Chaos Heir

It was strange and sort of hilarious. Khan had spent so long among people he could read like a book that he had forgotten how it felt to be on the other side.

The Emperor and his Royal Guards outclassed Khan, be it in sheer power or understanding of the evolved realm. They were stronger than him and knew how to use that might better, leaving him exposed to all sorts of inspections and pressure.

Of course, Khan could defend himself. His element was no pushover and could run interference against those foreign auras.

However, the Emperor had already expressed doubts about Khan's behavior, and the Royal Guards' banter didn't make him underestimate them. It might not sound like that, but the situation was deadly serious, so Khan didn't want to give the Thilku any excuse to suppress him.

Lord Enforcer's conclusion wasn't surprising. Khan hadn't exactly stayed silent about his true goal lately and had even cooperated with the Empire to gain additional information about the Nak. Anyone could infer that his end game had something to do with that mysterious species, but the machine-like Thilku's deduction probably targeted deeper reasons.

Lying was an option. Khan didn't like that, and the Royal Guards might have ways to expose him, but he also had valid excuses. The Empire knew about Bret's death, which Khan could add to his past to spin a tale of deep hatred that had brewed since his time in the Slums.

Telling the truth was also an option, but Khan felt a headache coming just by thinking about that. The Emperor would probably believe him, which was the crux of the matter. The Empire was no idle bystander. Learning about the existence and looming threat of a mysterious, powerful enemy would probably spur a new war.

That wasn't exactly bad. Khan needed valuable and trustworthy allies to fend off that seemingly universal threat. His open-border politics had worked toward that goal, and obtaining the Empire's complete support would add one of the world's mightiest forces to his ranks.

However, the scarlet eyes couldn't be so simple. The mana itself feared that enemy, while the Empire would probably attempt a preemptive attack. That lack of preparations would lead to its defeat if Khan's fears were on point, losing one of the universe's best assets.

'Can I really lie?' Khan wondered. 'If I tell the truth, can I stop the Empire from chasing after the scarlet eyes?'

Theoretically, Khan was the only one with some valuable information about the scarlet eyes, making him the sole authority in the field. People would have to respect and listen to his knowledge and opinion, but the Empire had its way of dealing with problems.

Asking the Empire to hold back was akin to stating that it couldn't defeat the scarlet eyes with its current power. It would be a direct insult to its pride, and Khan couldn't imagine his fate in that development.

Silent seconds went by, each adding layers of seriousness to the hall's atmosphere. The blind Thilku had just accused Khan of hiding something, and his lack of answers seemed to confirm that point, intensifying the general suspicion.

Even Lord Mighty, or Lord Idiot Muscles, dropped his careless behavior, straightening his back and crossing his massive arms. The Emperor and the four Royal Guards stared at Khan, awaiting his answer, and his hesitation slowly set his fate in stone.

'What's the point anymore?' Khan eventually sighed. 'Why am I even bothering to play politics after Gadus R?'

The decision led to another problem. Explaining the scarlet eyes wasn't exactly easy, let alone telling it in a trustworthy way. Khan felt that words were unsuitable for the task, so he brought his palm to his mouth, shutting his gaze while summoning images that afflicted his mind whenever he fell asleep.

The nightmare played in Khan's mind, but he pressed fast-forward, reaching its end. A line of caped humanoid figures blacker than space filled his vision, and a pair of sharp, scarlet eyes glared at him from above the dark army.

Just recalling that fearsome picture filled Khan with intense emotions. Foreign anger, duty, and fear invaded his brain, making him unable to think about anything else.

Nevertheless, Khan remained calm on the outside, isolating those sensations and fusing them with his voice. A mere groan escaped his mouth, but the profound emotions it carried reached every corner of the vast hall when he blew on his palm.

At once, the symphony shook. The depth of those foreign emotions was too much for the lingering mana, and their effects also stretched toward the five powerful auras in the hall.

To the Royal Guards' surprise, those foreign emotions seeped into their existence, echoing them inside their minds. The four evolved Thilku experienced an eerily similar version of what afflicted Khan's sleep, shocking them to the core.

The Royal Guards were nothing short of the Empire's best. Their limited number vouched for that, but even they couldn't help but feel scared. Khan seemed to have launched a mental attack, and the four evolved Thilku instantly pushed away pointless thoughts to focus on the same goal.

Three pairs of eyes and a blindfold turned toward the throne. The Emperor sat still, seemingly unaffected by the foreign emotions that had touched his existence, but his large mouth suddenly twitched, unleashing an unfathomable amount of power.

That short, tiny spasm sent a shockwave through the symphony. The gales of invisible mana crumbled and shattered, losing their innate properties. Even the giant columns tried to shake, and the emotions conveyed by Khan's voice obviously couldn't survive that pressure.

Everything became chaotic in the next second, but Khan didn't let it surprise him. He reopened his eyes, which shone brighter than before as blood vessels instantly clotted all over his body. A mad vibe also filled his face as overbearing words escaped his mouth.

"[You know, My Emperor]," Khan announced. "[I tried to show respect, but that made me look soft. It won't happen again]."

Khan's presence intensified, revealing its true nature, but four nearby auras tried to suppress it. In that single chaotic second, the Royal Guards had surrounded him.

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