khan interrupted him by shaking his head and sitting on the ground.


    Khan threw the severed hand and Lieutenant Pouille''s phone on the ground before sheathing his knife. His left palm was sticky due to the blood that had fallen on it, but his attention went on his injuries first.


    The two explosions had injured his right side and back. Khan soon discovered that his robe had remained in its place due to his intact left side, but it barely offered any protection now. It had turned unto a burned rag that he didn''t hesitate to take out to transform into bandages.


    Khan did the same for the bandages on his right hand. Most of them had burned, and the skin under them had suffered a similar fate. Still, the injuries didn''t go too deep thanks to his prompt use of the [Blood Shield].


    His back was in a similar state. Patches of burned skin filled it, but the damage didn''t spread to his muscles. The fall through the passage had worsened those wounds, but they remained superficial injuries that a few meditative sessions would fix.


    His hair was the only thing that his meditations couldn''t fix and the [Blood Shield] couldn''t protect. Khan didn''t cut it at all, and it had become quite long after his long period on Nitis, but the explosion had burnt many strands, especially those on his right and back.


    Khan picked one of the few strands of hair that had survived the explosions and stretched it in front of his eyes. Memories and sensations slowly appeared in his mind as he let his thoughts wander. He could almost sense Liiza''s cold hands on his head.


    ''She really liked it long,'' Khan thought as a helpless sigh escaped his mouth. The knife soon reappeared in his hand before shining with azure light and cutting what was left of his long hair.


    The soldiers didn''t say anything in front of that scene. It felt dumb to mind something as trivial as hair after suffering so many injuries, but something told them that the matter had a deeper meaning for Khan. They felt almost able to read the sadness in his eyes.


    "Delia, can you-?" Khan began to ask, but the woman didn''t let him finish. She had moved forward as soon as she heard her name.


    Khan inspected his companions while Delia crouched next to him and started to patch him up. Everyone was mostly fine. He had been the only one to survive or manage to reach the passage after facing the large bullets. That was good news since no one in the group would slow him down, but it also meant that many had remained behind.


    The group only had twelve survivors. Some had also lost their rifles in the messy escape, so the situation wasn''t ideal. Yet, Khan couldn''t help but focus on the positive aspects. It would be easier to remain hidden with a smaller team, and the same went for preserving order among the ranks.


    "Oh," Delia softly exclaimed as her timid fingers touched the tattoo on the back of Khan''s right shoulder. "You might need to retrace this."


    Khan dismissed those words. The tattoo was part of him. He believed that it would reappear even if the entire patch of skin were to blow up.


    "You can leave something in the open," Khan whispered. "Most of these injuries will go away in no time."


    "It''s fine," Delia said while compensating for what remained of Khan''s uniform with part of her clothes.


    Delia was almost done, so Khan began to prepare his next move. He cleaned the screen of Lieutenant Pouille''s phone with what remained of his pants before pressing the severed hand on it. The device lit up, and he quickly browsed through the various menus to search for useful functions.


    Khan couldn''t always use his fingers to browse the phone. Some menus required the constant use of Lieutenant Pouille''s hand due to their classified nature. The martial arts, training programs, and some reports wanted that disgusting process, and they refused any attempt to transfer them to other devices.


    Instead, other menus worked perfectly, so Khan transferred to his phone everything that sounded interesting. He only had to place his device on top of the screen to begin the process, and he obviously started from the information obtained in the underground structure.


    "Is this really the time to steal?" Gloria asked when she saw that Khan had no intention to address their current situation.


    "Don''t worry," Khan exclaimed while waving the severed hand. "I''ll pass it around once I''m done."


    "I wasn''t talking about that," Gloria complained. "We are still deep into the enemy territory, and the Stal know our location. Leaving should be our priority."


    Khan sighed before inspecting his companions again. He could see that many soldiers shared Gloria''s thoughts, and even Delia avoided his gaze now that she had completed the bandages.


    "We don''t know how to leave," Khan explained. "We don''t know where we should come out, and we also lack a proper plan. I''d rather spend the night recovering and studying the Stal''s battle tactics instead of walking blinding inside this canyon."


    "What if the Stal search for us?" Gloria continued.


    Khan pointed at the opening above him before explaining his idea. "We are at least twenty meters under the surface. The canyon is narrow in many areas, which offers natural protection against bullets. The environment doesn''t allow the passage of numerous platoons either, so we can hold our position if the situation requires it."


    "The Stal know this area better than us," Gloria didn''t give up.


    "They won''t be able to take us by surprise as long as I''m here," Khan stated, and the intense confidence contained in his words left the group speechless. Even Gloria found herself widening her eyes in surprise in front of that bold announcement.


    Normally, no one would trust such a young companion right away. However, Khan had done nothing but prove his prowess since his arrival on Ecoruta. Moreover, everyone had read about his achievements on other planets, so they knew he had experience in those situations.


    Khan waited for his device to complete downloading everything before going back on the classified information. The training methods for Lieutenant Pouille''s element were useless to him, but he decided to read their descriptions anyway. The same went for the martial arts, but he didn''t have any luck there either. His techniques weren''t only better. They also conflicted with anything that sounded vaguely interesting.


    Instead, the reports were different. They were simple and contained orders that Khan wouldn''t normally be able to access. Some didn''t even involve Ecoruta, but they were too old to have any relevance to his current situation.


    ''The Global Army is as uncaring as ever,'' Khan commented in his mind after skimming through the reports.


    The orders weren''t too explicit, but they often pressed the Lieutenant to hold specific places at all costs, even if that led to the destruction of his platoon. Khan learnt the position of some important mines or the reason behind a few trenches, but most information didn''t help his situation. The only valuable reports involved the allied troops, which could help him decide how to approach the rest of the escape.


    "Pass it around," Khan eventually said while handing the severed hand and the phone to Delia. "Download what you want and try to take turns if you are interested in the training programs. Still, let''s prioritize coming up with an escape plan. We must compare the battle tactics to decide where to go."


    Delia stared at the severed hand for a few seconds before slowly taking it. She was clearly disgusted by the action, and she even had to gulp a few times to suppress her retches, but her eyes gained determination every time they fell on Lieutenant Pouille''s phone.


    The tragic nature of the situation almost forced Delia to put aside her disgust. Khan had offered her something that the Lieutenant had never wanted to share. He had given her the chance to be a part final decision.


    The other soldiers didn''t miss that detail. The few who still had faint doubts about Khan''s leadership found a new confidence. They couldn''t complain when their voice already had value.


    Khan stopped caring about his companions while they were busy with the phone. He could close his eyes and enter the meditative state to deal with his injuries.


    The burning feeling slowly vanished and allowed Khan to appreciate the [Blood Shield] even more. He almost couldn''t believe that an attack capable of blowing a second-level warrior away had only left him with superficial injuries.


    Eyes started to fall on Khan and eventually forced him to come out of the meditative state. A few soldiers had sat around holograms coming out of the Lieutenant''s phone. The others had formed a circle that included him and had drawn a simple map on the ground.


    The map was simple. It used circles to mark the human troops and squares for the Stal, creating an accurate description of the current situation on the battlefield. That had rendered the phone superfluous, allowing the soldiers interested in Lieutenant Pouille''s techniques to focus on them.


    A few soldiers in Khan''s group appeared completely lost. They managed to look at the map only for a few seconds before glancing at their companions to check whether they were doing better.


    Instead, other soldiers had already made up their minds. The battlefield only had a few valid paths, and their character had been enough to pick one of them.


    Khan could see that Lieutenant Pouille''s initial indecision remained as an issue. The group had the chance to reach the frontlines directly and hope that their allies on the other side would help them or resume their attempt to leave the area stealthily. Yet, the second option felt unreal after the recent events.


    Both options involved huge risks, but Khan immediately felt inclined to move toward the frontlines. That had also been his initial idea, and the recent developments had only pushed him in that direction.


    More and more soldiers raised their eyes, but no one spoke. Many wanted to hear their companions'' opinions before voicing their ideas, while others simply didn''t have the confidence to state their thoughts over such a difficult situation.


    "We should reach the frontlines," Khan said to shatter the silence. "The Stal might be stupid, but we are still on their side of the world. They must have dispatched troops to patrol the area before the trenches."


    "I agree," Gloria stated. "Though I''d avoid separating. Lieutenant Pouille was right. We can''t trust the other platoons. We have to take the trench or at least create suitable conditions for a victory."


    "Maybe we can hide here for a while and wait to be rescued," Clara stated. "This canyon is quite safe, especially with our rifles. We can even try to disturb the Stal if we learn this area well enough."


    "You forget food and water," Khan contradicted. "Besides, this map is our only advantage, but it loses value quickly. We might have mere days before the situation changes again."


    The explanation removed every idea connected to plans that would take many days to unfold. Everything would be different if they had access to food and water, but the canyon was too barren for that.


    "We attack then," Delia announced. "Nice talk."


    A few soldiers chuckled but sighs soon followed. They didn''t need words to decide that the end of the night would mark the beginning of their attack.


    Khan used that chance to take out his phone and browse through his gains. The Lieutenant had been far from rich, but his device contained many books that involved various topics, and he had taken all of them without bothering to read their titles. Still, now he could see many interesting labels, some about subjects connected to the role of an ambassador.


    Khan only spent a few minutes on the screen. He wanted to prioritize his meditations and maybe even sleep a little before tomorrow''s battle. The morning wouldn''t take much to arrive, so he couldn''t waste time studying.


    No one added ideas to the battle plan, so Khan approached the frail wall and laid his back carefully. It hurt a little, but he could endure it. The other soldiers imitated him and prepared themselves to rest.


    "It''s almost intact again," Delia said while sitting next to Khan. "Did you trace it with mana?"


    "The Niqols do very little without mana," Khan revealed while glancing at his tattoo.


    "What does it mean?" Delia asked.


    "It depends on the day," Khan lied as he closed his eyes.


    "What about now?" Delia continued.


    "Pain," Khan sighed before falling into his meditative state.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I don''t really know what to say. I''m finding myself busy and sleepless even for reasons that don''t involve writing. I can only rely on your understanding today too since this will be the only chapter tonight. I''ll try to go back to my usual schedule or at least that number of chapters asap.

 Chapter 251: Fire

    A few sunrays managed to seep past the narrow openings above the group and woke up some soldiers. Khan opened his eyes only to notice the slight hesitation and fear in his companions'' expressions. Everyone knew that a tough battle was ahead of them, and anxiety inevitably spread.


    Delia woke up as Khan began to move to check his state. The woman had fallen asleep next to him, and she had ended up using him to support herself again, but she had chosen his left side since she had noticed her habit.


    Khan didn''t mind Delia''s behavior. His group was in a mess, and many soldiers had always fought behind trenches or in safe environments. He would allow her to rely on him if she needed that. He only hoped that she wouldn''t get the wrong idea about the nature of their relationship, but those thoughts didn''t last long in his mind.


    Khan confirmed that his skin had mostly reached a stable state. It still hurt at times, but it didn''t hinder his movements, which was enough for him.


    "Who has the phone?" Khan groaned while scratching the corners of his eyes.


    One of the soldiers on the other side of the group stood up and avoided stepping over the map drawn on the ground to deliver the phone and the severed hand to Khan. The man held the gory and smelly limb with two fingers and tried not to look at it, and similar disgust appeared on the others when they saw him walking among them.


    Khan ignored those reactions and quickly unlocked the phone before reaching the human battle plans and projecting them next to the map through holograms. Then, he used his device to inspect the Stal''s tactics, and some soldiers imitated him.


    The map, the holograms, and the images on the screens showed some differences, but they remained relatively similar. Still, Khan preferred to use the original source to be more accurate when deciding his next move.


    The group had already decided to attack the nearest trench. Still, they had yet to pick a path to get out of the canyon. The map on the ground couldn''t possibly show all the possible branches of the structure, so the soldiers had to rely on the information obtained from the Guko for that.


    The Stal''s knowledge of the canyon wasn''t as accurate as many hoped, but it prevented the soldiers from being completely lost in that environment. Khan could quickly find a few possible paths that led to the nearest trench, but none of them seemed better than the other.


    "Do we pick randomly?" Gloria asked after reaching Khan''s conclusions.


    "One of the paths leads closer to the trench," Khan sighed, "But the map becomes unclear in many areas that involve it. I think we should use one of the large ones to avoid getting lost."


    Khan and other soldiers had kept track of their movements inside the canyon, and the map helped them pinpoint their current position. They only needed to cross a few branches to enter one of the largest passages of the structure, and missing it didn''t seem possible.


    Of course, a larger passage meant less cover from potential projectiles, but Khan felt ready to take that bet. Everything about that mission was risky, with the greatest of them being remaining in the canyon for too long, so that option sounded like the most reasonable plan.


    His companions'' silence was enough to express their agreement. That event also made the soldiers stand up to prepare for the imminent march. Many of them wielded their rifles and adjusted their dirty military uniforms before waiting for Khan to give orders.


    "Do you want me to redo your bandages?" Delia asked during the preparations.


    Khan glanced at his companion. Not much of her uniform had remained after taking care of his injuries. Delia appeared willing to go further and remove the fabric that hid her waist, but Khan shook his head.


    "It''s fine," Khan reassured Delia. "Your bandages are perfect. They are still firm after these hours."


    "Still," Delia continued, but Khan interrupted her by placing a hand on her shoulder.


    "It''s fine," Khan repeated while showing a fake reassuring smile. "We got this."


    Delia felt able to hear the lies in Khan''s voice, but she chose to believe in him anyway. She would have become a guinea pig for the anti-mana project if it weren''t for him, so deciding to rely entirely on him turned out to be relatively easy.


    The other soldiers had initially tried to avoid staring at Delia and Khan since they felt that the situation required some intimacy. Still, they ended up fixing their eyes on Khan after his confident statement. Many couldn''t see through his lies, so it was easier for them to trust in him completely.


    "Let''s go," Khan ordered after tying the severed hand to his belt and storing the other phone in his pocket.


    His confident expression transformed into a cold face after crossing his companions to lead them through the canyon. There were only twelve of them and nine rifles. The enemy platoon would probably have more than twenty-five Stal, and settlement with reinforcements was nearby. Khan''s hopes relied on the surprise effect, and he planned to make full use of that advantage.


    The group would approach the trench from behind the barrier, and the Stal were tall enough to be perfect targets from that position. However, the soldiers would have to reach that area in broad daylight, and they would be relatively in the open after the initial attack.


    Attacking at night would have normally been better, but the group knew that taking the trench on their own would be hard. They had to rely on the allied fire from the other side of the battlefield, which required daylight.


    The attack also had to be relatively swift since the arrival of reinforcements would put an end to the soldiers'' escape. Dying in battle would become the best option at that point since they knew what fate waited for them if they allowed the Stal to capture them again.


    Khan revised the plan countless times in his mind as he led the group across the canyon. It was almost impossible to get lost with so many eyes keeping track of the path, but his lack of worries in that field didn''t allow him to reach better conclusions.


    The battle would be a mess that featured many variables, and Khan tried to play them in his mind. The Stal would crouch to hide in the trench after the surprise attack, making them virtually impossible to hit with the rifles. That phase would require a distraction capable of forcing them to peek out of the channel, and Khan knew that he was perfect for that role.


    Khan obviously didn''t like the idea of charging on his own toward the enemy trench, but the situation didn''t give him other options. He wasn''t as good as his companions with a rifle, and he couldn''t let the Stal drag the battle until reinforcements arrived.


    Khan didn''t explain his intentions to his companions, but he felt that everyone had understood them. The lack of enough rifles forced him to make use of his speed and close-combat experience.


    The soldiers advanced quickly, and no one dared to speak. Many were hungry, thirsty, and exhausted, but they pressed on anyway. The recent events had steeled their determination and had removed most traces of inexperience from their minds, turning them into reliable soldiers.


    In a way, Ecoruta had served its purpose for Khan''s group. The surviving soldiers weren''t the same troublemakers or clumsy kids who had earned a ticket for that ruthless planet. Fighting on the trenches had already started that process, but it had taken them that crisis to transform completely.


    The group had to march for a few hours before reaching their destination. A relatively steep passage that led toward the surface unfolded in their vision and made their expressions darken.


    Hesitation naturally spread among the group now that the battle was so close, but Khan didn''t let that feeling stop him. He stepped forward and tested the passage while paying attention to his senses. The area felt empty, but he decided to climb on his own to check what his sensitivity to mana couldn''t reach.


    A simple gesture was enough to make the soldiers remain at the bottom of the canyon while Khan climbed the frail passage. His light steps didn''t cause any reaction to the ground under him, so he became able to peek at the surface in no time.


    The barren plain didn''t change. Khan only noticed a few solitary bushes that had no leaves during his inspection. As for the Stal, he saw the vague shapes of a settlement to his right, and faint azure lights flashed in a distant spot in front of him.


    Everything felt closer than Khan had expected. The map had been quite detailed, but he had needed to see the area with his own eyes to gain a clear idea of his situation.


    The Stal''s battle plans had informed the group that the trench didn''t have vehicles, but the same didn''t apply to the settlement nearby. The aliens had a tank and a few armored trucks that could make them reach the frontlines in mere minutes.


    Khan returned to his group and inspected their faces. That probably was a good time for an inspiring speech, but he only had bad news to convey.


    "The settlement is quite close," Khan announced. "We won''t have long before the reinforcements arrive."


    "So?" Delia asked before fear could take control of the group.


    "So, nothing," Khan explained, deciding to make his tactic clear. "We reach the trench, kill as many Stal as possible, and keep firing to cover me. I''ll jump among them and make sure that you can hit their heads."


    "I will also go," One of the soldiers without a rifle exclaimed. "It''s pointless for me to remain in the backlines."


    "Some of us will die since we don''t have any cover," Khan declared. "Still, we can''t let our fire grow weaker. I need you two to pick your fallen companions'' rifles and keep killing while I''m among them."


    The man and the woman without rifles couldn''t say anything in front of those words. Khan looked at them for a few seconds to confirm that they had understood their role before turning toward Gloria.


    "I need you to pay attention to the second-level warriors," Khan ordered. "I can endure a blow or two, but defeating them inside a trench and in my current state is a bit hard."


    Some soldiers frowned. Khan was saying that he would have a chance against second-level warriors in a different environment. They could accept that he could hold his ground for a few exchanges, but killing those strong opponents was something completely different. Still, they remained silent to avoid ruining the group''s concentration.


    "I can''t tell first-level and second-level warriors apart from that distance," Gloria admitted.


    "It''s simple," Khan responded. "If they are alive after fighting me, shoot them."


    Many would consider Khan delusional or extremely arrogant, but his group had already seen him jump inside a trench. They knew that he was speaking out of confidence.


    "I don''t know what''s the ideal range for the rifles," Khan eventually said. "You will decide when to stop."


    A series of nods unfolded in Khan''s vision, and he took them as the signal to start the mission. He turned, and everyone followed him.


    Climbing the passage turned out to be hard for the soldiers without suitable techniques, but the group eventually made it out of the canyon and half-crouched to begin their advance.


    Ecoruta''s warm sun shone on the group as they moved toward the azure flashes in the distance. They were slow, but that was fine for now.


    The enemy trench eventually appeared in their sight and made them lower their heads even more. A platoon with more than thirty Stal fired from behind a barrier and ignored everything behind them. Bullets even flew above them, but they rarely hit something.


    Khan and the others silently decided to accelerate. The whooshing noises covered their steps and allowed them to get close to the trench quickly, and they advanced until Clara spoke. "I can hit them from here."


    A series of "me too" resounded among the group and made it reach a common understanding. The soldiers lay down and pointed their rifles at the trench, but they didn''t pull their triggers yet.


    "Make sure to aim at different targets," Khan whispered, and exchanges of gazes happened among his companions. Once everyone was ready, he whispered a soft "fire" that a series of whooshing noises and azure flashes didn''t hesitate to follow.


    Nine bullets flew forward, but only eight hit their targets. A few even failed to inflict deadly injuries and allowed the surviving Stal to voice angry growls that alerted the entire trench.


    The Stal stopped firing at the human trench on the other side of the battlefield and turned, but more bullets flew in their direction. The soldiers had used that change to fire again and kill more aliens, but the loud growl that followed that event put an end to that trend.


    The aliens quickly crouched inside the trench and made it impossible for the soldiers to aim at them. The Stal limited themselves to raise their rifles and fire blindly, and some of those bullets ended up flying relatively close to the group.


    "I''m going," Khan announced as he began to stand up. "Don''t stop firing for even a second, and try not to hit me."


    Someone chuckled, but Khan didn''t hear that. Thoughts disappeared from his mind as he sprinted forward and immersed himself in the currents of mana that flowed throughout the battlefield.


    ****


    Author''s notes: It usually takes me between two and three hours to write one chapter for Chaos (more if I lack focus or get near 3000 words). I hope to deliver the second chapter in that time.

 Chapter 252: Pushing

    Bullets flew and exploded on the battlefield. Khan sensed them crossing his sides and passing right above his head, but his stance didn''t falter. He sprinted forward, keeping his back bent forward to remain outside of the projectiles that reached that part of the battlefield.


    The random bullets fired from the Stal crouching inside the trench were the only threat that could reach Khan. He had to cut to his sides or perform short jumps to avoid what was flying toward him, but his actions felt almost natural by then. He didn''t even need to think about his surroundings. His body moved on its own and dodged any mass of mana that tried to hit him.


    The trench wasn''t exactly close, but Khan reached it quickly anyway. A series of Stal oddly crouching on the channel unfolded in his eyes, and multiple presences became clear in his senses. He could locate the stronger aliens, and he didn''t hesitate to avoid them.


    Khan jumped toward his right. The leap was basically horizontal and never brought him higher than the barrier on the other side of the trench. His knife lit up while he was airborne, and he swung it under him to hit a head that had just noticed his presence.


    The knife didn''t meet any hindrance. It passed through the head without slowly Khan down. He could point his legs forward and land on the trench''s side before sprinting past a series of Stal.


    It felt annoying that the stronger Stal were on the left side of the trench. Khan would have had the chance to swing his knife at the aliens in that case. Instead, he had to go to his right and move on the trench''s diagonal wall to avoid his opponents'' huge bodies, making them too far for his weapon.


    A series of growls resounded throughout the trench and alerted everyone about the presence of an intruder. Stal began to stand up to search for Khan, but bullets immediately reached them. Some aliens had forgotten about the enemies behind their barrier, and many paid the price for that.


    Khan focused on attracting the aliens'' attention for now, but it didn''t take long before they put an end to his sprint. A Stal eventually slammed its two right arms on the wall without straightening its position. Those thick limbs alone couldn''t hinder Khan, but the area above him had bullets, and he couldn''t slide under the Stal either due to its crouched stance, so he had to start fighting.


    Khan performed another horizontal leap that made him pass right above the Stal''s heads. His glowing knife flashed in the process, and blood spurted on his body.


    The alien could only fall forward when it found one of its heads split in half. Khan landed inside the trench, but the event attracted the attention of the Stal in front of him that quickly voiced warnings.


    Khan darted forward, swinging his knife while the alien in front of him was still busy growling. The Stal was crouching, so he could reach its heads without performing any airborne maneuver. His weapon swung horizontally, severing its faces into two halves.


    The alien died on the spot, but it didn''t move. Its corpse became a boulder that Khan kicked to open a path, but his eyes widened when he saw the Stal crouching behind it. The latter had its rifle pointed at him, and azure light soon filled his vision.


    Khan bent his legs and moved his left arm in front of his face before deploying the [Blood Shield]. His unique mental state adjusted the position of his forearm and made it stand in the bullet''s trajectory. The mass of mana slammed on the Niqols'' technique and discharged its energy, burning his skin and trying to push him away.


    Khan''s feet dug the ground as he endured the power of the bullet. A burning sensation spread from his arm, but he ignored it. He could feel his tight grip on the knife, so nothing else mattered.


    The Stal''s humanoid features allowed Khan to notice the surprise that filled its face, but he didn''t linger on those thoughts. The alien fired again, but he had already moved by then. He dodged the bullet and reached his opponent''s head in no time.


    Blood spurted on his torso as he almost beheaded the alien. The Stal lost its balance as its right head fell forward and revealed the small patch of skin that kept it attached to the neck. Khan was ready to push the Stal to the side and proceed forward, but his senses suddenly warned him of another threat.


    Khan grabbed the falling alien from the rags that covered its chest and used it as a shield. An azure light flashed behind it before piercing the left side of its torso and passing right next to Khan''s head. He didn''t expect the Stal behind his opponent to fire at its companion, but he had the time to adjust his position and leave the bullet''s trajectory.


    Another azure light shone as the Stal fired again. Khan had to move his head away to avoid the bullet, and blood fell on his face since he had ended up in front of the hole created by the previous attack.


    The Stal could finally see Khan after opening two holes in its companion''s torso, but he kicked the corpse before another bullet could arrive. The dead alien flew forward and forced the Stal to raise its rifle and arms to defend, but a shadow appeared under it before the impact.


    Khan stabbed his knife on the Stal''s left head as the corpse fell on him. The heavy alien tried to press him on the ground, but he was strong enough to push it away with his shoulder and use the second Stal as a shield.


    Khan could remain in that position for only a second since bullets started flying from behind him. He had to let go of the maimed Stal and jump on the wall to his left, making sure that his head didn''t get past the barrier.


    The bullets pierced the maimed Stal and continued to fly toward the aliens on the right side of the trench. The friendly fire killed a few of them, but more growls soon resounded and made everyone lower their rifles.


    Khan never stayed still for too long. He sprinted forward as soon as the Stal lowered their rifles and descended from the wall to deliver an airborne kick on the first alien he found. The latter couldn''t withstand the attack since it wasn''t even a first-level warrior.


    The kick slammed the alien on the ground and allowed Khan to move forward. A Stal growled as it straightened its position and spread its arms to block his path, but a bullet pierced its heads as soon as it peeked past the trench.


    Khan slid between the alien''s legs as it fell lifelessly to the ground. Another Stal appeared in his view. The latter had begun to stand up, but it had tried to return to its crouching stance after witnessing its companion''s fate. Still, Khan reached it before it could complete the action, and his body rotated before throwing a powerful kick.


    The attack landed at the center of the Stal''s torso and made it separate from the ground. The alien ended up leaving the trench''s cover with its entire body, and a precise bullet hit its sides before it could start to fall.


    Khan didn''t even look at his opponent. He had sensed the incoming bullet from his companions, so he sprinted past the falling alien to approach the next Stal. He found another first-level warrior on his path, but the latter didn''t wait for his arrival.


    The Stal jumped forward and spread its arms. Khan saw a giant brown figure flying toward him and decided to slide under it while stabbing his knife upward.


    The Stal couldn''t catch Khan, and the knife ended up leaving a long and deep cut across its torso. Some of its organs fell out before it could land, and the rest followed after the impact with the ground.


    The corpses or maimed Stal that Khan left behind hindered his pursuers. The aliens couldn''t stand up since bullets flew in their direction whenever they peeked out of the trench, so they couldn''t use their height to jump past their companions.


    Khan noticed that event, but he barely had the time to rejoice since opponents kept appearing on his path. He had picked the side that had first-level warriors at best, and their crouching stance allowed him to reach their heads without jumping, but that also made many of them remain in their position after dying.


    Khan often had to kick or push away the Stal that he defeated, slowing down his advance and forcing him to interrupt his momentum. He could have killed far more aliens in an open field, but he struggled to reach his opponents quickly now.


    The annoying situation only made Khan work harder. He couldn''t use his right hand, and his left arm had also suffered injuries, but his kick could make most aliens fly or disturb their crouching stance enough to make their heads peek past the trench. His knife was as deadly as ever, and the channel prevented him from being surrounded.


    In theory, Khan was unstoppable as long as he avoided getting caught or facing second-level warriors. He would eventually have to deal with the stronger Stal, but everything was going well for now. He could even consider approaching the human troops on the other side of the battlefield if he cleared the right side of the trench quickly.


    Still, even in their stupidity, the Stal were a strong species that knew how to fight and wage wars. Khan continued to fight his way through enemies until an alien battle cry resounded throughout the trench and forced him to turn.


    The scene that unfolded in his eyes felt almost unreal. Khan saw a second-level warrior pushing the corpses that he had left along the way without even bothering to stand up. The alien was strong enough to move at a decent pace when more than four bodies were trying to hinder its path.


    The Stal also made use of its four arms smartly. It continued to push the corpses forward while constantly throwing some of them outside the trench. Its actions initially didn''t lead anywhere since more dead aliens appeared on its path, but it eventually managed to accelerate as it closed the distance from Khan.


    Khan had long since resumed his advance, but the incoming Stal turned out to be faster than him. He needed to kill and move his opponents, while the alien only had to push to reach his position. The sheer difference in their speed didn''t matter when Khan couldn''t move as freely as he wanted.


    The Stal tried to help their leader when they noticed its actions. They jumped forward and did their best to hinder Khan''s advance, and some of them even tried to catch him after losing one of their heads. The battle cry from before had turned them into cannon fodder that had the sole purpose of stopping him.


    The chaotic nature of the trench made Khan''s movements even smoother, but that alone couldn''t get him out of the incoming threat. He was slowly getting faster in his kills and advance, but the Stal was getting closer anyway.


    Khan eventually decided to jump right behind the barrier and sprint for a while to put some distance from the second-level warrior, but his plan crumbled as soon as he found corpses flying toward him. The Stal had turned its dead companions into weapons, and he couldn''t jump over them since bullets still flew above his head.


    Khan felt forced to jump back at the bottom of the trench, but the Stal arrived at that point. He found himself clung to the corpses that the alien was pushing forward, but he couldn''t pay attention to them since other opponents appeared on the path ahead.


    The first Stal to appear in front of him was a first-level warrior. The alien had already prepared itself to throw four powerful punches, but Khan decided to jump toward it to stab his knife at the center of its chest.


    The second-level warrior reached Khan in no time and forced him to slam on the pile of corpses again, and he used that force to push his knife upward and cut a big chunk of his opponent''s insides. The Stal was still alive, but Khan promptly slashed again and severed its heads in half.


    The alien died, but Khan made sure to grab its ragged clothes and hold it in front of him. The second-level warrior couldn''t hit him from behind the pile of corpses, but it continued to push everything forward, eventually making his meat shield slam on another Stal.


    The matter didn''t end there. More and more Stal fell prey to the second-level warrior''s actions. That single alien was turning the entire trench upside-down, and Khan focused on remaining alive while two opposite forces tried to squeeze him.


    Luckily for Khan, the Stal that ended up getting pushed by the second-level warrior lost their foothold and couldn''t manage to express much strength. They became like Khan, and they couldn''t even reach him since he was using one of their dead companions as a shield.


    The second-level warrior had to stop throwing away corpses and use its four limbs to push since the weight had become too much even for its incredible strength. The alien had already captured Khan, but it seemed to have forgotten its initial plan. Everything had transformed into a contest in its mind, and it didn''t want to lose.


    Khan wanted to curse, but he didn''t dare to lose focus. He continued to pay attention to his surroundings and waited for the right opportunity to appear.


    After almost a minute spent between the corpses and the trapped Stal, Khan noticed that his legs and left arm became unable to create a safe area. He had stopped moving, and the group in front of him had started to push his meat shield with new strength.


    Khan knew that he was no match for the Stal in terms of physical strength, especially with so many of them involved. He waited until the area above him felt safe before pointing one foot on the first foothold he found and pushing him away from that situation.


    The meat shield fell on the other corpses as soon as Khan jumped above the messy group. Almost half of his body surpassed the barrier, so he immediately bent forward as he started to use the Stal''s heads, shoulders, and limbs to sprint ahead.


    It turned out that the second-level warrior had pushed the group until the end of the trench. The Stal that had fallen prey to the event had started to use the wall as a support to fight back against the force trying to crush them alive.


    Khan used that chance to get out of the situation. Bullets flew in front and behind him, but he accelerated and slowed down while running on top of the Stal to dodge everything.


    When Khan landed on the ground past the trench, he accelerated and moved toward the allied force on the other side of the battlefield. However, bullets started to fly toward him and forced him to resume his escape.


    "You idiots!" Khan shouted at the allied trench when he had the chance to stop. "Do I look like a Stal to you?!"


    Khan didn''t know if the humans had heard him from that distance, but bullets stopped flying toward him, so he decided to shout again. "We are the survivors of Lieutenant Pouille''s platoon. My team is fighting on the other side of the enemy trench. You can charge ahead safely!"


    Khan didn''t expect those words to have any effect on his allies, and the humans didn''t surprise him. No one jumped past the barrier, and he couldn''t wait for them. His cold face turned toward the enemy trench, where he saw that some Stal were slowly escaping the cramped area and stepping on the surface to approach him.


    Bullets immediately reached those aliens. The mess caused by the second-level warrior had made the Stal forget about Khan''s group, and they paid the price for that mistake.


    Khan stepped back to avoid getting in the way of his companions. His distraction had ended up affecting the Stal''s platoon badly. Almost twenty of them had died, while the rest continued to hide inside the trench. That scene felt like a victory that the appearance of a bright azure light disrupted.


    An explosion followed the flash of azure light. Khan had remained still as a large bullet fell in his companions'' position and created a trail of smoke that made him unable to assess their condition. Then, the noise of engines reached his ears.


    When Khan turned, he saw that two armored trucks and a tank had appeared in the distance. The first two vehicles were even coming in his direction.

 Chapter 253: Vehicles

    The Stal in the trench started to come out again after the tank attacked the soldiers behind the enemy lines, but bullets fell on them before they could reach Khan. The allies on the other side of the battlefield had targeted them had soon as they left their cover.


    The help from the other platoon didn''t improve Khan''s situation. The Stal had gone back to the relentless but safe offensive iconic of the trench war, blocking one of the possible escape paths.


    Khan found himself in a pickle. The two armored trucks were faster than him, and they could reach him before he arrived on the enemy trench. The battlefield had bullets flying everywhere, and the Stal in the channel had already started to point their rifles at him.


    Khan was stuck between difficult choices. He could do his best to reach the allied barrier and hope to deal with the armored trucks along the way, or he could return inside the enemy trench and see if he could cause a mess again.


    Both options sounded bad. Khan didn''t want to face the trucks right next to the battlefield, and jumping back in the enemy trench would put him in front of second-level warriors. The presence of the tank didn''t help either since it theoretically turned every empty area into a danger zone.


    The special mindset that Khan achieved during battles couldn''t help him there. His sensitivity to mana could only tell him where the danger lurked, and he sensed it all around him. Even standing still wouldn''t prevent him from facing a threat.


    ''The allies will never be able to advance with a tank on the scene,'' Khan eventually thought as he slowly bent toward the incoming vehicles.


    A single tank had almost made the humans lose their trench on his first day on Ecoruta. Khan knew how that battle would go if he didn''t do anything. The escape would fail, and the other platoon would retreat. The humans falling prey to that offensive would die or become prisoners for the anti-mana project.


    The selfish option could save Khan a lot of trouble if it succeeded, which would mean forsaking his companions. He didn''t really care about them, but Delia had been good to him, and he wanted to help her. Since he would need to face threats anyway, he decided to take the path that could save everyone.


    Khan stared at the incoming armored trucks while the mana on the battlefield played a symphony inside his mind. He sensed the Stal behind him getting their rifles ready and the many bullets flying around. He even felt a few projectiles arriving from his companions, indicating that some had survived the tank.


    ''It''s only two vehicles,'' Khan thought as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ''I didn''t survive for so long only to lose to two damned vehicles.''


    Khan didn''t forget the powerlessness felt when the Stal had ambushed his platoon. The situation was different now. He had fewer enemies, and he was strong enough to deal with them. After everything he had gone through, that was more than enough to fill his mind with confidence and determination.


    When Khan opened his eyes, the trucks were only a few seconds from him. He could see their spiked wheels, their compact rectangular shapes, and the multiple metal protections on their corners, and the small dark windows that hid its insides.


    They were nothing more than fast and big chunks of metal with high resistance to mana. A frontal hit could kill even second-level warriors, and they probably had bombs or other weapons at their disposal. However, their riders were known as a stupid species, so Khan could guess that they wouldn''t be able to use all the functions of the vehicles.


    Khan was slower than the trucks, but that only when it came to running in a straight line. He was faster in the initial phases of a sprint, and his agility was in a superior realm.


    The first truck filled his view in no time, but Khan moved to his right before a frontal crash could happen. His shoulder felt warm when it passed next to the vehicle''s side, but he didn''t dare to let it touch the metal. Instead, he lowered his knife and covered it with sharp mana before stabbing it on the wheels.


    A normal weapon would have allowed the truck to fling Khan away, but his knife empowered by the Divine Reaper didn''t make him feel the slightest hindrance. He barely noticed that the blade crossed the rear wheel and almost cut it in half, uncaring of the metal protections and spikes that stood in its way.


    Khan maintained the technique active until the knife came out of the other side of the metal wheel. He wasn''t sprinting, and he had no intention of doing that. The second truck soon filled his view, and he repeated his swift dodge accompanied by a slash.


    The second truck had tried to turn to its left after seeing what Khan had done to the first vehicle. It couldn''t follow his movements, but it made the rear wheel escape from his range. His knife''s tip only touched it and left a shallow mark that didn''t affect its functions.


    Both trucks turned, drifting on the barren ground as they tried to align their front with Khan''s position. Yet, the damaged wheel of the first vehicle broke during the intense action and made its back hit the terrain.


    The momentum accumulated during the turn made the vehicle dig the ground and come to a stop before it could point at Khan. It even tilted to its left due to the lack of a wheel and the hole. Yet, the Stal inside it still tried to accelerate.


    The truck quickly brought itself outside the hole, but it remained tilted, and the Stal weren''t smart enough to attempt to balance it by moving their huge bodies on the other side. Instead, they went along with that new angle, which ultimately made the vehicle fall on its left side.


    The crash made the truck dig the ground again and rise a cloud of dirt. The spikes of its intact wheel managed to touch the ground, and it carried enough power to keep the vehicle moving. However, it slowly began to spin inside that pit since it was unable to turn or find other footholds.


    The Stal didn''t understand what was happening, but the aliens inside the second truck felt interested in the sudden event. Yet, they soon recalled about their targets, but they couldn''t find him in his previous position.


    Khan sprinted at full speed toward the tank. He didn''t imagine that the first truck would actually end up in that poor position, but he soon became unable to sense it due to the distance.


    The tank had moved in a different direction since it wanted to target soldiers behind the enemy lines. Yet, the Stal in the second truck eventually noticed him, and they didn''t hesitate to accelerate toward him. Their vehicle was so fast that it caught up with him before he could get close to the four-legged weapon.


    Khan sensed the truck moving in his direction but acted as if everything was normal. He continued to sprint forward until the vehicle was about to run him over before jumping to his right.


    The currents generated by the truck almost flung Khan away when it passed next to him. Yet, they only managed to push him a bit. He could land safely and jump forward to reach the rear wheel before it left his range.


    The glowing knife left a diagonal cut through the wheel. Khan ended up falling on the ground since he had basically thrown himself forward, but he didn''t fail to raise his head and inspect the truck turning to its left to point at him.


    The immense pressure that fell on the damaged wheel broke it. All the weight of the truck ended up on that spot as it touched the ground and tilted. Its lack of balance and momentum made it fall to its right side and rotate until it turned upside-down.


    Khan felt lucky that the Stal had decided to turn the truck to the left, but he didn''t waste time enjoying the moment. He jumped back to his feet in an instant and resumed his sprint toward the tank.


    The four-legged weapon had fired two more large bullets toward his companions while he was busy dealing with the two vehicles, but he didn''t turn to check their conditions. Khan moved quickly and eventually reached the tall tank.


    Khan had already dealt with one of those vehicles. His knife glowed as he passed among its legs. The blade pierced the joints of two legs as he turned to prepare for the inevitable fall.


    The two legs bent under the tank''s weight and made it fall on the ground. The cabin behind the long barrel released a whooshing noise as it opened and revealed a Stal struggling to come out of that cramped area. The alien was a second-level warrior, but it couldn''t do anything against the incoming attack since Khan had darted forward before its arms could leave the small space.


    Khan didn''t have the time to rejoice in front of the beheaded second-level warrior since a series of bullets flew in his direction. He crouched to hide behind the fallen tank and peeked past it as soon as his senses told him that the area was safe.


    The Stal inside the trucks had come out. Each vehicle contained four of them, but one had died due to a bullet before managing to hide behind the dark metal. Instead, the others had placed a knee on the ground and had their rifles pointed toward him.


    A few more bullets flew in Khan''s direction and forced him to hide behind the truck again. The second wave of attacks had come from the enemy trench since it still had Stal focused on him. Those aliens didn''t sound happy about his feat. Their growls reached his ears even if he was relatively far away.


    Khan saw some familiar figures once the smoke created by the tank''s large bullets dispersed. There had once been eleven soldiers there, but he could only make out four or five of them now. He couldn''t understand what had happened to the others, but he didn''t allow himself to think about that.


    ''It''s only a few bullets,'' Khan thought as he prepared himself to go back to the battlefield.


    The path back to the trenches wasn''t as messy as the actual battlefield, but it had a few Stal focused entirety on Khan. He wouldn''t mind spending more time behind his cover, but the aliens wouldn''t take long to understand what had happened, and he was the closest soldier to the settlement right now.


    A curse interrupted the small break that Khan had decided to take. He suddenly sensed the familiar noises of the trucks coming from behind him. When he turned, he saw that four more armored vehicles had appeared in the distance and were converging toward his position.


    There seemed to be no end to the number of reinforcements that the settlement was ready to deploy, but Khan accepted that outcome quickly. He took a deep breath and focused on his surroundings. He studied the barrage of bullets before darting out of his cover as soon as he found an opening.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Same as yesterday. I hope to complete the second chapter in less than three hours.

 Chapter 254: Cough

    Khan sprinted to his right, leaving the spot targeted by the Stal before curving toward the truck that had turned upside-down. The first-level warriors among the aliens could follow him with their eyes, but they never tried to predict his movements, so the bullets ended up flying behind him.


    The situation became more dangerous as Khan grew closer to the truck since he couldn''t be as flexible as before. Sidestepping a couple of bullets while running in a straight line wasn''t a problem, but the action would force him to slow down for a few seconds, leaving him vulnerable to other attacks.


    Moreover, the first truck had three Stal, but Khan didn''t find other options. He charged at them, diving deep into his special mindset to make his movements as smooth as possible.


    A bullet aimed for his head, but he bent to his left before kicking the ground to minimize the loss of speed. Another tried to fly toward his chest, but he spun on himself, prolonging and stretching the rotation to make sure that nothing touched him. Still, Khan suddenly noticed that the third mass of mana was basically on him, so he ducked and slid on the ground.


    The rotation had forced Khan to slow down, so he couldn''t slide for long, and the Stal didn''t wait for him to stand up. Two bullets flew toward him and prevented any attempt to straighten his position. He had to kick the ground to move to his right, but he saw a third mass of mana moving toward him as soon as he managed to jump back to his feet.


    Khan jumped to his left and kicked the ground with his right leg to resume sprinting forward, but he had to duck when he saw another bullet flying toward him. A second projectile tried to hit him while he was still sliding on the ground and forced him to throw himself to his right.


    Khan hit the ground with his right shoulder, but another bullet arrived. He could only turn and kick with both legs to push himself outside of the attack''s trajectory. Other projectiles tried to follow his movements, so he flung himself away and slid until he surpassed the cover of the truck.


    The Stal behind the second truck immediately tried to fire at Khan, so he had to continue kicking the ground until he arrived behind the front of the first vehicle. No projectiles could reach him there, but the situation was far from ideal.


    Khan straightened his position and laid his back on the truck. Three Stal were at the side of the vehicles. Two stood behind the second cover, while others were inside the trench. He would expose himself to two groups if he moved to his right and only one if he started sprinting to his left. However, he would have the chance to use his knife in the first option.


    The new reinforcements grew closer as Khan continued to wait behind his cover. He had decided to turn the corner to his right and jump among the three Stal, but bullets were still flying toward him, and he could sense the three aliens keeping their rifles ready.


    When Khan found an opening, he sensed that one of the Stal decided to turn the corner on its own. He didn''t hesitate to crouch and imitate its movements. The alien jumped forward and pulled its arms back to attack as soon as it found its opponent, but it couldn''t find Khan right away due to its tall size.


    Two thick legs appeared in Khan''s vision, but he barely paid attention to his eyes in that situation. As soon as he sensed the Stal standing before him, he jumped and slashed with his knife.


    The Stal found Khan only when it saw him filling its view. Yet, everything suddenly felt dizzy, and its balance broke as it began to fall backward.


    Khan made the mana in his body fall toward the tip of his left foot to fall faster than his opponent. His hand reached for the Stal''s robe as soon as he touched the ground, and he forced the alien to act as a cover while he understood what its two companions were doing.


    The other two Stal didn''t move, so Khan decided to act. He kicked the alien to his right before turning the corner. The two Stal couldn''t see him when the huge body of their companion flew toward them, so the first of them couldn''t stop the shadow that moved right under it.


    Khan ducked under the flying body before planting his left leg on the ground, bending forward, and throwing his right foot upward. His kick appeared in front of the unaware alien busy inspecting its flying companion, but the latter didn''t recognize the nature of the attack since most of Khan remained hidden.


    The kick landed at the center of the Stal''s torso. The latter wasn''t a first-level warrior, so something inside him exploded as Khan pushed it. The body fell on him at that point, but he put strength on his left leg and slipped out of that situation before anything could trap his right foot.


    The second alien made it impossible for the third to fire at Khan, but he had gotten away from them to get out of the falling body. The Stal in the trench didn''t miss that opportunity. They peeked out of the barrier and fired at him as soon as they saw him in the open.


    Khan jumped back while rotating on himself. Bullets flew behind him, but nothing could disrupt his concentration. He pushed himself forward when his feet touched the ground. The second alien had begun to bend forward to puke the blood that had accumulated in its mouth, while the third started to move its rifle when it saw the shadow appearing in its vision.


    Khan tilted his head to his left, and a bullet passed next to his ear. He felt hot for an instant, but his knife still rose as he converged toward the third alien. He couldn''t jump due to the hindrance it would inflict on his sprint, and the Stal''s current stance didn''t leave many openings, so he stabbed his weapon at the center of its waist and let it cut everything on its path.


    The alien began to turn, but the movement revealed the harshness of its injury. A torrent of blood fell as half of its waist opened. It had to use one of its hands to stop the organs trying to come out of the wound, and Khan left its range during that window.


    Khan found himself in the open again. The enemy trench was to his left, but he sprinted to his right to reach the second truck. He performed the same large path to avoid sprinting in a straight line, but his approach to the vehicle didn''t go as expected.


    Khan had to proceed in a straight line during the last part of his sprint. He was ready to dodge the incoming bullets that would inevitably fly in his direction, but they ended up flying in an odd trajectory.


    Two bullets flew next to each other toward Khan''s torso. He didn''t know if the Stal had done that on purpose or if both of them had terrible aims, but that caused problems for him. The projectiles were occupying a larger space now, and Khan couldn''t pass between them. A simple sidestep was out of the question too, and he wasn''t close enough to the truck to jump behind its hidden side.


    Khan could only duck to slide on the ground or perform an evasive maneuver to his left. Yet, both options would slow him down, so he had to decide which risk to face.


    Khan ended up jumping to his left dodge the bullets before kicking the ground to restore his speed. However, a mass of mana dangerously approached, and his senses told him that he wouldn''t be able to dodge it.


    The [Blood Shield] covered Khan''s left arm as he laid it to his side. The bullet hit the spot right below the shoulder and slightly pushed him away. Moreover, some soreness filled his limb. That was already his second time deploying the Niqols'' technique to protect himself from a projectile.


    The jump and the following sprint brought Khan closer to the two Stal behind the truck. He only had to make a few steps to reach the aliens, but his experience told him that he wouldn''t be able to perform the Divine Reaper in that condition.


    It had been a long time since his last failed execution of the Divine Reaper. Khan felt quite sure that his special mindset had brought him infinitely close to the competent proficiency level and maybe even past it. Yet, his left arm was suffering from the drawbacks of the [Blood Shield], and it had even endured two bullets, so he couldn''t control his mana properly in that area.


    Between the two Stal behind the truck, the first was a first-level warrior, while the second was only close to that level. Khan couldn''t retreat due to the bullets flying toward his previous positions, and he didn''t have enough space to cut to his right to reach the trunk. He could endure another projectile with the [Blood Shield], but it was clear that his body was approaching its limit.


    Khan pressed forward. The first alien fired at him, but the projectile missed him without the need for evasive maneuvers. It turned out that the Stal really had terrible aim, but Khan didn''t have the time to curse in that situation.


    Khan ignored the first alien and converged toward the second. The latter fired its rifle, and an azure flash filled his vision, but he performed a long jump helped by two airborne rotations. The second Stal had initially felt happy for its accurate shot, but its vision went dark when a heel dug its left head.


    The airborne kicks allowed Khan to add his weight and multiple rotations to his momentum. They were the strongest techniques of the Lightning-demon style in terms of sheer physical power, and a Stal that had yet to become a first-level warrior couldn''t endure them. Even their superior physique couldn''t save their lives against those attacks.


    Khan found himself in the air, almost three meters from the ground, and his right foot was inside the alien''s head. He had never been so in the open before, but that was a calculated risk. He pushed his right leg across the squashed body part and flung himself downward as soon as his toe touched the truck.


    A series of bullets crossed Khan''s vision as he fell at high speed. His back hit the ground when the projectiles pierced the injured Stal. He felt unable to breathe for an instant, but that didn''t stop him from rotating on himself to straighten his position.


    The first alien found it hard to follow Khan''s movements due to the falling body of its companions and the projectiles that had flown before its eyes. Still, it fired anyway, even if it had to hit the corpse in the process.


    The bullet pierced the corpse and continued to fly on its path. Khan almost couldn''t believe his senses when he felt the mass of mana approaching the center of his back. He was still standing up, so he had no chance to dodge it when it was already so close to his position.


    The [Blood Shield] manifested itself right before the bullet fell on Khan''s back. He immediately felt dizzy. He could hear his heart hammering his eardrums, his chest became heavy, and cold sweat started to come out from every corner of his skin.


    Khan forced himself to stand up and sprint around the vehicle. The effort almost made him faint, and he ended up crashing on the ground when he reached the other side of the truck. His action prolonged the critical state caused by the [Blood Shield], and it took him a few seconds before he could resume breathing decently.


    Remaining deep inside the special mindset was almost impossible. That condition directly cut Khan away from his senses from time to time, but he still did his best to keep track of the last Stal on the other side of the truck. The alien couldn''t chase him since that would expose it to the human trench, so it remained in its position and waited for the arrival of the reinforcements.


    Khan felt partially reassured, but he soon fell prey to a violent cough. The need to puke filled his mind, but his stomach didn''t have anything. He didn''t eat or drink anything since the forest, and that had been a small meal. He even accumulated less than five hours of sleep since the beginning of his imprisonment. His body was a mess, and he could experience how bad his condition was during that fierce reaction.


    Khan tried to suppress his cough to stand up, but his body didn''t listen to him. He risked falling outside of his cover during the process, so he gave up on the matter for now and sat to let his condition stabilize. Yet, Khan lost track of the passage of time during the process, and his eyes widened when he saw that the trucks were basically on him.

 Chapter 255: Drained

    Out of the four armored trucks, two of them were moving side by side toward Khan, while the others were slowing down as they approached the area behind his cover.


    The two trucks would only need a few seconds to hit Khan, and he was in no condition to control his body properly. He wasn''t even standing, but he couldn''t fall prey to a frontal crash.


    The vehicles seemed to have every intention to run Khan over. Their rectangular shape didn''t even reveal footholds that he could use to his advantage. He could only tilt himself to his right, bend his legs, and kick the ground in the hope that he could push himself past the incoming trucks.


    Khan didn''t manage to go airborne, but he still pushed himself toward the space between the trucks and his cover. His right arm slid on the ground as huge metal figures filled his view. He felt that the end was near, but the vehicle''s side eventually appeared in his eyes and confirmed that he had dodged the attack.


    The Stal instinctively turned the truck to the left, but it didn''t think about Khan''s previous cover. The vehicle slammed on the overturned car and started drifting. The abrupt and violent maneuver made its back end on the second truck, which forced the aliens inside it to spend some time regaining its control.


    Khan felt temporarily safe, but that feeling vanished sooner than he expected. The first truck partially stabilized after hitting the second and began to push the overturned vehicle. The Stal behind that cover had to run away, while Khan saw the tall metal structure closing in on him.


    Khan didn''t have the time to stand up, so he could only kick the ground again to push himself away from the truck''s path. The vehicle continued to turn as it moved the cover, but it couldn''t run over Khan due to its inability to perform sharp turns. It ended up completing a half-circle around him before moving a bit in the distance to adjust its position.


    The second and the other two trucks entered the battlefield before turning to point at Khan. The bullets that fell on their dark surfaces didn''t affect them at all. They were resistant to mana, so simple rifles couldn''t take them down.


    The first truck also managed to turn after getting close to the Stal''s trench. Khan finally had the time to stand up, but he only saw four vehicles getting close to his position by then.


    The trucks were approaching Khan slowly, but he felt unable to outrun them anyway. He was out of breath, drained, and on the verge of fainting. His vision also wavered, and his senses barely stretched past his figure.


    Khan found himself glancing at the area while the trucks stopped around him and created a natural cover against the human trench. No bullet had flown toward him, and the Stal''s barrier seemed silent. He couldn''t confirm it, but he guessed that the plan had been a success.


    The only Stal that continued to show their presence on the battlefield were the ones getting out of the trucks around him. Khan could hear the whooshing noises of the bullets, and a few azure lights even flashed behind the vehicles, but nothing reached his position. The four cars had created a cover that allowed the aliens to disregard their proximity to the battlefield.


    Each truck had three Stal. Eleven of them were first-level warriors, while the last to appear in the open was a second-level warrior. They wielded enough power to be a small platoon, and they even had rifles with them. Meanwhile, Khan could barely remain awake. He felt trapped in a body that didn''t react to his orders.


    Messy thoughts surged in Khan''s mind while the second-level warrior growled to order its underlings around. He didn''t know the Stal''s language, but he felt able to read their intentions from their gestures and approach.


    The aliens didn''t bother to lift their rifles. Part of the group glanced at the area behind their trench and gave simple answers before pointing at Khan and exchanging other growls. They felt very human in their gestures, something that the Guko couldn''t express due to their pragmatism.


    Khan felt that the Stal had given up on saving the trench. He guessed that they were preparing themselves to imprison the humans inside their territory and leave the area. The leader seemed relatively bright for a Stal, so it could change tactics in the middle of a battle, even if it had to explain its decision multiple times to make its underlings understand its reasons.


    ''Maybe I''m just imagining everything,'' Khan mocked himself as a weak smile appeared on his face.


    Khan realized that his mental state wasn''t ideal for analyzing the situation. He still had mana, but his body had reached its structural limit. He could see his torn bandages and his injuries after lowering his eyes. Khan struggled to believe that he could still stand in such a sorry state.


    One of the first-level warriors approached Khan, and he tried to raise his knife, but his left arm trembled and never reached his chest. Still, the alien didn''t like that gesture and delivered two punches with its left limbs.


    Khan didn''t even dare to activate the [Blood Shield]. A punch hit his face while the other landed on his right shoulder. The Stal was a first-level warrior like him, but the simple attack slammed him on the ground and made his bones release a worrying noise.


    A violent cough retook control of Khan''s lungs. The right side of his face felt warm and almost made him unable to sense that he was leaving the ground. The Stal had picked him up and had started to carry him to a truck.


    Khan recalled those sensations. He had felt them when the Stal had taken him prisoner. Another weak smile appeared on his face when he realized that he had guessed the alien''s behavior correctly.


    ''I might be really good at this alien stuff,'' Khan joked in his mind. ''I would have become a great ambassador.''


    Khan didn''t delude himself. His mana was trying to disperse the weariness of his body, but even a long meditative session couldn''t solve his problems. He needed food, water, and sleep to give his body what it needed to recover.


    His state made a second escape impossible. Khan was in no condition to raise his knife, let alone defeating another jailer and getting out of the underground structure again. His fate would be sealed if he entered the truck.


    ''I can buy myself some time if it finally works,'' Khan thought as he placed his broken hand on the Stal''s waist.


    The images of the Second Impact appeared in his mind, and they fused with the other tragedies in his life. He recalled the missiles blowing up the troop carriers on Istrone and that damned village near the lake on Nitis. His idea of destruction reached incredible levels of purity as the mental barrier appeared to cut away his emotions and mana gathered on his right palm before gaining red-purple shades.


    The bandages that kept his hand still seemed to tremble while the mana began to express its power, but everything suddenly went dark. Khan didn''t know why, but the Wave spell failed again.


    The Stal didn''t miss that sudden glow, especially the one carrying Khan. The alien voiced a loud growl as it raised him in front of its head and held the rifle with only one hand to deliver a punch to his stomach.


    Khan spat saliva and blood. His world turned upside-down, but he managed to remain awake. Still, everything felt vague. He couldn''t see the Stal clearly, but he noticed that it raised its free arm again and prepared it for another punch.


    The growl of the second-level warrior resounded before the Stal could complete the attack. Khan''s jailer hesitated a bit, but it eventually lowered its arm before putting him back at its side.


    The walk back to the truck resumed, but it felt endless for Khan. Every heavy step of the Stal seemed to last an eternity. He could review his entire life in those infinite seconds. He wasn''t even eighteen, but he had experienced a lot, maybe too much for a single person.


    Khan didn''t recall anything of his time inside Ylaco. His memories basically started on the cursed day of the Second Impact, and its scenes had haunted him since then.


    His life in the Slums had been harsh, especially with his father being a drunk mess, but he had never found it hard. Stealing, working, enduring his hunger, and being worried about his safety was nothing compared to the horrifying scenes of the Second Impact.


    Then, Ylaco''s training camp arrived and changed his life forever. Except for the four bullies'' incident, Khan had found a fantastic friend, a good master, and a path toward a world that went beyond human limits. He had learnt the wonders of mana, and he still felt amazed at how incredible that energy could be.


    Onia had been a fun trip. Seeing an alien species for the first time outside his nightmares had been incredible, and his talent had even become public domain there. Khan had shown how a strict master and his relentless training could make him shine among recruits who had yet to receive synthetic mana.


    Everything had fallen apart on Istrone. The blood, the losses, and the killing had changed Khan in ways that he had been unable to accept until Nitis, until Liiza taught him how to see past all that pain.


    Everything had felt easier after Khan had experienced her cold touch. Many would see what he had gone through on Nitis as a hellish experience, but he could only smile when he thought about that cold planet.


    ''Why does it hurt so much?'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''I''ve lived for twelve years with the same terrible nightmare, death seems to follow me, and I''ve become unable to trust my own father. Why does everything feel like nothing compared to losing you?''


    Khan could only mock himself. He had to be truly broken to put a relationship that had lasted for less than a year above everything experienced in his life. Still, he couldn''t control how he felt, and his eyes grew teary as the scenes of his last day with Liiza reappeared in his mind.


    The Stal were about to put Khan into a cell again and use him as a guinea pig for the anti-mana project, but he could only think about his lost happiness. Dying felt easy compared to living with so much pain. Yet, it also felt unfair after everything he had survived.


    ''I guess I have nothing else to lose now,'' Khan sighed. ''Blowing up is still better than becoming a guinea pig.''


    Khan let mana flow inside his broken hand as the Stal placed a foot on the truck''s entrance. The other aliens stepped toward the vehicle to check that everything went well, and the azure glow that started to come out of his palm only made them growl angrily again.


    An exchange of growls happened before Khan''s Stal raised him in front of its heads and prepared another punch. The alien tried to threaten him before attacking, and that gave him the chance to mutter something.


    "[Feel my desperation]," Khan whispered in the Niqols'' language before the mana on his palm transformed into a bright red-purple glow that engulfed the entire group.

 Chapter 256: Fried

    Khan didn''t know how to apply the Niqols'' approach to the Wave spell. He knew the theory behind Liiza''s ice, but each element required a different method or process to express its power.


    The Niqols couldn''t help Khan there since none of them had the same element, so he could only try to fuse the human training program to the Niqols'' approach to mana. He knew that changing the nature of that energy required strong emotions. Still, he was also aware that the Wave spell needed specific images, something deeply connected to an idea of destruction.


    Needless to say, Khan''s greatest drive had always been his desperation, and his experiences on different planets had only strengthened it. His nightmares, Istrone, everything that had happened on Nitis, and his current predicament had turned that feeling into the most powerful fuel that his mind was able to produce.


    Hence, Khan performed everything that his training program had taught him. He imagined all the death and destruction seen throughout his life while adding his desperation to that mixture, and the outcome turned out to be quite explosive.


    Something broke inside Khan. He found it hard to describe that sensation. Pain and tiredness had filled his mind until he felt relief as if he had just taken off an uncomfortable shirt. Everything became slightly lighter for no apparent reason.


    The mana accumulated on his palm suddenly turned red-purple before expanding into a wave of energy that released a strange noise when it spread throughout the air. It almost sounded like a desperate cry, but Khan didn''t know how reliable his ears were in that situation.


    The wave of mana quickly reached the Stal, but Khan barely had the time to inspect the scene since everything fell apart in no time. He couldn''t move or even turn his head, but the alien had lifted him in front of its head, so he could see what his attack did to its flesh.


    The alien''s rough brown skin disappeared as soon as it touched the red-purple mana. Most of it simply vanished and left behind a few chunks of flesh as it revealed the Stal''s insides.


    Khan could glance at the Stal''s skeleton, muscles, and organs for less than a second before they also started to vanish. Some of them lasted longer than others, but they eventually turned into a few gory chunks that began to fall with him.


    The rifle endured the attack even longer, and the same went for the truck. The mana pushed the weapon away as it cracked its tough fabric before turning most of it into dust. The vehicle''s dark metal seemed able to survive the spell, but it soon started to break as the mana continued to expand.


    Khan fell on his feet, but he couldn''t preserve his balance, so his back quickly ended up on the ground and left him staring at the sky. The wave of mana had vanished by then, and the area had also fallen silent. He couldn''t hear the bullets anymore, but a grunt eventually reached his ears.


    Khan slowly turned his head in the direction of the grunt. The thick legs of a series of Stal appeared in his vision and described the gory spectacle he had created. The spell had reached every alien in the group, but not in their entirety, allowing some body parts to survive the event.


    The limbs laid among puddles of blood, tiny parts of the Stal, maimed corpses, and broken rifles. Still, Khan soon noticed a wounded figure past them. He recognized the second-level warrior that supported itself on one of the trucks.


    The Stal had three arms crossed in front of its chest and head while the other clung onto the truck''s roof. Part of the skin on its limbs and waist had vanished, transforming into large bloody spots that revealed thick layers of muscles.


    The alien had managed to escape the spell''s range in time to avoid severe injuries, and it now inspected Khan with wide eyes. The Stal slowly straightened its position and began to study the area. Its gaze didn''t remain for long on its companions'' body parts, but the sight of the broken vehicle seemed to stun it deeply.


    Indecision seemed to appear on the Stal''s face. It didn''t immediately jump inside the truck to escape. Instead, it continued to gaze at the broken truck before fixing its eyes on Khan.


    Khan felt that something was off. He recognized the hint of determination that had appeared on the alien''s face, so he began to muster his mana again. A red-purple glow started to spread from his palm as desperation filled his mind. He could sense that the spell was about to work, but the violent cough from before abruptly took control of his lungs and broke his concentration.


    The Stal darted forward when it saw the red-purple halo dispersing. It reached Khan in no time, and its feet landed at his sides as it drew its four arms forward. The alien wanted to kill him in a single blow, but a bullet suddenly pierced its right head and made it lose its balance.


    The alien fell to its left, but it placed a knee and two palms to the ground as it forced itself to maintain its balance. The Stal didn''t give up on its plan to kill Khan and did its best to prepare for a deadly attack while controlling its huge body with only one brain. Yet, two bullets landed on its side before its arms could descend.


    The Stal growled, but dark blood filled its mouth until life abandoned its body. The alien fell to its side and lay on the ground right next to Khan.


    A series of hurried steps approached Khan. He had to tilt his head while coughs continued to come out of his mouth, and the scene that unfolded in his eyes made the struggle worth it.


    Delia, Gloria, and two other soldiers approached his position while wearing various expressions. Delia smiled happily while her three companions inspected the area with a mixture of astonishment, disgust, and even awe.


    Their presence in that area confirmed that the enemy trench wasn''t a threat anymore. Only four soldiers had survived the arrival of the tank, but Khan didn''t have enough strength to feel sad or happy about it. His mood was far from ideal after his first and attempted second execution of the wave spell, so his exhaustion took the better of him and made his vision go dark.


    The nightmare didn''t care about Khan''s condition. He was sleeping, so it had to take control of his dreams. However, he didn''t mind it too much that time since it confirmed that he was still alive.


    Waves of pain with unknown origin invaded his nightmare from time to time, but Khan couldn''t focus on them. He was partially aware of what would follow the battle, but he couldn''t think too deeply about the matter since the Second Impact often claimed the entirety of his attention.


    When the nightmare ended and Khan opened his eyes, he found himself in a foreign and yet familiar environment. He didn''t recognize the dark ceiling and the objects around him, but they gave off the same vibe as the moving camp.


    Khan tried to turn to inspect his surroundings, but he quickly discovered that long metal handcuffs were binding his right arm to his simple bed. A small metallic structure also covered his hand and forced his fingers and palm to remain straight.


    Khan quickly used his free arm to remove the sheets that covered his body. He was wearing a pair of clean trousers, but his torso was in the open and revealed a series of bandages that didn''t come from a military uniform.


    A tube with a transparent liquid came out from under the handcuffs, and a few consoles stood at the bed''s side. Khan could see his knife on a table on the other side of the room, but his phone, Lieutenant Pouille''s device, and the ring stolen from the Stal were nowhere to be seen.


    Khan understood that he was safe and that the handcuffs probably didn''t have any negative purpose, but he didn''t like to be bound to a bed. He moved his back a bit and flexed his left arm to check their condition, but everything felt fine. He experienced a slight discomfort in the spots where the bullets had hit him, but that alone couldn''t force him to lie down.


    "Hello?" Khan called, but no one answered. He couldn''t sense any presence past the walls of the large room nor hear steps.


    The room featured two more beds with the same consoles but no nurses or doctors. Khan couldn''t even see meds or other items in the room, and he had no idea how to call someone without a phone.


    Khan wanted to stand, and he even felt the urge to pee, so he started inspecting the handcuffs. They had a simple circular button on the other side, and they let his arm free when he pressed it.


    Khan inspected his right hand and the simple metallic structure over it for a few seconds before placing his bare feet on the cold floor and slowly standing up. He felt slightly dizzy, but he had kept his left hand on the bed during the process, so he didn''t lose his balance.


    A sense of tiredness pervaded Khan''s mind, but he felt relatively okay. He didn''t know for how long he had slept, but that couldn''t be long since his body still needed to recover. Yet, he didn''t feel hungry or thirsty, and the tube with transparent liquid seemed to be the reason behind that.


    ''I guess I shouldn''t take it away for now,'' Khan thought after seeing that the tube pierced his skin to send that liquid inside his body.


    Luckily for Khan, the tube had a sack hanging from a simple stick on the other end. The item even had four small wheels that allowed him to carry it around easily.


    Khan took the stick with his left and carried it with him. He retrieved his knife, but he noticed that a mark had appeared on one of its surfaces. Even the handle appeared damaged, and he couldn''t see his sheath anywhere.


    Khan disregarded eventual doubts and approached one of the two doors in the room. His short time inside the moving camp had taught him how those structures worked, so he recognized the bathroom in no time.


    A surprising sight waited for Khan in the bathroom. A mirror right above a sink allowed him to see that someone had cut his hair short. He didn''t have his half-burned and messy haircut anymore.


    A few red spots also occupied the right side of his face, where the Stal had punched him. Khan didn''t feel any pain or discomfort from there, and nothing seemed broken either.


    ''They have patched me up properly,'' Khan thought as a helpless sigh escaped his mouth.


    The tiredness and the vague discomfort couldn''t hide the realization that something had changed inside Khan. He felt different, even if he couldn''t explain how. Also, the sadness caused by his separation from Liiza and his other tragic experiences had intensified.


    His mood was far from ideal, but he didn''t mind that too much. Khan guessed that it was only normal to feel like that after his last battle.


    The only consolations were his relatively good condition and his success with the Wave spell. Khan wasn''t sure how to call his ability since it had been different from what he had seen in the training program, but it was easy to explain that event with his new approach to the chaos element.


    The entrance slid open when Khan pressed a button at its side. A corridor expanded in his view, and a young soldier slept on a chair placed at its end. Khan didn''t need to check the man''s shoulders to know that he was only close to becoming a first-level warrior.


    The soldier didn''t wake up even when Khan got close to him, so he cleared his throat loudly. The man snapped awake and jumped to his feet to perform a military salute, but his stance relaxed when he noticed Khan.


    "You shouldn''t be out of your bed!" The man exclaimed.


    "Can I remove this thing?" Khan asked while pointing at the tube attached to his arm.


    "Wait here!" The soldier stated. "I''ll call the doctor."


    The soldier darted toward a door next to the chair, and Khan slowly followed him. A relatively large area appeared in his view, and many interactive desks filled it. That alone showed him that the quality of that structure surpassed his previous moving camp.


    Khan entered the room and inspected it for a while before approaching the door crossed by the soldier. Different voices began to reach his ears, but he had to stop paying attention to them to focus on the middle-aged woman that appeared in front of him with the young soldier at her side.


    "Why did you get up without my consent?" The woman asked in a chilling tone.


    "I had to pee," Khan admitted while raising his right arm. "I made sure not to touch this."


    Khan couldn''t see the woman''s shoulders due to the white medical coat that she wore over her military uniform, but she felt slightly stronger than Lieutenant Pouille. She had to be a second-level warrior.


    Still, her appearance felt slightly off. She had long gray hair, even if her stern face didn''t show any wrinkle. She was even quite slim, but her figure radiated a power that Khan couldn''t ignore.


    The woman inspected Khan sternly, but her expression relaxed when she saw that he didn''t remove the tube. She approached him and placed a hand on his chest that he forced himself not to avoid before taking out the item from his arm.


    "Your body is in a good state after only a bit more than a day of rest," The woman exclaimed after pointing at the stick and letting the soldier handle it. "They told me that you were tough. They weren''t wrong."


    "Thank you, ma''am," Khan casually replied. "Is it possible to know where I am? Also, I can''t find my phone anywhere."


    "I''m Lieutenant Ava Holger," The woman declared, "But everyone in the thirty-seventh battalion calls me Doctor or Doc. Come, I''ll show you around."


    Khan nodded and followed her through the corridor that expanded after the room. The two eventually crossed a large area that featured multiple screens and many unknown soldiers that didn''t hesitate to inspect Khan curiously as he passed in front of the entrance.


    Lieutenant Holger didn''t stop and led Khan across a few corridors and other rooms. He could quickly understand that the structure was larger than his previous moving camp, but he understood its actual size only when the soldier made him exit it.


    A green plain covered with short grass expanded past the structure. Khan could see a series of small metal habitations divided by small paths and two large roads that divided the encampment into four parts.


    The habitations were rectangular and simple. Khan guessed that they contained only two rooms. Also, he noticed how the main structure just crossed didn''t have wheels and represented the center of the encampment.


    The encampment had hundreds of small habitations, and Khan could sense the many presences inside them as he followed the Doctor. She didn''t leave his silent doubts unanswered and resumed her explanation during the walk. "This is one of the central areas assigned to the thirty-seventh battalion. We have moved your team here to brief you. It''s curious that I''m not allowed to know the contents of their reports."


    Khan pretended not to hear her. His companions had probably preferred to disclose the matters related to the anti-mana project to a superior to avoid spreading unnecessary rumors. He would have done the same since it was unclear how the Global Army would react to the news.


    "Your spell has fried your belongings," Lieutenant Holger explained. "The chaos element and technology don''t go along very well. Even your sheath has fallen prey to your ability. Was that your first time using it in battle?"


    "How do you know that?" Khan asked.


    "Chaos wielders are rare," The Lieutenant explained. "The number of soldiers who end up with that element is constantly shrinking, so it''s really hard to find someone capable of using it in battle, especially at such young age."


    Khan only nodded. He didn''t want to reject that compliment through a simple lie, but he wasn''t in the mood to make a smart remark either. The Doctor glanced at him to study his silent acceptance, but she couldn''t see anything past his poker face.


    The quadrant where the Lieutenant was leading Khan had larger habitations and a big interactive table in a relatively empty area. Khan could see multiple soldiers staring at the map depicted on the table and applying marks by simply touching it. Still, they all raised their heads when Khan and the Doctor approached them.


    "You are awake!" A middle-aged man with a military uniform that showed three stars on each shoulder happily shouted. "Come, come. We have a lot to talk about. I hope that you didn''t get tired of the fighting because I''ve already assigned you to the elite assault team ordered by HQ."


    ****


    Author''s notes: Little trivia. The novel''s title was initially supposed to be "Chaos Wielders", but then editors and fellow authors suggested finding something catchier. The current title still fits perfectly, but it''s nice to finally use this name.

 Chapter 257: Legs

    The soldier had short black hair and bright brown eyes. His happy and loud gestures didn''t appear appropriate in his current location, but the men and women around him didn''t seem fazed by them.


    Khan inspected the soldiers in the area before glancing at Lieutenant Holger. The Doctor nodded and stepped aside and crossed her arms behind her back. The men and women on the interactive table revealed similar reactions. They resumed their study of the map without bothering that one of them had left them to walk toward the largest habitation in the quadrant.


    ''He must be a captain,'' Khan concluded in his mind before hurrying behind the powerful soldier.


    The man didn''t say anything as he approached his habitation and unlocked the metal door with his phone. Then, he stood in front of the entrance and gestured to Khan to get inside.


    The habitation''s insides partially confirmed Khan''s guess. The initial area was quite big and featured multiple doors. He could see a series of armchairs, one round table, and an interactive desk at its bottom. A few screens also hung from the walls and revealed openings meant for phones or similar devices.


    Khan could immediately notice the ring stolen from the Stal on the interactive desk. Two phones stood next to the item, but they all featured multiple cracks that he could connect to his spell.


    "Your companions told me that you have faced an entire trench and multiple vehicles on your own," The man stated as he closed the door behind Khan and walked toward the other side of the room. "Soldiers like you are rare, especially on Ecoruta. No one wants to fight properly here."


    "I thought the orders to remain inside the trenches came from HQ, sir," Khan politely replied as the man tinkered with the interactive desk to open a drawer.


    "That''s because HQ doesn''t want to win," The soldier announced while placing a bottle and two glasses on the desk. "The Global Army has nothing to gain from a complete victory. This isn''t our planet, and the Guko would definitely renegotiate the terms of our alliance after the war ends. The current situation is theoretically perfect since it allows us to benefit from those aliens without giving them too much power."


    Khan lowered his eyes as the soldier began to pour the booze in the glasses. He could finally understand the reasons behind HQ''s orders. Forcing Ecoruta to remain at war granted a constant flow of resources and new technology without giving anything back to the Guko.


    "Does it anger you that the Global Army is trading human lives for technology and resources?" The man asked before pushing one glass forward and pointing at a chair in front of the desk.


    "I''m just a soldier, sir," Khan lied while approaching the chair. "I follow orders and do my best to survive."


    "Is that so?" The man scoffed. "It pains me to see that such a promising soldier can''t trust his superiors, but I can''t blame you. I bet you would have tried to remain on Nitis if you had the chance."


    Khan didn''t sit nor answer. He stood next to the chair and kept his aloof eyes on the soldier. The latter appeared truly sad, but he couldn''t drop his guard so easily.


    "HQ''s behavior angers me," The man eventually admitted as he sat behind the desk and pointed at the chair next to Khan again. "Sure, the war is granting immense benefits to humankind, but I can''t simply watch as my soldiers die due to awful strategies. I want to change things, but my authority barely covers the thirty-seventh battalion."


    Khan sat and took the glass. The strong smell of booze reached his nostrils as he glanced at the amber liquid. He wanted to drink, but he waited for the soldier to finish his speech.


    "I have a plan to improve things for the thirty-seventh battalion," The man continued. "The news of the anti-mana project had forced HQ to grant me some freedom. The assault team has to take care of the underground labs, but nothing stops it from attacking settlements and seizing vehicles on the surface."


    ''Does he want to use the team as his personal army?'' Khan wondered. ''His reasons aren''t bad, but he is also planning to use human lives to pursue his goals.''


    "Were the reports wrong?" The man asked when he saw that Khan had yet to say anything or drink from his cup. "I thought you liked drinking."


    "It felt impolite to start without you, sir," Khan lied, and the soldier laughed before taking a sip from his glass.


    Khan could only drink at that point. A pleasant burning sensation filled his mouth and throat. He could feel that the booze''s quality surpassed everything experienced in the past, but he didn''t show any reaction.


    "I guess I can''t gain your trust with expensive booze and nice words," The man laughed. "Yet, I still need your help. The assault team will have a few second-level warriors, but I need you in charge of the weaker soldiers."


    "I can do that, sir," Khan stated before raising his right hand, "But I won''t be at my best until my hand heals."


    "Don''t worry about that," The soldier exclaimed. "The Stal must have already moved the labs. We''ll always be one step behind them, so it''s better to take our time and prepare something that they can''t stop. You will spend the next month here to recover."


    Khan internally rejoiced at that news. He didn''t care about his injuries, but he wanted to understand what he had achieved with the chaos element before jumping into another battle.


    "My question had another meaning," The man exclaimed. "I wanted to know if you were willing to cooperate with my plan. That might involve partially lying about your reports."


    "I''ll do as you ask me, sir," Khan declared without showing any hesitation.


    The man''s words had sounded like a trick question, but Khan didn''t let them sway him. He couldn''t say no to a superior, especially during a war. Also, he would just come clean and blame the soldier if someone with a higher rank showed up.


    The man didn''t seem satisfied with that answer. He scratched his hair and inspected Khan as he took small sips from his cup. Khan couldn''t understand what the soldier was thinking, but his face remained aloof and calm.


    "Let''s try to change approach," The man eventually sighed. "I''m Captain Jason Clayman. I''ll become a Lieutenant Colonel in a matter of years. Help me, and you''ll have an ally in the higher ranks. Is that enough to show me your true face?"


    Khan had to admit that he didn''t expect that sudden change in the Captain''s behavior. Still, he couldn''t continue pretending now that the soldier had shown his cards.


    "I had many important things on my phone," Khan replied. "What will happen to them?"


    "Everything is stored in the network, hidden by your genetic signature," Captain Clayman explained. "You''ll gain access to everything you have lost once you receive your next phone. I''ve also commissioned a device that can resist your element. You won''t even have to worry about the things you have taken from Lieutenant Pouille''s phone."


    "What about eventual rewards?" Khan asked. "The Global Army knows about the anti-mana project because I''ve made my team escape. That ring must also have its uses in its broken state, am I right?"


    "You can name whatever you want," Captain Clayman exclaimed.


    "I might need help there," Khan responded. "I already have two good martial arts, a first-grade weapon, and a training program for my element. I don''t know what else I should ask for."


    Captain Clayman''s eyes widened in surprise before his mouth opened to create a satisfied smirk. He had predicted that Khan would have been an interesting soldier, and those last words only confirmed that idea. Khan had expressed his ignorance without any shame since the matter involved his strength.


    "I''ve read your file," Captain Clayman replied while placing his legs on the interactive desk and glancing toward a random spot in the room. "What you have is already a lot for most first-level warriors. You can ask for synthetic mana, other spells, or knowledge. I''ll send you a list once HQ gives you a new phone."


    Khan nodded in satisfaction. He had faced his limits during the recent escape, and he couldn''t wait to get rid of them. A second spell might help him avoid some of his weaknesses, and he didn''t mind learning more about the world of mana.


    "So, can I trust you?" Captain Clayman asked and forced Khan to snap back to reality. "I won''t hide that your team will have to face dangers, but your companions in the thirty-seventh battalion will have it far easier if you succeed."


    "Expanding can''t be the only solution, sir," Khan stated. "Most soldiers here come from difficult situations that have never allowed them to develop their power, and being stuck inside a trench doesn''t help. They need teachers, training areas, and actual combat experience."


    "Small steps, Khan," The Captain declared. "HQ must feel forced to send them after we clear a large area. Focus on securing victories and clearing the underground structure. I''ll take care of improving your companions'' life here."


    "I''ll take my leave then," Khan exclaimed before gulping the remains of his drink and standing up to perform a military salute.


    "Right, one last thing," Captain Clayman announced. "This stuff about the anti-mana project is a secret. I''m the only one in the entire battalion who knows about it, except for your friends, of course. HQ wants things to remain like this. Are we clear?"


    "What about the assault team?" Khan asked.


    "Only trusted soldiers will join the team," The Captain explained. "Though I''d still refrain from speaking about it even during the missions."


    "Understood," Khan stated before turning to leave the habitation.


    "Khan?" Captain Clayman called before Khan could leave the room. "Try not to abuse your fame. I don''t want to put limits on you, but this isn''t Nitis. Let''s retain a human behavior."


    Captain Clayman winked when Khan glanced at him. Khan could only nod before leaving the habitation in a hurry. He had vaguely understood what the soldier wanted to say, but those words only gave birth to a bitter feeling inside his mind.


    Khan felt a bit lost when the entirety of the camp expanded in his vision. It was already night, and he had no idea where to go. He didn''t even know if the Captain had prepared a habitation for him.


    "Sir, sir?" The young soldier that Khan had seen sleeping outside the medical bay called while running toward him.


    The higher-ups sitting at the table glared at the young man, but they decided to ignore him when they saw that Khan was involved. Meanwhile, Khan tried to understand why that soldier was using such polite words to call him.


    "Sir!" The man announced after stopping in front of Khan. "I will be your guide and assistant during your stay inside the camp."


    Khan quickly inspected the man. He appeared only a few years older than him. His short golden hair and green eyes gave him features that looked too pure for a battlefield. Even his behavior didn''t make Khan feel next to a warrior.


    "What''s your name?" Khan asked.


    "Rick, sir!" The soldier shouted and claimed the attention of the higher-ups on the table again.


    "Stop calling me sir," Khan sighed, "And lower your voice."


    "I''m sorry, si-," Rick almost whispered before shutting his mouth to interrupt his line.


    "Where is my habitation?" Khan asked.


    "It''s right here, in the second quadrant," Rick announced while pointing at the habitations past one of the roads that divided the camp. "I''m sure that you''ll like it. Only the Lieutenants can get one of the big tents."


    Rick began to walk toward the second quadrant, and Khan calmly followed him. A series of gazes fell on his figure as soon as he arrived among the various houses. Many soldiers had gathered into small groups to exchange words or drinks, and they didn''t refrain from sizing Khan up when he passed in front of them.


    A familiar atmosphere filled the second quadrant, but Khan inevitably compared it to Nitis. He had spent many nights among fellow soldiers, but the humans didn''t have the Niqols'' hospitality. None of them tried to greet Khan, but he didn''t mind that.


    The situation changed when Rick pointed at the largest habitation in the area. Khan studied it for a few seconds before diverting his attention on a few figures rushing toward his position.


    "You took your time!" Delia shouted before exploding into a happy laugh.


    "I''m surprised he managed to wake up so soon," Gloria commented.


    "Are you?" One of the other soldiers asked. "I was surprised he could sleep at all."


    "Shut up, idiot," The fourth soldier scolded. "Try to be polite. We are alive thanks to him."


    "That was a compliment," The third soldier scoffed.


    "It didn''t sound like that," The fourth soldier complained.


    "I see that you have recovered," Khan stated as a sad smirk appeared on his face.


    His platoon had initially counted more than thirty members, but only five of them had survived the imprisonment and escape. That was an incredible feat, but Khan didn''t feel good anyway.


    "Hey, no sad faces," Delia pouted while reaching Khan and checking his bandages. "You have been incredible out there."


    Khan nodded without adding anything. Delia was right, but he couldn''t decide how he felt. The aftereffects of the Wave spells were still filling his mind. He felt desperate even after going back to a safe area.


    "Well, get out now," Delia stated to her three companions. "Khan still needs to rest. We can show him around tomorrow."


    "They don''t look so friendly," Khan joked while glancing at the soldiers who were still inspecting his group.


    "They are just scared," Delia explained. "They have asked us many things about you while you were sleeping. I must say I struggled to believe my own words when I told them what you have done."


    "I can blame you for this hospitality then," Khan joked.


    "I just told them the truth," Delia complained. "Besides, I''m sure they''ll grow more friendly once they get to know you."


    "It''s fine either way," Khan sighed. "I''ll hit the bed for now. I''ll think about everything else tomorrow."


    "You can contact me from your habitation if you need anything," Rick exclaimed before performing a military salute.


    Khan nodded and showed a fake smile toward his companions before approaching his house. Many thoughts weighed on his mind, and no one could help him sort them out. His feelings didn''t listen to reason, and his element required tests that were too dangerous to perform among people.


    The door of the habitation slid open as soon as Khan neared it. The area featured only a couch and a small table, but he could see that the house had three different rooms. He planned to inspect them before deciding what to do, but a figure slipped past the entrance before it could close.


    "What are you doing here?" Khan smirked while turning to inspect Delia.


    "You have promised me a drink," Delia reminded while taking out a small flask from her pocket. "I''m here to claim my reward."


    "Did you want to remain alone with me so badly?" Khan teased as he threw himself on the couch.


    "What if I said yes?" Delia giggled while taking her place on Khan''s left. "Let me see your hand now. That thing is hideous, but it seems to do the job."


    Khan stretched his right hand toward Delia, and she took his wrist carefully to study the metal item that kept his fingers and palm straight. Yet, she raised her legs and placed them on his lap during her inspection.


    ****


    Author''s notes: It should take less than an hour for the next chapter.

 Chapter 258: Change

    "Delia, what are you doing?" Khan asked in a scolding tone.


    "I''m checking your bandages," Delia replied, pretending that she didn''t do anything strange. "Right, the drinks. I almost forgot about it."


    Delia kept her left hand sealed on Khan''s wrist and opened the flask with the help of her mouth. Then, she took a short sip before handing the item to Khan, and he seized it while glaring at his companion.


    Delia ignored Khan''s glare and continued to inspect his right hand. She turned his wrist carefully to study both its sides, but she didn''t use the same grace with her legs. She moved them a lot as if trying to make sure that Khan felt them.


    The camp had given a clean military uniform to Delia, but that didn''t prevent Khan from imagining her firm curves. She had almost ended up naked during the escape, so he recalled what that dark-blue fabric hid.


    Khan let her have fun. He took a long sip from the flask before handing it back to his companion. Delia seized the item and pulled herself closer to Khan before placing his hand at the base of her left leg, near her groin.


    "You are taking advantage of a wounded man," Khan joked.


    "Please," Delia sneered. "I have seen you dealing with a tank, a trench, and six armored trucks when you could barely stand. I wouldn''t stand a chance if you decided to push me away."


    Delia drank and handed the flask to Khan. His eyes inevitably moved between her legs and his right hand before falling on the item. He took it, but he didn''t forget to question his companion. "Delia, why are you doing this?"


    "I''m not doing anything," Delia whispered while reaching his left arm and tracing the bandages with her fingers. "You have gone all-out for our sake, didn''t you?"


    "I was only trying to survive," Khan explained. "I would have gotten injured even if I were alone."


    "Liar," Delia exclaimed as she moved Khan''s left arm away to open a path to his chest. "You could have avoided many of these wounds. I bet you could have outrun the first trucks."


    "No, they were too fast," Khan admitted.


    "You have dodged them while running toward the tank," Delia commented. "You could have dodged them while running toward the allied trench, but you didn''t. You stayed behind and fought."


    "It has been an instinctive reaction," Khan declared.


    "Liar," Delia repeated. "I''ve watched you. Most of your smiles are fake, and you never tell the whole truth. Why did you decide to fight instead of running away?"


    Khan didn''t want to answer, but Delia pouted while placing the flask on his chest. He could only heave a deep sigh and drink before explaining his reasons under those unblinking dark eyes. "I''ve felt weak after the imprisonment. Leaving you all to die would have only worsened that feeling. Besides, I wanted you to survive that mess."


    "You as in me?" Delia smirked while placing her fingers on his chest to trace the edges of his azure scars.


    "I don''t really know the others," Khan admitted without showing any shame for the hidden meaning of those words.


    "Can I take that as a sign that you like me?" Delia whispered.


    Khan couldn''t help but fix his eyes on Delia''s smiling face. She was almost ten years older than him, but her age didn''t matter in that situation. He could only think about her soft body and bold moves. Her warmth spread on his lap and chest, but the most unbearable sensation came from his right hand that she had smartly placed near her groin.


    Delia''s warmth worked as a constant reminder of the differences between humans and Niqols. Khan felt that she was too hot, but that wasn''t enough to drive him away. He could almost imagine the comfort that she could give him.


    Delia seemed to understand the faint feelings exposed by his gaze. A hand went on his right wrist while the other squeezed his shoulder as she bent forward. She was already close to him, so she could reach his face in mere seconds.


    However, Khan placed the back of his hand on her lips at the last instant. Delia glanced at the flask in his grasp before raising her eyes toward him. She was about to complain, but she found herself unable to speak when he made their foreheads touch.


    "I''m still in love with her," Khan revealed while closing his eyes. "I''m sorry."


    Delia tilted her head to free her mouth before whispering in a joking tone. "We can still have fun, especially after what we have been through. We both deserve to clear our minds."


    "Do you really want to be my rebound?" Khan asked while opening his eyes.


    Delia stared deep into Khan''s eyes. The faint attraction that she had seen before had disappeared. She could only see his sadness now, and that sight felt overwhelming. Something told her that she had never experienced a similar feeling in her life.


    "No," Delia sighed before laying her head on his shoulder. "I''m too old to get myself into half-hearted relationships."


    "You are nowhere near old," Khan chuckled.


    "I know, but you don''t get to say it after refusing me," Delia complained.


    "I''m sorry," Khan repeated.


    "It''s not your fault," Delia shook her head without leaving his shoulder. "I simply met you at a bad time."


    "I still want you as a friend," Khan declared.


    "You won''t get rid of me so easily," Delia scoffed. "Also, I will know if you start to fool around with other women. I won''t forgive you if you end up with someone else after refusing me."


    "I''ll be sure to put you at the top of my list," Khan teased.


    "I didn''t mean that!" Delia giggled before adjusting her position and lowering her voice. "That girl must have been amazing."


    "She was indeed incredible," Khan sighed.


    "Tell me about her," Delia requested.


    "I''d rather avoid that," Khan uttered as Liiza''s face appeared in his vision and intensified the desperate feeling inside his mind.


    "Please," Delia begged. "I might feel better if I understand how amazing this Niqols was. Besides, I couldn''t sleep after reaching the camp. A story might help."


    Delia shot a begging glance toward Khan before closing her eyes and relaxing. She was sitting on him, but he felt unable to push her away. The escape must have left her with awful images, and he knew how bad that was once the dreams arrived.


    "The first time I saw Liiza, she was riding an Aduns, which is basically a big eagle," Khan began to speak, and his story soon reached funny events or situations. He avoided the most important details, but Delia still giggled and voiced short comments from time to time.


    Khan failed to notice when Delia fell asleep. He had been too caught in his story about Liiza that he didn''t see when his friend stopped listening to him.


    Delia slept peacefully on Khan''s shoulder. She appeared incredibly cute under the dim white light of the habitation. The sensations radiated by her body were also hard to refuse, but her warmth made it easier for him.


    ''She didn''t even bother to remove my hand,'' Khan cursed in his mind before pulling back his right arm and placing it under her legs, paying attention to avoid touching the metal structure on his hand.


    Khan stood up and lifted Delia. The woman didn''t even try to wake up, so he could carry her around his habitation, dropping her gently only when he found a bed.


    Delia whimpered a bit without waking up when she felt Khan''s warmth leaving her, but he promptly placed a blanket over her. When she calmed down, he left the room and started inspecting the rest of his habitation.


    The house had a living room with menus on the walls that could work without his phone, a bedroom, a bathroom, and an empty area with darker surfaces compared to the rest of the structure. Khan only needed to touch those walls to sense its familiar properties. That metal was resistant to mana.


    ''This shouldn''t break so easily,'' Khan thought. ''Good.''


    Khan immediately sat at the center of the room and fell into his meditative state. He planned to perform a few tests with his spell after focusing on his injuries for a bit, but something strange happened as soon as he tried to increase the influence that his mana had on his body.


    After becoming a first-level warrior, the energy that came out of the mana core only intensified the halo that filled his body. The same happened now, but the color of the aura turned out to be different. Khan saw red-purple strands coming out of his improved parts and starting the usual improvements originated by the mediative state.


    Khan snapped out of his meditative state instantly and wore a shocked expression. The recent event made no sense. Even when it came to other elements, the mana gained different features and colors only after becoming part of a spell. He had seen that happening on different occasions. The Niqols'' energy also retained its original azure shades before going through manipulations.


    Khan tested the process again. He closed his eyes and focused on his mana core. However, the energy that came out of the organ was still red-purple for no apparent reason.


    ''This makes no sense!'' Khan shouted in his mind. ''Even the Nak are azure. What is even happening?''


    Khan initially looked for his phone, but he quickly recalled that he had yet to get a replacement. Still, he quickly disregarded the idea of finding answers in his device since the training program for his element didn''t mention anything similar.


    Another idea appeared in his mind, and he didn''t hesitate to test it out. The knife had been in his pocket the whole time due to the lack of a sheath, and he quickly drew to create the membrane required by the Divine Reaper. His weapon ended up glowing with a red-purple light even if he didn''t do anything different from usual.


    Khan kept the membrane active for a while to study it. The sharpness that filled his mana when he performed the techniques of the Divine Reaper was still there, but he sensed something deeper now. His base energy had gained properties that he felt unable to suppress and barely noticed unless he paid close attention to them.


    The barrier remained in its place until Khan noticed that the mark on his knife began to expand. He immediately dispersed his energy and inspected his weapon to check its condition. It was still virtually perfect, but the dent on its surface proved that his mana had gained destructive properties that damaged what it touched.


    Khan reactivated the barrier and stabbed the knife on the floor. The metal couldn''t do anything against his weapon. The blade created a perfect hole, and he didn''t feel any hindrance during his attack.


    The mark on the knife didn''t enlarge during the few seconds in which the barrier had been active. It seemed that the weapon could survive his new energy as long as he limited its use to short amounts of time. Yet, that discovery didn''t satisfy him.


    Khan stood up and threw his knife toward the corner of the room before placing his right arm behind his back. Then, he pointed his left hand toward the wall in front of him and activated the Wave spell.


    Khan took every possible precaution. He made sure to aim in the opposite direction of the bedroom as he focused on his desperation. However, the spell created a spherical attack that expanded everywhere.


    The reinforced room was quite large, and Khan had previously decided to stand at its center since he had predicted a similar event. Yet, his mana dug the dark walls a few seconds after touching them. Even the floor revealed a smooth hole when his attack ended.


    Khan quickly checked his right hand. The metallic structure was fine, but the same didn''t go for the bandages on his left arm. A few aspects of his spell remained unclear. It almost seemed that the edges of the red-purple sphere carried its true destructive power, but he couldn''t feel sure about that for now.


    Moreover, Khan couldn''t explain why his spell was so different from what he had seen on the training program. He felt unable to complain in front of that destructive power, but he remained annoyed by his inability to control its trajectory.


    Khan wore a resolute expression and stretched his left arm again. He felt ready to test his attack all night if needed, but a tinge of hesitation eventually appeared in his mind.


    His current habitation wasn''t ideal for those experiments. Khan had already damaged it. Also, Delia was sleeping only a few walls away from his position. Testing his power so close to her was too risky. He didn''t even know what effects the Wave spell could have on the metallic structure on his right hand.


    ''Knowledge, knowledge,'' Khan repeated in his mind before picking his knife and sitting back at the center of the room. ''There must be something about this in the records of the Global Army. I might have to rely on Captain Clayman if the topic involves classified information.''


    The heavy thoughts that filled Khan''s mind didn''t prevent him from falling into his meditative state. That process appeared unaffected by the changes in his mana, and his body also confirmed that theory. Actually, the intensity of the halo felt stronger than before due to the vigor gained by his energy.

 Chapter 259: Aggressive

    Khan ended up spending the whole night immersed in his meditative state. He wanted to make sure that his new mana didn''t cause any adverse repercussions, and he also felt interested in the properties of that energy.


    The red-purple mana was aggressive, but Khan found it easier to control it. The connection with his energy felt deeper and rooted in his instincts, but that wasn''t always a good thing.


    Forcing the mana to act was easy. Khan barely needed to think about specific actions to activate it. Meditating, deploying the sharp membrane, and moving the energy across his body felt smooth and natural like never before.


    However, the problems arrived when Khan needed to interrupt those actions. His mana didn''t want to stop once obtaining a purpose. It ignored his orders and forced him to focus the entirety of his concentration on halting eventual effects. He even failed in the process completely at times.


    That behavior was in line with what Khan experienced during battles or chaotic situations. He could finally explain the source behind the special mindset unlocked on Nitis. His mana preferred instinctive actions that showed no hesitation, which was exactly what he did on the battlefields.


    Khan didn''t initially intend to be awake all night, but he lost track of time during his study and meditative state. He didn''t like that lack of complete control over his energy, but he had to admit that it felt good to let go. Part of him rejoiced to experience the aggressive nature of his mana, and his injuries also benefited from it.


    His hand needed far more than a single training session to heal, but his other injuries healed faster than before. He could sense the exhaustion accumulated during the escape vanishing under the influence of the aura inside his body. New skin also replaced the burns and holes caused by the bullets.


    After spending a whole night in that state, Khan felt to understand what Liiza had meant when she described the chaos element. Suppressing it went against its nature. He could apply that theory to his meditations, martial arts, and spell since they showed stronger effects when he abandoned every restraint.


    That felt amazing, except when it came to the Wave spell. The spherical attack would create problems on a battlefield featuring allies or precious equipment. Even his weapons and clothes didn''t seem immune to its destructive power.


    Most of those worries and doubts remained in the back of Khan''s mind. A single night wasn''t enough to uncover all the secrets behind his new mana, and he lacked the knowledge to find answers. Still, he confirmed that it was dangerous for him to fight among allies before learning everything about his power.


    Khan didn''t notice the arrival of the morning, but he snapped out of his intense study when he heard faint steps resounding behind the walls of the reinforced room. The familiar presence also moved directly toward him, so he interrupted his training right before the metal door slid open.


    "You are impossible," Delia commented in a sleepy tone while scratching the sides of her eyes.


    "I lost track of the passage of time," Khan explained before adding a tease, "And my bed was taken."


    "You could have joined me," Delia giggled before a yawn interrupted her gesture.


    "You must really like teasing me," Khan joked before standing up.


    "I usually am into older men, so be proud of yourself," Delia revealed while approaching Khan and taking his left arm. "Let me see."


    "The Doc will probably scold me if you undo her bandages," Khan complained without stopping Delia.


    "Then get scolded," Delia replied before undoing the knots and slowly revealing the skin under the bandages.


    Khan could also see the state of his injuries in that situation. The burns had mostly disappeared, but red spots had remained where the bullets had landed.


    "I think the bandages are useless now," Delia commented while moving her fingers over his back and stopping when she reached the tattoo. "You did this for her, right?"


    "It was part of a test," Khan explained. "Her nanny didn''t really like humans, and she was important to her."


    "You are incredible," Delia sighed before wrapping her arms around his neck and placing her head on his nape. "You didn''t deserve this."


    "I know," Khan whispered. "At least I did my best."


    Delia''s warm breath fell on his neck rhythmically and made Khan lose himself in those sensations. It felt good to be with someone, even if that relationship didn''t involve deep emotions.


    The Niqols'' approach told Khan to let go of his restraints and accept Delia, but it also forced him to experience his pain on a deeper level. The desperation that filled his mind didn''t help there either, so he decided to enjoy that interaction without pushing it forward.


    A slightly wet sensation eventually spread from his neck and interrupted his thoughts. Delia left a loud kiss before chuckling and teasing him again. "I would have definitely managed to kiss you properly. You shouldn''t lower your guard so easily."


    "Why didn''t you do it then?" Khan asked as Delia broke the embrace.


    "Because it would have probably hurt you now," Delia responded while wearing a smirk.


    "I guess maturity really arrives once you get older," Khan joked before approaching the exit.


    "Hey, who did you call old?" Delia scoffed, but she eventually smiled when she heard Khan''s laugh. She had managed to lift his mood, and that was enough for now.


    Khan''s habitation had new uniforms ready for him, but he couldn''t wear them with the metallic structure on his right hand. He limited himself to changing his trousers before leaving his house with Delia to find something to eat.


    It was early in the morning, and the camp was completely silent. The only sound that reached Khan''s ears came from the familiar figure sitting next to the entrance of his habitation. Rick was snoring loudly, but he woke up as soon as Khan kicked him softly.


    "Sir!" Rick shouted when he noticed Khan and Delia staring at him.


    "What did I tell you about this "sir" stuff?" Khan scolded.


    "My apologies!" Rick shouted again before straightening his position to perform a military salute.


    "What did I tell you about your voice?" Khan scolded again.


    "I''m sorry," Rick whispered while lowering his head in shame.


    "How long have you been here?" Khan asked. "I would have let you in if I knew you were here."


    "I didn''t want to disturb you," Rick timidly replied while moving his eyes between Khan and Delia.


    "It''s not how it loo-," Khan began to explain, but Delia interrupted him before he could finish his line.


    "It''s exactly how it looks like," Delia declared while placing her head on Khan''s shoulder and taking his left arm in her embrace. "You can also tell everyone if you want. Actually, please tell everyone."


    Rick appeared embarrassed by that bold declaration. He even blushed a bit, and Khan could only shake his head before glaring at Delia. She limited herself to laugh and let go of him after squeezing his arm one last time.


    "Why did you come here anyway?" Khan asked. "I thought I had to contact you, and it''s way too early even for a guide."


    Rick suddenly raised his head as he recalled the purpose of his visit. He reached for his pocket and took out a phone that was slightly different from those used by the other soldiers. It remained nothing more than a screen, but it had a darker color.


    "I had to deliver this," Rick explained while handing the phone to Khan. "HQ sent a replacement suitable for your element."


    Khan noticed that the phone was heavier than his previous device. It also felt sturdier, but he didn''t try to confirm that. The screen activated as soon as his thumb touched the screen, and a welcome message that featured his name quickly appeared.


    ''Genetic signature acknowledged,'' Khan read on the phone. ''Welcome back, Khan. Do you want to download the contents of your previous device?''


    Khan pressed on the "yes" label, and a loading bar immediately replaced the previous menu. The process wasn''t slow, but it would take a few minutes to end, so he stored the device in his pocket for now.


    "Is there a canteen here?" Khan asked as his stomach started to torture him.


    "I will lead you there immediately!" Rick shouted before covering his mouth with his hands.


    "Just go," Khan sighed, and Delia laughed when she saw Rick shooting toward a seemingly random direction to escape that awkward situation.


    Khan and Delia followed Rick toward the center of the second quadrant, where they found a relatively small building with interactive surfaces. The structure was nothing more than a black cube placed next to a series of metal tables and benches.


    The menus on the interactive surfaces showed a series of plates that all the soldiers could select. Rick even explained how the structure never stopped working, so ordering food even deep into the night was possible. Only the types of meals changed depending on the hour.


    Khan could only rejoice at that news. The night spent meditating had left him famished, so he didn''t hesitate to order multiple plates right away. He couldn''t use his right hand, so Delia and Rick had to help him carry the trays that came out of the cube whenever drawers opened on its smooth surface.


    The food wasn''t great, but Khan was nowhere near picky. Delia and Rick almost couldn''t believe that he could eat so much so quickly, but they refrained from pointing that out.


    The meal allowed Khan to learn more about Rick. It turned out that the soldier came from a good family with high standards, but his nature didn''t suit battles. His parents had sent him on Ecoruta in the hope that the experience would have forced him to mature, but none of his superiors had found him ready for the battlefield until then.


    Khan lost interest in Rick when his new phone completed the download. He could confirm that everything was in its place, including the training programs that had required external magical items to become part of his device. He didn''t know how the Global Army had accomplished that, but he didn''t bother thinking about it.


    Khan initially intended to explore the books stolen from Lieutenant Pouille''s device, but a message appeared on his screen before he could start searching for answers to his condition. Captain Clayman had sent him a list of possible rewards.


    "Hey, help me out," Khan said while elbowing Delia''s side softly.


    "What is thi-," Delia said while bending toward Khan, but a long ooh replaced the end of his question when her eyes fell on the list.


    "Ignore the synthetic mana," Khan added.


    "Why is that?" Delia asked. "That''s a lot even for wealthy families."


    "Just do as I say," Khan uttered before whispering an honest "please".


    The list had many labels, and Captain Clayman didn''t specify how many Khan could pick. He could read the names of many books that involved knowledge about mana, mana cores, and uses of that energy. Instead, others revolved around historical records about past famous experts or general descriptions of the known alien species.


    The amount of knowledge available to Khan was immense, and he couldn''t wait to get his hands on it, but the techniques described on the list soon claimed the entirety of his attention. He could see training programs for two spells and abilities that used mana without requiring a specific element.


    "I still think the synthetic mana is perfect for your current situation," Delia commented. "You are already strong. Adding other techniques might make you weaker until you manage to add them to your fighting style."


    "Delia," Khan said in a scolding tone.


    "If you really don''t want what probably is the best resource available to soldiers at our level," Delia exclaimed, "You should just pick everything else. I still think you won''t get the chance to use these techniques, except for these mental ones. This "enhanced reading" is good to study, and the "simulated mental battle" should suit someone as thick-headed as you."

 Chapter 260: Rassec

    "How do you even know them?" Khan asked.


    Khan had yet to open the description of the two mental techniques on the list, so he could only guess what they did according to their names. Still, Delia seemed to know their exact uses and effects.


    "Both techniques consume a lot of mana," Rick added before Delia could answer. "The "enhanced reading" is something that the Guko have created, so it''s not perfect for humans. Meanwhile, the "simulated mental battle" is rather advanced. You might be unable to use it without some training."


    "How can you both know about this?" Khan repeated as his gaze moved between Rick and Delia.


    "Mana has various uses," Delia summarized. "There is a lot more past and in-between martial arts and spells. Magical items and techniques that don''t require specific elements have become common after the Global Army interacted with multiple alien species. Still, most of them are too advanced for recruits or soldiers in their second year."


    "How does he know about it then?" Khan asked again since Rick was quite close to his age.


    "Are you implying that I''m old again?" Delia threatened while pulling Khan''s ear, but he pretended to ignore her and kept his eyes on Rick.


    "This knowledge has been part of my education before joining the Global Army," Rick shortly explained.


    "You must be quite rich," Delia commented before letting go of Khan''s ear.


    "My family is rich," Rick stated. "I won''t be until I prove myself worthy of the name that I carry."


    Delia couldn''t help but compare Rick with Khan. They were both young, but their lives had been entirely different, and that had led to opposite characters. Rick was timid and insecure, while Khan was the embodiment of confidence.


    Meanwhile, Khan replied to the message to question Captain Clayman about the number of items in the list that he could request as rewards for his feats. He didn''t expect the soldier to answer quickly, but the latter surprised him.


    ''Don''t be too greedy,'' Khan read the answer on his phone and quickly chose everything but the synthetic mana.


    ''That''s still too greedy,'' The Captain said in his answer before sending another list that gave a value to each label and number that he couldn''t overcome.


    Delia had started to advise Rick on how to improve as a soldier, but she moved her attention to Khan when he called her. The Global Army''s generosity left her stunned for a few seconds, but she didn''t feel too surprised since the matter involved Khan.


    Delia also understood the necessity to keep a few things a secret from Rick. Those rewards would become part of Khan''s assets, so it wasn''t her place to tell everyone about them. Also, she could use that chance to tease him a bit more.


    "You can find less detailed versions of these books on the network," Delia whispered to Khan''s ear. "I suggest you go for the mental techniques, the training programs, the historical records, and the uses of mana."


    "I want to become an ambassador," Khan whispered while turning toward Delia, "And I need information about mana for personal reasons. You know, my element can be troublesome."


    Delia approached his ear again and replied in a soft voice. "Ditch the historical records and a mental technique then. The knowledge about the alien species is necessary for your goals, and you really need to learn more about the uses of mana."


    "I don''t want to give up on a technique either," Khan complained.


    "The math is clear," Delia stated. "You can''t pick everything."


    "I hope the Captain says otherwise," Khan uttered while sending his choices even if they exceeded the max value set on the second list.


    "Don''t you feel any shame negotiating with a captain?" Delia asked.


    "I don''t know what that means," Khan joked.


    "You must know the meaning of shame to ignore it," Delia corrected.


    Rick lowered his head, but he inevitably glanced at the duo from time to time. Khan and Delia didn''t seem to care that they were basically flirting in the open. Rick couldn''t even understand how Khan could resist Delia''s bold approach, especially with her doing everything in her power to get closer to him or make him aware of her captivating presence.


    Needless to say, Rick began to admire Khan. The rumors about his feats on the battlefield and his evident experience with women created the image of a perfect man, everything that Rick''s family wanted him to become. It didn''t help that Khan was younger than Rick, which only made the latter decide that he wanted to learn everything he could during his time as a guide.


    "Please, be my master!" Rick suddenly shouted while Khan and Delia were still busy teasing each other.


    Khan and Delia raised their gazes from the phone and stared at Rick in confusion, but their eyes soon fell on the small group of soldiers approaching the area. They didn''t even reach the cube before gathering around the trio''s table.


    Khan instinctively prepared for battle, but he forced himself to calm down. He had yet to see the effects of his new mana during a fight, and he wanted to avoid testing them when Delia was so close.


    "Do you like the food in our camp?" One of the soldiers, a relatively young man, asked after inspecting the many trays on the table.


    Khan didn''t immediately answer. The stars on the group''s military uniforms gave him a general understanding of the soldiers'' power, but he wanted to understand their actual battle experience.


    The soldiers were all first-level warriors and mages, but that alone didn''t mean much. Power in the hands of a helpless kid was useless, but Khan felt to be among elites. Everyone in the group appeared confident, and they even made sure to remain outside of his knife''s range during that conversation.


    "I''ve lived in the Slums for eleven years," Khan replied without adding any emotion in his tone. "Everything tastes better than the food there."


    "I''ve heard that you can dodge the bullets shot by a rifle laying on your face," Another soldier, a young-looking woman, stated.


    "My arm and back say otherwise," Khan contradicted while showing the red spots on his forearm and shoulder.


    "Is it true that you cut your superior''s hand in the middle of the escape?" A third soldier, another young-looking woman, asked.


    "Yes, but you missed the part when a giant projectile had fallen on him," Khan responded.


    The group fell silent, and the tension in the area intensified. Rick instinctively lowered his head, and Delia wore a cold expression since she didn''t like how the soldiers were treating Khan. However, everything ended when the men and women standing around the table began to laugh.


    "You are one crazy fella," The man announced while suppressing his laugh and sitting next to Khan. "I had my doubts when the Captain assigned you as one of the leaders of the assault team, but you didn''t flinch at all."


    "Please understand that we tend to look down on the platoons on the trenches," One of the women announced while she and her companions sat around the table. "The soldiers in this camp generally have enough battle experience to avoid the mindless shooting on the frontlines. HQ deploys us only during important battles."


    "Instead, some of us are simply too rich to face risks," Another soldier commented while glancing at Rick.


    "Should you really speak about the assault team so openly?" Khan asked, hiding the fact that he felt glad that his new companions appeared capable.


    "Only our target is classified," The first man replied. "I''ve learnt about it because I have friends in high places, but I won''t put the mission at risk to brag about it."


    "How can you be on Ecoruta with such good friends?" Delia questioned.


    "Serving here is good for my profile," The man declared. "Also, my family business deals with the metal obtained from this planet. Being on the surface for a while has become a tradition for potential heirs."


    "Wait," Delia exclaimed. "Are you from the Kilwood family?"


    "I''m Moses Kilwood," The soldier announced before pointing at the woman near Delia, "And she is my cousin, Peggy Kilwood. We are competing for the next available position in our family, but I promise that we won''t let that get in the way of the mission, Chief."


    Khan couldn''t help but inspect the two cousins. Moses had short brown hair and dark eyes, and his tight uniform revealed a few bulging muscles. Instead, Peggy had slightly long dark hair tied in a bun, blue eyes, and a slender physique.


    The two soldiers didn''t appear related since their facial features and skin were completely different. Moses had a round face that expressed pure confidence and a dark complexion, while Peggy was pale and had sharp traits.


    "Don''t call me chief," Khan complained.


    "You are our chief, Chief," Moses responded. "Using only Khan isn''t appropriate for our positions. Besides, you have already achieved enough to deserve a promotion."


    "Call me boss or something if you must," Khan stated. "Just don''t use Chief."


    The statement surprised everyone, but Moses and the others didn''t seem to mind it. Only Delia connected it to Nitis since Khan never acted irrationally unless something triggered bad memories.


    "Well, Boss, we only wanted to check you out," Moses eventually explained while standing up. "HQ doesn''t want to send training areas, but we spar every morning a bit outside the camp. Feel free to come once your condition improves. I think it would be a good idea to get to know each other''s power before going into battle."


    "I''ll definitely come to check you out," Khan promised as the rest of the soldiers stood up and performed military salutes.


    Moses revealed a bright smile before leaving the area. The rest of the soldiers followed him without saying a word, but many glanced at Khan one last time during their walk. The women in the group even inspected Delia since she seemed pretty close to him.


    "I told you that they were friendly," Delia commented after the soldiers disappeared from their sight.


    "And young," Khan teased.


    "Stop joking about that," Delia snorted. "I''m barely twenty-six. I''ll keep my good looks until I''m forty if I improve quickly."


    Khan smirked but didn''t add anything. That interaction with the soldiers had reassured him, and part of him also wanted to see how strong they were. However, the issue with his mana remained. He didn''t want to spar with them before understanding how dangerous he was. The same went for the mission in general. He preferred to understand the nature of his condition before jumping into a battle.


    Khan didn''t forget Rick''s request, but his phone had the priority. The Captain had answered to accept his request. He would obtain the two mental techniques, the chaos spear spell, the chaos claws spell, advanced knowledge about mana and its uses, and a general description of the known alien species.


    "B-boss!" Rick shouted after mustering his courage.


    "You don''t have to call me like that," Khan stated after putting away his phone. "You aren''t part of the assault team, and I accepted only because Moses didn''t seem the type to take no for an answer."


    "I still wish to call you like this, Boss," Rick announced.


    Khan sighed before standing up and gathering the trays to throw them inside the cube. He didn''t address Rick at all, but Delia eventually called him when she saw the soldier''s teary eyes.


    "Why do you even want me as a master?" Khan asked. "I bet your family can provide you with someone far better than me."


    "I had many masters," Rick revealed, "And my improvements aren''t too bad either, but they don''t match my family''s standards anyway. Also, my character is a problem."


    "What makes you think that I can fix that?" Khan questioned.


    "I believe you wouldn''t be afraid to hurt me," Rick honestly admitted.


    The statement left both Khan and Delia surprised. Even the descendants from wealthy families had to grow used to struggles and pain at some point. The sole thought that no one dared to teach that to Rick didn''t feel possible.


    "How important are you?" Khan almost shouted.


    "My family name is Rassec," Rick whispered, and Delia widened their eyes in astonishment. Even Khan had heard that name. It belonged to one of the ten noble families.

 Chapter 261: Instincts

    Delia paled, and Khan remained equally stunned even if he tried his best to hide his feelings. Rick was nothing more than a weak soldier with a bad attitude toward battle, but his name could make the entire Global Army tremble.


    Of course, the ten noble families were immense. They had countless descendants, so many of them ended up failing to match their high standards. However, even the lowest member of those organizations could summon a force capable of scaring almost everyone in the entirety of humankind.


    That power didn''t only involve actual assets. The scariest aspect of the noble families came from their influence over the entirety of the Global Army. Ending up on their bad side could ruin the career of the most promising soldiers. Ricky probably didn''t have access to such connections, but both Khan and Delia didn''t dare to take his revelation lightly anyway.


    "Does the Captain know?" Khan eventually asked.


    "I believe he suspects something," Rick explained. "My family made sure to hide my origin, but Captain Clayman is incredibly sharp. It''s not surprising that he will become a Major by the end of the year. After that, he only needs to become a fourth-level warrior to enter the list for the promotion to Lieutenant Colonel."


    Delia couldn''t muster the strength to speak in that situation. She didn''t even try to stand up since she feared that Rick might find her actions disrespectful.


    Khan was doing better than Delia. He had studied the noble families during his short period on Ylaco''s training camp, and Martha had also explained multiple times how important they were in the current human society. Still, Rick had openly asked for his help, so he had to gaze past his amazement to make up his mind about the issue.


    Khan could only see three options in front of him. He could ignore Rick altogether, pretend to help him through half-hearted exercises, or do his best to turn that clueless soldier into a proper warrior.


    The three paths featured advantages and risks. The first and second options would limit potential adverse consequences, even if they could put Khan on Rick''s bad side. Instead, the third path could cause many troubles if he hurt the soldier and his training didn''t lead anywhere.


    Khan only had to decide which risks he had to face. Usually, he would try to avoid political problems due to how frail his status was. Yet, Rick could become an ally that surpassed every potentially empty promise from Captain Clayman. He had the chance to establish a proper relationship with the young soldier if he actually managed to teach him something.


    ''A good ambassador wouldn''t give up on this opportunity,'' Khan thought before correcting himself. ''A partially crazy ambassador wouldn''t. Still, what do I even have to lose here? My current fame is great, but I''ll eventually need political allies, especially if I want to gain access to the information about the Nak.''


    For once, Khan forced himself to think as an ambassador while ignoring any dirty feeling that his approach originated in his mind. It was time to be as calculative and cynical as possible, even if he couldn''t avoid adding a personal touch to that behavior.


    "Do you realize that I''m agreeing to help you only due to your family name?" Khan asked openly, without caring for Rick''s feelings.


    "That''s fine," Rick stated as a smile appeared on his face. "I don''t mind relying on my family as long as it helps toward my goal."


    "What exactly is your goal?" Khan questioned.


    "I want to become someone proud of my name," Rick explained. "I want to stop being a useless pawn that my parents are willing to hide away on some remote planet just to keep the standards of my family high."


    "That''s not enough," Khan exclaimed. "I''m no master, but I can probably force you to develop a better mindset, something that can face adversities without cowering in fear. Yet, the process won''t be funny, and most of the results would depend on your actual determination."


    "I''ve been pampered my whole life," Rick announced. "The masters willing to deal with someone with below-average talents had never dared to touch me. Even the many training areas that I''ve visited didn''t allow me to test myself properly since my family didn''t find me capable of overcoming those challenges. Please, just give me a real chance."


    Khan had to admit that Rick''s situation sounded awful. He could vaguely understand the fears of the masters, but he couldn''t believe that even the training areas would avoid putting him in danger. It almost felt that the Rassec family had given up on Rick as soon as he showed less talent than other descendants.


    That mindset was hard to acknowledge for ordinary soldiers, especially since Rick wasn''t too bad. He wasn''t even twenty, and he probably didn''t get any infusion of synthetic mana, so his current level wasn''t unusual compared to many young men and women. Rick wasn''t Khan, but no one could label him as a failure so soon.


    The noble families seemed to have a completely different view on the matter that Khan didn''t want to explore too deeply. He could guess that the branch of Rick''s bloodline was relatively poor compared to the others in his force, but his thoughts stopped there.


    "I can''t be your master since I still have a lot to learn," Khan admitted, "But I can give you pointers and try to reshape your instincts. I only want to make sure that this stuff won''t end up ruining my future."


    "I will never speak badly of you in front of my family," Rick promised.


    "You don''t have to speak about me at all," Khan corrected. "This isn''t about your potential failure. I don''t want your parents or other relatives to silence me to quell the rumors about a weak descendant among their ranks."


    Rick widened his eyes as he understood that point. He immediately nodded and showed the purest expression that Khan had ever seen in his entire life. The soldier really wished to grow stronger, but Khan sighed internally at the sight of that evident naiveness.


    "We can''t let others see us," Khan stated. "You said it yourself. Captain Clayman probably knows about your status, so I don''t want anything that can cause problems for me. You would also have to lie about eventual injuries, understood?"


    "Yes, boss!" Rick happily shouted as he stood up to perform a military salute.


    Khan felt a headache spreading inside his mind. Rick had been lucky enough to find him when he had yet to recover and obtain the knowledge that could improve his training. Khan would have probably considered refusing him a bit longer otherwise.


    "Let''s go to my habitation," Khan sighed.


    Delia stood up, but she waited for Khan to cross her before following him. Instead, Rick shot forward as if he couldn''t wait for his first real training session to begin.


    The breakfast didn''t last long, but a few soldiers in camp had awakened and had started to march toward the dark cube to have their meals. Some inevitably met Khan, Delia, and Rick, and they showed friendly smiles or curious glances.


    "You must be Khan," A woman in her twenties eventually exclaimed when her group waked toward Khan and the others.


    "Did the scar betray me?" Khan joked as he stopped in his tracks.


    The woman was quite beautiful, and her long red hair was an unusual sight on the battlefield since she didn''t tie it. Still, she and her group appeared weaker than Moses'' team. Only a few of them were both first-level warriors and mages.


    "You get to memorize most faces after spending a few weeks here," The woman announced while starting to play with her hair. "Yours definitely doesn''t go unnoticed."


    "I hope for good reasons," Khan teased while wearing a fake polite smile.


    "Of course," The woman replied as her eyes checked his defined muscles with evident interest. "You must still learn about our habits. We usually hang out outside the camp when it gets dark. You are welcome to join us if you want."


    "I''ll consider it," Khan replied while showing his right hand. "I hope this doesn''t give me too much trouble."


    "There''s no hurry," The woman responded. "Take care of yourself first."


    The woman showed an enchanting smile before continuing on her way, and her group followed her. Some nodded at Khan, but most of them completely ignored Delia and Rick.


    Khan didn''t mind that interaction too much. He knew that rumors about him had already spread throughout the camp, so his presence naturally interested the soldiers there. Moreover, he had grown used to being at the center of the attention on Nitis, and the polite manners of the humans could barely manage to annoy him.


    Delia and Rick had different reactions. Delia felt a mixture of pride and jealousy, while Rick experienced pure admiration. His eyes seemed about to take fire when he saw how calmly Khan could handle those situations.


    Similar events happened again while Khan and the others walked back to his habitation. Soldiers stopped on their way toward the dark cube to greet Khan and exchange a few polite words. The matter didn''t only involve women, but they were still the majority of those interested in him.


    By the time Khan''s group reached their destination, Rick''s eyes had turned into bright green lights, while Delia seemed to have learnt how to express two different emotions at the same time. She didn''t like how famous Khan was, but she still felt that he completely deserved that respect and attention.


    The trio entered the habitation, and Khan immediately led the duo inside the reinforced room. The poor state of the area left Rick completely stunned, but he didn''t say anything.


    "Can you be his sparring partner for a while?" Khan asked.


    "I''m not touching him," Delia stated, but she tried to explain herself when Rick''s puppy eyes fell on her figure. "I''m close to leaving this damned planet. I only need a bit more to accumulate enough Credits to purchase synthetic mana, become a second-level warrior, and apply for a safer position."


    "Show me what you know," Khan ordered after abandoning any hope to receive Delia''s help.


    "How should I do that?" Rick questioned, and Delia hid her face behind her hand to avoid showing her disappointment. Luckily for Rick, Khan''s expression remained aloof.


    "You must know a martial art, right?" Khan guessed. "Punch and kick the wall so I can see it. These surfaces are quite sturdy, so don''t hold back."


    Rick''s eyes lit up in understanding before approaching one of the walls. He quickly bent his legs and spread them a bit to create a stable battle stance before launching a series of quick punches.


    Khan inspected the mana moving through Rick''s body. The flow of his energy was smooth and precise, but he could see that some hesitation appeared whenever his knuckles were about to hit the metal.


    "I said that you don''t have to hold back," Khan soon reminded.


    Rick gulped in front of Khan''s stern expression, but he eventually resumed his attacks. He even deployed some techniques that relied on his elbows and knees. His martial art appeared quite balanced. It didn''t focus on any specific aspect, but it also showed no opening or clear weakness. It was fast, powerful, and complete.


    Rick slowly gained some confidence as his offensive continued. He grew used to the pain spreading from his knuckles, knees, and elbows, which made him express more power. It only took a few minutes before he started going all-out and deploying his martial art to the best of his capabilities.


    ''He isn''t bad,'' Khan thought while checking every technique that Rick deployed. ''If his initial mistakes have come from his anxiety, he has probably reached the competent level with his martial art.''


    The event felt quite surprising for someone who claimed to have trained with bad masters throughout his life. Still, everything felt reasonable when Khan thought about the wealth that the Rassec family had invested in Rick.


    "Okay, that''s enough," Khan announced, and Rick turned toward him. "Your techniques are good for your age and level. You only lack the right attitude and experience."


    "I can''t gain experience as long as the Captain keeps me inside the camp," Rick explained.


    "I know," Khan answered. "We must focus on the other problem then. Your instincts are bad, so we must get rid of them."


    "How do we do that?" Rick asked, but Khan suddenly shot forward and kicked him at the center of his torso.


    Rick flew across the room and crashed on the opposite dark wall. Khan didn''t use much power in his attack, but Rick wasn''t ready to endure it, and blood inevitably filled his mouth when he landed.


    "I could have killed you there," Khan explained. "Pay more attention to your surroundings even with allies around you."


    Rick coughed a few times, but he eventually stood up and nodded before wearing an honest smile and resuming his attacks on the wall. He became immersed in his training until another kick flew in his direction and forced him to throw himself on the floor.


    Khan slammed his foot on the floor and made the whole room shake. The reinforced metal endured the blow, but that didn''t hide the amount of power he had released during the attack.


    The foot had landed next to Rick''s head. Khan had missed him on purpose, and something similar had happened with his previous attack. The second kick had been so slow that Rick had been able to sense it, but his dodge had been awful.


    "Your martial art has defensive stances and techniques, right?" Khan asked as he took a step back to let Rick stand up.


    "Yes," Rick responded. "In theory, it has no weaknesses."


    "But that only means that it requires more experience to reveal its true power," Khan explained.


    "I couldn''t get any real battle experience," Rick justified himself.


    "You don''t need to repeat that," Khan scoffed while checking his mana.


    His kicks were relatively safe, but he wanted to make sure that his mana didn''t start acting on its own due to his annoyance or similar feelings. Everything seemed in its place, but Khan still feared what could happen if he tried to use his power properly.


    "Rick, your first instinct was to throw yourself on the floor," Khan scolded, trying to explain the gravity of the situation. "You should have tried to escape since I''m far stronger than you. I would have even accepted a defensive technique. Yet, you directly gave up on fighting. Why is that?"


    "I felt a bit scared, so I panicked," Rick admitted.


    Delia could only shake her head. She could see how massive Rick''s weaknesses were. It wasn''t a matter of lack of training. The soldier had developed horrible habits since no one had ever forced him to get used to pain. His first instincts were to give up instead of deploying what he knew.


    Khan didn''t know how to approach the issue. He never had similar problems, and he couldn''t be a sparring partner in his current condition. Rick needed someone with the same level to slowly reverse nineteen years spent without knowing real pain, but the other soldiers seemed to despise him due to his apparent privileged state.


    "You said that no one knows about your true identity here, right?" Khan asked.


    "That''s correct, boss," Rick replied.


    "We need to find you someone willing to get you through this tedious part," Khan stated.


    "How would I even find that?" Rick asked as a tinge of shame appeared on his face. "I''m a joke inside the camp. No one will take me seriously."


    "They will if I''m with you," Khan declared.


    "Do you plan on using your charm to make one of your suitors help him?" Delia teased.


    "Not at all," Khan shrugged his shoulders before pointing at Rick. "He will pay them. I''ll just stick around to make sure that everything goes smoothly."


    "Thank you so much, boss!" Rick shouted as excitement filled his face. He seemed ready to get out of the habitation right away, but Khan moved his attention to his pocket when he heard his phone ringing.


    "We''ll continue this tomorrow," Khan announced after checking the message. "I have things to do now."


    "But the day has barely begun," Rick complained before lowering his head as soon as Khan glared at him.


    "I bet you have a good habitation," Khan guessed. "Go there and repeat all the techniques of your martial art until you fall asleep. Stop only when you need to eat."


    "Do you mean all day long?" Rick asked in a surprised tone.


    "You can perform your techniques perfectly," Khan responded, "But you don''t see them as your first resource. You must start to change that, so repeat them until you run out of breath or mana. If you happen to recover during the night, wake up and start the training again."


    "Will this really help me?" Rick timidly asked.


    "You need to get rid of many years of bad habits," Khan explained. "Using every second to reshape your instincts is the least you can do for now."


    Rick didn''t feel happy about that training session, but he still nodded, performed a military salute, and left the habitation. Delia waited for the entrance to close before turning toward Khan and addressing his orders. "Why did you send him away?"


    "The Captain has sent part of the rewards," Khan explained. "Besides, I didn''t lie to Rick."


    "Aren''t you afraid that he might turn on you if he doesn''t see improvements?" Delia asked.


    "Delia, I recognize desperation when I see it," Khan said in an aloof tone that instantly saddened her.


    "Look at the bright side," Delia tried to change the topic as she approached Khan. "You might have a friend inside a noble family if you actually turn him into a decent warrior."


    Delia wanted to embrace Khan from behind to tease him a little, but he placed his left hand on her cheek before she could do anything. Delia blushed at that sudden action. She didn''t even mind that he was holding his phone while using his thumb to caress her.


    "I need to test these techniques," Khan announced. "My mana is dangerous, so I can''t relax if you remain here."


    Delia knew that Khan was sending her away, but the seriousness in his tone and his gesture made her accept his decision quickly. She caressed the back of his hand before taking a step back and turning toward the door. It didn''t take long before she left the habitation.


    Khan didn''t feel good about exploiting Delia''s feelings, but his bitterness mixed with his usual desperation after he sat and unlocked his phone. The Captain had yet to send the two spells, but the mental techniques had reached his device, and he couldn''t wait to try them.

 Chapter 262: Anomaly

    Khan didn''t mind the lack of the two spells in the initial wave of rewards. He guessed that the Global Army couldn''t send them without adding magical items, so it made sense for them to take longer to arrive.


    The books that Khan had requested had also arrived on his phone, but he ignored them for now. The mental techniques captured the entirety of his attention. Part of him even found it pointless to start studying the vast amount of knowledge on his device when he had just gained something that could theoretically improve that process.


    Khan quickly pressed on the label "simulated mental battle" to check his first technique. A series of descriptions and multiple exercises that the phone could project through holograms appeared on the screen, and he studied everything carefully before activating the actual training.


    The mental technique was simple in its theory. It didn''t try to obtain any specific feature, so every type of mana could activate its effects. Its purpose was to create mental battles that could replace training areas or actual fights and allow soldiers to improve or retain their physical condition.


    According to the descriptions, the "simulated mental battle" would still force the involved muscles to activate. It could even make the soldiers experience injuries suffered during the imaginary fight at its highest levels.


    The effects'' intensity and what remained on the body depended on the meditative state''s depth reached during the execution of the mental technique. At its highest levels, the soldiers could even surpass what real battles gave.


    Needless to say, Khan couldn''t wait to learn and master that technique. He loved the training halls and their flexibility, but the "simulated mental battle" could give him far more. His location, situation, and condition wouldn''t matter anymore after becoming good at that type of exercise.


    The mental technique obviously had many layers of difficulties. Delia had told Khan that he probably wouldn''t be able to perform it right away, and the descriptions on his phone explained why.


    To activate the "simulated mental battle", Khan would have to gain access to a deep part of his brain, the area where his organ stored his memories. Then, he had to flood it with mana and force his energy to use some of the details found there to create an imaginary battlefield.


    The weaknesses of the mental technique stretched past the difficulties connected to its activation. The soldiers couldn''t create opponents or situations out of nowhere. Their memories had to contain enough details about the intended battles that they wanted to imagine to make the "simulated mental battle" work.


    Moreover, the soldiers needed a deep understanding of what they wanted to create. Seeing an opponent wasn''t enough. They had to know a few basic features to make a similar mental copy. Of course, a high number of details would allow them to build something extraordinarily lifelike and push them deeper into the meditative state.


    Other issues involved the strain that the mental technique applied to the minds. The "simulated mental battle" had to affect the body. Otherwise, it would lose every purpose, so the soldiers had to use large quantities of mana to make those effects possible.


    The mana alone couldn''t solve everything either. The mental technique worked like any other martial art since it put the brain under heavy stress. Abusing the "simulated mental battle" could lead to headaches, internal injuries, or even death. Those issues could appear even during deep meditative states in case of a defeat during the imaginary fight.


    The great difficulty for the activation, the limited number of assets available for the mental battle, the vast amount of mana required to apply the effects on the body, and the heavy strain on the brain made the technique extremely complicated to use correctly. Khan even began to wonder if something like that was healthy for a first-level warrior during his read.


    The many difficulties and possible drawbacks didn''t scare Khan away. The two techniques gained on Nitis had similar dangers and harsh requirements. His current ability to manipulate mana didn''t even allow him to activate them on his own, so he guessed that the mental skill would join that list for now.


    Khan promised himself to test the "simulated mental battle" before jumping to hasty conclusions, but he put it away for now to approach the second mental technique. The "enhanced reading" featured a similar menu with shorter descriptions that stated its lower requirements in terms of understanding, training, and consumption.


    ''This one is quite easy,'' Khan concluded after a quick read of the instructions. ''I only need to send set amounts of mana to my eyes and move them toward a specific area of my brain in a short time. I also need to stick to a precise rhythm, but I bet that I can memorize it in no time.''


    His experiences on Nitis continued to show their incredible value. Khan had become relatively decent in his control of mana, which only involved the use of the energy outside his body. Everything would be easier when the process had to happen inside him, so he didn''t hesitate to memorize the instructions and attempt to replicate them.


    Mana came out of his mana core and flooded his brain with tiny masses of energy meant to become an essential aspect of the mental technique. Then, Khan placed them right behind his eyes and moved them slowly toward the spot marked by the instructions on his phone.


    Khan repeated the process a few times, moving the masses of mana from the very front of his eyes to the center of his brain to memorize the path that they had to cross. It wasn''t hard to control those lumps of energy after his training in the Niqols'' approach and his exercises for the Wave spell. Still, the "enhanced reading" required a high speed and a specific rhythm to bring the loss of information to the minimum.


    The instructions on his phone described how the actual memorization happened after multiple cycles of the mana going back and forth between his eyes and the center of his brain. The specific rhythm also maximized the amount of knowledge that would become a permanent part of his memories.


    That mental technique featured similar drawbacks to the "simulated mental battle". It would put his brain and eyes under heavy stress and deplete large quantities of mana. Those requirements and possible adverse consequences were only light compared to the other ability. Still, they remained something that Khan had to be wary of, especially since he knew his character.


    Khan kept his eyes closed as he moved the lumps of mana back and forth. Once he got that part right, he started adding the other steps required by the technique. It seemed that each mass of energy could transport only a set amount of knowledge, which would basically force him to replace them after two or three cycles.


    The addition of that step brought Khan back to step one. He could preserve the intended speed with individual lumps of mana but replacing them always made him waste time and lose his momentum. It took him a while before he could get that part right too.


    The last step was the harshest since it made Khan apply a specific rhythm to everything learnt previously. He had to move and replace the lumps of mana without ever getting off-track. An eventual mistake would affect the knowledge transported during the last cycle and force him to start the technique again.


    Failing didn''t sound too harsh in terms of drawbacks, but Khan changed his mind after experiencing that first-hand. The strain on his brain was manageable while the technique was active, but its abrupt end and its following restart created clear discomfort in the shape of a vague headache. That feeling even intensified as he continued to amass mistakes.


    Khan couldn''t reach a decent level before his headache started to affect his training. He felt forced to take a break at that point, and a mere glance at his phone even informed him that lunchtime had arrived.


    An empty stomach and an intense headache didn''t go well together, so Khan decided to stand up to reach the cube to eat something before taking a nap. Yet, he found a tray waiting for him right in front of his habitation''s entrance. Someone had even drawn a heart and the letter "D" with a sauce on an empty spot.


    ''Delia is really enjoying this,'' Khan thought as a smirk inevitably appeared on his face.


    Khan picked up the tray and returned inside his habitation. He took mere minutes to eat everything, and drowsiness eventually arrived to warn him that he had to rest.


    His habitation was empty, so Khan went for his bed. However, something felt off after spending a few minutes on the pillow. The sheets and blankets still carried Delia''s faint scent, and his mind automatically recalled her warmth.


    Everything would have still been fine if his mind had stopped there. Yet, Khan found himself imagining Liiza''s coldness, creating a clash of memories that couldn''t end as long as Delia''s scent continued to flow inside his nostrils. The situation became so troublesome that he had to leave the bed and reach the couch, where he finally managed to fall asleep.


    The alarm on his phone rang before his nightmare could even come close to reaching the map of the unknown solar system. Khan felt tired when he woke up, and a deep sigh escaped his mouth when he sensed that a faint trace of his headache had remained after that short nap.


    Khan decided to spend some time inside his meditative state, which luckily solved his headache and brought him back to his peak mental condition. His exercises for the "enhanced reading" resumed right after that, and he happily found out that his short break had brought positive results.


    The tedious and repetitive mental exercises still kept Khan busy for a few hours, but he eventually reached a decent level of mastery over the "enhanced reading". The headache had returned by then, but a short meditation solved it and allowed him to test how powerful his mental technique was.


    Khan unlocked the phone and found the book containing advanced knowledge related to the mana. He still prioritized uncovering the reason behind the change in his energy, so he didn''t hesitate to test the "enhanced reading" while looking for answers.


    The initial tests led to failures. Moving relatively empty lumps of mana was easy compared to the actual use of the mental technique. Khan only needed to stare at the hologram of a page to acquire the information it contained, but bringing everything to his brain felt complicated and heavy. He could clearly sense that his energy was carrying something.


    Nevertheless, through sheer resolve and multiple attempts, Khan managed to complete his first cycles and experience how good the actual memorization was. It felt unnatural for the human brain to gain so much knowledge instantly, but he still achieved incredible results. He couldn''t recite the page word for word, but he understood its contents without needing to review it.


    A cycle took less than a second. Khan could almost memorize the entire page of a book with only a pair of lumps of mana. In short, he only had to remain two seconds on each sheet before moving to the next one.


    If Khan didn''t commit any mistake during the "enhanced reading", he could read entire books in less than an hour and memorize their general contents. A second inspection would probably lead to a complete understanding of their topics. He had the chance to study knowledge that would have usually taken weeks to learn in mere days.


    The excitement didn''t let him ignore his failures and the headache that they caused. Khan felt about to reach his limits again while studying the book, but he pressed on since he wanted answers. He only allowed himself to spend a few minutes inside his meditations before resuming his read.


    The process was far from healthy, but it allowed Khan to find something that seemed to match his condition on that very night. The book called it "mana anomaly".

 Chapter 263: Study

    ''The mana anomaly is a rare condition that can have multiple causes,'' Khan read without using the mental technique. ''An excessive purity of the mana, a trauma that involves the mana core, or different mutations can alter the natural azure color and add unwanted features.''


    The book went on to explain that the change usually wasn''t abrupt. Changing the nature of the mana so radically and permanently was hard even when relying on external methods. Reaching Khan''s current state would typically require long months or years of specific procedures. Only traumas could cause something so drastic, but he had merely activated the Wave spell. That didn''t sound enough.


    ''The anomaly can have multiple effects depending on the depths of the changes,'' Khan continued to read. ''The different features can affect the normal functioning of the mana or even the user''s behavior.''


    The book followed that description with a few examples of known cases of mana anomaly. Emotional instability seemed to be a common problem in the harshest cases, and the same went for a general difficulty in controlling the energy. Still, the condition could also bring benefits if the changes ended up suiting certain spells or techniques.


    Khan found himself in a strange spot after reading everything the book said about the mana anomaly. He felt almost sure that his energy had gone through something similar, but he didn''t experience most of the listed effects.


    The desperation that occupied his mind wasn''t exactly unstable, and he didn''t feel any difficulty controlling his mana. Actually, Khan even found it easier to move his energy around after the changes.


    The current red-purple color put Khan among some of the harshest cases of mana anomaly, but he felt normal. The differences with what the book described made him wonder whether he had found the right condition, but he couldn''t see anything else that caused similar effects.


    ''I can''t fix the anomaly either,'' Khan concluded after reading the cure to his condition.


    The book stated that it was extremely hard to fix an anomaly, and reverting the mana to its previous state was basically impossible. The treatments involved expensive procedures and long years in which the patients couldn''t use their energy at all. Khan wasn''t only broke. He wouldn''t even accept to slow down his growth over something that didn''t cause any immediate problem.


    Reading about all of that made Khan think about his father. Bret would probably be able to tell him something more about that new mana since he was aware of his son''s physical condition. Yet, Khan didn''t want to rely on him for now. He wasn''t even sure whether he could trust him.


    ''The anomaly might be good for me,'' Khan eventually thought as he put his phone down and massaged his temples. ''My mana seems to express the nature of the chaos element now. I might have an easier time learning the new spells. Also, it can''t be bad in battles to have my element''s destructiveness unless I start hurting allies.''


    Khan summoned a bit of mana on his left palm. Except for the color, everything felt normal. He could move his energy quite freely and even affect its nature through the exercises learnt on Nitis.


    The problems started when Khan tried to make his mana harmless. He wasn''t a master when it came to manipulating his energy, but he had been able to achieve something decent recently. Still, now it was harder to make the mana obtain features that went against its aggressive nature.


    That wasn''t necessarily bad, but Khan felt a bit worried about his two alien techniques. The [Blood Shield] and the [Blood Vortex] required specific uses of his mana, and its constant destructiveness could cause problems there. However, Khan eventually put those thoughts in the back of his mind since his skill had yet to reach the point when he could deploy the two abilities on his own.


    Knocking noises came from the entrance while Khan was immersed in his thoughts. He opened the door only to find Delia carrying two trays full of food. She limited herself to smile, and Khan made way for her while shaking his head.


    "You should be happy that someone is taking such good care of you," Delia complained while reaching the couch and placing the trays on her lap.


    "I am happy," Khan admitted. "I simply have a lot in my mind."


    "Don''t tell me that you have already studied everything the Captain sent you," Delia said in a scolding tone.


    "I''m only at the first book," Khan complained while sitting on the couch and taking one of the trays. "Well, I''ve finished it."


    "You already went through the reading technique, right?" Delia asked without hiding her faint surprise.


    "It turned out to be quite easy to learn," Khan revealed. "The Niqols'' teachings are paying off."


    "Shouldn''t you be exhausted by now?" Delia wondered. "I mean, I believe you had to practice for a bit before learning the technique."


    "My brain isn''t too happy about my training schedule," Khan admitted.


    "I was talking about your mana," Delia explained. "How can you learn a mental technique and use it on the same day? Shouldn''t you have run out of energy hours ago?"


    "I have a good mana core," Khan half-lied. Truth be told, even he ignored the limits of his mana capacity.


    The answer didn''t convince Delia, but she didn''t probe any further. The matter wasn''t too important compared to Khan''s feats. He had shown once again how amazing he was, and she couldn''t stop smiling thinking about that.


    "It''s already quite late," Khan exclaimed after finishing all the food on both trays. "Are you planning on sleeping here again?"


    "I''d feel lonely otherwise," Delia replied in a cute voice while laying her head on Khan''s shoulder.


    "I still need to study," Khan calmly announced while grabbing his phone. "I want to get over all the books before receiving the new spells."


    "You are the only man on this planet who would choose to study over sleeping with me," Delia scoffed.


    "That''s why you like me so much," Khan winked at her before unlocking his phone and checking his books.


    "You don''t have to use mana, right?" Delia sighed.


    "I''ll use the mental technique, but it should be safe," Khan explained.


    "Then you won''t mind this," Delia said while lying down, throwing away the trays, and placing her head on his lap. "Move a bit too."


    Khan shook his head but did as Delia asked. He made sure to give her more space so that she could lie comfortably, and she didn''t hesitate to adjust herself. She even took one of his legs between her arms to hold it like a pillow.


    Khan''s eyes inevitably fell on Delia from time to time. Her short hair seemed soft, and part of him wanted to caress it. Still, he held himself back and tried his best to focus on the books to avoid thinking about Liiza.


    The "simulated mental battle" would clearly need a long time, so Khan preferred to deal with his large amount of knowledge obtained from Lieutenant Pouille and Captain Clayman. His phone now contained many books that dealt with various topics, and some of them didn''t even involve mana or alien species.


    It turned out that Lieutenant Pouille was preparing himself for a test that would have probably brought him to the rank of Captain. His books covered multiple topics connected to battles, management of armies, and general knowledge about the Global Army.


    Khan could finally learn things that had always been unclear in his mind. He understood the difference between the various levels assigned to the soldiers and even read how to obtain the stars on his left shoulder.


    Soldiers became first-level warriors after their attunement with mana crossed fifty percent, and the army considered them as evolved beings after that stat went above one hundred percent. The book didn''t say much about that mighty level, but it gave detailed descriptions of the previous stages.


    ''I''ll become a second-level warrior when my attunement with mana reaches sixty percent,'' Khan summarized in his mind. ''The third level arrives at seventy percent, the fourth at eighty, and the fifth at ninety, but these stages don''t bring great changes.''


    The book explained how soldiers mainly experienced a growth in their physical prowess by raising their attunement with mana. Their reflexes, muscles, and thinking speed would reach true inhuman levels by the end of that journey, but they would remain mortals.


    Instead, evolving would bring a true transformation. The book stated that the difference between evolved beings and normal soldiers was immense. Their actual power was also hard to evaluate since they would have gone past the limits of their species by then.


    Needless to say, Khan grew quite interested in the evolved beings. He had seen how humans without mana couldn''t do much against proper soldiers, so he wanted to learn more about the level that stood even above that. Still, the book didn''t say much about the topic. It only mentioned those powerhouses from time to time without ever explaining anything.


    Getting acknowledged as a mage was as easy as Captain Erbair had once explained. Spells had grades like the magical items, so a soldier only needed to learn a few of them to receive a suitable number of stars.


    ''I only need to learn another first-grade spell to become a first-level mage,'' Khan summarized in his mind after going through the whole book and taking a short break to deal with his headache.


    Khan was getting better at the mental technique, but he kept making mistakes that intensified his headache and lingering tiredness. Still, a short meditation usually appeased those sensations and allowed him to get back to his studies.


    The night passed quickly while Khan remained immersed on his screen. He couldn''t read everything even with the mental technique, but it was easy to decide which topics to leave for later.


    The general description about the known alien species was interesting, but Khan didn''t need it right now. Khan found the various battle tactics rather boring, so he left them for later too. He didn''t even know if he would ever pick them up again since he didn''t really need them for his goals.


    The book about the uses of mana was also quite boring since it was nothing more than an updated list of human achievements. Still, Delia had insisted on that topic, and Khan knew that his knowledge couldn''t have such big holes, so he forced himself to go through every page.


    The humans had achieved a lot with mana, and their experiences with alien species had even allowed them to replicate some techniques. His current "enhanced reading" was something developed by the Guko that the Global Army had adapted for its soldiers.


    Countless similar techniques existed, but the book was clear about their inferiority to normal spells. Those abilities didn''t require any specific mana, but that made them weaker.


    The list also showed many examples of magical items, but they could literally be everything, so Khan found it hard to become invested in them. He read about special clothes that could defend against powerful spells, rings that could turn into shields, swords capable of shooting rays of mana, and much more. Yet, everything felt too distant for him. Also, none of them could ever replace a soldier''s real strength.


    Khan felt drained after spending the whole night reading. He had gained a vague idea about basically everything there was to know. Lieutenant Pouille''s books had even given him a proper understanding of the requirements needed for eventual promotions or specific roles inside the army.


    ''I might really become a Lieutenant this year,'' Khan thought as he put his phone away and tried to come up with plans for the future. ''I should also start studying multiple alien languages to solidify my path to become an ambassador. I need to request more books.''


    Khan had to admit that his future inside the army appeared quite bright. He was young, but his growth had been incredible, and he had also added amazing feats to his profile. Still, his young age went a bit against the chance to get promotions since the army might believe that he was too immature to get them.


    The need to sleep assaulted Khan''s mind while he remained immersed in those thoughts. Delia had long since fallen asleep, and her hair inevitably filled Khan''s vision while he considered his situation.


    A faint urge made Khan caress her head softly. It felt good to fondle Delia''s hair, but that only filled his mind with guilt. He knew that he had no actual reason to experience that, but his emotions worked against him. His everything still belonged to Liiza, and his brain knew it.

 Chapter 264: Colder

    "Don''t stop," Delia whined when Khan retracted his hand. "It feels good to be touched for once."


    Khan sighed before diving back on her hair. He felt guilty because he liked that gesture, so he wasn''t exactly forcing himself.


    "Are you finally starting to like me?" Delia asked while rubbing her head on Khan''s leg.


    "I''ve always liked you," Khan admitted. "That''s not why I''m refusing you."


    "I know, but it''s nice to hear it," Delia stated. "I still have to take care of my pride."


    Khan didn''t say anything. He wanted to close his eyes, but Liiza''s face appeared whenever he did that, so he focused on the sleepy figure resting on him. He wished things were easier, but his mind didn''t release its grip on him.


    "Did you get any sleep?" Delia eventually asked.


    "No," Khan responded.


    Delia let go of his leg and turned to face Khan. Her hand went on his abdomen to leave soft caresses as whispers left her mouth. "Lie down. Let me take care of you."


    "I''m not sure I''d be able to sleep," Khan revealed.


    "You wouldn''t sleep anyway," Delia giggled as she straightened her position and crossed her legs. "Come on. I''m sure Rick will show up soon."


    The guilt inside Khan''s mind intensified. He felt tempted by the offer, so his brain made him experience that sad emotion. Still, he eventually decided to lie down when Delia patted her thighs.


    The softness and warmth that filled Khan''s mind after laying his head on Delia''s lap only intensified his guilt. He couldn''t believe how something so simple could feel good and wrong at the same time. He found some peace but also a lot of pain.


    ''Are you going through this too?'' Khan wondered in his mind. ''Are you resting in someone else''s arms thinking about me?''


    Khan had to force those thoughts in the back of his mind. He knew the Niqols'' free nature, so he didn''t like the images that his brain created. He didn''t delude himself, but he felt that going over those topics would only add pain.


    "Does it feel good when I do this?" Delia asked while rubbing her hands on his head and neck.


    "Yes," Khan admitted, "That''s why it hurts."


    "Should I stop?" Delia asked after her fingers twitched in hesitation.


    "No," Khan sighed. "I can''t stop the pain anyway."


    Delia''s fingers twitched again, and her eyes felt teary when she tried to imagine what Khan was going through. She had to gulp and clear her throat before she felt able to resume speaking. "I¡­ I don''t know how to make you feel better. I''m afraid that I will hurt you no matter what I do."


    "It''s fine," Khan whispered. "It''s not your fault. I''m actually surprised you managed to put me in this situation."


    "I am indeed amazing," Delia chuckled.


    "Experience comes with old age," Khan joked.


    "Don''t ruin it!" Delia complained, but a helpless smile appeared on her face when she heard Khan''s laugh.


    "You are a hard man to like," Delia sighed while pulling Khan''s head closer to her waist.


    "I do my best," Khan exclaimed before closing his eyes, ready to face everything his brain threw at him.


    Images and sensations that Khan had shared with Liiza filled his mind and fought everything that Delia tried to give him. He slowly began to realize that his love for Liiza wasn''t the only reason behind his current condition. Khan was scared. He feared that he would forget the immense happiness experienced on Nitis if he allowed himself to move on.


    Khan didn''t manage to fall asleep, but he didn''t mind that. He meditated for a bit and let himself enjoy Delia''s careful touches. He could almost feel her hesitation from her gestures, but that was fine for now. They had shared a bad and long experience, but they were still learning to know each other.


    Delia''s prediction turned out to be on point. It didn''t take long before someone knocked at the entrance and forced the two to separate. Khan noticed the faint blush on the woman''s cheeks, but he decided not to joke about it since she diverted her gaze to hide her mood.


    "Rick," Khan said after the door slid open and revealed the young man''s figure.


    "Boss!" Rick shouted before covering his mouth.


    Khan couldn''t find the strength to scold Rick, and faint surprise spread in his mind when he checked his state. The soldier had bruises and cuts on his knuckles, and his uniform on his elbows and knees had broken.


    ''His determination isn''t bad,'' Khan thought. ''I wonder if he developed it only after feeling useless for so long.''


    "Today is the day, right?" Rick asked without hiding his intense excitement.


    "Yes," Khan announced. "We only need to find you a sparring partner. I hope you are willing to pay for that."


    "Of course!" Rick shouted, and Khan rolled his eyes, forcing him to lower his head in shame.


    "I still don''t get how you plan on convincing the other soldiers," Delia asked while approaching Khan from behind and wrapping her arms around his abdomen.


    Rick blushed when he saw that intimate scene. It was early in the morning, so he knew that the two had slept together. Thinking about that was enough to make him feel awkward, but it also solidified his respect for Khan. The latter didn''t even react when Delia hugged him.


    "Let''s get something to eat first," Khan stated before glaring at Delia.


    Delia giggled and left a kiss on his shoulder before picking the trays in the room and rejoining her companions. Her smile only widened when she saw how red Rick had become. She seemed to like teasing him.


    The trio reached the dark cube in no time and dealt with the breakfast quickly. Then, Rick led Khan and Delia toward an area right outside the camp where the grass didn''t grow. Patches of barren ground and a bit of mud tainted the otherwise green spectacle.


    "Aren''t they a bit too strong for Rick?" Delia asked as the group sat to wait for Moses and the others.


    "I don''t know anyone else," Khan admitted, "Unless you want me to reach out for some of the other soldiers on my own."


    Delia''s eyes snapped open when she recalled how popular Khan was. A fake smile appeared on her face as she patted Rick''s shoulder and tried to reassure him. "Don''t worry. You''ll be okay."


    Rick didn''t understand what was going on, but he was too excited to care about it. He turned toward the camp often, hoping that Moses and his group would appear soon.


    Moses and the others didn''t take long to arrive, and they didn''t hold back from showing their surprise either. A few smiles appeared on their faces when they saw Khan, but some frowned at Rick''s sight.


    "Have you decided to join us today?" Moses happily asked before glancing at the metallic structure over Khan''s hand. "Are you sure you should fight in this condition?"


    "I need a sparring partner for Rick," Khan explained. "I promised that I would teach him how to fight."


    Some of the soldiers behind Moses laughed, but they diverted their gazes when Delia glared at them. She even felt a bit angry that Khan didn''t say anything to defend Rick. The latter was a terrible soldier, but he had a good heart, and he had even proven his determination.


    "We are a bit too strong for him," Moses honestly replied.


    "I know, but you must know someone who isn''t," Khan guessed. "Isn''t there some promising soldier in the camp?"


    "There is a kid who has yet to become a first-level warrior," Moses said while rubbing his chin. "Still, she is quite troublesome. Nice words won''t help with her."


    "He''ll pay her," Khan exclaimed while pointing at Rick, and the latter nodded to confirm his statement.


    "She might hurt him, you know?" Moses continued. "Her family threw her on Ecoruta for a reason."


    "It''s fine," Khan stated. "Pain isn''t a problem here. It might even help in his case."


    Moses nodded and took out his phone and started sending messages. The device even buzzed a few times when replies arrived. It took a few minutes, but the soldier eventually raised his gaze from the device to announce his success. "She will be here in half an hour. I must warn you. She wasn''t exactly happy when my friend woke her up."


    Khan lost interest after settling the matter. He crossed his legs and began to meditate while Moses and the others reached the barren patch and started to practice some moves.


    Some soldiers didn''t like that Khan didn''t bother to look at them. He could feel their disappointed and annoyed gazes on him, but he didn''t care. They didn''t know that he was inspecting them even during his meditation. Besides, he had nothing to prove.


    Two soldiers arrived after a while. Khan interrupted his meditation to inspect the newcomers. One of them was a tall man with an annoyed look on his face, while the other was a young girl with messy red hair.


    "Do I get to fight with him?" The girl asked as her green eyes lit up when they fell on Khan.


    "No," Khan calmly replied while pointing at Rick. "I need you to beat him up a bit."


    "Why would I fight against that kid?" The girl snorted. "Isn''t he the weakest soldier in the entire camp?"


    "You are younger than me!" Rick complained.


    "He''ll pay you," Khan continued, ignoring Rick''s reaction.


    "Is he a masochist?" The girl questioned. "I can use the money, but I don''t think he''ll last long."


    "That''s fine," Khan announced. "Stand up, Rick. Deal with the price yourself."


    Rick followed Khan''s orders, and the girl set a price before he could say anything. The two could reach the barren patch of ground quickly, and the other soldiers even made room for them as they created a half-circle to enjoy the scene.


    "Rick, don''t think about attacking," Khan ordered. "Focus on blocking her blows with techniques. Don''t dodge, block."


    Rick took a deep breath and bent his legs to prepare his defensive techniques. He was clearly anxious, but Khan could sense the mana inside him moving smoothly.


    The girl glanced at Khan, and he nodded. A wild smile appeared on her face as she shot forward and waved her hand in an attempt to scratch Rick.


    Rick jumped to his right and dodged the attack. The girl wanted to chase him, but Khan''s voice resounded before she could move.


    "Stop!" Khan shouted. "Rick, you dodged. Let her hit you."


    "What?" The girl, Delia, and Rick asked at the same time.


    "You heard me," Khan sighed. "Let her hit you and go back in your position."


    Rick stared at Khan for a few seconds, but the latter''s expression showed only coldness. The soldier eventually nodded and got closer to the girl before closing his eyes and clenching his jaw.


    The girl glanced at Khan, and he nodded. She rolled her eyes and casually waved her hand at Rick''s chest. Her fingers cut his uniform and left superficial cuts on his skin.


    "Again now," Khan ordered even if the girl''s attack wasn''t serious.


    Rick and the girl faced each other, and the latter shot forward as soon as he took a defensive stance. However, Rick dodged instead of blocking again.


    "Do I have to hit him again now?" The girl asked.


    Khan sighed and stood up before approaching Rick. The soldier lowered his head in shame, but he didn''t even look at him. Instead, Khan stomped his foot twice to create two holes.


    "Get your feet inside them," Khan ordered while pointing at the holes.


    Rick could only follow the orders. He stood up and inserted his feet in the holes before Khan proceeded to cover them. Rick was obviously strong enough to get out of them, but the action would make it impossible for him to dodge the incoming attack.


    "Go at it again," Khan ordered while taking a few steps back.


    The girl didn''t like that situation, but her hesitation vanished when she thought about the Credits that she would earn. She shot forward as soon as Rick raised his arms, and her fingers left cuts on his waist when he tried to bend backward to dodge the attack.


    "Again," Khan shouted without showing any trace of mercy.


    The girl attacked again, and Rick''s instincts made him dodge. He even got one foot out of the hole at that time, but the sharp fingers reached his shoulder anyway.


    Khan stepped forward and pointed at the hole. Rick placed his foot inside it and watched as Khan covered it. The soldier tried to look at Khan, but he ignored him.


    "Again," Khan ordered after stepping back.


    Those scenes repeated themselves for a few minutes. The girl attacked, and Rick''s tried to dodge, only to suffer injuries. Most wounds were superficial, but some ended up going quite deep and causing significant blood loss.


    The sparring reached the point when Rick struggled to stand and the girl tried to hold back her blows. Khan often had to remind her to hit him, which made a series of surprised gazes converge on him.


    Moses and the other soldiers were actually starting to get scared. They knew that getting rid of bad habits was hard, but the process was killing Rick. Moreover, Khan didn''t show any emotion. He appeared willing to continue that training even if Rick''s complexion had started to pale.


    "Khan," Delia called after standing up and approaching his ear. "His family might have discarded him, but you will still pay the price if he dies."


    "A half-assed approach won''t work with him," Khan explained.


    "But maybe this isn''t the way," Delia whispered. "Look at him. He will need to spend the whole day in the medical bay already. More might really kill him."


    "He can see her attacks," Khan commented, "But his body works against him. He needs to get rid of those instincts today."


    "He might not get past today," Delia continued.


    "He will never become a warrior if he can''t perform a single block in the face of death," Khan announced.


    Delia wanted to complain a bit more, but she couldn''t find words that made sense. She didn''t like that approach, but Khan was right. Rick was a lost cause if he couldn''t complete that simple exercise.


    Another series of attacks and attempted dodges followed as the sparring session continued. Rick seemed about to faint after new injuries appeared on his body, but Khan didn''t hesitate to step forward and slap him lightly to keep him awake.


    Some of the soldiers began to think that Khan was enjoying that process. The training had transformed into torture that he didn''t want to stop. Even Delia hated Khan''s ruthlessness, but only because it was hurting Rick. She knew that his merciless approach was the very reason behind her survival during the escape.


    Then, the moment that everyone was waiting for eventually happened. The girl waved her hand toward Rick, and he raised his arm to deflect it. The technique failed and made a few cuts appear on his forearm, but he didn''t try to escape.


    "Finally," Khan sighed as Delia voiced an excited cry. Even the soldiers in Moses'' group appeared honestly happy that Rick had succeeded.


    "Let''s stop here for today," Khan ordered. "Rick, you need to go to the medical bay. Tomorrow we''ll do this again until you can control your body properly."


    Rick nodded and tried to perform a military salute, but he lost his balance during the action and fell to the ground. He even fainted after relaxing, and Khan could only shake his head at that scene.


    "Did you really need to go that far?" The girl asked. "You are pretty cold for a hero."


    "The battlefield is colder," Khan announced while approaching Rick and lifting him with an arm. He would have to carry him to the medical bay.

 Chapter 265: Selfish

    Khan dropped Rick on his shoulder and started moving back toward the center of the camp. Some of the soldier''s blood fell on him, but he didn''t have the upper part of his uniform, so nothing got dirty.


    Delia quickly went after him, and the red-haired girl ended up joining the group. Khan and Delia shot curious glances toward her, but she had an explanation ready. "He still owes me Credits."


    Moses and the other soldiers limited themselves to stare at the odd group as they left the barren area. They still didn''t know how they felt about Khan''s character, but some of them silently decided that they would test him properly once he got better.


    Delia and the red-haired girl also didn''t feel too good about what they had just witnessed. The latter could easily stop caring about the matter, but Delia was different. She liked Khan, so hating his ruthless side made her feelings messier. She knew that he had never tried to hide that part of him, but seeing it applied on his companions scared her a bit.


    The red-haired girl actually eased some of the awkwardness that had fallen between Khan and Delia. Her presence prevented the two of them from talking properly, and she didn''t even hold back from asking questions that also occupied the woman''s mind.


    "I still don''t think he had to go through all of this," The girl announced while the soldiers in the camp inspected the badly injured Rick on Khan''s shoulder. "Some people simply don''t suit the battlefield."


    "He wanted to learn to fight," Khan explained. "He had to start somewhere."


    "I''d be surprised if he recalled anything about today," The girl continued.


    "Rick is a tough man," Delia announced. "His determination is admirable. He will recall."


    Delia glanced at Khan, but he pretended not to notice that gesture. He had understood that she wasn''t feeling too good about what she had witnessed, but he couldn''t say much either. In his mind, his ruthlessness had been necessary.


    "Was that stuff about the battlefield true?" The girl asked. "I''ve been in a trench for a few months, but I''ve never fought for real. It doesn''t feel like a proper battlefield when I shoot at aliens from behind a barrier."


    "Why do you even want to see what a real battlefield is like?" Khan asked.


    "I like fighting, and I''m good at it," The girl exclaimed. "There are no politics there, and our origin doesn''t matter either. Battles are simple."


    "You are way too young to have this mindset," Delia sighed. "Maybe you can have it only due to your inexperience."


    "Why would my age have anything to do with that?" The girl complained while pointing at Khan. "I''m as old as him, but he became a hero in a few weeks spent on this planet."


    "Our platoon had more than thirty soldiers and a Lieutenant," Khan revealed. "Only five of us have survived the escape. That''s not really heroic."


    "I guess you are right," The girl stated. "I don''t plan on remaining here for long anyway. I only need to get Credits and some stuff to put on my profile before going somewhere else. I don''t want complete safety, but Ecoruta is honestly pointless. Humans are nothing more than spectators in the fight between two alien species."


    "Why not Earth?" Delia asked. "I''m sure the training camps need good soldiers after everything that has happened on Istrone."


    "My family is on Earth," The girl replied. "Everyone there prefers my well-mannered sisters. I can''t stand most social gatherings and similar events."


    "You''ll get your Credits if you keep helping Rick," Khan declared before recalling something. "I don''t think I know your name."


    "I''m Lucille, but don''t use that name," The girl said. "I prefer Lu. It''s shorter, and it doesn''t remind me of my family."


    "Alright, Lu, I''ll need you to take care of Rick for this month," Khan continued. "You can decide what to do afterward, but I''d like for the two of you to keep sparring."


    "Right, the assault team leaves in a month," Lu recalled. "Lucky you. Are you joining the attack?"


    Lu glanced past Khan to look at Delia, and the woman showed a fake smile before replying. "I have yet to decide. I''m not excited at the idea of jumping back on another battle, but I want to make the Stal pay too. I''ll think about it properly in the next weeks."


    "You didn''t tell me that you were considering joining the assault team," Khan uttered.


    "You never asked," Delia responded as a weak smile appeared on her face.


    "Are you already fighting?" Lu questioned. "Many said that relationships born on the battlefield don''t last long. I know a few women who are only waiting for you two to break up."


    "We have been in this camp for only a few days," Khan frowned. "How can someone come up with such ideas already?"


    "Rumors run fast inside a camp," Lu explained. "Even I know that you sleep in the same habitation. You sure got over the alien woman pretty quickly."


    Khan heaved a helpless sigh but remained silent. Delia casually naming Istrone had been fine, but he still couldn''t deal with those who talked about Liiza without knowing what had really happened on Nitis. The misunderstanding about his relationship with Delia was kind of fine, but even she realized that she might have gone too far with it.


    "See, don''t become like me," Khan joked. "Avoid the battlefield and focus on your studies to get a nice position somewhere safe."


    "My mother has always told me not to trust men who can''t keep it in their pants," Lu announced. "I hate her, but she knows her stuff about men. I won''t get lectured by someone like you."


    Khan couldn''t help but smirk in front of Lu''s honesty, but Delia had a very different reaction. Lu''s words explained precisely why she could trust Khan. She almost couldn''t believe how wrong she had been about him.


    Delia opened her mouth to say something in Khan''s defense, but she ended up pouting when she saw that he glanced at her with curious eyes. She could read his desire to tease her in that gaze, which ultimately made her remain silent.


    The faint awkwardness caused by Rick''s training seemed to vanish after that interaction. Khan was still playful, and Delia rarely managed to get the upper hand in discussions, especially when she couldn''t be intimate with him. His cold side still existed, but it wasn''t a predominant aspect of his personality. Also, she could justify it after thinking about his life.


    The group eventually reached the medical bay, and Rick''s bloody figure helped them avoid the greetings that Khan would typically attract. It didn''t take them long to find Doctor Holger, and she didn''t hide her surprise at the sight of the injured soldier.


    "What has happened to him?" Lieutenant Holger asked while leading the group to the room where Khan had woken up after his last battle against the Stal.


    "Just harsh training," Khan admitted without mentioning any detail.


    Lieutenant Holger helped Khan put Rick on the bed, and she quickly stripped him down to assess his injuries. Then, she moved to another room to pick a few lotions that she applied to his wounds as soon as she returned to the room.


    The Lieutenant was fast with her movements. Khan had never seen anyone applying bandages so quickly. She was also precise and delicate at the same time, which only showed how experienced she was at her job.


    "He''ll need to spend the day here," Lieutenant Holger explained. "His injuries aren''t severe, but he has lost a lot of blood. Still, tomorrow he should be back in fighting shape. Let me see your hand now."


    Khan showed his right hand, and the Lieutenant carefully inspected it. She even touched it in specific spots to check the condition of the bones kept still by the metallic structure.


    "You are healing faster than I expected," The Lieutenant eventually announced. "I should be able to remove this brace in two weeks, and you''ll only need an additional week to recover completely."


    "That''s great," Khan exclaimed. "It was getting tiring to pay attention to this thing all the time."


    "I noticed that you have damaged it a bit," Lieutenant Holger stated. "A replacement with metal resistant to your element has already arrived, so come here immediately if you happen to break it."


    "Thank you, Doc," Khan honestly responded. He had to admit that he didn''t expect the Lieutenant to be so mindful about those details.


    "Right, HQ sent a package for you a few minutes ago," The Doctor continued. "You can pick it up on your way out of here. Just try not to blow up your habitation. Those things cost a lot."


    "Is there a place where I can train safely and alone?" Khan asked, but the Doctor immediately shook her head.


    "Privacy is hard to attain on a camp like this," The Lieutenant explained. "You should feel lucky that your habitation is big enough for the two of you."


    The Doctor wore a warm smile as her eyes moved between Khan and Delia. The latter widened her eyes and diverted her gaze timidly, while Khan felt the desire to frown, but he eventually decided to ignore the issue.


    "Can I remain here a bit?" Lu asked. "The guy still owes me money."


    "Don''t be loud and don''t hurt him," Lieutenant Holger ordered. "I have nothing against that otherwise."


    Lu nodded and gave her contact to Khan before he and Delia left the room. The two reached an area with a series of consoles, and one of them opened to reveal two caskets when Khan took out his phone near it.


    "You are about to skip sleeping again," Delia sighed when she saw the excited expression that filled Khan''s face.


    "I''ll just inspect them for now," Khan responded. "I''m not tired, but I don''t know if the habitation can handle them."


    Delia didn''t say anything and limited herself to following Khan out of the central structure in the camp. She walked behind him until they reached his habitation and went inside with him.


    "Hey, Delia," Khan called while placing the caskets on the couch, "I trust you, but I think it''s better if I watch these spells on my own."


    "Can we talk for a bit first?" Delia finally broke her silence, and her timid tone made Khan take her request seriously.


    "You didn''t need to be so hard on Rick," Delia stated. "He is a good soldier. He would have eventually reached that point even if you didn''t put his life at risk."


    "Delia, he couldn''t go back to his habitation after another failure," Khan explained as he sat on the couch. "It was better to create an initial success. Besides, that''s how I learnt how to fight."


    Delia covered her face with a hand while she shook her head. She had to take a deep breath to calm herself down and resume speaking. "Can your life get any sadder?"


    Khan diverted his gaze when he thought about all the details that Delia didn''t know, and she heaved a helpless sigh when she noticed that reaction. She gave in on complaining and sat next to him before lying her head on his shoulder and taking his arm in her embrace.


    "I don''t like seeing you like that," Delia admitted as she rubbed her head on his shoulder.


    "But that''s how I am," Khan whispered. "That''s how we escaped from the Stal."


    "I know," Delia sighed. "I''m not saying that you are wrong, but I hate knowing that you actually take it easy on others. Most of your ruthlessness is toward yourself."


    Khan felt surprised that Delia had noticed that detail so quickly, but he didn''t say anything. There was nothing to add to her statement.


    "Khan, why did you even come to Ecoruta?" Delia asked. "You could have gone everywhere with your profile, and the Global Army would have never sent you here on its own. Why did you choose a battlefield right after Nitis?"


    "I wanted to grow strong quickly," Khan revealed without describing the deeper details behind his decision.


    "Why?" Delia questioned. "Is it for her? Did you think that getting stronger could get you back on Nitis?"


    "Part of me thought that," Khan admitted. "I''ve seen a lot of death in the planets that I''ve visited. I would have been able to change things if I were stronger."


    "That''s so silly," Delia scoffed. "It''s not your job to save others or lead everyone to victory. You are seventeen, but you have already gone through so much. Try to find peace instead of punishing yourself over things that you couldn''t control."


    "I needed to clear my head anyway," Khan replied. "Ecoruta is helping. You are helping."


    "Don''t try to trick me," Delia threatened while pulling his ear to make him bend on her.


    "You are clearly using your experience to your advantage," Khan joked when his arm ended up pressing on her chest. "Older women are so scary."


    "Shut up," Delia ordered while adjusting her position to make him lay his head on her lap. "You would be naked if I were to try for real."


    "Why aren''t you doing that then?" Khan asked. "I thought that you wanted it."


    "I want it," Delia sighed, "And I will take it if you start running away. Yet, I don''t want you to sacrifice yourself to make me happy."


    Khan remained silent for a few seconds. He couldn''t believe that another woman had ended up mentioning that same problem. He had learnt a lot about relationships with Liiza, but it seemed that his bad habits were still there, and Delia had noticed them.


    "I still plan to check the spells," Khan eventually said.


    "I''ll leave you be in one hour," Delia promised while caressing his head. "I''ll be selfish for a bit now. Do the same if you can."


    ****


    Author''s notes: I bet you had lost all hopes for today''s releases. Anyway, I''m also making a second chapter to cover for Sunday.

 Chapter 266: Line

    Delia held back, but she still pushed the invisible line that Khan had drawn between them. At first, she limited herself to caressing his head and moving her legs to make sure that he experienced her softness. Then, her approach grew bolder and started to make his self-restraint waver.


    It was fine as long as Khan could divert his attention from what was happening around him. Liiza''s face always appeared in his vision when he closed his eyes, and his brain never stopped comparing the sensations experienced on the couch with what she had given him.


    However, everything grew unclear when Delia pushed Khan closer to the couch''s back and lay down in front of him. She never did anything too inappropriate, but her hands explored his bare chest and back, and she made their foreheads to keep their faces dangerously close to each other.


    Humans and Niqols were different, but Khan recognized the arousal in Delia''s half-closed eyes. She didn''t hold back from getting closer to him to make their bodies touch. Her warmth and softness tried to take complete control of his mind, but she never managed to be his sole thought.


    Khan couldn''t lie to himself. He liked that intimacy. His brain seemed to reject that thought, but he slowly stopped seeing the reason behind that stubborn self-restraint.


    Liiza and Khan weren''t a couple anymore. They had broken up for multiple reasons, with one of them being the need to grow without each other''s support. They needed to fix themselves and leave the rest to fate, mana, or whatever. There was no painless solution to their situation, so they had opted for something that could prevent both of them from remaining stuck in their current mindset.


    Khan could predict what a Niqols would do after such a sad break-up. He didn''t want to think about it, but he knew. Even that vague and unclear idea was enough to rip his heart apart, but that was the reality of the situation, and he couldn''t do anything to change it.


    Moreover, Khan had long since distanced himself from the typical human mindset. He could pretend to think like a member of his species, but his mind had moved on the Niqols'' side.


    His vaster emotional spectrum allowed him to experience what Liiza was probably going through right now. She was sharing his sadness, but that only made his thoughts grimmer. He knew what Niqols did when they experienced such intense feelings since he was aware of what he wanted to do to suppress them.


    Those messy thoughts eventually led to a simple conclusion. Khan realized that he was tired of feeling nothing but despair and sadness. He wanted to experience something different, even if that ended up leading to more pain. He desired a real break, and he had a chance to get it right in front of him.


    Khan knew that his actions would hurt Delia. She was holding herself back for his sake, so he hated the sole thought of raising her hopes when he wasn''t ready. Still, he was in desperate need of doing something for himself, something that could make that sadness stop even for a single second.


    Delia was doing her best to make as much as their bodies touch, so she sensed when Khan began to move his left arm. His hand ended up between them, and his fingers traced a straight line that started from her waist and ended on her neck.


    Delia gasped when Khan''s fingers passed over her chest. They didn''t apply enough strength to make him experience her whole softness, but she felt them, and so did he. Her breath grew deeper when he reached her neck and opened his hand to take her cheek. His thumb stretched toward the corner of her lips, but it never touched them.


    Both Khan and Delia eventually opened their eyes and fell prey to a long stare filled with doubts, hesitation, and desire. She didn''t want to make the first move out of fear that he could play along only to satisfy her, and he didn''t want to cross that invisible line.


    The minutes went on quickly as Delia tried subtler approaches to check how Khan felt. One of her legs made its way between his knees to make her waist touch his groin. She could sense him clearly, and that made a smile appear on her face. Her mouth widened enough to reach his thumb, which inevitably experienced the softness of her lips at that point.


    Khan knew that his barriers were about to crumble, but he continued to hold back. Delia was there, ready for him, and he wanted her, but he didn''t make the last step required for him to lose control of the situation.


    The two passed short minutes in that state, staring and caressing each other without ever ending up doing more than that. They both wanted that, but they held back for different reasons, and the hour eventually went by.


    "Khan," Delia called in a pleading tone as her warm breath expanded on Khan''s face. "I think we have been like this for more than an hour."


    "I know," Khan sighed. "My spells are waiting."


    "I know," Delia whispered as she slowly separated from him and started to straighten her position.


    Khan did the same. He pushed with his now free left hand on the couch to sit, but he soon found Delia on him. Her waist pressed on his manhood, and she took his face in her hands. When he raised his gaze to inspect her, a soft and wet sensation spread on his lips.


    Delia quickly interrupted the kiss and left the couch while covering her mouth with the back of her hand. She muttered a hurried "sorry" before rushing toward the exit and leaving the habitation. Khan managed to snap back of his stupor only when the door closed.


    ''No,'' Khan sighed as he touched his lips. ''I''m sorry.''


    Khan knew that Delia had a good heart. That kiss had probably hurt her since she had ended up betraying her promise. Still, he could only see his faults. His actions were to blame for bringing her so close to her limit.


    ''I''m sorry for being so vague,'' Khan said in his mind. ''I''m sorry for using you to gain some relief.''


    The small break from the constant desperation and sadness ended with those thoughts. Everything returned stronger than ever and made Khan cover his head in shame. He didn''t only take a first step toward going over Liiza. He had also hurt Delia with his indecisiveness.


    ''Why is this so hard?'' Khan cursed before moving his eyes toward the two caskets at his side.


    The spells offered a good distraction that Khan didn''t hesitate to seize. He picked the caskets and opened them without bothering to inspect the luxurious decorations or padding that kept the tiny disks in their insides safe.


    Khan quickly placed the two disks on his phone, and two new labels appeared in his magical items'' menu after the device absorbed them. He had successfully gained access to the chaos spear spell and the chaos claws spell, and he didn''t hesitate to open one of those programs.


    A series of descriptions immediately appeared on the holograms that came out of his phone. The training program featured the same mental exercises of the Wave spell, but Khan ignored them since his approach to his element wasn''t exactly human.


    An expert that the training program didn''t bother to name or depict accurately performed the technique. At the same time, the holograms marked a series of stats that Khan had to memorize before attempting to cast the ability. The chaos spear spell appeared simple at its core, but it had a few significant differences from the wave spell, and the same went for its effects.


    To cast the chaos spear, Khan had to condense a dense mass of mana between his palms, stretch it to give it the shape of a small stick, and throw it forward. The projectile would basically pierce everything that stood on its path, and the attack would end with a violent explosion.


    The relatively simple theory didn''t do justice to the actual effectiveness of the spell. Khan could immediately see how its long-range could prevent potential friendly fire. He wouldn''t have to fear his own element if he mastered something like that.


    The complicated aspect of the spell was in the ideas required to gain those effects. The Wave only needed destruction, but the chaos spear wanted a mix of that thought, flexibility, and stability. The ability risked detonating between his hands if he tried to stretch it without the proper control.


    Khan wanted to test the chaos spear immediately, but the condition of his right hand didn''t allow him to start his first attempt. He could still try to use it, but he didn''t know whether his control over mana would be ideal in that state. Moreover, he had to think properly about the idea to put behind the execution.


    The second spell turned out to be even simpler. The chaos claws would only make Khan create a series of claws-like structures around his fingers. The theory behind the ability matched the Divine Reaper, except for the meaning required and the membrane''s actual length.


    First of all, the claws couldn''t be empty membranes. They had to cover the fingers, but they also had to stretch far past them, so they needed to be actual structures made of mana to remain stable.


    Their meaning didn''t even involve sharpness. The claws wanted Khan to express the pure destructiveness of the chaos element to create weapons that could cut and pierce virtually everything. The ideas behind them still involved destruction, but they tried to give it a denser and more threatening shape.


    Khan had to think about the ideas to use for the spells. The Wave spell was easy since all his traumas gave him images of general destruction. However, the chaos spear and the chaos claws wanted something more complicated that forced him to immerse himself in his bad memories.


    There was another issue. Khan wasn''t using the human approach to his element, so the lack of emotions requested by his training programs didn''t apply to him. Still, he had to fill that spot with something, and he didn''t know if his desperation could work with his new spells.


    The only consolation came from the current state of his mana. In theory, his energy now always expressed the nature of the chaos element. That could bring some benefits during the execution of his spells.


    The only way to see where Khan stood was to test the new spells. The chaos spear seemed far too dangerous to use without a clear understanding of his mana, so he opted for the chaos claws. The movements that his energy had to make to summon those weapons were quite intricate, but he approached them slowly to make sure that he memorized everything.


    A series of exercises followed that memorization. Khan couldn''t express how glad he felt about the Niqols'' teachings. His ability to move mana inside his body had increased in ways that he struggled to describe, and his techniques naturally benefited from that. Imitating and perfecting the flow of his energy took more than half a day, but he eventually reached a decent level of confidence.


    Khan eventually found an idea for the chaos claws. He had the perfect images of an unstoppable weapon deeply rooted inside his memories. He only needed to think about the Divine Reaper to imagine the type of destruction that he needed.


    For the feeling, Khan believed that he couldn''t use something as bottomless and overwhelming as his desperation. He needed something denser, precise, focused, and his thoughts eventually ended on the pain he had just experienced. Hurting Delia had created a sharp and subtle sorrow that he couldn''t shake off.


    ''Don''t blow my fingers off,'' Khan asked as if he could talk to his mana.


    A deep breath preceded the execution of what Khan had just learnt on the training program. His first attempts to use the chaos claws spell failed due to his anxiety, but he eventually relaxed and completed the exercise.


    An unpleasant sensation filled his left hand after he summoned his mana. Khan saw his red-purple energy covering his fingers and enveloping them into a relatively dense membrane that appeared far from stable. Still, his attention wasn''t on the flaws of his execution. He frowned after seeing that he didn''t obtain claws. The spell had given birth to a short sword that covered his entire palm.

 Chapter 267: Decision

    The red-purple sword emitted buzzing noises. It wasn''t completely stable, but part of the tremors that ran through its structure felt natural as if they were proper features of the spell. It didn''t feel good to have that mass of energy right over the skin, but the technique vanished before Khan could study it any further.


    ''Is every human chaos wielder wrong about this element?'' Khan wondered while inspecting his hand.


    The spell didn''t hurt his skin, but he had felt that it was possible to suffer from it. Still, his greatest concerns came from the unexpected shape that the mana had taken. Khan had seen the same happening with the Wave spell, so he started to think that the event involved a pattern of some kind.


    The problem wasn''t with the different effects. Khan was using an approach that involved two opposite theories, so those changes felt normal. However, the sole fact that the spells remained functional surprised him, especially since they typically required a certain amount of perfection in their execution.


    ''Is my element compensating on its own?'' Khan asked himself. ''Is its freedom adjusting the spells to my approach?''


    No one could give Khan answers, not on Ecoruta at least. The Niqols or even his father would be able to add details to that strange trend, but he couldn''t reach them.


    Khan allowed his mind to go quiet before summoning his mana again. The red-purple short sword reappeared, but it felt more stable now. He could lower his arm without losing control of the spell, and the floor soon showed him its effects.


    The chaos claws spell resembled the Divine Reaper in its current form, but its effects weren''t as clean as the martial art. A few cracks appeared on the floor as soon as the short blade got near it. Part of the metal directly shattered once the red-purple glow touched the surface and began to dig through it.


    The destructive power of the blade stood in the spells'' realm. It had the Divine Reaper''s sharpness, but it also expressed the chaos element''s innate destructiveness.


    Khan guessed that non-lethal injuries could become deadly when the red-purple blade was involved. He could imagine what the spell would do to actual skin and muscles. A simple thrust could endanger a series of internal organs depending on how deeply or long the technique remained inside a body.


    The blade vanished a few seconds after it entered the floor. Khan found it pointless to damage his habitation even more than that, so he decided to focus on smoothening his execution of the spell. He didn''t know how to implement that new asset in his fighting style, but those exercises still counted as training.


    Khan summoned the blade multiple times. The process wasn''t tiring, and he didn''t risk destroying his habitation with something so small, so he didn''t hold back from diving into his training. A long meditation followed, and a repetition of all his techniques came after that.


    Khan completed his training cycle past dinnertime when the night had reached one of its darkest hours. He was sweaty, tired, incredibly hungry, but he couldn''t stop thinking about what had happened in the morning once he stopped keeping himself busy.


    His indecision and hesitation had ended up pushing Delia past her limit, ultimately hurting her. Moreover, Khan could guess that the woman was probably blaming herself for what had happened. She didn''t deserve that treatment. He didn''t feel any deep feelings toward her, but she had been good to him.


    Khan showered and changed his trousers before heading outside. He wanted to appease his grumbling stomach since that seemed the only problem he could solve. Still, the scene that unfolded in his vision brought his mind back to the previous issue.


    Three trays stood next to the entrance. The food on them was cold but edible. There was even more than usual, but it didn''t carry any special mark. Delia didn''t leave any teasing messages.


    ''She isn''t making it easy at all,'' Khan sighed as he sent a message to Rick and sat on the ground to eat.


    Khan usually didn''t care about the quality of his meals, but the food felt bitter now. The silence of the night also prevented him from escaping his emotional conflict. Guilt and sadness fought each other inside his mind without managing to find a winner.


    The pain seemed an inevitable outcome. Khan could ignore Delia and wallow in his longing and sadness, or he could give in and accept the guilt that would follow his decision. It would be easier if one of the options would spare Delia of that suffering, but that wasn''t the case.


    ''When did I even become so scared of pain?'' Khan cursed in his mind before diverting his attention to his buzzing phone.


    Rick had answered his message even if it was deep into the night. His reply contained a simple map of the camp with a mark on Delia''s habitation.


    Khan sighed before standing up and marching toward the habitation. It didn''t take him long to find it, and his hand soon knocked on the metal door. The entrance quickly slid open, but it closed as soon as Delia noticed the identity of her visitor.


    "Open up," Khan said, knowing that she was close enough to hear him even if he didn''t raise his voice.


    His phone buzzed. Delia had sent a message containing a simple "NO", which only made Khan shake his head. He had yet to make his mind about the situation, but he still voiced his stance. "I guess I''ll remain outside all night."


    The door slid open before Khan could sit in front of the entrance. Delia limited herself to glance at him before turning to disappear inside her bedroom.


    The entrance closed after Khan stepped inside. Delia''s habitation was relatively big, but it fell far behind Khan''s house. It had the usual couch and bathroom but no reinforced room.


    Khan took a deep breath before the inevitable confrontation. He could finally understand the nature of his fear. Suffering was fine, but he didn''t like to spread his pain. Khan didn''t want his actions to make things worse for his friends.


    "Delia," Khan called as he peeked past the bedroom''s entrance.


    Delia was sitting cross-legged on her bed. She glared at Khan, but she quickly diverted her gaze as hesitation and guilt appeared on her face. She didn''t seem able to look at him for longer than a second.


    "You shouldn''t have come," Delia whispered. "I couldn''t contain myself. I shouldn''t have done that, not to you."


    "You should worry about yourself," Khan stated as he approached the bed. "I can deal with myself."


    "But you don''t," Delia complained as she turned toward the wall when she sensed Khan sitting next to her. "You try to make it easier for everyone else, but you neglect yourself. You shouldn''t accept pain so easily just because you have grown used to it."


    "What happened wasn''t exactly painful," Khan corrected.


    "Don''t lie to me," Delia replied. "You have come because you feel that you have wronged me, right?"


    "Well, I did," Khan admitted.


    "No!" Delia shouted while finally turning toward Khan and showing her teary eyes. "You should be mad at me for taking away your chance to choose when to move on. I forced you to betray your feelings for your ex. Don''t pretend that you can ignore all of this."


    Khan opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out of it. Every idea that appeared in his mind featured the very flaws in his personality that Liiza and Delia had noticed. He wanted to put all the blame on him so that Delia could be free of her guilt, but that would only anger her now.


    "Fine, I can''t ignore the kiss," Khan revealed. "Still, there are countless things that I can''t ignore. My mind is a dark mess that doesn''t give me any breaks. I''m either sad about everything that has happened on Nitis, guilty due to what I''m doing with you, or generally annoyed that problems appear wherever I go."


    "That''s exactly why you should give your everything to yourself!" Delia responded. "Be selfish. Do whatever you need to feel even a tiny bit better. Everyone would understand if you were to hurt others in the process. I know I would."


    "I don''t like it," Khan sighed. "I don''t like the idea behind that nor how I''d feel afterward. What''s the point of appeasing my pain by spreading it around? I wouldn''t mind it with strangers, but we are past that by now."


    "You are impossible," Delia exclaimed while shaking her head. "I''ve never met anyone as stubborn as you."


    "It''s part of my charm," Khan joked.


    "Yes, together with absurd battle prowess, maturity, actual good-looks, a damn fine shape, and deep mindset," Delia declared. "It''s a pity that you had to pay such a steep price for some of them."


    "Oh my, don''t fall for me so quickly," Khan mocked.


    "I''m not an idiot," Delia responded. "You are a better soldier than me at such young age. You will reach heights inside the Global Army that I can''t even imagine. It''s pure luck that I had the chance to meet you when we are still vaguely equal."


    "I''ve never thought about us in those terms," Khan said as a faint frown appeared on his face.


    "I did," Delia uttered. "You will step on a path that I won''t be able to tread. In ten or even five years, you''ll be some bigshot in the Global Army, while I''ll remain a simple soldier."


    "I don''t think I''d care about that stuff," Khan stated without limiting his thoughts on the current situation.


    "This is the first time I hear you thinking like a seventeen-year-old," Delia said. "You are lucky you made friends with such an honest woman. Others might have tried to guilt-trap you into a relationship now that you are within their reach."


    "I must be very lucky," Khan smiled while fixing his gaze on Delia''s eyes.


    Delia pouted, but Khan didn''t move his eyes from her. The long stare made her feel awkward and eventually forced her to voice a complaint in a cute voice. "What is it?"


    "You have calmed down," Khan stated.


    "Are you still trying to make me feel better?" Delia voiced in an annoyed tone. "Listen to me. I can play that game too. Actually, I''ve already decided that I won''t try anything serious with you to avoid adding problems to that mess that you call brain. You have just lost the chance to get one of the best girlfriends on this damned planet."


    Khan continued to smile and stare at Delia. Her statement had been quite cute, and she had even tried her best to appear proud about it. The faint blush on her face had betrayed her real thoughts, but he refrained from pointing that out.


    "Stop staring at me!" Delia complained in a cute voice. "I have a will of steel. Looking at complacent and mature won''t get you anywhere."


    "You really have the wisdom of the old age," Khan commented.


    "What would that even mean?" Delia scoffed. "I''m only looking out for you."


    "I can see that," Khan stated while bending toward Delia slowly. "I trust you now."


    "What are you doing?" Delia whispered while retreating until her back reached the wall. "I already told you. We won''t end up together. I won''t allow it."


    "I''m not trying to make you my girlfriend," Khan explained as he reached Delia and grabbed her side. "I only trust that you won''t get hurt."


    "Khan," Delia pleaded as she slid down until she lay her head on the pillow. She was basically accompanying Khan''s soft pull, which put her under him in no time.


    "It felt good, the kiss," Khan revealed while moving his hand to her cheek and rubbing his thumb on her lips. "I could forget about everything for a second. What came afterward was far from nice, but you are right. I should try to find small moments of peace."


    Delia''s breath became uneven as her gaze darted between Khan''s eyes and mouth. She even began to raise her hands to reach his torso, but she closed them into fists to hold herself back.


    "Can I be selfish then?" Khan asked before making their foreheads touch. "Can I use you to carve some fake peace in my life?"


    Khan didn''t lower his mouth to let Delia make that decision. He was still hesitant about that action, and she had to accept the consequences by herself to avoid future misunderstandings or grudges. However, Delia''s hesitation lasted only a few seconds. Her hands soon relaxed and reached his head to make it cross the space that separated it from her lips.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Due to lack of time, I had to skip one day, both for Chaos and Demonic Sword. I''ll write another chapter before setting the schedule back to normal.

 Chapter 268: Leader

    Khan''s optimistic approach turned out to be wrong on various levels. In theory, a human suited his body in ways that Niqols couldn''t achieve, but the differences found with Delia only worked as a constant reminder of what he was doing.


    That made Khan work harder on losing himself in the pleasant sensations that Delia generated. The lack of deep intimacy with the woman inevitably worsened the sex, but that didn''t turn it into a bad experience. It was simply clunky at times, even if it improved as the two continued to remain wrapped in each other''s arms and legs.


    Delia wasn''t new to that practice. She also had condoms in her habitations to be ready for those situations. Still, the two needed a bit to understand how to satisfy each other properly.


    Delia felt initially surprised when she noticed Khan''s curious but confident approach. She had no idea how someone so young could show no awkwardness or insecurity in front of an older partner, but he quickly made her forget those thoughts to focus on the actual event.


    Instead, Khan found himself in the odd situation of being familiar with certain reactions even if unusual sensations accompanied them. Humans and Niqols were similar, but they felt different, especially during those situations.


    Of course, that wasn''t unusual at all. Khan had only experienced sex with Niqols, so his understanding of the practice was a bit off. It didn''t take him long to grow used to those differences, and he even started to appreciate some of them near the end. Yet, he felt the need to hold back at times since Delia was no Liiza. Their chemistry wasn''t bad, but it was clear that they had yet to know each other in that field.


    The injured hand didn''t help with the intercourse, but the two paid great attention to it. In the end, they both enjoyed the experience greatly and ended up staring at the ceiling while the morning grew close.


    "You never stop surprising me," Delia whispered as she turned toward him to leave a kiss on his chest.


    Khan didn''t answer. He limited himself to reach the back of her head to caress her, but his eyes remained on the ceiling. The sex had mostly been a good distraction, but everything had returned now. The new intensity experienced after the quick kiss was nothing compared to what invaded his mind now.


    There was a simple truth to the situation that went beyond the spiritual betrayal of his love for Liiza. Khan had mustered the strength to be intimate with someone else, so Liiza was also capable of that. The realization almost brought Khan to tears. He wanted to leave, go somewhere cold, and remain alone, but he found punishing himself more appealing.


    Delia''s warmth was a constant reminder of his actions. They made Khan feel awful, but that was fine. Being angry at himself was better than suffering about something that he couldn''t control. Besides, part of him thought that he deserved that pain.


    "Too soon?" Delia asked when she noticed that Khan kept his unblinking eyes fixed on the ceiling.


    "I think it would have always been too soon," Khan admitted without moving his eyes from the ceiling.


    "You forced yours-," Delia tried to complain, but Khan promptly sealed her mouth with his hand and turned toward her to show a helpless smile.


    "It has been good," Khan honestly stated. "I''ve forgotten about everything for a bit, so thank you."


    Delia could only give in at the sight of Khan''s honest expression. She didn''t say anything when he removed his hand from her mouth, and she also remained silent when he sat to search for his underwear.


    "I can remain down with you for a bit longer if you want," Khan proposed.


    "It''s fine," Delia sighed while sitting and approaching Khan from behind, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Rick will soon arrive at your doorstep, and we aren''t lovers or anything. You ended up here to gain small moments of peace, so use me well without worrying about eventual consequences."


    "I must be really good under the sheets," Khan joked.


    "I''ll tell you more the next time," Delia teased while turning Khan''s head toward her and approaching his mouth before stopping at the last second. "If you want us to do this again."


    "Are you really okay with our agreement?" Khan asked.


    Delia nodded, and Khan completed the kiss before resuming searching for his clothes. The woman felt that he had ended the gesture hastily, but she didn''t complain. Still, her hands moved on his back until they eventually reached the azure tattoo.


    "What does it mean today?" Delia timidly asked.


    "You don''t want to know that," Khan exclaimed before standing up and reaching his underwear.


    Delia obviously didn''t feel thrilled about all of that, but she accepted Khan''s behavior. She was paying him back for everything that happened during the escape, and she could even realize how hard that night had been for him. Also, in her mind, she had already acknowledged that Khan would leave her life once his mission on Ecoruta ended.


    Khan dressed up quickly, and Delia did the same. When the two exited the habitation, they found Rick napping on the ground right next to the entrance. He appeared in a perfect state and ready for another ruthless training session.


    A routine began at that point. Life in a camp could get boring rather quickly, but Khan never lacked things that kept him busy.


    Rick would occupy part of his mornings. Khan always brought the soldier to the barren patch of ground and oversaw his sparring with Lucille. The first days showed little to no progress and left Rick in a pitiful condition, but improvements slowly arrived and eventually led to more interesting fights.


    Marcus and the other members of the future assault team tried their best to share meals with Khan or talk to him while they waited for his hand to heal. It was clear that his ruthless methods had created doubts in their minds, but they couldn''t test him until his condition went back to its peak.


    Khan spent the rest of the mornings, afternoons, and nights training. His foundation in the Niqols'' methods had to improve to gain mastery over their two techniques. Moreover, his element required constant attention since he wanted to grow used to its new features and the changes it applied to his techniques.


    Delia was the last meaningful part of that routine. She couldn''t be with Khan all the time due to his relentless training, but she made sure to spend most nights with him. Their relationship remained rather superficial due to the limitations that they had set, but they still managed to enjoy a few intimate moments that warmed each other''s hearts.


    Sadly for Khan, most of his interactions with Delia always led to a vortex of negative emotions. He didn''t even feel that he was moving on. Guilt, sorrow, and longing always tainted the memories of the warm moments shared with Delia, and the situation didn''t improve with time.


    The long time spent studying the nature of the chaos element forced Khan to inspect his very self. The mana naturally gained features from the mind and body of a soldier, so a bit of introspection was necessary even in his unique situation.


    That allowed Khan to understand the nature behind his lack of emotional progress, and the truth turned out to be relatively simple. Nothing seemed able to surpass what he had experienced with Liiza, but that was fine. The issue came from the lack of deep feelings for Delia. Everything with her was purely physical, even if he generally liked her character.


    That led to a simple conclusion. Khan wouldn''t begin to move on until he allowed himself to feel again, but he didn''t want that. He was actually scared of forgetting. He preferred the short relief over a possible solution to his issues because it kept him connected to Liiza.


    A change in the routine happened when Khan felt that his right hand had completely healed. The event occurred deep into the night while he was in the middle of one of his long meditative sessions. He felt that everything was finally okay, so it was time to test his last spell.


    Khan sat on his bed and checked his hand with his fingers. Only six days had passed after Lieutenant Holger had removed the metallic structure. He had healed fully only one day before her predictions, but that felt already a lot after considering the injuries that he had suffered.


    "Is it morning already?" Delia whined when she sensed Khan leaving the bed.


    "No, four am," Khan calmly replied.


    "Training?" Delia asked.


    "I need to try something," Khan explained. "This habitation might not endure it."


    "Do I need to come?" Delia questioned.


    "Not at all," Khan stated. "I don''t know how dangerous this will be."


    Delia didn''t add anything else. The assault team would leave the camp in seven days, so Khan needed freedom to train and prepare for the mission. He would go back on the battlefield soon, and he couldn''t allow himself to be unprepared.


    Delia had initially expressed her desire to join the assault team, but Khan had ended up talking her out of it. He didn''t underestimate her battle prowess or value on the battlefield. His words didn''t even come from eventual concern about her safety. Delia simply had no reason to take those risks, and Khan didn''t want her to go only to watch his back.


    Khan left the habitation and moved outside the camp in a random direction. The frontlines weren''t too distant, but the settlement''s surroundings were safe and empty, which was what pressed him the most.


    The plain extended for a while in every direction, so Khan marched among the dark environment until he felt distant enough to test his spell. His senses confirmed the absence of bystanders around him, so he quickly closed his eyes as he summoned images and feelings that he had prepared beforehand.


    The chaos spear spell required flexible destruction, something rather hard to imagine. Finding a suitable emotion was also challenging, but Delia helped Khan once again.


    During the past weeks, Khan had learnt to bottle up his sadness and suppress it for a few hours, depending on how long his intercourses with Delia lasted. The action left a bitter taste in his mouth and led to stronger feelings afterward, but it revealed a bit of control, which could be the key to his new spell.


    The images were also tricky to find. Khan could only rely on vague spells deployed by the Niqols. He recalled the fiery snake, or the ability to build up energy before transforming it into ice. They weren''t ideal examples, but he had nothing better to work with for now.


    Khan summoned his mana and joined his palms while reaching a deep state of concentration. He had memorized how to move his energy in the past weeks, so he only had to perfect the execution.


    Mana amassed between his palms. Khan could feel energy capable of blasting his arms away accumulating and struggling to maintain a stable structure. However, he kept going. He sensed the similarities with what happened with Delia. He still had time to gather power.


    His palms slowly began to separate. A tiny flare escaped the mass of mana when it found an opening, but most of it remained in that dense structure. Khan stretched it until he created a thick red-purple line that almost begged him to let it explode.


    Khan didn''t lose control of the spell, even if he wasn''t exactly suppressing it. He was using a feeling that added that nature to his mana. Still, his time was up, so he wielded the spear and threw it in the distance.


    ''I need to work on my aim,'' Khan thought as soon as he inspected the spear.


    The trajectory was off, and Khan even realized that he had applied too much strength. It was hard to balance his power with something that felt so light. Yet, his thoughts disappeared when the spear hit the ground.


    The original chaos spear spell created a normal explosion, but Khan''s version ended up summoning a bright pillar that slid on the ground as it continued to release its power. The simple detonation had transformed into something that added range and height to the spell. It even made its discharge of energy more immediate.


    Khan couldn''t rejoice at his success for too long since a presence suddenly entered his range. The event surprised him, but he didn''t feel scared since he recognized the figure behind that aura.


    "That was quite the spectacle," Captain Clayman announced while reaching Khan''s side and bending forward to check the destruction unfolded by the spell. "The chaos element is definitely scary. I hope you have something less destructive for your mission."


    Khan took that as a chance to reveal part of his power. Mana gathered on his palm before taking the shape of a short sword. The chaos claws spell had grown a bit in those weeks, but its range remained limited.


    "That''s not bad," Captain Clayman exclaimed while taking out a cigar from a pocket on his chest. "Did you show it to me to get your star?"


    "I need a superior to confirm my ability to cast first-grade spells," Khan admitted.


    "You''ll have your new uniform tomorrow," Captain Clayman stated. "It''s great that you have reached this level before the mission. It will help solidify your position as leader."


    "The others already respect me a lot, sir," Khan explained. "There won''t be any problem during the mission."


    "It would be strange if they didn''t respect you," Captain Clayman responded. "Your feats naturally attract attention, but you handled your fame quite well. You didn''t end up stirring any mess, and you are even taking care of the Rassec boy."


    Khan fell silent. He didn''t say anything, and his eyes also remained fixed on the crater created by the chaos spear. Still, the Captain laughed as he lit up the cigar with two fingers.


    "It''s pointless to hide your surprise," Captain Clayman chuckled while patting Khan''s shoulder. "It''s only normal for me to know. His parents told me even before he reached Ecoruta."


    "I thought they had cut him off due to his character," Khan stated.


    "Well, they did that," The Captain replied, "But he remains a member of a noble family. I didn''t think you had the guts to train him properly. I figured you would have spent all your time alone or with your woman."


    "Rick isn''t bad," Khan explained. "He has a good heart."


    "And he can turn into an incredible ally if you make him somewhat important inside his family," The Captain laughed.


    Khan didn''t answer. There was no need to add words to that statement. Everyone could see the benefits of training someone who could have claims on positions inside a noble family.


    An azure light eventually flashed far in the distance and attracted the duo''s attention. Khan didn''t know what could cause such an intense glow, but the Captain quickly explained without requiring questions. "We lost a trench. It''s fine. HQ had planned that yesterday."


    "Did they evacuate the area?" Khan asked.


    "What do you think?" Captain Clayman questioned. "HQ needs to exploit the thinning of the enemy frontlines. It must appear as a real victory, or even the Stal would suspect something."


    Khan limited himself to nod. He knew Captain Clayman''s mindset, but he didn''t dare to say anything on the topic. Khan was only a vaguely important soldier. He had no say on those matters.


    "Imagine humankind five hundred years ago," The Captain sighed while smoking his cigar. "We had nothing more than broken cities and corpses, but we managed to rebuild and learn. It didn''t take long before the first humans started to advance through the levels of mana. We should have gone extinct that day, but we have learnt to wield our new power and accomplished wonders with it."


    The Captain appeared extremely disappointed about that story. He often stopped talking to smoke, but he always picked up from where he had left.


    "Look at us now," Captain Clayam exclaimed. "We let our soldiers die to obtain a minimal tactical advantage in battles for a planet that doesn''t belong to us. Are we even worthy of our ancestors who paved the way of mana?"


    "Humankind is strong among the discovered solar systems," Khan commented.


    "We are," The Captain scoffed, "But we have lost purpose. Wars have become playgrounds. We aren''t aiming to see how far mana can bring us. We prefer to steal metal and seal alliances with an emotionless alien species instead of trusting each other."


    "I''m sure some of us still pursue that goal, sir," Khan claimed.


    "I know," The Captain sighed, "But it''s pointless when only the minority shares that mindset. We have to show them how to do things properly."


    "We?" Khan voiced in a questioning tone.


    "You are an official leader now," Captain Clayman announced. "You have to show them more than raw prowess. You must inspire them. Wars are hideous things, but everything becomes easier to overcome with a goal in mind."

 Chapter 269: Test

    ''A goal,'' Khan repeated in his mind as his face grew colder.


    Khan had a goal, but it didn''t involve the war on Ecoruta or his future companions. The Global Army was a tool that he needed to use to fix his nightmares, and what he had learnt during the crisis on Nitis had made his loyalty waver a lot.


    "I don''t know if I''m the right person for that," Khan admitted. "I might be simpler than you think, sir."


    "I find it hard to believe that," Captain Clayman contradicted. "Everyone in the thirty-seventh battalion has read your profile. Your ability to survive and come out on top of awful situations is unmatched in your generation."


    "Is that enough to inspire?" Khan wondered.


    "It''s enough to make others follow you," The Captain revealed while blowing out a small cloud of smoke. "Your ideals will eventually fill what you lack, but you can get those later on. You are too young for that stuff."


    Khan nodded, even if he knew that the Captain''s guess was completely off. His ideals were already solid. His experiences inside the Global Army only added dark shades to them.


    "I wish I could change things," Captain Clayman sighed when more azure lights flashed in the distance. "It becomes hard to understand all these small things after seeing what humans can achieve with mana. Most soldiers strive to gain minor safe positions when they can evolve past the limits of their species. I don''t get how they can ignore that chance."


    "Are you talking about the evolved beings, sir?" Khan asked as interest spread in his mind.


    "I''ve seen one with my own eyes once," Captain Clayman exclaimed. "I don''t claim that I''m strong enough to understand their power, but I didn''t think a single glance could make me feel so small. They live in the same world as everyone else, but they experience it far differently."


    "Do you know what evolving brings?" Khan questioned. "I couldn''t find much about evolved beings."


    "Only the noble families or the forces connected to them have accurate records," The Captain explained. "I had the chance to learn a few details, but they are useless in your case. See evolved soldiers as dragons among rats. They share the same air, food, and world, but things are different in their eyes."


    "Dragons, sir?" Khan asked.


    "What about them?" Captain Clayman questioned.


    "I don''t know what they are," Khan admitted.


    "Oh," The Captain gasped. "They are huge fictional beasts. I guess your childhood wasn''t great."


    "The Slums aren''t great at that," Khan chuckled.


    "Anyway, back to my point," Captain Clayman announced while clearing his throat. "Humans can be drago-, I mean, big beasts, but they choose to remain rats. That''s disheartening."


    "Sir, training isn''t for everyone," Khan complained.


    "That''s why soldiers need sources of inspiration," The Captain exclaimed. "They need dragons among them to show them the path. I hope that you will help me achieve this dream once you reach important positions."


    Khan turned toward the Captain and nodded. "I don''t like to see lives wasted. I want to change things if possible."


    "Good, good!" The Captain laughed while patting Khan''s shoulder. "I knew I could count on you. Still, remember this warning. Politics can be more dangerous than battles, so focus on making many powerful friends."


    "I''ll do my best, sir," Khan confirmed.


    The Captain patted Khan''s shoulder one last time before turning to walk back to the camp. His mood had improved after that conversation, but Khan''s face grew colder after that departure.


    Khan didn''t lie, but his words only conveyed half-truths. He didn''t like seeing lives wasted, but he couldn''t prioritize them over his problems. He wasn''t even sure he cared enough about the Global Army or humankind in general to fix it.


    ''Is this what I have to become to reach the Nak?'' Khan wondered as the Captain''s figure disappeared behind the distant buildings. ''Do I have to lie and use friends to get rid of the nightmares?''


    Khan felt about to fall prey to his feelings. He didn''t like what had happened after Nitis. He often had to resort to lies, and his only moments of peace came from a physical relationship that exploited a friend. That type of life didn''t seem worth living after experiencing the happiness among the Niqols, but giving up wasn''t an option. That self-loathe was better than the nightmares, at least for now.


    Khan used his training to suppress the depressing thoughts that had filled his mind. Launching spells highlighted some of his worst emotions, but he preferred to focus on a few of them instead of experiencing his entire mental state.


    Khan had come to Ecoruta to stop thinking for a while, but that peace was going against his plan. Luckily for him, it wouldn''t take long before he could jump on the battlefield again.


    Red-purple lights flashed in Khan''s surroundings as his training continued. The chaos spear could deploy more power than the Wave spell, but its accuracy depended on him. A few exercises allowed him to grow used to the attack''s weight and sensations, but he felt the need to perform more tests before the mission.


    The chaos spear also gave Khan ideas on how to solve the issue with the Wave spell. He could control his mana with the former, so he could theoretically do the same with the latter, and his feelings were the key.


    The chaos element''s effects changed according to the feelings that Khan used during each execution. The expanding spherical shape of the Wave spell made sense when he paired it with his boundless desperation. However, he believed that reducing its range and forcing it into a single direction was possible as long as he found a different emotion.


    Khan didn''t have the time to test that theory since the morning arrived and his phone began to ring. Sweat covered his body, and faint drowsiness had taken control of his mind, but he could still attend Rick''s training.


    Rick and Delia waited for Khan in front of his habitation, and the group soon moved toward the patch of barren ground. Lucille even joined them along the road, and the morning training began as usual.


    Rick seemed to have transformed in those three weeks. His face shone with pure excitement while exchanging blows with Lucille. His poor battle experience made him waste many openings or suffer a few injuries, but he could fight now. Traces of his old habits still existed, but he was giving everything he had to remove them.


    Delia couldn''t help but smile at those scenes. She had grown fond of Rick. His determination was inspiring, but she knew that Khan deserved most praises there.


    On the other hand, Khan remained cold during Rick''s training. Everything could work because the soldier knew that punishments would arrive if he failed in the exercises, and Khan had to remind him about that with his serious face.


    Even Delia''s warm gazes of soft caresses didn''t distract Khan from the training. He was serious about Rick, and Delia''s presence remained both pleasant and painful. She was a constant reminder of what Khan had decided to do to experience short hours of peace.


    Khan had tried to hide that problems had started to appear, but Delia had noticed them. She was like a drug for Khan. Everything seemed to go well when he got his dose, but the hours after that were painful, and the intensity of his suffering was slowly increasing.


    Liiza wasn''t even the sole core of the issue anymore. Khan saw that Delia suffered whenever she couldn''t gain access to his emotions. The limits of the relationship were slowly starting to hurt her, but Khan didn''t stop using her even if he had noticed those problems, and that made him feel awful.


    In theory, Delia never complained, and Khan was simply sticking to the rules set beforehand, but he felt terrible anyway. Even if they had broken up, Khan still thought that he was cheating on Liiza while hurting a friend at the same time. His only consolation came from the fact that a new battle would arrive soon.


    "Khan, are you behind last night''s mess?" Moses asked through a laugh as he and his group arrived on the barren patch outside the camp.


    "What mess?" Delia asked.


    "I''m talking about last night''s fireworks," Moses explained. "Some soldiers saw lights flashing outside the camp for entire hours. We went to check the area before coming here. How did you even dig so many holes?"


    "I was training," Khan admitted. "I can''t test my spells inside my habitation."


    "Are you back in fighting shape then?" Moses asked as his eyes lit up.


    Similar expressions appeared among his group. The soldiers had waited patiently for Khan to join the sparring sessions, and the time had finally arrived.


    "I can join you safely," Khan said while wearing a fake smile. "Shall we use your rules?"


    "I have no intention of facing your element," Moses announced while following Khan into an empty spot of the barren area. "No spells or deadly attacks."


    The event inevitably caught the attention of everyone in the area. Rick and Lu stopped fighting, and the others formed a large half-circle around Moses and Khan to inspect their battle.


    "I know that you are fast," Moses announced. "I might have an advantage there."


    Khan smirked, but his face quickly became serious. The coldness contained in his expression forced Moses to focus, and his hands shot forward as soon as his opponent moved.


    Khan reached Moses in an instant, but a hand filled his view before he could start his attack. Moses used a martial art that focused on instinctive actions. His body moved on its own without requiring thoughts or strategies. He had reacted so quickly to the sprint that Khan couldn''t even begin his offensive.


    ''So much for no deadly attacks,'' Khan thought while inspecting the curved fingers aimed at him.


    Khan had studied Moses'' martial art in the past week, and he had even developed some respect for him. The automatic actions required a lot of training and experience to be efficient in an actual battle. It was almost impossible to take the soldier by surprise, but Khan was one of the few warriors in the camp capable of testing his limits.


    Moses had joined his fingers to create two curved fangs. They were moving toward Khan''s head, but the action didn''t create openings.


    Khan ducked to slide under the incoming attack, but Moses quickly lowered his arm in an attempt to catch him. Khan could push himself forward and escape the blow, but he decided to jump and spin on himself.


    The airborne maneuver allowed Khan to dodge the fangs'' initial descent, but Moses promptly changed their trajectory to wave them at the figure rotating at his side. His fingers would definitely stab Khan, but his eyes widened when he understood that his opponent had no intention to dodge them.


    Moses'' instincts made him interrupt the attack and half-turn while raising his arms above his chest. His quick reactions allowed him to protect himself before the airborne rotating kick landed on him. A shin landed on his forearms, and an unstoppable force pushed him away.


    Moses'' feet dug the ground as he slid a few meters away. Khan landed softly, but he didn''t immediately sprint forward. His eyes rose to inspect his opponent, and a fake smile appeared on his face when he noticed the single drop of sweat falling from the soldier''s forehead.


    "You are one crazy fella," Moses exclaimed while inspecting his forearms.


    Some soldiers on the scene had understood what had happened, but Rick, Lu, and others didn''t see anything off. In their minds, Khan had managed to hit Moses, but the latter had successfully protected himself.


    "I could have hit you," Moses stated in a confident tone.


    "And you would have lost your arm," Khan replied.


    The exchange had been simple. Moses had the chance to hit Khan, but he was ready to endure the blow. The sharp fingers would have pierced his side, but his kick would have landed before they could reach his organs.


    Moreover, Khan had decided to push Moses. He could have focused his momentum on breaking his arms and what stood behind them, but he had held back to avoid causing injuries.


    "Do you always fight like this?" Moses questioned.


    Khan placed his hand on the new sheath at his side while revealing a meaningful smirk. He had only relied on the Lightning-demon style, and he had even limited its destructive power. His recent performance wasn''t even close to his real fighting style.


    "That''s quite menacing," Moses admitted. "No wonder you could survive inside the enemy lines. I bet your size helps against the Stal."


    "It depends on the situation," Khan revealed. "They are too tall, so I can''t jump freely in crowded situations."


    "I get that," Moses stated before stretching his fingers. "Do you want to go at it again?"


    "Do you?" Khan chuckled while lowering his gaze to glance at the weapons hanging from Moses'' belt. He used odd gloves that had two long blades coming out of the knuckles.


    "It would be fun," Moses sighed, "But it would also endanger the mission. I believe everyone here is already satisfied with your power, am I right?"


    The soldiers on the scene could only nod, and some of them even fell in awe when they glanced at Khan. They had initially hated his ruthless approach to Rick''s training, but they couldn''t say anything after realizing that he was worse toward himself. Someone like that would surely fit as a leader for the simple reason that no one would dare to question his choices.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Due to lack of time, I had to skip one day, both for Chaos and Demonic Sword. I''ll write another chapter before setting the schedule back to normal.

 Chapter 270: Departure

    The rest of the week before the mission went by quickly. The camp didn''t offer many distractions, and Khan was too busy with his training anyway. The addition of the spells had only increased the number of daily exercises that he had to execute, but he never rested since his return to the battlefield was drawing near. He only used the last day to sleep and bring his condition to the peak.


    Needless to say, his imminent departure saddened a few people. Rick didn''t want his master to go away during such a critical phase of his training, but he accepted the necessity of the event. Moreover, Lucille would spar with him as long as he kept paying her, so his morning exercises wouldn''t end.


    Delia''s situation was a bit more problematic. Her moments with Khan went from intimate sessions to cold and detached hours, and those extremes worsened as the departure grew close.


    Khan was the main problem there, but Delia didn''t shy away from accepting her share of the blame. Khan showed the classic behavior of an addict. He slowly built a resistance to his partner, requiring him to dive deeper into their intimate moments to reach the desired peace. Still, the moments outside of that state were filled with sadness and self-loathe that intensified with time.


    On the other hand, Delia became unable to stay true to her words. She had always liked Khan, and gaining access to that intimacy made her feelings blossom. She tried to keep them hidden and always remained silent about them, but Khan noticed everything, and the scene only intensified his self-loathing.


    There was no solution to that situation. Khan simply wasn''t ready to feel good again, and Delia didn''t want to coerce him into something that caused him pain.


    The night before the departure confirmed some of Delia''s worries. She didn''t know how she understood that, but she felt sure that Khan was doing everything he could to make her happy. He had resorted to sacrificing himself again instead of pursuing peaceful moments, and Delia didn''t stop him.


    That selfish act made her avoid sleeping in Khan''s arms that night. Delia felt ashamed about herself, and that feeling prevented her from sleeping. When the morning was about to arrive and Khan began to leave the bed, she voiced a weak "sorry" before turning to show her back.


    "Why would you feel sorry?" Khan sighed without turning. "I''m to blame for all of this."


    "No," Delia sniffed. "You tried, and I couldn''t give you what you wanted."


    "No one can," Khan stated. "I knew that, but I started this relationship anyway. I guess I''ve grown weak to sorrow after being happy for so long."


    Delia angrily turned to throw her pillow at Khan. He had the chance to dodge it, but he let it hit his head anyway. When he turned, he saw Delia covering her chest with the blanket and glaring at him while a few tears fell from her eyes.


    "Stop blaming yourself for wanting peace when you deserve it more than everyone else," Delia complained. "It hurts to look at you. It pains me to watch you lying and doing your best to help me when you are in this state. Just ignore my feelings and use me properly. That''s all I ever wanted."


    Those bold words left Khan speechless. It seemed that his pursuit of giving her happy moments had ended up hurting her even more.


    "Khan, I''ll be fine," Delia said in a pleading voice. "I will stay here for a bit more before returning to Earth and living the rest of my days there. Sure, I''ll be a bit heartbroken, but that''s fine. That''s nothing compared to the idea of repaying you a bit."


    "You don''t have to repa-," Khan tried to reply, but Delia threw the second pillow at him before he could finish his line.


    "I''m bringing balance to the universe," Delia scoffed. "Entire planets have to repay you. I''m just starting that trend."


    Khan ended up revealing a sweet smile. Delia appeared indestructible. She could voice a proud statement with tears falling from her eyes. She could suffer but still do her best to grant him some peace.


    "You are incredible," Khan smirked as he went back on the bed.


    Delia began to retreat when Khan approached her, but she fell in a daze at the sight of those intense eyes. She wanted him so badly that disappointment filled her mind when he took her in a tight embrace.


    "You have been a good friend," Khan whispered. "Every man would be lucky to have you as a girlfriend."


    "I know," Delia chuckled while diving into Khan''s neck. "I''m so amazing that the universe is punishing me."


    "I''m so-," Khan tried to say, but Delia promptly pulled his ear to interrupt him.


    "I don''t want to hear that anymore," Delia snorted. "Don''t be sorry about your feelings. You have always been honest with me. I know how much she meant for you, so I''m glad that I had a chance to fill her place for a few hours every day. It means a lot to me."


    "You deserve far more," Khan commented while breaking the hug.


    "I know," Delia stated while taking his face in her hands, "But not from you. You only have to think about the Stal now. If I''m here when you come back, I''ll happily do my best to comfort you again."


    Khan revealed another honest smile, and Delia couldn''t stop herself from kissing him. Still, she quickly interrupted her gesture and started pushing him away.


    "Go now before I change my mind," Delia scolded while lying down and showing her back to Khan. "And be careful. Don''t you dare to die or suffer heavy injuries."


    Khan''s smile widened as he picked up his clothes and put both pillows back on the bed. He didn''t add anything else as he left the room, dressed, and reached the habitation''s entrance.


    The stars on his shoulders reflected the pale morning light that shone on him when he opened the entrance. Khan stepped outside his habitation and kicked Rick lightly before moving toward the appointed gathering point.


    Rick was taking his usual nap, but he jumped to his feet after the kick. His sparring session would start soon, but he wanted to make sure to say goodbye to Khan before the mission.


    "I will make sure to work every day, Boss!" Rick shouted. "I won''t let you down."


    "Focus on not letting yourself down," Khan ordered. "You are doing good for now, but always remember that you are behind your peers. You need to work extra hard to catch up with them."


    "I won''t hold back!" Rick shouted again.


    "Also, your family is a problem," Khan stated while lowering his voice. "Make sure to get trusted allies once you get out of Ecoruta. They don''t have to be important. Focus on surrounding yourself with honest people while you find ways to train. You should even drop your naivety as soon as possible."


    "I understand what you are saying," Rick whispered as his eyes fell on the ground, "But isn''t that sad? I know that my character can be a problem, but I''ve still met you, Delia, and Lu."


    "Rick, you are a good guy," Khan sighed, "But that''s not enough most of the time. People will try to exploit your position. Even I agreed to help you due to your status. It won''t bring you much happiness, but you need to start treating the world coldly. You must learn that more than everyone else in the Global Army."


    "I will try my best," Rick promised, but his words didn''t sound convincing enough for Khan.


    "Rick, a Nak spaceship fell on my head when I was five," Khan reminded. "There is nothing fair about it, but it happened anyway. Do you understand what I''m trying to say?"


    Rick didn''t like the idea of changing. He wasn''t dumb, and he appreciated his own honesty. Yet, contradicting Khan was impossible. He could only nod and promise to himself to watch his back.


    A large platoon unfolded in Khan''s vision when he reached the planned gathering point, and Rick politely decided to stop following him at that point. The area featured thirty-four soldiers, with most of them being first-level warriors and mages. Only three of them were second-level warriors and mages, with one seeming oddly strong for her state.


    Captain Clayman was also in the area. He waited as Khan took his place next to Moses'' group and performed a military salute as he waited for his superior to speak.


    "This won''t take long," Captain Clayman announced while checking everyone''s expression. "Most of you are unaware of the nature of your target. Follow my advice and remain ignorant about it. You don''t want to learn secrets that could potentially hurt your career."


    A few gulps resounded next to Khan. The soldiers remained quite stoic, but many inspected their surroundings to check who could know something about their target. They couldn''t stop their curiosity so easily.


    "We have gone over your assault on the underground structure more than necessary," Captain Clayman continued. "I only want to remind you of a few things. Your secondary mission can help many soldiers in the battalion, but you shouldn''t lose your lives to complete it. Steal what you can, but always prioritize your safety. I forbid you from losing your lives over vehicles and resources."


    It was a bit heartwarming to see a superior talk like that, and Khan could clearly see the general appreciation that the soldiers had for Captain Clayman during that scene. It was clear that most members of the assault team had a relatively close relationship with him or respected him enough to go against HQ''s orders.


    Of course, Captain Clayman wasn''t starting any revolution. He only wanted the assault team to retrieve technology secretly to improve the situation of his battalion. His honest and harmless decision to preserve lives made Khan understand the kind of inspiration the soldier wanted him to spread.


    ''I''m not like him,'' Khan thought. ''I don''t like seeing pointless death, but I can''t be so selfless toward humans.''


    Khan tried his best to evaluate himself properly. He didn''t see himself as a bad guy. The Slums had forced him to develop a selfish side, but he couldn''t see that trait in terms of good and evil since surviving had the priority.


    Istrone had seen a cold version of Khan, even if that had saved many recruits. Meanwhile, Nitis had experienced the betrayal of his own species, but he felt partially proud about that. He had spared many innocent Niqols from a lot of pain.


    Overall, Khan could be evil for what he wanted, but he generally tried to avoid causing pain. That could be a good starting point, but he knew that it didn''t suit the Global Army completely for a simple reason. He couldn''t see the difference between humans and other alien species.


    "Get moving now," Captain Clayman ordered after nodding toward the assault team. "Good luck to you all!"


    The Lieutenant in charge of the team shouted a "yes, sir" that the soldiers behind her echoed. Then, she led her group toward a series of vehicles waiting for them in the distance. They were simple armored trucks, but they wouldn''t need to enter the battlefield. Their sole purpose was to lead the assault team near the closest entrance to the underground structure.


    "It has finally begun," Moses whispered as the group marched toward the vehicles. "Are you excited, Boss?"


    "There is nothing to be excited about when going into a battle," Khan stated. "However, I must admit that I''m looking forward to completing the mission."


    A few laughs that the Lieutenant had to suppress with a glare resounded among the group. The superior''s eyes eventually fell on Khan to scold him, but she saw nothing more than pure concentration. He wasn''t even looking at the path ahead. His gaze appeared lost even if he continued to express awareness of his surroundings.


    Khan felt his self-loathe, sadness, and desperation melting to make room for a simple and profound mindset. The mana in the environment played a melody, and he intended to focus on it for the whole mission.

 Chapter 271: Mission

    "Khan, can you take care of it?" Lieutenant Leville asked.


    "Another one?" Khan commented while peeking past the corner to inspect a metal wall that blocked the path.


    "They are trying to slow us down," Lieutenant Leville sighed. "Though I don''t understand why unless they can expand the underground structure in a matter of weeks."


    "It would defeat the labs'' purpose to expand deeper into their territory," Khan commented while coming out of the corner and approaching the wall.


    "And we can''t leave the area assigned to the thirty-seventh battalion," Lieutenant Leville added. "Well, we shouldn''t, at least."


    ''It''s about time for us to go out too,'' Khan thought before stretching his fingers to give his hand the shape of a sword.


    The assault team had entered the underground structure through a trench that the allied forces had captured during the month that Khan had spent recovering. Finding the exact location of an elevator had been annoying, but activating it had been easy since the Global Army had built a copy of the ring retrieved in the prisons.


    The march inside the underground structure had also been easy but slow. The tunnels were relatively large, but they could be very long, and each corner could hide traps or small groups of Stal.


    The assault team had advanced slowly to prioritize its safety, and they had even encountered a few hindrances during the two weeks spent inside the tunnels. The traps had been easy to notice and destroy, but the small squads of Stal had forced them to delay their schedule by entire days at times.


    The issue was in the underground structure''s layout. Even a small squad of Stal could force the entire assault team to a stop with a few rifles. Lieutenant Leville didn''t want to send her underlings forward without inspecting the area, so her group had to remain behind corners for a while until she felt confident enough to advance.


    Those attacks didn''t even lead to satisfying victories. The Stal had always managed to escape through secret passages or by deploying walls resistant to mana before the assault team could reach them. Khan and the others had never caught up with them, but that didn''t stop their advance.


    The same had happened now. A small squad of Stal had kept the assault team busy for two days. Lieutenant Leville had been ready to give the order to advance after that period only to find a black wall blocking the path.


    A red-purple light began to cover Khan''s hand before condensing into the shape of a short sword. He then placed the spell on the wall and stabbed it deeply in its structure.


    The walls were resistant to mana, so bullets and regular spells would take a while to pierce it. The tunnel was also underground, so explosive or similar attacks with a large area of effect could put the whole team in danger. However, the assault team had a chaos wielder, and Lieutenant Leville didn''t hesitate to use him as soon as she understood that his power was perfect for the situation.


    The wall couldn''t stop the chaos claws spell. The glowing short sword pierced its surface and created cracks around its shape. Those fissures spread like a spiderweb as the attack dug deeper into the wall, and metallic shards soon started to fall as the destruction continued.


    The wall''s resistant properties fought against the destructive influence of the chaos element, but they eventually had to give in and crumble. A hole slowly formed and allowed Khan to push the spell deeper. That hindrance was thick and annoying to deal with, but he could open a passage in a bit more than five minutes.


    The Stal that had stopped the assault team for two days were nowhere to be seen. Khan couldn''t sense anything past the wall, so he proceeded to enlarge the passage to create a path that wouldn''t hinder a possible retreat.


    Khan had done the same with the other three walls that the team had encountered on their path, but the scene continued to surprise his teammates. The chaos element''s destructive power was quite famous, but the soldiers remained amazed that he could keep his spell active for so long.


    Khan took that role as part of his training. He had become quite good with the chaos claws. They were his easiest spell, but he liked that he could keep them active for so long after a little more than a month.


    "There should be a lab nearby," Lieutenant Leville announced while leading the group forward.


    After crossing a few corners, the assault team reached a long corridor that didn''t seem to contain anything. Still, one of the second-level mages used a sound ability to study the areas past the dark walls and uncover hidden rooms.


    The inspection continued for a while, even after the soldier found something. He wanted to make sure that the Stal or the Guko they controlled didn''t rig the entrance, but he eventually felt forced to launch attacks.


    The soldier sent soundwaves on the other side of the wall by placing his hands on specific spots of that dark surface. Explosions resounded in the area as soon as the attacks touched traps or triggers, and the process continued until Lieutenant Leville ordered him to stop.


    Khan''s time arrived at that point. He approached the spot marked by the soldier and summoned the chaos claws again before stabbing them on the wall.


    The lab''s entrance wasn''t as resistant as the previous wall. A spiderweb of cracks expanded before shards fell, creating a large hole that allowed the soldiers to inspect the area on the other side.


    The room past the wall was dark, and the feeble light from the corridor wasn''t enough to illuminate its insides. Still, Khan and the Lieutenants could confirm the absence of lifeforms on the other side, so the team moved to the next part of the plan.


    Khan left the hole and let other soldiers take his position. Four burly first-level warriors approached the spot and began to pull from its edges. The entrance opposed their force, but it eventually gave in and started to open.


    A desolate lab slowly unfolded in the team''s vision. The area was identical to what Khan had seen during the escape, except for its emptiness. The room didn''t have monitors or consoles. It only featured a long table, a series of severed tubes, and random broken machines that no one would be able to connect to their previous form.


    Lieutenant Leville nodded at the other two second-level warriors before stepping forward. The first-level warriors armed with rifles raised their weapons and pointed them at the dark depths of the area in case something unexpected happened. Meanwhile, the others moved aside to give their companions more space.


    Khan could stay in front of the entrance even if he didn''t have a rifle. He was the only one inside the team to have seen an active lab, so his experience could be useful. However, he couldn''t do much since the area appeared empty.


    Lieutenant Leville seized some shards or tools that seemed interesting before returning into the corridor and giving the items to the soldiers in charge of the provisions. The team had expected that outcome, but it felt annoying anyway since they had to spend two weeks to reach it.


    The assault team had the map retrieved during Khan''s escape, but that alone couldn''t ensure the mission''s success. Khan had reached the camp more than a month ago, giving the Stal and the Guko they controlled all the time needed to relocate. Moreover, the hindrances along the way only delayed their advance even further, worsening the overall prospect of the plan.


    "This is far from promising," Lieutenant Leville sighed after her underlings gathered around her. "HQ has authorized us to explore the areas near the frontlines, but the Stal have probably hidden the labs. I''m not sure we can complete the mission."


    "Let''s just clear the checkpoints and leave," One of the second-level warriors suggested. "Our hands are tied, and going too deep into the enemy territory is just reckless. The Stal might keep us locked inside forever in that case."


    "We can still complete Captain Clayman''s mission," The other second-level warrior said. "I say we follow both orders. I prefer these tunnels than the trench anyway."


    "It''s not so easy," Lieutenant Leville explained while moving her short dark hair from her forehead. "The Stal are keeping track of our current location. Resurfacing might be too dangerous."


    Khan soon grew bored of the conversation. His mind started to wander as he lost himself in the movements of the mana in the area. The tunnel used to be calm, but the presence of his companions made the entire environment fall into a mess.


    That wasn''t the first time that Khan decided to ignore his surroundings. Focusing on the behavior and actions of that incredible energy made him forget about everything. He liked the faint peace that losing himself brought to his mind, but he started to notice something odd lately.


    The Niqols knew a lot about mana, and Liiza had been on point when she described the chaos element. Khan could feel a faint desire to disrupt the harmony around him whenever his surroundings grew too calm. He didn''t necessarily want to destroy things. He only wanted the waves of mana to move faster or grow denser.


    ''Is this my nature?'' Khan often found himself thinking during those moments.


    Liiza had never explained to Khan how the Niqols studied the mana before starting to use it, but he guessed that they followed a similar procedure. He could sense his knowledge, sensitivity, and ability increase as he remained immersed in that mental state. The world talked, and he was slowly learning to listen to it.


    "Khan!" Lieutenant Leville''s voice eventually forced Khan to snap out of his special mental state.


    "What is it?" Khan asked while moving his eyes on his superior.


    "What do you think about Lieutenant Zartea''s idea?" Lieutenant Leville questioned.


    "My attention was on the area, ma''am," Khan half-lied. "I didn''t think you would have required my opinion."


    Lieutenant Leville couldn''t scold Khan for that distraction after that lie. She knew that his senses were among the sharpest in her team, so his efforts actually ended up gaining her approval.


    "Lieutenant Zartea was wondering whether you had long-range spells," Lieutenant Leville explained.


    "The elevators might lead to a trap," Lieutenant Zartea continued. "I can check the area beforehand, but the Stal are too sturdy for my long-range spells. I believe yours might be able to hurt even second-level warriors."


    "I would destroy the elevator," Khan replied while crossing his arms. "I would even put everyone in the area in danger."


    "That''s not better than a grenade then," The third Lieutenant sighed. "We should divide ourselves into two teams and come out from different elevators."


    "I don''t want us to split when we can''t communicate," Lieutenant Leville revealed. "Still, the other options are too dangerous."


    Lieutenant Leville took out her phone and used it to project a few holograms in the middle of the group. The underground structure''s layout and a map of the areas behind the enemy trenches fused to create an accurate description of the lands above the assault team.


    The Lieutenant quickly picked two elevators slightly outside the settlement standing above the group''s position. She set precise hours before asking who wanted to be part of the decoys.


    "Are you sure?" Lieutenant Leville asked while looking at Khan''s raised arm. "You are quite valuable in the exploration of these tunnels."


    "I''m also the best on the battlefield," Khan calmly announced. "Also, I can''t use the rifles as well as the others, so it only makes sense for me to be part of the initial attack."


    Lieutenant Leville couldn''t argue against that, and Khan didn''t fail to notice how some of the first-level warriors decided to imitate him. Their skill with the rifles wasn''t bad, but they wanted to fight side by side with him anyway.


    Khan didn''t give the event much thought, but he still started to understand what Captain Clayman said about inspiring the humans. Khan only wanted to fight to immerse himself in the battlefield, but his companions saw his behavior as a selfless act that made the best out of his abilities.


    ''Even lies can inspire,'' Khan thought before disregarding the whole issue.


    The assault team split and Khan''s group moved toward one of the elevators chosen by Lieutenant Leville. Lieutenant Zartea was also there, but the first-level warriors in the group seemed to prefer standing behind Khan instead of following their superior.


    The elevator quickly appeared in the team''s view, and the Lieutenant blew upward while fusing mana with his breath. His spell spread throughout the opening that led to the surface and studied the area before dispersing.


    "The area above us should be empty," Lieutenant Zartea whispered, "But I can''t say anything for the settlement. There might be Stal patrolling the area, so remember to be swift."


    A series of nods was enough to reassure the Lieutenant, who picked up his phone and kept track of the hour. It was impossible to communicate with the other team in that area, so Lieutenant Leville had chosen a precise hour to coordinate the attack. Khan''s team had to wait fifteen minutes before activating the elevator and moving toward the surface.


    The darkness of the night hid the group''s arrival, but a series of voices and lights immediately reached their position. Loud, odd growls then resounded and made the soldiers shoot toward the short buildings that had appeared in their view.


    Khan didn''t think. A beacon had fallen on his group, but he left the area quickly. He shot forward toward the many presences that had started to move after the alarm rang. Thirty or so Stal gathered right ahead, but he didn''t slow down nor change his direction.


    The first-grade knife appeared in his left hand when the first Stal became clear. Lieutenant Leville was at his side, and the other soldiers were behind him, but he didn''t pay attention to them. Khan only listened to the many masses of mana in the enemy rifles moving up and down as the aliens prepared themselves to fire.


    Khan and Lieutenant Leville reached the Stal before any of them could fire. Red-purple light began to shine from Khan''s left hand as he covered the knife with the sharp membrane and waved it at the first alien on his path. The latter tried to use an arm to punch him, but it only found its limb flying away from its body.


    The growls became angry as the Stal and the soldiers clashed. The aliens fired when their opponents were already on them, so those projectiles missed their targets and created openings that the humans didn''t hesitate to exploit.


    Khan waved his knife left and right, focusing on quick and short sprints to remain outside the most crowded areas. His group only counted thirteen soldiers, so their goal didn''t involve winning the battle. They only had to buy enough time for their allies.


    Khan rarely managed to inflict deadly blows in that situation. Punches flew everywhere, and jumping was too dangerous in the middle of that crowd. He often had to wave his knife to interrupt attacks or leave cuts on non-vital spots.


    A Stal tried to take Khan by surprise once. The latter had just finished severing half of an incoming fist when a tall figure tried to block his escape route by jumping on him. The alien was too big, and it had even spread its arms to prevent him from dodging at its sides.


    Red-purple light quickly came out of Khan''s right hand while the alien continued to fall. He stretched his arm forward even if the spell had yet to form fully, but the short blade appeared right before he could touch his opponent''s waist.


    The effects of the chaos claws turned out to be devastating. Khan only wanted to kill the alien before it fell on him, but he saw a large chunk of its waist exploding into a gory spectacle as soon as the ethereal blade reached a specific depth.


    The scene would leave anyone stunned, but Khan wasn''t thinking. A rain of blood and gore filled his vision, but he only saw that an opening had appeared now that a quarter of the alien''s body had vanished. His feet kicked the ground without showing any hesitation, and filth fell on his face and uniform as he crossed the hole that he had just created.


    A few more exchanges had to happen before a series of azure projectiles started to fly from the other side of the settlement. The second team had come out of their elevator and had exploited the diversion to surprise the Stal. It didn''t take long before every alien fell lifelessly on the ground.

 Chapter 272: Lies

    The symphony of violence, growls, and cries stopped, and a silent calmness broken only by many steps replaced it. Khan listened to that change of mood as the two teams regrouped and Lieutenant Leville started assigning specific tasks to a few soldiers.


    The assault team had seized the settlement. The rifles, vehicles, provisions, and various resources of the Stal could be helpful to the human side, so the soldiers had to seize them while the Lieutenant studied how to deliver them.


    Khan wandered past the corpses as his eyes moved among the area. The sharp difference between that silence and the previous chaos left him pensive for no specific reason. Something inside him desired that peace, but he also wanted the previous mess to last a bit longer.


    His eyes eventually fell on the alien corpses. Strands of mana seeped out of those huge figures while part of that energy remained in their insides. There were two second-level warriors among the dead Stal, and an idea appeared in Khan''s mind when he sensed the amount of mana that remained in their bodies.


    ''Is a second-level warrior enough for the third checkpoint of the [Blood Shield]?'' Khan wondered as he stretched his hand toward the hole a projectile had dug in the alien''s head.


    Red-purple mana came out of his hand as he closed his eyes. Khan felt his energy fusing with the blood dripping out of the injury. The nature of his element made part of that dark liquid splash on its own, but he slowly suppressed its destructive properties to obtain complete control over the material.


    Khan opened his eyes and took a deep breath before fixing his gaze on the blood. He tried to make it condense in the flesh below, but the liquid splashed and divided itself into a series of drops that flew everywhere.


    ''Is this a problem with my mana or my expertise?'' Khan asked himself. ''Maybe both.''


    "Khan, what are you doing?" Peggy Kilwood asked while a frown filled her face.


    "I was only checking something," Khan lied. "The Stal sure are a strong species."


    "Don''t you want to clean your face?" Peggy continued, uncaring of his previous line.


    Khan touched his cheek and finally recalled the blood and gore that had fallen on his face. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he had forgotten what had happened during the battle.


    Peggy had seized a towel from one of the buildings in the settlement and was handing it to Khan. The latter quickly took it to remove all the filth from his face, but his companion''s expression said that the situation didn''t improve too much.


    "I''m going," Khan sighed, and Peggy nodded a few times.


    Soldiers ran around the settlement while carrying various tools or resources. Khan dodged a few of them to enter one of the buildings and use the bathroom to remove the remains of blood that tainted his face. When he came out of the structure, he found Moses, Peggy, and other first-level warriors waiting.


    "Is something the matter?" Khan asked.


    "Are you okay?" Moses questioned. "You have been kind of lost since the beginning of the mission."


    "Oh," Khan whispered before coming up with a lie. "It''s a bit hard to deal with my element. I have to remain focused."


    "No wonder," Moses replied. "I''m surprised you can do so well. I''ve heard nasty things about chaos wielders."


    "His talent isn''t the issue here," Peggy stated. "I don''t know how you can cast so many spells in a row without getting tired."


    The other soldiers nodded and began to voice their approval. It was clear that they found Khan''s mana capacity odd, but he didn''t think he had gone overboard. Luckily for him, one of his underlings voiced a comment that explained the issue. "He lights up his knife non-stop."


    "That''s not really a spell," Khan lied again while showing his palm and releasing a bit of mana.


    The mana created a small red-purple sphere that slowly changed color as Khan focused on modifying its properties. Its shades initially intensified before growing pale.


    "This is something I''ve learnt on Nitis," Khan explained. "The mana naturally changes color and texture if you modify its nature."


    The soldiers gasped in surprise and inspected the tiny sphere of mana. Khan never used it to do anything, but they could feel that its power and nature changed whenever it gained different shades.


    "Right, you had to go to an alien academy," Moses commented. "I guess you had to learn something to gain points in the eyes of the Global Army."


    "It''s more useful than you think," Khan revealed while drawing his knife and creating the red-purple membrane. "I can add the properties of my element to martial arts without relying on spells."


    A new series of surprised gasps and sounds resounded among the soldiers. Khan was lying about his techniques, but the theory behind the Niqols'' methods was real, and it was easy to explain its usefulness.


    "How long did it take you to learn?" Moses asked while scratching his chin.


    "I''d say six months to start thinking about using this ability in battle," Khan exclaimed, using numbers that reflected his actual accomplishments. "Though I went all-out on the Niqols'' training when I was there."


    Most soldiers diverted their gazes at those words. They could guess why Khan had worked so hard on Nitis, and they didn''t want to mention that topic. Instead, Moses and a few others tried to consider learning that ability, but it soon became obvious that they were finding problems with that idea.


    Khan felt able to understand what was happening in their minds. Six months weren''t a long time, but the soldiers could focus on techniques that the Global Army acknowledged in that period. It would have been fine if the matter only involved a few weeks, but half a year was simply too much.


    "Did the Niqols help with your element?" Moses asked as the group began to disperse.


    "They did far more than that," Khan sighed as he retracted the barrier and inspected his knife. A few new marks had appeared on the weapon after the battle. He might need to change it after the mission.


    The assault team loaded the three armored trucks in the settlement with the resources seized from the various buildings. There was even a tank and a small vehicle with two seats, and Lieutenant Leville stared at them while trying to understand how to deliver them to the humans.


    "Alright, gather up!" Lieutenant Leville eventually shouted. "The enemy lines aren''t far away. I need the best shooters and someone willing to go into the tank. The others will remain here and defend the settlement in case the Stal try to reclaim it. If there are too many of them, run toward the enemy trenches."


    Khan instinctively stepped forward, but the Lieutenant stretched an arm to stop him. She shook her head as a quick explanation left her mouth. "We won''t get in their range. We''ll gun them down and let the allied forces on the other side advance."


    Khan could imagine the scene, mostly because his escape had featured something similar. A group of twelve soldiers had managed to conquer a trench with nothing more than a few rifles and a powerful decoy. Lieutenant Leville and her team could do far more with vehicles, a tank, and a larger group.


    "You and Lieutenant Webburn are in charge while we are away," Lieutenant Leville ordered. "Let''s move up, people! Fill the trucks and the car!"


    The soldiers were aware of their skills, so a team didn''t take long to form. Everyone took their position on the vehicles and started to leave. They couldn''t move quickly due to the tank, but they eventually disappeared from Khan''s sight.


    Khan reached for one of the buildings used to inspect the surrounding areas. Some soldiers went with him, while others occupied the other structures with a similar purpose.


    It was still deep into the night, and the silence that filled the settlement made the soldiers decide to remain silent. It was hard to inspect the distant areas due to the darkness, and turning on the beacons could attract unwanted attention, so everyone focused on their immediate surroundings.


    The two women that had followed Khan glanced at him from time to time. They wanted to take that chance to talk with him, but the nature of the situation forced them to remain silent.


    Khan ignored those glances and focused on the transparent glass used as walls in the room. He couldn''t see much, but he could sense the ground at the base of the building. That was enough to check eventual elevators since they were the most threatening aspect of the enemy territory.


    The silent night went on peacefully, and the morning didn''t bring any problem when it arrived. The soldiers remained in their position, but they left the buildings when they saw their companions in the distance. They appeared tired due to the long fight and walk, but Lieutenant Leville didn''t let anyone rest yet.


    The settlement was easy to protect, but the assault team would remain in the open. Besides, the last two battles had already ignored the mission''s primary purpose. HQ could consider stealing vehicles and delivering them to the allied side a waste of time or an unnecessary deviation.


    Lieutenant Leville led the entire team back inside the underground structure. The group marched for half a day before reaching an area large enough to contain them and choosing to rest there. Their provision could last for a long time, especially after refilling them in the settlement, so they only had to sleep and recover before resuming the main mission.


    The following weeks saw the assault team busy in the slow advance iconic of the first part of the mission. Small squads of Stal would appear to delay the soldiers, and walls or other traps would force the group to waste time, but nothing tried to stop them forever.


    The mission continued relatively smoothly, with real battles happening only when the group attacked settlements on the surface. Those fights weren''t too hard due to their proximity to the frontlines and the assault team''s sheer prowess. Still, losses happened from time to time, even if they mostly involved one or two soldiers.


    The underground structure never rewarded the long efforts of the soldiers. The assault team eventually visited the remaining three labs, but they were empty and abandoned. Nothing valuable had remained there, which turned the mission into a complete failure.


    Lieutenant Leville and her underlings didn''t feel too bad about that since they expected a similar outcome. The gains of the thirty-seventh battalion were also enough to quell any annoyance that could appear in their minds. The group had sent many resources to the allied side, so they could feel proud of themselves.


    However, HQ couldn''t be satisfied with that outcome. When Lieutenant Leville led her team back to the nearest allied trench, she received orders to wait until the higher-ups of the Global Army came up with a new plan.

 Chapter 273: Surprise

    The sunlight shone on the partially barren plains near the frontlines. The dark metal of the moving camp glowed under that yellow radiance, and the same happened to the small habitations placed next to the structure.


    The sounds of steps on the metallic floor awakened Khan from his nightmare. He was sleeping in the open with his back on the camp''s wall, and the melody played by the mana around him quickly replaced his faint drowsiness.


    The assault team had completed the inspection of the four labs in the underground structure and found nothing. After that, Lieutenant Leville had brought everyone in the nearest camp behind the allied trenches, where they had settled to wait for HQ''s orders.


    The moving camp already had its platoon, but it also contained a series of metal bags that could transform into small habitations. They were similar to the tents that Yeza and the Niqols had deployed before the tragic attack on the valley, except that they relied entirely on technology.


    The camp didn''t have enough tents for the entire assault team, so many soldiers had decided to share the small habitations or set up beds in the crowded dormitory. Khan hated the idea of being in hot environments, and his training schedule was tight, so he had decided to remain in the open. He entered the main structure only to shower or eat.


    The assault team had been on the camp for three entire days, but HQ had yet to announce its decision on the matter related to the anti-mana project. Lieutenant Leville and the others didn''t mind that wait. They already felt quite satisfied with the resources stolen from the Stal, and Khan also liked to have the time to focus on his training.


    The soldiers in the camp respected the assault team due to its unique mission and conquest of the trench. Lieutenant Leville and her underlings had saved them from the dangers of the frontlines. Also, all the members of her group had become somewhat famous due to the secrecy of their task.


    Even more fame fell on Khan since his young age only added value to everything he had accomplished. The soldiers in the camp naturally wanted to get closer to him, and that wasn''t limited to the female side, but his dismissive character quickly made them give up on the task.


    Khan''s mood was strange. His desperation continued to be a lingering feeling that he couldn''t disperse nor suppress, but he could ignore it when he lost himself in the mana.


    His focus had moved away from the simple study of the mana. Its behavior felt almost obvious after the weeks spent listening to it. His approach had shifted to something deeper, more personal. Khan wanted to understand his nature to compare it to the chaos element.


    Normally, the soldiers would develop elements that suited their bodies and characters. The mana had deep connections to every aspect of a person, but Khan was an exception due to his mutations.


    That left Khan with questions that he seemed unable to answer. Where did he end? Where did the Nak start? What would have become of him without the mutations? Was his current character the result of the chaos element? Did the mutations affect his personality to suit the nature of his energy?


    Khan didn''t know how to find answers to those questions. The mutations had probably hidden them forever, but his doubts remained, especially now that he was growing closer to the mana. Something told him that he needed to understand himself to move his abilities to the next step.


    Time had flown quickly during the mission in the underground structure. The longing that occupied an important part of Khan''s mind intensified whenever he realized how far Nitis had gotten.


    His second year in the academy had already reached the fifth month. The time spent on Nitis would soon drown among his other experiences. Right now, the long period on that dark planet occupied a long part of his life, but that statement would slowly lose value as time passed.


    Khan could sense that he was starting to feel better. He wasn''t happy nor ready to open his heart again, but he was getting used to his new state. The same had happened after the events with the Kred, but that only scared him.


    His first kill had been a tragic experience, but he had learnt how to ignore the awful nature of that action. Khan didn''t want the same to happen with his time on Nitis. He preferred endless sadness over treating that intense love as nothing more than a happy memory.


    Lieutenant Dyester''s teachings often resounded in his mind whenever those thoughts became too loud. That was one of the main reasons behind his introspection. Khan wanted to understand who he was before deciding what he wanted to be.


    ''I could turn into a monster,'' Khan thought as the sunlight shone on his face. ''Everything would be easier if I just stopped caring. I could spend my life killing on the battlefield and earning ranks until I find the Nak. I can always unlock my feelings afterward.''


    Khan immediately mocked those thoughts. Could he even relearn how to feel after spending so long as a mere pawn of the Global Army? Besides, he didn''t want to stop feeling. Khan had made that decision even before Nitis.


    ''I can''t experience the happiness if I don''t accept the sadness,'' Khan sighed while bumping the back of his head on the metal surface of the camp. ''I couldn''t have gotten Liiza otherwise, and she is the best thing that has happened in my life.''


    Khan bumped his head on the metal again as if the action helped him disperse his doubts. He had already explored those doubts countless times. Turning into a puppet simply wasn''t for him.


    ''At least I know what I don''t want to become,'' Khan laughed internally. ''Now I have to understand what I want.''


    Khan already had the answer to that. Liiza, Snow, and the other Niqols appeared in his mind. Even George was among them. He wanted to be with his friends, away from the Global Army and politics. Still, there was another figure among those familiar faces. The glowing azure head of a Nak stood proudly behind everyone.


    ''I have two curses now,'' Khan shook his head. ''I can''t pursue peace because of the nightmares, and I can''t accept love because I''ve already experienced the best version of that feeling. Dammit, I''m spending too long inside my mind.''


    Khan decided to silence the mess inside his mind to have something to eat. Soldiers appeared in his vision when the camp''s entrance slid open, and they limited themselves to polite nods when he walked past them. He replied to those gestures with fake smiles and nods of his own, but he never exchanged words with them.


    The same happened in the canteen. Khan found an isolated spot where to sit, eat, and read some of the books on his phone. He was getting better at the "enhanced reading", but he still struggled to perform it without committing mistakes. Yet, his current expertise was enough to memorize a few pages during his meals.


    Khan had obviously tested the "simulated mental battle" before and after his mission with the assault team, but the technique remained too demanding for now. Gaining access to the specific part of his brain and flooding it with mana was doable, even if tiring, but what came after required a level of concentration that he couldn''t achieve yet.


    "You are early as always," Moses exclaimed in a voice full of energy as he approached Khan''s seat.


    "We don''t know when we''ll be stuck inside those tunnels again," Khan justified himself while putting away his phone. "Also, you are pretty early too."


    "I have a reputation to defend here," Moses explained through a sigh. "And I have to gain points over my cousin. She is better than me in negotiations and other stuff. I need to compensate with hard work."


    "Your family can''t be so small," Khan declared. "I''m sure you can find a role that suits your character."


    "Tell that to my father," Moses joked as a tray came out of the table. "I''m sure Lord Kilwood can''t wait to hear your opinion."


    "You are grumpy as usual in the morning," Khan chuckled.


    "This wait is starting to annoy me," Moses revealed. "It''s fun to get all this admiration, really fun, but I can''t add a failure to my profile. Our only gains can''t even enter the official records."


    "They can''t put the failure on us," Khan responded. "We went down there and found nothing."


    "Khan, you know that I have no intention to offend you when I say this," Moses replied. "You have nothing to lose. Your merits are also enough to obtain forgiveness for a major crime. You don''t have to fight against your older brothers, sisters, and cousins, and whatever to get a bit of recognition inside your family."


    "Being rich must be hard," Khan mocked.


    "Shut up," Moses grinned before focusing on his food.


    Similar scenes had happened in the previous days on the camp. Khan had been mostly lost during the mission, but he had still behaved perfectly, and some soldiers had eventually learnt to ignore his dismissive personality. They even felt surprised when they understood that Khan could joke around easily.


    More soldiers from the assault team arrived after Moses. Peggy and other familiar faces gathered around his table and ate their breakfast quickly, exchanging a few words and jokes from time to time. The men and women in the platoon stationed there inspected their table with desire and admiration. Khan and his companions basically were the cool kids of the camp.


    An unusual event ruined the morning routine before many soldiers could reach the canteen. Lieutenant Leville''s loud voice abruptly pierced the chatters inside the moving camp and made everyone fall silent. Khan and the others couldn''t hear the first part of her phrase clearly, but they couldn''t miss what followed it.


    "What crazy bullshit is this?" Lieutenant Leville shouted as she ran past the canteen''s entrance while keeping her phone near her ear. "We would have already conquered it if we had enough troops. I thought that the whole point of the trenches was to preserve the status quo."


    Lieutenant Leville became impossible to hear after she left the moving camp to make the conversation private, and chatters inevitably resumed when the metal door slid close. Of course, everyone guessed that HQ had finally given new orders.


    "Do you want to bet?" Peggy asked while moving her eyes among her companions.


    "Not at all," Moses refused. "You always win when it comes to political stuff."


    "I''m broke," Khan stated.


    "Only if I can copy your bet," A soldier exclaimed.


    "I''m in too if I can have the same bet," A second soldier added.


    "What''s the point of a bet then?" Peggy scoffed before moving his eyes in the direction where the Lieutenant had left. "Though it must be something bad. Lieutenant Leville usually is quite restrained."


    "What can even happen?" A soldier asked. "We are already at war."


    "And we already explored the underground structure," Moses added.


    "We didn''t explore all of it," Khan reminded.


    "We couldn''t proceed forward," Moses responded. "We had allied platoons on one side and the depths of the enemy territory on the other. Continuing the mission with a bit more than thirty soldiers was simply stupid."


    "That''s why HQ has decided to send the whole battalion," Lieutenant Webburn announced as he entered the canteen. "We have orders to take the entire quadrant. Captain Clayman is already notifying all the platoons under him."


    A series of surprised gasps and loud "what" resounded in the canteen. They didn''t come only from the assault team. Even the other soldiers who didn''t join the special mission felt stunned in front of that announcement.


    "Sir, with all due respect, we struggle to take trenches," Moses exclaimed. "How can we even consider the idea of seizing an entire quadrant?"


    "The details of the plan are still unclear," Lieutenant Webburn revealed. "However, HQ seems willing to send every resource in the hands of the thirty-seventh battalion on the frontlines. We might even have air support."

 Chapter 274: Reassuring

    Khan wasn''t an ignorant soldier anymore. He had studied Lieutenant Pouille''s books and had learnt many important aspects of the Global Army. His knowledge now involved ranks, levels, and the differences among various groups, so he could understand what it meant to send a whole battalion into the enemy territory.


    Ecoruta would belong to the Guko even if the Global Army helped in its conquest. It didn''t make much sense to win the war and renegotiate the favorable alliance with the alien species, so large attacks weren''t part of HQ''s plans.


    The decision to send a whole battalion forward described how important the anti-mana project was for the Global Army, and Khan couldn''t help but inspect the issue coldly. Forcing a large army to advance through multiple trenches was risky and expensive. HQ was willing to sacrifice many troops as long as the mission succeeded.


    "How does that make any sense?" Moses whispered during the relatively calm uproar. "We don''t know where they moved the labs. What''s the point of seizing the whole quadrant?"


    "Maybe the Guko on the space station know something about the tunnels," Khan commented.


    ''Or maybe they are sending us forward blindly in the hope of uncovering clues,'' Khan continued in his mind.


    Lieutenant Webburn saw a storm of polite questions fly toward him, but he dodged most of them with a believable excuse. He was also in the dark about the attack. Lieutenant Leville was still talking with a superior in the end.


    The questions transformed into chatters among soldiers, and the news soon spread throughout the camp and the habitations outside. In a matter of minutes, everyone became aware of HQ''s decision.


    Khan didn''t say much during that mess. He tried to listen to some voices from soldiers who had been on Ecoruta longer than him, but they also sounded quite lost. The troops had never left the trenches during their stay on the planet, and the assault team had been the only exception.


    Still, Khan''s experience in crowded battles was above his companions. The size of the battlefield would naturally surpass what he had witnessed on Nitis. Yet, he could develop a prospect in his mind after taking into consideration what the Stal owned in terms of weapons and defenses.


    ''The attack will be a bloody mess,'' Khan concluded while heaving a deep sigh.


    The issue wasn''t with the sheer number of defenses that the Stal could deploy. The thirty-seventh battalion could probably match those after the efforts of the assault team. However, the side advancing toward the enemy lines would always suffer huge losses during a trench war. It would be impossible to dodge the rain of projectiles in a frontal attack featuring hundreds of soldiers.


    The prospect was grim, even when Khan added eventual tanks and armored trucks in the frontlines. The regions on that side of Ecoruta were relatively flat, so vehicles wouldn''t have problems advancing. Yet, that wouldn''t improve the situation too much.


    The same went for the air support. The spaceships could probably turn the tides of a battle, but the soldiers on the surface would have to take care of the anti-aircraft guns behind the enemy lines first. That alone would require considerable sacrifices in terms of human lives.


    "What do you think, Khan?" One of the soldiers at Khan''s table asked once the chatters began to quiet down.


    "It''s too soon to think about anything," Khan honestly explained. "We don''t know the exact tactic. Also, the area covered by the thirty-seventh battalion is huge. We have the manpower to seize the whole quadrant, but that would normally require many months."


    Khan only hinted at his idea, but everyone at the table understood what he meant. An attack that involved multiple frontlines would have a high chance of failure since it would force the battalion to spread its troops. It made more sense for the assault to target a specific location.


    "They might really know something," Moses said as a hand fell on his chin.


    "Khan," Peggy called while lowering her eyes and raising them again to look at Khan, "You have more experience than us in open battlefields. Can you teach us some tricks?"


    The question ended up taking Khan by surprise. His profile had a few descriptions about Nitis, but they lacked many details, and Lieutenant Kintea had limited himself to talk about positive deeds. Peggy had to be really worried to ask for his help when she was so unclear about Khan''s actual experience.


    It turned out that all the soldiers at the table shared Peggy''s worries. They turned toward Khan and waited for his answer as expectant expressions filled their faces.


    "I don''t know what to say," Khan replied while moving his eyes among those steading gazes. "How honest do you want me to be?"


    "Don''t treat us like kids," Moses scoffed. "We are also soldiers. We fought at your sides for weeks already."


    Khan didn''t want to shatter his companion''s hopes, but he didn''t know how to inspire them either. Captain Clayman would probably have straightforward and loud speech in those situations, but Khan wasn''t him.


    The images of the muddy valley appeared in Khan''s mind as he tried to come up with an answer. Only madmen would decide to jump in such a chaotic, dirty, and dangerous environment. Actually, they would also consider their alternatives before making up their minds.


    "There aren''t tricks," Khan eventually stated. "A random bullet can blow your head off while you are distracted. An attack aimed at your companion can take you by surprise. A tank from the other side of the battlefield might fire a large projectile and catch you in the explosion.


    "You shouldn''t try tricks. You can only be careful and make sure to have trustworthy people around you. Everything else is a mix of preparation, determination, and luck."


    A moment of silence followed those honest words. Even some soldiers in the tables nearby had listened to the conversation and had lowered their heads afterward. Khan didn''t add any detail, but they still understood that the real battlefield could be merciless.


    "How did you survive there?" Moses asked at some point, and many eyes fell on Khan.


    The desire to have a drink appeared in Khan''s mind as memories of the muddy valley surged. He recalled the chaos, the cries, the sudden invasion of the monsters, and the random deaths that had occurred. He couldn''t see that, but his eyes grew empty, and his expression went cold.


    "I''m fast, and I have a good understanding of my surroundings, even in the middle of the mess," Khan explained. "Still, I would have died if my superiors didn''t sacrifice themselves to lead the enemies away."


    Many faces went dark. The soldiers in the canteen weren''t completely inexperienced. They had seen deaths and struggles inside the trenches, but they knew that an open battlefield could bring far more problems.


    "Do you think we have chances to win?" Moses eventually asked the question that was in everyone''s minds.


    "Of course," Khan replied without showing any hesitation. "We should outnumber the Stal, and their inner areas shouldn''t have defenses meant for foot soldiers. The initial attacks will be the greatest hurdle."


    Some relief seeped into the dark faces. Khan was right. Everything would be easier after surpassing the initial trenches. The battalion would only have to deal with small settlements and cities that could be unprepared for war.


    Khan had to suppress a helpless sigh when he saw that reaction. He didn''t lie, but he had avoided saying a few things. He didn''t mention how many soldiers could die during those initial attacks.


    Almost half a day had to go by before the soldiers could obtain a proper announcement about the mission. Lieutenant Leville gathered all the soldiers outside the camp after lunch and described HQ''s orders in great detail, even naming those who belonged to specific teams.


    Khan turned out to be correct. HQ didn''t plan an offensive that involved the whole quadrant. It wanted the thirty-seventh battalion to reach a specific location deep behind the enemy lines since it suspected that the Stal might have stretched the underground structure there.


    The attack would have three different fronts. One would feature the main army fighting to pierce the enemy lines, another the team would handle the vehicles, while the last would have elite soldiers tasked to take care of specific defenses.


    The plan sounded solid, and Khan felt glad to hear that he had gotten a few things wrong. He had initially believed that the Global Army would rely on the numerical advantage to advance forcefully, no matter how many corpses amassed on the ground. Yet, it seemed that HQ was ready to send a series of items meant to prevent substantial losses.


    The details about the items and the different teams arrived on the soldiers'' phones. Khan didn''t feel surprised to be on the elite group, but the goods he would receive for the attack sounded useful.


    The list was short. It contained a shield capable of enduring a few bullets, a protective vest that could partially repel mana, and a series of grenades meant to be as strong as spells. That wasn''t a lot, but it would definitely improve the situation on the battlefield.


    Khan cross-checked the list with the other soldiers in the camp. Most members of the assault team had become part of the elite group, while all the others had fallen into the main army. The latter had more protective gear in their items but lacked grenades since they could create problems in a crowded area.


    The division among the three teams had to be immediate. HQ wanted to exploit the openings in the enemy defenses created by the assault team, so they had to prepare quickly. Khan didn''t know how the higher-ups had discovered those weaknesses, but he guessed that there were some spies under Lieutenant Leville.


    The vehicles in the camp weren''t enough to carry the soldiers to the respective gathering points, so a long march began. Lieutenant Leville and Lieutenant Zartea led the soldiers meant for the elite team across the partially barren plain to reach another structure. The walk lasted for a few hours, but they eventually arrived at a series of relatively tall buildings that were experiencing a flow of troops.


    Khan snapped out of his unique mental state at the sight of the other soldiers. He inspected the various faces, but he recognized only a few of them. They came from the large camp, so he could confirm that Delia wasn''t in his team.


    ''She must be in the main army,'' Khan concluded in his mind while suppressing a sigh.


    The main army would be the most dangerous side of the battlefield, so he couldn''t rejoice to know that Delia would be there. As for Rick, he probably wouldn''t join the fight due to his status, which was for the best due to his inexperience.


    The Lieutenants made the soldiers gather outside the buildings before planting a series of portable habitations. The elite team would have a total of two hundred members led by a third-level warrior called Bonnie Dyelow. She was a middle-aged woman with short brown hair and dark eyes. She was also a second-level mage, and her face featured a series of scars that cut through her mouth and nose.


    Bonnie was a Lieutenant who would probably obtain a promotion after her period on Ecoruta. She didn''t interact with the soldiers during the gathering, but her underlings took care of explaining the hierarchy of the elite team. She was at the top, while the Lieutenants under her would take care of different sides of the group.


    Khan took a random habitation and waited for the official summoning to happen. He meditated a bit, and a message eventually forced him to come out of that state. He expected something related to the imminent battle, but surprise filled his mind after noticing that the notification had come from Delia.


    ''I''ve loved every second we have spent together,'' Khan read on the message, ''Please, forgive me for leaving Ecoruta without giving you a proper goodbye. I don''t want to experience the battlefield.''


    Khan initially didn''t understand what was happening, but a second message followed. Rick had sent something similar, even if his reasons seemed opposite to Delia. He wanted to see the battlefield, but his family had withdrawn him from Ecoruta after hearing about the mission.


    Khan left his habitation to search for someone who could tell him more about the situation, but the area ended up intensifying his confusion. A few soldiers were arguing with the Lieutenants next to the tall buildings. The discussion was loud, and he could often hear words like "treason" and "desertion".

 Chapter 275: Rebels

    ''What is even happening?'' Khan wondered as he approached the buildings.


    Khan had learnt about the consequences that those crimes could cause. Deserting could ruin entire careers and even lead to jail time, so he couldn''t understand how the soldiers on Ecoruta could consider those options.


    "Is something the matter?" Khan asked when he reached the soldiers arguing next to the buildings.


    "It''s a damned mess," Moses commented while stepping aside to make space for Khan. "Half of the thirty-seventh battalion is leaving the planet instead of joining the main army."


    "Can they do that?" Khan asked.


    "Well," Lieutenant Leville replied, "No one forces the soldiers to remain on Ecoruta. They only need to get accepted in another position to leave the thirty-seventh battalion. Their families can even help remove eventual punishments. Captain Clayman is also quite permissive, so he probably allowed everyone to depart before HQ could say something on the matter."


    Everything began to make sense in Khan''s mind now. No one would choose to remain in the main army during such an improvised attack.


    "Why did you decide to stay?" Khan asked while moving his gaze on Moses. "Your family should be able to pull you out easily."


    "Our team is relatively safe compared to the others," Moses explained. "Well, it was relatively safe. I don''t know what HQ will decide to do after the recent events."


    "They can''t force to attack anyway, right?" One of the soldiers in the group questioned. "Our team won''t be able to advance without the diversion of the main army."


    "We still have many vehicles," Lieutenant Leville reassured.


    "We lost hundreds of troops!" Another soldier complained.


    "She is right," A third soldier added. "I''m not sure we can win in this condition."


    Khan remained silent as the conversation continued. He didn''t know if his relationship with Rick and Captain Clayman could help him get out of that situation. Part of him also wanted to stay as long as the attack didn''t turn into a suicide mission.


    ''I might even get accepted somewhere else,'' Khan thought as he studied the situation.


    Ecoruta was different from Nitis. The planet had multiple battalions, so a single attack wouldn''t matter too much, even if it involved the anti-mana project. The space station in the orbit also allowed soldiers to come and go freely. In short, no one was stuck there, especially if they had families willing to help.


    "What''s this mess?" Lieutenant Dyelow asked after coming out of one of the buildings.


    "I''m sorry, ma''am," Lieutenant Leville quickly said. "We were discussing the recent events with the team."


    "The soldiers these days are a bunch of lazy, spoiled brats," Lieutenant Dyelow sighed. "I wonder what they''ll do when a proper war appears."


    "Ma''am, this attack would have worried anyone," Moses politely contradicted. "Besides, no one would like to be cannon fodder."


    "No one likes to fight," Lieutenant Dyelow stated, "And yet, here we are, fighting for metal that most of us can''t differentiate from other alloys. Anyway, go back to your tents. We''ll probably remain here for a while."


    Khan and the others performed a military salute before going back toward their habitations. Still, they didn''t enter them. The group gathered in an empty spot of the vast camp to continue the conversation without their superiors'' influence.


    "I''m telling you," Peggy announced. "HQ will never order us to charge forward in this condition. We''ll probably have to wait for a battalion to join us."


    "But that will put us back in the previous situation," A soldier complained. "I''m starting to think that we should defect and leave this position."


    "He is right," A second soldier commented. "The Global Army can''t punish all of us, especially if members of the Kilwood family join the movement."


    "What about those who can''t move on their own?" Moses chuckled coldly. "Our family won''t pay for all of you. I''m pretty sure we''ll get scolded to no end for leaving our post."


    "HQ must call off the attack if enough troops leave the battalion," Another soldier said.


    "You don''t understand," Moses exclaimed. "HQ will never give up on this offensive. The mission is too important."


    "What are we even trying to find?" A soldier questioned in an angry tone. "I don''t like the trenches, but I prefer them over a reckless attack meant to destroy something so secret that even the Lieutenants don''t seem to know."


    "You don''t want to know," Moses replied. "I also want to forget it."


    Khan remained silent as the discussion continued. Most soldiers limited themselves to echo the opinions voiced by some relatively famous individuals. The group contained more than a hundred members, but only a few of them stood at its center and expressed their ideas.


    The conversation felt a bit pointless in Khan''s mind. The poorest soldiers wanted their richer companions to leave to prevent eventual punishments or red marks on their profiles. Meanwhile, the latter hesitated to put their careers in danger.


    Most of the soldiers on Ecoruta had ended there due to their troublesome characters. Leaving without valid excuses would only ruin their prospects inside the Global Army. Yet, a joint rebellion could shift the blame on their superiors since it would highlight the poor management of the troops.


    "Khan?" Moses called in a helpless tone, forcing Khan to snap out of his thoughts.


    Countless gazes fell on Khan. He felt surprised to see how many soldiers actually knew him and respected his opinion. He had never met most of those men and women, but they had heard a lot about him, so they fell silent as they waited for his words.


    "I can''t help you here," Khan honestly revealed. "I didn''t think we had a choice until a few minutes ago."


    "Khan, you probably are the most talented soldier in the second year," Moses commented. "Drop that misfit mindset and tell us what you think."


    Khan''s eyebrows arched in surprise, but a quick inspection of the soldiers around him told him that many shared Moses'' opinion.


    ''When did I even become so important?'' Khan wondered while trying to sort out his ideas.


    "I honestly don''t understand why you are complaining so much," Khan eventually declared. "Leave if you don''t want to fight, or stay if you don''t mind following your orders. There''s not much more to it."


    "Come on," Moses complained. "This problem involves the whole battalion. Our companions left us in the dirt."


    "Not really," Khan explained. "They have only made their move before all of you."


    "That''s the point!" Peggy joined the discussion. "We will look bad now. They are forcing our hand."


    "Peggy, your family can put you in a good position even if you were the worst soldier in the entire Global Army," Khan responded. "Most of the soldiers here don''t have that privilege, but they still decided to risk their careers. It takes guts."


    A few silent seconds followed that statement. Khan was right, but the soldiers didn''t feel any better after that realization.


    "What will you do then?" Moses asked after the silence became deafening. "I''m sure HQ wouldn''t be able to say anything if we all refuse to join the battlefield."


    "I have come on Ecoruta to fight," Khan revealed. "I won''t back off because the mission has become more difficult."


    "That''s easy for you to say!" A soldier shouted.


    "Easy?" Khan voiced.


    "You are a chaos wielder," The soldier replied. "The Global Army will obviously put you in a safe position."


    A series of soldiers joined that complaint. The respect and faint admiration that they had directed toward Khan transformed into anger and disappointment. They expected him to join their movement due to his past and poor background, but he ended up voicing the opposite opinion.


    Khan didn''t expect that development. The comment even hurt him. Those soldiers didn''t know anything about the chaos element and what he had to overcome to use his spells. That belittlement angered him, but he decided to ignore those disrespectful companions.


    Khan scoffed and shook his head before turning to leave. Someone called him, but the soldiers in the gathering didn''t dare to block his path. He could return inside his habitation in no time and forget about that pointless mess.


    The annoyance vanished when Khan fell in his meditative state. He didn''t care about those political issues. He could have probably used that chance to establish his position as leader of the younger generations in the Global Army, but he didn''t want such dumb companions.


    A thought appeared in his mind when he came out of the meditative state. Delia was far from wealthy. Her desertion had probably caused serious problems for her career, but she didn''t hesitate to reassure him when he questioned her about the issue.


    ''They didn''t even put my relocation on my profile,'' Khan read on Delia''s message. ''The Global Army is probably worried that I might disclose what we have seen in the labs. I''m in the space station now, but I''ll probably leave tomorrow morning.''


    Khan replied with a simple goodbye before thinking about his position. He could definitely leave without suffering any repercussion, but he had no valuable destinations. Ecoruta was perfect for his current needs, and the idea of seeing a messy battlefield even intrigued him.


    In the end, Khan decided to spend the rest of the night sleeping. When the morning arrived, Khan left his habitation and found a similar gathering of soldiers and Lieutenants around the camp''s main buildings. The discussions were louder than the previous night.


    Khan didn''t want to join those pointless conversations, but he inevitably heard something. It seemed that some soldiers had left during the night, while others threatened to depart if HQ didn''t inform them about the changes to the mission.


    The scene was quite surprising and very different from the other interactions between underlings and superiors that Khan had seen on other planets. The soldiers were probably scared, but their behavior remained disrespectful and rude. Some Lieutenants even had to raise their voices to remind everyone about their position.


    Lieutenant Dyelow came out of her building and inspected the situation for a few seconds before finding Khan near the tents. A helpless smirk appeared on her face as she shook her head and walked toward him.


    "They are so loud," Lieutenant Dyelow announced before patting Khan''s shoulder. "It''s a pity that they aren''t like you. We would be already on the battlefield otherwise."


    "They are scared, ma''am," Khan said, ignoring the fact that many gazes had moved toward him.


    "They should be," Lieutenant Dyelow announced. "War isn''t a nice place, but running away and relying on their families isn''t a solution."


    "Did HQ decide what to do?" Khan asked.


    "Yes," Lieutenant Dyelow stated without adding anything else.


    "Why aren''t you informing the camp?" Khan questioned as a frown appeared on his face.


    "I can understand who to report to the Global Army like this," Lieutenant Dyelow explained. "The Kilwood kids are untouchable, and the same goes for a few of these cowards. Yet, I''ll make sure that the others won''t get anywhere in the future."


    Khan widened his eyes, but he didn''t say anything on the matter. He remained silent until his curiosity had the better of him and made him voice a question. "What did HQ decide?"


    "The attack has to happen," Lieutenant Dyelow revealed. "However, the thirty-seventh battalion is short in manpower now. HQ will send troops from other platoons to reinforce our ranks, but I wouldn''t be too happy about that. We lost our chance to exploit flaws in the enemy lines."

 Chapter 276: Cannon

    The following days in the camp ended up being quite tense. Lieutenant Dyelow stayed true to her words. She sent away all the soldiers who had threatened their superiors or behaved disrespectfully. Less than fifty warriors remained among the habitations as the team waited for HQ to move the plan forward.


    Khan found himself unable to be with his peers. Many still respected him, but they couldn''t see him as a potential ally after he stated his position in the meeting. Khan didn''t mind that too much since his training kept him busy most of the time, but it felt annoying to see that abrupt change of behavior.


    Khan knew that fame and public opinion could change quickly, but he had never witnessed that first-hand. He knew that the role of an ambassador required many social connections and general likeability, so the current situation felt like a setback in his plans.


    Still, Khan didn''t know how to handle the issue differently, especially after some of his peers had belittled the chaos element. He had proven his character to his superiors, but he had lost part of the general respect earned through his feats.


    Someone with experience in that field would have probably managed to keep the restless soldiers at bay while respecting HQ''s decisions. Khan acknowledged that, but he also justified himself a bit. He was only seventeen, and his mind was all over the place. There was a limit to how much he could blame himself.


    The solitary days ended up benefitting Khan. The lack of friends or soldiers willing to engage in conversations with him removed the need for lies and pretense. He could be himself and dive into his training without affecting his health. He couldn''t test his spells in that camp, so his free time allowed him to sleep properly.


    The peaceful period came to an end when a series of loud noises filled the area. Khan and other soldiers left their habitations only to see a series of vehicles approaching the camp before stopping next to the tall buildings.


    The event surprised everyone, but Lieutenant Dyelow promptly called for a gathering to explain the situation. The new battle plan wouldn''t have different teams or fronts. It would involve a joint assault meant to overwhelm the enemy lines slowly.


    The news didn''t please the members of the elite team. Everyone would be part of the main army now, and the swift offensive had turned into a slow advance.


    Only a few soldiers managed to understand that the new tactic was basically necessary. The delay created by the defecting soldiers had allowed the Stal to fix the openings created by the assault team. It was impossible to complete precise attacks now, which also worsened the prospect of receiving air support.


    More soldiers began to gather in the camp as the days continued to pass. The number of tents in the area increased, and the Lieutenants felt forced to update their underlings about the situation multiple times. The army slowly took form, and the last to arrive turned out to be Captain Clayman.


    The arrival of the Captain warned everyone that the battle was imminent. The days after the event saw the Lieutenants taking control of specific platoons to improve the flexibility of the army, and Khan ended up under Lieutenant Leville again.


    The items promised by the Global Army arrived, but they didn''t reflect the initial list due to the difference in the various teams. The soldiers received the shields and a series of armored gear but no grenades or other offensive items since they would be pointless during that type of assault.


    Time continued to pass until the day of the battle arrived. Khan found himself among a group of ninety soldiers advancing behind a series of armored trucks and a tank. Eight identical companies stood at his sides and marched forward. Only the group with Captain Clayman was different since it had more vehicles.


    Khan checked his items during the march. He was wearing an armored vest and a few protections on his forearms and shin. The shield had the form of a watch on his wrist with three green lights on its screen. The item had created a thin membrane over his figure that felt like a weaker version of the cells'' barrier.


    The lights indicated how many bullets the shield could endure. Of course, larger projectiles would consume more charges, but Khan still liked having that additional protective layer. He didn''t expect the battles to get messy right away, but it felt nice to know that he could avoid using the [Blood Shield] right away.


    The advance was slow but tense. Only Khan, a few experienced soldiers, and the Lieutenants knew that the initial phases of the assault wouldn''t be too dangerous, but everyone soon understood that.


    The allied trench eventually appeared in the army''s view, and the enemy lines past it also became visible. Chaos immediately spread among the Stal stationed there, and a few projectiles also flew from their side, but none of them managed to get past the barrage of armored trucks.


    The tanks among the human groups only needed to fire a few times before the Stal jumped out of their trench and abandoned the area. The swift victory took many soldiers by surprise, but it felt normal when they considered their situation.


    The Stal weren''t ready to fight that massive number of troops. They weren''t aware that the humans had decided to send such a force toward trenches that had never seen more than fifty soldiers on each side.


    The victory didn''t slow down the advance in the slightest. The Stal had taken away everything they had during their retreat, so the human side could march past the trench without bothering to take a break.


    Similar scenes followed during the rest of the days. The army found settlements and trenches along its path, but the Stal had been smart enough to leave them after realizing how numerous their opponents were.


    The army could advance undisturbed and without meeting enemies until the night arrived. Captain Clayman ordered everyone to stop, and the various Lieutenants echoed his message to their underlings.


    The soldiers had to sleep in the open that night. A cold breeze blew over the partially barren plain, but the soldiers barely felt it. There was only tension in the air since they knew that the following day would feature actual battles.


    Khan lost himself into the darkness of the night. He was among hundreds of soldiers but alone. The cold felt like an old friend among that crowd. The faint idea of resting appeared in his mind, but he ignored it to enjoy that peaceful moment before the arrival of the mess. He wanted to experience both situations and the sharp change that divided them.


    Ecoruta''s two moons disappeared when the morning light filled the sky. The army awakened in a matter of minutes and resumed the march into the enemy territory. More abandoned settlements and trenches appeared on its path, but signs of life eventually forced the advance to a halt.


    Gulps and gasps resounded among the various companies. Khan could sense the mana around him growing tense and restless. The world seemed to know that chaos was about to unfold.


    The faint shapes of a large city had appeared in the distance, but the soldiers'' eyes were on the army that divided them from those figures. Hundreds of Stal, armored vehicles, trenches, and large cannons stood on their path.


    The human army outnumbered its opponents, but the latter had better weapons. A single night had not been enough to fill the entire area with trenches, but the Stal retained the innate advantage that those kinds of battles gave to the defending side.


    A bloodbath was about to unfold, and Khan calmly drew his knife to prepare for the event. His gesture forced the soldiers around him to snap out of their anxiety. They wielded their weapons and rifles tightly as they waited for their superiors to give the inevitable order.


    "Stay behind the trucks," Khan announced among that tension. "Don''t go near the tanks. Don''t dive too deeply into the enemy territory if you make it to the other side. We might need to retreat."


    The silence was so deep that most of the soldiers in his group heard him. Many wore resolute expressions, and Lieutenant Leville also turned to nod at him before voicing a short speech.


    "Most of their defenses will be useless after reaching them," Lieutenant Leville announced. "Wait until the tanks start firing at each other. The charge will begin when the first bullet flies through the air."


    Lieutenant Leville stepped forward after completing her speech. Other second-level warriors followed her and approached the back of the armored trucks. The vehicles had handholds and footholds there, and the soldiers didn''t hesitate to jump on them.


    "There is room for a few of you," Lieutenant Leville exclaimed after checking the situation in her group. "We''ll open the battle and distract the Stal. Who wants to come?"


    Terror appeared on many faces. The sole idea of jumping inside that mess and waiting for their allies to arrive sounded insane, but astonishment replaced that fear when Khan and a few others stepped forward.


    "Why am I not surprised?" Lieutenant Leville chuckled when Khan jumped on one armored truck.


    Khan didn''t answer. He exchanged a nod with the second-level warrior and the two soldiers attached to his truck before losing himself in the waves of mana again. The time for words was over.


    Similar scenes happened in the other groups. The tanks even started to move forward to make the enemy lines enter their range. Each step of those spider-like vehicles seemed to last an eternity, but a tremor eventually ran through the mana in the area, and Khan''s eyes grew cold.


    The trucks accelerated without giving any warning. Whistling noises and loud explosions resounded as Khan tightened his grip on the handhold. He could see the soldiers chasing after the vehicles, but he couldn''t inspect the actual battlefield from his position. Still, his senses gave him a faint idea of what awaited him.


    The ride became bumpy when the trucks crossed a series of fuming craters. Azure light never stopped flashing as countless bullets flew through the air. Khan couldn''t keep track of so many projectiles, but a big mass of mana eventually attracted his attention.


    Khan glanced past his companions hanging from the truck. They didn''t understand the reason behind his gesture, but the explosion that followed made them turn. Their eyes widened when they saw that smoke had covered the armored vehicle next to them.


    The armored truck turned to the side and crashed on the ground before rotating on itself. The momentum dispersed the smoke and revealed that something had blown away its front. The spinning also flung away the soldiers hanging from its back, leaving them right in the middle of the rain of bullets flying through the air.


    The rider of Khan''s truck moved to the right to act as a cover for those soldiers. The abrupt movement surprised the four soldiers hanging from its back, but no one lost their grip on the handholds.


    The soldiers struggled to keep up with the vehicles, but the rifles also failed to reach their position most of the time. Meanwhile, the tanks on both sides fired large bullets relentlessly, but they often missed their important targets due to the many projectiles on their path.


    Countless presences eventually appeared in Khan''s range. His truck was almost there. He bent forward and prepared himself to jump into battle, but surprise filled his mind when he understood that the vehicle wasn''t going to stop.


    The truck crashed directly into the enemy trench. Its front slammed on the other side of the channel and dug a hole through the ground.


    Khan and the others slammed on the truck''s back due to the violent impact. Still, they felt forced to jump forward when a series of cylindrical items came out of the vehicle and started rolling inside the trench.


    A series of explosions followed the leap. Khan landed on the ground with his three companions, and chaos immediately filled his mind.


    Khan was right before the enemy trench. Hundreds of Stal stood in the area, and most of them were firing their rifles at the incoming tanks and soldiers. The mana took so many forms and trajectories that he almost felt overwhelmed by the information reaching his mind.


    Still, his senses quickly grew used to that mess. The bullets became nothing more than a normal occurrence, and the same went for the many Stal in the area. Khan didn''t need to study them anymore since he had already memorized what they were, which relieved a lot of pressure from his mind.


    The Stal didn''t have the time to focus on Khan''s group due to the bombs that had blown away part of the trench. Five more soldiers came out of the truck crashed on the channel and joined their companions as they tried to decide where to attack.


    Similar scenes happened near the other trucks. Most of those vehicles had reached their destination, and the soldiers inside them did their best to find valuable targets and charge toward them.


    "There''s a cannon there!" One of the second-level warriors in Khan''s groups shouted among the mess of whistling noises and growls.


    That short announcement was enough to make the group move. Khan and the others turned toward a large gun planted on the ground, which continued to shoot bullets toward the human tanks. A series of Stal stood before the weapon, and even more aliens occupied the trench before it.


    Khan''s group only contained nine soldiers, but many were second-level warriors. Also, the explosions had created a cover for their presence, allowing them to jump past the trench unnoticed.


    The Stal noticed the humans among their ranks when Khan''s group crossed the area destroyed by the bombs. A series of rifles immediately pointed at them, but one of the second-level warriors shouted an order before bullets could fly in their direction. "Inside the trench!"


    The soldier jumped to his left, and his companions followed. Khan and the others found themselves inside a trench, with Stal aiming their rifles at them, but the same man pointed his hand forward and generated a torrent of water.


    The water seemed alive as it filled the large trench and pushed the Stal away. Bullets flew from above the channel, but the aliens on the surface had a hard time aiming at Khan''s group from their position. The team could follow the river to get closer to the cannon, but a hindrance suddenly appeared.


    Two Stal as strong as second-level warriors marched through the river and blocked part of its might with their bare bodies. The two aliens were supporting each other to endure the spell, eventually forcing the soldier to call his attack back.


    "Go!" The soldier exclaimed as he raised his arms to take a defensive stance that Khan didn''t recognize. "Leave the trench and reach the cannon."


    The soldiers didn''t hesitate to follow those orders. Khan and the others jumped outside the trench and charged toward the group of Stal protecting the cannon.


    Bullets flew in their direction. Khan and a few others managed to dodge the first wave of projectiles, but some inevitably hit their companions. The second wave of attacks was even harder to avoid, and the same went for the third.


    Khan''s watch lost one of its green lights before he could reach the Stal around the cannon. Twenty aliens had gathered in front of the huge weapon to block the soldiers'' path, and some of them were second-level warriors.


    Khan waved his glowing knife to cut two arms moving in his direction, but the Stal didn''t seem to care about that loss. It jumped forward, forcing him to step back and leap to dodge the bullets coming from the trench.


    The other aliens that protected the cannon advanced as Khan and other soldiers retreated. Even the human second-level warriors had to back off in front of the stronger Stal. The attack had been a failure, and the Stal were even pushing them more in the open.


    "Cover me for a few seconds!" Khan suddenly shouted as he sprinted backward.


    A bullet fell on his body, but the shield endured it. The second green light disappeared as Khan joined his hands and focused on his feelings. A red-purple light began to shine between his palms, and he separated them to give birth to the chaos spear.


    A series of projectiles flew in his direction. Still, a soldier jumped in their trajectory while using the light in the environment to create a shield. Nothing reached Khan, which allowed him to complete his spell.


    "Move away!" Khan shouted, and the soldiers busy keeping the Stal at bay jumped back to open a path for him.


    The Stal initially wanted to chase those opponents, but the red-purple glow coming from Khan''s ethereal weapon claimed the entirety of their attention. Part of them sensed that the spell was extremely dangerous, and some relief appeared on their faces when Khan threw it far above their heads.


    Nevertheless, the relief transformed into desperation when the spear curved and fell on the cannon. The Stal tried to move toward the weapon, but a red-purple radiance soon filled their vision and made them unable to advance.

 Chapter 277: Mess

    The spear gave birth to a bright pillar that destroyed everything it touched. The cannon was three-meter tall and had a barrel larger than a man''s head. A container of mana stood under it, and a series of round gears allowed it to tilt left, right, up, and down. Yet, the red-purple glow destroyed half of its structure, turning the weapon into nothing more than a pile of metal.


    Khan''s group had remained relatively hidden from the entirety of the enemy army. Multiple trucks had crashed on the trench or other spots of the frontlines, and the defensive formation of Stal covered a vast part of the area. Yet, the red-purple pillar claimed everyone''s attention, especially after they could witness the result of the spell''s destruction.


    The chaos of the battlefield took a deep breath during that second of amazement. Khan could hear the world gasping and hesitating to inspect his spell before going back to its messy state.


    The situation was far from ideal. Khan and his companions were in the middle of the enemy lines, past the trench, with Stal on every side and multiple weapons placed everywhere. Most of the aliens had to focus on the incoming army, and the cannons couldn''t aim at the soldiers out of fear of friendly fire, but the area remained a pure mess.


    Khan''s group didn''t know where to move. The explosion of the chaos spear had attracted the Stal''s attention, but that diversion had only managed to buy a few seconds.


    The Stal tasked with the protection of the cannon showed their anger when they turned toward the human group. Some even threw away their rifles due to their desire to kill the attackers with their own hands.


    Meanwhile, some Stal came out of the trench to join the hunt for the humans. The path behind Khan and the others was relatively empty due to the bombs launched by the truck, but aliens were quickly filling it to pursue the invaders.


    There wasn''t a proper way out of that situation, but Khan and the others didn''t need to escape. Their task was to create a diversion and wait for their allies to arrive.


    Khan moved before his companions could say anything. Stal were jumping on the surface to approach his group, so he shot toward the trench. The channel could be a trap if the aliens encircled it, but remaining in the open was simply too dangerous.


    The first soldier was still busy dealing with the two powerful aliens. He was using a martial art that made him able to deflect most punches flying in his direction. Something would normally hit him due to the sheer number of limbs aiming at him, but the trench prevented the Stal from working together properly.


    The water spell had pushed the weaker Stal away, creating a space where Khan could jump. Still, he would end up in the middle of two groups of aliens while also hindering his companion if he went in without taking care of the threat.


    Khan sprinted toward the two powerful Stal. He didn''t jump. Instead, he dived for the first head that appeared in his view while his glowing knife pierced forward.


    The Stal turned one of its heads while Khan was in the middle of his dive. The glowing knife was about to reach its neck, but its left arms rose to deflect the attack.


    Khan didn''t need to think or calculate the speed of the Stal''s movements. He was usually faster than those aliens, but his opponent was a second-level warrior that had to perform a simple gesture. He could sense that his attack wouldn''t reach its target.


    The [Blood Shield] covered Khan''s left arm right before the alien could hit him. A massive force fell on his limb when the Stal touched him, and his feet inevitably left the surface.


    Khan found himself flying toward his right inside the trench. He slammed on the wet ground and rolled a couple of times before stabbing his feet in the mud and straightening his position.


    The strong Stal ignored its companion and turned toward Khan. It appeared pissed that someone as weak as him had attempted a sneak attack. Meanwhile, Khan stared at the alien while a series of figures began to approach him from behind.


    That was exactly what Khan had wanted to avoid, but his mind didn''t have room for regret or curses. His left arm felt numb, and jumping out of the trench would only put him back in the rifles'' trajectory. He had to deal with one of the threats now, but the waves of mana couldn''t help him there.


    Khan closed and relaxed his right hand. He could launch a spell, but the chaos claws were too dangerous to use against an opponent far stronger than him. The chaos spear was out of the question too. His aim wasn''t terrible, but he would only fall prey to his own destruction in that situation.


    As for the Wave spell, Khan had developed a way to limit its size, but his control remained poor. He risked hitting the soldier fighting against the other powerful Stal.


    The decision became obvious in less than a second. Khan began to turn to deal with the Stal approaching him from behind. He was ready to unleash his spell to open a path and run away from the powerful alien, but familiar masses of mana suddenly approached his position and made him stop.


    The other soldiers in Khan''s group jumped inside the trench and stood at his sides. Two second-level warriors landed at his left and faced the powerful Stal, while the others arrived at his right to help him with the weaker aliens.


    "That was a nice shot!" One of the soldiers exclaimed.


    "Do you need to rest after something like that?" Another soldier asked while raising her guard to protect Khan.


    "I''ll be fine in a few seconds," Khan lied as he massaged his left forearm to disperse the numbness that afflicted his limb.


    Battles exploded around Khan. The second-level warriors on his left worked together to fend off the tall alien trying to make its way forward by swinging its fists.


    Even when working together, the two second-level warriors weren''t a match for the Stal''s physical might. However, one of them condensed the light in the area to create two swords that sent bright flashes toward the alien. The attacks only inflicted superficial injuries, but that was enough to keep the Stal at bay.


    The other soldiers had started fighting against the weaker Stal on Khan''s right. The trench worked in their favor since they could fight side by side while the aliens had to come forward one by one.


    The group had successfully created a safe spot inside the enemy trench, but Khan didn''t come on the battlefield to watch his companions fight. He waited enough to make his lie stick before jumping on the right wall and sprinting forward to reach the line of Stal.


    The punches flying toward his figure grew easier to sense as time passed. Khan learnt to filter out the information that his mind didn''t need. The bullets flying across the battlefield disappeared, and the same went for the Stal in the distance. He focused on the aliens in his range and the rifles targeting him as he waved his knife to cut what dared to appear on his path.


    Limbs, chunks of flesh, heads, and blood flew in front of Khan as his sprint continued. The alien first-level warriors could react to his movements, but they couldn''t stop them.


    The punches that tried to interrupt his advance turned into gore that flew through the air. The heads that entered his range lost their connection to their necks. Khan had to interrupt his sprint only when one of the Stal decided to jump on him to block his way.


    Khan kicked the wall to push himself at the bottom of the trench. The alien tried to turn after slamming on the diagonal surface, but a red-purple short sword suddenly stabbed its waist and turned its internal organs into a shattered mess.


    The Stal fell to its knees, but Khan didn''t even look at the scene. He turned and saw a series of aliens glaring at him as they held their severed limbs or patches of missing flesh.


    Khan charged toward them. The first alien had been the last to react, so Khan could run past it while opening a large cut at the base of its back. The second Stal had lost one of its heads, which made it unable to stand properly and allowed Khan to deliver a killing blow.


    The third alien had lost an arm during Khan''s offensive, and it seemed to have every intention to make him pay. It spread its limbs when it saw its opponent moving forward, but it suddenly lost sight of him. Then, a sharp pain spread from its groin and made it fall on its knees.


    Khan slid under the alien and kicked the following opponent while standing up. The fourth Stal had only lost half of its hand during his offensive, and the attack barely managed to make it move. Yet, Khan continued his assault by sending his mana forward.


    The alien revealed a confused expression as it stared at the foot placed on its torso. It had felt something, but nothing seemed off, so it soon moved its attention back on Khan.


    ''Is it too weak?'' Khan wondered while pulling back his leg and charging forward.


    Khan had to test the effects of his normal mana sooner or later. In theory, his energy already carried the innate destructiveness of the chaos element, but that feature appeared too weak to hurt first-level warriors.


    The discovery reassured Khan, but he didn''t think about that for now. He had partially confirmed that his mana wasn''t dangerous in its normal form, but he still had to deal with his opponents.


    The Stal punched Khan with its four limbs, but the latter ducked to dodge the attack. His knife flashed above his head, and two forearms fell together with a rain of dark blood.


    The alien growled in pain, but Khan didn''t stop. He ran under the severed limbs and reached the Stal''s waist, where he stabbed his knife before jumping.


    The Stal''s torso opened into two parts as Khan kept the sharp membrane active and pushed it forward. The alien could only fall on its back as a trail of blood followed its movements.


    Khan found his companions staring at him while wearing proud smirks after killing the last alien. His gaze couldn''t go past the soldiers, but his senses allowed him to understand that the battle among second-level warriors was still ongoing.


    "Change!" The soldier in front of Khan shouted before crossing him and shooting after the other Stal approaching their position.


    Khan quickly grabbed the soldier and pulled him back. The latter and his companions shot confused glances at him, but he explained himself by pointing at the barrier above the trench and voicing a few words. "They are here."


    The confusion on his companions intensified before a few battle cries resounded in the area and explained what was happening. A series of soldiers peeked out of the barrier and began shooting at every Stal they saw. Some even jumped inside the trench to move behind the enemy lines.


    "Forward!" Lieutenant Leville''s voice resounded from behind Khan''s group. "Kill them all!"


    The battle cry made many soldiers jump inside the trenches to approach the groups of aliens defending weapons or other specific positions. The same went for some of Khan''s companions, and he didn''t hesitate to follow them.


    The true nature of the battlefield became clear after Khan stepped on the surface again. The human army had fallen on the Stal, and fights had started everywhere. The tanks still shot bullets from time to time, but they aimed them at areas that didn''t contain members of their species.


    The cannons continued to fire large bullets aimed at the tanks, and one of them eventually shattered under that relentless offensive. A second quickly followed, which forced the Lieutenant in that team to order an assault at those weapons.


    Khan didn''t have a precise role in that battle. He had never seen anything messier in his life, and his mind lost itself in the violent waves of mana that filled the area. His senses improved with each bullet or attack dodged. Chaos was everywhere around Khan, and he danced among it.

 Chapter 278: Aftermath

    The sheer size of the battlefield surpassed anything Khan had ever experienced. His group dispersed as the wave of soldiers reached the trench. Bullets flew everywhere, and cries filled the area.


    Khan could shut down his thoughts and lose himself on the battlefield. His eyes and ears worked, but he didn''t rely on them to fight. Stal and humans filled his surroundings without relying on any specific tactic or strategy. Everyone attacked everyone, often ending up in friendly fire and similar problems that the chaos in the area swept away.


    Khan felt whole but also empty. He was one with the world but not himself. His knife never stopped glowing and cutting the air. His feet always kicked the ground or incoming enemies. Blood, dirt, gore, and sweat covered his body as he shot left and right toward every alien that he found.


    A Stal tried to approach Khan from behind, but he jumped forward to stab his knife at a distracted opponent. The weapon left a deep cut at the center of the alien''s back, but the latter turned while swinging its arms.


    Khan kept the sharp membrane active and slid his knife in the opposite direction of the alien''s rotation. The Stal found a curved cut that went from the center of its back to its torso when it completed its movement. As for its opponent, it couldn''t see him anywhere.


    A series of bullets flew toward Khan, and he sensed them, but fights were happening all around him. He couldn''t dodge, not completely at least, so he ducked and let one of the projectiles fall on his shield.


    The watch went dark now that it depleted its charges. Khan felt the barrier dispersing, but his attention quickly went on the Stal falling toward him.


    Khan had to take a step back to avoid the Stal. The soldier on the other side voiced a weak "sorry" when he noticed his ally, but an alien exploited that moment of distraction to slam its arms on his head.


    Khan saw everything and nothing. His brain memorized information, but it reacted only to the mana. He felt lost, but he also had complete awareness of his situation and position.


    Conflicting sensations filled Khan''s mind as he continued to fight. Chaos raged, but he was at peace. Deafening noises reached his ears, but he heard nothing. The strangeness of the situation seemed able to freeze his joints, but his limbs moved faster than ever.


    The first-grade knife broke at some point. Khan had kept the sharp membrane active during most of the battle, and his element had eventually gotten the best of his weapon. The event forced him to rely on the chaos claws, which allowed him to notice the differences between his spell and the Divine Reaper.


    The chaos claws spell seemed similar to the Divine Reaper in its uses, but it lacked the martial art''s swiftness and speed. The red-purple short sword destroyed instead of cutting, so each attack was inevitably slower than when he used the knife.


    The battlefield prevented other soldiers from noticing that Khan relied on his spell non-stop. Some of his fights would have gone better if he used his version of the Divine Reaper, but he didn''t want to abuse the [Blood Shield].


    His sensitivity to mana allowed him to avoid strong Stal. However, Khan decided to jump on them whenever he noticed an opening or a distraction.


    The battlefield slowly thinned down until it went silent. Soldiers inspected their surroundings and searched for other opponents, but they soon realized that the area now featured only humans. Disbelief soon replaced their battle intent, and everything eventually fell prey to loud cries that announced the victory.


    Khan took a bit to return to his normal mental state. He had remained in a daze when he inspected the sharp changes in the mana around him. The energy had gone from pure chaos to peaceful to ecstatic. The soldiers'' happiness filled the world with raging waves that flew upward and engulfed the whole army.


    Khan discovered that he was out of breath when the battle ended. Deep tiredness filled his arms and legs, and his body felt heavy. Mana still flowed out of his mana core and filled his insides, but the long battle had drained him.


    Some of the happy cries transformed into sobs. Many soldiers sat on the bloody ground, uncaring of the corpses and gore lying around them. The first-level warriors were exhausted, and those who had yet to reach that level were even worse. Even the Lieutenants couldn''t bother dealing with their duties in that situation. Everyone wandered, rested, or lost themselves in what was left of the area.


    Khan wanted to wipe his forehead, but he stopped when he noticed that both his arms were full of blood. He couldn''t even find a clean spot on his torn and ragged uniform. One of his shoes had also disappeared, but he couldn''t remember how.


    The ground had turned muddy after all the blood that had fallen during the battle. Craters, metal shards, and corpses also filled the plain. Most of the trench had crumbled, and smoke still came out from where the large bullets had crashed.


    The scene depicted death and reminded Khan about the Second Impact. He had already seen such destruction, but the event had involved a vaster area at that time. He had even been one of the causes behind that mess, but that realization barely affected his mindset.


    His gaze stopped when he noticed a soldier puking in front of the gruesome spectacle. The scene was pitiful, but Khan couldn''t move his eyes away from the poor man. That was a natural reaction to the disgusting images that the area could provide, but Khan had lost the ability to suffer because of them.


    ''I''ve grown cold,'' Khan sighed before forcing himself to look away.


    Only a few soldiers had remained active on the battlefield. Captain Clayman shouted orders to the Lieutenants around him and tried to get everyone moving. The army had to gather the bodies and check all the equipment that the Stal had left behind before regrouping and making a point of the situation.


    The cleaning operations began, and the other soldiers slowly started to get to work. Even Khan received orders at some point. He had to move the corpses of the Stal and amass them on a pile that someone would eventually set on fire.


    Tents began to appear in the area as parts of the battlefield became free of the corpses. The ground absorbed the blood but remained muddy. Still, it was stable enough to allow the creation of a messy camp and defensive lines that used the intact vehicles.


    The outcome of the battle became clear by the morning of the next day. The human army had lost half of its members and many vehicles to achieve its victory. A few cannons and tanks from the Stal''s side had also remained intact, which improved the prospect of future fights.


    The numbers were encouraging. The human army had been on the offensive side, so Captain Clayman had been ready to lose far more troops. However, the initial distraction and the soldiers'' general superiority due to their spells had contained their losses.


    Captain Clayman ordered everyone to rest while the higher-ups dealt with food and other basic necessities. Many soldiers had to sleep in the open due to the lack of portable habitations. It even took a while for trucks with new provisions to arrive. HQ also had to send fresh troops to refill the losses since the army had to approach the city in the distance afterward.


    No one really socialized during the days after the battle. The army also partially dispersed since many soldiers didn''t want to sleep on the muddy ground where friends and Stal had died. The event wasn''t problematic since the higher-ups had stretched the Global Army''s network in the area, but the Lieutenants still reminded everyone not to wander too far from time to time.


    Khan notified Lieutenant Leville about his need for a new knife. The weapon arrived together with some trucks that carried provisions and more portable habitations. The blade met his requirements, so his isolation could continue peacefully as he waited for the army to resume its advance.


    A message eventually interrupted Khan''s usual training routine. Captain Clayman had summoned him to his tent, and he didn''t hesitate to cross the camp to reach the largest habitation in the area.


    "Did you want to see me, sir?" Khan asked after the metal door of the habitation opened to reveal a relatively large room with an interactive desk at its end.


    "Khan, yes," Captain Clayman exclaimed before raising his eyes from the menus on the desks. "Please, sit. We have a few things to discuss."


    Khan felt surprised, but he still followed the orders. He reached one of the armchairs before the desk and sat while glancing at the various menus on the interactive surface.


    The desk featured multiple reports and profiles of specific soldiers. Khan was among them, but he saw nothing strange during that glance. He could look at the same descriptions and stats from his phone.


    "HQ is taking the attack seriously," Captain Clayman announced while laying his back on his chair and placing his hands on his nape. "We are actually advancing instead of remaining locked in useless trenches."


    "The anti-mana project is scary," Khan commented. "I''m not surprised HQ wants to take it down so badly."


    "Indeed," Captain Clayman sighed before clearing his throat. "Well, your performance in the battle has been great. They have told me that you have taken down one of the cannons during the initial attack. Good job, you have saved many lives."


    "Thank you, sir," Khan stated without adding anything.


    Captain Clayman laughed as he took a bottle and two cups from a drawer of the desk. A smirk appeared on his face as he poured the drink and voiced a casual announcement. "It''s great to be captain. They bring these bottles with the furniture."


    "Are we setting camp here?" Khan asked while picking up the cup and searching from the Captain''s eyes only to remember that the soldier didn''t know about Nitis'' customs.


    "We have to build a settlement," Captain Clayman exclaimed before taking a short sip from his drink, "But we won''t live here. HQ will create a branch of the thirty-seventh battalion here to use it as a base for our assault."


    "It''s almost about time to leave then," Khan guessed while savoring the strong booze.


    "Are you disappointed?" Captain Clayman teased through a chuckle.


    "Not at all," Khan honestly admitted. "I don''t mind fighting."


    "You are a rare breed," Captain Clayman declared. "You are young, talented, resolute, and mature. Your mastery over your element is also quite astonishing considering that you have trained for less than two years with mana."


    "Thank you, sir," Khan could only repeat before focusing on his drink. The Captain had yet to mention the reason behind that meeting, but Khan had no intention to press him.


    "I have already forwarded your application for a promotion," Captain Clayman said before raising his hand when he saw that Khan''s widened his eyes in surprise. "You don''t need to thank me or anything. It''s only proper that you gain a chance to become a Lieutenant. I''ve added my recommendation, but your age might be a problem. Still, don''t worry. Very few soldiers succeed at the first try."


    "Thank you, sir," Khan said for the first time. "I don''t know what to say."


    "Don''t say anything," Captain Clayman announced. "You deserve some recognition."


    Khan could only nod at those words. Becoming a Lieutenant was the first step toward the answers he needed to learn about the Nak. He almost couldn''t believe that something like that could arrive so soon.


    "Let me ask you one thing," Captain Clayman said while Khan was still immersed in his thoughts. "Do you like Ecoruta? Do you like the battlefield?"


    "No sane mind would like the battlefield," Khan responded. "As for Ecoruta, it''s just another planet."


    "That''s a good answer," Captain Clayman laughed. "I feared you had become addicted to fighting. It happens, you know? Some soldiers became unable to have a normal life after witnessing the dark aspects of war. They begin to feel at home only when bullets fly over their heads."


    Khan didn''t know what to add there, so he remained silent. Yet, the Captain continued his line with something that created cracks in his poker face. "It''s a pity that I won''t be able to see your growth."


    "Are you leaving Ecoruta, sir?" Khan asked.


    "No, you are," Captain Clayman exclaimed. "The Global Army wants you to head toward Onia. You have to join one of the tournaments."

 Chapter 279: Mana treatment

    Khan didn''t think about Onia in a long time. Only a year had passed since then, but the events on that hot planet seemed to belong to a different lifetime already. Everything was still na?ve, bloodless, and fine back then.


    The year that had followed the training camp on Onia had been rough, tragic, and full of awful moments. Only Liiza had brought some light in that period, but she also belonged to the past now.


    "Onia?" Khan couldn''t help but mutter as memories surged in his mind.


    The Ef''i, his bloody fight against Eztli, the faswite, and the cute moments with Martha came back. They felt so distant that Khan almost couldn''t believe that he would go back to Onia.


    "What is it?" Captain Clayman asked when he noticed Khan''s stupor. "Everyone is happy to get a chance to leave this planet. You should be the same."


    "It''s just sudden, sir," Khan replied.


    "The Ef''i have decided to hold the tournaments early this year," Captain Clayman explained while pointing at Khan''s cup. "They have made that decision due to Istrone''s mess. Giving the Global Army the chance to get more faswite is their way to show respect for our losses."


    "They really are a warrior race," Khan commented while placing his cup on the desk to let the Captain refill it.


    "You can refuse if you really want to," Captain Clayman exclaimed while pouring the drink. "However, I don''t suggest it. The tournaments on Onia are a big deal, and winning them is even bigger. Your career will take a leap forward if you bring home a mine."


    "Refusing would be dumb," Khan agreed. "What about the anti-mana project?"


    "Let me handle that part," Captain Clayman announced while pushing the cup toward Khan. "I''ll even notify you once we have dealt with the labs, but, please, leave this planet. Ecoruta has nothing but blood and battles to offer."


    ''That''s why I came here,'' Khan replied in his mind as he picked his cup and took a short sip.


    "You are a strange one," Captain Clayman sighed. "Being picked for a tournament is a great honor and a statement of your prowess, but you don''t look happy."


    "I feel honored, sir," Khan hastily responded. "Hearing about Onia just brought back memories."


    "I read that you have already won a tournament there," Captain Clayman said.


    "It feels so far away," Khan honestly revealed.


    Captain Clayman didn''t say anything. He knew what had come after Onia. Istrone and Nitis had broken Khan and rebuilt him into a new man.


    "Don''t let it get to you," Captain Clayman eventually stated.


    "What do you mean, sir?" Khan asked.


    "Don''t bring the war back home," Captain Clayman explained. "Don''t carry this filth and blood with you all the time. Go to Onia, win the tournament, and enjoy the position that the Global Army gives you afterward. You have already fought a lot, but becoming an ambassador requires more than that."


    Khan didn''t hide his surprise at those words. He had never mentioned his goals to the Captain, but the latter seemed to know about them.


    "I have good sources," Captain Clayman announced while wearing a proud smile. "Besides, it''s not hard to find information about you. There has never been such a young candidate in Onia''s tournaments, and you didn''t exactly lay low before that."


    ''It can''t be bad for my goals to be public knowledge,'' Khan thought. ''I might get a suitable role if I actually end up winning a tournament.''


    "When do I leave?" Khan questioned.


    "Tonight," Captain Clayman replied. "A spaceship will bring you back to the space station where you''ll use the teleport. I''m afraid you won''t get the chance to say goodbye to anyone."


    "That''s fine," Khan stated. "I can leave as soon as the spaceship arrives."


    "Good," Captain Clayman announced. "Do you have any special requests that I can mention to HQ?"


    Khan thought for a few seconds before nodding and voicing a simple demand. "I need a book for the Ef''i''s language."


    .


    .


    .


    Luke and Bruce stood in front of a room that featured a single bed and some medical equipment. Their eyes were on Martha, who was sleeping with a series of tubes and sensors attached to her body. Her burns had long since healed, but she had yet to wake up.


    "When was the last time that someone so young has been picked for Onia''s tournaments?" Bruce asked without moving his gaze from Martha.


    "It has never happened," Luke calmly replied. "Khan is the youngest candidate in history for the fights with first-level warriors."


    "Do you think he can win?" Bruce questioned while glancing at his friend.


    "I don''t know," Luke sighed. "He has surpassed everyone''s expectations many times already. Who knows? He might actually win."


    "He will be unreachable if that happens," Bruce commented.


    "I''ve always known that he would have gone far," Luke exclaimed. "Yet, I didn''t expect that to happen so soon. He isn''t even eighteen."


    "And we had him in our class," Bruce added. "I guess you lost your chance to use him."


    "You know that I''m not like that," Luke complained. "I even owe my life to Khan. Sure, I want him to work under me in the future, but I won''t become like my father to get the best troops."


    "Your father is a great man from a political viewpoint," Bruce said. "Still, I agree. It would be a dick move to coerce him into joining you. He doesn''t deserve that."


    "I won''t coerce him," Luke explained. "I don''t even want to pay him up. I''d prefer him to join me as a friend."


    "Is that why we came here?" Bruce asked. "Didn''t you read about his alien girlfriend? He might not care anymore about her or us."


    "That''s not the Khan I know," Luke stated.


    "We both didn''t know much about him," Bruce declared. "Come on. Did you think he could pull off everything he did on Istrone when you first met him?"


    "And that was only the beginning," Luke added. "That''s why I have to try. He''ll probably become someone really important in a few years at this pace. Leaving my mission aside, I need to keep him as a friend for my own future. He might be the only ally that my father doesn''t control."


    "Your father doesn''t control me," Bruce replied in an annoyed tone.


    "Your father controls you," Luke scoffed, "And my father is his friend. Khan is different. He is still outside all of this."


    "So what?" Bruce asked. "How can Martha help you?"


    "I''ll wake her up," Luke stated.


    "How?" Bruce chuckled. "Also, she has already lost an entire year of training. Do you think Khan will remain behind for her?"


    "I''ve put her into a high-tier mana treatment," Luke revealed. "I''ve also asked the Weesso family for permission. Her parents are quite proud, but they couldn''t refuse such a good offer."


    "That''s expensive even for you," Bruce commented.


    "An ally like Khan is priceless," Luke announced. "I hope he won''t forget our names by the time she wakes up."


    .


    .


    .


    A spaceship descended among Ecoruta''s darkness. Many soldiers had come out of their habitations to create two lines that Khan had to cross before departing.


    The soldiers were performing military salutes, and they even wore serious expressions during the event. Khan felt a bit awkward to walk among them, but Captain Clayman had already explained that those gestures were necessary. His battalion had to show respect for someone picked for Onia''s tournaments.


    Some soldiers nodded at Khan when he met their eyes. Others smiled, and only a few dared to break their salutes to give him thumbs up. Khan did his best to perform fake smiles at those gestures, but he inevitably began to feel strange after a while.


    Luckily for Khan, the walk didn''t last long. He soon arrived next to the same spaceship that had brought him on Ecoruta. Its pilot had half of his face covered, but he recognized Jakob from the few visible features.


    "Make sure to bring honor to the Global Army," Captain Clayman exclaimed after leaving his line. "And don''t come back here afterward. I''ll take care of you-know-what."


    "I''ll do my best, sir," Khan promised as the spaceship entrance opened.


    "That''s more than enough," Captain Clayman laughed before nodding.


    Khan took that as the signal to enter the spaceship. The reinforced glass closed above him, and the vehicle set off slowly to avoid causing winds on the surface.


    "Do you remember me?" Jakob asked once the spaceship was quite far away from the surface.


    "You are about to accelerate, right?" Khan guessed.


    "Damn right," Jakob laughed before the spaceship picked up speed and shot out of Ecoruta''s atmosphere.


    Khan glanced at the shrinking planet before moving his gaze on the enlarging space station. He had experienced a few meaningful moments on Ecoruta but nothing that was remotely comparable to Nitis. He had unlocked his spells, and his mood had slightly improved, but he wouldn''t hold many events dear. Delia had been a nice distraction, but she couldn''t give birth to feelings after Liiza.


    "You never told me that you were so strong," Jakob announced. "Don''t tell me that I will have to call you "sir" in a few years."


    Khan didn''t answer. His gaze remained on the space station as a hangar quickly grew clear in his vision. It didn''t take long before the spaceship landed and unlocked its cover to let him out.


    "Bring my regards to the Ef''i!" Jakob laughed as Khan left the spaceship and walked toward a familiar figure waiting in front of a corridor.


    "Hi Khan, it''s been a while," Eunice exclaimed while wearing an odd wide smile.


    "Only a few months," Khan replied. "Unless I lost track of time while I was down there."


    "Not at all," Eunice happily stated while tinkering with the menus on the screen in her hands. "You have been on Ecoruta for almost four months. It''s incredible that you have been able to accomplish so much in such a short period."


    "The Stal did the kidnapping," Khan commented. "I only escaped."


    "That alone is incredible!" Eunice shouted while entering the corridor to escort Khan across the space station. "It''s a pity that you are leaving so soon."


    "Did you want me to remain on the battlefield?" Khan said before performing a fake chuckle when he saw Eunice''s apologetic expression.


    "It''s a pity that you couldn''t get stationed here," Eunice complained. "The higher-ups want you to reach Onia right away. You''ll have to spend the night here, but you''ll get teleported early in the morning."


    "Maybe one day I''ll get a role here," Khan replied without putting any emotion in his words.


    Eunice quickly led Khan to an area of the space station that he didn''t see the first time. The quarter featured a series of small rooms, and one of them opened when the two passed in front of it.


    "I''ll pick you up tomorrow morning then," Eunice exclaimed as Khan began to enter the room.


    "Is there a training hall here?" Khan asked when he thought about sleeping for an entire night there. "Can I use it?"


    "This space station has three training halls," Eunice revealed while wearing an awkward expression, "But you can''t use them. Chaos wielders have special restrictions in space."


    "That makes sense," Khan sighed. "I''ll see you tomorrow then."


    "Well," Eunice voiced while stepping forward and caressing her short hair, "There isn''t much to do on the space station, but I often hang out with a few soldiers. We only drink and practice at the firing range, nothing special, but it might be a good way to kill the night."


    Khan noticed a few expressions that he had learnt to recognize. Eunice''s smile, her fingers playing with her hair, and the slight high tone that took control of her voice from time to time stated that he probably had a chance with her. Her last gesture also seemed to confirm that idea.


    Still, Khan recalled his first interaction with the woman. Eunice was probably acting like that due to his newfound fame, which worsened his idea of her. He didn''t want something similar, not after Delia.


    "I think I''ll force myself to rest," Khan responded. "I probably need it before reaching Onia."


    "Of course!" Eunice quickly exclaimed before stepping out of the room. "You need to bring honor to the Global Army. I''m sorry for even asking you to waste time with me."


    "I''m sure it wouldn''t have been a waste," Khan declared while showing a fake smirk before sealing the room. He only had the time to notice Eunice''s gasping expression before the door slid close.


    ''George definitely knew a lot about women,'' Khan laughed internally before a few memories of Onia surged in his mind.


    Khan remembered his cute moments with Martha, the innocent flirt that the two had exchanged for a short period, and her decision to hold his hand before teleporting on Istrone. His memories then moved to her charred figure inside the medical bay, but he still corrected his previous thought after reviewing all of that. ''Some of them at least.''


    ''Onia then,'' Khan thought while throwing himself on the bed.


    Khan had no intention to sleep, but he didn''t mind spending a few moments reviewing everything that had happened on Ecoruta. It felt necessary to make a point of his situation now that he was entering the second half of his second year in the Global Army.

 Chapter 280: Slow

    Khan had grown used to spending entire nights training, but his schedule featured something different at that time. The Global Army had sent him a book featuring a deep description of the Ef''i''s language and grammar, so he deployed the "enhanced reading" to memorize most of its contents.


    Memorizing words and grammatical rules wasn''t enough to grant Khan mastery over that alien language. His accent would remain off without practice, and he would still fail to apply everything he had learnt in an actual conversation. His understanding wasn''t natural enough to speak properly, but he planned to fix that issue on Onia.


    The morning arrived before Khan could complete his usual training routine. Eunice knocked at his door, and he left in a hurry to follow her through the many corridors. The two exchanged casual words, but she soon understood that his mind was elsewhere.


    A familiar area eventually unfolded in Khan''s vision. Eunice remained behind while Khan entered the room with the teleport and consoles that he had seen when he first arrived in the structure.


    The soldiers in the room stared at Khan with strange expressions. Some appeared disappointed, while others experienced conflicting feelings that their faces didn''t even try to hide.


    Khan wasn''t as unaware of the situation as before. The nomination for Onia''s tournaments had even improved his status greatly, so he quickly approached the Guko next to the teleport and voiced a loud question. "Are they disappointed that they didn''t get my mana core?"


    "Yes," The Guko replied before anyone could stop it.


    Khan wore a fake smile as he stepped on the teleport and glanced at the soldiers on the consoles. The latter avoided his gaze, and they stuttered when they voiced the indications necessary for the teleport.


    The soldiers didn''t know that Khan was only teasing them. They were afraid that he could report them to a superior and use his status to make their lives harder. Of course, Khan had no interest in all of that, but their reaction gave him a clearer understanding of how important he had become.


    ''I guess I need to win the tournament,'' Khan thought as synthetic mana began to fill his surroundings.


    A series of orders rang before a blinding light filled Khan''s vision. When the glow vanished, he found himself in a similar room that featured a far different atmosphere. Green metal covered most surfaces, and dark consoles stood at the edge of the circular area. Still, the alien figure standing in front of the teleport claimed most of Khan''s attention.


    "Welcome to Onia," The male Ef''i exclaimed in perfect human language. "A Lieutenant is waiting for you outside the building."


    "[Thank you]," Khan said with the best accent he could muster while stepping out of the platform.


    The Ef''i wore a polite smile before adjusting his white medical coat and approaching one of the consoles. Khan glanced at his pointy tail before moving his eyes toward a soldier that approached him.


    "Sir, we must perform a routine check before allowing you out of the building," The man said in a polite tone while showing the way toward a corridor.


    The man had a single star on his right shoulder, but he still addressed Khan as "sir". Khan ignored that matter and limited himself to nod before following the soldier across the corridor. A series of scanners stood in his way, but he went through all of them quickly.


    "Do you mind if I check my stats?" Khan asked when the building exit appeared in his view.


    The soldier at the end of the tunnel nodded before handing over the screen in her hands to Khan. He only cared about one stat, and a bit of disappointment appeared inside him when he read it.


    ''Only fifty-three percent attunement with mana,'' Khan exclaimed in his mind. ''I had to fight and travel for entire weeks, but I still meditated a lot.''


    Gaining only two points on his attunement with mana in almost four months left Khan surprised. He could sense that the next checkpoint was still far, but he didn''t expect to have improved so little.


    ''I''ll be a second-level warrior in my third year at this pace,'' Khan thought while handing back the screen. ''This is far too slow.''


    Khan''s thoughts inevitably went on the [Blood Vortex] after acknowledging the limits of his meditations. He had something that could make him improve faster, but his ability to manipulate mana had yet to reach the intended level.


    ''I need to work harder on my Niqols'' techniques,'' Khan decided. ''The [Blood Shield] isn''t a problem for now, but it will also need to reach the next level after I become a second-level warrior.''


    His thoughts stopped when the exit slid open and a familiar face appeared in his view. Lieutenant Unchai wore a broad smile as soon as his eyes fell on Khan.


    "Sir, I didn''t expect to see you here," Khan stated.


    "I decided to receive you as soon as I heard about your nomination," Lieutenant Unchai chuckled as his smile saddened. "I thought that you would have liked a familiar face here."


    Khan nodded without adding anything else. His eyes moved among the red-brown environment as he inspected the small camp that contained the teleport. Tall buildings and a few squads of soldiers were visible from his position, but the almost unbearable heat remained the most striking feature in the area.


    "Nothing has changed here," Khan sighed before glancing at the second star on the Lieutenant''s left shoulder. "Well, almost nothing."


    "You aren''t the only one who has been busy," Lieutenant Unchai announced while leading Khan toward one side of the small camp. "Instead, Onia is as hot as always. Even a catastrophe wouldn''t change that."


    "I thought you would have gone back on Earth after our training session," Khan stated.


    "Earth has been a bit of a mess after Istrone," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "The Global Army had a shortage of recruits, so many teachers decided to switch professions or find temporary jobs. The situation has started to stabilize lately due to the new year."


    Khan went silent. Istrone had been a tragedy that had caused deep consequences in many aspects of the Global Army. Humankind had basically lost a year to recover from those losses.


    Lieutenant Unchai led Khan in an area with a few cars. A few soldiers stood next to them, and they didn''t hesitate to perform military salutes when they saw the two. One of them even approached one of the vehicles, but Lieutenant Unchai waved his hand to dismiss him.


    "Do you know how to drive?" Lieutenant Unchai asked while placing a hand on a car.


    "I never had the chance to learn, sir," Khan replied.


    "You are learning now," Lieutenant Unchai stated while jumping on the passenger''s seat. "It''s pretty easy. Hop in, and I''ll show you."


    Khan imitated the Lieutenant and jumped on the driver''s seat. The car was completely black and had no roof, but its comfortable insides and metal surfaces weren''t hot even if Onia''s two suns had shone on them for a while already.


    "Press that to turn it on," Lieutenant Unchai explained while pointing at a button and the two pedals under Khan''s feet, "That to accelerate, and that to stop. I told you, easy."


    Khan didn''t know why Lieutenant Unchai was giving him that chance, but he didn''t ask any questions. He turned the car on and timidly pressed on the accelerator. The vehicle began to move forward, and he instinctively held himself on the steering wheel to keep it still.


    "Try to turn on the right," Lieutenant Unchai ordered. "Get used to how the car reacts."


    Khan followed the order and performed slight turns inside the camp. He learnt all the basic functions quickly, and the Lieutenant eventually told him to leave.


    "You can accelerate here," Lieutenant Unchai said as soon as the car left the tall fence around the camp.


    Khan immediately pressed on the accelerator, and the car shot forward. Hot winds blew on his face as the vehicle sprinted through the barren plain outside the camp. A smile even appeared on his face as he recalled the feelings experienced when he flew with Snow.


    "Can you handle this speed?" Lieutenant Unchai asked in a surprised tone.


    "Sir, I used to fly far faster," Khan exclaimed as he tried to perform sharp turns without slowing down.


    The car remained stable as Khan kept testing it. It was completely different from an Aduns. If it weren''t for the wind, he would barely notice that he was moving.


    "You need to learn how to fly a spaceship then," Lieutenant Unchai suggested. "Those things can go far faster than any Tainted animal."


    "Do you know the Aduns, sir?" Khan asked.


    "No, I''ve only searched a few things on the network after studying your profile," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Did you really fly on those creatures'' backs?"


    "It''s safer than you think," Khan laughed.


    "Is it?" The Lieutenant questioned, but Khan limited himself to shaking his head without interrupting his laugh.


    "Ok, slow down a bit now," Lieutenant Unchai said while tinkering with the screen in front of his seat. "You need to turn to the right and continue straight for a while to reach our destination."


    "Where are we going, sir?" Khan asked while following the indications.


    "Our destination is one of the largest human camps on Onia," Lieutenant Unchai revealed. "The humans have built it around a big mine of faswite, but the Ef''i have a few buildings there. The tournament for first-level warriors will also happen there."


    "I thought the event would have been grander," Khan responded. In his mind, something like the tournaments would need a city or vast settlements.


    "Wait until you see it," Lieutenant Unchai replied. "Also, the surface is never important with the Ef''i. Life thrives underground here."


    Khan nodded before falling silent. His eyes went on the screen in front of Lieutenant Unchai from time to time to make sure that his direction was correct. He didn''t know how the car could know its exact location in areas that the Global Army''s network didn''t reach. Still, he didn''t voice questions and decided to focus on the winds blowing on his face.


    ''This is too slow,'' Khan thought as he slowly pressed harder on the accelerator.


    "You have changed," Lieutenant Unchai eventually announced. "I guess that''s normal after everything you have been through."


    "How so, sir?" Khan asked while feeling glad that the Lieutenant wasn''t scolding him about the car''s speed.


    "You look mature," Lieutenant Unchai explained.


    "I have always been mature," Khan declared.


    "Maybe you didn''t change too much," The Lieutenant scoffed, and Khan laughed. Then, the soldier noticed that something was off and turned toward Khan to question him. "Are we going faster than before?"


    "Not at all," Khan promised. "It must be the heat, sir."


    "What heat?" Lieutenant Unchai shouted before heaving a helpless sigh. "Fine, you can go as fast as you want, but slow down once the camp is in sight."


    "What are the rules of the tournament?" Khan questioned now that the Lieutenant mentioned the camp again.


    "One versus one fights," Lieutenant Unchai began to list the rules, "No weapons allowed, and avoid killing if you can."


    "That''s it?" Khan asked.


    "That''s it," Lieutenant Unchai confirmed.


    "Can I really kill them?" Khan continued.


    "Do you want to?" Lieutenant Unchai asked in an emotionless tone.


    "No," Khan replied before continuing with words that brought a pensive mood to his mind, "It''s just easier."


    "You have really changed," Lieutenant Unchai sighed. "You can use spells, but I''d avoid it in your case."


    "I guessed as much," Khan revealed.


    The Ef''i were a battle race. They would respect Khan if he won, but they would inevitably hold grudges if he ended up killing many of their young soldiers. That went in the opposite direction of his goal.


    "Will you be fine without your knife?" Lieutenant Unchai asked.


    "I don''t know," Khan admitted. "I''ll come up with something."


    "They are stronger than us before the evolution," Lieutenant Unchai reminded. "Their tail is also a natural weapon. I don''t need to tell you that they are quite challenging."


    "I remember," Khan sighed. "I''ll just hurt them badly if I must."


    "You have grown confident in yourself," Lieutenant Unchai commented. "That''s good."


    "It''s pointless to lay low right now," Khan added. "I need to win."


    Lieutenant Unchai stared at Khan for a while before moving his eyes on the sterile environment. He almost couldn''t recognize Khan. The latter had gone from a playful kid to a confident soldier in a single year. The sight was almost depressing.


    "Do you know anything about Lieutenant Dyester?" Khan asked after a while.


    "As far as I know, he is the same as always," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Ylaco''s training camp has gained new recruits, so he has to work again from time to time."


    Khan nodded, and silence arrived again. The car continued to shoot through the barren path until a series of structures appeared in the distance and forced him to slow down.


    The camp was far larger than Khan had predicted. It wouldn''t be wrong to call it a small town due to its sheer size. A tall fence stretched for hundreds of meters around multiple dark buildings. A few green structures also stood among them. The settlement could contain thousands of soldiers, and that was only the surface.


    "So?" Lieutenant Unchai asked in a proud tone.


    "I don''t understand why you call this a camp," Khan stated, and the Lieutenant laughed.


    A few soldiers stood in front of the fence''s entrance, but they moved aside when they noticed Lieutenant Unchai. Khan led the car inside the parking area to the right, and his inexperience with those vehicles became evident in that situation. It took him a while to complete the procedure correctly.


    "You''ll get better," Lieutenant Unchai comforted Khan after they stepped out of the car.


    "I bet the spaceships are harder to ride," Khan sighed.


    "Not really," Lieutenant Unchai revealed. "You can''t hit anything in space, and you can complete some procedures with the auto-pilot."


    Lieutenant Unchai led Khan outside the parking area, and a few soldiers quickly approached them to be their guides. However, a scene that Khan found familiar played in his vision before the two men could say their names. He could see a group of Ef''i approaching his position, and he even recognized Teco among them.

 Chapter 281: Rematch

    "Is this happening again?" Khan whispered while wearing a fake smile at the sight of the approaching Ef''i.


    "I have no control over this," Lieutenant Unchai said in an apologetic tone before spreading his arms and raising his voice. "[Teco]!"


    "[It''s not a case that the kid won the last time]," Teco exclaimed before turning toward Khan to speak in a bad human accent. "I''m glad to meet you again."


    "[Honor are mine]," Khan said as best as he could.


    Teco didn''t hide his surprise to see Khan speaking his language. Khan''s performance was poor at best, but he still managed to make the Ef''i understand what he meant.


    Meanwhile, Khan simply felt glad to understand the Ef''i''s language. He needed to replay the words in his head at times, but he confirmed that he wouldn''t remain in the dark when conversations happened near him.


    "Khan," Someone spoke from the center of the group. The Ef''i opened a path, and Khan soon could see Eztli stepping forward to stand at Teco''s side.


    Eztli had grown taller during that year. More muscles had also appeared on his slender figure and the tight yellow tank top that he wore only highlighted them.


    "I think a rematch is mandatory before the tournament starts," Teco said in a bad human accent. "I hope your candidate doesn''t mind."


    "Khan was born ready!" Lieutenant Unchai proudly announced while patting Khan''s shoulder.


    Khan rolled his eyes before stepping forward. He knew that escaping that situation was impossible, and part of him even wanted to test his strength against the Ef''i. Besides, that fight could work as a preparation for the tournament.


    Eztli also stepped forward and revealed a confident grin. His tail slammed on the ground as his nails stretched and his muscles bulged. Khan could sense the mana moving inside the alien''s body to create a defensive layer that fused with his pale-brown skin.


    Khan caressed the sheath to his left before closing his hand into a punch. Piercing that defense through the Divine Reaper would be easy, but he couldn''t use his weapon during the tournament, so it was pointless to wield it now.


    ''I wonder if that can work this time,'' Khan thought before bending forward and waiting for the two leaders to give the order.


    "Fight!" Lieutenant Unchai shouted as soon as both fighters appeared ready.


    "[Fight]!" Eztli followed, and Khan promptly shot forward.


    Eztli had become a first-level warrior during that year, but his limbs remained unable to follow Khan. However, the same didn''t apply to his tail.


    Khan saw the Ef''i''s pointy limb shooting toward him as soon as he entered his range. The attack would have made Khan change direction one year ago. Yet, he had gone through countless battles during that period. His experience went far beyond his age.


    Khan bent forward even further. The tail touched the upper side of his head before sliding past it. A cut opened under the relatively short hair, but that wasn''t enough to make him stop.


    The ground seemed incredibly close as Khan kicked with both feet to launch himself forward. His torso went back as his legs moved forward and bent. Eztli didn''t even have the time to cross his arms before Khan''s knees slammed on his abdomen.


    Khan''s airborne attacks carried the entirety of his weight and momentum. They were final blows in the Lightning-demon style. His last technique didn''t express his peak battle prowess due to the lack of rotations, but it remained among his strongest moves.


    The Ef''i were above the humans in terms of pure physical prowess. They didn''t reach the Stal''s insane levels, but they compensated that through spells and martial arts.


    Eztli slid on the terrain for two meters. His toenails dug the ground to interrupt his momentum, and his tank top shattered due to the impact.


    The tail slid over Khan''s head for a second before Eztli decided to retract it. The attack didn''t break the alien''s posture, but Khan had every intention to continue with his offensive. However, a peculiar sight appeared in his view and made him stop. The piece of Eztli''s tanktop that had fallen had revealed a foot-shaped scar.


    Eztli understood the reason behind Khan''s surprise and decided to stop too. He smirked as he glanced at his scar. His sharp nails went on his tank top and tore it apart before he slammed his palms on his chest.


    Khan also smiled but for very different reasons. He had actually read something about that in one of the books obtained on Ecoruta. The Ef''i weren''t bad in the medical field, but they often decided to retain their scars to remind themselves of their defeats.


    Instead, Khan''s smile carried a bit of longing. The scar had reminded him of who he was when he first came to Onia. He recalled the fear toward his own power and aggression and compared it to his current confidence and coldness.


    "[Stop holding back]," Eztli said while Khan was busy inspecting the scar.


    Khan raised his head to glance at Eztli''s four eyes. He could see pure happiness on the alien''s face. The latter approached battles in ways that Khan had never considered. Eztli was having fun exchanging blows with an opponent at his level.


    Khan had learnt to lose himself during his battles, but that new approach tempted him. His thoughts started to disappear as he tried to enjoy the fight without minding all its negative aspects. His mind began to cut away everything to leave a simple desire behind. Khan wanted to win for the sole sake of bathing in a victory.


    ''I guess it''s pointless to test him any further,'' Khan thought as his sensations started to fill his mind. ''He can defend against my kicks, so I have to rely on my mana.''


    Khan shot forward again. Eztli threw his tail toward Khan, but he dodged it completely at that time. The relatively ample movement prevented him from reaching the alien before he could remove the openings in his guards. Still, Khan wasn''t aiming to exploit his speed to land clean blows now.


    A fast rotating kick landed on Eztli''s right arm. The alien had used it to protect his side, and the lower power contained in the attack also allowed him to remain in his position. Yet, red-purple energy came out of Khan''s shin right after the impact.


    Eztli felt that something was off, but his arm worked fine, and nothing seemed broken, so he proceeded to wave his left arm at Khan. His tail also rose above his head as it waited for Khan to dodge.


    Khan instinctively pushed himself forward while bringing his raised foot to the ground. Eztli couldn''t reach him even if he rotated his body to follow those movements. However, that only applied to his arm.


    Eztli''s tail didn''t have his arm''s limitations. It descended at high speed and managed to land on the side of Khan''s right shoulder. Still, he continued to move around the alien, so the limb ended up leaving a deep cut that reached his tattoo before coming out of his body.


    Khan had sensed the arrival of the tail. He had the chance to use the [Blood Shield], but he decided to avoid revealing his abilities before the tournament.


    After the tail came out of Khan''s body, he rotated on himself to deliver a powerful kick on Eztli''s waist. His mana flew out of his foot and entered the alien''s body, but nothing significant happened.


    Eztli swung his tail toward Khan, but he raised his arm to block it. The alien started to rotate toward him, but another kick landed on his waist and hindered his movements.


    The tail rose, and Khan sprinted around Eztli again. The alien couldn''t see his precise location now, so he waited for an attack to arrive. Khan didn''t make him wait long. He threw a kick as soon as he stopped on Eztli''s side before jumping back to avoid the descending pointy limb.


    Khan took a few steps back after landing on the ground. He didn''t need to check his injury to know its state. His eyes could remain fixed on his opponent, and his senses made sure to tell him everything that was happening inside the alien''s body.


    Something was definitely changing. Khan had already kicked Eztli four times, and his mana had entered his body during those attacks. The alien''s arm had blocked the first blow, but the other three had landed directly on his waist and abdomen, which allowed Khan to notice some reactions.


    The layer of mana that had fused with Eztli''s skin had remained mostly intact, but the energy flowing inside his body had begun to find hindrances, especially when it passed through his waist and right arm. Those issues were still too faint to make the alien notice them, but they were definitely happening.


    ''It can work then,'' Khan thought before falling back into his unique mental state.


    The chaos element had destructive features, but they were too faint when Khan didn''t use his mana for spells or specific martial arts. However, he had learnt how to change the nature of his energy on Nitis, so he could also enhance its iconic abilities.


    The problems obviously resided in Khan''s ability to enhance those features during his attacks. He had to add another process to his martial art, which already went beyond what the Niqols did. He wouldn''t feel confident in succeeding with the Divine Reaper. Yet, the issue didn''t appear impossible when it came to the Lightning-demon style.


    Khan dived deeper into his special mental state and took deep breaths as he focused on his mana. He had to perform his kick correctly before enhancing the nature of his energy and releasing it. He also needed to use his movement to push it inside his opponent to make sure that it reached decent depths.


    Eztli waited for Khan to move. He knew that he wasn''t as fast as his opponent, so he had to adopt a defensive approach.


    Khan didn''t make him wait long. He sprinted forward when he felt ready to test that new approach. The pointy tail soon filled his view, but he ducked to continue his charge under it. Eztli''s waist quickly entered his range, and his foot soon slammed on that area.


    Eztli tried to close his arms around Khan while retracting his tail to block his escape path. Yet, Khan placed his raised foot on one of the incoming forearms and used it as a foothold to jump.


    Khan slipped past the incoming arms and tail while flying above Eztli. His figure began to rotate before a heel descended toward the alien''s head. Still, Eztli managed to put his tail in the kick''s trajectory and block most of the attack.


    Khan used the tail as a foothold to push himself outside Eztli''s range. He flew backward and performed a backflip before landing on the ground and shooting forward again. His new approach required multiple attacks, and he had every intention to deliver them.


    Soldiers began to gather around Khan and Eztli as their battle continued. The same happened to some Ef''i who happened to be nearby and notice the fight.


    Similar scenes happened relatively often inside camps with both humans and Ef''i. The Ef''i liked to test their strength, even outside training areas, and the soldiers had adapted to those habits.


    Moreover, Khan''s battle was quite scenic. He danced around and above Eztli while the latter waved his arms and tail in the hope of inflicting severe injuries.


    The two''s endurance was incredible. Eztli endured kick after kick without showing any reaction, while Khan ended up suffering injuries from time to time. They were mostly superficial cuts caused by the restrained dodges meant to keep the alien in his kick''s range. Still, Eztli also managed to stab his tail deeply whenever Khan decided that he could gain from that.


    The long battle eventually tore Khan''s uniform apart. He had to leave his defensive gear on Ecoruta, so all the attacks that landed on his body created bloody cuts or holes that gave a gruesome appearance to his torso. He made sure to keep his legs safe, but he sacrificed everything else as he continued to release kicks.


    Lieutenant Unchai began to worry at some point. Khan never slowed down, but the injuries accumulated on his body were reaching a concerning number. He was losing a lot of blood, and even his complexion started to grow pale.


    The only detail that stopped Lieutenant Unchai from putting an end to the battle was Khan''s confident expression. Khan smiled during his relentless offensive, and his eyes never lost their focus. His face said that everything was going according to his plan.


    The Ef''i couldn''t help but approve of Khan''s resilience. They had heard about him and did their research after his nomination for the tournament, but they could confirm his value now. He was a brave warrior who didn''t fear pain, which the Ef''i respected with their whole selves.


    Nevertheless, everyone expected Khan to lose. Eztli had yet to suffer visible injuries, while Khan''s torso was covered in blood. He even appeared on the verge of fainting.


    Then, during one of the usual exchanges, Khan slammed his foot at the center of Eztli''s chest and used the impact to push himself away. He even took a few steps back and interrupted his offensive as he kept his eyes on his opponent. Everyone believed that he was about to surrender, but Eztli suddenly spat a mouthful of blood and fell unconscious on the ground.

 Chapter 282: Three weeks

    No one expected that outcome. After all, Eztli had looked fine until the moment before collapsing. Still, it was impossible to deny that surprising scene. Everyone remained dumbfounded as green blood continued to come out from the Ef''i''s mouth and created a large puddle.


    Teco immediately shot forward to check on Eztli. The surprise on his face intensified after he placed his hand on the alien''s back and studied his condition. Teco couldn''t help but raise his four eyes toward Khan, who was doing his best to keep his back straight.


    Khan knew exactly what had happened. He had been the only one among the crowd who had kept track of Eztli''s condition during the fight. He had sensed how his kicks had continued to destabilize his opponent''s insides until his body couldn''t endure them anymore.


    The breaking point had led to a chain reaction that had involved different organs. Entire parts of Eztli''s insides had shut down due to the chaos that Khan had planted with his kicks. The Ef''i tissues, mana, and blood had basically turned on their owner after Khan''s influence had become too intense to suppress.


    ''It works,'' Khan thought as he did his best to stabilize his ragged breath.


    Dizziness filled his mind, and the desperate desire to faint almost made him sit down, but he suppressed those feelings to remain on his feet. Khan had something to prove to that battle race. He had to show the Ef''i that he was a threat worthy of their respect.


    The soldiers and Ef''i on the scene experienced multiple emotions when their gazes fell on Khan. They could see the many injuries that filled his shoulders, head, back, and chest, but they also noticed how he didn''t appear fazed by them.


    Khan was a gory mess, but he was still on his feet. Besides, his azure eyes had remained wide open even after Eztli had fallen on the ground. He appeared ready to keep fighting even if he had demonstrated his awareness of Eztli''s conditions.


    "[Did you hold back]?" Teco eventually asked before gesturing to his underlings to grab Eztli.


    "[Yes]," Khan honestly admitted in his bad accent.


    "[Good]," Teco stated while standing up. "[You wouldn''t have survived in the tournament otherwise]."


    Khan kept his poker face, but questions inevitably appeared in his mind. He wanted to know the true meaning behind those words, but that wasn''t the right time.


    "I told you that he was ready!" Lieutenant Unchai laughed while stepping forward and placing a hand on Khan''s back while making sure that he didn''t touch any injury.


    "I''m fine," Khan whispered when he understood that the Lieutenant was trying to support him.


    "I''ll bring Khan to the medical bay now," Lieutenant Unchai announced while retracting his hand and wiping the blood on his uniform. "Unless you want him to fight someone else."


    "I can''t wait to see him at the tournament," Teco replied while wearing an odd smile. "He can beat [Eztli], but our candidates are far stronger."


    Khan understood the meaning of Teco''s previous words after that statement. Eztli wouldn''t join the tournaments because he wasn''t strong enough to be there.


    The news tried to break Khan''s poker face, but he managed to suppress any flicker. He could do far better, but he had still tested his real offensive power against Eztli. Stronger opponents would be hard to defeat if he didn''t improve.


    "How long do I have until the tournament?" Khan whispered as the Ef''i nodded at him and started to leave the scene.


    "Three weeks," Lieutenant Unchai revealed.


    "I hope this camp has a training hall," Khan added.


    "The Global Army has already given its approval," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "You can destroy as many training dummies as you want as long as you bring the faswite home."


    "The faswite is already home," Khan commented. "I need the training hall to avoid killing anyone."


    "That''s an arrogant claim," Lieutenant Unchai responded. "The Ef''i in the tournament won''t be weak. Don''t underestimate them."


    Khan limited himself to nod, but a different answer rang in his mind. He could see that he was different. The Ef''i from before and most soldiers in the audience had never been part of a war, and Khan felt able to notice that. He was a proper soldier, while most of the warriors inside the camp had never actually killed anybody.


    The level of his resolve was in a different realm. The Ef''i worshiped battle prowess, but Khan had already proven himself on an actual battlefield. His mind touched thoughts that those in his surroundings didn''t have, which was his greatest advantage in the incoming tournament.


    "Let''s hit the medical bay," Lieutenant Unchai eventually announced before stepping forward.


    Khan followed his superior across the vast camp while many eyes fell on him. It was easy for those soldiers and Ef''i to recognize foreigners, and his bloodied state didn''t help him go unnoticed.


    Multiple buildings appeared and disappeared in Khan''s vision. Most of them were habitations, but many belonged to specific branches. Ylaco''s training camp had wider diversity, but Onia''s settlement had structures that involved advanced subjects, especially when it came to the creation of synthetic mana cores.


    It turned out that the camp had three medical bays, with two of them in the outskirts of the settlement. The duo could reach one of them rather quickly, and a series of nurses dealt with Khan''s injuries as soon as he entered an empty room.


    The nurses applied lotions and bandages before forcing Khan to sleep. They ordered him to sleep for the rest of the day, but he limited himself to a short nap that used only a few hours. Lieutenant Unchai was still waiting for him by the time he got out of the structure.


    "I will show you your habitation now," Lieutenant Unchai exclaimed as the two began to walk.


    "There''s no need for that," Khan responded. "I''ll probably spend these weeks in the training hall. Just have someone bring a pillow."


    "No mattress?" Lieutenant Unchai joked before sending a series of messages on his phone.


    The Lieutenant changed direction after exchanging those words. He led Khan into a different part of the camp''s outskirts to reach a giant dark building that contained various training halls. Khan could use the most advanced areas due to his status as a chaos wielder.


    "Someone will bring you food three times a day," Lieutenant Unchai explained after the two stopped in front of one of the last sliding doors. "We have masters in the camp, but I''m afraid they won''t be able to help you with your element. You can still request for someone to look after you when it comes to your martial arts, but something tells me that you''ll refuse this offer."


    "I only need you to remind me when the day of the tournament is approaching," Khan stated while unlocking the door with his phone and inspecting the dark hall.


    The training hall was almost entirely empty, but spots on the floor lit up with a white light whenever Khan''s feet touched them. He could find the hole where to put his phone in no time, and he even noticed the small bed in the corner.


    "You can contact me through the training hall," Lieutenant Unchai announced. "Other than that, I''ll try to keep your stay here as peaceful as possible. I know it''s a loss for your goals, but the Global Army values the faswite far more than a potential ambassador."


    "Don''t worry, I understand," Khan said before nodding at Lieutenant Unchai and sealing the training hall.


    Three weeks on Onia and the actual tournament could give Khan the time to establish meaningful relationships with the Ef''i or other soldiers in the camp. However, winning the faswite was more important in the Global Army''s eyes, so the training hall had to be his primary concern.


    ''Now,'' Khan thought as he plugged his phone into the training hall and began to skim through the various menus.


    His idea for the tournament was quite simple. The Niqols could transform slaps into punches and hands into swords through their ability to manipulate mana. Khan wanted to apply the same theory to the Lightning-demon style, but his goal didn''t involve a sharp change in his energy''s nature.


    The chaos element already carried destructive properties. They weren''t powerful when Khan limited himself to launch his energy forward, but he could change that by applying the Niqols'' teachings.


    The process didn''t require deep emotions or thoughts connected to images that depicted destruction. Khan had to work on his foundation to improve his attacks. His ability to manipulate mana had to grow past its current level to become threatening.


    Khan didn''t need to test his current proficiency level. He was competent in both his martial arts, so his training dummies had to meet a simple requirement. They needed to be resistant to internal damage.


    ''Three weeks,'' Khan thought as the hall''s workshops started to release noises. ''I can''t do much in this short time, but I might be able to reach a decent level if I focus everything on a single nature.''


    Khan wanted to reach Liiza''s level when it came to the manipulation field, but he didn''t need that right now. The tournament''s rules went against him, but he could put his everything on learning how to enhance the chaos element''s innate features. In short, he had to shorten the number of kicks required to knock down his opponent.


    The prospect of the tournament''s battles was clear in his mind. Khan could guess what would be waiting for him during the event when he used Eztli as a starting point. His opponents would be complete warriors who didn''t have limitations on their spells. He would have to deal with Ef''i ready to express the peak of their power when he had to hold back his best attacks.


    Eztli had almost managed to bring Khan to his limit. He could use the [Blood Shield] to protect himself from deeper injuries, but he couldn''t abuse that technique. He also had access to his version of the Divine Reaper, but it was better to keep that as a secret technique for harsher battles. In short, Khan had to rely on his kicks, but he had to bring them to a decent level before the tournament.


    One of the hall''s walls eventually opened, and a slightly fat puppet walked out of it. Khan could sense the synthetic mana running inside its body, but he failed to keep track of the energy''s movements when it crossed its chest, legs, and joints.


    ''Does it have reinforced areas?'' Khan wondered before shooting forward and throwing a kick at the center of the puppet''s chest.


    Khan didn''t focus on enhancing the chaos element''s properties during his attack. His attention was on the mana sent inside the puppet. He made sure to follow it with his senses to understand if the training dummy met his requirements.


    Sadly for Khan, the puppet''s chest caved in after the kick. Its insides remained intact, but the rest wasn''t as sturdy as he wished. The dummy tried to swing a punch at him after he retracted his leg, but he promptly raised his hand to launch a spell.


    A red-purple light came out of his palm as violent energy shot forward. The mana expanded in a conical area and enveloped the puppet. The spell didn''t affect the movement''s speed, but the arm approaching Khan''s face shattered before it could reach him.


    Similar scenes happened to other parts of the puppet. Its chest, face, and the front part of its legs crumbled into a rain of dust and metal shards. When the spell ended, the dummy had lost most of its body, and only its back had remained entirely intact.


    Khan had the chance to study the puppet''s insides during his kick and after the Wave spell completed its destruction. The training hall couldn''t come up with harder wires and tubes for the dummy''s insides, but it could add layers to its metallic surfaces to increase its resistance. Its sensitive parts would be able to survive internal attacks like that, but Khan needed more from his opponents.


    The floor lit up again, and Khan tinkered with the menus to change the stats of his opponents. He didn''t want the training hall to sacrifice external defense for internal resilience. He needed the puppets to have both features off the charts to mimic the struggles that the tournament would put in front of him.


    After the training hall pulled the old back, a new puppet came out of the wall. The new dummy was even fatter, but it was also taller than the previous, and its limbs were larger to contain the additional gears required to move that heavier body.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to shoot toward his new opponent and throw a kick aimed at its chest. The puppet endured the attack, and its metal didn''t cave in after the impact. Khan also lost sight of his mana right after it entered the dummy''s body, which made him smile in satisfaction.


    The puppet tried to use that chance to wrap its arms around Khan, but he stepped back before falling prey to that slow hug. The dummy clearly couldn''t match his speed, but he didn''t need to test himself in that situation. He required something that could endure his kicks without falling apart too soon.


    ****


    Author''s notes: My mind has been a mess in the past few days, but I''m better now. Thank you for your patience.


    Shoutout to vking1999 and Rogueguinness13 for their castles and to everyone else giving gifts. The system only announces the big ones, but I see all of them, and I''m grateful.


    I''ll probably hit the bed now, but I plan to write 2 more chapters for Chaos once I wake up. They aren''t enough to fill all the missing spots from last week, but I feel like writing them, so welp.

 Chapter 283: Confidence

    Khan forgot that he was on Onia. The training hall became his entire world, and he didn''t mind losing himself in his training. His new project was necessary, and he liked how it made him feel closer to the Niqols.


    Khan had to put part of his exercises aside to focus entirely on his ability to manipulate mana. His training dug deep into the nature of his energy and continued the process started on Ecoruta.


    The chaos element was free, violent, and powerful. It didn''t necessarily want to destroy, but it liked expressing its might without bothering about what stood in its path. It was a selfish form of energy, but it brought waves of relief whenever Khan unleashed it without limiting its nature.


    Khan ended up finding differences between his personality and his element as his training continued. The Slums had taught him to be selfish, but he could be extremely selfless when it came to people that he considered dear.


    Something told Khan that he could find similarities in that difference, but he preferred to focus on accepting those features for now. His introspection eventually brought him to a simple conclusion. Part of his selflessness was toxic since it came from his high resistance to pain.


    Khan could sacrifice himself easily due to how used he was to suffering. Liiza and others had complained about that, and the time inside the training hall made him acknowledge that issue properly.


    The matter didn''t involve a lack of self-esteem. Khan knew his value, and he desired happiness, but he was also ready to pay a steep price to achieve it.


    That wasn''t inherently a problem. Khan''s current superiority came from his resolve and ruthlessness. Still, he couldn''t let that feature remain an instinctive part of his personality since it often ended up hurting those who cared about him.


    Khan needed to learn how to desire without sacrificing himself. That step felt necessary for his training. His character and the nature of his mana had to find common ground where they could both grow.


    Many battles happened in-between those introspections. Khan didn''t forget that he had to apply his growth to his kicks, and the training dummies allowed him to keep track of his improvements.


    Days went by between long meditations and harsh battles against unbeatable puppets. Khan didn''t talk, think, or waste time. He never interacted with the outside world, and the door of his training hall opened only when he needed to pick up his meals.


    The four dark walls of the training hall became his everything, but he didn''t feel trapped. Actually, that unrestrained cycle of battles and deep introspection made Khan experience complete freedom. He was in a simple room, but he was traveling farther than he had ever done through his mind.


    Khan felt surprised about his own improvements. The isolation had forced him to face his problems without any external interference. The politics, his goals, traumas, and experiences didn''t matter anymore in that small environment. For once, he managed to put himself at the center of his universe and study his true shape.


    The three weeks went by in no time. Khan had learnt to ignore the outside world so deeply that he forgot his phone and the many messages that appeared on the training hall''s dark walls. His concentration was scary. He didn''t realize that something outside him existed. He had fully lost himself, which brought freedom that no one could disrupt.


    The entrance of the training room eventually opened, and an anxious Lieutenant Unchai stormed in with every intention of scolding Khan. Yet, the sight that unfolded in his vision left him speechless for a few seconds.


    Khan was sitting at the very center of the training hall. A dim light illuminated the area and revealed many cracks on the various surfaces. The floor, walls, and ceiling had holes and lacked large chunks of their fabric in certain spots. Metal shards and pieces of broken dummies also filled his surroundings, and a strange vibe enveloped the scene.


    Lieutenant Unchai didn''t know how to describe the scene. The training hall was damaged in many spots, and the scraps that filled the floor only enhanced the messy vibe that enveloped the area. Yet, he also sensed a deep calmness that seemed to lack an actual source.


    "What time is it?" Khan said without opening his eyes.


    "The tournament starts tomorrow," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "You have less than eight hours to prepare."


    "It''s fine," Khan stated while interrupting his meditation and straightening his position. "I''m ready."


    Lieutenant Unchai didn''t say anything after that statement. His eyes often fell on Khan, but he decided to remain silent. Something had changed in his expression, and the soldier didn''t know how to explain that event. Khan''s face brimmed with resolve, and Lieutenant Unchai didn''t want to ruin it with useless questions or jokes.


    The Lieutenant led Khan toward the center of the camp. Everyone appeared busy, but both soldiers and Ef''i halted their duties when the duo walked near them. They wanted to take a good look at the candidate, especially after hearing what had happened three weeks ago.


    Khan felt all the gazes that fell on him, but his mind ignored most of them. He was allowing the world back into his senses, but he forced the process to be slow out of fear of losing the mental state achieved during his isolation.


    Only Khan knew how much he had grown in the last three weeks, but the soldiers and Ef''i seemed able to understand something during their quick inspection. Khan didn''t actually change, but the resolve that filled his face revealed part of his new mental state.


    The center of the camp featured a vast hole that stretched deeply into Onia''s underground world. Multiple rectangular structures that worked as elevators stood at the gorge''s edges and connected the surface with the bottom of the area.


    Lieutenant Unchai led Khan toward one of the elevators and activated its functions. The two descended into the hole, and a glowing spectacle soon unfolded in their vision.


    Onia''s surface was barren. The two suns gave the planet two mere hours of darkness, and the hot temperatures prevented the appearance of vegetation. However, the underground world featured a far different environment.


    Plants and multicolored flowers started to appear as the darkness of the hole replaced took control of the area. Onia revealed its rich flora as Khan and Lieutenant Unchai dived into its underground world. The sight was mesmerizing, but Khan seemed unable to focus on those details.


    The elevator stopped when it reached a vast underground hall with consoles, screens, and a series of metal pillars meant to reinforce the structure. Multiple large tunnels expanded from the area, and a series of artificial lights illuminated them with their dim light. Flowers and plants also thrived on the rocky walls and ceilings, and Khan could even feel many presences in the distance.


    "You will have to remain locked in a room until the tournament starts," Lieutenant Unchai explained while leading Khan into one of the tunnels. "I have texted you the rules of the tournament. Did you take a look at them?"


    "No," Khan honestly admitted as he inspected his surroundings without moving his eyes from the path ahead.


    "Are you okay?" Lieutenant Unchai asked as worry started to amass in his mind. "You seem off."


    "I am off," Khan responded. "I have never been more off in my entire life."


    "What?!" Lieutenant Unchai exclaimed, but confusion soon arrived when he heard Khan''s chuckle.


    "Don''t worry," Khan stated. "I won''t lose. I don''t think I can."


    Lieutenant Unchai didn''t know what to say, but something in Khan''s voice appeased his worries. Moreover, the cave where Khan would have to stay had appeared in his view, which put an end to his ability to influence the situation.


    "Go inside," Lieutenant Unchai exclaimed after reaching the cave''s entrance. "The room will seal itself once you enter it. This is your last chance to voice requests."


    Khan remained silent as he stepped inside the room and watched two walls sliding out of the openings behind him. The room was about to close, and he took that chance to voice one simple line. "I expect a promotion after I win the tournament."


    Lieutenant Unchai didn''t have the chance to reply. The cave closed before he could say anything, but he still voiced a deep sigh as he stared at the dark walls that divided him from the room''s insides.


    Khan didn''t need to inspect the cave to understand its layout. He could sense synthetic mana flowing inside tubes hidden behind those rocky surfaces. Onia''s underground world resembled a giant machine filled with life.


    The cave was as simple as possible. It was small and featured a single bed in the corner. It also had a tiny corner with a hole that Khan quickly connected to a bathroom.


    Khan sat on the bed and closed his eyes. The world continued to fill parts of his mind as he allowed it to enter and occupy spots that he had previously reserved solely for himself.


    Khan didn''t want to lose what he had achieved during his isolation, but he couldn''t close himself to his surroundings either. As the hours passed, he made sure to find a stability that satisfied him. Then, he decided to sleep to bring his condition to its peak.


    The sound of sliding doors cut his nightmare short. Khan opened his eyes and sat on the bed as his cave opened and revealed Lieutenant Unchai''s stern figure. The soldier had a clean military uniform in his hands, and his expression showed his intense anxiety.


    Khan didn''t say a word. He took the new uniform and changed before following Lieutenant Unchai across the tunnels. The synthetic mana flowing inside the rocky walls tried to hinder Khan''s senses, but he remained able to notice countless presences drawing close as he marched through the underground structure.


    The tunnel eventually ended, and a giant underground hall unfolded past it. Khan could see a circular area filled with soldiers and Ef''i sitting on platforms dug into the tall walls. Multiple artificial lights also shone on the ceiling and focused their glow on the large stages at the center of the scene.


    The area contained hundreds of powerful warriors. Their presences fused to create a heavy atmosphere that threatened to suffocate Khan. He had never seen such a dense gathering of mana. Most of the humans and Ef''i in the area were stronger than him, and some even reached levels that filled his mind with fear.


    "The Global Army has sent a Colonel to oversee the tournament," Lieutenant Unchai whispered while accompanying Khan down a staircase that led at the bottom of the area.


    Khan limited himself to nod as he grew used to the pressure generated by the many stares that had converged on him. By the time he reached the bottom of the area, he could ignore everything that surrounded him and focus on the other Ef''i and soldiers that had gathered near the stages.


    Only a dozen warriors stood at the bottom of the area. Khan exchanged gazes with the Ef''i and soldiers and noticed the various emotions that filled their eyes. He saw anxiety, confidence, fear, and resolve. No one was in the mood to talk, and he was fine with that.


    The rules of the tournament were quite simple. The Ef''i would gamble multiple mines that day, and winning would grant the warriors the chance to fight for the best ones. Needless to say, the last battle was the most important event, but Khan would have to defeat three opponents in a row to reach it.


    The glow of the artificial lights intensified after the last members of the audience exited the many tunnels connected to the hall and took their seats. Silence filled the area as the warriors at the center of the area led their respective underlings toward the stages that would host their battles.


    Lieutenant Unchai led Khan toward one of the rings to his right. The platform was large and had short staircases connected to its surface. He could jump directly on the stage, but something told him to use the steps.


    Lieutenant Unchai followed Khan on the ring before moving toward the two Ef''i that had climbed the opposite staircase. One of the aliens also started to walk forward and reached Khan in a few seconds.


    Khan had read about that procedure. He spread his arms and let the Ef''i check him. The alien took away his phone and knife before nodding at him and returning toward his tall underling. Lieutenant Unchai did the same as he carried a series of metal rings taken from the Ef''i''s tail.


    Lieutenant Unchai and the older Ef''i then descended the staircases and took their place on opposite sides of the ring. Similar scenes happened in the other stages, but Khan didn''t move his eyes from his opponent during that procedure. The alien was more than two meters tall, and big layers of muscles covered his body. Seriousness filled his face, and faint tremors ran down his tails.


    The lights began to change color as each ring became ready to fight. Their white glow gained yellow shades, and countdowns appeared under the contestants'' feet. Sounds even resounded from the stages to mark the passage of time. Khan glanced at the numbers written in two different languages approaching zero without making any move. It was forbidden to summon mana before the battle actually started.


    Then, when the numbers disappeared and a green light filled the stage, Khan shot forward. His opponent filled his tail with mana and swung it toward him to create an ethereal yellow slash that carried sharp properties.


    Khan cut to his left to dodge the slash, but the Ef''i didn''t hesitate to launch two more of them. The two attacks created an ethereal cross that forced him to change direction again.


    More ethereal slashes flew toward Khan and prevented him from approaching his opponent. The alien began to perform the same spell with his arms, which generated a rain of attacks that ended up blocking Khan''s paths. He couldn''t advance, and the storm of blows threatened to push him away.


    Khan kept track of the Ef''i''s condition during his evasive maneuvers. The alien wouldn''t get tired anytime soon, so he couldn''t remain in that situation. Coldness flashed in his eyes as he interrupted his dodges and shot forward toward three ethereal slashes flying in his direction.


    A red-purple wave of energy came out of Khan''s figure before the slashes could reach him. The Wave spell destroyed the attacks and opened a path, but the Ef''i promptly launched more ethereal abilities.


    Khan watched the slashes growing close to his position and decided to jump. Gasps resounded among the audience in front of that reckless action, but he didn''t hear them. The Ef''i mustered mana to prepare more ethereal attacks that could exploit Khan''s airborne state, but the latter had no intention to remain without a foothold.


    Khan lowered his legs when he was right above the slashes. His feet seemed to carry no weight as they touched the ethereal attacks and used them to push him forward.


    The Ef''i remained dumbfounded when he saw Khan shooting forward and landing under him. His clawed hands and tail tried to cover his torso, but a kick reached his abdomen before they could complete their movement.


    Khan''s foot released a wave of red-purple mana while it unleashed the entirety of his momentum. The Ef''i tried to stab its toenails into the floor to stabilize his position, but he suddenly lost control of his body and fell prey to the enemy attack.


    The Ef''i flew away and ended up outside the ring. His figure rolled on the ground a few times before he could stop himself and stand up again. The alien quickly tried to approach the stage again, but surprise suddenly filled his expression. He tried to cover his mouth, but green blood spurted out of it anyway and forced him to crouch.

 Chapter 284: Second round

    The Ef''i tried his best to stand up, but more blood came out of his mouth whenever he tensed his abdomen. Something had broken, but he still wanted to get back on the ring to continue the fight. However, his body didn''t listen to his commands, and his superior eventually shook his head before crossing his arms above him.


    Khan didn''t know the meaning behind that gesture, but the ecstasy that filled Lieutenant Unchai''s face told him that the battle was over. The older Ef''i had announced his underling''s surrender.


    The other rings were still hosting battles, but the audience voiced surprised gasps anyway after witnessing the outcome of Khan''s fight. Many even clapped their hands to announce their approval, and that gesture didn''t come only from the humans.


    Khan didn''t let the victory ruin his concentration. His eyes moved to a wave of mana to his right. His hand rose in an attempt to catch it, but the energy escaped his grasp. He didn''t even feel it on his skin.


    ''Too thin,'' Khan thought as his mind played the sensations experienced during his previous sprint.


    Khan had used the Ef''i''s slashes as a foothold before, but he had never managed to pull off something similar in the past. The mana unleashed by the alien had been dense enough to create a platform that his feet could use to push himself forward.


    The action gave Khan insights into the superior proficiency levels of the Lightning-demon style. His recent move had been almost instinctive. He didn''t think before jumping on the slashes. He had merely felt that they could work as a foothold, so he had gone for that.


    The success in that new move opened a whole world in front of Khan. His sensitivity to mana allowed him to see the waves of energy in his surroundings. It was actually hard to find spots that didn''t have mana floating around.


    Of course, that mana was thin. A faint gale was enough to disperse it. Khan couldn''t even begin to conceive the proficiency level he would need to reach to use that energy as a foothold. Yet, the same didn''t apply to eventual spells. Even the bullets seemed suitable to become footholds now that he thought about it.


    The battle offered more insights, especially regarding Khan''s ability to enhance the chaos element''s natural properties. His opponent didn''t resort to any defensive technique, but a single kick would have normally failed to defeat a first-level warrior with a superior physique. Yet, the internal damage inflicted through his energy had been enough to put him out of combat.


    The outcome would have been different if the Ef''i had a defensive technique or had managed to block the kick. Still, neither had happened, so the battle had ended in a single attack.


    ''They are strong,'' Khan thought after reviewing the battle.


    The Ef''i had forced Khan to use his spell and best sprints to win. Having access to the knife wouldn''t have changed the situation either. The aliens in the tournament were strong, and those in the next rounds would only be harsher to defeat.


    ''I might really have to kill someone,'' Khan sighed as that realization solidified inside his mind.


    Lieutenant Unchai didn''t share Khan''s worries. The soldier was happy beyond reason in front of that victory. Thanks to Khan, the Global Army had already gained a minor mine, which was enough to improve his mood.


    Moreover, Khan had proven himself to be worthy of that nomination. He had struggled during the initial phases of the battle, but he had won without suffering any injury. That alone filled the Lieutenant with hope.


    Khan approached the staircase and began to leave the ring, but a wave of strange mana suddenly landed at his side and made him turn toward the audience. His eyes ended up on one of the platforms that held both humans and Ef''i, and a surprised smirk eventually claimed his attention.


    Almost everyone in the audience had stopped caring about Khan to focus on the other battles, but a smiling man had his gaze fixed on him. The soldier had short black hair and brown eyes. His chin lacked a beard, and his face appeared relatively youthful and lively. However, the amount of mana in his figure declared that he was different from the others on his platform.


    Khan glanced at the man''s shoulders to confirm what he had perceived through his senses. The soldier''s uniform had five pairs of stars. He was the strongest warrior and mage in the entire underground hall, and Khan quickly understood that he had found the Colonel sent by the Global Army.


    Khan glanced at his left arm. The strange mana had fallen there, but nothing had happened. He couldn''t feel any difference in his skin or muscles eyes, so his confused eyes soon went back on the Colonel.


    The Colonel''s smile widened at that sight, and he even shook his head to reassure Khan. The latter didn''t understand what was happening, but Lieutenant Unchai approached him before he could inspect his superior any further.


    "Stop staring," Lieutenant Unchai whispered while placing his hands on Khan''s shoulders. "Perform a salute and meditate. You only have three hours before the next battle."


    Khan nodded and performed a military salute, but the Colonel had already moved his attention on the other battles. Khan took that chance to inspect his left arm again, but everything continued to be okay.


    The superior of the defeated Ef''i approached Khan and Lieutenant Unchai to hand back the phone and the knife. Khan accepted those items and exchanged a nod with the alien before moving toward a side of the area.


    The battles on the other rings continued to unfold while Khan sat next to the metal wall under the platforms. The Ef''i seemed to have the upper hand over the humans, but the soldiers didn''t give them an easy time.


    Spells flared on each ring. The other contestants didn''t hold back during their fights. Khan didn''t have a good view from his position, but he could still use his senses to keep track of the battles and find the strongest Ef''i.


    A few Ef''i stood out from the rest, and they soon proved their value by defeating their opponents. Gasps and cheers resounded among the audience as more warriors left the rings. All of them saluted their superiors, but their gazes fell on Khan when they approached the metal wall.


    Khan replied to those glances, but he quickly stopped caring about the Ef''i. His attention went back to the other battles, and he watched as they reached their end. Only two soldiers had ended up defeating their opponents. The aliens had dominated the first round.


    "Is it always like this?" Khan asked while keeping his voice down.


    "What do you think?" Lieutenant Unchai scoffed. "Focus on yourself. Don''t worry about the others."


    It wasn''t hard to understand why the Ef''i won so much. Their tails and claws were natural weapons that gave them a stark advantage over the humans. Also, they had stronger bodies, they were generally tall, and their culture was heavily battle-oriented. Onia''s harsh natural conditions gave them incredible resilience, and their four eyes granted them heightened vision.


    The matter would have been different if the Ef''i had proper flaws like the Stal, but that wasn''t the case. The humans would have to be far stronger to defeat them, and only a few soldiers could meet those requirements.


    Khan listened to Lieutenant Unchai''s advice. He closed his eyes and fell into his meditative state. He didn''t get tired after his battle, but he wanted to check whether the Colonel had done something to his body.


    Khan couldn''t find anything even after checking his body through his mana. He guessed that the Colonel only wanted to study him, but he didn''t know how to feel about that.


    The same strange mana had reached the two victorious soldiers, which reassured Khan a bit. Still, he didn''t like that gesture, and he hated the fact that he couldn''t defend himself from that inspection even more.


    Khan eventually put the matter aside during his meditation. He couldn''t blame himself since the Colonel was a fifth-level warrior and mage. Also, the tournament claimed his full attention, especially after he confirmed the Ef''i''s prowess.


    Lieutenant Unchai interrupted Khan''s meditation to hand him quick meals or drinks meant to vanquish eventual tiredness. He accepted everything before returning to his rest, and the time for the next battle eventually arrived.


    The Ef''i had removed some of the rings during that break. The stages could close into large rectangular items that could pass through the tunnels, so transporting them wasn''t an issue. In their place, the aliens had brought larger platforms that expressed the superior value of the following battles.


    The same procedures happened when Khan and a young female Ef''i stepped on the ring. Lieutenant Unchai and the alien in charge of the enemy contestant checked the two fighters before leaving the stage. The glow of the artificial lights intensified as countdowns appeared on the metal floors.


    Khan had inspected the Ef''i''s previous battle. She was faster than her peers, and her slimmer chest granted her superior agility. She still couldn''t match Khan''s speed, but she had something else that made him worry about the imminent fight.


    The floor turned green, and Khan shot forward. The Ef''i smiled in front of that scene and spread her arms while raising her tail to wait for his arrival.


    Khan kept track of the mana inside his opponent. The Ef''i was gathering her energy on her palms and tail, but the process made it faint. It seemed that her mana was losing its properties.


    The strange event didn''t affect Khan''s sprint. He reached the Ef''i in an instant, and his body rotated to deliver a kick aimed at the center of her chest.


    The Ef''i crossed her arms to block the kick. Her limbs endured the powerful attack, but a red-purple glow followed after the impact. Khan studied his mana entering the alien''s limbs, but his eyes flickered when he lost track of it.


    The tail shot forward, but Khan used his raised leg to kick it away. While his foot approached the ground, a red-purple glow covered his right hand and created an ethereal short sword. As soon as Khan restored his balance, he threw the chaos claws spell toward one of the arms still crossed in front of the Ef''i''s chest.


    Khan had every intention of ripping away one of the Ef''i''s limbs, but his red-purple short sword vanished when the spell began to pierce her skin. The alien had forced his mana to disperse again, and her tail promptly moved to exploit that opportunity.


    The tail hit Khan''s exposed side and pushed him away. He had sensed the arrival of the attack, but he had decided not to deploy the [Blood Shield]. The blow had made him lose his breath for a second, and a metallic taste had also filled his mouth, but the impact allowed him to retreat.


    Khan took a few steps back before stopping and bending forward. His side felt numb, and waves of pain spread from where the tail had landed. The pointy limb didn''t break anything since it had wasted its mana during the previous attack, but he had still felt it.


    The Ef''i stopped playing around. She shot forward when she saw that Khan was trying to find a way to deal with her abilities. Mana moved through her body and lost its features again as she reached him and threw her tail forward.


    Khan watched the pointy limb drawing near. The Ef''i could remain outside his range thanks to her tail, but he wouldn''t let her exploit that innate advantage. He sidestepped the attack right before it could pierce his head, but a long cut opened on his right cheek due to how close his dodge had been.


    Khan didn''t care about that minor injury. He closed the distance with his opponent while his cheek left a trail of blood on the tail. The Ef''i prepared her arms to block the incoming attack, but her eyes widened in fear when he pushed his palm forward and made it shine with a red-purple light.


    The Ef''i began to retreat out of fear of facing Khan''s spell, but a kick landed on her ankle before she could escape his range. She lost her balance and began to fall to the floor, but Khan made sure to raise his leg and deliver another attack.


    The alien moved her arms and intercepted the incoming kick. She even dealt with the mana that followed the attack through her peculiar methods. Her feet had the chance to reach the floor after she supported herself on Khan''s leg, but she found herself unable to retreat since he had closed his firm grasp around her tail.


    The Ef''i began to move her mana while mustering her strength to pull back her tail, but Khan didn''t dare to waste that chance. Waves of mana came out of the hand around the pointy limb as he threw kicks to destabilize his opponent again.


    The alien couldn''t attack Khan when she had multiple spots to protect. Moreover, Khan made sure to sweep her feet whenever she restored her balance, so escaping his grasp became impossible.


    A flurry of attacks landed on the Ef''i''s body. Khan kicked her right side, waist, legs, and arms violently without forgetting to add his destructive mana to the offensive. His hand also continued to send waves of red-purple energy inside the tail, and pieces of her skin eventually shattered as she grew unable to deal with the relentless offensive.


    Then, Khan faked an attack aimed at her side and made her prepare mana on that spot before slamming his raised leg on the floor. He used that limb to spin on himself and lift his other foot. His movement ended up being too fast for the Ef''i, who didn''t have the time to protect her face from the incoming attack.


    Khan didn''t follow the impact with a wave of his mana since he feared what internal injuries in that spot could cause. However, the Ef''i wasn''t protecting her face, so something broke. Cracking noises resounded on the ring as the alien fainted and green blood tainted Khan''s shoe.

 Chapter 285: Crazy

    The Ef''i fainted, but Khan didn''t let her fall on the floor. He pulled her tail and bent forward to put an arm around her right shoulder and lay her down gently.


    Green blood came out from the alien''s mouth and nose. Part of her facial features had taken odd spots, but Khan soon stopped looking at her. A splashing noise reached his ears when he took a step back. His right cheek felt hot and wet, but his right hand ended up claiming the entirety of his attention. His palm and fingers had turned green, and he could even see pieces of the Ef''i''s tail there.


    Khan''s battle had been the second to end. The audience didn''t hesitate to focus on him and study his figure. They felt amazed to see him virtually unharmed for the second time, but they didn''t hold back to show respect for his victory.


    The Colonel''s heavy gaze fell on Khan again, but no strange energy reached him at that time. Khan glanced at the young-looking soldier while wiping his hand clean on his uniform. The man smiled and nodded at that sight, but Khan didn''t make any gesture.


    Lieutenant Unchai and the older Ef''i approached Khan when he left the ring. The alien was as respectful as possible, while the soldier could barely hold back his excitement. Still, Khan went through those interactions without paying attention to them. Worries had filled his mind after the battle, and he couldn''t quell them easily.


    ''She could deal with the chaos element,'' Khan thought while approaching the metal wall to rest. ''I got a bit arrogant.''


    No one had been able to deal with the chaos element on Ecoruta. The Global Army also valued chaos wielders a lot, so Khan had begun to think that he was virtually unbeatable among first-level warriors as long as he went all-out.


    However, his last opponent had proven how counters to the chaos element existed. Khan had still overcome the Ef''i through a mixture of superior experience and prowess, but that was only the second battle. His next fight would probably feature someone at the same level or stronger than the female alien, and that wouldn''t even be the end of the tournament.


    The second rounds took a while to end, but their outcomes matched what Khan had realized after the first fights. Only another soldier had managed to win, and his condition was far from great. The Lieutenant that took care of him had to carry him to a medical bay due to the injuries suffered during his battle.


    All the victorious Ef''i ended up focusing on Khan when he remained the only human contestant in the area. He had paid attention to their battles, but he didn''t deign them of his gaze. He stayed deep into his meditative state while Lieutenant Unchai applied a smelly ointment on the cut on his right cheek.


    The Lieutenant had wanted to say something since the end of the battle, but Khan''s pensive mood masked with an aloof face stopped him from voicing anything. The soldier didn''t want to ruin his apparent concentration, especially since he was faring exceptionally well in the tournament.


    "What will happen to the other soldier?" Khan eventually asked when the three-hour break was about to end.


    "He won''t forfeit," Lieutenant Unchai shortly replied.


    "He can''t recover in time for the third battle," Khan continued. "And he can''t take special drugs either. He has no chance to win."


    "He will still try," Lieutenant Unchai declared while placing his back on the metal wall. "Who knows? He might be able to injure your future opponent."


    "Do you finally trust me to reach the fourth round?" Khan teased in an aloof tone.


    "I know you''ll do everything in your power to reach it," Lieutenant Unchai explained before lowering his face and continuing through whispers. "Your next opponent is strong."


    "I know," Khan exclaimed as his eyes went on the male Ef''i staring at him from the other side of the area.


    Khan had kept track of most battles. He had been unable to understand everything from his position, but he had gained a vague idea of his potential opponents during those inspections.


    His next opponent had been the first to claim a victory during the second round. The Ef''i was fast and could use fire-based spells. His experience also appeared great.


    "Don''t hold back against him," Lieutenant Unchai suggested. "The fourth battle will happen tomorrow, but you might fail to heal if you suffer severe injuries."


    "I''ll win," Khan sighed while closing his eyes, "Both today and tomorrow."


    Lieutenant Unchai fell silent, but he soon had to call Khan to make him reach a ring. The Ef''i had moved the stages again, and the large area only featured two of them now. Only two humans had remained, so it made no sense to have more of them.


    Khan and his opponent entered the ring, but the audience''s abrupt cheers made them glance at a tunnel. A sorry figure covered in bandages and ointments walked out of the passage and approached the ring with a Lieutenant marching at his side.


    The enemy Ef''i didn''t seem to mind that the Lieutenant had accompanied the injured soldier on the ring, but that gesture revealed the severity of his condition. The wounded contestant could have probably fainted on his way to the platform.


    "He won''t win," The Ef''i in front of Khan said in a bad human accent. "You won''t either."


    Khan felt almost able to read the intense battle intent on the Ef''i''s face. The taunt brimmed with confidence, but it also had a deeper meaning. The alien wanted Khan to use his full power during the battle.


    Khan smiled before shaking his head and letting the waves of mana in his surroundings fill his mind. A countdown appeared on the floor under him, and his figure shot forward when the stage turned green.


    The Ef''i voiced a battle cry as mana shot out of his left hand. The energy turned crimson and gained scorching properties as it transformed into a long whip that swung in a straight line.


    Khan felt forced to dodge to his left, but the Ef''i created another scorching whip with his right arm and swung it at him. Khan jumped to avoid the attack, and sizzling noises reached ears while the two spells remained on the floor.


    The Ef''i laughed as he swung both whips toward Khan. The latter sprinted forward to get close to his opponent and avoid those spells, but the alien rotated on himself quickly and prevented him from getting close.


    Khan ended up sprinting in a circle around the Ef''i. The whips continued to follow him, and the alien never stopped spinning on himself. The two threatening spells couldn''t reach Khan, but he faced the same problem.


    In theory, the alien had to get tired before Khan. Keeping two spells active while spinning so quickly consumed more mana than a simple sprint. However, the Ef''i didn''t show any sign of exhaustion even after that exchange continued for a whole minute.


    Khan eventually understood the nature of the issue. The scorching mana that came out from the alien''s hands had hindered his inspection, but he managed to see past the whips after spending a minute running around his opponent. The Ef''i wasn''t adding more mana to his spell. He was only protecting his palms from the fiery weapons.


    That low mana consumption began to make sense and forced Khan to change his approach. He slowed down slightly and let the whips approach his back before slamming his feet on the floor and performing a backflip.


    The Ef''i couldn''t interrupt his momentum as abruptly as Khan. The latter jumped over the whips and sprinted toward his opponent as soon as his feet touched the floor. The alien tried to invert his rotation to swing his fiery weapons at Khan, but it soon became clear that time wasn''t on his side.


    Khan reached the Ef''i in no time and prepared himself to deliver a powerful rotating kick. Yet, the alien suddenly let go of the whips and unleashed a wave of flames that caught both of them in its fiery might.


    Khan retreated while ripping apart his military uniform. Burning and fuming rags fell on the ground as he removed everything still on fire. A pitiful spectacle unfolded in his vision when he inspected his condition, but the Ef''i wasn''t too better off.


    Only a few rags had remained on Khan. His chest, arms, and knees were in the open now, which revealed his poor state. Burns filled his skin. Most of them were superficial injuries, but they didn''t look good anyway.


    The Ef''i had suffered similar injuries. His hands were a mess, and the same went for his arms. Still, he appeared able to endure the pain and move normally. He even managed to keep his grin on his face.


    ''Crazy bastard,'' Khan cursed in his mind as the corners of his mouth curved upward.


    Khan had sensed the arrival of the spell. He even had the chance to protect himself with the [Blood Shield], but he had held back after understanding how much mana the Ef''i had put in his attack.


    The alien had held back and had relied on his superior body to suffer less than his opponent. Yet, the spell had unleashed most of its power at its center, and the Ef''i''s hands had to endure it.


    The Ef''i quickly summoned his fiery whips again, and Khan''s smile widened at that sight. The alien didn''t show any sign of pain on his face even after wielding his scorching weapons. He appeared crazy beyond reason, but Khan could relate with that approach. He could play that game even better than his opponent.


    Khan promptly shot forward, and the Ef''i swung his whips toward him. The weapons created a cross-shaped hindrance that threatened to converge on Khan, but a red-purple light came out of his figure before they could land on him.


    The whips shattered after facing the wave spell, but the Ef''i salvaged their base by pouring more mana on them. Khan saw the broken weapons on his path again when he reached his opponent, but he decided not to face them.


    Khan ducked to sweep his opponent''s legs, but the Ef''i didn''t let that attack surprise him. The alien jumped and dodged the kick while slamming his whips downward.


    Khan didn''t expect the Ef''i to read his attack so well. The alien had been fast enough to dodge his kick and launch a finishing blow at the same time.


    The sight was quite surprising for Khan. It was rare for someone to be faster than him, and the alien didn''t fit in that category either. Khan''s top speed remained unmatched, but the Ef''i had managed to surpass him during that short exchange.


    Khan could kick himself away to dodge the attack, but the Ef''i was airborne now. The latter couldn''t avoid anything in that position. Khan believed that he wouldn''t get a better chance during the battle.


    The whips began to fill Khan''s vision, but his hands soon barged into the scene. The [Blood Shield] covered his palms and allowed him to grab the weapons without suffering severe injuries. His skin burnt and generated an unbearable pain, but he endured everything.


    Khan moved the whips out of his way. The Ef''i didn''t hide his surprise, but he still let go of his weapons once he understood what was happening. Yet, he reacted one second too late, which allowed Khan to create an opening where his leg could pass.


    Khan used the floor as a foothold to throw a powerful kick at the center of the alien''s torso. The latter spat a mouthful of blood as the attack pushed him in the air, and his eyes widened in fear when he saw that his opponent began to prepare another technique.


    The whips dispersed when Khan threw them away and started to rotate on himself. His hands went on the floor as he used his movement to launch both of his legs upward.


    Khan''s timing was perfect. The alien would fall right into his kicks, but he had a different plan. The Ef''i pointed his tail downward, and crimson energy began to accumulate on its tip during his descent.


    The large amount of mana accumulated on the tail worried Khan, but the alien''s timing had also been perfect. Khan was already performing a handstand, leaving him no room to dodge the incoming attack. He could only activate the [Blood Shield] again and hope that his kicks would put an end to the battle.


    A beam of scorching crimson light shot out of the tail when Khan''s kicks landed on his opponent. The fiery attack reached Khan''s back, but the blood vessels in that spot clotted before the impact and saved his insides.


    The kicks flung the Ef''i away. The alien ended up outside the ring and rolled for a while before using his limbs to stop himself. He then tried to stand up, but a river of blood exploded out of his mouth and made him faint on the spot.


    ****


    Author''s notes: It''s no secret that my mind is out of place. I''m taking it easy, so thank you for your patience again.


    I''m writing, so another chapter will arrive today, and I''ll do my best to do two more after dealing with Demonic Sword. Anyway, I hope you like the new cover!

 Chapter 286: Bottle

    Lieutenant Unchai almost shouted when the Ef''i lost consciousness. Khan had won, but his expression froze when he saw his poor state.


    Khan didn''t stand up right away. He sat on the floor and inspected his condition while curses resounded in his mind. His chest was relatively okay, but his arms, hands, and back were a mess that would take longer than a day to heal.


    The [Blood Shield] had prevented the Ef''i''s attacks from leaving deep injuries, but Khan''s skin had still paid a heavy price. The whips and the last beam had threatened to break his defensive technique, which sounded incredible considering the level of his ability.


    Khan couldn''t find intact skin on his palms and back. Blood accumulated on his burns due to the blood vessels that had shattered after he withdrew the [Blood Shield]. His heart beat faster than usual, and his chest felt heavy as the pain from his injuries intensified.


    ''Fuck,'' Khan cursed in his mind before standing up and showing his cold face to the audience.


    His gestures didn''t reveal anything, which only gained the approval and respect of the Ef''i in the audience. Khan had long since proven himself to be a great first-level warrior, but each victory brought him closer to being the very best.


    The other fight had ended long ago. The injured soldier couldn''t last long against his opponent, and even a reckless offensive didn''t give him the chance to inflict injuries. Khan could only suppress a sigh as he left the ring and let Lieutenant Unchai drag him inside a tunnel.


    The Lieutenant shouted a series of orders in both languages while a cave drew close. Two soldiers appeared in front of the entrance by the time Khan sat on the simple bed in the corner. The two were carrying bandages and ointments that they didn''t hesitate to apply to his injuries.


    "Tell me that you can still fight tomorrow," Lieutenant Unchai said in an anxious tone after the two soldiers left the cave.


    "I can still fight tomorrow," Khan replied in an uncaring tone.


    "Khan, I''m serious," Lieutenant Unchai scolded. "You might actually win the tournament."


    "I told you that many times," Khan teased. "Did you start to believe me only now?"


    "Mock me as much as you want," Lieutenant Unchai stated, "As long as it helps you deal with the stress."


    "I''m not stressed, sir," Khan sighed. "I have been through far worse. How can I get anxious over a mere tournament?"


    Lieutenant Unchai gulped before kneeling in front of Khan. He placed his hands on his shoulders, making sure not to touch the bandages before opening his mouth to speak. "You have no idea how valuable tomorrow''s battle is. The mine of faswite at stake is bigger than everything gambled in the previous fights."


    "What are you asking me to do?" Khan said while fixing his eyes on Lieutenant Unchai''s face.


    Khan could see the struggle in the soldier''s mind. He had already understood the meaning behind the Lieutenant''s internal conflict and hesitation, but he wanted him to voice those thoughts.


    Lieutenant Unchai was one of the few people who knew how much Khan had changed during that one and a half years. He had seen Khan going from a playful kid to a cold-blooded warrior. That was great from the Global Army''s perspective, but the issue about his age remained. He was incredibly young, even too young to have his current mindset.


    The Lieutenant had to decide which advice to say in that situation. As Khan''s superior, he had obligations toward his growth and well-being. However, he was also a soldier who had to prioritize the Global Army''s interests.


    "Don''t hold back in the next battle," Lieutenant Unchai declared as a tinge of shame appeared on his expression. "Kill your next opponent if you must, but bring the mine home. We''ll find ways to mend your relationship with the Ef''i later."


    Khan smiled and nodded, but very different thoughts appeared in his mind. He even experienced a bit of sadness. He had just confirmed that Lieutenant Unchai was a soldier of the Global Army before being his ally.


    ''I won''t put my goal at risk,'' Khan thought while the Lieutenant straightened his position and did his best to appear satisfied. ''Yet, I still have to win. This is getting troublesome.''


    Khan inevitably glanced at his bandages. The ointments had suppressed the pain, but he could still feel his injuries. His back and hands wouldn''t heal in a single day, and the rules of the tournament also went against him.


    Some Ef''i had been unable to join the second and third fights due to a lack of opponents. They could choose the warrior to send to the fourth battle on their own, without minding the number of victories they had claimed.


    Khan''s last opponent would probably be in perfect condition, with a set of abilities that countered his Lightning-demon style. Khan couldn''t even keep the [Blood Shield] a secret during the tournament, so he had lost a trump card that he could use to create a winning blow.


    His fingers shook, and no amount of concentration made them stay still. Holding his knife would be a problem with his hands in that state. His back would also annoy him during his spins, but he had to win anyway.


    A heavy presence eventually entered the range of Khan''s senses and made him snap out of his thoughts. Lieutenant Unchai realized what was happening only after his superior got closer to the cave, but he performed a military salute in no time. Even Khan began to stand up as the Colonel appeared before the entrance.


    "Don''t worry about these formalities," The Colonel announced while stepping inside the cave and pointing at the bed. "Sit. I only wanted to have a short chat."


    Two soldiers had followed the Colonel, and one handed him a rectangular bag before both left the cave. The superior even glanced at Lieutenant Unchai, and the latter promptly nodded before following his companions.


    Khan broke the military salute and sat cross-legged on the bed. The Colonel nodded before opening the bag and taking out a strange-looking bottle with a rectangular shape. The soldier then unscrewed the cap and used it as a cup.


    "They gave me this bottle as a gift," The Colonel explained as he poured the dense dark liquid slowly. "The Ef''i don''t really like to drink, but they try their best when it comes to their alliance with us. Though I must warn you, it will probably taste like shit."


    The Colonel handed the cap full of booze to Khan. A pungent and strange scent reached his nostrils. Khan''s first instinct was to back off the drink, but he suppressed that desire and took it.


    "Do we share the cup, sir?" Khan asked while inspecting the drink.


    "I''m sure you won''t mind," The Colonel stated. "You don''t seem the type to give up on the habits gained in the Slums in less than two years."


    "I''m flattered that a Colonel knows so much about me," Khan commented while taking a sip from the cap.


    The drink was awful. It was dense, and the burning sensation started as soon as it entered Khan''s mouth. Gulping it felt even worse, but a cozy warmth spread throughout his chest after the sip was over.


    "The drink must be worse than my sneaky inspection," The Colonel exclaimed as a sly smirk appeared on his face.


    Khan''s eyes immediately fell on the Colonel. His whole aura had changed after that comment. Khan felt unable to inspect the mana inside his superior anymore. He only saw an empty spot in front of him.


    "Don''t worry," The Colonel said while showing his palm. "I was only checking you all. I didn''t expect you to sense me."


    Khan put the cap on the Colonel''s hand and remained silent. He didn''t understand what the soldier wanted from him, but he didn''t dare to voice questions before figuring out his character.


    "You are wary of your superiors," The Colonel commented before taking a long sip that didn''t cause any reaction on his face. "That''s a good mindset. No wonder you managed to excel during those dangerous situations."


    The Colonel handed the cap back to Khan, and he took it without saying anything. Khan''s eyes also remained fixed on his superior during the whole interaction and while he drank.


    Khan also suppressed his reactions while the dense liquid burnt his mouth and throat. The Colonel smiled at that sight, and he didn''t hesitate to take the cap when Khan handed it back.


    "I checked you after the results of today''s battles," The Colonel explained. "Your achievements stopped being surprising after reading your profile. You must feel in a playground among a bunch of kids."


    "The Ef''i are strong, sir," Khan replied.


    "There is an immense difference between those preparing for war and those who have seen it," The Colonel stated. "You are even a chaos wielder. I bet you could blow up the whole ring if you wanted."


    "Your idea of me is flattering, sir," Khan announced.


    "You didn''t deny it," The Colonel chuckled before emptying the cap and closing the bottle. "First-level warriors usually don''t interest me, but you are definitely special."


    "My element makes me unique," Khan declared.


    "Your uniqueness goes beyond your element," The Colonel sneered. "The sole fact that you can keep your cool in front of me proves that."


    The Colonel began to scratch his beardless chin. Khan''s silence seemed to amuse him, but his eyes remained intense. The soldier was looking for something, but Khan couldn''t understand what.


    "Definitely too young," The Colonel whispered before heaving a sigh. "Let''s try with incentives. What do you want for your victories?"


    Khan did his best to preserve his poker face as his mouth opened to voice requests. "A promotion, a proper first step in the path to becoming an ambassador, and general support from the Global Army."


    "That''s not special at all," The Colonel said in a teasing tone. "You have Colonel Norrett in front of you. I''m sure you can come up with something better."


    Khan wanted to gulp, but he stopped himself from showing any reaction. The word "colonel" resounded in his mind, and the same went for Lieutenant Dyester''s voice. Colonel Norrett probably knew something about the Nak, but Khan didn''t know how wise it was to question him about that topic.


    Khan opened his mouth before closing it without saying anything. He felt certain that the Global Army was hiding a deeper truth about the Nak. Still, there had to be a reason behind that decision, and he wasn''t in the position to learn it.


    Showing his interest in the Nak''s history could alert someone far above Khan, especially since a colonel would hear his words. Colonel Norrett might have the answers to his questions, but he didn''t dare to voice them.


    "I want that bottle," Khan eventually said while pointing at the bottle in the Colonel''s hands.


    The Colonel''s eyes widened in surprise, but a loud laugh soon left his mouth. He quickly laid the bottle on the bed and turned to leave the cave. Khan remained confused as the soldier stopped hiding his power and vanished in the corridor.

 Chapter 287: Mezmac

    Khan took a short sip from the cap as he adjusted his position on the bed and prepared himself for a long meditation. Lieutenant Unchai inspected him with his curious eyes, but he didn''t dare to say anything or question him about the recent events.


    The Lieutenant didn''t eavesdrop on Khan''s conversation with the Colonel, but he remained curious about the matter, especially after seeing the soldier laughing while leaving the cave. He had no idea what Khan could have said to leave such a good impression on someone so high in the chain of command.


    Khan would be unable to give proper answers even if the Lieutenant mustered the courage to question him. He had decided not to ask anything about the Nak to the Colonel, and the support of the Global Army was enough to grant him everything he needed. His request for the bottle had been somewhat random, even if it voiced some of his superficial desires. Still, he also didn''t expect the soldier to have that happy reaction.


    Khan repeated the conversation with the Colonel in his mind while Lieutenant Unchai inspected him. Truth be told, Khan didn''t understand the soldier at all. The interaction had also been mostly casual, with only one line that seemed to hide something deeper.


    ''Definitely too young,'' Khan repeated in his mind. ''What does it mean? Does he want to recruit me in one of his platoons? Does it have something to do with my element?''


    Khan couldn''t find answers. He didn''t know enough to come up with solid hypotheses either. He could only rejoice a bit due to the faint envy that Lieutenant Unchai''s curiosity tried to hide. That reaction probably confirmed his performance had been good, and that was enough for now.


    "Is drinking before the final match a good idea?" Lieutenant Unchai eventually broke the silence.


    "Sir, I''d like to be alone for the rest of the night," Khan responded without addressing the question. "I hope you don''t mind."


    "No, no," Lieutenant Unchai hastily said while snapping out of his curiosity. "Of course. Do what you need to prepare for tomorrow. I''ll make sure to contact you one hour before the fight."


    "Thank you, sir," Khan exclaimed while wearing a fake smile.


    Lieutenant Unchai nodded before stepping out of the cave and closing it from the tunnel. A groan left Khan''s mouth as soon as he remained alone. It actually hurt to hold the cap, but the ointments and the booze were helping with the pain.


    Khan spared a few more thoughts on the Colonel before giving up on understanding the soldier''s intentions. He took another sip from the cap and crossed his legs as his mind quickly slipped into the meditative state.


    The nature of his injuries became perfectly clear now that mana illuminated them. Khan could confirm that his back and hands wouldn''t heal before the battle, but he had enough time to bring himself to a decent state. The days on Onia lasted thirty hours, so he would also have the chance to sleep a bit.


    Khan''s night went by quietly. He spent most of his time in his meditative state, but he didn''t hold back from taking a few breaks and drinking in silence.


    The booze never got better, but Khan didn''t stop drinking. He didn''t aim to get drunk, but the familiar situation brought pleasant feelings. Longing spread in his mind as Khan left the bed and sat on the ground to bathe on its faint coldness. Onia didn''t reach Nitis'' low temperatures, but that was the best he could do there.


    Khan didn''t remember when he fell asleep. He went from immersing himself in some good memories to facing his nightmare. The unknown solar system filled his vision, but the noise generated by the cave''s metal door eventually forced him to wake up.


    "Is everything okay?" Lieutenant Unchai asked when he noticed Khan sleeping in the corner of the cave.


    "Never better," Khan lied while scratching the corners of his eyes and standing up.


    The ointments'' effects had ended by then. Khan could experience his injuries to their fullest. The burns on his arms and chest had mostly healed, but his palms and back still needed some care. They felt annoying when he moved or closed his hands, but he confirmed that he could ignore them.


    "A soldier will change your bandages now," Lieutenant Unchai announced while gesturing something toward the right side of the corridor. "He will give you a new uniform and apply the oint-."


    "I''ll skip the ointments," Khan interrupted. "I don''t want to be clueless about my condition."


    Lieutenant Unchai opened his mouth to say something, but he quickly closed it and nodded. He whispered a few lines when a soldier arrived in front of the cave, and the latter left the cylindric case in his hands outside before approaching Khan.


    The soldier began to change the bandages, but Khan gave him precise instructions when he reached specific spots. Khan didn''t want anything hindering his fingers or waist. He didn''t care if some of his injuries ended up touching the military uniform during the battle.


    The soldier glanced at Lieutenant Unchai whenever he heard those requests, and the latter nodded every time. He was putting his whole trust in Khan, so he didn''t dare to go against him.


    Khan gave dispositions for what was left of his bottle before leaving the cave with Lieutenant Unchai. The two crossed the corridor and reached the large circular hall in a few minutes, and many gazes welcomed them.


    The various platforms were already full. Khan could confirm that the number of humans among the audience had increased since the previous day. He found the Colonel quickly, but he also noticed other powerful presences belonging to unfamiliar faces.


    The audience didn''t cheer or speak. Palpable tension filled the underground hall as Khan and Lieutenant Unchai approached the single large platform placed at the center of the area. Even the Ef''i appeared slightly worried about the incoming battle.


    ''The mine must be really big,'' Khan thought before handing his sheath and phone to the Lieutenant.


    Only two more people stood in the lower part of the underground hall. Two female Ef''i sat on the opposite end of the metal wall as they inspected the newcomers. Khan and the younger alien exchanged a long gaze, but they diverted their eyes when he decided to use the remaining time before the battle to rest.


    The soldier who had handled the bandages had also brought some food, and Khan digested it during the short meditation performed next to the metal walls. Lieutenant Unchai interrupted his rest when the battle was only a few minutes away, and the two remained silent while they waited for the event to start.


    The glow of the artificial lights then began to intensify, and Khan stood up to approach the ring. Lieutenant Unchai followed him, and the two Ef''i imitated them. The usual procedures before the battle went by in a few seconds, and Khan soon found himself alone with his opponent on the stage.


    The countdown appeared on the floor. Khan noticed that it was longer than before, but the Ef''i suddenly claimed his attention by speaking in a decent human accent. "Khan, you will lose if you hold back."


    "[You know I name]," Khan replied as best as he could.


    "[I''m Mezmac]," The Ef''i announced as a smile appeared on her face. "[Give me a good battle]."


    Khan moved his eyes between his opponent and the countdown. He found no reason to answer, but his hands opened and closed as the battle drew close. The uncomfortable sensations and pain radiated by his injuries lost intensity as he focused on the mana in the area.


    Both contestants shot forward when the floor turned green. Khan was faster than his opponent, but the latter halted her steps before the two could clash.


    Khan didn''t let that event stop him, but his eyes widened when he saw the Mezmac using her momentum to launch her tail forward. The pointy limb was outside his range, but it threw a wave of mana when it cracked in the air.


    The attack had the shape of a sharp bullet that reached Khan in an instant. He had sensed his creation and arrival, but he didn''t expect something so fast. He had to duck to his right to dodge the projectile, but the sharp mana ended up leaving a shallow cut on his left shoulder.


    Mezmac used that chance to jump forward. Her body rotated as she performed a kick that Khan dodged easily by taking a step back. However, she followed that movement by cracking her tail and launching another bullet aimed at the center of his chest.


    Khan was faster than Mezmac, but her spell could match his speed. He dodged to his left, and the bullet left a long cut on his right side.


    Khan accepted that dodging the bullets at that distance was impossible, but Mezmac didn''t give him the chance to adjust his position. She continued to advance and deliver fast kicks, punches, and attacks that made use of her claws, and her tail cracked whenever he reacted to them.


    Retreating made shallow cuts appear on Khan''s body, but he didn''t dare to counterattack. That would leave him in the open against the tail. Mezmac also made sure not to show any opening during her offensive, so Khan''s kick wouldn''t have the chance to hit her torso directly.


    Mezmac was making full use of her additional limb and knowledge of Khan''s abilities. She knew that a single kick on her torso could end the battle, so she made sure to force Khan into a defensive position. He didn''t let any severe injury appear on his body, but his situation remained troublesome.


    Khan eventually decided to change his approach. Mezmac threw a kick at him, and he responded with a kick of his own. Their feet met mid-air, and Khan used that clash to push himself backward.


    The superior speed generated by the clash wasn''t enough to escape the threatening tail. Mezmac launched a precise bullet after Khan and forced him to cross his arms in front of his chest before activating the [Blood Shield]. The attack tore his uniform and skin, but his defensive technique managed to prevent the appearance of deeper injuries.


    Khan escaped Mezmac''s range and reached the ring''s edge. The Ef''i couldn''t catch up with him, so she remained in her position and inspected her opponent going back in his stance.


    "[This won''t help you]," Mezmac stated while raising her tail above her head and accumulating mana on its tip.


    Khan didn''t answer. He had kept track of Mezmac''s mana during the previous exchanges. Her spell didn''t require much energy since she relied on the tail''s quick movements to add that sharp power. She could keep fighting for a long time, and his body would be the first to give in.


    His torso, shoulders, and arms featured many shallow cuts. They didn''t release much blood, but they could become dangerous if more of them were to appear. Still, Khan didn''t have a real tactic available. Even his knife wouldn''t help in that situation.


    Mezmac''s tail was simply too fast. Khan could avoid its attacks from his current distance, but the cycle of dodges and injuries would resume once he approached her. Mezmac could also interrupt his spells easily as long as she didn''t commit mistakes, and Khan didn''t want to hope in his opponent''s errors to win.


    "[So, are you ready to fight me seriously]?" Mezmac asked as she bent her knees and prepared herself to resume her offensive. "[I know that you have something else for me]."


    Khan couldn''t help but show some hesitation now that Mezmac forced him to think, and she didn''t like that reaction. Her tail shot forward before stopping abruptly and releasing a fast bullet. Khan had enough room to dodge it, but his legs remained still.


    A broad smile appeared on Mezmac''s face when a red-purple glow shone in her vision. Excitement filled her expression before some confusion made its way among that feeling.


    The bullet had disappeared when Khan had moved his arm. A sharp membrane had appeared around his hand and had allowed him to cut the projectile. However, blood had spurted out of his fingers and palm as soon as he completed the attack.


    "[That won''t be enough]," Mezmac whispered as she kept her eyes on the glowing hand, but her smile broadened when Khan raised his other hand and enveloped it in another sharp membrane.

 Chapter 288: Injury

    The battle changed pace after Khan covered both his hands with sharp membranes. Mezmac immediately cracked her tail forward to fire a bullet, but Khan dodged it by sprinting to his left.


    Mezmac launched more attacks and even tried to predict his movements. Her offensive forced Khan to change the direction of his sprint often. He had to stop, turn, duck, and jump many times under the constant assault of the bullets, but his red-purple membranes never wavered during the process.


    Khan had confirmed that his version of the Divine Reaper could cut the projectiles. The [Blood Shield] also allowed him to endure the damage caused by his martial art, but that approach had a limit.


    The [Blood Shield] was too heavy for his body. Khan had to make each attack count, but he needed to find an opening in his opponent''s offensive first. Mezmac clearly had vast battle experience and confidence in her abilities. She even knew most of his techniques now, so eventual tricks had a high chance of failing.


    Mezmac was beyond smart. She knew that Khan would only dodge her bullets if she aimed them at his current position, so she tried to predict his movements. Khan had to turn left and right while remaining at the ring''s edges to keep avoiding that relentless offensive. He appeared cornered, but that couldn''t be further from the truth.


    Khan had sharpened his senses and sensitivity to mana to their limits to find a pattern. Every warrior had habits that only years of training and battles could remove. He was the same. He instinctively prioritized his left side when it came to attacks and dodges, so Mezmac probably had a similar flaw.


    The flaw didn''t have to be big or important. Khan only needed the chance to gain the upper hand in the battle and interrupt that relentless offensive. He would carve his path to victory with his own hands at that point.


    Khan danced among the bullets until he noticed something. Mezmac always fired her attacks at the same distance from his current position. Their side depended on where he was facing. In theory, he could understand exactly where the following projectile would arrive.


    Khan dodged the incoming attacks a few more times to test his theory, and everything matched his findings. His behavior didn''t betray anything, so Mezmac remained clueless about his plan.


    Mezmac began to launch another projectile. Her mana started to leave her tail when Khan abruptly turned toward her and shot forward. She couldn''t interrupt the attack, so her bullet ended up missing her opponent.


    Mezmac didn''t panic. She had enough time to launch another attack. Her tail cracked in the air and released a bullet aimed at Khan''s chest. She even jumped back to put some distance and gain the time to prepare a third spell.


    Khan had the chance to dodge and suffer only a slight injury or rely on the [Blood Shied] to block the bullet, but he opted for a different approach. He waved his left arm forward and cut through the projectile. The skin above the clotted blood vessels exploded into a gory mess, but he avoided wasting time.


    Mezmac managed to launch her third attack, but Khan cut through it with his right arm. He was basically on her by then. His kicks could reach her, and only half a step separated her from his hands.


    Mezmac didn''t have time to launch the fourth attack, and the situation wouldn''t change even if she could. Khan had reached her, but she wasn''t hopeless.


    Mana moved toward her hands before gathering on her fingertips. Khan began to complete the half-step, but Mezmac suddenly snapped her fingers and sent two bullets toward him.


    The fingers didn''t carry the same power of the tail, but their bullets still forced Khan to interrupt his movement to wave both hands forward. He cut through the projectiles, but that delay allowed Mezmac to attack with her tail again.


    Mezmac had kept part of her abilities hidden, and Khan could only improvise. He cut the new bullet and tried to follow with another attack, but she snapped her fingers again. Khan used his other hand to destroy one of the projectiles, but the other slammed on his shoulder and forced him to use the [Blood Shield] on that spot.


    The tail launched another bullet, and Khan cut it before having to face the fingers again. Mezmac continued to retreat, but it would take her a few cycles of attacks to reach the ring''s edges. Khan could already feel his chest growing heavy due to his abuse of the [Blood Shield], so he knew that he wouldn''t last until that point.


    Mezmac snapped her fingers and began to gather mana in her tail, but surprise filled her face when she saw Khan jumping forward while performing a partial rotation. One of the bullets missed him, but the other pierced his right arm and reached his side. A metallic taste immediately spread in his mouth, but he focused his everything on stretching his left arm.


    His glowing hand dug deeply in Mezmac''s chest. The injury made her lose her balance and fall on her back, and Khan followed her on the floor. Her tail tried to shoot at his face, but he swung his left arm toward it. His fingers cut through her flesh as they came out of her and severed the pointy limb.


    Mezmac cried in pain, but Khan didn''t hear her. Dizziness filled his mind, and the world in his vision began to spin. His sharp membrane broke, but he was above his opponent, so he managed to close his left hand on her face.


    "Give up!" Khan shouted as drops of blood fell out of his mouth.


    His balance was all over the place. Khan had one knee on Mezmac and the other on the floor, but he felt about to fall. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, and the Ef''i noticed his poor state.


    Mezmac suppressed her pain and began to raise her arms, but a red-purple glow suddenly filled her vision. Khan was pale. He breathed heavily, and he appeared about to faint, but his eyes carried a resolve that she took a while to recognize. She saw killing intent past the radiance spreading from the hand on her face.


    In front of the possibility of death, Mezmac lowered her arms before crossing them above her head. Khan needed a second to notice that gesture, but his entire body relaxed at that point. His opponent had officially forfeited.


    The adverse effects of the [Blood Shield] took control of his body after he realized that he had won. Khan fell to his left and began to cough. He lay on the floor as pain took control of his senses. Everything hurt, and his heavy chest only worsened his condition. He found it hard to breathe for a while before he regained some form of control.


    The world around Khan began to reclaim its place in his senses. His vision started to focus, and his heartbeat grew fainter. Yet, his awareness of his surroundings only brought new waves of pain as he became able to sense all his injuries.


    His hands were on fire, and the same went for the right side of his chest. Khan found it hard to move his right arm, and something inside him released a sharp pain. He had never felt so bad, and he fought back when he sensed a foreign touch on him.


    "Calm down!" Lieutenant Unchai''s voice eventually reached Khan''s ears, and he stopped struggling.


    A familiar figure slowly became clear at his side. Khan recognized Lieutenant Unchai and relaxed his body. The soldier''s mouth moved, but pain and tiredness overwhelmed Khan''s mind. He didn''t want to faint, but he found no reason to remain awake either in his messy state, so his vision quickly went dark.


    The nightmare returned as clear as ever. Khan remained stuck in his memories of the Second Impact for a long time before he managed to wake up. His eyes took a while to focus on the area, but he eventually saw a scene that felt both familiar and unfamiliar.


    Khan found himself in a large cave with multiple black pillars on its rocky walls and ceiling. He was alone in the room. He was lying on a large bed with a series of tubes attached to his body and machines around him.


    ''How did I end up in this situation again?'' Khan mocked himself as he inspected his state.


    His mind felt unnaturally light, but he addressed that state to one of the liquids poured inside his body through the tubes. The military uniform was nowhere to be seen, but a blanket covered his naked body. Khan could see tight bandages around his hands, right shoulder, and chest, but he felt no pain coming from those spots.


    Khan closed his eyes to check his condition through his mana, and he immediately noticed injuries. His back had healed, but the skin on his hands had yet to regrow completely. His right shoulder had a hole that his mana and a foreign substance were slowly closing, and the same went for his side. Still, he felt a faint uneasiness when he studied his chest.


    "You are awake," A female voice suddenly resounded in the room.


    Khan felt surprised to see that an Ef''i had appeared in front of the entrance. He didn''t hear the metal door opening, and her accent had been so perfect that he expected her to be human.


    The Ef''i wore a white medical coat and walked while checking the screen in her hands. Khan could see a series of stats from his position, but his chest began to hurt when he tried to lift his head to peek at the device.


    "Take it easy," The Ef''i ordered while approaching the bed and checking the various machines. "Your values are good, but you are recovering from internal injuries. I''m afraid you''ll need to be here a bit longer."


    "Internal injuries?" Khan asked in a rough voice before clearing his throat.


    "Your hands were better than I expected," The Ef''i explained while pointing at the bandages. "[Mezmac] took your shoulder, but the drugs are working, and your mana is reacting well to them. Yet, I noticed that your heart had suffered some damage during the battle. It''s not serious, but you shouldn''t push yourself for a few weeks."


    ''My heart?'' Khan thought as the memories of the battle flowed in his mind. He couldn''t find anything that involved his heart, but he eventually understood what had happened. The [Blood Shield] was to blame for that.


    "Will I be okay?" Khan quickly asked.


    "Of course," The Ef''i chuckled. "I''ve checked you personally. You didn''t suffer any lasting injury. Though you will carry a few marks."


    Khan heaved a sigh of relief. He didn''t care about the scars, but he didn''t want his journey to end due to his recklessness. He wouldn''t forgive himself if he let a Niqols'' technique be the cause behind such a tragic outcome.


    "Since you are awake," The Ef''i continued, "My congratulations for winning the tournament. I almost can''t believe that you are only seventeen."


    "Thank you," Khan weakly replied. "How long have I been out?"


    "One week," The Ef''i revealed. "The official celebrations have already happened, but there will be an event for you once your condition improves."


    "Did-," Khan began to ask before gulping and continuing his question. "Did Mezmac survive?"


    The Ef''i couldn''t help but nod when she saw Khan''s concern for Mezmac, and her explanation didn''t hesitate to arrive. "She had to go through surgery to reattach her tail and fix her chest, but she will recover. Her days as a warrior aren''t over."


    Khan heaved another sigh of relief. He was mostly worried about his career, but he wouldn''t like to have killed someone over a mere tournament.


    "What happens now?" Khan asked.


    "You keep resting now," The Ef''i ordered. "You aren''t allowed to leave the bed until your internal injury heals. I won''t let your superiors enter this medical bay either, so focus on sleeping and meditating. I''ll leave you alone now."


    The Ef''i left the room quickly, and the metal door slid close behind her. Khan could finally understand why he didn''t hear it before. The entrance simply made no sound.


    ''I guess improving the [Blood Shield] now is just stupid,'' Khan thought as he fell into the meditative state. ''I hurt myself already. The next checkpoint might kill me.''


    The dangerousness of the Niqols'' old ways wasn''t surprising, but Khan had been overconfident in his resilience. He would have died on Ecoruta if a similar internal injury had appeared on the battlefield. He had been lucky that the tournament had happened on friendly terms.


    ''My body needs to get stronger to endure the technique,'' Khan sighed internally. ''I need the [Blood Vortex] as soon as possible.''

 Chapter 289: Opportunity

    The time spent recovering was lonely, and Khan also felt restless during the first days stuck in the bed. He had trained every day in the last period, so being bedridden bored him. He could meditate freely, but he often found himself forced to sleep, which annoyed him due to the nightmares.


    The following days went better. Khan came to terms with his situation and managed to make the best out of it. He had forgotten what it was to rest properly, but he slowly recalled it now.


    The short interactions with the alien doctor and the long hours spent meditating allowed Khan to keep track of his recovery. His hands were the first to heal, and his shoulder and internal injury followed in the next days.


    Khan ate and slept a lot, making sure to prioritize his rest over eventual attempts to perform his usual exercises. He wanted to resume his regular schedule after spending almost two weeks bedridden, but the Ef''i threatened to sedate him if he tried, so he gave up on the matter.


    The Ef''i cleared Khan after two and a half weeks. He could finally leave the bed, and his duties returned as soon as his feet touched the floor.


    The medical bay''s entrance opened as soon as Khan finished donning his new military uniform. He and the alien doctor turned to see a happy Lieutenant Unchai barging inside the room and reaching Khan in an instant to pat his shoulders. The soldier never stopped laughing during the process, and Khan let him have that moment.


    "You really did it!" Lieutenant Unchai shouted. "I can''t believe it! Incredible, incredible!"


    "I told you that I would have won," Khan chuckled. "How did the celebration go?"


    "They have been great!" Lieutenant Unchai shouted again before clearing his throat and lowering his voice. "It''s a pity that you couldn''t come. You have lost the chance to meet many important figures."


    "That''s fine," Khan sighed. "It''s enough that they have learnt my name. I bet that Colonel Norrett has also left."


    "He has been one of the first to leave the planet," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "His duties stretch over multiple planets. He couldn''t remain here any longer."


    Khan nodded before walking toward the entrance. However, a doubt appeared in his mind when he was about to leave the room. He turned toward the smiling Lieutenant, and a question left his mouth. "What do I have to do now?"


    "What do you mean?" Lieutenant Unchai asked.


    "Do I have new orders?" Khan wondered.


    "Right," Lieutenant Unchai exclaimed. "There will be an event tonight. After that, you are free to do whatever you want."


    ''That doesn''t help,'' Khan thought while the Lieutenant approached him.


    Khan didn''t know what to do for his next step. Remaining on Onia felt pointless, but the same went for going back on Ecoruta. He had sort of made peace with what had happened on Nitis. He wasn''t happy, but he didn''t feel awful all the time anymore.


    "The Colonel has reserved a position for you," Lieutenant Unchai suddenly announced as he placed a hand on Khan''s shoulder and led him inside the corridor. "You don''t have to accept, but I think you shouldn''t miss that opportunity."


    "What opportunity?" Khan questioned as his eyes lit up, but a series of presences claimed the two''s attention and interrupted their conversation.


    "Mezmac," Khan called when he saw two Ef''i approaching him from a side of the corridor. He recognized his last opponent and her superior, and his eyes quickly went on her injuries.


    Mezmac was wearing a yellow robe that left her arms and most of her legs uncovered. Khan could see bandages from the opening under her armpit, but his attention eventually fell on her tail. The Ef''i had reattached what Khan had severed during the battle, but the solid white structure covering the tip area stated that she had yet to recover fully.


    "You healed faster than me," Mezmac said while wearing a proud smile. "No wonder I lost."


    "It''s nice to see that you are fine," Khan responded. "I hope that you''ll recover completely soon."


    Lieutenant Unchai pushed Khan toward the two Ef''i before whispering the reason behind his gesture. "They will be your guides today. We''ll see each other at the event."


    The sudden revelation surprised Khan, but he didn''t let the Lieutenant repeat himself. He nodded before approaching the Ef''i and following them across the corridor.


    Mezmac summarized their schedule, and Khan felt more than happy to follow it. The two Ef''i led him across the underground structure and back to the surface, where he met other aliens of a similar age. He also had the chance to meet a few older Ef''i, and everyone congratulated him for his victory in the tournament.


    The schedule was pretty easy. Khan would have to spend the entire day with the Ef''i and follow their training. He approached the event with enthusiasm and joined every exercise the aliens threw at him.


    The Ef''i made use of Onia''s hot temperatures to bring their bodies to their limits. Khan found himself jogging around the camp for a few hours, performing many different exercises that involved the entirety of his muscles, and meditating among them to recover his breath.


    The tiring day reached a major break during lunch hour when Khan joined the Ef''i in a messy and loud meal. More meditations followed that event, and a long sparring session arrived next.


    Needless to say, Khan was pretty popular during the sparring session. All the Ef''i wanted to fight him, but their superiors made sure that they didn''t go all-out. They actually put rules to avoid turning those battles into something similar to the tournament.


    Khan obviously won every fight. His opponents were weaker than the Ef''i met during the tournament, and the rules of the sparring session allowed him to claim victories as soon as he landed a few kicks. He had retrieved his knife during the day, but the aliens never got the chance to test it.


    The long day spent among the Ef''i allowed Khan to gain deeper insights into that battle race. The Ef''i were relatively simple-minded, honest, and battle-thirsty. They didn''t care about the deeper uses of mana unless they could deploy them during their fights. Still, they had a profound respect toward strength, which put Khan on a pedestal during the event.


    Some Ef''i eventually led Khan toward one of the habitations in the camp, where he took a long shower to remove all the dirt, sweat, and sand accumulated during the training and sparring session. The same aliens then accompanied him underground, in a large hall that contained many adult Ef''i and human soldiers.


    Khan also found the contestant of the tournament and Lieutenant Unchai in the underground hall, but he never got the chance to interact with them. The event was a dinner that saw many Ef''i approaching Khan to exchange conversations about his performance. He did his best to behave as politely as possible, but the messy nature of the aliens eventually affected his interactions.


    The long day and dinner allowed Khan to improve his accent and establish valuable connections among the Ef''i. He heard many names that night, but his conversations with those alien figures never involved deeper topics or proper political matters.


    The Ef''i only wanted to talk about the battles, and he could only go along. They even used a device to replay all the matches of the tournament, and Khan found himself forced to give his opinion many times.


    The dinner eventually ended, and the Ef''i led Khan back to the surface. The light had already returned on Onia by then, but it was still too early for the camp to come to life. The streets were empty and silent, with only occasional soldiers and aliens patrolling them.


    The Ef''i began to lead Khan toward a habitation, but they left him when Lieutenant Unchai appeared on their path. The soldier took care of escorting him for the rest of the road, and the two didn''t hold back from conversing.


    "They are a lively bunch, aren''t they?" Lieutenant Unchai laughed happily.


    "They are indeed nice," Khan smiled. "I didn''t expect them to welcome me so warmly."


    "The Ef''i only care about strength," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "They aren''t stupid, but they choose to remain simple. There''s beauty in that."


    Khan couldn''t help but agree. He had a good time among the Ef''i. None of them had treated him differently because he was a human. They were a bit too battle-oriented for his tastes, but they weren''t bad at all.


    "Well, the life of an ambassador isn''t too different from what you have experienced today." The Lieutenant stated. "Do you still want to go down that path?"


    "Of course," Khan honestly declared. "Learning about different cultures, languages, and traditions is fun. The universe is so vast. Remaining ignorant feels like a waste."


    "Good answer," Lieutenant Unchai laughed while patting Khan''s shoulder.


    "What will you do now?" Khan asked. "Will you go back to Earth now that the tournament is over?"


    "Most likely," Lieutenant Unchai revealed. "I have a few options in mind, but I have yet to decide. I might find something temporary before joining a training camp at the beginning of the next academic year. The entrance tests are in less than six months."


    Khan sighed when he thought about those tests. He still recalled the fight against the Tainted boar. That battle seemed to belong to a different and simpler life.


    "You were only an idiot with a shovel back then," Lieutenant Unchai chuckled when he noticed Khan''s pensive expression.


    "A lot has changed," Khan stated before recalling something. "Right, you said that the Colonel had reserved a position for me. What was it?"


    "Oh, that," The Lieutenant exclaimed. "I''m sure a formal offer will come in a few days, but there is no reason to keep it from you. Istrone''s crisis has exposed a weakness in our education. The Global Army is adding a few courses meant for real-life struggles, and the Colonel wants you to teach one of them."


    "What?" Khan couldn''t help but shout.


    "In your case, the subject will involve the dangerousness of real battles," Lieutenant Unchai explained. "Many soldiers can fight, especially those from wealthy families, but it''s rare for them to develop killing intent before seeing the battlefield. Imagine how many would have survived on Istrone if they were all like you."


    The Lieutenant''s words made sense, but Khan still couldn''t accept them properly. He was merely seventeen, but the Colonel wanted him to become an actual professor.


    "How am I supposed to teach them that?" Khan asked.


    "I have no idea," Lieutenant Unchai admitted, "But I''m sure you''ll figure it out. You''ll also have the help of the other professors, so everything will be fine if you decide to accept."


    Khan thought about the matter for a few seconds, but his first instinct was to refuse the offer right away. He wasn''t a professor, and he didn''t want to go back on Earth. He wasn''t ready for the eventuality of facing his father.


    "I''m not ready for that," Khan revealed. "I wouldn''t even know where to begin. I''m just a soldier."


    Lieutenant Unchai scratched his chin without saying anything. The two eventually arrived in front of the tall building containing Khan''s habitation, but neither took a step inside.


    "Look, Khan," Lieutenant Unchai broke the silence, "You have spent the last year fighting. No one can question your prowess, but you need more skills to become an ambassador, and the battlefield can''t give you those."


    "But still-," Khan tried to complain.


    "Besides," The Lieutenant interrupted Khan, "You deserve a break. Go back to Earth, teach other soldiers how you have survived until now, and study alien languages on the side. You can do good by sharing your experiences, and your knowledge will only benefit from the lack of battles."


    Khan wanted to finish his complaint, but no words came out of his mouth. Lieutenant Unchai was entirely right, but Khan still felt hesitant in front of that opportunity.


    "Can I think about it?" Khan asked.


    "Of course," Lieutenant Unchai stated. "You can do whatever you want for now. No one will say anything even if you decide to spend time on Onia. I''m just saying that you should focus on your education for now."


    Khan nodded before stepping inside the building. The Lieutenant followed him, and the two soon stopped in front of a large flat that featured multiple rooms and comfortable furniture.


    "I''ve left the bottle you gave me here," Lieutenant Unchai explained before performing a military salute. "It has been an honor to be with you during the tournament."


    "Thank you, sir," Khan sighed before entering the habitation and sealing the entrance. He had a lot of thinking to do, and he needed to remain alone for that.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I ended up sleeping for 15 hours. I''m working now. I''ll try to make up for what I missed yesterday.

 Chapter 290: Peace

    The idea of returning to Earth had never crossed Khan''s mind during that period. Nitis had left him in pain, broken, and cynical. Thinking hurt, which was why he decided to throw himself into a battlefield.


    However, Lieutenant Unchai''s words made sense on many levels. Khan was only seventeen. He was incredibly strong for his age, but he remained a first-level warrior with no deep knowledge. He was even quite ignorant about common subjects taught in the training camps.


    An ambassador required far more than strength. Someone in that position needed a vast knowledge of the political array, multiple social skills, and a good understanding of alien''s customs. Khan had nothing similar, but he was working on the last point.


    It was clear that the path was long, and Khan understood how traveling through battlefields wouldn''t give him what he needed. A peaceful period when he could study and fill his gaps appeared necessary, and Earth really sounded like his best option.


    The job was even quite fitting. Experiencing the life of a professor wouldn''t only give Khan the chance to expand his social skills. He would also establish many relationships with descendants from important families. His subject was relatively new too, so he expected many recruits to join it.


    Still, Khan remained uncertain. He had no idea how to teach, and his experience with Rick barely counted. Moreover, everything would happen on Earth, which didn''t make him feel too excited.


    When Khan managed to look past his pain and desperation, he could see his true self. He was curious and open-minded. The chance to experience different cultures, species, customs, and planets excited him. He also liked to fight and prevail over his opponents. Life in a safe environment didn''t suit him.


    Nevertheless, Khan had to work hard to achieve a type of life that matched his personality. Right now, his only value came from his battle prowess. The Global Army probably wouldn''t refuse his requests to visit different planets, but he would be nothing more than a soldier there.


    His fame would also fade at some point, and his privileges would disappear with it. Khan could probably reach high positions inside the Global Army before that, but he would be unable to have total freedom if he remained a simple warrior.


    ''Do I really have to go back on Earth?'' Khan wondered while sipping the awful booze from the cap.


    Khan was sitting on his large bed while pondering about the issue. The Colonel''s bottle was on a small table next to him, and his free hand tapped his phone lazily as he browsed the network. He was checking his alternatives, but he couldn''t find anything special.


    The Global Army had already updated his profile, but that didn''t improve his opportunities. The number of possible jobs had increased significantly, but they mostly involved roles as a foot soldier. The best ones saw Khan joining private platoons meant to defend valuable shipments or locations.


    A few positions were vaguely interesting. Khan could become a student in specific academies that provided a higher level of education. He could even travel toward alien training camps and experience the uses of mana there. Still, those roles were beneath the position of a professor. Accepting the Colonel''s offer seemed the best option career-wise.


    Khan didn''t feel excited at the idea of becoming a student again, and his role on eventual alien planets would never reach the levels experienced on Nitis. He didn''t have any special skill or knowledge, so his position inside those training camps wouldn''t touch anything important.


    The matter would have been different if Khan had specializations in some complicated subjects that involved mana and tech. However, the simple nature of his abilities could only grant minor roles in places where the Global Army had already established good relationships.


    ''My career could suffer there,'' Khan sighed while removing the filters that showed the alien training camps. ''I would be a foot soldier among experts in multiple fields.''


    Khan didn''t share his father''s passion for technology and research. He had learnt to like to study the natures that mana could obtain, but only because it made him stronger. He was an adventurer, but he needed to stop traveling to acquire the skills that the Global Army required to give him that job.


    ''Do I really have to go there?'' Khan repeated in his mind as a groan escaped his mouth.


    The sole idea of meeting his father would shatter everything he had achieved in those months. Khan was feeling better after losing himself in the mana for so long. He had even started to enjoy battles and smile a bit more, but his pain was still there. He knew that Bret''s face could make everything resurge in an angry shape.


    Khan couldn''t make up his mind, so he decided not to think about the matter until the official offer arrived. The bottle ended that night, but he easily found a new one the next day. Every door in the camp opened for him, and no one ever dared to ask for money.


    Khan soon fell prey to his previous busy schedule. He spent his time inside training halls or sparring sessions. He didn''t want to think about his future or plan his next move. The Ef''i''s lifestyle was simple and appealing for someone in his situation. Everything came to him as long as he won. Everyone looked up to him as long as he remained the best.


    Still, the time to make a decision arrived after spending two days fighting and training non-stop. Khan was about to fall asleep inside a training hall when his phone rang, and the message that he didn''t want to read arrived.


    The message came from a profile labeled "Global Army" and described the details behind the job. It turned out that Ylaco had yet to gain enough recruits to create new positions for eventual professors, so the offer saw Khan going to Reebfell, one of the big cities on Earth.


    The job was quite simple. Khan would have to coordinate the professors handling the physical subjects to create a class that taught about the actual dangers of the battlefield. The position only occupied a few hours every week. It also had a salary, but he didn''t understand whether that number of Credits was good or not.


    The message didn''t state precise details about the job. Khan would have to set them with the other professors handling similar subjects. Everything was vague since the position was new, and a lot could change throughout the years as the Global Army studied the results.


    Everything sounded far too perfect. Khan wouldn''t only get paid. He would also gain a flat inside Reebfell''s camp and free access to most buildings. Many books would even be at his disposal, and the position would grant him many discounts on things that required Credits.


    Only an idiot would refuse such a great offer, but Khan still hesitated. He wouldn''t have to face his father, but his destination remained Earth. Nothing would stop him from thinking there.


    ''Am I running away from peace?'' Khan wondered as he sensed that nothing managed to appease his hesitation. ''Am I afraid that everything I have experienced would become meaningless?''


    His hesitations had many reasons, but he still needed to make a decision. Khan bumped the back of his head a few times on the training hall''s metal wall before moving his finger near the two labels at the end of the message. One of them would mark his acceptance of the job, and he pressed it after taking a deep breath.


    The decision was final now, but Khan didn''t feel better. Part of the painful emotions he had managed to suppress in the last period even returned after opting for peace. He was turning the page on a series of tragedies and awful experiences, but no happiness or relief arrived.


    A series of messages arrived after accepting the job. The Global Army sent him indications meant for his return on Earth. Khan had to leave the camp to reach the nearest location with a teleport, which required a car and a code that the soldiers had to scan to confirm the truthfulness of his requests.


    Khan glanced at the almost empty bottle near him. He wasn''t drunk, but he decided not to drive in that condition. His eyes closed and the nightmare went by as he rested and dispersed the effects of the booze.


    When Khan woke up, he reached his habitation and cleaned himself before taking a new military uniform. After leaving the building, he approached the parking area and showed the code to the soldiers guarding the cars. One of them offered to ride Khan to the teleport, but he refused.


    Khan still felt awkward in a car, but the solitary drive to the camp with the teleport allowed him to gain more confidence. The vehicle had a map that kept track of his position, so getting lost was virtually impossible. He didn''t even have a specific timeline to respect, so he took many detours to experience the hot wind on his face.


    The departure didn''t feature any grand salutations, and the drive also lacked significant events. Khan reached the other camp in a few hours. Soldiers welcomed him warmly, but he limited those interactions to short salutes.


    The building with the teleport quickly appeared in his eyes, and he reached the actual device after showing his codes to the soldiers inside it. The usual scans went by before Khan could step on the oval platform and sense the synthetic mana accumulating around him.


    The scenery changed in an instant. Dark metal filled Khan''s vision, but his eyes quickly fell on a series of excited gazes that had converged toward his figure. Many soldiers left their consoles to inspect him from head to toe.


    "Is this Reebfell''s training camp?" Khan asked to break free of that awkward situation.


    One of the soldiers wearing white medical coats snapped out of her daze and took a step forward. The middle-aged woman nodded before pointing at a corridor and voicing a short greeting. "Khan, sir, we were waiting for you. Please, wait in front of the building once you cross the scanners. A soldier will reach you shortly."


    Khan nodded and stepped out of teleport. He had long since grown used to the scanners by then, but the excited gazes of the soldiers handling the various machines felt awkward. His fame had already spread on Earth, and no one even tried to hide it.


    ''I wonder if Professor Norwell had to go through something like this,'' Khan cursed in his mind before looking at the results of the scanners.


    His attunement with mana had merely gone up by one point during his stay on Onia. The pace of his growth had slowed down as he advanced toward the next checkpoint, and the matter naturally annoyed him.


    ''Strange,'' Khan thought when he left the building and took a deep breath of Earth''s air.


    Khan still recalled what he had felt after leaving Istrone. His body had experienced a moment of bliss back then, but nothing similar happened now.


    ''Have I become too used to alien planets?'' Khan casually wondered while inspecting the Reebfell''s camp.


    The camp showed a scene that Khan didn''t experience in a long time. It was almost night, but some light still filled the area. Clean streets and large spots with well-kept grass expanded in his vision, but the many young soldiers in the distance remained the most surprising detail in the scenery.


    Memories inevitably surged in Khan''s mind. He recalled his time in Ylaco''s training camp with Martha, Lieutenant Dyester, Luke, and Bruce. Those peaceful events seemed to belong to a different life, but a smile still appeared on his face at the sight of such na?ve happiness. Most of those young soldiers had no idea what could happen once they left the safety of those buildings.


    ''I guess this is what I have to teach,'' Khan thought as he kept his gaze on those faint figures. ''I need to break their naivety.''


    A figure eventually grew close. Khan saw a young woman with two stars on each shoulder approaching him and performing a military salute as soon as she arrived near him.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Khan," The woman announced. "I''m Amber Teldom. I''m sure working with you will be great."


    "Are you a professor, ma''am?" Khan questioned while inspecting the woman.


    Amber had long brown hair and green eyes. She was slightly shorter than him, but her physique was virtually perfect. She was slim but with curves in the right places, and her face carried a faint sweetness. Khan found it hard to see her as someone who handled battle-related courses.


    "I take care of a special course about spells," Amber explained as a sweet smile appeared on her face. "You don''t have to be so polite. We are peers right now. Actually, I think I might have to address you as "sir" soon."


    "Why is that?" Khan asked as the two started to leave the building.


    "The headmaster is about to give you a promotion," Amber explained. "He is the only one in this training camp who can award them. Don''t worry. We are about to see him."


    ****


    Author''s notes: Special thanks to hkuds for the Castle!

 Chapter 291: Promotion

    Khan had requested a promotion, but he didn''t expect it to arrive so suddenly. He had read something about those events from Lieutenant Pouille''s books, so he knew that they weren''t anything major, especially for the lower ranks. Yet, Khan still believed that he would have had some time to prepare.


    Khan inspected himself. He had showered, but the drive back to the teleport had tainted his uniform with sand and dirt. He even raised his arms to sniff his armpits, and the effects of Onia''s heat quickly became evident in his nostrils.


    "Don''t worry," Amber giggled when she watched that scene. "It won''t be anything major, so you are more than fine like this."


    "I hope my promotion doesn''t cause problems," Khan stated while giving up on the matter and resuming the march.


    Amber was older than Khan, and she had two stars on each shoulder, but she had basically revealed that she was still a regular soldier. Khan would have to work with her, so getting a promotion before her could create envy and other issues.


    "I''m the only one to blame for my position," Amber admitted. "I''ve spent all my life inside training camps or cities. I have only left Reebfell''s area a few times."


    "You must be outstanding as a professor then," Khan complimented to keep the topic on Amber.


    "I only have a good academic record," Amber explained. "Most soldiers ignore that mana can bring far more than destruction. The Global Army has developed countless minor spells that many ignore to focus on their stars."


    Khan could only nod. He had already tested the "enhanced reading"'' value, and he believed that the "simulated mental battle" would also become extremely useful once he learnt how to deploy it. He could easily guess that the Global Army had other good minor techniques in store, and his broad approach to the mana strengthened that belief.


    "Though enough talking about me," Amber smiled. "You are the hot topic of the year, and I can be the first to question you."


    "My profile already says a lot," Khan sighed. "I''m still getting used to my fame."


    "You might want to do that quickly," Amber suggested. "Everyone in the camp has already learnt about your arrival. They can''t wait to see you."


    "I guess I need to prepare a good first lesson," Khan wondered.


    "You can''t possibly be scared of a few recruits after everything you have gone through," Amber teased.


    "It''s not that," Khan responded as his eyes began to wander through the camp. "I think I can really help some of the recruits. I wouldn''t claim that my knowledge can save lives, but I might be useful. It would be a pity if I couldn''t convey what I''ve learnt due to my poor experience."


    Amber''s eyes widened in surprise. She didn''t expect such a mature answer. She had initially been worried that someone so young wouldn''t understand the responsibilities of a professor, but it seemed that Khan didn''t need any help there.


    Khan lost himself in his thoughts during those silent seconds. Reebfell''s training camp unfolded in his eyes, and complicated emotions filled his mind.


    The clean streets, the perfectly intact buildings, the joyful and carefree voices in the distance, and the overall lack of tension in the air created a peaceful scenery that Khan had almost forgotten. He wasn''t used to that calm and safe environment anymore. Even Onia didn''t have that atmosphere.


    Amber had misunderstood Khan. He didn''t acknowledge his responsibilities due to his new job. He wanted the soldiers to hear him out because he had seen what a lack of experience could cause.


    Khan had witnessed too many deaths, so he wanted to share his knowledge to prevent others from going through the same pain. He knew that most of those na?ve and innocent recruits didn''t deserve it.


    "It''s nice, isn''t it?" Amber eventually asked while gazing at the young soldiers in the distance. "I almost can''t believe how things can be so normal after Istrone."


    "I''m surprised some training camps recovered so quickly," Khan admitted.


    "The Global Army had to make many promises to reassure the various families," Amber explained. "I don''t know the details, but I bet that the wealthy families have requested far more than simple Credits."


    "Is your family wealthy?" Khan asked.


    "A bit," Amber said through an awkward laugh. "I feel a bit bad for how easy it has been for me. I didn''t have to go through what you guys have experienced."


    "Being lucky isn''t a sin," Khan reassured as his eyes kept inspecting the camp. "I''m sure none of Istrone''s survivors would wish that to happen to others. I know I don''t."


    Amber remained speechless again, and a warm smile inevitably appeared on her face. Khan was only being honest, but that was enough to reassure her. She could see that he had remained a good person even after everything he had gone through.


    "You sure know your way with words," Amber teased.


    "What do you mean?" Khan questioned while bringing his attention to Amber.


    "I''ve heard that you are quite popular with the ladies," Amber giggled while covering her mouth. "I can understand why now."


    "Who is even spreading these rumors?" Khan frowned.


    "Well, you can''t stop soldiers from looking into you," Amber responded. "Besides, people like to spread gossips. I''ve heard the craziest things about you even before you got a job here."


    "Give me an idea," Khan insisted.


    "Are you sure?" Amber asked as her laugh grew louder. "Some rumors see you in bed with Ef''i."


    "How would a human even do that?" Khan cursed while shaking his head.


    "I have no idea," Amber replied without bothering to hold back her laugh anymore. "Still, they worship strength, and you won the tournament. Also, you already had experience with aliens, so-."


    "Alien," Khan interrupted. "One alien."


    Khan did his best not to reveal anything, but Amber understood that she had touched the wrong topic. She didn''t expect the atmosphere to change so drastically, but she quickly addressed the issue. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to offend you. I''m sure everyone will understand the difference between the truth and the rumors once they see you."


    "It''s fine," Khan replied while wearing a fake smile. "I''m just a bit anxious about the promotion."


    Amber could see that something had changed. Khan had spoken honestly until now, so she recognized his lies. Still, she decided not to probe further since the topic had clearly annoyed him.


    The atmosphere between the two became a bit awkward, and Khan didn''t do anything to ease it. He continued to inspect the camp, but his eyes had long since stopped examining the various details of the scenery. A dark face filled his vision, and the memories of a cozy coldness had started to seep inside his mind.


    The two eventually walked near a group of young soldiers busy interacting with each other. The latter''s first instinct was to wave their hands at Amber, but they stopped their gestures when they noticed Khan. He casually glanced at them and performed a fake smile, but he quickly disregarded them to move his focus back on the various buildings.


    Similar scenes happened as the two crossed more soldiers. All of them tried to greet Amber, but Khan''s presence made them hold back from trying to interact with the duo.


    "They sure like you," Khan commented after witnessing the same scene four times.


    "I just do my best," Amber exclaimed happily. She couldn''t help but feel relieved to see that Khan didn''t take her previous words to heart.


    "That seems to be enough," Khan stated, and silence fell between the two again.


    It didn''t take much longer for Amber and Khan to reach a large building that seemed to stand at the center of the camp. Large windows and tall metal columns created an expression of modern architecture that the settlements on other planets struggled to have. Khan even guessed that the Global Army had renovated the structure recently.


    Amber led Khan inside the building. The large corridors and halls connected to them were almost empty due to the late hour, but the two still met random soldiers busy patrolling the areas or activating the robots meant to clean everything. Those men and women limited themselves to nod at Amber, but they didn''t hold back from inspecting Khan from head to toe.


    The two climbed a series of staircases until they reached the last floor. Various locked doors filled the sides of the single corridor in the area, and Amber walked straight for the office at its end.


    "Headmaster Pitcus," Amber called after pressing on an interactive menu on the door. "It''s Professor Teldom. I brought Khan."


    The door took only one instant to unlock and slide open. Khan could soon see a large office featuring a long short table, two luxurious couches, two armchairs, and a large desk at its end.


    Khan''s eyes quickly went on the old-looking man sitting behind the desk. Headmaster Pitcus had long grey hair tied in a bun and thick eyebrows of the same color. Small glasses tried to hide his brown eyes, and a short beard grew from his chin.


    Headmaster Pitcus appeared slightly overweight, but his figure retained the huge silhouette of a muscular man. Still, his threatening size didn''t match his amiable face. The corner of his eyes carried evident wrinkles, but they didn''t ruin his harmless vibe.


    Khan found it strange that the man''s military uniform didn''t have stars. Yet, he could vaguely evaluate the Headmaster''s level through his senses, and his inspection surprised him. The soldier appeared weaker than Colonel Norrett, but not by much.


    "Thank you, Professor Teldom," Headmaster Pitcus cleared his throat and stood up before pointing at one of the chairs in front of the desk. "Please, Khan, take a seat."


    Amber performed a military salute and left the office. The metal door closed behind her, leaving only Khan and Headmaster Pitcus in the room.


    "It''s an honor to meet you," Headmaster Pitcus exclaimed as Khan approached the door.


    The sudden statement made Khan interrupt his gesture for a second, but he quickly sat and voiced a polite answer. "The honor is mine, sir."


    "Nonsense," Headmaster Pitcus laughed as he sat back on his chair. "I''m just a retired old man. I can''t compare to the latest champion of Onia''s tournament."


    ''An old man with the power of a colonel,'' Khan thought while performing the best fake smile that he could muster.


    "I won''t keep you for long," Headmaster Pitcus stated. "The promotion to Lieutenant is usually uneventful, and yours won''t be an exception. Things will change if you make it to Captain, but you will only get new offers and a monthly allowance for now."


    "That''s more than fine," Khan replied without dropping his smile.


    "Excellent," Headmaster Pitcus declared while activating a menu on his desk and browsing through a few labels.


    Khan''s phone rang at some point, and Headmaster Pitcus gestured at him to take it. A message featuring a long text had appeared on Khan''s device, and he skimmed through it to get a vague idea of its contents.


    The message congratulated Khan for his promotion to Lieutenant and described the benefits of his new position. The monthly allowance and the access to better jobs were only some of the advantages. He could also use special discounts and offers for soldiers at his rank. Some services in the cities and other camps would also feature pros now.


    Everything sounded terrific, but Khan didn''t know what to do with it now. He glanced at the list of possible jobs out of curiosity, but they didn''t change too much. He could be in charge of specific platoons or have better pay in other locations, but that was it.


    "You probably are the youngest Lieutenant in the history of the Global Army," Headmaster Pitcus eventually said, claiming Khan''s attention. "I feel quite lucky to be the one who has approved your promotion."


    "I''m the lucky one, sir," Khan politely replied.


    "Nonsense, your promotion is completely deserved," Headmaster Pitcus scoffed. "I know Captains who have achieved half of your feats after being in service for decades. Keep working hard, and I''m sure that more promotions will come in no time."


    "Thank you, sir," Khan exclaimed.


    "Well, I will send you the details about your habitation and duties while you exit the building," Headmaster Pitcus explained while closing the menus on his desk. "There won''t be lessons tomorrow, so you can use that time to coordinate with the other Professors. Except for that, you can use the whole camp as you wish. I won''t pry in your personal life as long as it doesn''t affect your duties."


    Khan understood the hidden meaning behind the Headmaster''s words and stood up to perform a military salute. Then, he turned to approach the door.


    "One last thing," Headmaster Pitcus called. "I know that you are young, but it''s not ideal for a Professor to hang around recruits. Try not to use your position to gain, let''s say, female attention."


    ''Why is everyone worried about that?'' Khan cursed in his mind, but his fake smile remained unaffected. He even managed to speak without letting anything tamper his voice. "I understand, sir. It has never been my intention."


    "Excellent," Headmaster Pitcus wore a broad smile while pressing a button behind his desk to open the door.


    Khan left in a hurry, happy that he could finally drop the act. The Headmaster seemed a decent person, but he preferred not to disclose too much of his personality until he learnt more about him.


    His phone rang while he was descending from the staircases. Khan could quickly learn where he would stay and his working hours. His courses barely occupied fifteen hours of his week, so he would have a lot of free time.


    The night had fallen on the training camp, but the street lamps kept everything visible. The curfew didn''t apply to Khan, but he still decided to head directly for his habitation due to tomorrow''s inevitable meeting with the other Professors. Still, a familiar presence entered his sense''s range after he began to march toward his destination.


    Khan wouldn''t care about the soldiers who broke the curfew. He would just change road and pretend not to have seen anything. However, he could only halt his steps and focus on the figure sitting on a bench in the distance now.


    The figure noticed Khan only when he stopped walking. He could see it leaving the bench and sprinting toward him. It didn''t take long before he found Cora clung to his torso.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I basically didn''t celebrate the holidays for the past two years due to this job. I''m a mess this year, and the twenty-six hours spent sleeping in the last two days have proven that my body is at its limits, so I''ve decided to slow down during this period.


    I''ll go down to one chapter for Chaos and two for Demonic Sword for a few days (I''ll keep you updated), and I''ll probably skip the 25th entirely. I''ll let you know how I''ll handle new year''s eve in later chapters.


    In short, the next chapter will arrive in 10 hours.

 Chapter 292: Ideas

    ''Cora, Reebfell, of course,'' Khan cursed in his mind as he let the girl approach him and take his torso in her embrace. ''How could I forget her city?''


    Cora Ommo had been one of the survivors in Khan''s group during Istrone''s crisis. She had initially been useless in the battles, but she had slowly managed to muster her courage and confidence as their travel across the forest continued. Still, Khan recalled her for very different reasons.


    Cora had been a warm and caring presence during Istrone''s crisis. Khan couldn''t appreciate her back then due to his mental barrier, but he had never failed to see her good heart. Moreover, she had fallen for him since the first desperate moments inside the forest, and her feelings had eventually made her steal his first kiss.


    Khan had always retained a good memory of Cora. Still, everything that had happened after the kiss had forced him to ignore the events connected to her. Martha''s comatose state, the release of the mental barrier, and Liiza had taken complete control of his mind after Istrone. Besides, he had firmly believed that the chances of meeting her again were basically non-existent.


    Everything returned while Cora tightened her embrace around his torso. Her worry, care, and timid promise resurfaced in Khan''s mind. He had the chance to inspect those memories through his new emotional spectrum now, and he had to admit that he liked her character, at least as a friend.


    ''Don''t tell me that her crush on me has survived,'' Khan hoped in his mind, even if his current situation seemed to prove him wrong.


    "What are you doing here after the curfew?" Khan asked while patting her back.


    Cora shook when she felt Khan''s touch, but the gesture was enough to remind her of her situation. She let him go and took a step back, but her annoyance overcame her shyness, so she crossed her arms and pouted.


    "Why didn''t you tell me that you were coming to Reebfell?" Cora asked in an annoyed tone that didn''t suit her blushing cheeks.


    Khan had the chance to inspect Cora properly now. She had always been pretty, and her beauty had only benefited from the last year. She had even done her best to prepare herself for the meeting. Her long blonde hair appeared as soft as silk, and her light make-up highlighted her large green eyes.


    "I forgot that you lived here," Khan honestly admitted while voicing a short laugh. He didn''t want to pretend with Cora. She didn''t deserve his lies.


    "I knew it," Cora sighed while lowering her gaze to hide the sadness that was replacing her pout.


    "Though I didn''t forget about you," Khan continued. "And I obviously still remember your kiss."


    The sadness vanished in an instant to make room for intense redness. The street lamps made it impossible for Cora to hide her embarrassment even if she kept her head lowered. She didn''t expect Khan to mention her kiss so openly, especially after his previous comment.


    "What is it?" Khan teased while bending forward to try to enter Cora''s vision. "Did I say something wrong?"


    Truth be told, Khan''s behavior was taking Cora entirely by surprise. She had interacted with him while he was under the effects of the mental barrier, so she had never seen most of his sides. She was nowhere near ready for his teases.


    "Hey, can you look at me?" Khan whispered after his face almost arrived in front of Cora''s eyes.


    Cora gasped and took another step back, but she ended up losing her balance. Still, Khan pulled her arm before she could fall on her back, but the gesture brought her on him again.


    "I didn''t think first-level warriors could be so clumsy," Khan continued to tease while keeping a hand at the center of her back to make sure that she didn''t do anything abrupt again.


    Khan didn''t need to use his senses to understand Cora''s level. She was wearing her military uniform, and the single star on both her shoulders reflected the street lamps'' light. She had clearly worked hard in that period, and he could only rejoice at that sight.


    "I''m not clumsy," Cora complained while raising her head and doing her best not to run away from that situation.


    Her arms were on Khan''s chest, and he was holding her. Moreover, his firm gaze was on her. Cora noticed that he had become taller and that she was exactly where she wanted to be.


    Khan had countless teases ready in his mind. Cora''s eyes also fell on his mouth every few seconds. He could almost hear her desires, and he knew that he could fulfill them at that exact moment.


    However, Khan had no intention to kiss Cora. He had gone through the same situation with Delia, but she was older and more experienced. Instead, Cora appeared as innocent as Khan recalled. She would probably do everything he asked, but he didn''t want to use her.


    A tinge of disappointment appeared in Cora''s eyes when Khan let her go and took a step back. She followed him with her longing gaze, but her hands tightened into fists when she decided to hold back.


    "Did you break the curfew just to meet me?" Khan asked before Cora could lower her head to hide her blush again.


    "Of course," Cora proudly announced. "I wanted to see you. It''s been more than a year."


    "What did you plan to do about the guards?" Khan chuckled.


    "I-, I didn''t think about that," Cora admitted. "Everyone has always treated me nicely after Istrone, so they''ll probably let it pass."


    "I see," Khan whispered before raising his voice a bit. "Let me accompany you back to your dormitory. I''m sure no one will say anything if they see you with me."


    "But you might be in trouble if you take detours!" Cora immediately exclaimed.


    "Nothing will happen to me," Khan reassured. "The Headmaster has just promoted me. I''m a Lieutenant now."


    Cora remained stunned for a second before wearing a broad smile. She appeared ecstatic to hear the news, and her genuine happiness almost overwhelmed Khan. He didn''t expect her to disregard her shyness so quickly.


    "That''s great!" Cora shouted. "You totally deserve it. I''ve kept track of your deeds. There is no one more suited than you for a promotion."


    "How often did you check on me?" Khan teased, and Cora realized that she had said too much.


    "Only from time to time," Cora explained while lowering her head, "Whenever I felt lonely. I''ve read about Ecoruta, the tournament, and Nitis."


    Khan noticed how Cora had hesitated before naming Nitis, and the reason for that was quite evident. Khan could only curse Lieutenant Kintea mentally for that cursed report.


    "But I didn''t check only you," Cora continued. "Ethel is doing fine with her prosthesis, and Dorian has also gained a few merits. I know that George has been with you on Nitis. I''m glad you weren''t completely alone there."


    Cora hesitated again during her last line. Khan nodded while deciding whether to address the issue, but he quickly chose to change the topic.


    "What about you?" Khan asked. "Did you spend the last year here?"


    "I didn''t do anything special," Cora revealed. "The camp was almost empty, and the Global Army never refused my requests, so I spent my time training. I kept thinking that more of us would have survived if I had been stronger."


    "Hey, you can''t blame yourself," Khan stated while taking a step forward to place a hand on Cora''s shoulder. "You did well on Istrone, and you worked hard to fix your flaws afterward. You are strong, stronger than me."


    "Stop trying to make me feel better," Cora said while trying to escape from Khan''s grasp.


    "I escaped after Istrone," Khan admitted, and Cora stopped her movement to inspect his expression.


    "What do you mean?" Cora asked.


    "I couldn''t stand the sight of the empty streets," Khan revealed. "I couldn''t just go to bed after sleeping on wet mud for weeks."


    Cora didn''t know how to react in front of that open admission of flaws. In her mind, Khan was unbeatable, unstoppable, and perfect, and his recent achievement had only fueled that image. Yet, he had weaknesses like everyone else, and he had decided to show them to her.


    Cora gave in and lowered her head to lay it on Khan''s chest before whispering without stuttering at all. "I''ve missed you so much."


    Khan felt the need to hug her, but he held back. He couldn''t treat her as a simple friend since he knew what she felt for him. A wrong gesture might fuel her hopes and dreams, and he didn''t want that.


    Cora was like George. She had seen the dark side of the battlefield with Khan, so he instinctively treated her as a companion. She had also proven her goodwill, so Khan felt confident in considering her as a friend.


    Still, Cora also wasn''t like George due to her feelings, and Khan couldn''t give her what she wanted. Her appearance had nothing to do with the matter. Her character was even adorable, but that was one of the reasons why Khan felt the need to avoid playing around. He could hurt her badly, so he couldn''t be selfish.


    Khan heaved a sigh while caressing Cora''s shoulder. He wanted to say something to change the situation, but Cora acted before he could talk. She moved toward him and wrapped her hands around his torso again, leaving Khan no choice but to hug her.


    Khan let Cora stay in that position for a few seconds before tapping her shoulder and repeating his offer. "Let me get you to your dormitory."


    Cora remained still for a few seconds before nodding and leaving the embrace. She avoided Khan''s gaze, but she made sure to walk next to him as she led him through the camp. The two didn''t say anything, but the silence seemed enough to fill the night.


    Two soldiers guarded the entrance for Cora''s dormitory, and they immediately stood up when they saw two figures getting close. One of them wanted to shout something, but her companion pulled her sleeve and interrupted her when he recognized Khan.


    The two soldiers ended up performing a military salute when Cora and Khan reached the entrance. Khan nodded before finding himself in another embrace that Cora broke quickly. She then showed her smile and turned to enter the building.


    Khan didn''t bother to look at the curious smiles that the soldiers had worn after Cora had walked past them. He knew how the situation looked like, and he didn''t care about the possible rumors that they might spread. He was sure there was far worse about him flying among the gossips.


    ''She wouldn''t have survived on Istrone without me,'' Khan thought as he strolled toward his habitation. ''My course is for this exact reason, but I can''t turn innocent soldiers into me with simple lessons. They would need to go through Istrone for that.''


    A solution eventually hit Khan. It was impossible to recreate situations that could generate other soldiers like him. He also wanted to avoid that since he knew how much he suffered. Yet, the project seemed doable when Khan took Doris, Luke, or even the old George as possible goals.


    ''Though they still need to taste real danger,'' Khan pondered, ''But how do I create that inside a training camp? The training halls won''t do. I need something alive, and I don''t count. The same goes for themselves.''


    The only alternative was with the Tainted animals that the Global Army used for the entrance tests. Ordinary soldiers who had yet to become first-level warriors would probably struggle in a pure one versus one against those creatures. Of course, the matter had different factors, but they would come after Khan understood whether he could even gain access to those beasts.


    ''I guess I can only see what the other Professors say tomorrow,'' Khan eventually thought before putting the matter in the back of his mind.


    Cora occupied his thoughts for the rest of that lonely walk. Khan didn''t know how to make her give up on her crush without hurting her. Treating her poorly was also impossible due to how sweetly she behaved, and Khan had no intention of being a dick. However, that would only add fuel to her feelings.


    ''I''m in a damned pickle,'' Khan realized when his building unfolded in his view.


    There were different thoughts in his mind, and he heard them clearly, even if he decided to ignore them every time. Part of Khan knew that opening up with Cora probably wasn''t a bad option. Her inexperience was her only flaw, but her earnestness compensated greatly. She deserved love, and she could probably give more than any other partner, but Khan still silenced those ideas.

 Chapter 293: Train

    The flat was immense. Khan didn''t even know what to do with all that space. The habitation featured a large bedroom, a laundry area with multiple spare uniforms, a reinforced room with a series of tools meant for physical exercises, a living room, and a dining room with a small fridge and a microwave.


    Luckily for Khan, he could find instructions for all the machines. Otherwise, he would have had a hard time understanding what some of them did. Still, his first night inside his new flat allowed him to learn how everything worked, so it didn''t take him long to hit the bed.


    The alarm rang at dawn, and a few messages arrived on his phone while he was in the bathroom. Amber had contacted Khan about the meeting with the other professors tasked with the new subjects, and Cora had also sent him something that his device didn''t immediately accept.


    Khan was a professor now. The recruits could contact him through the network, but he still needed to accept those requests. Of course, most soldiers would avoid bothering him, but Cora was different.


    Khan didn''t hesitate to accept Cora''s request. He actually felt surprised that she had been bold enough to send him something, but the message turned out to be a simple "good morning".


    A short conversation followed that message. Cora and Khan told each other their plans for the day, and she wished him good luck when she heard about the meeting.


    Amber scheduled the meeting a few hours after breakfast, so Khan had the time to handle a few things before that appointment. He reached the canteen, enjoyed a large meal, and purchased a few snacks and drinks to bring back to his flat.


    The menus in the canteen had many items that required Credits, but Khan went for the free stuff that he happily carried back to his flat. His fridge became full of cans and bottles that morning, but he soon disregarded them.


    Khan had been too early to meet other professors or recruits, and he had finished his meal a couple of hours before the meeting. He could spend that time doing some of his regular exercises and showering before leaving his flat to head toward the appointed location.


    The streets of the training camp were full of life at that hour. It was a free day, so many recruits had decided to hang out on the many benches and lawns that filled the area.


    The scene was beyond peaceful, and Khan found himself staring at the various happy and innocent faces that he met on his path. He had to admit that he had failed to enjoy those moments during his time in Ylaco''s training camp. His training with Lieutenant Dyester didn''t know breaks, and his state as a poor recruit had pushed him to work harder than his peers.


    ''I really missed a lot,'' Khan couldn''t help but think as those peaceful moments unfolded in his view.


    The Global Army could force the soldiers to face difficult moments, and the many lessons usually filled everyone''s schedule. However, the recruits were simple boys and girls at their core. They wanted to have a good time, socialize, and hang out whenever they had the chance. Khan and Martha had been exceptions back then.


    The recruits froze whenever they noticed Khan staring at them, but he promptly diverted his gaze every time. He didn''t want to add more rumors to his figure, but the peaceful scenes still captured his attention often.


    Amber had scheduled the meeting in a type of building that Khan never had the chance to visit in Ylaco''s training camp. The place wasn''t big, but it featured a series of shops where recruits and professors could spend time enjoying warm drinks, booze, desserts, and other expensive meals.


    Khan found Amber inside a caf¨¦ featuring a series of comfortable armchairs and a few tables. Large windows acted as walls and made the environment bright. The clean grey floor and the other surfaces shone by reflecting the sunlight, and everything felt incredibly cozy due to the lingering warmth that filled the area.


    Khan found the caf¨¦ a bit too hot for his tastes, but he didn''t let that feeling appear on his face. His full attention soon went on the other two figures sitting at Amber''s table.


    One of the figures belonged to an elderly bald man with a long white beard. The soldier had a black cane laying on his armchair, and both his shoulders featured three stars. The many wrinkles on his face hinted at his old age, but his lively azure eyes gave a far different impression.


    The other figure belonged to a middle-aged woman with long brown hair, dark eyes, and olive skin. She was pretty stunning, and her slow but elegant gestures carried deep confidence. Her uniform also featured three stars on both shoulders, but she felt weaker than the man.


    "I thought I was on time," Khan commented while approaching the table.


    "Lieutenant Khan!" Amber exclaimed while standing up and pointing at her two companions. "Let me handle the presentations. Captain Aaron Goldmon teaches war tactics, while Lieutenant Lydia Abaze is an expert in survival techniques."


    "Please, Khan is more than enough," Khan said before nodding at the two soldiers. "It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "We finally meet," Lieutenant Abaze exclaimed while sizing Khan from head to toe. "You are more well-behaved than I expected."


    "He is just a good liar," Captain Goldmon scoffed. "I can smell the beast inside him from here."


    "Let him be, Captain," Lieutenant Abaze complained. "Insulting him out of rumors doesn''t suit your experience."


    "I wasn''t insulting him," Captain Goldmon laughed.


    Khan ignored that eccentric interaction and took his place between Amber and Lieutenant Abaze. The armchair was comfortable, but Captain Goldmon''s intense stare prevented him from appreciating that sensation.


    "You don''t falter easily, do you?" Captain Goldmon asked.


    "Captain," Lieutenant Abaze sighed.


    "I''m just evaluating him," Captain Goldmon sneered while rolling his eyes. "Our recruits will have to learn how to fight from someone not much older than them. I need to be sure that he is the right man for the job."


    "And?" Lieutenant Abaze asked.


    "He looks good," Captain Goldmon stated.


    "Thank you, Captain," Khan said in the politest tone he could muster.


    Captain Goldmon snorted, and Lieutenant Abaze heaved a helpless sigh. Amber tried her best to hide her awkwardness, and Khan found himself inspecting the situation without a clear idea of what to do or say.


    "I guess it''s time to start this meeting," Captain Goldmon exclaimed.


    "Let''s order something first," Lieutenant Abaze replied.


    "They don''t serve what I want here," Captain Goldmon chuckled.


    "It''s far too early to drink," Lieutenant Abaze complained.


    "Lieutenant Khan doesn''t agree, am I right?" Captain Goldmon commented, and three pairs of eyes fell on Khan.


    "I''m completely new at this," Khan declared while wearing a fake smile. "I''ll follow your lead and learn what I can."


    "Boring," Captain Goldmon snorted.


    "Very well, let''s start the meeting," Lieutenant Abaze exclaimed. "The three of us have already introduced our respective subjects to the recruits since the second semester has started. I believe we all have different approaches, so imitating us won''t work. What did you have in mind?"


    Khan wanted to hear the different approaches before voicing his idea, but Lieutenant Abaze didn''t give him that chance. He felt forced to speak since the three soldiers had moved their attention on him again. "I was thinking about using Tainted animals."


    "For what?" Captain Goldmon asked.


    "Battle experience," Khan explained. "Most recruits use training halls, which pose virtually no threat. I want them to face fear."


    "We are still talking about recruits in their second semester," Lieutenant Abaze pointed out. "Mere Tainted animals won''t be a threat for many of them."


    "I was wondering whether I could handpick the Tainted animals to use in my lessons," Khan revealed. "I know that they aren''t worthy opponents, but a big beast might scare the recruits a bit. The army uses them in the entrance tests, so finding a suitable creature shouldn''t be a problem."


    "I actually don''t know where the Global Army keeps the Tainted animals," Amber commented.


    "I know," Captain Goldmon stated while caressing his beard. "Your idea isn''t bad, but you''ll be in charge of your students'' safety. Are you sure you can take care of that?"


    "I do plan to make them suffer a bit," Khan honestly admitted. "Isn''t that the point of our subjects?"


    Captain Goldmon exploded into a laugh, and Lieutenant Abaze nodded. Amber limited herself to smile, but she understood that Khan''s statement had been on point.


    "There is only one problem with that," Captain Goldmon announced. "Most of the Tainted animals that the Global Army keeps near the training camp are rather harmless. You won''t find what you need here."


    "That''s easy to fix," Lieutenant Abaze responded while looking at her phone. "It''s still early. Let''s see a few shops in Reebfell. I also need to buy some provisions for my classes."


    "A trip to the city sounds nice," Amber smiled while standing up.


    "Wait, what?" Khan exclaimed as he watched Lieutenant Abaze and Captain Goldmon standing up.


    "Hurry up," Amber stated as her sweet smile broadened. "We should have enough time to hit a few shops before they close for lunch."


    Khan couldn''t help but feel a bit excited. He had lived in Ylaco, but he carried no memories of that period. The Second Impact had erased everything from back then, and only vague images that held no meaning had remained in his mind. Reebfell wasn''t Ylaco, but it remained one of the big cities on Earth.


    Captain Goldmon didn''t give Khan the time to think about the matter. The soldier''s cane hit the floor rhythmically as he hurried outside the shop, and Lieutenant Abaze followed him. Only Amber remained a bit behind to wait for Khan, but it was clear that she was pretty restless about the imminent trip.


    Khan could only put his doubts aside and follow the soldiers. He didn''t know how he would purchase the Tainted animals without Credits, but that problem fell in the back of his mind for now.


    Captain Goldmon''s cane appeared useless. The soldier was oddly agile, but he still tapped the floor with his metal stick to set the pace of the march. The group soon left the building and moved toward an area of the camp that Khan had yet to visit, which turned out to hold an underground parking hall featuring multiple vehicles.


    The parking area was as simple as possible. A series of artificial lights shone on the ceiling and filled the vast hall with a bright white glow that made the many dark cars shine. A series of tunnels also stretched from the four walls, and some clearly led to the surface.


    "Are we going to drive to Reebfell?" Khan asked as he inspected the various cars.


    "I wish," Captain Goldmon sneered, "But I believe the ladies prefer to take the train."


    "Train?" Khan exclaimed, and the answer to his question arrived when the group moved to a lower floor.


    The parking hall was connected to a relatively small platform that featured a few benches and interactive walls. The area also featured a dark tunnel that stretched left and right, and Khan couldn''t help but peek inside it to inspect the structure.


    The bottom of the tunnel had two metal slabs that seemed to stretch along with the whole structure. Synthetic mana also ran between them without ever expanding upward. Waves of energy flowed behind the circular wall of the channel, and Khan remained stunned in front of their sheer quantity.


    "Is this your first time seeing the train?" Amber asked while pulling Khan by his uniform.


    Khan nodded and retreated at the center of the platform before inspecting Lieutenant Abaze tinkering with the interactive walls. A countdown appeared on the menus after she tapped a few labels, and the mana inside the tunnels also started moving oddly.


    ''Something is coming,'' Khan quickly realized, and his gaze instinctively went on the right side of the tunnel.


    "Ooh," Captain Goldmon voiced when he saw that gesture. "The reports must be true. Your senses are on point."


    Khan glanced at the old soldier, but the latter had already lost interest in him. Instead, Amber and Lieutenant Abaze inspected him with curious eyes. It was clear that Captain Goldmon''s seemingly casual comment had improved Khan''s image in the women''s minds.


    A small cylindrical vehicle with a pointy front arrived before the platform when the countdown was about to reach zero. Its speed was so high that winds blew in the area while it stopped. A whooshing noise then followed as its metal doors slid open and revealed a small room with six comfortable seats.


    Khan inspected everything thoroughly as he followed his three companions. The insides of the train appeared strangely large, even if the actual vehicle was relatively small. Bright lights and multiple menus also filled the ceiling and various surfaces. There was the chance to have drinks and meals, but no one chose to eat.


    The train set off after everyone sat. Belts even came out of the seats and fastened on their own. Khan experienced the sudden pressure caused by the incredible acceleration, but everything became quiet and still relatively soon.


    The train made no noise, and it was hard to understand that it was moving. Khan tried to keep track of the synthetic mana in the tunnel outside, but the vehicle was too fast for his senses. His focus soon went on the menus and holograms that his seat created, and he eventually found a map that described the path.


    The vehicle would take less than half an hour to reach its destination, and the professors didn''t bother to spend that time talking. Captain Goldmon took a nap. Lieutenant Abaze inspected videos covering random topics while Amber read some of the news connected to the shops that she wanted to visit.


    Khan followed Amber''s example and inspected the list of shops on the train''s menus. It didn''t take him long to find something connected to the Tainted animals, and a few ads immediately claimed his interest.


    It turned out that Khan''s knowledge of Tainted animals was far poorer than he expected. The Global Army had long since become able to replicate the same living beings that he had seen on Nitis. Khan could see artificially mutated beasts that featured various enhancements, both genetic and bionic.


    The enhancements had different purposes. Most of them were battle-related since the wealthy families wanted to create good training fields for their descendants. Instead, others could even affect the animals'' behavior, with some ads claiming that their beasts were utterly docile.


    ''Where did I even live until now?'' Khan wondered as he inspected the menus.


    The number of possibilities was immense. Khan even found shops that performed custom-made enhancements. There was simply too much, and he barely had the time to absorb everything during the short trip.


    The train eventually stopped, and its metal doors opened to reveal a small platform similar to the one in the camp. Khan felt slightly disappointed when he saw that desolation, but the scenery that unfolded when the group climbed to the upper floor surpassed his expectations.


    A large staircase led to an immense hall full of people, lights, vehicles. Khan was sure that he wasn''t on the surface, but he still saw an incredible quantity of life and oddities.


    A cozy yellow light illuminated the whole area, but the glows coming from the banners of the many shops that filled both sides of the hall created a colorful spectacle. Stands and other stores occupied specific spots where the people were forced to pass. Most of those men and women walked, but some used hoverboards, rollerblades, or small motorcycles to move around.


    The scene almost overwhelmed Khan. There was simply too much that he had never seen in that sole hall. The clothes that Reebfell''s citizens wore were enough to fill his mind with curiosity and confusion. He managed to spot only a few military uniforms while everyone else was donning something else, which could be eccentric at times.


    "Khan, focus," Lieutenant Abaze called while looking left and right to find less crowded paths. "Let''s go there. I''m sure that shop will be able to satisfy Captain Goldmon''s taste."


    "That''s a bit expensive for my pay," Amber admitted without hiding her faint shyness.


    "Don''t worry," Lieutenant Abaze responded. "The Captain might sound grumpy, but he is a gentleman. He never lets underlings pay."


    "And you made sure to use that to your advantage every time," Captain Goldmon snorted.


    "The place also has an updated list of the best offers if you want to buy something," Lieutenant Abaze continued, ignoring the Captain''s comment.


    Amber nodded happily, but Khan lost interest in that conversation. Marvel still filled his mind due to the incredible sight that the immense hall was providing. He didn''t expect a city to be so lively.


    "What is it, Khan?" Amber asked when she noticed Khan''s lack of excitement. "I''m sure you must want something."


    "I don''t have Credits," Khan revealed. "The first pays have yet to arrive."


    "How did you spend everything earned in the last year?" Amber exclaimed.


    "Earned?" Khan frowned. "I''ve never earned anything."


    Lieutenant Abaze had listened to the conversation, and her elegant expression froze when she heard Khan''s words. A heavy sigh eventually escaped her mouth when she realized what had happened, and an order soon followed. "Professor Teldom, please escort Lieutenant Khan to a console. We''ll meet at the shop."


    Amber nodded before taking Khan''s arm and pulling him among the crowd of people to reach a different side of the underground hall. Everyone moved quickly, so it didn''t take the two long to arrive before a room with a series of consoles. The place was empty, and Amber didn''t hesitate to push Khan inside it and place his hand on one of the devices.


    The screen immediately recognized Khan through his genetic signature, and it even welcomed him by mentioning his rank. A series of menus then appeared, and Amber pointed at a label that said: "withdraw".


    "Press it," Amber ordered. "It won''t work unless it''s you doing it."


    Khan didn''t know what was happening, but he followed the orders. After pressing the label, a series of lines that described Khan''s various achievements went by. The console was basically listing the merits accumulated during his past missions, and a big number with five zeros appeared when everything ended.


    ''Please, place your phone on the console to withdraw thirty-two thousand one hundred fifty-seven Credits,'' Khan read on the screen when a new line appeared under the big number.


    ****


    Author''s notes: I caught a cold on the 23rd, but I''m better now. It has been hard to focus on writing between the celebrations and my health, but I hope to publish another chapter today before trying to move toward a stable schedule.

 Chapter 294: Expensive

    Khan remained stuck in front of that big number, but a frown soon appeared on his face. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he had no idea how valuable that sum was.


    "Amber?" Khan eventually called.


    Amber had helped Khan browse through the initial menus, but she had diverted her gaze from the screen once the console had started to calculate his merits.


    "You should keep your wealth private," Amber responded without turning.


    "Can you take a look, please?" Khan asked.


    Amber still hesitated, but Khan had sounded lost, and she also felt a bit curious. Her gaze slowly went on the screen, and her eyes trembled at the sight of such a sum.


    "I knew it would have been a lot, but that''s still surprising," Amber declared.


    "What do you mean by a lot?" Khan questioned.


    Amber frowned since she didn''t understand what there was to explain, but she tried her best anyway. "You can buy a small house in the city with these Credits. Though you wouldn''t be able to afford living there afterward."


    Khan nodded, but confusion soon reappeared on his face. He turned toward Amber and tried to wear his most serious expression as he voiced another question. "How many cans of spicy chicken can I buy with these Credits?"


    "S-spicy chicken?" Amber stuttered. She thought that Khan was joking for a second, but his firm voice forced her to take the question seriously.


    "Well, I think you can buy ten or fifteen cans for one Credit," Amber calculated while placing a hand under her chin. "I''m not sure. I''ve never bought cans of food."


    Amber glanced at Khan to see whether her answer had solved his doubts, but she realized that he had long since stopped listening to her. His eyes had lit up, and his mouth had opened in astonishment.


    ''Ten cans of spicy chicken for each Credit!'' Khan exclaimed in his mind. ''That''s, that''s, that''s a lot of cans!''


    Khan almost threw his phone at the console after understanding how wealthy he had become. The machine everything on its own. He only had to confirm the transfer on his device, and the Credits soon appeared on his profile.


    "I''m rich!" Khan exclaimed after retrieving his phone.


    "Not really," Amber promptly contradicted. "You have no idea how quickly those Credits can disappear if you are not careful."


    Amber had vaguely understood what was happening. That was Khan''s first time with Credits, so she could imagine the type of euphoria that had taken control of his mind. Still, that feeling could be dangerous, especially for someone who had no experience with money.


    "Let''s buy some stuff!" Khan exclaimed while turning and moving toward the crowd in the underground hall.


    "Wait," Amber called while grabbing his arm. "You don''t need to spend money right now. Focus on purchasing the Tainted animals you need, but don''t go overboard. The Global Army won''t refund those Credits otherwise."


    Khan turned toward Amber to show his frown and voice one of his doubts. "What''s the point of money if I don''t spend it?"


    "That-," Amber began to speak, but she quickly realized that she didn''t have a proper answer to the matter. Still, Khan continued to look at her, so she came up with a few responsible lines. "The Global Army won''t back you up forever. You''ll need a proper home at some point, and you also lack the support of a family. How will you buy better weapons and resources if you spend everything you have now?"


    Khan opened his mouth to complain, but he soon closed it to lower his gaze. Amber was right, but he felt disappointed anyway. He finally had Credits, but spending them sounded like a waste.


    Amber noticed the disappointment in Khan''s face and heaved a deep sigh. She had never seen him like that, but the reason behind those reactions was obvious. Khan was famous for his many achievements, but something about him still belonged to a seventeen-year-old boy.


    "Let''s rejoin the Captain and the Lieutenant," Amber suggested. "I''ll help you browse through the offer. There must be something worth buying."


    Khan''s eyes lit up again, and he immediately nodded before shooting toward the crowd. Amber was still holding his arm, so she ended up rushing back into the underground hall with him.


    Amber felt the need to call Khan or force him to stop since he was going too fast for that crowded area, but those instincts vanished when she noticed that they never bumped into anyone. Khan flowed among the lines and small vehicles without ever stopping to inspect his surroundings.


    That performance was so surprising that Amber remained silent until the two reached their destination. A large shop featuring many circular tables and simple seats unfolded in their vision. The area had no waiters, and multiple ads moved on the four walls.


    Captain Goldmon and Lieutenant Abaze had taken a table deep into the shop, and Khan didn''t hesitate to reach them. Most of the seats in the area were taken, but no one inspected him or Amber. Everyone appeared too busy talking with their companions, dates, or looking at the menus in front of them.


    "You don''t waste time, do you?" Lieutenant Abaze commented when she noticed that Amber was still holding Khan''s arm.


    Amber gasped and let go of Khan, but he ignored the comment and Captain Goldmon''s laugh to take a seat. Having money had opened countless possibilities, and he couldn''t think about anything else right now.


    "I wasn''t, we weren''t-," Amber tried to justify herself.


    "I was only teasing you," Lieutenant Abaze interrupted before glancing at Khan. "Besides, he seems busy looking at the offer. I guess the trip to the console went well."


    "Thank you, Lieutenant Abaze," Khan exclaimed.


    "You can call me Lydia," Lieutenant Abaze replied as an elegant smile appeared on her face. "We have the same rank and position. There is no need to be so formal."


    "He is a few decades too young for you," Captain Goldmon mocked.


    "As if you knew my real age," Lieutenant Abaze calmly added.


    Khan limited himself to nod before moving his eyes back on the interactive surface of the table. The various menus didn''t only list the drinks he could purchase inside the shop. Many labels led to the multiple offers depicted on the walls.


    "Let''s order something to drink before going through the offers," Lieutenant Abaze reminded. "I''ll have this tea."


    Lieutenant Abaze pressed on a label, and her drink appeared on a list at the center of the table. Even its price was there, and Khan remained stunned when he read it.


    ''Two hundred Credits for a single drink?!'' Khan shouted in his mind before inspecting the shop''s menu.


    It turned out that Lydia''s drink was one of the most expensive items on the list. It even surpassed most of the shop''s meals, but the other cheaper labels didn''t reassure Khan.


    ''The life in the city is definitely expensive,'' Khan realized as he scrolled through the list.


    Many drinks required more than a hundred Credits, all of them involving a single cup. The shop didn''t sell entire bottles, even when it came to booze.


    Amber sat and picked one of the cheapest drinks, but Lieutenant Abaze immediately took it out from the central list before explaining her reasons. "The Captain will pay. Don''t hold back."


    "I like that brand," Amber smiled.


    "Nonsense," Lieutenant Abaze stated while adding another expensive tea to the central list.


    Amber wanted to say something, but Lieutenant Abaze promptly shook her head and forced her to give up on the matter. Meanwhile, Khan was still busy getting over his amazement. Also, he couldn''t understand the differences among the various drinks on the list. The shops added descriptions, but they only increased his confusion.


    "Khan, I''ll pick for you," Captain Goldmon announced while Khan was still in the middle of his confusion and amazement.


    The event didn''t help Khan too much. Captain Goldmon added two drinks worth more than one hundred Credits each, and Khan inevitably compared them to the number of food cans that he would be able to purchase with the same money.


    ''I could become the king of the Slums by selling ten of these drinks,'' Khan commented in his mind before showing a fake smile to the Captain.


    Captain Goldmon confirmed the orders, and part of the menus disappeared from the table since four circular holes opened on its surface. Four drinks came out of them, and Lieutenant Abaze quickly distributed them.


    Khan''s drink turned out to be strong booze. It was terrific, even if it burnt his throat. He could taste multiple intense flavors with a single sip, and the cozy warmth that spread through his chest brought his mind back to the happy moments on Nitis.


    The Captain also seemed to relive happy moments while he drank. Khan noticed that detail, but he didn''t know whether the booze was to praise for those effects.


    Lieutenant Abaze and Amber''s faces gained a slight redness when they drank their tea. Both of them licked their lips after every sip, and their eyes rarely left their cups.


    The table went silent, but no one found the situation awkward. The four professors enjoyed their drinks without ruining the moment with useless talks.


    "I guess it''s time to go," Lieutenant Abaze said when she noticed that everyone had finished drinking.


    Captain Goldmon had paid while confirming the order, so he didn''t hesitate to stand up. Khan and Amber imitated him, and the four soon returned inside the underground hall.


    "Khan, how was it?" Captain Goldmon asked while the group moved among the crowd.


    "Really good," Khan honestly admitted.


    "It''s said that only those who have experienced true hardship can appreciate that brand," Captain Goldmon explained.


    "I never thought that the humans could create such things," Khan whispered while focusing on the path ahead.


    The group reached a set of staircases and climbed them to arrive on the surface. The scene that unfolded in their vision ended up leaving Khan stunned again. There was so much to inspect that he ended up turning whenever something claimed his attention.


    Skyscrapers made of black and grey metal pillars divided by large windows grew at the sides of immense streets. Vast sidewalks filled with people bordered those huge buildings, and vehicles shot left and right in an orderly manner.


    Khan immediately noticed the stark absence of wheels. All the cars floated right above the smooth and clean streets tainted only by the azure tubes that created a glowing spiderweb linked to the buildings. The streetlamps and sparse signboards also had connections with those small channels that carried synthetic mana.


    Still, the vehicles flying among the tall buildings remained the most surprising aspect of the scene. They weren''t fast, but they managed to ignore the crowded environment on the ground by moving in the sky.


    Khan remained captivated by the many flying vehicles. He even followed them with his eyes, and a few ended up entering some buildings through windows that opened remotely or proper platforms that came out from the metal pillars.


    "They are also extremely expensive," Amber explained when she noticed Khan''s interest in the flying vehicles. "You also need a special driving license for them, which isn''t cheap."


    "What about proper spaceships?" Khan asked.


    "They are even more expensive," Amber revealed.


    "But the Global Army can provide the training and driving license for them," Lieutenant Abaze added. "Are you interested in becoming a pilot?"


    "I just miss flying," Khan admitted. "I guess it''s not the same without the wind blowing on your face."


    "Nothing beats flying through space with a spaceship," Captain Goldmon declared while tapping his cane on the floor. "The teleports have tried to turn that type of travel obsolete, but many still like the complete freedom found among the blackness above. Also, pilots are necessary to find new valuable planets and intelligent lifeforms."


    "So, should I try to get a spaceship?" Khan asked while continuing to inspect the many vehicles flying above his head.


    "It depends on the type of ambassador you want to become," Captain Goldmon scoffed. "Do you want to manage the relationships that the Global Army has already established, or do you prefer to look for other species while exploring the immense but dark universe?"


    ****


    Author''s notes: I caught a cold on the 23rd, which turned out to be covid. I''m fine, but my holidays are pretty much over since I need to wait to get cleared. I''ll go back to the normal schedule since I''m at it. There will be a second chapter in a few hours (hopefully 3-4).

 Chapter 295: Negotiation

    The conversation ended there. Captain Goldmon stopped being in the mood to voice wise words, and Khan lost himself in the spectacular scenes that appeared in his view. As for the answer to the soldier''s question, Khan didn''t need to think about it. He had to find the Nak, which most likely involved exploring the depths of the universe.


    Amber noticed something deeper in Khan''s lost expression, but she wrongly addressed it to his marvel. Khan was utterly astonished by the majestic sight, but his real stupor came from his senses.


    Everything from the smallest banner to the largest building used synthetic mana. The symphony that Reebfell played felt messier than any battlefield Khan had seen. Even the vehicles relied on that energy to move, which only increased the number of waves that Khan perceived.


    Khan grew used to that chaos in a few minutes. He had initially compared Reebfell to a battlefield in his mind, but those thoughts soon disappeared. The mechanical nature of the buildings, lamplights, banners, and vehicles prevented the environment from getting an authentic messy atmosphere. Everything eventually became predictable and oddly lame.


    Khan didn''t claim to understand how the technology around him worked. He even knew that the current spectacle had required the efforts of multiple experts and various studies. Still, that use of the mana felt limiting.


    The reason behind that sensation was hard to find. The fusion between technology and synthetic mana gave birth to an unnatural environment that didn''t fully express the nature of that incredible energy. Of course, those ideas and sensations existed only in Khan''s mind, and it seemed that no one else was noticing that strangeness.


    ''Maybe I feel like this because I have seen how mana behaves when it''s free,'' Khan wondered.


    No one around Khan could solve his doubts. Liiza might have a few ideas, while Zalpa could probably give a grumpy explanation, but he had to remain in the dark for now.


    The group walked for a while, with Captain Goldmon leading everyone through the crowded streets. Cars whooshed above them and on their left, but no one paid attention to them. Even Khan soon accepted them as the norm in that environment.


    Khan had browsed the menus in the previous shop while he remained immersed in his drink, but he didn''t understand what was worth pursuing. He didn''t even care about most of that stuff. His life in the Slums had made him lose interest in every item that could improve his time inside the camp. He could only consider knives, training programs, and techniques, but none of the offers suited him.


    Truth be told, Khan''s set of techniques was more than enough at his current level. He had two powerful martial arts, three spells, a defensive skill, a method that enhanced his training speed, and two more valuable abilities. Adding something else was pointless, especially since he still had to learn everything he owned.


    Generally speaking, his training should focus on perfecting his martial arts by increasing his proficiency level. Khan also had to achieve mastery of his spells and techniques, and the same went for the skills obtained on Nitis.


    Khan even had to deepen his understanding of the chaos element. His experience on Nitis had given him ideas on how to use his mana through the Niqols'' arts, but he needed training for that.


    His equipment and the techniques that didn''t have any elemental requirements were the only aspects that could benefit from the trip to Reebfell. However, the offers didn''t feature any knife or special abilities, but that turned out to be normal, according to Amber.


    "Only specific shops can sell those goods since they need the authorization from the Global Army," Amber explained when Khan questioned her about the matter. "You must understand that no one here thinks about wars or battles."


    Khan nodded, even if he struggled to think like a citizen of a big city. His time inside the Global Army had consisted of battles and tragedies. Instead, his life in the Slums had mostly been about keeping his stomach full. The sole idea that someone could be interested in different phone models, cleaning robots, cars, or clothes was impossible to understand for his current mindset.


    "Don''t worry," Amber giggled when she saw Khan''s confusion. "It''s still early. I''m sure we''ll visit those shops."


    "Does the Global Army need to authorize everything connected to wars and battles?" Khan asked as his group continued to march through the streets.


    "Yes, well, there are exceptions," Amber revealed.


    "The Global Army is Earth," Lieutenant Abaze jumped into the conversation. "Everything you see exists because the Global Army wants it to exist. Yet, some powers linger slightly outside its influence."


    "The noble families," Khan responded.


    "The families in general," Lieutenant Abaze corrected. "The Global Army is Earth, but the many families make the Global Army. It''s only normal for them to have grey or completely black areas that normal citizens can''t touch."


    "What do you mean by normal citizens?" Khan asked.


    "Everyone living in the Slums or weak soldiers without backing," Lieutenant Abaze explained. "My family is quite wealthy, so I can have access to goods and events that you''ll never see on the menus around here. Professor Teldom is the same, while the Captain is a few steps above us."


    "She forgot to say that I''m the reason behind my privileges," Captain Coldmon snorted. "I didn''t always have a family ready to wipe my a-."


    "Captain," Lieutenant Abaze interrupted.


    "What? They have both heard far worse," Captain Goldmon complained.


    "It''s still rude," Lieutenant Abaze stated, and the Captain sneered before giving up on the matter.


    ''I guess I''m a normal citizen,'' Khan thought, ''Which means that I can''t gain access to the really good stuff until I build significant connections or accumulate many achievements.''


    His thoughts went on Rick, Captain Clayman, Colonel Norrett, Luke, and George. Khan had met important figures in his life, and he had even established good connections with some of them. In theory, he also had favors to call in. Yet, they would have little to no value right now since his position inside the Global Army was relatively poor.


    Some of his connections also had to mature, especially when it came to Rick. Potentially, he could be his greatest trump card, but everything depended on whether he could achieve something inside the Rassec family.


    Casual lines flew among the group. Amber and Lieutenant Abaze had realized how poorly Khan understood the human culture, so they described a few peculiar shops or scenes that they found on their path.


    The train had stopped in a commercial area that featured almost every type of shop. Khan could see an immense variety of items for sale. The goods could go from simple toys to eccentric tools. He smiled slightly at the sight of small flying puppets, but he frowned when he noticed glowing make-ups or dyes that changed color every few seconds.


    A lot of those items expressed the incredible fields that human technology had reached, but others highlighted its excesses. Khan could probably accept everything with his broad mindset, but some ornaments, clothes, or even flashy accessories on the vehicles felt utterly useless and uncomfortable. He couldn''t understand how someone would ever think to spend money over them.


    The strangest aspect of those eccentric items came from their popularity. Almost half of the people that Khan saw made him frown in confusion. The situation had reached the point when he had to concentrate on wearing his perfect poker face to avoid claiming unwanted attention.


    Lieutenant Abaze left the group during the march, and Amber followed her. The former had to purchase materials for her subject, but she still wanted to visit girly shops, and Amber couldn''t refuse her request to accompany her.


    Khan remained alone with Captain Goldmon, who spoke rarely. The soldier only explained that they didn''t take a taxi to show him the area. Khan had no idea what that was, but he used the network to solve his doubts instead of asking other questions.


    The shops with the Tainted animals usually stood at the edges of the commercial district due to the awful scents that those creatures could release. The technology in the city easily took care of those odors, but Captain Goldmon explained how that layout had become a tradition by then.


    Khan didn''t need the Captain''s warning or a banner to understand when the destination was nearby. It wasn''t hard for him to sense big lifeforms with a significant amount of mana among those predictable waves of energy. His eyes soon fell on a series of huge buildings that had vast entrances and banners that depicted dogs, bears, or other animals.


    "All this side of the district is related to the Tainted animals," Captain Goldmon explained. "The first shops have the most famous brands, which are also more expensive."


    "Amber has said something about a possible refund from the Global Army," Khan stated. "Captain, how much do you think it will cover?"


    "A few thousand Credits, but only because it''s you," Captain Goldmon exclaimed.


    "Are they enough to purchase a Tainted animal?" Khan continued.


    "Tainted animals are simple to create," Captain Goldmon revealed. "You take a normal beast and force it to mutate. It takes little to no mana to complete the procedure, so they can be very cheap. Still, I think you are here for creatures worth more than a thousand Credits."


    "Which means that I''ll have to spend some of my finances," Khan continued.


    Khan had started to understand how expensive life in the city could be. He had read every price and offer during the walk. His thirty-two thousand Credits could vanish incredibly quickly.


    Moreover, there was an issue that had started to bother Khan. Amber''s responsible warnings had been on point, but Khan didn''t care about houses for now. Still, he minded his ability to purchase superior techniques, training methods, and spells, which could obviously be expensive.


    Saving was the best option. His double income as a professor and lieutenant would give him one thousand and five hundred Credits every month, so his finances could increase rapidly. However, he cared about his role.


    "We can go directly to the cheap shops if you-," Captain Goldmon announced while wearing a curious smile.


    "No, bring me to the shops that might have suitable creatures," Khan interrupted. "You know the area and the level of the recruits better than me, so I''ll rely on your expertise."


    Captain Goldmon inspected Khan for an instant before nodding in satisfaction. The more the soldier looked at Khan, the more he believed that he would be a good professor.


    The Captain and Khan walked deeper into the areas with shops related to Tainted animals until the former stopped in front of a large building with "Beasts'' King" written on its vast banner. That part of the city was less crowded, so Khan could inspect the whole structure from side to side before pushing open its tall doors.


    The entrance felt too light for its size, but Khan didn''t question the nature of its materials. His attention quickly went on the many huge cages that occupied both sides of the building. They were mostly made of a dark alloy, but their fronts had barriers similar to those in Ecoruta''s underground structure.


    Each cage had peculiar specimens. Khan saw multiple odd Tainted animals as he walked through the clean path among the cells with the Captain. Dogs with scarlet eyes and metallic claws, hyenas with hard spiked fur, strange bears that stood on two legs, snakes with barrels instead of fangs, and much more filled the building.


    ''They are too weak,'' Khan thought as he walked past the cages.


    It didn''t take much for an animal to become "Tainted". As Captain Goldmon had said, the mana simply had to trigger mutations, but they didn''t necessarily need to bring physical improvements. Most of the creatures in the cages had barely earned their infamous label. Even normal humans would have a high chance to defeat them.


    The building was devoid of customers, so the duo''s presence didn''t go unnoticed. A middle-aged waiter with an unkempt beard and messy dark hair left a desk in the middle of the floor to approach Khan and Captain Goldmon.


    "Sirs, sirs!" The waiter called while rubbing his hands. "Please, come this way. How can I help you?"


    Khan couldn''t help but notice how the waiter was wearing simple clothes. His yellow T-shirt and trousers featured a few dark spots and a couple of holes, and the same went for the brown apron above them. His figure contained mana, but Khan barely put him above the checkpoint for first-level warriors.


    "We are looking for Tainted animals suitable for recruits in the second semester," Captain Goldmon exclaimed without glancing at the waiter a single time.


    "You are in the right place!" The waiter almost shouted. "Here at the Beasts'' King we have a great assortment of Tainted animals for that specific category. Most of our creatures have developed physical enhancement, and we have also decided to add bionic improvements to others to add some deadliness."


    "The beasts here are too weak," Khan said while glancing at the bottom of the hall. "Even those there won''t do."


    "How would you know without looking at them?" The waiter asked as a tinge of displeasure appeared on his face.


    "Because he said so," Captain Goldmon snorted while finally laying his eyes on the waiter. "Well, do you have something worthy of our time?"


    The waiter didn''t like Khan''s apparent lack of respect due to his young age, but his expression returned extremely polite in front of the Captain. The man nodded a few times and rubbed his hands with more intensity before answering. "Of course. Do you mind following me to the second floor? The beasts there will surely meet your requirements."


    Khan had the instinct to frown, but his face didn''t reveal his confusion. He couldn''t sense anything coming from above, but he followed the waiter with the Captain anyway.


    One of the cages turned out to hold an elevator that the three didn''t hesitate to take. Khan''s eyes widened in surprise as soon as the metal doors slid open and the second floor unfolded in his vision. A series of new presences had appeared in his senses even if they had been impossible to perceive before.


    "Does the floor isolate the mana?" Khan asked while tapping his foot on the dark surface.


    "Yes, the presence of stronger Tainted animals usually makes the weaker ones restless," The waiter explained before voicing a doubt. "How did you know?"


    "He knows because he knows," Captain Goldmon scoffed as his cane tapped the floor.


    Khan showed a fake smile to the waiter before resuming his inspection. The second floor was basically identical to the first, but the animals inside the cages were clearly stronger. Still, they also felt too weak for his subject.


    "Don''t you have something close to first-level warriors?" Khan asked after going through most cages.


    "We do have Tainted animals at that level," The waiter revealed. "However, many have developed abilities due to the mutations, and a few have even gone through bionic enhancements. I don''t think they are safe for recruits."


    "Do you have anything in-between?" Khan questioned while pointing at the cages. "These beasts are too weak. They''d die in a few lessons."


    The waiter stopped rubbing his hands to scratch his chin. He appeared conflicted about the matter, but he eventually came up with an option. "We have a few failed experiments like that, but they have no safe words or training. Their aggression is even off the charts. I don''t want our shop to create problems for the training camp."


    It was obvious that Khan and Captain Goldmon were working. They were some of the few people wearing military uniforms, so the waiter had immediately connected them to Reebfell''s training camp.


    "Safe words?" Khan asked.


    "We teach each Tainted animal to faint through a combination of words," The waiter explained before turning toward a cage that contained a giant pig with a metallic skull outside its head. "Fly through the sky!"


    The pig''s azure eyes widened at those words, and its legs immediately went limp. The creature fell on its sides, and Khan could quickly confirm that it had fainted. Of course, the scene surprised him to no end.


    "How did you even teach that to Tainted animals?" Khan couldn''t hold back from asking.


    "Our shop has one of the best taming progr-," The waiter proudly announced, but the Captain interrupted him by clearing his throat.


    "Right," Khan said while suppressing his enthusiasm. "Show me these failed experiments."


    The waiter didn''t appear convinced about the matter, but he still led Khan and the Captain back to the elevator. The machine reached the fifth floor, which turned out to be slightly darker than the others. There were even fewer cages, and the area was generally a bit dirtier.


    Khan didn''t care about the illumination of the cleanliness. His attention immediately went on the cages, and his eyes also lit up when he sensed the power of the creatures inside them. One of them even claimed the entirety of his attention and made him move without waiting for the man.


    The front of a vast cage eventually unfolded in Khan''s view, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face when he saw the massive ape inside it. The creature had no fur, and four bionic red eyes shone on its head. The beast was almost three meters tall, and its arms seemed bulging columns.


    The ape was sleeping, but it woke up when it heard Khan stopping in front of its cage. The beast didn''t like that event, and it immediately jumped on its feet to leap forward.


    The Tainted animal slammed on the barrier that locked the cage, but the event didn''t put an end to its offensive. It attacked a few more times before chattering in anger.


    "This one is definitely a waste," The waiter explained after reaching Khan with Captain Goldmon. "Its skin is incredibly tough, and the muscles under it are even scarier. It can endure the attacks of a first-level warrior for a few minutes, and its physical strength is far above average. However, the scientists up there have messed up during its growth. It''s too violent, which makes it impossible to tame."


    "How much for it?" Khan asked.


    "I can''t sell this one," The waiter immediately refused. "With all due respect, I don''t want the Global Army to close the shop because one of our animals has killed a recruit."


    "He asked for a price," Captain Goldmon snorted.


    "I''m sorry, sir," The waiter continued. "I really don''t want to disrespect you, but this creature can hold its ground against first-level warriors. Normal recruits will get badly injured or worse if they aren''t careful."


    "We still want to purchase it," Captain Goldmon declared. "Name a price."


    The waiter could only give up on making the two change their minds. He placed a hand under his chin again before naming a number. "Eight thousand Credits."


    Khan expected the price to be high, but not so high. Still, his face didn''t reveal anything. He even managed to bargain. "You said that this one isn''t for sale. Lower the price since you have no uses for it."


    "We can still feed it to other Tainted animals," The waiter calmly explained. "It''s a normal practice to save mana."


    The Captain glanced at Khan. He waited a bit to see whether Khan could come up with other ideas to lower the price, but it was clear that he had nothing else.


    Khan felt the need to refuse that price. Eight thousand Credits was simply too much, but Captain Goldmon spoke when he was about to say something. "Do you like having a training camp here?"


    "Of course, sir," The waiter replied as a confident smile appeared on his face. "Business and Reebfell as a whole thrive with so many recruits around."


    "Do you know why the camp managed to reopen so soon?" Captain Goldmon continued. "Do you know anything about Istrone?"


    "Istrone was a tragedy," The waiter responded as his smile disappeared. "Still, I don''t see how that''s connected to this negotiation."


    "He is the connection," Captain Goldmon declared while pointing his cane toward Khan. "He is the reason Reebfell even had survivors in the first place."


    The waiter inspected Khan in confusion for a few seconds, but his eyes soon widened. His mouth opened, and he stuttered a couple of times before managing to voice a complete question. "Wait, are you Khan?"


    Khan had vaguely understood what the Captain was doing, so he didn''t hesitate to play along. His face turned cold as he corrected the waiter. "Lieutenant Khan."

 Chapter 296: Shopping

    The waiter remained speechless for a few seconds. Istrone''s rebellion had been a sudden and tragic event that had affected the entirety of Earth. The Global Army as a whole had suffered a huge blow, and the effects of the matter had spread past the various families that had lost descendants.


    Almost every business in the big cities had seen a decrease in their yearly incomes. Only the shops that sold defensive gear or similar items had experienced a boom, but that had also quieted down quickly since the Global Army had taken everything into its own hands.


    The event had created such heavy consequences that basically everyone had done their best to know more about Istrone''s rebellion. Khan''s name had appeared in many reports, so many had learnt about him. Some interested parties had even started to follow his profile to keep track of his growth.


    The waiter wasn''t an interested party, but he knew about Khan and learning about his early promotion only deepened his astonishment. Yet, he quickly proved himself worthy of being part of one of Reebfell''s shops.


    "Congratulations!" The waiter exclaimed while replacing his surprise with a broad smile that faked pure happiness. "No promotion has ever been more deserved! I''m sure you''ll reach even higher ranks."


    The sudden change in the waiter''s approach almost startled Khan, but he didn''t let anything appear on his face. His expression remained cold, and the same went for his steady gaze on the man''s figure.


    "My apologies," The waiter cleared his throat while adding an ashamed tone to his voice. "I have failed to recognize Istrone''s hero. It has never been my intention to offend you."


    "What about the price?" Khan asked without showing any reaction to those polite excuses.


    "I''ll obviously lower it," The waiter proudly announced. "I''ll even add a special discount to apologize for my behavior. Will four thousand Credits work for you?"


    Khan used the entirety of his knowledge in lies and pretenses to perform a slightly displeased pout while he turned his gaze on the Tainted ape. He faked hesitation, but he didn''t make it too evident. The waiter had to think that he could look through Khan.


    "I can go as down as three thousand and eight hundred Credits," The waiter continued after the heavy silence got the best of him. "I''m afraid I can''t lower the price any further. The shop would lose money otherwise."


    Khan was ready to accept, but he decided to let the silence fall among them again. The chattering and screaming of the Tainted ape only added tension to that situation, but Khan''s intentions went beyond the simple attempts to lower the price even further.


    The waiter had clearly underestimated Khan, which was a weakness that the latter wanted to remain. Khan pretended to glance at Captain Goldmon to look for his opinion, and the soldier played along by performing a slight nod.


    "We''ll buy it," Khan stated while taking out his phone. "The shop will handle the transport to the training camp, right?"


    "Of course, of course," The waiter happily responded. "Customers usually have to pay extra for that service, but that obviously doesn''t apply to you."


    "Excellent," Khan voiced without showing any happiness. "We can handle the payment then."


    Khan had no idea how the payment worked, but he pretended to be completely confident in the matter. The waiter didn''t notice anything, and he quickly led the two back to his interactive desk on the first floor.


    "Do you want to subscribe to the shop?" The waiter asked after he prepared the desk for the payment. "We''ll keep you updated on every offer and new product, and you''ll even receive a special permanent discount."


    "Maybe next time," Khan immediately refused as his eyes scanned the menus on the desk. Luckily for him, the various figures and labels were extremely clear. He only needed to place his phone on a specific spot and confirm the payment.


    Khan''s funds went under thirty thousand Credits, but he didn''t feel anything about that loss. That currency was too ethereal in his mind. He couldn''t sense any attachment toward that money.


    The waiter voiced a few polite and excited goodbyes that Khan and Captain Goldmon dismissed as they left the building. Their pretense continued even after they began to walk back to the central areas of the commercial district, but Khan eventually decided to speak honestly.


    "Thank you for your help, Captain," Khan said while adding a nod to his line.


    "Why did you look at me after he lowered the price?" Captain Goldmon asked. "You had the chance to improve your image in his mind."


    Khan remained slightly startled in front of the question, but he decided to explain his reasons. "I didn''t need to show off. The waiter might let something slip if I ever happen to go there alone the next time."


    "You planted a weakness," Captain Goldmon chuckled. "Not bad."


    "I''ll only be able to use it once," Khan added. "I might not manage to pull something similar off in the future either. I didn''t expect to be so famous even outside the training camps."


    "Istrone''s rebellion has been on everyone''s mouth for many months," Captain Goldmon revealed. "The Global Army lost a lot, so Earth as a whole suffered."


    Khan could only nod and let his eyes wander among the crowd as Istrone''s memories appeared in his vision. He still remembered the Kred, his first kill, the blood, and the cries. Still, those scenes couldn''t affect his mood deeply anymore.


    "You shouldn''t give others the chance to help you so easily," The Captain declared, forcing Khan to snap back to reality. "I''m too old to care about that stuff, but many won''t hesitate to use those occasions to earn favors."


    "I understand," Khan honestly stated. "Thank you again, Captain."


    Captain Goldmon snorted and let the topic die before voicing another question. "Do you have something else to buy?"


    "I don''t want to impose, sir," Khan quickly replied. "I''m sure I''ll be fine on my own."


    "I don''t want you to get lost before your first lesson," Captain Goldmon sneered. "Besides, you don''t know Lieutenant Abaze. We have many hours to kill."


    "Wouldn''t you prefer to spend that time drinking somewhere?" Khan politely questioned.


    "Shut up and accept my help," The Captain ordered while loudly tapping his cane on the ground.


    "Yes, sir!" Khan exclaimed as a faint smile appeared on his face. "I''d like to purchase books and techniques connected to my path. I''d also want to use your presence to avoid getting ripped off."


    Captain Goldmon laughed at that shameless announcement, but he nodded and began to accelerate. The soldier quickly led Khan toward another area of the commercial district, and the crowd''s general level revealed the different purposes of the shops there.


    Khan didn''t fail to notice how most of the people in the area were stronger than him. Those who had yet to become first-level warriors had strong companions acting as guards or escorts. Almost all of them also wore serious and experienced expressions. It was clear that the shops there attracted citizens who had battle and war-related interests.


    Everyone seemed to know each other. Khan often saw polite greetings or loud salutations. Reebfell was showing him its political array, but he couldn''t affect it for now. Those faces belonged to strangers he couldn''t approach without a valid reason.


    No one bothered to look at Khan. Captain Goldmon''s stars claimed the gazes from some guards and experienced soldiers, but everyone soon went on their own way.


    Khan and Captain Goldmon could visit multiple shops without encountering any hindrance, and the crowds inside them prevented the various waiters from being expansive. Every interaction was short, direct, and often disappointing.


    ''How can a defensive technique weaker than the [Blood Shield] cost ten thousand Credits?!'' Khan complained in his mind after leaving another shop. ''And what''s this fixation with sex-related abilities? Why does every shop have them?''


    Khan''s complaints were a bit out of place. Every shop had a vast assortment of techniques, and many of them were interesting. However, their price was exorbitant, and that wasn''t even the greatest problem. He already had better abilities in almost every field.


    Khan wanted to obtain new abilities, but he felt forced to postpone the matter for when his level increased. He had already guessed that his state was pretty good, but he had hoped that Reebfell could prove him wrong. Still, the situation turned out to match his initial evaluation.


    Everything changed when Captain Goldmon led Khan toward shops specialized in training programs. Everything was cheaper there since the human approach to mana was rather mechanical. Most soldiers didn''t care about improving their general control over their energy since they could directly focus on mastering specific techniques. Yet, that didn''t apply to Khan.


    "You could have found weaker versions of those training programs on the network," Captain Goldmon stated after he and Khan left a shop. "You didn''t need to spend almost two thousand Credits only to get the best ones for your level."


    Khan almost failed to hear the Captain since his eyes remained fixed on his phone. Two new labels had appeared in the special menu that listed his arts and training programs, and he couldn''t wait to try them.


    ''The "advanced perception" should bring my senses to the next level,'' Khan excitedly thought, but the light in his eyes intensified when he read the second label. ''Instead, "advanced control" might finally solve my problem with the [Blood Vortex].''


    The shop didn''t have anything directly related to the manipulation of mana. The humans simply didn''t use that approach, so Khan had to settle for something more general. Still, he felt pretty satisfied with his purchases. He believed that the two training programs would streamline his regular schedule.


    "Are the Niqols'' methods so good?" The Captain asked when he saw that Khan wasn''t giving any answer.


    Khan couldn''t help but stop looking at his phone. The question had taken him by surprise, and his body almost reacted on his own when he heard something related to Nitis. Yet, the Captain''s calm expression showed nothing but interest, so Khan decided to answer honestly.


    "They are different," Khan explained. "They are definitely good, but I wouldn''t place them above the human approach. I admit that the Niqols'' methods might be too difficult for most soldiers."


    "I see," Captain Goldmon voiced. "Did you manage to control the chaos element so quickly due to the Niqols'' approach to mana?"


    "I won''t answer that, sir," Khan responded.


    "Good boy!" Captain Goldmon laughed before leading Khan toward his final destination.


    Khan had already obtained a good book about the most famous alien species, but he decided to purchase better ones. He also bought a few teaching programs to learn different languages, and he subscribed to a service that offered daily updates on the political environment in the universe.


    After that, Khan and the Captain left the area to enjoy another drink and wait for their companions.

 Chapter 297: Fun

    Captain Goldmon knew Lieutenant Abaze well, especially when it came to her habit of spending entire hours shopping. She even stopped replying to the Captain''s messages at some point, so he and Khan ended up spending a long time in the bar that they had picked as their gathering point.


    Khan had learnt to know the Captain a bit during their time together. The soldier was often rude and grumpy, but he was never mean. Also, he was good toward his underlings, and he never failed to teach lessons when the situation required it.


    Captain Goldmon was a man of few words. He wasn''t the type of person who would start conversations to kill time, and Khan appreciated the silence between them. The soldier even bought new rounds of drinks whenever they emptied their cups, making his company even easier to enjoy for Khan.


    The drinks were expensive, but their high quality justified their price. Khan and the Captain enjoyed their good booze in silence as memories resurfaced in their minds. They both had experienced events capable of making their gazes wander for a long time, and neither of them tried to probe the other.


    Some things couldn''t be said. Some things had to remain in the minds that had experienced them, and both Khan and Captain Goldmon silently agreed on that part. They let the booze get to their heads as they ordered one drink after another.


    Khan had no intention of getting drunk, but the situation turned out to be so favorable that he stopped controlling himself. Captain Goldmon was good company. He appeared as an old soldier who had chosen to ignore the political environment and possible promotions to be a simple man, and Khan could only appreciate him.


    Khan initially tried to ignore his phone out of respect for the Captain, but his hesitation slowly dispersed as his trust in him grew. The two didn''t need words to grow closer, so Khan soon decided to keep himself busy among his drinks and memories.


    Khan had spent a lot during that short morning, but his purchases felt worth it. He reviewed his two training programs without activating any hologram, and their exercises sounded interesting. He also started skimming through his new books with the "enhanced reading", but he soon had to stop relying on the technique since the booze was making him fail to perform it too often.


    Captain Goldmon didn''t say anything about food, and Khan also ignored the matter as he continued to drink. At times, Khan even tried to toast with the soldier and stare at his eyes, but the lack of reactions from the latter reminded him that he wasn''t on Nitis anymore.


    "You handle your drinks well," Captain Goldmon commented from time to time, probably forgetting that he had already voiced the same lines in the past minutes and hours.


    Khan limited himself to wear a fake smile at every comment, and the Captain never failed to follow with a snort. It was clear that the soldier didn''t like that dishonest behavior, but Khan couldn''t trust him right away. He had partially lowered his barriers only because the Captain seemed to have no interest in playing political games with him.


    The morning turned into afternoon, and the sun eventually began to set. Khan tried to slow down on his drinking when he was about to approach his limits, but the Captain began to order new booze for both of them whenever he emptied his cup.


    At first, Khan tried to keep up with the Captain''s drinking speed, but his body couldn''t match the resilience of a third-level warrior. He had to voice his desire to stop when the situation became truly risky, and the Captain accepted his request with one of his usual snorts.


    Lieutenant Abaze and Amber reached the shop one hour after Khan stopped drinking. Their faces revealed how fulfilled they both felt, but their expressions changed as soon as they laid their eyes on Khan and Captain Goldmon.


    Khan wasn''t too off. His head spun during the spikes of dizziness, and redness had taken control of his cheeks. His breath wasn''t great either, but he could prevent himself from mumbling. He also retained a good understanding of his situation, and the break from drinking had started to do wonders.


    Instead, Captain Goldmon was far worse. He was a third-level warrior, but he had drunk an uncountable number of cups after Khan had taken his break, and his face showed each one of them. His eyes were half-closed and red, his head went up and down, and vague mumbled words left his mouth from time to time.


    "I knew I shouldn''t have left you alone for too long," Lieutenant Abaze commented.


    "You should contain your shopping drive then," Captain Goldmon responded in a surprisingly clear tone.


    ''Is he drunk or not?'' Khan wondered while showing his surprise.


    His doubts only increased when he saw the Captain abruptly straightening his head after he threatened to fall on the table. Khan didn''t know how to judge his state, but Lieutenant Abaze soon took the matter into her own hands.


    "I think it''s better to go," Lieutenant Abaze announced while approaching the Captain''s seat and tapping his shoulder. "Captain, we had to take the train."


    "I know," The Captain scoffed in a clear tone. He picked his cane to force himself to stand up, and Lieutenant Abaze wrapped her arm around his right elbow to support him.


    Khan stood up slowly to avoid falling prey to his dizziness. The world in his vision tried to spin, but he stayed still for a few seconds to find his balance. He was fine, but he couldn''t stop thinking about the food cans in his fridge back in the training camp.


    "How are you feeling?" Amber whispered when Lieutenant Abaze began to lead the Captain toward the underground hall.


    "I''m fine," Khan chuckled. "I''m not stupid around booze."


    "I know that from your profile," Amber teased.


    "You have no idea how troublesome that is," Khan joked. "Every superior I meet tries to offer me a drink or two. I mean, I don''t mind it, but I''m not a drunkard."


    "Didn''t you just spend most of the afternoon drinking with your superior?" Amber asked as a giggle escaped her mouth.


    "We covered the shopping part first," Khan proudly revealed.


    "Did you find a suitable Tainted animal in the end?" Amber asked.


    "I did," Khan stated. "Yet, I''m still unclear about the teaching part. Everyone in the camp seems to love you. Do you have any advice, Professor Teldom?"


    "Stop it," Amber laughed. "I don''t have any secret. Besides, our subjects are quite personal, so we all have different teaching methods. I treat the recruits honestly. I think that gave me a decent following and a good image."


    ''Is she unaware of her general sweet aura?'' Khan wondered, but his state prevented him from realizing that he had started to stare at Amber''s face.


    "What is it?" Amber diverted her gaze shyly.


    "Oh, sorry," Khan quickly exclaimed. "I was thinking about the other reasons behind your popularity."


    Amber frowned, but she blushed when she connected the previous stare to the last line. She tried to glance at Khan, but he had already moved his attention on the street.


    "Are you always this direct when you drink?" Amber questioned.


    "I''m always direct," Khan declared before a sigh escaped his mouth. "I have just developed bad habits in the Slums."


    "Like?" Amber continued.


    "The soldiers don''t care about the squabbles there," Khan explained. "Everyone is on their own, and many areas can be dangerous. There are rules, but they only work when you get caught. You end up learning to lie and hide your character since you can''t trust anyone."


    "Did I gain your trust then?" Amber asked while wearing a sweet smile.


    "Not at all," Khan laughed before nodding at her when he noticed her surprise. "I''ve only understood that you are a good person."


    Amber wasn''t used to such direct compliments, especially from Khan. Still, she felt at ease, and another question inevitably escaped her mouth. "Are you really seventeen? Where did you even get your confidence?"


    "Don''t fall for me already," Khan smirked before glancing at a random point in the distance.


    "I-, I didn''t mean that!" Amber complained, but Khan only laughed.


    His reaction made Amber complain even harder until she started pulling his arm and triggering more teasing words. She let him go and pouted, but she eventually started to smile.


    Casual conversations and a few jokes flew between Khan and Amber until the group reached the underground hall. The four didn''t waste time and entered the platform where they could call the train, and everything fell silent once they took their seats inside the vehicle.


    Captain Goldmon fell asleep as soon as he sat, while the others killed time through their phones and the holograms generated by their seats. Khan could review his day. He had spent quite a bit, but his gains felt worth it.


    A few messages reached his phone during the trip back to the training camp. An unnamed soldier contacted him through an account labeled "Global Army" to talk about the Tainted ape that had arrived. Khan had to look at his schedule to give proper indications, and the conversation ended soon after.


    Khan would have to host his first lesson tomorrow, and his schedule was already on the network. His subject wasn''t mandatory, and Headmaster Pitcus had placed it in the late afternoon, but he believed that many recruits would come due to his fame. Still, keeping them there would be up to him.


    When the train stopped, Captain Goldmon left his seat and started to depart on his own. He voiced short goodbyes and climbed the stairs back to the parking area. Lieutenant Abaze''s salutations were more polite, but they were also short since she couldn''t wait to check everything she had bought in Reebfell.


    Khan was hungry, but Amber wasn''t in a hurry to get back to her habitation, and he needed her help for a small issue. It was only slightly past dinnertime, so the two returned to the surface slowly as they chitchatted and exchanged jokes.


    "How did you even survive for so long without knowing such basic features?" Amber laughed while pointing at a label on Khan''s device. "Press there, then open that window. Do you see that label? It will lead to a menu where you have to write why the Global Army should give you a refund."


    "Writing isn''t my strong point," Khan admitted while wearing a pleading expression and glancing at Amber.


    "I had already planned to help you with that," Amber revealed. "I believe the Global Army will cover the entire purchase. As for the expenses for the Tainted animal''s maintenance, I think they will depend on your performance during the lessons."


    "Right, that thing again," Khan sighed. "I think I know how I want to handle my lessons, but many recruits will probably run away after the first one."


    "Don''t sell yourself short," Amber praised. "You might not notice it, but you have a charming character when you stop pretending. Just be honest with your recruits, and everything will be fine."


    Khan sighed again, but he didn''t waste that chance to tease Amber. "Do you feel charmed already?"


    "Shut up," Amber chuckled while getting closer to Khan to help him write the request for a refund.


    The two walked slowly through the streets of the training camp as they joked and finished handling Khan''s matters. Both of them were having fun, and the emptiness of the area allowed them to put aside the eventual stoic pretenses that meeting recruits would require.


    "Done!" Khan exclaimed after sending his request. "Thank you, Amber."


    "You are good with words," Amber stated. "I''m sure you''ll get the hang of the formal writing quickly."


    The two had no reason to walk together now that Khan''s problems were over, but he didn''t hesitate to voice an offer. "Let me walk you back home to thank you for today."


    "Shall I remind you that I''m stronger than you?" Amber teased.


    "Do you want to walk me home then?" Khan laughed, and Amber shook her head while a smile appeared on her face.


    "My building is in that direction," Amber said while pointing toward a street and turning toward it.


    Khan limited himself to smile and follow her, and the two soon started exchanging jokes again. A few casual topics also appeared, and Amber even described part of her lessons.


    Khan didn''t know why, but he was having a good time. Amber was easy to talk to, and the booze was doing its job, but Khan still felt surprised that he could go entire minutes without experiencing his constant desperation. It would typically take a fight to achieve that, and the lack of romantic interest toward Amber only intensified his amazement.


    Amber was definitely beautiful, but Khan was enjoying having a friend with whom sharing a light-hearted laugh and ordinary conversations. Amber was giving him a taste of normality, and he felt able to accept it after a few struggles.


    However, the rest of the world seemed unable to let Khan have that moment. He and Amber found a recruit sitting on a bench when they reached the central areas of the camp. Their first instinct was to fall silent for a bit, but Khan stopped his tracks when he recognized Cora.


    Cora stood up and glanced at Khan before diverting her gaze. She waited in her spot and didn''t make a single step toward him.


    "Is she here for you?" Amber asked since Cora kept glancing at Khan.


    "It''s complicated," Khan sighed.


    "Don''t tell me that you kept your date waiting to be with me," Amber exclaimed as a tinge of annoyance began to seep into her tone.


    "Do you think I''m that kind of man?" Khan asked while fixing his eyes on Amber.


    The direct question made regret appear in Amber''s mind. She didn''t want to doubt Khan, but her words might have offended him. She opened her mouth to apologize, but Khan spoke before her. "Hey, it''s fine."


    Khan sounded reassuring, and Amber could only try her best not to appear awkward. She wore her sweet smile and glanced at Cora before teasing him. "You shouldn''t play with a woman''s heart. Go to her. I''ll ask you how it went tomorrow."


    "What about my heart?" Khan whispered.


    Amber didn''t expect those words, but Khan began to walk toward Cora before she could ask anything. He only voiced short goodbyes in which he implied that he would contact her tomorrow.


    "Why didn''t you send me a message?" Khan asked when he reached Cora. "I might have missed you if I didn''t pass through here."


    "I didn''t want to disturb you while you were working," Cora explained. "I would have gone back on my own before the curfew."


    "You don''t need to be so careful," Khan sighed.


    "You might have avoided me if I asked to meet through a message," Cora responded while lowering her gaze. She had to muster the entirety of her courage to say that.


    Her boldness surprised Khan, but he soon smiled and bent forward to make his eyes meet hers. Cora blushed, but she forced herself to look at him without diverting her gaze.


    "I won''t leave you hanging, okay?" Khan reassured. "Just, don''t wait in the middle of the camp on your own anymore. It hurts knowing that you are doing it in the hope of meeting me."


    "Do you promise?" Cora asked timidly.


    "Just like I promised not to forget about your kiss," Khan laughed, and the entirety of Cora''s face turned red.


    "I-, why do you keep bringing that up?" Cora complained, but Khan didn''t answer, and the two soon started walking toward her dormitory.


    ****


    Author''s notes: For those wondering, there will be a second chapter.

 Chapter 298: Crowd

    The walk with Cora was uneventful. Khan teased her a bit, and she stole a hug before reaching the entrance of her dormitory, but that was it. Khan could hurry back to his flat afterward, and his rumbling stomach saved him from falling prey to his messy thoughts.


    Khan wolfed four cans of food before moving his focus on his purchases. He had already skimmed through them while he was with Captain Goldmon, but now he had the chance to test them.


    The "advanced perception" and "advanced control" were training programs featuring different exercises meant for their specific topic. They would work on two of the three fundamental aspects of the Niqols'' approach to mana but from the human''s perspective.


    The different approach had both negative and positive aspects. Humankind didn''t treat the mana like the Niqols. Their understanding and general consideration of that energy were relatively shallow, so the training programs wouldn''t reach the same depths that Khan had seen on Nitis.


    However, that shallow approach also involved a broadness that would allow Khan to gain benefits in more than those two fields. He had even confirmed that part when he was at the bar with the Captain.


    The "advanced perception" involved exercises that the Niqols put in the control field, and the "advanced control" did the same with the manipulation of mana. In theory, Khan would work on the entirety of his foundation, which was exactly what he desired.


    It was far past ten pm by the time Khan finished eating. The next day would see him hosting his first lesson, but he would have the entire morning and most of the afternoon free. He had enough time to recover from every hellish schedule that he decided to pursue, and the training camp even offered him the chance to go truly all-out.


    ''I shouldn''t skip sleeping entirely tonight,'' Khan concluded after reviewing his opportunities. ''Yet, I can''t waste eight hours like that either.''


    Khan almost couldn''t help himself as he pressed on the first exercise of the "advanced perception" and began to perform it. The training made him imagine the edges of his senses as a sphere that he had to expand by sending tiny tendrils past those limits.


    The exercise was efficient, even if it didn''t reach the levels of [The Pure Trees]. His senses expanded extremely slowly, but they went past their limits, and that was more than what he was achieving without a proper training method.


    Khan didn''t remain stuck in the exercise for too long. He went to the next one after half an hour and found something that far different requirements and tasks. The training program asked him to focus on a single large spot at his senses'' edges and push it forward.


    Khan didn''t take long to grow used to the exercise, so he quickly moved to the next one. The training program wanted him to imagine a series of spikes pressing on his senses'' edges, but he mastered that part in no time too.


    The "advanced perception" suffered from an issue that Khan had predicted even before deciding to purchase it. The training program was the best he could find for soldiers at his level, but it used human standards to set its difficulty.


    The first exercises were too easy for Khan, which was the reason behind his skimming through them. He wanted to find the training that suited his level before putting the program inside his schedule.


    The following exercises were harder versions of the first three. Khan had to imagine more tendrils, larger spots, or denser spikes, but he completed all of them after a few tries.


    The difficulties arrived when the training program asked Khan to fuse the three types of exercises. He had to imagine tendrils, spikes, and large spots at the same time, and his many failures made him smile. He had finally found his starting point.


    Midnight had passed by then, but Khan didn''t hit the bed. He moved to the "advanced control" to repeat the process, but he felt disappointed to see that the initial exercises were even easier there.


    The matter made sense when Khan considered humankind''s approach to mana. Control over that energy was a skill that the humans didn''t need to nurture since it was easier to master a single technique or spell.


    Still, Khan wasn''t a normal human. He even felt that his attachment to his species had done nothing but waver during the last year. He wanted his general ability to control mana to be far above the average, and the same went for the manipulation field.


    Luckily for Khan, some of the last exercises of the training program turned out to be pretty tough. Khan had to create intricate diagrams around him with his mana and make them rotate in the air. Their movements also had to change from time to time, and their complexity affected the exercise''s outcome.


    Khan even made it harder for himself. The exercises in the "advanced control" involved a bit of the manipulation field since he had to condense the mana to increase its stability. However, he also decided to alter its nature while he made the diagrams rotate to make the training more complete.


    It was deep into the night when Khan found the starting point for both training programs. He didn''t feel sleepy, but he forced himself to hit the bed. Still, he set the alarm so that he would wake up by dawn.


    The nightmare didn''t last long, and Khan jumped out of bed as soon as the alarm rang. He had a lot to do and try out, and he didn''t forget the lesson that would arrive later in the afternoon.


    To Khan''s surprise, his phone had three different messages. One came from Cora in the form of a simple "good morning", another from Amber teasing him about Cora, and the last from the Global Army, which confirmed the total refund for the purchase of the Tainted ape.


    Khan had learnt how things worked with Credits. He left his flat and reached one of the consoles placed near the central area of the camp to withdraw the money from the refund. He saw his finances getting close to thirty thousand Credits again, but the event created no happiness or satisfaction in his mind. It only confirmed that the Global Army would support him fully for now.


    It was too early for the training camp to get crowded, but Khan met a few recruits willing to make the best out of their day. Those boys and girls performed military salutes whenever Khan crossed their paths, but he only nodded at them since most of his attention was on his phone.


    Cora wanted to meet for a few minutes while Amber kept probing about last night''s events. Khan couldn''t refuse the former after his promise, so the two met in the canteen and enjoyed a peaceful breakfast. As for Amber, Khan didn''t mind talking with her, but he never revealed too many details.


    Khan found it funny that his only two friends in the camp woke up as early as him, but the matter didn''t bother him. Amber only wanted to have a laugh, and Cora would die rather than become a hindrance for him. The conversation with Amber ended after a few messages, and Cora went on her way happily after the breakfast was over.


    ''Now,'' Khan exclaimed in his mind as he watched Cora disappearing in the distance.


    The phone quickly appeared in his hand, and his fingers tapped the screen until they reached the map of the camp. Khan didn''t hesitate to head for the training halls. He had every intention to spend most of his day there.


    More recruits began to appear on the camp''s streets, but most failed to perform their military salute before Khan walked past them. He was basically running, and his destination was his favorite place in the world.


    A few short buildings eventually unfolded in his vision. Reebfell''s camp had three structures featuring multiple training halls. The quality, type, and purpose of those spaces changed slightly from room to room, but Khan had already made up his mind about his destination.


    Khan went into the second building, which contained the elite versions of the training halls for soldiers at his level. He picked the only area with stats that could meet his requirements. His status as a chaos wielder gave him a stark advantage toward technology in general, so he had to choose something capable of enduring his mana.


    The training hall opened as soon as Khan placed his phone on its entrance. The interactive floor activated, but a few menus remained dark. When he put his phone in its the designed spot on the wall, more options appeared, but they had a price attached.


    ''I''m indeed too poor to spend all my time here,'' Khan concluded after evaluating the options in his mind.


    The training halls were expensive, especially when it came to programs that allowed spells and similar powerful techniques. Moreover, Khan''s status as a chaos wielder had only worsened the situation.


    Still, Khan could benefit from multiple discounts. He was a Lieutenant, a Professor, and the winner of Onia''s tournaments. He could see the original price of those programs, but their cost went down by more than half due to his status.


    The discounts weren''t enough to make the training halls affordable. Khan had a monthly income of one thousand and five hundred Credits, but using those services at their fullest would cost him around four hundred and fifty Credits each week. He wouldn''t be able to save anything if he decided to go all-out. Yet, he could settle for a schedule that prevented him from going broke.


    Of course, that was his first day there, so he tested the best program that money could buy. Khan ended up facing multiple reinforced puppets made from an alloy resistant to mana. Those dummies could perform different martial arts, and they even knew how to apply simple battle tactics that made use of their superior numbers.


    The battles were harsh. Khan saw his seemingly unstoppable spells being unable to destroy his opponents in a single blow. Even his knife often failed to shut them down, but the Divine Reaper wasn''t to blame. The puppets didn''t have weak points, so cutting their heads or opening large cracks in their chests didn''t interrupt their offensive.


    Khan obviously lost himself in the mana around him. His experience in the city allowed him to grow used to the synthetic energy inside the puppets quickly, so he could stop thinking in no time and bathe in the feeling of having worthy opponents.


    A soldier brought Khan lunch directly in the training hall, so he never left the area until his phone rang to inform him that his time was up. His lesson would start in a few hours, and that required him to handle a few matters to prepare it.


    Khan returned to his flat, showered, and responded to the messages that had arrived on his phone. The soldiers tasked with the maintenance of his Tainted animal knew that his lesson was approaching, so they contacted him to complete the last preparations.


    The meeting happened near the building that would hold Khan''s lesson. He needed a vast and reinforced hall due to the size of the Tainted ape, and the training camp had something suitable near its edges. It took him a while to reach that place, but everything went smoothly afterward.


    Three soldiers moved a large cage covered by thick dark fabrics inside a building that resembled a hangar. The place was clean, but it lacked the sophisticated features of the halls in the central parts of the camp. Yet, it was perfect for Khan, so he didn''t complain.


    "Are you sure that you don''t need help, sir?" The leader of the squad that had moved the cage asked after making their vehicle place the item in the corner of the hangar.


    "You can remain in the area," Khan responded while taking a peek under the fabrics, "But I should be more than enough on my own."


    The Tainted ape didn''t like being kept in the darkness, but the arrival of the artificial light in the hangar angered it even more. The creature immediately leaped ahead, but the transparent metal of its entrance endured the blow perfectly.


    ''Good cage,'' Khan commented in his mind before letting the structure be.


    The soldiers performed a military salute and left Khan alone in the hangar. His lesson would start in less than an hour, so he sat next to the cage and began to meditate. As for the alarms, he didn''t set any.


    Presences began to enter the range of his senses as he meditated. Khan saw a young crowd gathering inside the hangar, even if he kept his eyes closed. People seemed to flow endlessly, but they stopped entering the building after a few minutes.


    Khan waited a few more minutes before interrupting his meditation and straightening his position. The Tainted ape had slammed its head on the transparent part of the cage a few times while the recruits had gathered, and the event had naturally startled them, but Khan''s awakening claimed the entirety of their attention.


    ''So many,'' Khan couldn''t help but think as his stern gaze moved among the anxious recruits. All of them tried to keep their eyes fixed on him, but many ended up looking at the floor during the inspection.


    A quarter of the hangar was full of recruits, which messed up Khan''s plans, but he quickly found a solution. He reached his phone and opened one of the long walls. The well-kept lawns of the training camp unfolded in everyone''s view, but all the recruits turned toward Khan as soon as he cleared his throat.


    "Okay, raise your hand if you have read my profile," Khan ordered in an aloof voice.


    Everyone raised their arms, and Khan expected as much. The sheer number of recruits in the hangar was a direct consequence of his fame.


    "Well, we can skip the presentations then," Khan said in a loud voice as he laid his back on the dark wall. His eyes fell on one of the recruits who didn''t divert his gaze before he voiced another order. "You, can you tell me why you are here?"


    The sudden question startled the young man. He inspected his surroundings to make sure that Khan had really pointed at him, but he couldn''t find any way out of that situation. He performed a military salute, cleared his throat, and shouted his idea loudly. "We are here to learn how to fight, sir!"


    "Wrong," Khan stated, and despair appeared on the young man''s face.


    "Let''s make this clear now so you won''t complain if you decide to stay," Khan continued. "All of you know how to fight. I bet that some are close to reaching the competent proficiency level, while others might be only one step away from mastering their first spell. Many of you even have experienced masters at your disposal."


    Everyone remained silent. Some recruits understood what Khan wanted to say, but they didn''t say anything.


    "Still, almost all of you wouldn''t be able to apply what you have learnt in an actual battle, let alone a war," Khan revealed. "Istrone has proven that a crisis can fall on you at any time and place, and it''s my job to make sure that you are ready for it."


    Khan sighed before continuing. "I won''t hide that my classes will be dangerous. I''ll do everything in my power to make you experience the fear that only a real battlefield can provide. You will get hurt, so get out if you aren''t willing to go through that."


    The recruits steeled their faces and tensed their bodies to remain as still as possible. They wanted to show their determination and confidence, but that sight didn''t impress Khan.


    "Very well," Khan exclaimed while approaching the cage. "I''ll give you another chance to leave before the beginning of the lesson. Today you''ll have one versus one fights against this creature."


    Khan pulled the fabrics and uncovered the cage. The Tainted ape appeared in everyone''s view, and its angry screams filled their minds with fear.


    "This creature can kill you," Khan announced. "There is no point hiding it. I''m the only one in this hall capable of defeating it, and I''ll also be the only one coming to your aid once you get overwhelmed. So, do you still want to stay?"

 Chapter 299: Madman

    The recruits in the hangar didn''t have Khan''s senses. The ape was big, violent, and angry, but it remained a Tainted animal in their minds. They had fought something similar in the entrance test more than half a year ago, and they had also gone through months of training.


    The ape''s appearance was scary. Its four bionic eyes shone with a threatening red light, and its furless skin revealed its bulging muscles, but the creature remained a Tainted animal at its core, which gave the recruits some confidence.


    Khan kept track of the changes in the recruits'' expressions. That short inspection gave him an idea of his students'' current state. Some showed nothing but hesitation and fear, which stated their lack of confidence. Others gulped but did their best to appear ready for the battle, and a few wore traces of arrogance.


    Those reactions were within Khan''s expectations. He still recalled his days in Ylaco''s training camp and the level of his peers. He was off the charts, but Martha, Luke, and a few others could put up a fight. Other cities even had a few exceptions like George, who had learnt to cast spells during his first semester in the Global Army.


    Everything seemed to point toward the possible victory of some excellent recruits, but Khan knew the actual power of the Tainted animal. It was easier to view it as a proper first-level warrior to evaluate its dangerousness. Even he wouldn''t have been able to beat it back then.


    "None of you can beat this Tainted animal today," Khan continued in an attempt to quell the slight arrogance that had filled some recruits. "It''s not about your experience. You simply lack the ability to deal with it, but that''s the very reason behind this challenge."


    Needless to say, the arrogant recruits took Khan''s words as a challenge. Their confidence had different sources, but they still felt stronger than a mere Tainted animal.


    "Who is the strongest among you?" Khan asked while leaving the wall to approach the lines of recruits. "I''m talking about the special class. You must have a few names in your minds."


    Khan could sense the amount of mana in the recruits, but he couldn''t see their prowess. He could gain a vague idea through their reactions, but that was far from enough.


    Many glances converged toward two recruits in the frontline. Khan also inspected them after following those gazes. One of them was a tall young man with a good physique and driven eyes. The other was a slender young woman with blonde hair tied in a bun, a pair of short swords at her sides, and an arrogant expression.


    "Which one of you wants to go first?" Khan asked while moving his gaze between the two. "Also, don''t be so tense around me. Many of you are older than me. Ask as many questions as you want."


    "Is it possible to know the Tainted animal''s abilities, sir?" The man shouted while performing a military salute.


    "No, you''ll have to find those by yourself," Khan replied.


    "How do we know that we have won, sir?" The woman continued.


    "You must push the Tainted ape back in the cage or kill it to win," Khan responded.


    "Are we allowed to use mana?" The man questioned in his loud voice.


    "Of course," Khan scoffed. "This isn''t a training hall or a test to show your prowess. I will let the ape break your bones before saving you, and trust me. You will need saving."


    "Permission to go first, sir," The man exclaimed before the woman could say anything.


    "Sure, go," Khan said in a plain tone before turning toward the rest of the recruits. "All of you, get out of the hangar. Line up in front of that entrance and leave the floor to your companion."


    The recruits followed the orders and positioned themselves right outside the wall that Khan had opened previously. The tall man remained alone in the vast hangar, and Khan slowly walked toward the cage before jumping on it.


    The cage was more than four meters tall, but Khan had easily jumped on top of it. His performance surprised the recruits, but Khan spoke before they could lose focus on the test. "Move forward a bit. Line up with the transparent surface. We don''t want the ape to jump on your companions by mistake."


    The man nodded and took his position. The Tainted ape immediately started slamming on the transparent surface when it saw the recruit, and its aggression seemed to make him falter a bit. Still, he tried his best to remain resolute.


    "Come on, get in fighting stance and prepare your mana," Khan ordered from the top of the cage.


    The man executed the orders. He half-turned his waist and bent his legs while raising his arms. His hands closed into fists, and mana moved slowly toward his knuckles and ankles.


    ''Not bad,'' Khan commented in his mind when he inspected the flow of the man''s mana. It was pretty smooth, which confirmed his status as one of the best recruits in that year.


    "I''m going to open the cage," Khan shouted. "Are you ready?"


    The man nodded, and Khan tapped his feet on the cage to interact with the menus. A vertical opening soon appeared on the transparent surface before its two halves opened outward.


    The Tainted ape voiced a scream before shooting toward the young man. The floor was sturdy, but the creature still managed to make it shake lightly. It didn''t exactly run. Its charge consisted of long jumps that ended with its two huge arms slamming on the ground.


    The ape reached the young man quickly, but the latter didn''t let that huge figure scare him. The creature slammed its arms downward as it descended toward the recruit, but it failed to hit anything.


    The young man had flowed to his right when he saw the thick arms aiming at him. His fast dodge created an opening, and he didn''t hesitate to exploit it by punching the ape''s side.


    The recruit smiled when he sensed that his execution had been perfect. He had yet to reach the competent proficiency level, but his dodge and attack had used mana correctly. However, something began to feel strange in his mind.


    The man realized the source of that strange feeling only after the ape swung its arms toward him. The recruit didn''t have time to dodge from that position. The happiness that had come from his perfect execution had made him blind toward an obvious detail. The Tainted animal didn''t budge when the attack had landed on its side.


    The thick arms delivered a clean blow to the man''s torso. The recruit flew away for a few meters and slid on the metal floor after he landed. Blood had begun to come out of his mouth, and fear had appeared on his face. However, the screams and noises that got close to his position forced him to struggle to stand up.


    The recruit went back on his feet only to find the ape descending toward him. The creature''s thick arms filled the entirety of his vision, and deep terror spread through his mind. He couldn''t dodge that attack. He didn''t even know if his arms would be enough to save his life.


    The man closed his eyes, lowered his head, and crossed his arms above him, but no attack arrived. Instead, angry screams and painful cries began to reach his ears.


    The recruit waited a few seconds before opening his eyes, and the scene that unfolded in his vision left him amazed. The Tainted ape wasn''t in front of him anymore. Something was pushing the beast toward the cage, but that figure wasn''t clear most of the time.


    The young man squinted his eyes and did his best to inspect the battle. Whenever the ape flew back, he managed to see Khan between its arms or at its sides. The recruit struggled to see Khan''s attacks, but he noticed the calm, collected, and even slightly bored expression of his Professor.


    The Tainted ape was incredibly strong for its level, but Khan had fought Stal that could rival second-level warriors. The beast''s size and physical strength were nothing in his eyes, and its attacks were too slow. He could flow between its large arms and kick it back toward the cage without even sweating.


    Of course, Khan made sure to push instead of breaking. His kicks could pierce the ape''s skin, but he didn''t want to inflict injuries. After all, the Tainted animal still had more than fifty recruits to face.


    The cage closed as soon as the entirety of the Tainted ape entered its boundaries. The beast slammed on the transparent surface in anger, but Khan didn''t even look at it. He turned and reached the young man in an instant, only to find him on his knees.


    "What? You thought that you had won after landing a single hit?" Khan asked before heaving a sigh at the sight of the tremors that ran through the recruit. "You are good for a training camp, but that behavior would kill you on the battlefield. Go back to your companions now."


    The man gulped and tried to stand up, but a violent cough took control of his body and made him spit blood on Khan''s shoes. The event terrified the young man, who immediately tried to apologize, but Khan pulled him up from his uniform and put a shoulder under his armpit to support him.


    "We don''t have all day, do we?" Khan laughed while helping the recruit walk back to his companions.


    Everyone was speechless. The young man and the other recruits had remained in awe in front of Khan''s prowess. He was their age, but his fighting ability, confidence, and general lack of fear in front of danger belonged to a completely different realm.


    His change of behavior also surprised the recruits. They had imagined Khan as a cold and stern professor, but his laugh sounded honest, and he didn''t care about his dirty shoes. He was even adjusting his pace to match the injured man''s state.


    "Sit here," Khan gently said when he reached the row of recruits with the young man. His eyes rose and stopped when they landed on the young woman from before, and another order left his mouth. "Get in. You are next."


    The woman nodded and stepped inside the hangar. The young man sat, but a cough retook control of his body. He spat blood again, and the event gave him the courage to voice a request. "Permission to go to the medical bay, sir."


    "Denied," Khan casually replied while walking toward the cage. "You don''t have medical bays on the battlefield. Meditate, but try to look at your companions'' battles too."


    The recruits finally understood the nature of Khan''s subject now, and the desire to run away inevitably filled their minds. Many even started to view him as a madman who had earned his current job by pure chance.


    "Are you ready?" Khan asked when he reached the top of the cage, and the woman nodded.


    The cage opened, and the Tainted ape shot forward. The beast reached the recruit in an instant, but she dodged the descending arms easily. She also swung her short swords during her evasive maneuver, and two long cuts appeared on the creature''s side.


    The Tainted ape tried to follow the woman with its arms, but she was too fast. She ran around the beast, swinging her blades whenever she found an opening, but she always failed to leave significant injuries.


    The recruits'' eyes lit up at that scene. Their companion was doing it. She was overwhelming the Tainted ape, but the inevitable eventually happened. She failed to use her mana correctly during one of her dodges, which allowed the beast to slam its arms on her.


    The woman flew away, and her swords left her hands. Her left arm bent unnaturally, and she remained still when she crashed on the floor. She turned only when the Tainted ape was about to fall on her, but Khan appeared between the two before the creature could complete its attack.


    Everyone witnessed Khan''s overwhelming prowess again. He kicked the ape back inside the cage in no time before walking toward the injured woman. Yet, to his surprise, she forced herself to stand up on her own. She even returned to her companions after retrieving her weapons without saying a word.

 Chapter 300: Questions

    A few battles followed the woman''s fight, but the recruits stopped stepping forward after seeing the best warriors in their year losing and suffering injuries. They didn''t leave the hangar, but they found no point jumping into a situation that could leave them badly wounded.


    Khan could play the Lieutenant''s card and convince some of those recruits to go against the beast anyway, but that would be pointless. He couldn''t teach if his students didn''t want to learn, which was somewhat acceptable. He had never expected his class to be popular in the first place.


    The six recruits who had the courage to go against the Tainted ape were meditating on the lawn outside the hangar. They opened their eyes from time to time to check on the lesson, but their injuries remained their main focus. Their condition wasn''t too poor, but they would definitely benefit from a trip to the medical bay.


    Instead, most of the other recruits were clearly scared. Tremors ran through their bodies whenever Khan looked at them. They didn''t want to refuse his orders, but fighting the Tainted ape was out of the question.


    A few recruits had even worn cold expressions. They had developed a proper disgust toward Khan''s teaching methods, but he didn''t care about their opinions. He didn''t even bother to address it.


    "Is that it?" Khan asked while facing the row of recruits. "Is there no one else who wants to experience the terror of the battlefield?"


    The recruits diverted their gazes. They didn''t know what to expect from the madman in charge of the subject, and they didn''t want their actions to worsen their situation.


    "Good, no one should have the desire to experience that," Khan laughed before turning toward the insides of the hangar. "Come, come, and help your wounded companions. There won''t be other battles today, but I still need to make a speech."


    The recruits followed Khan''s orders and gathered around him when he sat next to the cage. They formed a half-circle and made sure to place their injured companions in the front rows, but their attention often went on the angry Tainted ape screaming from the other side of the transparent surface.


    "I think the purpose of my subject is clear by now," Khan exclaimed once everyone took their place on the floor. "You aren''t bad, especially you six. I''m sure you will do great inside the army, but the universe is full of dangers, and you aren''t ready to face them."


    Most of the recruits in the hangar had seen blood for the first time in Khan''s lesson, and almost everyone had understood the harsh truth that he had tried to teach. Many didn''t like his methods, but they had to admit that they had been effective.


    "Many of you have enough backing to avoid the battlefield forever," Khan continued. "Still, Istrone has proven that your wealth can''t protect you when it matters. I have been the poorest recruit during the Kred''s rebellion, but it''s thanks to me that the Global Army managed to send reinforcements before the situation worsened even more."


    Khan fell silent for a few seconds. He let the recruits absorb his words and accept the reality of the situation.


    "I know I can come out as ruthless," Khan revealed, "But that same ruthlessness has allowed me to survive on Istrone, prove myself on Nitis, excel on Ecoruta, and win the tournament on Onia.


    "I''m not asking you to become me. I wouldn''t wish that on anyone. Yet, I think I have something worth teaching, something that might save your life one day. I can''t force you to attend my lessons, but I suggest you do, even if you don''t join the various exercises."


    Khan did his best to convey his honest desire to prepare those recruits for the worst, and many understood that. His tone carried a faint sadness that was almost impossible to miss. He was only seventeen-year-old, but he had seen more than most soldiers twice his age.


    "You won''t fight the Tainted ape during my next lesson," Khan explained, "But I''ll still try to break your confidence. I''ll try a safer method to make sure that everyone can experience what I want to teach, so attend it before deciding to ditch my subject."


    Khan smiled, but his gesture didn''t reassure anyone. He was a big deal in the Global Army right now, so the recruits wanted to do well with him, but his standards seemed impossible.


    "Well, I don''t have anything else for today," Khan laughed. "You can go if you want unless you have something to ask. I''ll try to be as honest as possible."


    The young man who had been the first to face the Tainted ape raised his arm, and Khan nodded at him. The recruit cleared his throat a few times before voicing a question. "Sir, do we get grades for this subject? How do we know if we passed?"


    Many nodded at that question, and Khan recalled that he had forgotten to explain that part. His subject was an extra in the normal education provided by the Global Army, so it didn''t have explicit benefits.


    "You''ll pass when you can kill the Tainted ape," Khan explained. "I can''t give you grades that have relevance to your education. I guess being prepared for the battlefield isn''t enough as an incentive, right?"


    No recruit nodded, but Khan saw their desire to do that. He chuckled playfully as he scratched his head. He didn''t actually think about that, but it didn''t take him long to come up with a solution.


    "What do you think about a written recommendation?" Khan asked. "I think I''m famous enough to give value to something like that."


    "Will the recommendation describe our personal qualities?" The woman with two short swords questioned.


    "Sure, anything you want," Khan immediately agreed. "I''m not great with that stuff, so just tell me what you prefer. I only want you to survive during a crisis or on the battlefield. You have no idea how easy it is to die there."


    Khan''s complete disregard for the political consequences and benefits that his subject would have left the recruits speechless. He was really trying to do something good there, which granted points to his image.


    "How did you manage to do so well on Istrone, sir?" Another injured recruit asked.


    "My mindset is different from yours since I come from the Slums," Khan laughed, "And I have my master''s harsh training method to thank too. My element has also played an important role in my preparation since I mostly focused on my martial art before Istrone."


    "Which was the worst battlefield in your opinion, sir?" The young woman from before questioned.


    "They were all bad," Khan stated. "I guess Istrone hit the hardest since I had to kill for the first time there, but the others didn''t make me feel good for sure."


    "Are the Stal on Ecoruta as big as they say?" Another recruit asked.


    "Most of them are as tall as the ape," Khan said while pointing at the cage. "Yet, they are easy to fight if you have spells or other ranged attacks. Their physical strength is a problem, but they are quite dumb."


    "What about the Guko?" Another question resounded from the audience.


    "They are emotionless aliens," Khan responded without hiding his displeasure. "They only act logically, so I don''t have a great impression of them."


    "And the Ef''i?" The audience continued.


    "They are a good company if you earn their respect," Khan explained. "They are messy and loud, but definitely good. Still, keep track of their tails if you end up fighting them. Those limbs are dangerous."


    The recruits continued with their questions about Khan''s many adventures, and they even became more confident as he kept giving honest answers. Many also stopped adding "sir" to their lines, and Khan didn''t scold them about that.


    The questions grew more personal, and Khan did their best to answer them. He tried to depict the cruelty and chaos of the battlefields he had seen in great detail. He didn''t hide anything, no matter how gruesome an image could be.


    "Why did you go on Ecoruta after Nitis?" A recruit eventually asked.


    "I needed to clear my head," Khan responded while wearing a fake smile. "Though jumping in another battlefield isn''t a great move, so don''t imitate me."


    "Was that about your girlfriend?" The woman with two blades asked.


    Khan''s fake smile couldn''t help but freeze. Liiza was still a tough topic for him, but he didn''t want to create a wall between him and his students, so he forced an answer out of his mouth. "Yes, it was about her."


    The recruits'' eyes lit up, and many opened their mouths or began to raise their hands, but no one ended up speaking. They realized that their next questions would have been too personal, especially after Khan had admitted how much Liiza had mattered to him.


    The hangar fell silent. The recruits had gained a general idea of what Khan had gone through after Ylaco, so they only had questions that they didn''t dare to voice in their minds.


    Khan preferred to avoid waiting until the questions reached Liiza. He clapped his hands and jumped on his feet before giving his last order of the day. "Go back now. The lesson is over, and I hope to see you all in the next one. As I said, try to come before making your mind about my subject. Also, I''ll answer your questions again even if you don''t join the exercises, but let''s keep them on the battlefields and similar topics, okay?"


    The recruits understood the message and stood up to perform a military salute. Then, they left the hangar, and Khan finally had the chance to retrieve his phone to add a few notes.


    Khan had the list of his students on his phone, and he could add personal impressions that no one could read. His packed schedule would make his days full, so he had decided to update his notes after each lesson.


    Dinnertime had arrived, so Khan stuffed his stomach in the canteen before returning to his flat. The soldiers would take care of the Tainted ape, and Cora didn''t ask to see him again that day, so Khan could dive into his training.


    His goals were clear in his mind. Khan wanted to master his remaining techniques through the two training methods and improve his overall foundation.


    The "simulated mental battle" could make the training halls redundant, and the [Blood Vortex] was necessary to become a second-level warrior quickly. Hence, Khan focused on his training methods for most of the night. His next lesson would be in two days, so he could go all-out now.


    The only distraction that night came from Amber. She sent Khan a message to ask him about his first lesson, and he didn''t mind taking some time off to answer her.


    ''No one died, so I think it went well,'' Khan replied.


    ''I''m starting to take pity on your students,'' Amber said in her next message.


    ''Hey, I stopped everything after a few broken bones,'' Khan responded.


    ''I was wrong. I''m already pitying them,'' Amber joked.


    ''Come on. I think it went really well. They even asked many questions about Istrone and the other planets,'' Khan texted.


    ''That''s great, though I expected as much. You are their age. They must feel safe asking you that stuff,'' Amber explained.


    ''I hope they stick around,'' Khan revealed.


    ''I''m sure they will,'' Amber reassured.


    ''Are you getting all cute on me because of yesterday''s girl?'' Khan teased.


    ''Are you implying that I''m not cute normally?'' Amber asked.


    ''You win this round, Professor Teldom,'' Khan admitted.


    The two chatted for a few more minutes, but Amber eventually went to sleep. Khan continued to train all night, and he went for the canteen as soon as the sun rose. He met with Cora again, and she did her best to scold him when she heard that he didn''t sleep at all.


    Khan made Cora give up on the matter quickly. He had to accompany her back to her dormitory to reassure her, and the soldiers that saw them inevitably gave birth to gossips.


    After leaving Cora in her dormitory, Khan went directly toward the training hall. He had nothing to do that day, so he planned to spend most of his time fighting puppets.


    His day went exactly as planned. Khan left the training hall when it was almost dinner time. He was in desperate need of shower and clean clothes, so he returned to his flat instead of going directly to the canteen. Still, when he came out of the bathroom, he found more than twenty messages waiting for him on his phone.


    ''What the fuck?'' Khan exclaimed in his mind when he started to read the messages. They all came from unknown profiles, but he recognized their last names. Many members of his students'' families had contacted him to complain about his teaching methods.


    ****


    Author''s notes: We are already at three hundred chapters. Thank you for your support! Chaos still feels new to write in many parts, especially the romantic ones, so I''m glad to see that you are liking it. I hope you''ll keep enjoying the novel in the future!

 Chapter 301: Consequences

    Khan''s political life had seen a minor incident with the Blackdell girl and the four bullies during his time in Ylaco''s training camp. However, everything had been excellent afterward. Every door had been spread open for him after Istrone''s rebellion.


    The complaints from his students'' families had taken him by surprise. Khan didn''t expect that reaction, and he immediately realized that he had no idea how to handle similar situations. He wasn''t even sure he understood why someone would be so angry over a subject that wasn''t mandatory.


    ''How do you dare put our boy in the same room with a violent Tainted animal without any safety measure!''


    ''I suggest you change your teaching methods, young man. You might be a hero for now, but my family has produced dozens of them throughout the years. I won''t remain silent while my Carla risks her life to gain extra points!''


    ''Who even decided to give this job to such a barbaric and ignorant youngling! Prepare yourself, young man. The Headmaster will hear me about that torture that you call teaching!''


    Those threats were only some of the messages that Khan had found on his phone. He didn''t even manage to connect those profiles to the students they represented, but he quickly fixed that issue by going over his class list.


    Finding those connections turned out to be far from enough. Khan didn''t know how influential each family was, so he searched those names on the network, and the results made his expression freeze.


    ''Rich, rich, super-rich,'' Khan read as he looked through the public records concerning the families that had contacted him. ''Wait, this one isn''t considered wealthy. Estimate of the total assets: s-, two hundred million Credits! How should I even conceive that sum?! Fuck the food cans! I could buy the entire Slums with it!''


    Khan thought about the matter for a few seconds before cracking a joke in his mind. ''Who would even want to buy the Slums?''


    A faint laugh escaped his mouth, but he didn''t forget his situation. Khan still had more than twenty complaints to address, and he didn''t know where to begin with them.


    Khan thought about the matter for a few minutes, but he felt lost. He wanted to ignore those complaints, but they involved influential families that could make his life difficult.


    It didn''t take Khan long to realize that his lack of knowledge was the issue''s core. He could go over those complaints all night, but he would still be unable to find a real solution.


    ''I need help,'' Khan concluded in his mind as he closed the messages and went over his contacts.


    Cora knew more than Khan, but he didn''t want to involve her in his problems. The same went for Amber. The two women were also so kind that they had probably never faced something like that.


    Lieutenant Abaze seemed the right woman for the job. Yet, Khan didn''t want to feel indebted to her. She had been nothing but gentle with him, but her interests in the political array were evident, and he didn''t want to become one of her pawns.


    ''I can''t find where the Captain lives,'' Khan thought after picking his phone and browsing through the network.


    His position as a professor granted him access to information that regular students wouldn''t be able to find. Khan could easily find the location of Lieutenant Abaze''s habitation, but the same didn''t go for the Captain. The latter''s rank made that knowledge classified.


    Khan knew that the Captain lived inside the camp, and he was even sure that Lieutenant Abaze could point at his habitation. Khan sent her a short message, and she only took a few minutes to reply.


    ''I suggest you bring something good to drink if you want his help,'' Lieutenant Abaze wrote in her message while adding a map of the camp with a location marked.


    Khan didn''t mention anything specific in his message, but Lieutenant Abaze had understood the nature of his request anyway. That event made him feel right about his decision to avoid her as a helper. She was too interested in her position, which made Khan unable to trust her fully.


    It was still dinner time when Khan received Lieutenant Abaze''s message. He had yet to eat, and he took that chance to reach the canteen to find something good to bring to the Captain.


    The delay in his trip to the canteen forced him to meet many recruits. Khan kept a fake smile on his face and nodded whenever the soldiers performed military salutes, but his hurry was evident. He rushed through the camp''s streets and ate quickly. He even told Cora that he was busy before approaching one of the many menus in the building and going over the list of bottles.


    ''How can someone charge nine hundred Credits for a single bottle?'' Khan wondered when he looked at the price of the best booze that the canteen had to offer.


    Khan hesitated for a few seconds before purchasing the bottle anyway. He was asking a favor that would probably teach him important lessons. In his mind, that was the whole point behind money.


    Khan left the canteen in a hurry and marched through the camp''s streets to reach the location described in Lieutenant Abaze''s message. He didn''t know how to approach the Captain, but he hoped that the bottle in his hands would do most of the job.


    The outskirts of the camp had most of the structures that required large and open spaces. Those buildings had vehicles, prisons, flying platforms, and big machines capable of creating holograms with almost no limitations in their range. The same technology Lieutenant Unchai had used during the entrance test.


    Instead, the camp''s central parts had most of the structures required by the recruits. The dormitories, canteen, training halls, and similar buildings occupied those areas and were relatively easy to reach by anyone living there.


    The professors and other buildings meant for the soldiers with some important positions stood in-between those two circles. Khan''s flat was there, and the same went for Captain Goldmon''s flat.


    Khan knew that he had reached his destination when a short building unfolded in his view. Those structures were rare inside the camp. It was actually his first time seeing something similar. The Global Army always tried to make the best out of the available space, but the house went against that rule.


    The two-story building had large dark windows on both floors and a flat roof. Its entrance featured the usual menus, but it had the red words "restricted area" written on its surface. Khan couldn''t see anything that could connect the house to Captain Goldman, but that was the very clue that he was looking for.


    "Captain Goldmon," Khan said after placing his hand on the entrance, "It''s Lieutenant Khan. I need your help."


    No answer came from the other side of the door, and the menus on its surface didn''t budge either. Khan felt that explaining his situation wouldn''t grant him a meeting, so he used a different approach.


    "I have a bottle of "Imperial''s nectar" with me," Khan revealed while keeping his hand on the entrance.


    "How old is it?" Captain Goldmon''s voice suddenly came out of the door.


    Khan had to read the labels on the bottles to find the answer. "It says twelve years."


    A series of mechanical noises came out of the door as soon as Khan finished saying the word "twelve", and the entrance slid open right after. Captain Goldmon''s figure unfolded in Khan''s eyes, and he remained surprised to see his superior wearing a simple plaid pajama.


    "Did you buy only one bottle?" Captain Goldmon scoffed after inspecting Khan. "That won''t grant you much time."


    The Captain turned to walk inside the house, and Khan followed him since the entrance remained open. The door closed after he stepped into the vast living room, and he performed a quick inspection before placing the bottle on the first table he saw.


    The room''s size didn''t surprise Khan. It was only expected for a captain to have a better habitation, but its emptiness felt a bit unnatural. Khan only saw a couch, a couple of armchairs, and a table, which left a lot of unoccupied space.


    "Don''t you have casual clothes?" Captain Goldmon shouted while returning to the living room with two glasses and his cane. "I thought you didn''t have classes today."


    "I don''t have clothes except for these uniforms," Khan revealed.


    "Why didn''t you say something when we were in Reebfell?" Captain Goldmon asked as he approached the table, sat, and inspected the bottle.


    "Do I need to buy clothes?" Khan asked as he reached the armchair on the opposite side of the table.


    The question made the Captain inspect Khan in confusion. Khan appeared completely clueless, and the Captain understood that his background was to blame for that issue.


    "Leave it," Captain Goldmon stated while opening the bottle. "You might have to wear formal clothes during some big events, but you can stay like this if you don''t mind the uniforms."


    "Why would anyone mind the uniforms?" Khan questioned while pulling the fabric on his neck. "They are a bit tight, but they don''t have holes, and the Global Army always gives me new ones if I tear them."


    "I told you to leave it," The Captain snorted. "I wouldn''t know how to explain it to someone with your background anyway."


    Captain Goldmon poured the booze in the two glasses and pushed one of them toward Khan before he could refuse. The soldier noticed his faint hesitation, so he explained his actions. "It''s always better to drink with someone. So, tell me why you are here."


    "The families of my students have complained about my teaching methods," Khan went directly to the point as he took out his phone and handed it to the Captain to show the various threats. "I honestly don''t know how to handle them, sir."


    Captain Goldmon only glanced at the messages on Khan''s phone before wearing a frown and voicing a question. "I assume you asked Lieutenant Abaze for my address, am I right?"


    "That''s correct," Khan admitted.


    "Let me get this straight," Captain Goldmon cleared his throat, took a sip from his glass, and continued. "You seem to go along with Professor Teldom, and you even contacted Lieutenant Abaze, but you still decided to come to see me, right?"


    "Yes," Khan replied.


    "So, you picked an old man over two beautiful women," Captain Goldmon scoffed. "There''s definitely something wrong with you, young man."


    "Sir, Lieutenant Abaze is too old for me," Khan tried to play along while savoring the booze, "And my relationship with Professor Teldom isn''t like that."


    "Only because you don''t want it to be like that," Captain Goldmon grunted.


    Khan pretended not to hear that comment and focused on the booze. The drink wasn''t as good as what the Captain had bought in Reebfell, but it was still good stuff.


    "What do you want from me then?" Captain Goldmon eventually asked.


    "Your advice," Khan explained. "I have no idea how to handle these complaints. I don''t even know if they can affect my career."


    "Of course they can," Captain Goldmon laughed. "Some of these names are really influential, but I still can''t understand my role in the matter."


    "What do you mean?" Khan asked. "You are an experienced soldier, sir. I''m sure I can learn a lot from you."


    "Probably," Captain Goldmon declared. "I might even put in a good word for you, but that would still require you to change your training method. Are you willing to do that?"


    Khan went over the matter for a few seconds before shaking his head. He didn''t know how to teach his subject without his harsh approach, and he really wanted his students to learn something.


    "See?" Captain Goldmon continued. "Did you expect the families behind your students to just go along with a young man like you putting their descendants in danger? Complaining is their job."


    "What should I do?" Khan asked since the Captain''s words weren''t helping him.


    "Nothing," Captain Goldmon responded. "What can you even do? Our subjects aren''t mandatory. We can''t force them on the recruits. You can only do your best to make them understand how important they are."


    Khan nodded. That made perfect sense, but an issue remained, and he questioned the Captain about it. "What should I do about these complaints then?"


    "Ignore them," Captain Goldmon said. "Nothing good can come from arguing with angry parents or representatives."


    "That''s it?" Khan asked. "Won''t this have consequences on my career?"


    "What? Did you expect that having the recruits'' future in your hands won''t lead to consequences?" Captain Goldmon snorted.


    Khan understood that part very well. It was the very reason behind his dedication to the job. He didn''t want other innocent recruits to experience what he had gone through. He desired them to be ready for the worst so that they wouldn''t have nightmares about corpses and blood.


    "I''ll tell you what will happen," Captain Goldmon sighed when he saw that Khan didn''t speak anymore. "These complaints will probably reach the Headmaster, who will be forced to plan a meeting between you and these representatives. You won''t be able to skip it, but you can also use it to explain your reasons."

 Chapter 302: Mindset

    "My reasons?" Khan sighed as he tried to imagine a hypothetical conversation with the angry representatives.


    Khan could lie and pretend really well. It would take him almost no effort to play a role that the families'' representatives could decide to let off the hook. He only had to ask Captain Goldmon what would work, and the matter would be over.


    "Are you thinking of lying your way out of this?" Captain Goldmon asked in his rough tone.


    "Is that even possible?" Khan wondered.


    "Of course," Captain Goldmon sneered. "You aren''t a bad liar. I''ve only seen too many of them to get tricked by a kid like you. Still, getting those families to close an eye would be easy with the right words and promises."


    "Is there a "but" coming?" Khan asked.


    "But these meetings can be important for someone''s career," Captain Goldmon continued. "It''s a chance to create an image in the families'' minds, and you have to decide how you want to appear."


    ''It feels like he is asking me what kind of man I want to be,'' Khan commented in his mind as he drank and went over the matter.


    "I never thought that a course without mandatory attendance could lead to this," Khan admitted.


    "This reaction tells you how much they care about the subject," Captain Goldmon explained. "They wouldn''t be so angry otherwise. The subject itself might even affect only part of the matter. Anyone would want their descendants to learn from the most talented soldiers available."


    Khan had a general understanding of the situation after that short talk. His subject wasn''t mandatory, but the families wanted their descendants to learn from him and earn eventual points for their profiles. His fame was the reason behind their anger.


    ''Professor Norwell was also pretty popular now that I think about it,'' Khan recalled. ''I even won Onia''s tournament at a younger age.''


    "Do you need help with something else?" Captain Goldmon asked.


    "No," Khan shook his head. "I only have to decide what to say at the meeting."


    "Do you want my advice?" Captain Goldmon continued.


    "No," Khan sighed. "Only I can decide that."


    "Good boy," Captain Goldmon laughed. "Anyway, don''t overthink it. There are always complaints when it comes to new approaches. Also, you can''t please everyone and be your own man at the same time. I''ve known countless dicks who have climbed the political ladder through achievements alone."


    Khan nodded while emptying his cup. He realized that clashing with the families was inevitable, especially when trying to teach something so harsh. Yet, he didn''t want to keep his focus on himself. The Slums had taught him to be selfish, but the possibility of seeing his career suffer a bit was nothing compared to preventing his students from experiencing his hardships.


    It felt almost liberating to think selflessly. Khan could stop worrying about his problems and focus on the good he could do. He was turning his traumas and negative experiences into something positive for his students, and he liked those sensations.


    "Do you need anything else?" Captain Goldmon snorted while adjusting his position on his armchair.


    Khan shook his head again and left his glass on the table. He was about to stand up, but the Captain stopped him with a simple offer. "Do you want to finish the bottle with this old man?"


    Khan didn''t refuse, and the Captain quickly filled his glass. The two didn''t start any conversation. They remained in silence as their powerful bodies and the booze fought to take control of their minds. When the bottle ended, Khan stood up and performed a military salute before leaving the house.


    The curfew had already passed, so Khan could enjoy the solitary walk back to his flat in complete silence. His mind felt clearer than ever, even if the booze was trying to affect his balance. He knew exactly what he had to do during the meeting.


    .


    .


    .


    Khan trained, woke up, and dived into his packed schedule again before preparing himself for his second lesson. He wouldn''t rely on the Tainted ape that time, but the location for his class didn''t change.


    The recruits heaved a sigh of relief when they entered the hangar and noticed the absence of the cage. Part of them had believed that Khan had lied to make sure that they attended the second lesson, but that worry turned out to be pointless.


    Khan was sitting with his back on the distant wall. He was meditating, and he didn''t open his eyes until the flow of recruits stopped. To his surprise, everyone had chosen to attend his second lesson, even if many were wearing hesitant expressions.


    The six recruits who had dared to face the Tainted ape were still carrying signs of their injuries. Their uniforms hid most of their bandages, but some wounds were impossible to cover. The young woman with two blades had a metallic structure around her elbow. One of the men had something similar around his right knee, while another had a patch on his left eye.


    "I''m glad to see all of you here," Khan exclaimed while standing up and wearing an honest smile. "I hope I''ll see more of you joining the exercise this time."


    "What will it be, sir?" John, the recruit who had been the first to face the Tainted ape, asked.


    "I want to ask you a few things before diving into the lesson," Khan revealed. "First of all, I know that many of you lack the ability to keep up with my exercises. Yet, would you be willing to attend my classes even if you couldn''t actually join them?"


    The question confused the recruits. Khan''s lessons could only occupy two hours, and the previous had lasted far less than that. Choosing to spend that little time in the hangar wasn''t an issue, but it could still be annoying for such young soldiers.


    "Why would anyone in that condition attend, sir?" Elsie, the woman with two blades and a broken arm, asked.


    "Because recruits weaker than you have survived Istrone''s rebellion," Khan explained. "They weren''t strong, and they didn''t even have special talents. Yet, they have managed to develop the right mindset quickly, so they have preserved their lives and have even helped warn the space station."


    "Are you trying to say that we can make a difference even if we are weak, sir?" Laurel, one of the recruits who faced the Tainted ape, asked.


    "Well, what you said is true, but I wasn''t trying to make that point," Khan stated while moving his gaze among his confused students. "I want you to understand that the right mindset can be more important than strength."


    Those words didn''t convince the recruits, but Khan wasn''t done. "Would any of you willingly fight a first-level warrior to death?"


    The question made no sense even when the recruits tried to connect it to the previous topic. Many shook their heads, while others directly frowned.


    "No one, of course," Khan announced. "Yet, I did kill second-level warriors. Do you want to know how?"


    "Did you exploit the chaos of the battlefield?" Dwight, another recruit who faced the Tainted ape, questioned.


    "Precisely," Khan declared. "However, I managed to do that because I knew that I could defeat a second-level warrior in the right circumstances. I went looking for the situation that would have allowed me to accomplish something so difficult."


    Many understood what Khan meant. He wasn''t trying to say that the weak could defeat the strong. The lesson was that nothing exceptional would happen if their minds didn''t conceive those possibilities.


    "All of you are different," Khan continued after letting the recruits absorb his words for a few seconds. "Some have good backgrounds, while others have incredible talent. You''ll improve at a different pace, but your minds don''t have those limits. If my experience can teach you something, I''ll gladly share it even with those who don''t want to join my dangerous exercises."


    The selflessness in Khan''s words was impossible to miss. He didn''t care about talent or prowess. He only wanted those recruits to be ready for the worst, and his intentions reached them.


    "I think you enjoyed asking me stuff last time," Khan laughed. "I think we can have those rounds of questions after every lesson. Do you like the idea?"


    Everyone nodded. The recruits'' feelings toward Khan''s teaching methods had nothing to do with their curiosity, so no one dared to refuse that offer.


    "Good, let''s move to another question then," Khan exclaimed. "This is mostly for those who have faced the Tainted ape, but the others can answer too. Did you notice anything different in your other lessons? Did something change after what you have experienced in my class?"


    The question sounded vague, but Khan had done that on purpose. He wanted to avoid eventual liars or recruits making up stuff to gain points in his mind.


    To Khan''s surprise, the first to raise his hand was a young man who didn''t belong to the group of six. Khan nodded at him, and the recruit gulped before voicing his thoughts. "I have been too violent with my sparring partner during yesterday''s lesson. I didn''t even realize it until the Professor interrupted me."


    Khan nodded before glancing at the other recruits and reiterating his question. "Did anyone else experience something similar? It doesn''t have to be the exact thing. Even a slight change that you are noticing only now can work."


    "History of mana felt pointless yesterday," Elsie revealed without bothering to raise her arm. "I usually like that subject."


    "What else?" Khan asked.


    "I tried to use mana inside a training hall for the first time,"


    "I had nightmares about the Tainted ape,"


    "I couldn''t sleep until it was already deep into the night,"


    "I didn''t laugh when a friend cracked the usual joke,"


    "My appetite has gone down since your lesson, sir,"


    "I was more focused during yesterday''s combat."


    Khan nodded whenever a recruit said something. Many of those lines had no connection with what he wanted to say, but he didn''t want to shatter the general confidence that had filled those young men and women, so he never interrupted them.


    "Okay, okay, let''s stop here," Khan eventually ordered. "The question was mostly for me. I wanted to see if my lesson had the desired effects, and I think some of you are experiencing them."


    "What effects, sir?" John asked.


    "The battlefield changes you," Khan sighed. "Those changes aren''t good most of the time, and they have some common elements. It''s normal for soldiers who have seen war to struggle once they get back in peaceful environments. I experienced the same problem, and I don''t think I''ll ever go back to how I was."


    Khan fell silent for a few seconds before continuing. "I can''t teach you what I know without causing similar changes. I would typically refrain from tampering with your innocence and enthusiasm, but giving you the chance to survive a crisis has the priority.


    "I''m sorry if you stop enjoying what you currently like because of me. I suggest you don''t follow my subject if you care about that part of yourself because I''ll try to shatter it with everything I have. Still, it''s better to lose it here, in the safety of the training camp and among friends than on the battlefield."


    Khan moved his eyes among the recruits to make sure that everyone had received the message. He couldn''t stop eventual departures, but he could be as clear as possible so that his students would know what they would miss or join.


    "Well, I don''t have more questions for now," Khan exclaimed as he walked toward the center of the hangar. "The lesson will start now."


    "What will we do today, sir?" Keith, one of the recruits who faced the Tainted ape, asked.


    "That''s simple," Khan chuckled. "Form a line and come at me. You can take as much time as you need to prepare. I''ll obviously hold back before pointing out eventual flaws in your approach once the exchange is over."


    Elsie''s eyes lit up, and she quickly drew one of her swords before jumping forward to be the first in the line. Khan couldn''t help but smile at the sight of her enthusiasm, but he still felt the need to add something.


    "None of you can land an attack on me," Khan explained. "The point of the lesson is to develop killing intent. Come at me as if you wanted to kill me. I might forget to hold back if I see that you don''t take the task seriously."


    Khan wore his cold expression near the end of his explanation, which surprised the recruits. They had begun to feel somewhat relaxed around him, but the tension that only a superior could generate returned now. Many students hesitated, but others jumped behind Elsie to create the line.

 Chapter 303: First

    Khan didn''t go too hard on the recruits. Hurting them wasn''t the point of the lesson, and he also wanted to reassure them a bit after everything that had happened with the Tainted ape.


    None of the recruits were first-level warriors, and their proficiency level was also lacking. Many failed to perform perfect executions of their martial arts even after spending an entire minute preparing for their attacks.


    Khan had some hopes for the six recruits who had faced the Tainted ape, but they turned out to be too innocent to express proper killing intent. Deborah came close to attempting a deadly blow, but she got scared near the end of her technique, leading her mana to disperse before her open hand could land.


    John, Laurel, and Keith used their mana correctly, but they tried to attack Khan''s waist or shoulders. Dwight failed to perform a proper technique, while Elsie''s enthusiasm was nothing more than a desire to test herself. She liked to fight, but that didn''t make her a killer.


    A few surprises appeared among the other recruits. Khan counterattacked with simple kicks that only flung his opponents away, so everyone mustered the courage to face him. A couple of boys aimed their techniques at his neck, head, or center of the chest, but Khan addressed their success to personal problems and lingering anger.


    No one showed the intention to kill Khan or even did their best to succeed in the task. Yet, Khan still used that chance to give pointers or comment on their performance.


    Khan couldn''t actually tell the recruits how to improve their offensive. They used different martial arts, so their flaws were connected to improper executions or weaknesses of their styles.


    Still, Khan never failed to scold the recruits whenever their attacks didn''t aim at vital spots. He understood why they held back or felt worried about the potential consequences of their offensive, but that wasn''t the point of the lesson.


    Killing was hard. Khan knew that far too well. Yet, developing the resolve to go all-out even if that could lead to an enemy''s death was doable, and he wanted to achieve that.


    The sparring was so harmless that the recruits agreed to go for another round. The second cycle of exchanges went better. Most students tried to deliver killing blows, but their fears to hurt Khan often took over their executions.


    Khan continued to dodge every attack easily, and the power behind his kicks increased after every exchange. Pain could help eliminate eventual hesitation and fear, but he saw the results of that approach only during the third sparring cycle.


    "Okay, let''s call it a day," Khan announced after the third cycle ended. "It''s actually past the time assigned to my lessons, so we''ll have to skip the round of questions. I''m sure you''ll have your chance to probe into my life the next time."


    A series of disappointed voices came out of the group of recruits. They had already gathered into a line to prepare for the fourth cycle of exchanges. It was clear that they didn''t want the lesson to end yet, but Khan couldn''t do much about it.


    "Come on, it''s only two days," Khan laughed. "We even have a full semester in front of us. You''ll have other chances to get kicked by me."


    A few laughs resounded, and the line broke quickly. The recruits weren''t tired since they only had the chance to test their attacks three times. However, they couldn''t deny that it was already pretty late. They risked skipping dinner if they wasted time.


    "Will we fight you again in the next lesson?" John asked as the students prepared themselves to leave the hangar.


    "No, that will probably happen next week," Khan revealed. "I have something else in mind for the next lesson. It shouldn''t be dangerous, but that will mostly depend on you."


    "Will fight the Tainted ape again?" A recruit asked, and his question spread a wave of fear among her companions.


    "There would be no point in that," Khan stated. "You needed to see the Tainted ape to experience true fear. Putting you against it now will only lead to injuries. You''ll see it again when I feel that you can fight it properly."


    Smiles and nods happened among the recruits. No one wanted to face the Tainted ape so soon. Even Elsie refrained from voicing comments about the matter.


    "Professor Khan," Deborah called as the group was about to approach the entrance, "Will you eat in the canteen?"


    "Of course," Khan casually exclaimed as he approached one of the walls to retrieve his phone.


    "Some of us are going there now," Deborah continued. "Do you want to join us?"


    Khan almost froze on his spot when he heard that question, but his movements remained smooth and natural. Still, he chose not to hide his hesitation when he turned to face the recruits. He wanted to build deep trust with his students, so he couldn''t resort to lies and pretenses.


    "I don''t know how proper that would be," Khan replied. "I''m a professor and your direct superior."


    "We could use this chance for the questions," Keith announced, and many recruits nodded in approval as curiosity filled their faces.


    Khan felt cornered by that enthusiasm. He wanted to get close to the recruits, but he acknowledged the need for a certain division between them and him. However, he was going to the canteen anyway. Also, his students would also have the chance to deal with their round of questions during the meal.


    "I guess it doesn''t sound like a bad idea," Khan responded as some hesitation still filled his tone. "Though I must warn you. I eat a lot, so I''d have to answer between a bite and the next."


    The recruits laughed since they took Khan''s line for a joke, and he smiled honestly in front of that general happiness. He liked seeing his students like that. He almost regretted that he had to create a crack in that innocence to deliver his message.


    The recruits gathered around Khan as they began to walk toward the canteen. A few left since they had other matters to attend or wanted to shower before dinner, but many with similar plans changed their mind after learning that Khan would join them.


    Needless to say, the questions started on the road, and Khan noticed how the general boldness of the recruits had intensified. The different environment was probably playing an important role in that change, but Khan liked to think that his relationship with his students had improved.


    The questions covered random topics. Those recruits had only seen aliens through their phones, so they requested vivid descriptions. Surprised oohs echoed among them when they heard Khan speaking the Niqols'' language, and Onia''s tournament also aroused interest.


    Khan learnt that some of his students had gotten their hands on the tournament''s recordings. The recruits didn''t snitch on their companions, but they revealed how everyone in the camp now had those videos.


    That worked in Khan''s favor, but it also increased the number of gossips around his name. The recruits didn''t mention the most personal of them, but they still probed Khan about things that kept their curiosity on fire.


    "No comment," Khan repeated while wearing a faint smile that tried to hide his sadness. "I don''t mind telling you about the battlefields, aliens, and some funny experiences, but my personal life will remain a secret. You can give up on learning more about my time on Nitis."


    "That''s unfair!" Deborah complained. "Interspecies couples are so rare. Your experience might help many of us if we get stationed on alien planets."


    "Why don''t you try to apply the same dedication to my lessons instead of using it to get answers?" Khan joked.


    Everyone laughed, even Deborah. The recruits could see Khan under a different light during the walk, and the event pleased them. Outside of the lessons, when Khan didn''t need to give orders or use his experience to teach something, he revealed his true self, which was a seventeen-year-old man who had witnessed many things.


    Khan also accepted that the situation was far from awful. Those students were his peers in terms of age, and he found himself comfortable among them. A few of them clearly had hidden motives behind their kindness and laughs, but many were simply trying to get to know him as if he were an ordinary recruit.


    That was the social life that the six months in Ylaco''s training had never managed to offer. Most of it was Khan''s fault due to his packed schedule and general distrust of his peers, but the situation was different now. Khan saw what could have been back then, and he didn''t know how to feel about the event.


    The group eventually reached the canteen, and Khan stayed true to his words. The recruits remained speechless in front of the sheer quantity of food he could eat, and the random messages that reached his phone even occupied the short periods among his bites.


    ''How did you end up eating with your students?'' Amber texted.


    ''I can hear you laughing from here,'' Khan replied.


    ''That''s because I am laughing really hard,'' Amber responded.


    ''At least everything seems to go well,'' Khan managed to write once he finished his fourth chicken wing.


    ''Oh, no, actually, you have my praises,'' Amber texted. ''I never expected you to be so good at this.''


    ''Someone was underestimating me,'' Khan teased.


    ''Shall I remind you that you have no teaching experience and that your whole life has been nothing but Slums and battlefields?'' Amber commented.


    ''I thought I charmed you enough to gain your complete trust and devotion,'' Khan continued with his teases.


    ''Okay, the devotion part got me,'' Amber joked. ''You are funny, Professor Khan.''


    ''I am indeed a great man,'' Khan texted.


    ''Don''t get carried away, or I''ll have to stop complimenting you,'' Amber replied.


    ''Sure thing, ma''am,'' Khan stated.


    ''Shut up,'' Amber sent.


    The conversation between the two ended there, but neither was to blame for that outcome. Khan had also exchanged messages with Cora during the walk, and she reached the canteen to see him.


    "Hey, Khan," Cora smiled when she saw Khan turning while she was approaching his table.


    The recruits had left the seats next to Khan empty out of respect for his position, so Cora could reach them. The students'' curious eyes made her shy and forced her to keep her gaze on the floor during the walk, and Khan didn''t help in the matter.


    "She is Cora Ommo," Khan announced while Cora sat next to him. "I was lucky enough to have her on my crashing site on Istrone."


    The students had naturally heard about Cora since they were from Reebfell. The list of survivors from the Istrone was short, so it wasn''t hard to find her name in some reports. Still, the recruits never had the chance to identify her since she rarely spent her free time outside her dormitory or classes.


    "He is exaggerating," Cora quickly overcame her shyness to correct Khan. "I was basically useless there. He did everything by himself."


    The recruits saw the chance to gain a different perspective on Khan''s feats and didn''t let it slip. Cora only had to wait a few seconds to see countless questions flying at her.


    "He has the bad habit of being modest," Cora explained after gaining a general understanding of what Khan had said to his students. "You should have seen him. He showed pure confidence from the crash to our rescue. I have countless bad memories about Istrone, and I hate everything that happened there, but I''m glad that I got the chance to watch him shine."


    Cora wasn''t a good liar. Her feelings appeared everywhere on her voice and face, but her words also carried a deep honesty. The students immediately understood that they could use her to learn more about Khan, and they didn''t hesitate to exploit her.


    "His first kill has happened there, right?" Elsie asked before her companions could voice other questions. "How was it?"


    "I told you, I have been rather useless there," Cora responded. "Still, his battles were incredible. He never faltered, even when he failed to perform his martial art correctly."


    "Yet, how did he have that confidence on his first battle?" Elsie insisted before moving her gaze on Khan. "Did you go for the killing blow without hesitation? Was the Kred difficult to take down?"


    "I''d rather not describe that," Khan lied while wearing a fake smile.


    "The Kred couldn''t keep up with his movements," Cora described. "He was too fast and precise for them."


    "So, did you go for its head?" Elsie added.


    "I''m not too proud of my first kill," Khan continued with his pretense. "I''d rather speak about something else."


    "Why is that?" Elsie asked. "Isn''t this the point of your lessons, sir? Your first experience with death should be something valuable to share."


    Everyone''s eyes converged on Khan, and even Cora initially followed that trend. However, she suddenly recalled something, and her hand shot to squeeze Khan''s arm.


    Cora had an apologetic look on her face. Khan could see her trying to find the words that could get him out of that situation, but he had already made up his mind.


    "Because she was ten," Khan revealed while Cora''s grasp tightened. "My first kill was a ten-year-old Kred."

 Chapter 304: Courage

    The recruits had been forced to read about the Kred after Istrone''s rebellion. They knew that those aliens reached physical maturity quickly. Yet, the theory was different from reality, especially when it used words that were so easy to misunderstand for humans.


    The students didn''t think about the Kred when they heard Khan''s revelation. Their minds stopped at the word "ten", and their stomachs clenched as they absorbed it. Their knowledge quickly allowed them to connect that age to a fully-grown alien, but the bitter feeling inside them remained.


    Khan wore a sad smile as he saw hesitation, emptiness, and stupor replacing the curiosity that filled the recruits'' faces. A slight tremor ran through Cora''s grasp as she tightened and relaxed it depending on her worries. That was the exact reaction he wanted from his students, but obtaining it didn''t make him feel good.


    "I''ll leave now," Khan stated. "I hope to see you all the day after tomorrow."


    The statement forced the recruits to snap out of their stupor, but only a few managed to look at Khan. Many continued to divert their gazes, while others remained deep into their thoughts as they tried to imagine how it felt to kill someone so young.


    Khan stood up, and Cora followed him. She let go of his arm, but she remained at his side, and their shoulders often touched as they left the canteen and reached the camp''s streets.


    Cora remained silent. She felt guilty for having awakened bad memories, and her gaze wandered on the street. Still, her body moved toward Khan on its own, even if she tried to distance herself whenever their shoulders touched.


    Meanwhile, Khan went over various thoughts. He still recalled the emotions that had tried to make a hole in his mental barrier when he learnt the Kred''s young age. His first kill had been awful, but a long time had passed, and far more blood had fallen on his hands.


    Khan could review Istrone''s events with greater clarity now. He had long since accepted that the rebellion had left him with no alternatives, and he had even acknowledged the dark areas of his personality. Liiza had even allowed him to appreciate the murky depths of his character. He could be a monster if the situation required it, but he took no joy in that.


    ''I hope they understand it now,'' Khan sighed while thinking about his students. ''I have probably done it. I have created a crack in their innocence. I should get a reward for my teaching skills.''


    His thoughts had ended up in a mock. Khan didn''t like what he had done, but his actions felt necessary, especially in his mind. He knew what his students could face, and they had probably understood that now.


    ''Why does the world look so dark?'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''Why can''t I find a light as bright as you?''


    Cora stopped walking and forced Khan to snap out of his happy memories on Nitis. He turned only to find his friend looking at the ground and holding her right arm. Her grasp twitched, but she tried her best to make her fingers pierce her uniform.


    "What is it?" Khan said in a helpless tone as he bent forward to make his head enter Cora''s field of view.


    "Why are you accompanying me home tonight?" Cora whispered.


    "The curfew is close," Khan explained without straightening his back. "We don''t want you to face troubles, do we?"


    "But I messed up tonight," Cora complained. "You don''t have to force-."


    Cora couldn''t finish her line because Khan hugged her. She didn''t know how to react to that sudden gesture. Part of her felt guilty for enjoying something like that after what had happened. However, Cora couldn''t find the strength to push Khan away anywhere, so she abandoned herself in his arms.


    Khan didn''t really think before hugging Cora. His mood had grown a bit sour after the recent events, but he knew that the slightest gesture would mean the world for Cora, so he went for it. Reasons, problems, and consequences failed to reach his mind in time to stop him.


    "Come on, we went over this," Khan chuckled while caressing Cora''s long blonde hair. "We are friends. Stop worrying about these small things."


    "You are way too good with me," Cora whined while moving her head left and right in a desperate attempt to dive deeper into Khan''s chest. "Why?"


    "I''m always good," Khan joked, but Cora grabbed the sides of his uniform and tightened her grasp. She wouldn''t let him go, not through emotionless words at least.


    "It''s hard to explain," Khan sighed as he accepted that he had to be honest. "You have already suffered even if you didn''t deserve it. I don''t want you to have it hard again."


    "Am I only someone who needs your protection in your mind?" Cora questioned.


    "You have stopped needing it near the end of Istrone''s rebellion," Khan explained. "This is just me being selfish. I want to be good with you because I don''t like to see you suffer."


    A tremor ran through Cora before she froze completely. Khan could sense her heart beating faster, and a whisper eventually vibrated on his chest. "You have no idea how good you make me feel."


    Cora finally lifted her head to watch the effect that her words had on Khan. She felt a bit pleased that he had remained speechless, and a satisfied smile even appeared on her face.


    "You should be careful about what you say," Khan said while diverting his gaze from her large green eyes.


    "Why? I''m speaking the truth, and you know it," Cora declared as her tone gained some confidence. "You have known since Istrone."


    "Yes, I know it," Khan sighed. "But you also know how I feel toward you."


    "Yes, I know," Cora whispered as her grasp on his uniform tightened.


    "It''s not you," Khan honestly explained. "You keep finding me in bad moments. I was barely myself on Istrone, and now-."


    "Now you are still lost over the Niqols girl," Cora concluded, and Khan couldn''t help but move his surprised gaze on her.


    "How can you be sure of that?" Khan asked.


    "Khan, I watch you," Cora responded. "I could see the layers of pain you kept hidden on Istrone. I saw how much it hurt to play the part of the cold hero. I might not have realized it back then, but I had a lot of time to think, and seeing you again without that mask made everything clear."


    Khan gulped as he diverted his gaze again. He had initially believed that the change in his behavior had only surprised Cora, but it seemed that the event had far deeper repercussions.


    "I think part of me always knew," Cora explained. "That''s why I tried so hard to support you on Istrone. That''s why I knew I couldn''t claim a place in your heart when you were so worried about your friend. That''s why I''m certain that only someone capable of shaking parts of you that no one else has ever seen could make you decide to love."


    "I never said that I loved her," Khan replied.


    "But I can see it here and now," Cora giggled as a single tear fell from her eyes. "It''s the reason why you are trying to push me away. It''s the reason why you look so sad whenever someone mentions Nitis. It''s the reason you are sealing your heart so deeply under the layers of pain that you keep accumulating."


    "Cora, I don''t know what to say," Khan spoke to break her flow, but Cora seemed unstoppable now that her feelings had exploded.


    "You know, I''m really timid," Cora smiled. "You might think that I fell for you due to how strong or reliable you are, but the truth is different. I love you because you give me courage that I never thought existed inside me. The same courage that has forced me to abandon my hesitation now."


    "I can''t give you what you want," Khan almost begged. "I don''t want to see you suffer while you wait for something that might never come."


    "You have no idea how happy I would be to make a single smile appear on your face," Cora chuckled sweetly. "My life would feel whole to know that I''ve granted you a single peaceful second. Just give me that chance. Don''t cut me away out of fear of the pain I might experience. I can assure you that nothing would ever make me hate you."


    Khan sensed his self-restraint crumbling. That situation felt similar to what he had gone through with Delia, but Cora''s emotions made it far different.


    Cora was warm. Her sweet voice could melt ice and make water boil. She wanted to give so much, but Khan had forced her feelings to slam on thick walls. Still, she had persisted until her emotions had exploded and had fallen on him.


    ''Why did I even hug her?'' Khan cursed in his mind. ''Why did I let her get so close? Why do I keep desiring to feel good when I have already experienced true bliss? Why do I still feel bad whenever I think of someone else? Why did you leave me with this curse? Why am I about to trust her?''


    "You messed up big time," Khan stated in a cold voice that made Cora''s face freeze. She actually felt scared for a second, but everything disappeared when Khan trapped her in a deep kiss.


    Cora gave Khan complete control of everything she had. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him do whatever he wanted. His fingers tried to stab her lower back as he pulled closer to his waist. His tongue barged violently inside her mouth as if searching for the source of her sweetness.


    Khan''s kiss became almost suffocating for Cora, but she didn''t care. She bent backward as he kept diving on her. Intense redness filled her cheeks when she felt something hard hitting on her waist, but her shyness couldn''t reach her mind in that situation. She belonged to him, and she didn''t mind if he broke her as he searched for his happiness.


    Khan took a while to come back to his senses and leave Cora''s mouth. She breathed roughly, but she still forced herself to wear a smile and fix her gaze on him. He noticed the faint trace of tears in her eyes, but they didn''t seem to come from her sadness.


    Cora''s lack of experience in those matters was evident. She had tried to go along with Khan''s kiss, but she had been clumsy, and he had been too aggressive for her to understand what to do.


    "It''s better if you return on your own tonight," Khan stated as his eyes ran over her figure. "I don''t know what I might do."


    "Y-you can do everything you l-," Cora mustered the entirety of her courage to say that line, and her cheeks even reached a new realm of redness during the process, but Khan kissed her before she could finish.


    The second kiss was soft and sweet, something that made Cora melt and accept Khan''s words. When he let go of her lips, she nodded and wore a sweet smile before turning to run through the street on her own.


    Cora was basically escaping now that her shyness had returned, but Khan knew that her mind was going through complete happiness. He could sense it in the mana inside her body. Her energy was playing a cheerful tune that appeased even some of his most profound doubts.


    ''Fuck, I ended up doing it,'' Khan cursed as his hand reached his lips.


    Cora''s taste was still there. Part of Khan minded that flavor, but another felt happy. He didn''t know if that feeling came from the incredible moment he had given to Cora or from something inside him, but he decided not to think about it that night.


    His mind could only go over a few deafening lines as he reviewed what had happened. Khan''s thoughts almost shouted as they made him swear a simple promise. ''Cora can''t be another Delia. I need to do this right.''


    A message reached Khan while he was still immersed in his thoughts. He picked up his phone almost unconsciously, but his attention felt forced to move on the screen when he saw the words "Headmaster Pitcus" on top of the notification.


    ''The meeting with the families will happen tomorrow then,'' Khan summarized after reading the message. ''I really can''t take a breath. Luckily I know how I want to handle this part.''


    ****


    Author''s notes: Shoutout to Warmaisach for the Magic Castle!

 Chapter 305: Dumb

    Khan reached his flat in no time. He wasn''t in a hurry, but he felt restless, and it took him a while to understand the source of that feeling.


    Initially, Khan blamed Cora and their kiss for his restlessness. After all, he had jumped into a situation where he didn''t have feelings for his partner. He hoped to develop them to make sure that Cora got what she deserved, but part of him desired the opposite outcome.


    Still, his hesitation and uncertainty weren''t enough to make him feel like that. Khan even went over Headmaster Pitcus'' message again to see if the imminent meetings with the families'' representatives stirred something. Yet, he didn''t experience anything out of the usual. He actually sensed confidence brimming inside him.


    Khan could find the source of his restlessness only after eliminating those imminent problems. He had already realized that being selfless made him feel good, but the kiss with Cora revealed that a heavy price accompanied that approach. It was easy to forget about himself when he focused entirely on others.


    That approach could work with men and women at the end of their careers or with no interests left. Khan could imagine versions of Lieutenant Dyester and Captain Goldmon completely focused on their underlings. Still, he was different. He was barely seventeen. He had many desires that his various traumas and peculiar situation had suppressed.


    Those desires were the reason behind his violence during the kiss. They explained why Khan kept drinking whenever he had the chance, and they also revealed why he joked with Amber. He simply liked doing that.


    Khan was far from tired, but he didn''t want to spend the whole night immersed in his training programs. He had many books to study, but that wasn''t the right time to memorize alien languages and customs.


    Khan left his flat without even realizing that he had made up his mind. His feet led him in the areas with the training halls, and a sigh of relief escaped his mouth when he saw the metal door sliding open at the touch with his phone. Menus lit up under him, and he quickly tapped on a few labels to choose the exercise.


    Thinking was too troublesome. Worrying about the messy desires and fears that filled his mind was too tiring. Khan set the alarm to his phone and decided to shut his thoughts to lose himself in long battles. An honest smile even appeared on his face when the training hall released the first puppet.


    .


    .


    .


    "It was like this when I arrived," Khan swore while wearing the most honest face he could muster.


    "Then why did you wait almost twenty hours to contact me?" Headmaster Pitcus sighed while adjusting his glasses to inspect the damage.


    The training hall''s state was as perfect as ever, but that only applied to its surfaces. The wall containing the workshop that built the puppets was open now, and Headmaster Pitcus could inspect the destroyed mechanical arms, drills, and tubes inside it.


    "Why did you even attack the training dummy before it became ready to fight?" Headmaster Pitcus asked while straightening his position and showing his frown to Khan.


    Khan didn''t know what to say. He had remained inside the training hall since the previous night, halting his battles only when his body needed breaks. That had allowed him to dive deeper into his instinctive fighting style, but it had also led to unexpected consequences.


    During real battles, Khan had always been forced to retain a basic level of control. He couldn''t allow himself to react solely to the waves of mana since he had to differentiate between allies and enemies.


    However, the training hall offered a safe environment where Khan could go all-out without worrying about eventual consequences, or so he thought. When he was completely immersed in the waves of mana, he had launched a chaos spear toward the workshops since he had sensed energy gathering in that spot.


    The training halls were resilient, and Khan had even chosen one that could endure his element. Yet, only its surfaces had that resistant factor. The workshop inside the wall had nothing similar, and it was even quite frail compared to the overall structure.


    Khan had realized what he had done only after he couldn''t find other opponents around him. It had even taken him a while to recall how he had destroyed the workshop, but he didn''t hesitate to contact Headmaster Pitcus afterward.


    "I went on auto-pilot," Khan admitted. "It wasn''t my intention to damage the camp."


    "I hope it wasn''t," Headmaster Pitcus chuckled.


    "Aren''t you angry, sir?" Khan asked.


    "It''s just a training hall," Headmaster Pitcus stated. "My superiors won''t even ask for a refund when they hear that you have been the one to break it."


    Khan heaved a sigh of relief. He probably didn''t have enough money to pay for the damage, and he didn''t want to be broke again so soon.


    "Let''s talk a bit about you instead," Headmaster Pitcus changed the topic while looking at Khan''s bleeding hands. "Are you okay? It''s common for soldiers to develop problems after wars. We have specialists here that might be able to help."


    "Oh," Khan exclaimed as he glanced at his hands. "My hands are fine. My knife broke near the end, so I had to use these. Don''t worry. It happens all the time."


    "And you consider it fine?" Headmaster Pitcus asked.


    "They really are okay," Khan explained while closing and opening his hands, but the process only enlarged his superficial injuries and made more blood fall out of them.


    "Pay a visit to the medical bay when you get out of here," Headmaster Pitcus ordered while shaking his head. "And take a shower before heading for the meeting with the representatives. Remember to wear your military uniform. I''ll be there to intervene if something goes wrong."


    "Thank you, sir!" Khan replied while performing a military salute.


    "Go to the medical bay already," Headmaster Pitcus scolded. "The meeting is in two hours. Being late won''t help your cause."


    Khan nodded and retrieved his broken knife and phone before leaving in a hurry. His blood fell on the device''s screen when he browsed through the unanswered messages. He had replied to Cora and Amber during his short breaks, but he had still left them hanging for a few hours.


    Needless to say, both Cora and Amber grew worried when they heard about his trip to the medical bay, but he reassured them quickly. Cora even asked if Khan needed her, but he explained how time wasn''t on his side.


    The nurses were more than enough to handle the shallow injuries on his hands. They applied lotions and bandages that didn''t hinder the movements of his fingers before letting him go back to his flat.


    The alarm that Khan had set the previous night rang while he was still in the middle of his shower. The event forced him to hurry even more and led to a long sprint across the camp''s streets.


    The meeting couldn''t happen in the central areas of the camp due to the political repercussions that the presence of the families'' representatives could cause to the professors. Khan would only end up at the center of more gossips if someone saw him attending a private meeting with those important figures, but the same would apply to any soldier.


    Headmaster Pitcus had designated an underground structure near the train area for the meeting. Khan reached it in an instant through his sprints, but he still arrived only five minutes before the scheduled time.


    The instructions on Headmaster Pitcus'' message were extremely clear, so Khan found his destination easily. A large hall unfolded in his vision when the metal doors slid open, and a series of gazes immediately fell on him.


    Khan performed a series of polite nods as he walked inside the hall. The layout of the room resembled the areas used by other subjects. He could see a desk on one side and a series of seats on the other with stairs running through them.


    Headmaster Pitcus was already sitting behind the desk, and the same went for the figures on the seats. Khan saw more than twenty figures wearing cold faces as they inspected him from head to toe. The atmosphere was more than tense, but Khan didn''t let it affect his thoughts.


    "Greetings, esteemed guests," Khan exclaimed before reaching a spot in front of the desk and performing a military salute to the families'' representatives.


    His behavior was impeccable, but that wasn''t enough to please the representatives. They only showed annoyance and scorn in front of his salute, and none of them dared to address it adequately.


    Headmaster Pitcus cleared his throat and stood up to announce the beginning of the meeting. "Now that everyone is here, Lieutenant Khan will answer your questions. I hope that by the end of the meeting you''ll feel reassured about his teaching methods."


    "That sounds hard since Lieutenant Khan can''t even manage to arrive before us," A middle-aged woman among the representatives complained.


    "Does he believe that his duties are more important than ours?" A middle-aged man among the representatives asked.


    "I wouldn''t be surprised about that," Another representative added. "He is young, and his background didn''t teach him anything about Earth''s ruling class. How long did he even spend studying in Ylaco''s training camp?"


    "I''m sorry, Headmaster Pitcus," A fourth representative continued. "I respect your figure and dedication toward Reebfell''s training camp, but I simply can''t understand how Lieutenant Khan can be a good choice for this job."


    Headmaster Pitcus wanted to respond, but Khan glanced at him and nodded. The soldier could only reveal a smile and sit back on his chair while announcing his intentions. "That''s why we are having this meeting. You can redirect your doubts to Lieutenant Khan."


    "Thank you, sir," Khan quickly said before turning toward the representatives. "Esteemed guests, I must admit that becoming a professor had never crossed my mind. Colonel Norrett offered me this position after winning Onia''s tournament, and I found no reason to refuse, especially since I believe I have something worth teaching."


    A series of snorts resounded among the representatives. They didn''t dare to complain right after Khan mentioned Colonel Norrett, so they waited for him to continue and say something they could contradict.


    "I know that my teaching methods are unusual," Khan continued, ignoring the snorts and suppressed curses that followed his statement. "Still, the same goes for my subject. I wouldn''t know how to teach it without forcing my students to face calculated dangers."


    "It is my understanding that you have forced your students to face a Tainted animal with genetic and bionic enhancements," One of the representatives exclaimed. "How can you consider that a calculated danger?"


    "It was calculated because I was there, ready to intervene," Khan explained.


    "Why did they suffer injuries then?" Another representative asked. "My boy told me that you didn''t even let them visit the medical bay afterward."


    "I did delay their trip to the medical bay to recreate the conditions of a battlefield," Khan declared.


    "Are you crazy?!" A third representative shouted. "Do you think we would like our descendants to experience a battlefield when they aren''t ready for it?"


    "With all due respect," Khan responded, "I don''t care about what you like. I never thought about you during my lessons. My whole focus must be on my students."


    The statement left the representatives speechless for a few seconds, but Khan soon heard a storm of complaints flying toward his ears. They shouted, stood up, and slammed their palms on the small desks in front of them as they voiced their anger.


    Some representatives took Khan''s lines as an insult that didn''t respect their position. Others started to view him as a sadistic man. A few directly started to ignore him and called Headmaster Pitcus with bold requests. Khan heard the words "fire him immediately" seven times in less than thirty seconds.


    "Are you all dumb?" Khan eventually shouted, and the event surprised everyone so much that even Headmaster Pitcus stood up.

 Chapter 306: Meeting

    Khan was definitely annoyed by those loud complaints. He felt that the families'' representatives had forced that meeting only to belittle him, and many of them didn''t even bother looking at him while they did that.


    His mood wasn''t even ideal. Khan had spent almost a day immersed in the complete freedom that only a battle against lifeless robots could give, so going back to the restrained political life in less than two hours had been irritating.


    Khan had also just accepted that his selflessness wasn''t a solution to his desires and urges. In theory, his state could lead to a reckless and irrational statement, but his answer to the loud complaints had been calculated.


    Captain Goldmon''s teachings resounded in Khan''s mind as he inspected the stunned and speechless representatives. The political environment was full of liars who would stop at nothing to gain favors or trick Khan into fitting their plans. Moreover, all of them would be better than him at that game.


    Entering the political game as a liar would only work against Khan since he would have to face opponents with more experience than him. He could get away with it for now since he could exploit his young age and feats. Yet, the time would come when he would lose those advantages.


    Khan didn''t know if he could learn everything he needed about the political game before his advantages ran out. Also, he wasn''t sure he wanted to. The sole thought of spending his entire life pretending among liars attempted to kill every motivation that his desperation had generated throughout the years.


    Building a political persona could work, but it went against Khan''s desires. His character might even suit that approach due to his experience in the Slums, but he didn''t like it. He could compromise if the situation needed it, but he wouldn''t give up on himself to please more people.


    Headmaster Pitcus was as speechless as the representatives, but his role forced him to be on Khan''s side. Moreover, Khan didn''t seem to have lost control. His face was calm, and his eyes studied the area coldly. There was a plan behind that expression, and Headmaster Pitcus decided to trust it for now.


    "What did you say?!"


    "Did you just insult us?!"


    "Headmaster Pitcus, I expect you to fire him after such a grave offense!"


    "This boy has no manners!"


    "Where does he think he is?!"


    Those were only some of the lines that the representatives shouted as soon as they snapped back to reality. Needless to say, they were far from pleased. They didn''t even try to contain their voices. They shouted and slammed their hands on the small tables before them to highlight how pissed they were.


    "Can you stay silent for a few seconds?" Khan shouted to make sure that his words reached the angry representatives. "And, please, stop trying to involve Headmaster Pitcus before hearing me out. I''ve shed blood for a year for the Global Army. I deserve some respect."


    The representatives'' initial instinct was to raise their voices, especially since Khan didn''t even try to justify his previous words. Yet, the last part of his statement reminded them of his achievements.


    His victory on Onia alone had brought great benefits to the Global Army and Earth as a whole, and he had also saved many lives during his other feats. However, the representatives had treated him like a kid right away.


    Khan nodded when he saw tinges of shames appearing among the audience. He had the representatives'' attention now, so he had to make his next words matter.


    "You are all wealthier than me," Khan announced. "I''m sure you''ll try to offer everything you can to your descendants. You''ll keep them safe and provide the best resources on the market. You''ll give them things that I can''t even pronounce, and I can only rejoice knowing that."


    Khan was complimenting the representatives, and they knew that. Some displeasure and annoyance still filled their faces, but those words bought Khan a few seconds and improved the general atmosphere.


    "I''m also sure you''ll find good positions for them," Khan continued. "They will gather merits in safe environments and climb the military ranks without ever facing any danger. I know all of this because that''s what I''d do for my children or relatives if I had your wealth."


    "Get to the point, young man," One of the representatives voiced.


    "I have been with wealthy descendants," Khan revealed. "I''ve seen the difference that money and resources can make. Yet, they are dead while I''m here."


    "Are you insulting our descendants now?" Another representative asked.


    "Not at all," Khan promptly responded. "I could survive because that''s what I did my entire life. I had to fight over food, clothes, and even houses. When the rebellion on Istrone happened, I could react faster and better than my peers because I already had the right instincts."


    "We know what you are trying to say, Lieutenant Khan," A third representative, one of the calmest among the audience, revealed. "We even know what you are trying to accomplish with your lessons. Still, you sent six recruits to the medical bay with injuries that need weeks to heal completely."


    "So?" Khan asked. "The next time my students find themselves with a broken arm or leg, they won''t freeze. They won''t panic. They won''t cry in front of an enemy or in the middle of the battlefield because they already have the experience needed to react."


    "That''s still too much!" One of the angry representatives shouted, and approving voices resounded among the audience.


    "How would you teach them that then?" Khan questioned. "I know that I''m young and that my teaching experience is non-existent, but I''m open to suggestions. I don''t want to hurt my students, but I can''t find a different method to prepare them for what the universe can throw at them. So, please, do tell me if you have better ideas. I''ll be happy to apply them."


    No one spoke, and some representatives even diverted their gazes when Khan looked at them. They all knew the sad truth about the matter. Only the battlefield could teach about the battlefield.


    "My son will never see the battlefield," One of the angry women among the audience eventually exclaimed. "His future is already set. He will never come close to a fight, so I don''t see why he should face your barbaric methods only to get more academic merits."


    "Where will he go?" Khan asked calmly.


    "He will enter an academy specialized in building magic items," The woman proudly announced. "Reebfell is an option, but we''ll see if he can aim higher after spending two years in this camp."


    The other representatives nodded, and some even whispered compliments to the woman. A political game had started, and everyone wanted a share, everyone except for Khan.


    "Let''s say that he does exceptionally well during these two years, and let''s say that I''m not in the picture," Khan theorized. "Your descendant enters this superior academy and shows great talent for its courses. However, the Third Impact happens right above the building, so he dies because he freezes in front of a Nak."


    "What do you kn-?!" The woman instinctively complained before closing her mouth with her hands. Her anger had almost made her forget Khan''s history.


    "The Second Impact has been a tragic event," Another representative declared. "However, you can''t use it to prove your point."


    "Why not?" Khan asked while moving his gaze among the audience. "Do you know when or where the next Impact will happen? Can you predict the next rebellion? What if the Global Army finds a stronger alien species and loses the war with it? Can you tell me with absolute certainty that no major crises will happen in the next years?"


    No one answered. It was pointless since the representatives knew what Khan would say to reply. He didn''t experience only one crisis. His luck had been horrible, and nothing could prevent his descendants from going through something similar.


    "As I said before, I know that you''ll do everything in your power to keep them safe," Khan continued, "But I also know that it might not be enough. You can complain all you want, but I will still try to prepare my students for the worst. At the end of the day, I only care that they have what they need to survive out there."


    Khan wasn''t being rude, but some representatives had the chance to complain about that. Yet, they remained silent since everything he had said made sense. It would have been different with another professor, but Khan''s history added too much value to his words.


    "Anyway," Khan added after letting his words resound in the representatives'' minds for a few seconds," My subject isn''t mandatory. Tell your descendant not to attend it if you find it too dangerous. If something happens, they won''t be on my conscience because I know that I''m doing everything in my power to prepare them."


    Those final words acted as a death blow. Khan had made his position more than clear, and the representatives couldn''t argue with that. Everything would be up to them now.


    A few silent minutes passed before the representatives began to exchange whispers. Khan couldn''t understand what they said, but the various nods and general calm that filled the audience told him that the meeting had gone relatively well.


    A glance at Headmaster Pitcus also revealed that he approved what had happened. He nodded at Khan as soon as he met his eyes, and he even decided to take control of the situation after a few more minutes went by.


    "I think there''s nothing else to say," Headmaster Pitcus announced while stepping forward to reach Khan''s left side. "We can end the meeting here. Please, let me escort you all to the station."


    The representatives nodded and began to descend from the staircases as Headmaster Pitcus walked toward the entrance. Khan performed a military salute while remaining on his spot, and most of the audience nodded at him before going on their way. Still, a few decided to approach Khan to exchange some short lines.


    "I appreciate everything you have done for the Global Army and humankind, Lieutenant Khan," A representative said while wearing a warm smile.


    "The future of the Global Army seems to be in decent hands," Another representative commented in a dismissive tone.


    "I''m sorry for the initial rudeness," A third representative whispered. "Part of us was only testing you, and I think I speak for all of them when I say that you have given an outstanding impression."


    "Try to contain the number of broken bones, will you?" A fourth representative chuckled.


    "I can''t wait to meet you in friendlier situations," The fifth said.


    "My Elsie is about your age," A middle-aged woman hinted. "Try to watch her closely. She might need a man like you in her life."


    Khan wore a fake smile as those statements went by. That part turned out to be the worst phase of the meeting, but it ended quickly. When the last representative left the hall, Headmaster Pitcus nodded at Khan again before following those lofty figures.


    ''It''s over,'' Khan exclaimed in his mind as a sigh left his mouth. He soon realized that he didn''t care about the meeting''s outcome. He only felt glad that everything had come to an end.


    ''Maybe I''m not fit for the political environment,'' Khan wondered as he waited in the hall to put some distance from the representatives. ''I never thought that telling the truth could be tiring.''


    Khan spent silent minutes in the hall. He sent a few messages to tell Amber and Cora about the meeting and his first impressions, but his stomach eventually forced him to leave. He had yet to have dinner, so he went directly to the canteen.


    A familiar scene unfolded in his vision when he left the canteen. Khan noticed a figure waiting for him on a bench in the distance. The phone''s light illuminated Cora''s face as she waited for a message from her loved one.


    Cora almost dropped her phone when she heard steps disrupting the silence of the night, but a timid smile appeared on her face when she saw Khan walking toward her. Still, shyness soon replaced her happiness, which forced her to lower her gaze.


    "Were you worried about me?" Khan chuckled as he stopped in front of Cora.


    "I knew you would ace the meeting," Cora responded while shaking her head. "I only wanted to see if you were okay."


    "My hands are fine," Khan stated while putting his hands in her line of sight. "I''ll take off the bandages once I get to my flat."


    Cora began to reach for his hands, but her face suddenly turned scarlet, and her arms froze. She felt too timid whenever she thought about the previous night. She didn''t know how to face him.


    Khan smiled in front of those cute reactions, but he still decided to act. His fingers reached Cora''s chin and lifted her head while he bent forward. Cora let him guide her until she found his lips pressing on her mouth.


    The kiss was sweet, soft, and slow. The violence that Khan had shown the previous night didn''t appear, and Cora slowly grew used to that gesture.


    "I have already accepted you," Khan whispered after making their lips separate. "Stop worrying so much."


    Cora wanted to say something, but Khan interrupted her with a quick kiss on her lips. A cute pout appeared on her face as her face reddened even more, but Khan melted it with a short laugh.


    "Let me take you home," Khan requested while straightening his back and showing her his open hand.


    Cora smiled and nodded before taking his hand. She left the bench, and the two began to walk slowly toward her dormitory. They separated only when they were about to enter the patrolling soldiers'' vision.

 Chapter 307: Blacksmiths

    "I think you should just abandon the idea of relying on first-grade weapons," Amber explained as she and Khan walked through Reebfell''s streets. "Even those resistant to your element don''t have complete immunity. Go for a custom-made second-grade knife if you really need to buy something."


    "Do I even have enough Credits for something so valuable?" Khan asked.


    "The prices of the magic weapons have different brackets," Amber revealed. "You''ll probably go broke if you buy the best second-grade knife on the market, but you might be fine with something made by a relatively inexperienced blacksmith."


    "Won''t that defeat the purpose behind my purchase?" Khan voiced his doubts.


    "It depends on the shop," Amber stated. "Some brands are popular for their reliable products, even when they come from apprentice blacksmiths."


    "You know so much, Professor Teldom," Khan joked.


    "Can''t you just be happy that I''ve decided to accompany you?" Amber complained even if a smile appeared on her face.


    "I remember that you liked the idea of a trip to the city even more than me," Khan teased.


    "Shut up," Amber snorted in her sweet tone.


    Khan''s knife had broken during his last time inside the training hall. His third lesson was also approaching, so he didn''t hesitate to contact Amber after dropping Cora at her dormitory. The Professor had been more than happy to plan a morning trip to Reebfell, which had led to the current situation.


    "Why aren''t you with your girl anyway?" Amber asked after the two remained silent for a few seconds.


    "Why did you wait until we got to Reebfell to ask me that?" Khan laughed. "Did you experience a sudden burst of jealousy?"


    "Come on, Khan," Amber said in a serious tone. "I don''t want her to worry about our relationship. You are way too famous. I might end up at the center of gossips in no time, and I don''t want her to be surprised about them."


    "Your career might also suffer now that I think about it," Khan sighed.


    "I have an excellent reputation," Amber reassured. "Some gossips won''t ruin it. I''m only worried to cause problems for you two."


    "Why? Aren''t we friends?" Khan asked while wearing a stern expression.


    "That''s not what I meant," Amber responded. "She might-."


    "I know what you meant," Khan laughed. "I was only joking. Cora couldn''t come because of her lessons, and you are better than her at this stuff anyway. I told her that I was coming to Reebfell with you."


    Amber nodded. She wouldn''t worry as long as Khan didn''t start to lie to Cora when he hung out with her. She felt that he wasn''t that kind of man, but she wanted to be sure about that anyway.


    "Also," Khan continued, "I wouldn''t stop talking and going out with you even if she asked me that. I understand jealousy, but that shouldn''t prevent me from having female friends."


    "Do you think she will get jealous?" Amber questioned.


    "Do you wish to make her jealous?" Khan teased.


    "Khan, come on," Amber complained. "Help me get rid of these worries. We can go back to the jokes afterward."


    "She doesn''t know much about relationships," Khan revealed. "She is also quite shy. I think she''ll get jealous about almost everything initially, but time will give her some confidence."


    "I didn''t expect you to go for someone so innocent," Amber mocked. "Maybe there is a romantic heart under all the jokes and training."


    "I didn''t expect to kiss her either," Khan admitted, "But she is sweet and honest. I smile whenever I see her small efforts. I can trust her completely."


    "You are so cute," Amber giggled.


    "Her appearance also helped a lot," Khan exclaimed. "I mean, did you see her? I must be the luckiest guy in the world."


    "You are a dirty-minded idiot!" Amber shouted and slapped Khan''s shoulder as laughs mixed with her complaints. "You just said that she doesn''t have any experience. I won''t forgive you if you push her too hard."


    "I should make a trip to the medical bay now that I think about it," Khan commented.


    Amber remained silent for a second, but complaints left her mouth again when she understood what Khan meant. She couldn''t be too explicit in the middle of the street, but she still found many vague synonyms for the word "condom".


    "I get it, I get it," Khan laughed after Amber seemed set on ripping off his shoulder. "I have no intention of rushing her. I have to take this slowly to make sure that she is ready. Hurting her is the last thing I want."


    Amber wore a satisfied smile, but she suddenly recalled something that soured her mood. She still remembered the faint whisper that Khan had voiced when they found Cora waiting for him after his first trip to Reebfell.


    "What about your heart?" Amber asked in a worried tone. "What do you want?"


    Khan didn''t expect Amber to remember that line. It actually told him more about her character, which left him pleased. Amber really was a good person, so he decided to answer honestly.


    "I think I''m starting to accept that I won''t ever experience something so perfect again," Khan admitted. "I''ll remember it forever, and I''ll probably compare it to every other happy moment waiting for me in the future. Still, that shouldn''t stop me from listening to my desires and fulfilling them."


    "You aren''t talking about something naughty again, right?" Amber asked. "Also, you are only seventeen. You have a whole life in front of you. It''s basically proven that you''ll experience something better one day. Who knows? Cora might be the one behind that greater happiness."


    Amber didn''t know anything about Liiza. Only Cora had managed to connect the dots and uncover something, but she was also in the dark about almost every detail.


    Amber knew that Khan wasn''t the type to exaggerate, but she addressed his extreme statement to his young age. She believed that he had experienced something that had felt perfect in his mind, but she also assumed that life would eventually grant him better emotions.


    Instead, Khan had been completely confident in his statement due to the tattoo on his right shoulder. The Niqols never joked when it came to the mana, and Zalpa had even tried her best to make Khan and Liiza separate back then. However, his success in the test and his permanent mark confirmed the sad truth he had just voiced.


    Still, Khan had been honest. He knew that his faint guilt and love would probably never vanish, but he couldn''t stop living because of them. His constant indecision when it came to relationships also had to end. It was time to do his best to accomplish some form of happiness.


    Of course, there was one thing that Khan could never even try to put in the back of his mind. That was the goal that no amount of happiness could ever make him forget. He had to find the Nak, or true peace would never arrive.


    The interactions between Khan and Amber went back to normal after that serious conversation. The two mostly cracked jokes and spoke about random topics as they walked through Reebfell''s streets.


    Since Amber had accepted to accompany Khan, they decided to go over her needs first. She didn''t have a proper goal in mind, but she didn''t hold back from looking for new clothes or some rare book that even her family lacked.


    Almost all the shops in Reebfell could send eventual purchases directly to the camp, so Amber didn''t need to carry anything even if she bought a few things. Once she was done, she led Khan toward the part of the commercial district that handled magical weapons and items in general.


    The change in the purpose of those buildings was evident. The structures there had transparent entrances, and some even lacked them since many blacksmiths liked to show their ability to the crowd.


    Amber explained how that was a common practice for blacksmiths trying to make a name for themselves. They had to rent the stands inside those buildings, and the owners would give them a chance to become official members of their brand if they sold enough products.


    Every brand had different requirements and prices for its stands. Some focused on weapons, others on general reliability, and a few even in unpredictability. Amber couldn''t explain the matter too profoundly since that wasn''t her field, but she knew that the creation of magic items could have different approaches due to the various schools and branches belonging to the subject.


    The more Amber explained the more Khan''s interest rose, but he wasn''t the only one with that desire. Each stand had crowds, which mainly featured astonished kids with their parents. Khan managed to steal peeks from time to time, but he could only glance at random scenes of men and women crouched in front of a glowing anvil.


    "Don''t get lost among the stands," Amber giggled when she saw the intense interest and curiosity in Khan''s restless eyes. "These blacksmiths are only trying to get accepted to the actual shops. You need experts who have already proven their names."


    Khan let Amber lead him toward areas without the crowds to enter one of the buildings in that part of the commercial district. The atmosphere immediately changed after entering the structure''s perimeter. The loud mess of the stands vanished all of a sudden, and a peaceful vibe unfolded.


    The stands were only a few meters away, and the building had no walls that divided them from the insides of its first floor. However, the noise coming from the crowds couldn''t reach those areas and allowed the few customers there to inspect the various items exposed on a rectangular transparent case.


    The mana radiated by those items attracted Khan''s attention, but Amber dragged him away after letting him wander for a few minutes. The first floor of the building had more areas, and their destination was in one of the rooms encircled by walls.


    Clinging noises began to echo through the air as soon as Khan and Amber crossed one of the few sliding doors on the first floor. Multiple blacksmiths bent over glowing anvils unfolded in the two''s eyes, but Amber didn''t let Khan spend too long inspecting the area. It turned out that she knew one of those experts, and the latter didn''t hesitate to greet her as soon as she heard her steps.


    "Miss Teldom!" A middle-aged man covered in sweat and wearing a simple black tanktop announced after Khan and Amber stopped in front of his anvil. "What a pleasure to see you here. You are as enchanting as ever."


    "Your tongue has grown even sweeter, Master Cansend," Amber exclaimed while wearing a polite but bright smile.


    ''Fourth-level warrior,'' Khan evaluated after sensing the mana inside the burly man.


    Master Cansend had the appearance of a brute. His sweaty bald head reflected the light radiated by his azure anvil, and his long black beard had traces of dirt in its many curls. His dark gloves also had multiple spots and holes, but his behavior was impeccable.


    "Is the sir here your fianc¨¦e?" Master Cansend asked while glancing at Khan.


    "No, but he is a good friend," Amber explained. "I''m introducing him to the shop. He needs a custom-made magic weapon."


    "You have come in the right place!" Master Cansend stated happily. "The blacksmiths in the "Divine Architects" build the most reliable magic weapons on the market. Tell me, what can I do for you?"


    "I need a chaos-resistant second-grade knife," Khan quickly explained.


    "Chaos-resistant?" Master Cansend repeated as his brown eyes sharpened. "Are you Lieutenant Khan, sir?"


    "Yes, that''s me," Khan directly admitted.


    "Wow, I knew that you were young, but seeing you in person gives a completely different impression." Master Cansend exclaimed. "Thank you for your service. I can''t wait to get to work on your knife."


    "Master Cansend, Khan''s finances aren''t great," Amber intervened. "I''m afraid he won''t be able to request your services today."


    "Oh, that sounds about right," Master Cansend commented while placing his magic hammer on the glowing anvil and scratching his long beard. "Though I know someone who can help you. He is my apprentice, so I''ll take full responsibility for eventual complaints or mistakes."


    "I''m sure the "Divine Architects" will stay true to its name." Amber lowered her head as a sign of respect, and Khan imitated her.


    "That''s the main aspect behind our brand," Master Cansend declared before inspecting the anvils around him and releasing a shout. "Curtis, I have a client for you!"


    Master Cansend''s loud voice went against the gentle and polite image he had created with his impeccable behavior, but both Khan and Amber pretended that everything was normal. A tall, slender man in his twenties with messy black hair soon approached Master Cansend''s anvil, and he performed a military salute at the sight of the two uniforms.


    "How can I help you, sir and ma''am?" Curtis asked while removing his hair from his forehead to show his dark eyes.


    "Lieutenant Khan needs a second-grade knife resistant to the chaos element," Master Cansend explained before Khan or Amber could say anything.


    "A chaos-resistant knife?" Curtis repeated. "I''m not as expensive as my Master, but that weapon will cost a lot anyway."

 Chapter 308: Discounts

    "How expensive are we talking about?" Khan asked.


    "Let''s move to my anvil first," Curtis exclaimed, and Khan and Amber nodded at Master Cansend before following his apprentice.


    Curtis led the two past a corner that hid a trapdoor and descended from the staircase connected to that opening. A vast underground hall with a far livelier atmosphere unfolded in Amber and Khan''s eyes, and they could immediately see that everyone there was relatively young.


    "Curtis, do you finally have a client?" A woman near the bottom of the hall shouted as soon as the trio left the staircase.


    "Shut it, Betty," Curtis snorted as he stormed through the hall. "I''m with Lieutenant Khan here."


    "That Khan?" Betty gasped as she and everyone else in the hall moved their eyes on Khan.


    "She is richer than me," Khan commented while pointing at Amber, but the comment didn''t affect her polite smile.


    "Sir, thank you for your work out there!" An apprentice shouted.


    "Thank you, sir!" Another apprentice followed, and many others voiced similar lines.


    Khan had the chance to see how regular citizens viewed him from those reactions. He had often met superiors or soldiers at his same rank, but the various apprentices showed him how his fame was incredibly positive. He even noticed some reverence in a few gazes.


    "I''m sorry that you ended up with Curtis as your blacksmith," Betty eventually stated.


    "Betty!" Curtis scolded.


    "Is he bad?" Khan asked.


    "Not at all," Betty responded through a laugh, "But we like to tease him about his style."


    ''Style?'' Khan wondered, but the answer to those doubts became evident when he reached Curtis'' corner.


    The underground hall was full of apprentices, and all of them had small cubicles with anvils at their center. The short tables that separated the various spaces had different materials and weapons in exposition, so Khan could quickly see some of Curtis'' weapons.


    The weapons were fine. Some were incomplete, but they didn''t have any damage or crack. The issue was with their handles since Curtis tried to shape them like skulls.


    "No one understands my genius," Curtis scoffed as he sat behind his anvil. "A battle starts even before clashing weapons. A mere sight at my creations will make the enemies cower in fear!"


    "How can anyone see this design if I have my hand wrapped around it?" Khan honestly asked.


    Curtis seemed to freeze, and the other apprentices also went silent for a second before exploding into loud laughs. Mocks quickly followed, but Curtis appeared able to ignore all of them.


    Khan liked that lively atmosphere. He preferred it over the heavy political tension, but he still felt worried about the actual utility of those strange handles.


    Nevertheless, Curtis'' weapons subverted his expectations. Khan picked a sword on the table around the apprentice and noticed that its strange handle felt unnaturally comfortable. The holes for the skull''s eyes and nose didn''t hinder his grasp at all.


    "Why do you even need to shape the handles like this?" Khan asked. "I''m not complaining, just curious."


    "My genius can come out only when I''m free to work as I want," Curtis exclaimed. "It''s as if my mana knows that I''m doing something I love."


    Luckily for Curtis, Khan could completely understand that statement. The mana could react to feelings on its own if they carried enough intensity. It actually spoke for Curtis'' talent that he could express such effects without even realizing it.


    "The shop''s regulations force me to warn you that this is my first time building something out of chaos-resistant materials," Curtis admitted once the laughs went quiet. "I worked on a few preparations with those metals for Master Cansend, but I never built a complete weapon with them before."


    "How much will it cost?" Khan questioned.


    "I can''t be sure unless I see its specifics," Curtis explained.


    Khan picked up his phone and browsed through the menus of the Divine Reaper''s program. A few holograms came out of the device when he reached the part that described which knives suited the martial art, and Curtis studied them thoroughly.


    "The current price of the chaos-resistant alloys isn''t too high," Curtis commented. "Would you mind sacrificing some length to make the knife even cheaper?"


    "I would mind," Khan responded. "I don''t want to have problems with its range."


    "Are you sure you need it to be a second-grade weapon?" Curtis asked. "I know I can make a first-grade knife that can last for a few years even under the influence of the chaos element. I''m sure you don''t even launch spells all the time in battle, so that might help lower the price."


    Curtis'' understanding of battles was correct, but it didn''t apply to Khan''s situation. His mana anomaly gave the properties of the chaos element to his energy all the time, so its destructive power affected his weapons even during his martial arts.


    Also, Khan didn''t want to remain a first-level warrior for so long. He would need a better weapon anyway once his attunement with mana reached the next checkpoint, so he nodded without considering other options.


    "These requirements don''t help you," Curtis sighed. "I need to hammer down many layers to reach this level of sturdiness, which means more chaos-resistant alloys. The lowest I can go is nine thousand Credits."


    Khan couldn''t help but feel surprised about the price, but a glance toward Amber revealed that it was within her expectations. She even nodded to express her approval.


    "My Master would have charged you three times that, at least," Curtis revealed. "I can''t wait to gain his approval and start making crazy money like him."


    "I suggest you don''t speak like that in front of your customers once you move up," Amber chuckled.


    Curtis'' eyes widened, and an awkward smile appeared on his face as he glanced at Khan. However, the latter had barely heard his last comment.


    ''Nine thousand Credits,'' Khan shouted in his mind, ''And the price will only go up once I start requesting better weapons. I guess I need to find a way to make money.''


    "Khan, this is the best deal you''ll find," Amber said when she saw that Khan remained silent.


    "I''ll take it," Khan exclaimed after snapping out of his thoughts. "How long will you need to make it?"


    "I can order the alloys now," Curtis declared, "And the project will have my full attention once they arrive. I think I''ll complete the knife in a couple of weeks."


    "Do you need my payment now?" Khan asked.


    "First, I need your main hand for the measurements," Curtis responded.


    "Can you make it for both?" Khan questioned.


    "Of course," Curtis announced before using one of his tools to measure Khan''s palms and fingers.


    Amber and Khan left Curtis to his work afterward, and Khan completed the payment on Master Cansend''s anvil. Khan''s finances decreased significantly, but he still felt no attachment toward money.


    "I need to pay a visit to the "Beasts'' King" now," Khan revealed after the two left the shop and returned to Reebfell''s streets. "You can go back to the camp if you want."


    "Don''t worry about that," Amber cheerfully replied. "I want to see how you pick your Tainted animals."


    "You must really like hanging out with me," Khan teased.


    "I do, actually," Amber grinned, "Especially now that I don''t have to worry about breaking your heart."


    "You would have totally fallen for me," Khan joked.


    "As if!" Amber scoffed. "I want my man to be smart and knowledgeable."


    "When did I become dumb?" Khan questioned.


    "Shall I remind you who showed you how to withdraw Credits from the consoles?" Amber sneered.


    "No one can look past my background," Khan sighed. "My poor heart will crumble among these biased rich people."


    Amber laughed but didn''t say anything, and the two soon went back to their random conversations. The part of the commercial district that handled Tainted animals wasn''t close to their position, but they didn''t mind walking.


    The two eventually reached the "Beasts'' King", and the same waiter from the last time welcomed them with a broad smile. He appeared ecstatic to see Khan returning after only a week.


    "I hope the Tainted ape didn''t cause problems," The waiter announced after the exchange of greetings.


    "No, it was perfect," Khan responded. "It broke bones as easily as advertised."


    The waiter didn''t know how to react to that statement, especially since it probably involved wealthy recruits. The man limited himself to rub his hands as he waited to hear the reason behind that visit.


    "I need a batch of Tainted animals this time," Khan quickly continued. "They don''t need to be as strong as the ape, but I don''t want to make it too easy for my students either."


    "I have exactly what you are looking for," The waiter exclaimed before leading Khan and Amber toward one of the cages at the end of the first floor.


    The cage contained five Tainted snakes that had gone through a series of bionic enhancements. Some of them had metallic attachments to their tails, others featured glowing fangs, and one even had a pair of small arms in the middle of its body.


    They looked as proper Tainted animals, but Khan sensed how little mana they had inside their bodies. They were little more than ordinary beasts, which gave him a chance to exploit the weakness planted last time.


    "How much would these cost?" Khan asked while keeping his poker face firm.


    "I would normally sell these Tainted snakes for a few thousand Credits each," The waiter happily announced, "But I''ll apply a special discount since it''s already your second visit here. You can take all of them for three thousand and five hundred Credits."


    "That''s very generous of you," Khan exclaimed.


    "Nonsense," The waiter chuckled. "We offer nothing but the best, especially to such promising heroes."


    "Why would you charge so much then?" Khan asked as his tone became cold. "These snakes don''t have even a tenth of the ape''s mana, and I''m considering all of them."


    The waiter''s smile froze, and even his hands stopped moving. Amber didn''t seem to know much about Tainted animals, so he had thought to overprice the snakes a bit, but Khan had seen right through that rip-off.


    "It seems that the "Beasts'' King" is only interested in Credits," Khan sighed while wearing a disappointed face. "I can''t believe it doesn''t care about the soldiers'' future."


    "No, please, I didn''t-," The waiter stuttered.


    "Let''s go, Professor Teldom," Khan interrupted while turning to move toward the exit. "It''s clear that this shop doesn''t have the Global Army''s interests at heart."


    Amber played along, but she had to walk past Khan and cover her mouth since an amused smile had appeared on her face. Still, that only worked in Khan''s favor since the waiter saw the strongest among the two trying to leave the shop in a hurry.


    "Please, wait!" The waiter called as he hurried after Khan and Amber. "I didn''t know the snakes were part of a bad batch! The people on the upper floors must have made a mistake!"


    Khan and Amber didn''t stop, and the waiter even failed to enter their field of view. He started to panic, which forced him to resort to drastic measures.


    "Why don''t I give you the Tainted snakes for free while you make a different purchase?" The waiter shouted. "I''ll obviously add a special discount to make up for this unforgivable mistake."


    Khan slowly stopped, and Amber imitated him. He turned, but she voiced an excuse to leave the shop since she found herself unable to suppress her smile.


    "What kind of discount?" Khan asked in a cold voice as soon as the waiter started to show some relief.


    "I''ll cut the price by fifty percent!" The waiter exclaimed.


    "That''s what you did with the Tainted ape," Khan shook his head. "It seems that the shop isn''t as sorry as I thought."


    Khan turned to leave again, but the waiter immediately started to increase the discount. Khan pretended not to hear anything and stopped only when the words "eighty percent" resounded in the hall.

 Chapter 309: Weight

    "How much did you rip him off for?" Amber laughed when Khan came out of the "Beasts'' King".


    "I''m innocent here," Khan lied. "He did everything on his own."


    "How much?" Amber insisted as her smile broadened.


    "I might have gotten ten Tainted animals for less than two thousand Credits," Khan admitted.


    "You are a little devil," Amber giggled. "Why did you even go so hard on him when the Global Army would have refunded the purchase?"


    "I might need this shop in the future," Khan revealed. "They won''t try to trick me from now on. I might even gain access to discounts whenever I mention today''s events."


    "You are a smart little devil," Amber commented. "Though, why would you even need them for? Our students are recruits. I don''t think they can face something stronger than Tainted animals."


    Amber''s question was reasonable, but she didn''t know that some of Khan''s techniques required blood and body parts. Mere Tainted animals wouldn''t be enough for the [Blood Vortex] and the higher checkpoints of the [Blood Shield], so he would have to purchase monsters or stronger creatures to perform them.


    The Global Army wouldn''t refund purchases that had nothing to do with the students, and Khan''s finances had already fallen significantly. Having a trustworthy shop that could provide what he needed at a low price felt almost necessary in his situation.


    "I have my reasons," Khan stated, opting for words that weren''t proper lies.


    Amber respected the need for privacy, especially in someone so exceptional as Khan. Almost every soldier preferred to keep the details behind their arts and spells a secret, so she limited herself to nod and changed the topic.


    "You know you could have waited to commission the weapon?" Amber asked as the two began to walk through the streets without a specific destination. "Who knows? The cost of the chaos-resistant alloys might have gone down in a few months. It would have helped save some Credits."


    "How would I even keep track of that?" Khan questioned.


    "I have someone in my family who handles that," Amber revealed. "I didn''t suggest it earlier because you seemed set on buying it right away."


    "Don''t worry," Khan reassured. "I wanted to get my gear as soon as possible anyway."


    "I thought you wanted to stay away from the training halls for a while after yesterday''s mess," Amber teased.


    Khan had revealed what had happened before the meeting. Amber had found the story funny, so she didn''t mind using it to probe into his mindset.


    "I feel naked without my knife," Khan exclaimed. "I can''t use my full power without it."


    "Why would you even use your full power?" Amber laughed. "Reebfell isn''t a battlefield."


    Khan didn''t answer. He diverted his gaze and lost himself in the beautiful sceneries that filled his vision. He could see the greatness of human technology in every corner, but his senses instinctively kept track of the mana released in the environment. Khan was in a safe place, but his mind was ready for battle.


    "I guess the battlefield is part of me," Khan whispered, and Amber found herself speechless.


    Amber often forgot that Khan had seen far more than her. He could laugh, joke, and talk normally, but he was also someone who had killed and had gone through awful struggles. His honesty toward her tried to hide the soldier behind his youthful face, but she inevitably saw it from time to time.


    "Let''s go eat something," Amber cheerfully announced to change the topic while grabbing Khan''s arm.


    Khan snapped back to reality and seized the opportunity to get back on teasing Amber. "Poor Cora. She had to pick such a popular guy."


    "I won''t pay for your food if you keep speaking nonsense," Amber giggled without letting Khan go.


    "My arm is yours, ma''am," Khan exclaimed in a polite tone, and the two soon went back to harmless jokes and laugh.


    .


    .


    .


    Reebfell made it very easy to kill time. The many shops placed in distant areas of the commercial district and its various attractions allowed Khan and Amber to spend entire hours simply looking at the showcased goods or chatting in front of tasty drinks.


    Some might see that as a date, but Amber and Khan had reached a silent understanding on that topic. They simply did their best to enjoy themselves as friends without ever overthinking their behavior.


    The sun had already started to set by the time the two returned to the training camp. Khan''s phone had rung non-stop due to the many Tainted animals that the "Beasts'' King" had sent, but he made the soldiers tasked with the matter place every cage in his hangar. There was no need to feed those creatures since they had to die for the sake of his lesson.


    Khan only had a few hours to kill before his lesson, so he went straight for his flat after separating from Amber. His mood felt oddly fantastic. He had laughed with a friend, taken care of his knife, and set the foundation for a lasting relationship with a useful shop. It almost felt unreal that he had been in the middle of a battlefield just a week ago.


    A shower followed a few mental exercises. Khan made sure to reach the hangar early, and he didn''t hesitate to fall into his meditative state as he waited for his students to arrive.


    The recruits were on time, but a dozen of them didn''t show up. Khan knew that the meeting with the representatives had gone well, so he didn''t blame himself for the event. He couldn''t force such young men and women to attend his lessons.


    A series of hesitant and worried faces unfolded in Khan''s vision when he opened his eyes. The sight of the ten small cages in the back of the hangar had made the recruits recall the lesson with the Tainted ape, which naturally scared them.


    "There is a difference between shattering your naivety and scarring you for life," Khan announced as he stood up and placed a hand on a cage nearby. "I''ve forced you to face opponents that you couldn''t possibly defeat, but today''s lesson will be different."


    Khan stepped forward and approached his recruits. He had already decided who would fight the Tainted animals, but he wanted to see whether the current inspection would make him change his mind.


    "Today''s Tainted animals are weak," Khan eventually continued. "All of you can defeat them. I know that because I''ve tested your ability. However, I don''t want to see a simple victory."


    The recruits didn''t completely understand the meaning behind Khan''s words, and he didn''t give them the time to think. He turned to approach the cages, and a name left his mouth during the walk. "Celine!"


    That word surprised the recruits, but they all turned toward the young woman called by Khan. Celine was one of the weakest students in the class. Her attunement with mana wasn''t great, and the same went for her proficiency level. Her instincts were also quite bad due to her timid character.


    "You are doing poorly, which is fine," Khan explained as he jumped on one of the smallest cages. "Yet, you won''t get anywhere until you gain some confidence. You''ll be the first to kill a Tainted animal today. I hope you are ready."


    "Sir, can I have the first round?" Elsie asked while Celine slowly stepped forward to leave the group.


    "No, you wouldn''t learn anything by fighting," Khan refused. "Your job today is to watch."


    The statement confused the recruits even more, but none of them complained. The dinner two days ago had left some tension between them and Khan. He obviously didn''t address it, but the students didn''t feel like treating him in a friendly manner so soon.


    Celine left the group, and the other recruits moved toward the open wall to give her space. Khan nodded as he inspected the scene. Celine was clearly worried, but she took a battle position and prepared her mana for the imminent fight.


    "Ready?" Khan asked when he sensed that her mana was in the right places.


    Celine nodded, and Khan touched a label on the cage. The structure still had a dark fabric over it, but a small shape started to press on it as soon as the entrance opened. It didn''t take long before a reptilian head came out from under that cloth and voiced an angry hiss.


    The recruits and Celine felt surprised once again at the sight of the Tainted snake. They didn''t see many Tainted animals in their lives, but their entrance test had featured something far more threatening.


    The Tainted snake was small, barely two-meter-long, and the short metallic arms growing from its body felt useless. It shot toward Celine as soon as it fixed its reptilian eyes on her figure, but its speed wasn''t great.


    Celine steeled her concentration quickly, and she threw a kick forward as soon as the snake tried to jump on her. The recruit failed to use her mana correctly, but her attack was precise and hit the creature at the center of its mouth.


    The sheer physical strength contained in Celine''s body was enough to send the snake flying away. The creature didn''t suffer any injury, and its aggression made it shoot toward the recruit in no time, but she responded with another kick.


    Celine kept failing to perform her martial art correctly, but she slowly grew used to those exchanges. She was faster and stronger than the snake, so her basic forms were enough to fend it off.


    Then, one of her kicks eventually managed to deploy mana correctly. Celine''s foot slammed right under the snake''s head, and a chunk of its body exploded into pieces.


    The creature flew away and struggled to control itself. A relatively thick chunk of flesh kept its head attached to the rest of its body, but it was clear that the damage was too severe. The snake had to thank its mutations for being able to survive such deep injuries.


    Celine revealed an ecstatic smile when she saw that the Tainted snake was unable to move. She even jumped on her spot to express her happiness. She had a defeated her opponent on her own, finally proving that she could also fight like her companions.


    "What are you doing?" Khan''s cold voice interrupted that happy moment.


    Celine''s figure tensed up, and she even performed a military salute before focusing on Khan. She didn''t know why he was being so cold and detached, but she wouldn''t allow her behavior to be blamable.


    "Why did you stop fighting?" Khan asked while pointing at the injured snake. "Your opponent is alive. Kill it."


    "Won''t you need it for other lessons, sir?" Celine honestly asked.


    "This is the lesson," Khan explained. "I told you. I don''t want to see victories. None of these Tainted animals have to survive today."


    Understanding finally dawned on the recruits. Khan wasn''t only trying to improve their confidence. He also wanted them to grow used to the sight of blood. If they didn''t hesitate to kill now, there was a high chance that they would do well on the battlefield.


    Celine also understood the purpose of the lesson. She gulped and walked toward the Tainted snake, but its poor condition made her hesitate.


    The snake couldn''t move properly, but it struggled. It never stopped trying to adjust its position, which only made it curl and spin on itself. Each movement tainted the floor with its dark blood, and its hisses often accompanied those events.


    "Celine, do it," Khan ordered, forcing Celine to snap out of her daze.


    Celine didn''t take pity in a mere Tainted animal, but the scene was too ugly for her. She raised a foot and slammed it down to crush the snake''s head, but she missed her target since she closed her eyes at the last second.


    Khan didn''t say anything. Some recruits in the audience tried to laugh, but Khan silenced them through his cold glare. Celine wasn''t doing well, but he wouldn''t let anyone break her concentration.


    Celine took a deep breath before raising her foot again. She didn''t close her eyes, but she failed to use her mana correctly, so her attack didn''t crush the snake''s head. The creature survived and forced her to repeat her technique.


    A third, fourth, and fifth kick stomp followed, but Celine always failed to use her mana correctly. She couldn''t help but lose her concentration in the middle of that pitiful scene, and each failure only intensified her restlessness.


    Celine wanted her battle to end, but the Tainted snake simply wouldn''t die. She kicked the creature three more times, but she was barely trying to muster her mana at that point. Whimpers and soft pleads even left her mouth as she begged the beast to stop breathing.


    The challenging aspect of the lesson became evident now. Defeating weak Tainted animals wasn''t a problem for recruits with enhanced bodies and martial arts. It was actually relatively easy. However, the actual killing was hard.


    Celine never performed her technique correctly, but the Tainted snake eventually died under her stomps. Her attacks continued even after the creature''s head had turned into a bloody pulp, and she fell on the floor to cry once she noticed that her battle was finally over.


    Khan reached Celine in an instant, and she didn''t hold back from using his shoulder to cry as soon as he voiced reassuring words. He had to help her stand up and walk back to her companions, and one of her friends replaced him afterward.


    "Killing isn''t easy," Khan announced when he saw that Celine wiped off her tears, "And it shouldn''t be. Learn to kill, but don''t ignore the weight of a life. It''s a hard path, but I''m here to make it a bit easier."

 Chapter 310: Date

    The recruits performed relatively well after the purpose of the lesson became clear. Some lucky ones managed to use their mana correctly right away, which led to quick kills, but most ended up in long battles that forced them to overcome their anxiety and disgust.


    Khan didn''t let the robots clean the hangar, so the floor grew dirtier after each battle. A few recruits had to attack while their opponents fed off the remains of the dead Tainted animals, which naturally affected their ability to focus.


    The lesson succeeded in making the students experience part of the battlefield, and even those who didn''t fight gained something out of it. Defeating those Tainted animals was far too easy for them, but the actual killing was hard, especially when they had already won, and that was enough to accomplish what Khan had in mind.


    The lesson ended in friendly terms. The recruits'' mood was awful, but Khan had shown kindness and care toward those who crumbled once their battles ended. The awkwardness and tension built after the dinner together vanished, and the students even felt closer to him when they left the hangar.


    The mood was too sour to ask for another dinner, and the disgusting scenes had also killed the students'' hunger. Khan didn''t mind that outcome, and he used the event to enjoy some valuable time with Cora.


    "It''s heartwarming to see you so serious about your students," Cora commented while Khan was busy wolfing his third plate.


    "They have a lot to learn," Khan responded after gulping his bite. "Still, they are promising. I can see a few of them reaching good results by the end of the semester."


    "I wonder how you come up with your lessons," Cora said as her warm smile remained on her face.


    "I don''t plan them," Khan revealed. "Maybe I should. I''m learning as I go."


    "I think you are doing great," Cora stated. "I hear the rumors about you. Some soldiers in my year are actually jealous about their juniors."


    "I can''t possibly be so famous," Khan laughed as he ordered another plate from the interactive table.


    "You definitely are," Cora also laughed, but her cheek reddened when she recalled something.


    Khan noticed that reaction, and he didn''t hesitate to exploit the chance. He bent toward her seat and took her arm to whisper in her ear before she could retreat. "Are they also jealous about you and me?"


    "A bit," Cora whispered, and a kiss landed on her mouth when she raised her head.


    "We are in the middle of the canteen," Cora complained when their lips separated. "Everyone can see us."


    "I don''t care," Khan said before kissing her again.


    Khan soon left her to focus on his new plate, and Cora could only lower her head after noticing that a few curious gazes had converged on her. She pretended to adjust her long hair while she waited for her redness to disappear, but Khan saw the happy smile that she tried to hide.


    Khan didn''t take long to finish his meal, and the two could soon leave the canteen. Khan took Cora''s hand once they gained some privacy, and she began to walk slowly to enjoy her return to the dormitory.


    "You know," Khan voiced to interrupt the silence between them, "You don''t have to go back to your dormitory. You can always sleep in my flat."


    Cora almost froze when she heard those words. She had obviously thought about that opportunity, but she also knew what it would involve.


    "I was kidding," Khan chuckled while leaving a kiss on her head. "We''ll get there eventually, but don''t feel forced."


    "I-if it''s you-," Cora stammered.


    "Hey," Khan interrupted Cora by pulling her hand and forcing her to face him. "It''s fine. Don''t even try to see it as a problem."


    "Khan," Cora whispered as her hesitation melted. She pushed her head forward and delivered one of her rare kisses that Khan happily welcomed.


    It wasn''t late, but the two had reached a relatively isolated part of the camp during their walk, and Khan could sense that they were alone. The privacy allowed him to linger longer than usual in the kiss, and his free hand also reached Cora''s waist to pull her closer.


    Cora clung her free hand to Khan''s uniform. She had grown more used to their kisses, but her body tensed up when he began to caress her waist. The event made him decide to separate, but his lips dived on her again when she tried to voice a weak "sorry".


    Cora pouted when the second kiss ended, but Khan only laughed at that scene. He even scolded her gently as he left her waist to caress her cheek. "I told you that it''s fine. Stop blaming yourself."


    "Fine," Cora whispered before placing her head on his chest and enveloping him in a sweet hug.


    "Oh, right," Khan exclaimed as he caressed Cora''s hair. "Amber said that I should take you out for a date on the weekend. Are you free tomorrow?"


    "A date?" Cora asked. "Are you sure? I don''t want to get in the way of your training."


    "I won''t sleep to compensate for it," Khan joked, but Cora promptly left his chest to glare at him.


    "I''m kidding," Khan sighed. "I wouldn''t have slept anyway, but spending time with you would force me to take a break. You would actually help me."


    Cora didn''t seem convinced, but she liked the idea of a date, so she limited herself to repeating her previous question. "Are you sure?"


    "I wouldn''t have asked otherwise," Khan reassured while pushing Cora''s head back on his chest.


    "Then I''m free tomorrow," Cora whispered.


    .


    .


    .


    Khan had no idea how to plan a date. His only real experience with a girlfriend came from Liiza, and the two had never needed to prepare anything. Everything had felt natural with her as long as they were together, but that didn''t apply to Cora.


    Luckily for Khan, Amber was an excellent friend, and she didn''t hold back from helping him plan a proper schedule for his date with Cora. She even sounded happy to make that young romance bloom.


    The date started in Reebfell''s commercial district. Khan and Cora spent hours walking hand in hand through the vast streets as they inspected various shops. At first, she felt shy to be among so many people with Khan, but she quickly grew used to her situation and managed to enjoy it.


    Khan liked to see Cora''s smile. He couldn''t explain how she had remained so pure after Istrone''s events, and that spoke greatly for her character. She was cheerful, sweet, and lovely beyond reason.


    Cora made sure that Khan also had his part of the fun. She accompanied him through many areas that didn''t match her interests, and her smile widened whenever she saw Khan losing himself in the descriptions of some items.


    The commercial district was so vast that Khan felt to have seen only a tenth of it during his third visit in the city. He discovered many shops that didn''t appear on the train''s offer, but he failed to find something interesting.


    Reebfell''s commercial district literally had everything, but only from the human perspective. Khan wanted to see if he could find something related to specific alien arts or knowledge, but his search led nowhere. He had already purchased some of the best books in the field.


    The matter felt slightly disappointing, especially since Khan knew how useful some alien arts could be. The humans disregarded most of the knowledge carried by those species since their approach was more accessible, but Khan didn''t want to remain so limited.


    Still, the trip through the commercial district taught Khan that he couldn''t find that knowledge there. He even failed to find alternatives to the "Beasts'' King". A few shops sold exotic materials, but none involved blood or body parts from powerful creatures.


    The disappointment was only temporary. After all, Cora was the main reason behind that trip, and she managed to claim the entirety of Khan''s attention most of the time. She was beyond happy, and her feelings seemed able to dig holes in Khan''s usually dark mood.


    The walk in the commercial district was only the first part of the date. Amber named an amusement park that Khan and Cora visited right before lunchtime. They had to retake the train to reach that area, but everything turned out to be relatively straightforward, even for Khan.


    The amusement park blew Khan''s expectations. That was his first time seeing such tall and strange attractions. He and Cora could also gain access to special discounts due to his position as a lieutenant and a professor, so the ticket for the various rides and games ended up being pretty cheap.


    The afternoon went by in no time as Khan and Cora laughed, joked, and had fun in the various attractions. The amusement park was too big to see everything in those few hours, but they didn''t mind missing out on a few rides, especially since they gave them the chance to come back there during future dates.


    When the sun began to set and the attractions started to close down, Khan and Cora approached a building containing a series of fake spaceships attached to the floor through metal arms. Amber had suggested visiting that game, so he had saved some time before the inevitable return to the training camp.


    Khan didn''t understand the reason behind Amber''s suggestion. The fake spaceships initially made him curious, but his interest vanished when he saw kids on them.


    "Why did she even tell me to come here?" Khan wondered. "We can''t sit together on these rides."


    "I think I understand what she had in mind," Cora exclaimed while pulling Khan across the area to reach a waiter standing behind the fake spaceships.


    "I''m sorry, ma''am," Cora called the waiter, "Is the special ride still open? I hope we are not too late."


    "You are lucky!" The waiter happily announced. "We have enough time for one last ride. Do you want to give it a try?"


    "It''s not for me," Cora giggled while letting go of Khan''s hand to pat his shoulder.


    "What is happening?" Khan asked when he understood that both Cora and Amber knew something.


    "This attraction earned an award in the past," Cora explained. "They have one of the most advanced flight simulations, at least when it comes to non-military equipment. Many families bring their descendants here to see if they have any talent in the field."


    ''Sneaky Amber,'' Khan commented in his mind. ''I have talked about becoming a pilot only vaguely.''


    "We have only improved since the award!" The waiter revealed. "The Global Army would seize our program if we improve it any further."


    "How does it work?" Khan asked as he stepped forward. "I know nothing about spaceships."


    "The simulation is only about reflexes. You don''t need any knowledge about spaceships or similar vehicles." The waiter explained as she led Khan and Cora in a second area of the building.


    The second area was rather dark, and most of its illumination came from a circular platform with a single seat at its center and a vast hologram hovering before it. The hall had stages all around that structure, but Khan only noticed a few people there.


    "They are recruiters," The waiter whispered while wearing a beaming smile when she saw Khan inspecting the stages. "They keep an eye for young talents and enlist them in special branches of the Global Army."


    Khan nodded and did his best to appear amazed. Still, his senses told him that none of the soldiers on the stages was paying attention to the central structure. Many were even napping.


    "So, what do I have to do?" Khan asked once the waiter told Cora to remain behind and led him on the platform.


    "Sit here and strap in," The waiter ordered as she picked up her phone. "I''m inserting the simulation for first-level warriors. The holograms'' speed will increase as you keep dodging asteroids, and you only have three lives. Good luck!"


    "Asteroids?!" Khan called, but the metal arm under the seat suddenly pushed it in the air and brought him closer to the holograms.


    A metallic branch came out of the bottom of the seat and transformed into a straight handle. Khan instinctively grabbed it, but the holograms in front of him expanded and transformed during the process.


    The holograms quickly depicted a dark environment that Khan knew well. He saw the depths of space with its many glowing dots shining in the distance. However, a rain of dark objects covered that view, and a low noise suddenly came out of those images.


    "That was unlucky," The waiter shouted from the floor. "The asteroids are randomly generated, and one of them appeared before you as soon as the simulation started. Don''t worry. It won''t happen again."


    "How do I ride this thing?!" Khan shouted while pointing at the handle.


    "Push to dive and pull to ri-," The waiter couldn''t end her line since the holograms released a high-pitched noise and announced the start of another simulation.


    The waiter turned out to be right. The simulation didn''t immediately place Khan in front of asteroids. He had the time to test the handle a bit and see how sharp the fake spaceship''s turns were, but he slammed on one of those big objects during the process.


    "Only one life left!" The waiter happily announced. She was actually making it hard for Khan on purpose since it was late and the attraction had to close down, but he didn''t answer now.


    ''Snow was better at this,'' Khan commented in his mind as he focused entirely on the holograms. He knew how the fake spaceship turned now, so he didn''t have to think about the handle anymore.


    The simulation started for the third time, and Khan began to dodge asteroids. They were slow at first, but their speed gradually increased.


    Nevertheless, Khan''s ability with the handle also increased as he kept dodging those large objects. His martial art forced him to attack and defend at high speed, and his period on Nitis had only deepened his expertise in that field. His reflexes were beyond sharp, and his instincts were incredible.


    Regular pilots would never experience what Khan had gone through. The spaceships were safe compared to the Aduns. Those creatures couldn''t reach the same speed, but Khan had flown on them with only his legs as footholds.


    The level of confidence that Khan had reached when it came to high-speed combat and flight was breathtaking, and he showed it during the simulation. The fake spaceship felt clunky, but he made it work and dodged all the asteroids coming in his direction.


    The asteroids'' speed increased, but Khan''s reflexes kept up. Soon, minutes passed, but he had yet to come close to losing his last life. The simulation even stopped accelerating after half an hour.


    Cora didn''t mind waiting. Khan was smiling during the simulation, so she would be happy even if he spent entire days up there. However, her curiosity made her question the waiter after the asteroids'' speed stopped increasing. "What is happening? Won''t the game force him to lose now?"


    "This is a flight simulation that borders military standards," The waiter explained without hiding the amazement in her tone. "The asteroids are already about to cross the limits of what a first-level warrior can see. Now the simulation is testing his endurance."


    "I''d like a drink then," Cora requested.


    "What do you mean?" The waiter asked.


    "He will be up there for a while," Cora declared.


    The waiter didn''t immediately believe Cora. She had seen many talented kids and soldiers losing their cool after spending too long in the field of asteroids. However, her mouth opened in astonishment as the minutes passed and Khan had yet to make a mistake.


    The situation got so bad that the waiter''s boss had to come to check what was happening. She was another middle-aged woman, but her professional clothes revealed how her job wasn''t to handle clients.


    Khan didn''t care about what was happening under him. He was enjoying spending those minutes dodging asteroids at high speed. He couldn''t feel the wind on his face, but the scene still reminded him of his time on Snow''s back.


    Yet, everything suddenly went dark, and a scoreboard replaced the field of asteroids. Khan didn''t understand what was happening until the seat began to descend and brought him back on the floor.


    "I''m mortified, sir," The waiter''s boss stated as soon as Khan focused on her. "The park needs us to close to shut down. I''ve already spoken with my superiors. We are happy to offer a free ticket to both of you for interrupting your game."


    "Oh," Khan exclaimed in a disappointed tone before wearing a smile when he saw Cora''s happy face half-hidden behind a big cup. "Don''t worry. We''ll come earlier next time."


    The waiter and her boss voiced more polite lines, but Khan mostly ignored them as he reached Cora and took her hand. He didn''t realize how late it was, so he planned to leave right away, but the two women eventually forced him to turn.


    "Sir, sir!" The waiter called as she chased after Khan and Cora. "I need you to leave a name for the scoreboard."


    "Why would I leave a name?" Khan asked.


    "You broke one of the records," The waiter explained. "It doesn''t have to be a real name, but the shop has a vast community who would be happy to see the scoreboard change from time to time."


    "So, is it just for the sake of the game?" Khan continued as he tried to understand the purpose behind that practice.


    "Exactly!" The waiter stated, even if she felt slightly confused in front of Khan''s lack of understanding.


    "Use "Snow" then," Khan responded before turning to leave the attraction with Cora.

 Chapter 311: Offer

    Khan couldn''t possibly know that, but his performance in the flight simulation didn''t go unnoticed. After all, the recruiters on the stages were there for the very reason of finding promising pilots. Yet, a few reasons had forced them to let go of the matter for now.


    The recruiters had questioned the waiter and her boss when they woke up from their naps. Still, the unfinished nature of the simulation, the lack of a proper name, and Khan''s advanced age were demerits that those soldiers couldn''t ignore.


    Khan was already part of the Global Army. His military uniform stated that, and the stars on his shoulders also showed that he had been enlisted for a while. The recruiters usually aimed at younger candidates who had yet to approach a camp since the real flight training required those boys and girls to reach different structures.


    In short, the interruption due to the late hour and the difficulties connected to contacting Khan made it easy for the recruiters to ignore the event. They would activate if Khan reappeared and showed potential again, but they did nothing for now.


    As for Khan, he returned to the camp with Cora and enjoyed the time before the curfew with her. They were both pretty happy about the day spent in Reebfell, and it felt nice to see Cora completely devoid of the usual shyness that usually filled her actions.


    Khan didn''t try to push her limits that night. The two exchanged long kisses on an isolated bench in the camp''s street and enjoyed their harmless intimacy. Cora grew even more used to those interactions, and Khan liked to see her so happy over every little thing.


    Their separation allowed Khan to dive into his training. It didn''t feel right to complain about the beautiful day, but he experienced some dissatisfaction for obvious reasons. Still, his many exercises dispersed that slight frustration.


    Khan wasn''t used to that slow pace in a relationship. Things with Liiza had been different since it had been their first time, and they shared an evident restlessness. However, Cora was simply shy, hesitant, and scared.


    That state was pretty standard for an eighteen-year-old woman, especially since it was her first time going through a relationship. Khan acknowledged that and found comfort in his training, which had a lot to offer.


    The purchases in Reebfell made Khan''s training schedule more packed than ever. The events with the training hall didn''t give him any additional free time since he could always fill his hours with the study of his many books.


    The mental exercises and the repetition of the forms of his martial arts were part of his very being by then. Khan barely thought when he performed them. Yet, studying the many alien species discovered by the Global Army during its expansion through the universe filled him with curiosity, and memorizing other languages added interesting moments to his schedule.


    The night went by in no time, and Khan even forgot to have his breakfast as he lost himself in his schedule. There was so much to study, but his goals were clear. He had to expand his knowledge and learn how to perform the remaining techniques in his arsenal.


    A single night couldn''t give significant results, and the same went for the following day, but Khan''s resilience was inhuman. He took breaks, mostly to enjoy some time with Cora, eat, and exchange a few messages with Amber, but his training and studies claimed the rest of his free hours.


    Khan decided to sleep only the night before his lesson. He didn''t prepare anything for his students, but he took that chance to make them fight him again. It was too early for another battle with the Tainted ape anyway.


    The students took those one versus one battles against Khan seriously. They tried their best to show killing intent, and he noticed decent results after the lesson with the weak Tainted animals.


    The recruits were starting to understand the true nature of the battlefield, and they had spent only a week with Khan''s subject. It was unclear what they would become after a whole semester, but he would be there to guide them on the path he considered correct.


    The days went by in the peaceful environment that only a training camp on Earth could provide. Khan found himself visiting Reebfell often and uncovering more of its marvelous features. He even had more meetings with Lieutenant Abaze and Captain Goldmon to write reports about their subjects.


    The reports weren''t too important since the real judges of the subjects would be the students and the families behind them. Still, Khan did his best to be accurate, and Amber helped him. The two grew close as time flowed in the training camp, and they soon started to consider themselves proper friends.


    When Khan found himself unable to come up with valuable exercises for his lessons, Amber helped or joined him in trips to Reebfell to purchase specific books about teaching and similar topics. Her price was a laugh and company during her inspection of various shops, and Khan didn''t mind paying it.


    Things progressed well on Cora''s side too. She was happier than ever with Khan, and her shyness with him became a rare event as the two kept spending time together. Khan eventually felt that she was almost ready to move their relationship to the next level, but he didn''t pressure her or insisted.


    Truth be told, Cora had to consider herself lucky that Khan had a lot on his plate. In a different situation, Khan would have been unable to ignore the slight frustration building up in his mind. Still, his packed schedule and many interests allowed him to give her as much time as she needed.


    Cora was also busy with her studies and training, but she always cleared her schedule whenever Khan was free. She also knew that they couldn''t keep exchanging kisses on benches for entire months, but she appreciated how Khan didn''t put any pressure on her, and that feeling eventually gave birth to a faint ardor.


    Something unusual happened near the end of Khan''s fifth week as a professor. On the first break day, Khan received a message from Headmaster Pitcus in which he requested a meeting in the afternoon.


    The message didn''t explain any detail, and Khan couldn''t find anything blameworthy when he reviewed the past weeks. He had done nothing but training, holding classes, and visiting Reebfell in the past weeks.


    Cora was the only part of his life that could create problems for his role due to their different status. Still, everyone was closing an eye since they were both survivors of Istrone''s rebellion. They never announced their relationship, but gossips had started to spread since he first accompanied her back to her dormitory. Then the camp learnt about them when a soldier happened to see them kissing on a bench at night.


    ''I hope it''s not about the training hall,'' Khan thought as he walked toward one of the central buildings to attend the meeting with Headmaster Pitcus. ''It wouldn''t make sense after so long.''


    Khan instinctively caressed the sheath on his left as he thought about the training halls. He didn''t visit those structures at all in that period, but he missed fighting. Yet, the idea of facing puppets didn''t interest him, and he didn''t find the need to lose himself in his sensations.


    As for the sheath, it was a brand-new belt-like item that the "Divine Architects" had added when they delivered the new knife. Curtis had done an excellent job with the weapon. It had arrived slightly later than planned, and its handle had a skull-like shape, but Khan found it extremely comfortable with both his hands.


    The amount of mana that the knife contained also surpassed Khan''s previous weapons by a lot. Curtis had shown which advantages a custom-made blade could provide, and Khan had been more than satisfied when he first inspected it.


    The knife was slightly thick but also sharp. Khan didn''t know how Curtis had fused sturdiness and deadliness in such a short shape, but the secrets behind a second-grade weapon were too deep for his knowledge and senses.


    The knife wasn''t the only new arrival. Khan also received his first payment, which he had to withdraw from a console. One thousand and five hundred Credits weren''t much, but it felt a bit good to earn money and give them a proper value now that he could compare them to the time spent in the lessons.


    "It''s Lieutenant Khan," Khan exclaimed when he pressed on the door of the Headmaster''s office. "Did you want to see me, sir?"


    The metal door slid open without giving any answer. Khan could see Headmaster Pitcus sitting behind his interactive desk and two soldiers on the couch before it. Their presence didn''t surprise Khan since he had sensed them from outside the room, but their slightly different military uniform attracted his attention.


    Both soldiers were slightly overweight middle-aged men. They appeared out of shape, but the three stars on their shoulders prevented Khan from underestimating them. Also, he noticed a few pins on their chests that reminded him of symbols read in some of his books.


    ''They are medals,'' Khan thought without recalling the specific meaning behind those pins.


    "Professor Khan!" Headmaster Pitcus exclaimed in a lively tone. "Please, sit. These gentlemen want to have a chat with you."


    Khan nodded and performed a military salute before approaching an armchair in front of the desk and turning it toward the two soldiers. The latter smiled, but they spoke only when their silence became awkward.


    "Lieutenant Khan, I''ll go straight to the point," One of the soldiers said. "We have kept track of your performance in the flight simulation in Reebfell''s amusement park. Needless to say, we believe that your talents are wasted in your current job. We would like to offer you the chance to become a pilot."


    Everything became clear after those words, and Khan even connected the pins to the specific images seen in his books. Only pilots could get medals with those symbols.


    The event felt slightly surprising. Khan and Cora had gone to the amusement park a few more times, and he had obviously given a try to the flight simulation without time limitations. However, he had eventually grown bored of that exercise since it was too repetitive and detached from reality.


    ''I''ve only left my name two more times on the scoreboard,'' Khan thought. ''Is that enough to become a pilot?''


    "Finding you wasn''t easy," The second man laughed. "We knew you were in the training camp due to the uniform, but that nickname forced us to go through the entrance logs of the park. Luckily for us, your fame came to our aid."


    "We are sorry for not contacting you sooner," The first man continued. "I''m afraid we are too old to understand these young trends."


    "Young trends?" Khan questioned.


    "Well, the nickname," The first man said. "The scoreboard used to feature real names in the past, not made-up ones."


    "It''s not made-up," Khan corrected. "It''s the name of my Aduns."


    The two recruiters had done their homework before visiting the training camp, and they had even heard about Khan before the simulation pointed in his direction. They didn''t need explanations about the Aduns.


    "We are sorry," The second man promptly intervened. "We didn''t mean to insult you."


    "Don''t worry, sir," Khan reassured while wearing a fake smile. "I would like to hear more about this offer. I don''t know much about pilots either, so an explanation would help."


    "Of course," The first man announced when he saw the chance to redeem himself. "A pilot can take care of many jobs. They can go from the simple transport of goods that can''t go through the teleports or the actual control of large battleships in the depths of space."


    "The possibilities are endless," The second man continued. "The Global Army will need pilots as long as the universe exists. Many places and settlements lack teleports, and, most importantly, the human expansion requires talented young soldiers like you."


    "Like me how?" Khan asked while choosing to appear hesitant.


    "Brave in front of the danger," The first man responded. "Exploring the depths of the universe isn''t only dangerous. It''s a job that requires the steadiest minds since it can involve entire years of flight among pure darkness. It''s a chilling experience that only the best members of our species can overcome."


    The two recruiters appeared happy to speak about pilots. They seemed to miss those experiences, and Khan didn''t miss the small changes in their expressions.


    Truth be told, the two recruiters didn''t give Khan a good impression. The matter about Snow''s name had nothing to do with it. They appeared tired, old, and awkward, which didn''t suit their role.


    Still, everything became clear after seeing that excitement. The two soldiers weren''t real recruiters. They were just pilots who had become too old to be part of the dangerous missions in space.


    "So, it''s only about riding spaceships?" Khan asked, trying his best not to sound offensive.


    "Well, mostly," The second man admitted. "However, you often end up on alien planets whenever you drive special convoys or unique goods. You won''t lack adventure if you play your cards right."


    Khan couldn''t help but feel interested in the job. He didn''t actually like the idea of spending years alone in space or moving goods from one planet to another, but the freedom behind that position was appealing.


    Also, as much as Khan didn''t like it, exploring the depths of space might be the key behind finding the Nak or uncovering the location of the solar system in his nightmares. He needed freedom and to know how to handle a spaceship for that project, and training as a pilot could do the trick.


    Still, there was a high chance that the Global Army itself knew a lot about the Nak, and Khan needed to climb the military ranks to uncover those truths. Some alien species might even hold greater knowledge about them, but only an ambassador could dive so deep into their culture to learn their secrets.


    "What would the offer involve?" Khan asked after letting his mind absorb the recent exchange of lines. "Becoming a pilot sounds appealing, but it might not fit my goals."


    "Initially, we would have you moved to a different structure," The first recruiter announced. "You wouldn''t immediately get to a space station, but I''m sure that you will end there in a year of training."


    "Training?" Khan questioned.


    "Becoming a pilot is no easy feat," The second recruiter explained. "The terrestrial vehicles alone require long studies. The subject is only deeper when it comes to proper spaceships, and I won''t even talk about the space stations."


    "That sounds like a lot of busywork," Khan admitted.


    "It is," The first recruiter responded. "The Global Army sends only the best of the best up there. I''m afraid you will have to let something go if you want to succeed."


    "What did you let go of?" Khan asked. "If you don''t mind me probing into your lives."


    "No problem at all," The second recruiter exclaimed. "The Global Army provided the synthetic mana to keep the level up to standards, but many pilots end up with subpar battle prowess. It''s only natural when everything they do is about spaceships and flight in general."


    That was a problem that Khan didn''t expect. He knew that every unique field in the Global Army required deep dedication, but he was already doing the same with his techniques. He thought he could stuff something else inside his schedule as long as he worked hard enough.


    However, the situation was far different. Khan even believed that the recruiters were making it sound easy to tempt him into joining the offer.


    "I can''t give you an answer right away," Khan honestly stated.


    "We didn''t expect that," The first recruiter declared. "These decisions will affect your future deeply, so take all the time you need to think about the offer."


    "We shall take our leave now," The second recruiter announced as both soldiers stood up. "Headmaster Pitcus, it has been a pleasure. Lieutenant Khan, we hope to hear from you soon. Until then, may your stay on Reebfell be as fruitful as possible."


    Khan stood up and performed a military salute that he didn''t break even after the two soldiers left the hall. Many thoughts ran through his mind, but his first instinct felt quite clear. He believed that accepting the offer would close paths instead of opening them.


    "Is something on your mind?" Headmaster Pitcus asked as a warm smile appeared on his face.


    "I''m sorry, sir," Khan said as he sat back on the armchair. "It wasn''t my intention to get lost like this."


    "Don''t worry about it," Headmaster Pitcus chuckled and adjusted his glasses. "Rather, do you want to talk about what happened? I might not seem like it, but I am a good listener."


    ''You definitely look like a good listener,'' Khan commented in his mind while sorting out his thoughts.


    "How valuable is the position as a pilot?" Khan eventually asked.


    "Define valuable," Headmaster Pitcus replied.


    "How important is it politically?" Khan asked.


    "I didn''t take you for someone interested in ranks," Headmaster Pitcus laughed.


    "I need to be interested in them," Khan explained. "That''s how the Global Army works."


    The honest answer surprised Headmaster Pitcus. He felt a bit sad to see that Khan had already started to view the political ladder cynically, but that approach was fitting when he considered his history.


    "Pilots have an easy path toward the higher ranks," Headmaster Pitcus revealed. "Almost all of them get high positions in the Global Army after serving for a few years. You might become a colonel directly if you spend a decade traveling through the right routes."


    "But won''t that make me weaker as a soldier?" Khan wondered.


    "Is it necessary to be strong?" Headmaster Pitcus asked. "You won''t join battlefields as a pilot, not directly at least. You might have to give air support in wartime, but your individual power won''t matter much in those situations."


    Khan didn''t follow up with another question. Headmaster Pitcus was right, but Khan couldn''t accept to be weak, especially since his main goal was to find a species that had unleashed destruction on many known alien species.


    "Everything depends on what you want," Headmaster Pitcus continued when he saw that Khan remained silent. "Do you want to fight? Do you want to fly? Do you want to interact with different species? You can do a lot but not everything."

 Chapter 312: Call

    The meeting ended with those questions, and Khan left the building with his mind full of various thoughts. He didn''t really have doubts since his situation was unique, but he still took that chance to review his future.


    There was something that only three people in the universe knew. Bret, Zalpa, and Liiza were aware that Khan''s firm resolve and determination came from his recurring nightmares. The desperation that they forced him to experience every time he closed his eyes was the very drive that made him train and fight harder than his peers.


    Nothing could affect the nightmares. It didn''t matter if Khan was on a battlefield or in a peaceful environment. He would always return to the scenes of the Second Impact. He was a man constantly at war with something that he couldn''t comprehend, and the only solution to his problem seemed to be outside his reach.


    Still, a few things were clear, even obvious. The Nak were somewhere in the universe, and they were strong. Khan couldn''t just give up on his training to explore space. Even if he found that species, he wouldn''t have the power to fight it.


    The pilot''s path didn''t suit Khan, but he had yet to decide what to do with his future. There was a high chance that the new subjects created after Istrone''s rebellion wouldn''t die in a mere semester or year. He could remain a professor for a long time if he wanted, but that was the core of the issue.


    Khan was enjoying the camp''s peace, but he also felt restrained. He didn''t yearn for the sight of more corpses, but he missed losing himself in the chaos of the battlefield. His flesh brimmed with power that he could never unleash, and some traits of his personality couldn''t come out among innocent and happy soldiers.


    ''Am I really considering going back to a battlefield for the chance to act all broody and cold?'' Khan mocked himself as he walked through the camp''s streets. ''I guess I can''t forget who I am.''


    Cora knew about the unexpected meeting with Headmaster Pitcus, and Khan didn''t feel surprised to find her on a bench on his path back to his flat. She smiled warmly when she saw his figure approaching her, but she noticed that there was something wrong with him.


    "What happened?" Cora asked while standing up.


    "Sit for a bit," Khan voiced in an aloof tone, and Cora ignored her confusion to do as he said.


    "Move a bit toward the edge," Khan whispered as he bent toward Cora and pushed her from her side.


    Cora understood what Khan wanted only after she reached his intended position. Her smile returned when he lay on the bench and placed his head on her lap. She instinctively caressed his hair, and he didn''t hold back from wrapping an arm around her waist.


    "Everyone can see us," Cora giggled without showing any shyness.


    It was still the middle of the afternoon of a break day. Soldiers and recruits roamed through the streets or used some of the camp''s vast spots to meet up. Khan was a known figure there, so every group that noticed his presence glanced in his direction from time to time.


    His situation didn''t help. Khan was literally lying on Cora''s lap in the middle of the camp. Everyone knew that they were in a relationship, but that scene basically confirmed it.


    "What is it?" Cora asked as Khan fixed his eyes on the clear sky.


    "They asked me to become a pilot," Khan revealed.


    "Who?" Cora asked. "Did Headmaster Pitcus pull some strings?"


    "No, the offer came from two recruiters," Khan explained. "It seems that our trips to the amusement park didn''t go unnoticed."


    Cora stopped caressing Khan''s hair when she thought about the matter. She knew that pilots were kept in high regard by the Global Army. Receiving an offer for the proper flight training was already incredible, so she felt happy for Khan.


    However, Cora also knew what the flight training would involve. Khan would have to move to separate structures, with little to no free time. It was an arduous path that rarely left room for relationships.


    "Stop worrying about it," Khan laughed. "I''m not accepting the offer."


    "Don''t take this offer lightly!" Cora scolded before lowering her voice and showing tinges of her shyness. "I don''t want you to reject this chance because of me."


    "You aren''t the main reason," Khan admitted while rubbing his face on Cora''s waist. "Still, I would have missed you if I decided to leave."


    "Khan!" Cora scolded again before exploding into a warm laugh and resuming caressing his hair.


    That situation felt good. It wasn''t perfect, but Khan liked it a lot. His behavior was whimsical and even childish for a man in his position, but he didn''t care.


    Still, Khan knew that different soldiers wouldn''t be able to lose themselves in that behavior, especially in public. Everything would grow tighter as his position became more important, and he believed it would eventually feel suffocating.


    "Do you plan on rubbing your face on me all day?" Cora eventually teased.


    "I can do more if you come to my flat," Khan responded while leaving a kiss on her flat waist.


    Cora''s face instantly turned red, but her warm smile remained. She lowered her head, and Khan turned to meet her lips. The two exchanged a soft kiss that Khan followed by squeezing her side.


    "People are watching us," Cora whispered as she straightened her back and took Khan''s hand to stop him from squeezing her any further.


    Khan heaved a soft sigh and wore a warm smile as he focused on the sky again. Many would kill to be in his situation. He had talent, a beautiful woman by his side, and a promising future. Yet, something told him that the camp would never be his home. He could express only part of him there.


    "Why are you so pensive?" Cora asked when she saw that Khan had a lot in his mind.


    "I''m thinking of ways to get you in my flat," Khan lied. "I think you''d like the bed."


    "I would already be there if you didn''t care about me," Cora softly replied as she let go of his hand and resumed messing with his hair. "I won''t ask since you aren''t ready to tell me."


    Khan couldn''t help but feel moved by that comment. Cora had learnt a lot about him, especially when it came to what he didn''t say. She really looked at him, but she never insisted on what he didn''t want to reveal.


    A warm feeling spread through Khan''s chest when his eyes fell on Cora''s happy and caring face. He wanted to drag her to his flat to enjoy what that lack of privacy prevented him from seeing. He wasn''t thinking about sex. He only desired to make her feel good.


    Still, his phone suddenly buzzed and diverted his attention. Khan picked up his device, and his eyes instinctively grew cold when he read the notification.


    "Is it Amber?" Cora asked. "Tell her that I''m free tomorrow morning. We can go to the shop she mentioned if she still wants to."


    "It''s not Amber," Khan said in an aloof tone.


    The message didn''t say much. Actually, it only had a single line. Captain Clayman had limited himself to write "It''s done", but those words were more than enough to explain everything.


    ''It has been more than a month now that I think about it,'' Khan thought as he put his phone back in his pocket. ''The guys on Ecoruta have been fast. I guess the anti-mana project is no more.''


    Everything seemed to come back. The corpses, struggles, and unrestrained releases of attacks created a stark comparison to the peace that surrounded Khan. Those scenes belonged to two different worlds, and he knew where his instincts pushed him.


    "Your hair is getting long," Cora commented when she saw that Khan didn''t say anything about the message.


    ''Why did you have to say this now?'' Khan cursed in his mind as he closed his eyes to hide eventual unwanted expressions.


    Cora couldn''t possibly know it, but that was the worst line she could say while Khan was in the middle of comparing the battlefield with the training camp. He didn''t answer and waited until he regained control of his face to open his eyes and straighten his position.


    "Khan?" Cora called. "Did I say something wrong?"


    Khan didn''t give any explanation. He stood up before bending toward Cora to leave an intense kiss. She was stunned, confused, and full of doubts, but he only left her with a short line. "I need to make a call. I''ll contact you later."


    Cora didn''t know what to say, so she watched as Khan left in a hurry. He was almost running. Something was obviously wrong, but she didn''t follow him. She knew that Khan needed time to open his heart, just like her for sex-related matters.


    Khan barely noticed the world around him. He found himself inside his flat without even recalling about opening the door. Still, he instinctively connected his phone to the wall and browsed through the menus until he could press on a familiar name.


    The wall lit up, and a screen even appeared on it. A series of ringing noises resounded in the room before a familiar voice shouted loud words that made Khan smile. "Son of a forgettable woman! It took you an entire month on Earth to call me!"


    "I missed you too, George," Khan laughed as he fixed his eyes on the face that had appeared on the screen.


    George didn''t change. His cheeks were slightly flushed, and his hair had grown, but he was the same friend who had shared untold tragedies with Khan.


    "So, how is life as a professor?" George scoffed. "Your profile doesn''t say much about it. I bet you are swimming in women."


    "I''m actually with someone right now," Khan revealed. "Do you remember Cora Ommo from Istrone?"


    "Right, Reebfell, right!" George exclaimed. "You damned scoundrel. You always get the best ones, though you deserve them. Did you pop her cherry yet?"


    "Hey, I''m a gentleman," Khan joked.


    "Tell that to the marks you and Liiza left on each other," George sneered.


    George was probably the only one who could mention Liiza without making Khan feel sad. Still, the two remained silent for a few seconds as memories resurfaced in their minds.


    "Do you love her?" George eventually asked.


    "Can I even love after Liiza?" Khan chuckled.


    "Fair," George sighed. "Yet, I''m happy that you didn''t go all broody on me. Ecoruta, Onia, and now Reebfell. You even found yourself a nice girl. I''m proud of you, man."


    "What about you?" Khan questioned. "Did your family threaten to throw you in the Slums yet?"


    "If you are talking about my drinking habit, know that I only have a few cups after dealing with all the political stuff that my family throws at me," George proudly explained. "The cups might be really big, but that''s not the point."


    "You are the best," Khan laughed.


    "I totally am," George declared. "Life is great. Women melt whenever I say my name. I''d like to have fewer political sheets to handle, but whatever."


    "It''s good to see that you are doing good," Khan honestly commented. "Make sure to become important so I can use your name to get out of trouble."


    George laughed, and Khan imitated him. It felt too good to talk with him. The two had simply gone through too much together, so they didn''t need to pretend at all during the call.


    "Khan, why did you call me?" George asked when the two stopped laughing.


    "I missed you," Khan joked.


    "Come on," George insisted. "Don''t make me force it out of your mouth."


    Khan sighed and lowered his gaze. He sorted out his thoughts before looking at the screen again to voice a simple question. "Do you have time for a drink with me?"


    "I wouldn''t refuse even if my parents'' lives were at stake," George responded.


    "You must really hate them," Khan teased.


    "Get your damned drink already," George laughed.


    Khan didn''t only pick a bottle and a cup. He even moved the couch and the table in the room so that he could sit while talking with George.


    "They offered me to become a pilot today," Khan revealed before taking a long sip from his drink.


    "What would you even do stuck on a spaceship for years?" George complained. "Did you refuse them already?"


    "I will soon," Khan declared. "I think I can get something out of it. Maybe they can teach me how to fly without forcing me to become a pilot."


    "The Global Army must be crazy since it tried to limit your potential," George commented.


    "It wasn''t the Global Army," Khan explained. "Two recruiters saw that I did good in a game in the amusement park. I think they are more interested in my figure instead of my actual talent as a pilot."


    "Yes, I can already see them using you to appeal to more soldiers," George agreed. "Tell them who you are, and use my name if needed. I''m sure they''ll get all worried and give you what you want."


    "I''ll probably go for that," Khan admitted, "Without using your family name."


    "What else?" George said, preventing Khan from falling silent.


    "Life as a professor is great," Khan sighed. "Heck, life in the camp is great. I like preparing my students for the worst, and the food is incredible. I can have or buy everything I want, and things with Cora are going well."


    "But?" George insisted.


    "But it''s not me," Khan admitted, "Not all of me, at least."


    "Do you miss the battlefield?" George asked before taking a long sip from his drink. "Do you miss the blood, the corpses?"


    "No," Khan stated. "I miss the freedom. What''s the point of training so hard when I can''t use my power?"


    "I feel you, Khan," George declared. "Maybe things aren''t as bad with me, but I experienced something similar."


    "How so?" Khan asked.


    "I''m a big-shot in my generation, right?" George exclaimed without showing any hint of shame. "Many families wanted their descendants to become my sparring partners, I guess for the same reasons behind your current job.


    "Well, my father eventually forces me to accept one of those requests. I get my sword, my defensive gear, and I even drink less than usual the previous night, but the battle ends in a single exchange. I swear, I barely touched the guy, but he was bleeding on the floor after I attacked."


    "Normal citizens don''t know what fighting means," Khan commented.


    "It''s not even about that," George corrected. "They hold back, always. They don''t know what it feels like to let their power run freely. They are a waste of synthetic mana."


    "I''m teaching that in my classes," Khan revealed. "They are doing good."


    "They don''t know how lucky they are to have you," George scoffed.


    Khan smiled and refilled his cup. The two drank for a few minutes in silence, but Khan eventually asked the question that had been in his mind before the call. "George, what should I do? I just can''t fit here. Everyone talks about clothes, beauty lotions, or useless accessories. I need to search half of that stuff on the network to understand what it is."


    "You have already made your decision, right?" George asked. "Why are you even calling me?"


    "Because I need to know that I''m not crazy," Khan responded. "No one would give up on what I have now, literally no one, but here I am."


    "Khan, you are definitely crazy," George laughed, "But so what? I think I can slowly get used to this lifestyle, but you are different, so be different."


    "How did a drunkard even become so wise?" Khan wondered.


    "I''m not wise at all," George corrected. "I just know you. Stay on Reebfell for a while and teleport somewhere once you get bored. Don''t even feel bad about what you leave behind. If they can''t follow you, they don''t deserve to be in your presence."


    "Flattery won''t get you anywhere," Khan chuckled.


    "I wasn''t trying to praise you," George declared. "Khan, you are amazing. A peaceful life will always feel too tight for someone like you. Don''t act like a sheep when you are a wolf."


    "Even if being a wolf leads me back among blood and corpses?" Khan wondered.


    "Going against your nature will only make you explode as I did with Paul," George sighed. "I initially thought you could grow to like peace, but it''s clear that you won''t. Don''t feel bad about it. It might not be pretty, but it''s still you."


    Khan emptied his cup and remained silent. He closed his eyes as he reviewed those words. He had already reached similar conclusions, but listening to George helped him accept everything.


    "How did you even come up with this wolf-sheep thing?" Khan eventually joked.


    "Booze made me wise," George laughed, and Khan soon imitated him.

 Chapter 313: Success

    Khan and George ended up talking until late. They mostly joked and reminisced about some funny events, and their cups became empty multiple times among their laughs.


    Khan couldn''t express how good it felt to be himself with no lies, no pretenses, and no restraints. He didn''t need to hide some of his faces from George, and he shared those emotions.


    When the call ended, Khan felt lighter. His doubts, hesitation, and restraints were no more. His responsibilities, pain, and new environment had placed a burden on his mind, but everything was gone now.


    That change was bound to happen anyway, but George had managed to trigger it without making Khan feel guilty or crazy. The metaphor about sheep and wolf had been perfectly on point, and Khan finally accepted it.


    Who cared if Khan blew up a training hall? Who cared if the families'' representatives didn''t like his approach? Who cared if he couldn''t accept the peace of the training camp? Those parts of his personality clashed with Earth''s ordinary life, but he was done worrying over them. Khan owed that to himself.


    ''I''m so drunk,'' Khan sighed while stretching on the couch and glancing at the two empty bottles on the table, ''But it''s not too late for that.''


    Khan forced himself to stand up and pick up his phone to send a simple message. The curfew would arrive in half an hour, so he didn''t have enough time to be with Cora in the camp''s streets. Yet, she could always come to his flat.


    ''Khan, are you sure?'' Cora texted.


    ''Just come,'' Khan texted back before throwing his phone on the couch.


    Cora''s dormitory wasn''t close to Khan''s flat. She would take a while to reach it, which would put her dangerously close to the curfew, but Khan knew that she would come anyway.


    Someone knocked at the door fifteen minutes after the message. Khan hurried to open it and found a shy Cora standing in front of the entrance. She was already red, her gaze was on the ground, and she even played with her hair to vent her anxiety.


    Khan couldn''t help but find the scene incredibly cute. Cora wanted to whisper something, but he took her arm and dragged her inside without saying anything.


    Cora didn''t even know how she ended up on the couch. Her mind was a mess. She could barely keep up with Khan''s kisses and curious hands. Still, she didn''t feel scared because she felt the gentleness behind his touch.


    "I-if you really want to do-," Cora stuttered during one of the rare moments when her lips were free, but Khan promptly interrupted her with another kiss.


    "Don''t worry," Khan reassured after leaving Cora''s lips alone. "I''m not taking your first time while I''m drunk. I just want more."


    Khan followed his statement by taking off the upper part of his military uniform. The event stunned Cora. She tried to divert her gaze from those firm muscles, but she lost against her curiosity.


    Cora had already seen Khan''s bare torso, but now the situation was completely different. Her curiosity intensified as urges filled her mind, but Khan wasn''t in the mood to wait.


    "Cora," Khan whispered as he took her hand and placed it on his abdomen, "Do you realize that all of this is yours?"


    Cora seemed to stop functioning when that idea seeped into her mind, but Khan didn''t wait for her to recover. He bent down to resume kissing her, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face when he sensed Cora giving in to her urges. Her hands started to trace his muscles, and the force behind her touch intensified as she gained some confidence.


    The two didn''t go all the way. Khan had the chance to push Cora in that direction, but he remained true to his words. He wanted to treasure her, so experiencing such an important moment when he wasn''t in a decent state would be a waste.


    Cora went into Khan''s bed when everything was over. She initially tried to refuse that spot since the sole idea of sleeping with Khan could make her mind explode, but that feeling transformed into cute anger when she understood that she would be alone for the night.


    Khan dealt with her emotional state easily. A few kisses could do the trick since Cora wasn''t thinking straight. Everything that had happened that night made her quite docile.


    Khan spent the night in the training room, going over his many exercises. Everything felt better after shedding off his hesitation and worries, especially on his mental field.


    The following morning saw a few cute moments between Khan and Cora, but she eventually ran away. Khan only laughed at that scene, and the same smile reappeared on his face when Amber began to assault him with questions later that day.


    It turned out that Cora had opened up a bit with Amber, and she had ended up sharing last night''s experience. Amber wanted to know more, but Khan kept everything for himself as he focused on his training.


    .


    .


    .


    Time went by peacefully in Reebfell''s camp. No significant events happened, so Khan could continue to focus on his training, his students, and Cora. Everything went well in those fields, but the slight changes in his behavior didn''t go unnoticed.


    The recruits noticed how Khan appeared generally happier. He was still strict and brutal if his lessons needed that, but smiles appeared on his face whenever he had had to push the Tainted ape back in his cage. He seemed to enjoy having to fight, even if that only involved an easy battle.


    Khan also began to sprint through the camp''s streets whenever he had the chance. In theory, the soldiers had to hold back from using mana outside the training halls and specific lessons, but he didn''t care. He ran when he wanted to run.


    Cora and Amber noticed the effects of Khan''s new mindset more than anyone else. Amber saw how Khan appeared light-hearted during their trips in Reebfell. His changes only affected a few answers or comments, but she could feel that he was generally more open about himself.


    As for Cora, she ended up spending many nights inside Khan''s flat. They never went all the way, but she began to feel some restlessness. She could also sense that Khan was putting more effort into reinforcing their connection, and she obviously loved that approach.


    Truth be told, Khan didn''t feel any different. He had only stopped holding back or worrying about the consequences of his actions. He knew that someone might not like his freedom, but he remained a hero, so no one dared to complain.


    Of course, Khan''s mental freedom never led to rude behaviors. He was simply more himself, and that felt amazing for him. The only issue came from his yearning for the chance to use his power properly, but his packed schedule took care of suppressing that drive.


    Something happened when it came to the recruiters. Khan contacted them through Headmaster Pitcus to explain his situation, but they didn''t accept his conditions. Still, they didn''t wholly refuse them either.


    The training to become a pilot required different structures due to the vehicles involved in the process. The Global Army couldn''t build something in Reebfell''s camp just for Khan, and it couldn''t waste money teleporting him multiple times every week.


    However, a cheap solution existed. The recruiters couldn''t provide practical training without the right structures, but Khan could work on the theory with the right books.


    The solution was quite simple. Khan would have to study on his own and pass theoretical tests to receive advanced books. Then, if he had time in the future, he could move to a specific structure and complete the practical part of his training.


    Khan''s workload increased. The subjects required to become a pilot were also quite dull since they went over different flying vehicles'' technical details and structures. He needed to know how to repair his ride if something happened, so the Global Army saw that knowledge as necessary.


    Pilots even had multiple regulations to follow. The universe had different jurisdictions, and the same went for Earth. The type of vehicles, the speed limit, and the other trivial matters had various rules that Khan had to memorize even before getting his hands on an actual steering wheel.


    The uneventful life of the camp allowed Khan to keep up with that amount of knowledge. His expertise with the "enhanced reading" inevitably rose as he continued to rely on the technique to study and his ability to control mana improved. He was growing in multiple fields simultaneously, and a long-awaited event finally arrived.


    Khan waited until deep into the night to leave his flat and run past the edges of the camp. A large backpack was on his shoulders, and a resolute expression filled his face. He had prepared for weeks for that moment. It was time to use the [Blood Vortex].


    Reaching the level of skill required by the [Blood Vortex] had taken Khan a long time. His fourth month as a professor had already begun, and his birthday was getting close. Still, his focus that night was entirely on the contents of his backpack.


    It was a break day, and Khan had already settled everything with Cora. She knew that he was working on a unique project, so they put on hold their intimate nights in his flat. The event felt a bit disappointing since they were close to getting to proper sex, but Khan didn''t accept distractions now that his ability had reached the intended level.


    Khan ran until he reached the vast fields past the camp''s edges. Regular soldiers would typically use the flying platforms to visit those locations, but Khan''s speed allowed him to cross that distance quickly.


    That wasn''t Khan''s first time in the area. He didn''t only see something similar during his entrance test. He had also run there multiple times to study the environment''s mana in the past weeks.


    The [Blood Vortex] required mana with two different natures to create a connection between the user and the environment. Khan would have normally opted for a private and isolated location, but he couldn''t perform the technique in the camp due to the vast amount of synthetic mana that filled it.


    The fields outside the camp were the only place that lacked that contamination, which made them mandatory for the technique. Also, they were mostly deserted, especially at night, so Khan could have his privacy there.


    Khan checked that the mana around him matched what he had studied in the previous weeks. Everything met his requirements, so he dropped the backpack on the ground and began to empty it.


    The items that Khan took out of the backpack had been expensive. One of them was a special bucket capable of enhancing the properties of the mana that flowed into its fabric. Reebfell didn''t have cauldrons, but that first-grade item was even better than those traditional containers.


    The second item was a rectangular bottle filled with dark blood. Khan had actually brought three of them in case his first attempts were to fail, but his preparations didn''t end there.


    His time on Nitis had taught him well. Khan''s backpack had a couple of towels, a clean uniform, and a potion to ease burns or shallow injuries. He had everything he needed for his first solo experience with the [Blood Vortex], and he could barely contain himself at the thought of his imminent improvements.


    ''My attunement with mana has reached fifty-six percent in these months,'' Khan thought as he prepared the items for the procedure. ''I''ll be in my third year in little more than two months. This growth speed is too slow. I need to improve it, even if I go broke in the process.''


    Khan had to pay three thousand Credits for the first-grade bucket and five thousand for the monster purchased in the "Beasts'' King". His past ploy with the waiter had allowed him to buy something stronger than a mere Tainted animal cheaply. Still, the Global Army couldn''t refund something that he wouldn''t use for his lessons, so the payment had affected his finances significantly.


    In theory, Khan didn''t need a proper monster for the [Blood Vortex]. He could have picked a weaker creature and saved money, but he also had the [Blood Shield] in mind.


    The requirements for the two Niqols techniques had led Khan to purchase a creature that went past normal Tainted animals so that he could use it multiple times. The Global Army would take care of it anyway, so Khan only had to seize blood and flesh when he needed them.


    Khan emptied one bottle in the bucket and closed his eyes. His hands went on the item, and red-purple energy came out of them. The color of his mana immediately changed, but only partially.


    His mana already carried his aura, so he only had to pay attention to the environment and the fusion between the two natures. Khan had already performed many tests without the blood, so his execution turned out to be almost perfect.


    Still, almost perfect wasn''t enough for the [Blood Vortex], mainly since the blood belonged to a monster. Khan found it hard to replace the innate nature carried by that liquid, and his first batch failed to meet the technique''s requirements.


    Khan emptied the bucked on the ground without showing any disappointment. He took his time to clean the item with one of his towels and proceeded to pour the second bottle inside it.


    The second attempt succeeded, and the bucket''s properties even shortened the time required by those preparations. The blood transformed into a dense dark liquid. It became the ink needed by the technique.


    ''I did it!'' Khan shouted in his mind as a helpless laugh left his mouth and echoed in the darkness of the night.


    It had taken Khan more than a year of training in the Niqols'' fundamentals, but he was finally there. He had reached Liiza''s level.


    ''You must be even stronger by now,'' Khan sighed as he unbuttoned his uniform. ''I bet you would even get mad to know how far I''m willing to go tonight.''


    Khan remained in that pensive state even after getting naked. He was alone at night, in a field outside the training camp, and without anything to cover his body. The soft winds blowing in the area were cold, but he felt warm at their touch.


    His success in recreating the ink for the [Blood Vortex] was too meaningful. Khan had to remain immersed in his thoughts for a while before proceeding with the technique. His phone lit up and created a mirror as he dipped his fingers in the bucket and began to draw symbols on his body.


    ****


    Author''s notes: Shoutout to Reblex for the Magic Castle!

 Chapter 314: Investigation

    "What happened to you?" Cora asked when a half-naked scarred Khan appeared in her view.


    "It''s nothing serious," Khan reassured while turning to reach the couch in his living room.


    "I beg to differ," Cora complained while entering the flat and letting the metal door close behind her. "How did you even hurt yourself so badly? These injuries are deep."


    ''And I even meditated all day,'' Khan commented in his mind as he checked his injuries.


    The [Blood Vortex] had gone well, but Khan had gone all-out since he had been alone. With no one to stop him, he had let the technique continue until the lines had dug deep injuries into his body.


    The wounds had been so deep that a single training session couldn''t make them fade. Khan''s body still showed clear marks even after a whole day had passed. He would have usually refused to see Cora that night, but she had sounded too worried to deny her request.


    "These marks are too precise to be random," Cora whispered as she approached Khan and inspected the wounds under his unbuttoned uniform. "You have them on your feet too. Are they due to the special project?"


    "It''s a unique technique that I learnt on Nitis," Khan revealed without adding any detail. "It looks bad, but it''s pretty useful."


    "It looks really bad," Cora added as her fingers traced the edges of Khan''s injuries without touching them. "Are you sure you''ll be fine?"


    "They will disappear after a training session," Khan reassured.


    Cora sighed before giving up on the issue. She didn''t like to see Khan in that state, but arguing with him wouldn''t lead anywhere. Yet, she wouldn''t remain still while he was suffering.


    "Come here," Cora said as she sat on the couch and patted her lap.


    Khan smiled before lying on Cora''s lap. She made sure to remove his hair from the injuries on his forehead before caressing him softly. She was clearly worried, but she tried to hide that feeling behind her warm smile.


    "You look disappointed," Khan chuckled when he saw that Cora''s gaze often ended on his bare torso.


    "Why would I be disappointed?" Cora asked, pretending to be innocent.


    "Maybe someone had naughty ideas about tonight," Khan teased.


    Cora blushed, but she didn''t contradict Khan. Her smile remained on her face as she kept caressing his hair.


    "Meditate now," Cora exclaimed in a loving tone. "I don''t like to see you like this."


    "Give me a kiss first," Khan requested.


    Cora didn''t even try to refuse. She bent forward and pulled her hair to make sure that they didn''t fall on Khan''s injuries before leaving a cute kiss on his lips. The two exchanged a meaningful glance afterward, and Khan cursed himself for his current state.


    Khan would jump on her right there and now, but she would probably be too worried about hurting him to enjoy the situation. He had to fall into his meditative state to avoid thinking about the issue, and Cora made sure to accompany his training with warm caresses.


    The remaining mana accumulated under the marks began to fuse with Khan''s flesh. He could see his muscles and skin reaching the intended level far faster than during regular meditations. The [Blood Vortex] had been as effective as always, and his injuries healed quickly with that high concentration of energy.


    Khan opened his eyes a few hours before dawn. His injuries had disappeared, but Cora''s sleeping face claimed the entirety of his attention.


    ''She is way too cute,'' Khan commented in his mind before straightening his position and lying again to make Cora rest on him.


    Cora woke up during the process, but a few caresses from Khan''s side made her accept her new position. She only needed a few seconds to fall asleep again, and Khan soon imitated her.


    The alarm that Cora had set on her phone rang and woke up the couple. She had lessons to attend that morning, but she didn''t leave Khan''s chest after putting away her device.


    "You''ll be late," Khan reminded as he dug a hand in Cora''s long blonde hair.


    Cora trembled when Khan''s hand slid over her nape and neck. She tilted her head, and her big green eyes appeared in his vision. Her intense gaze carried a meaning that Khan soon shared.


    "You''ll skip your lessons today," Khan whispered as he straightened his back and lifted Cora.


    Words became useless at that point. Khan and Cora began to kiss on the couch. Some of their clothes fell on the floor in the process, and Khan eventually lifted her to reach his bedroom.


    Cora''s let everything happen naturally. She kissed Khan''s neck, chest, and shoulders without showing any shyness. Her fingers moved firmly on his back. There was no awkwardness or hesitation in her actions, which told Khan that the time had come.


    Moans filled the flat as Khan and Cora experienced their first time together. Everything was slow at the beginning, but the two found their chemistry quickly. They could arrive at that level of confidence due to the time invested in strengthening their relationship.


    Khan didn''t consider himself an expert in sex, but his experience was immense compared to Cora, and she benefitted from that. When everything was over, she almost hated Khan for having waited so long.


    Cora''s duties and Khan''s schedule vanished as they fell asleep again in each other''s arms. The two woke up near lunchtime, and they ordered something from the network before resuming enjoying each other''s company.


    Khan would have loved to spend the entire day with Cora. Neither of them was holding back now that their relationship had taken a step forward, but he couldn''t ignore his duties as a professor.


    "Come back soon," Cora whispered when Khan left a kiss on her forehead and left the bed.


    "Only if you wait for me here," Khan teased.


    "I''m not going anywhere," Cora giggled as she curled under the sheets and took the pillow that Khan had used between her arms.


    Khan found himself hating his students for the first time since arriving in Reebfell. The bed was too tempting with Cora on it. The sheets highlighted her sexy curves and made Khan stare at her while he searched for clean clothes.


    "Stop," Cora eventually complained. "Go be a good professor now. You can have me when you get back."


    "I will have you when I get back," Khan responded while approaching the bed to leave a passionate kiss on Cora''s mouth.


    Khan had to leave the flat in a hurry afterward to avoid remaining in Cora''s tempting presence any longer. A stupid grin had taken control of his face, but he didn''t mind it. He was happy, and he found no reason to hide his state.


    It was a bit late, so Khan began to sprint through the camp''s streets. The hangar appeared in his vision in no time, and he found a few students waiting inside when he crossed its entrance.


    The event wasn''t surprising. Some of Khan''s students had become really attached to his classes in the past months, and they didn''t hold back from warming up in the hangar before his arrival. However, Khan noticed how all of them didn''t raise their eyes from their phones after his loud greetings.


    "What is happening?" Khan asked as he approached the small group of recruits.


    "Didn''t you hear, sir?" Elsie was the first to react to the question.


    "Hear what?" Khan questioned while glancing at the woman''s device.


    Scenes of explosions filled Elsie''s screen. Flames and azure fumes shot in every direction as an announcer''s voice described the event. Still, Khan became almost deaf to those explanations when he recognized the Slums'' iconic houses among those images.


    "Is this happening in Reebfell''s Slums?" Khan asked as he picked up his phone to reach the menus with the news.


    "No, these images are from Dewwick," Elsie explained. "Someone had set a lab in the Slums, but things went wrong."


    Khan didn''t need to question Elsie or the other students anymore after reaching the news'' menu. Every label on his screen was talking about the event. He only had to press on one of them to obtain a general description of the matter.


    Khan wasn''t a simple soldier, so his phone showed labels containing classified information. It turned out that the lab had the purpose of creating Tainted animals to sell to the cities'' shops. Apparently, placing it in the Slums would avoid heavy taxes and unique tech meant to ensure the environment''s safety.


    The news went on talking about the damage suffered by the Slums. The Global Army had already isolated the area and killed any rogue Tainted animal, but the fumes released into the environment were potentially toxic. Some citizens could even experience mutations due to the density of synthetic mana in the air.


    The chance of experiencing mutations wasn''t high since the synthetic mana''s infective properties didn''t match the Nak''s energy. The Global Army had even acted relatively quickly, so no one had remained exposed to the dense fumes for too long. However, the event remained a tragedy that the soldiers wouldn''t let go of so easily.


    "Sir, you come from the Slums, right?" One of the students eventually asked.


    "I''m afraid I can''t tell you much," Khan responded before the student could continue with another question.


    The news said that the lab had been quite old. It had probably been in the Slums for many years. In theory, every city could have something similar since the Global Army didn''t notice it for so long.


    A message reached Khan''s phone while the potential consequences and problems connected to the event filled his mind. Headmaster Pitcus had called for a meeting, canceling any class that would have usually taken place in those hours.


    "I''m afraid we won''t have our lesson today," Khan exclaimed while storing his phone. "Warn your companions. I need to leave now."


    "Don''t worry, sir," Elsie reassured while showing a message that had arrived on her phone. "The Global Army has already warned everyone. There won''t be lessons tomorrow either."


    Khan nodded before leaving the hangar in a hurry. He found many of his students on their path to the hangar while he sprinted to return to the center of the camp. They connected the unclear and fast figure to him, but none of them had the time to voice questions.


    The meeting wouldn''t happen in the Headmaster''s office. The latter had chosen one of the underground training halls for the event, and Khan noticed the presence of other professors when he arrived. Amber was also there, and he quickly reached her.


    "Khan, are you okay?" Amber whispered when Khan reached her.


    "I have no attachment to the Slums," Khan replied. "Besides, the explosions didn''t happen in Ylaco."


    "What do you think about all of this?" Amber continued.


    "I don''t know what to think," Khan honestly admitted. "Yet, there must be someone inside the Global Army behind it. The citizens of the Slums don''t have the connections or resources to have access to so much synthetic mana."


    "I see," Amber sighed. "The problem might be bigger than we think then."


    "Do you think the other Slums have similar labs?" Khan asked.


    "It''s not that," Amber explained. "The soldiers stationed in the Slums are usually poor. They don''t have what it takes to build a proper lab or the knowledge to make it function for years. The criminals might be important figures in the army."


    Amber''s hypothesis made sense, and Khan could only nod after hearing it. Whispers and low voices resounded as the professors waited for everyone to gather inside the hall, but everyone''s attention went on the stage when the lights illuminated it.


    "I believe everyone knows about Dewwick''s events," Headmaster Pitcus announced from the stage. "I''ll make it short. The Global Army is worried that more Slums might have dangerous labs, so it''s putting together teams to investigate."


    Khan could almost predict the words that were about to come out of Headmaster Pitcus'' mouth. They made so much sense that he found them inevitable.


    "Lieutenant Khan," Headmaster Pitcus continued, "The Global Army wants you to be part of the investigation."