Chaos' Heir

Khan didn't even look at the array of rifles pointed at him. He ignored their existence as he advanced toward his team's ship. The battalion felt invisible before his cold gaze, intensifying the tension in the area.

Of course, things went differently inside Khan's mind. He didn't only see the battalion. He had also calculated an estimate of its overall power, weapons included, and the result didn't even try to scare him.

Instead, thoughts of far different nature invaded Khan, giving birth to various emotions. Disgust and anger were the most intense but weren't directed at the battalion.

Khan didn't mind engaging in another massacre. He had pushed things too far anyway, and his mood didn't help. He was one second away from snapping, and seeing the Global Army treat him like a menace came close to triggering that reaction.

The Global Army was obviously justified in wanting to contain and apprehend Khan, but his thoughts kept harassing him. If he had used the proper noble channels, he could have achieved the same results without repercussions. Moreover, Khan had never wished for things to get to that point. Part of him felt the universe had forced his hand.

Khan had never strictly played by the rules, but throughout his life, most of his efforts had been on sparing his same suffering to innocents. He had prevented genocide on Nitis, saved his team on Ecoruta, fought the Nak's hand on Milia 222, and protected Princess Edna on Nippe 2. Khan knew pain, so he preferred to use his destructive element to avert it.

Khan's personality also worked along those lines. He was so used to suffering that he often chose to increase the load on his shoulders rather than worry his loved ones. In his mind, adding one issue to his sea of problems wouldn't make much difference anyway.

Yet, things had started to change as Khan delved deeper into his political career and genetic legacy. Organizations with enough power to corner him had started showing their presence, demanding collaboration or services. Some even wanted to cut Khan out of the picture, forcing him to rebel.

That wasn't necessary. Khan wouldn't have spilled pointless blood if those organizations had left him alone. His goals even stretched past humankind, but the Global Army didn't care. Everyone had an agenda when it came to him, leaving him with only bad options.

Khan could have stayed away, played low, and settled for minor occupations. He could still be a teacher in Reebefell if wanted to. However, that life would have been filled with constant pain. Khan didn't know how many years he could remain sane despite nightmares and lack of true happiness.

Playing the political game was the only alternative. Khan had taken hundreds of lives, engaged in countless struggles, and suffered plenty of losses for the sole reason of trying to be happy. He had turned into a monster to succeed in his journey, and the idea left him disgusted at himself. Khan wouldn't even consider himself worthy of any positive emotion without Jenna's teachings.

Nevertheless, the Global Army seemed to deem that desire as an unforgivable sin. The more Khan climbed the ladder, the more enemies stepped in his way, trying to hold him down. That trend had started even before his enlistment. The game had been rigged since the Nognes family threw his father into the Slums, and merely thinking about that made him livid.

'If this is the price to pay,' Khan thought, calmly advancing toward the battalion, 'I'll pay it.'

If the Nak stood in Khan's way, he would destroy them. If the scarlet eyes tried to take something from him, he would destroy them. If humankind opposed him, he would destroy it. Khan wouldn't stop at anything to achieve and secure his happiness, even if what came on the other side was a monstrous creature that only knew how to inflict pain.

The soldiers in the battalion lacked heightened senses, but anyone could understand Khan's stance. His confident and firm steps looked more powerful than that sea of rifles, and the rumors from the previous days quickly pushed the troops to their breaking point.

Nevertheless, it seemed that wasn't the day Khan would make the entire Global Army his enemy. A different strand of synthetic mana invaded the symphony, bringing his eyes to the sky. A rectangular ship descended at full speed toward the area and stopped above the battalion to show its open side doors.

"Lower your weapons!" A fifth-level warrior standing at the ship's doors' edge angrily shouted. "You idiots!"

The sudden shout distracted the battalion, lifting hundreds of heads toward the ship. Yet the fifth-level warrior jumped, landing heavily on the street between Khan and the troops.

The fifth-level warrior was a man with a known face. Khan had seen and read about him during his many educational sessions with Monica. The soldier who had just arrived was Brigadier General Joseph Seycomb, the youngest General in the Global Army's history.

The title suited Brigadier General Seycomb well. The man had average stature and a lean body, but his clean and bright face barely put him in his thirties. His long blonde hair also added a youthful touch, but his uncommon grey eyes conveyed knowledge and experience.

According to the network, the General was more adept in politics than battle, which his rank proven. However, the long leap from the ship also vouched for his fighting skills. Fifth-level warriors wouldn't break their legs so easily, but Khan noticed how the General had completely absorbed the landing's impact. The man had incredible control over his body, and his mana vouched for his ability.

"I told you to stand down!" Brigadier General Seycomb shouted again, adding mana to his throat. His voice became almost deafening, reaching every corner of the battalion and partially stunning its soldiers.

Some soldiers didn't recognize the General, but the two sets of five stars on his shoulders were enough to give him authority over the matter. Besides, the troops were happy they didn't have to deal with Khan personally, so they lowered their weapons.

Brigadier General Seycomb ran his scolding eyes over the battalion before turning toward Khan. His face went serious as he adjusted his military uniform and stepped toward him. The man even cleared his throat before uttering his demand.

"May we talk in private, Prince Khan?" Brigadier General Seycomb politely asked.

Khan briefly met the General's eyes before turning toward the academy. The building was already empty, so it could serve the purpose. Randall's corpse was also there, which would set the tone of the conversation.

Brigadier General Seycomb was quick to follow Khan. He wasn't unaware of the danger, but a sense of duty forced him to advance. The two soon entered the vast hall, and Khan didn't stop until he leaned before the desk featuring Randall's corpse.

The General's eyes fell on the corpse but quickly snapped back to Khan. He wasn't scared, but the scene did make his expression more serious.

"Prince Khan," Brigadier General Seycomb announced. "First, thank you for making time for me. I imagine you know who I am."

The General remained polite, showing Khan the respect of a man of his caliber. It didn't seem the mass murder bothered him, but only time would tell.

"Brigadier General Seycomb," Khan replied.

"Indeed," Brigadier General Seycomb confirmed. "I've been tasked with negotiating with you."

"Negotiating what?" Khan wondered.

"Not your surrender," The General promptly reassured. "This will be an unofficial conversation in the hope of scoring an agreement that will benefit both parties."

Khan remained silent, waiting for the General to get to the point, and the man didn't disappoint.

"As you are surely aware," Brigadier General Seycomb stated, "The Global Army can't afford such unrest. At least on the surface, things have to be peaceful."

Khan stuck to his silence. He knew what the General wanted but waited to hear the actual request.

"What the Global Army wishes is for you to run certain matters with us before acting," Brigadier General Seycomb explained. "I promise we'll facilitate them to the best of our ability."

"That's why they didn't send the older Generals," Khan understood. "They would have been too proud to bow their heads."

Brigadier General Seycomb held back a sigh. Dealing with politically capable people was always troublesome, and Khan had many traits that enhanced the issue.

"They thought I had the right mindset to achieve a favorable agreement," The General revealed, half-lying.

Khan didn't show it, but the General understood he didn't believe a single word he had just said. Kindness and politeness wouldn't work anymore at that point.

"Prince Khan," Brigadier General Seycomb continued. "I think the Global Army's request is fair. Nothing good can come out from constant in-fighting."

Khan could have taken those words as a threat, but the General did his best to avoid showing any trace of malice. The man was simply describing the situation, and his prediction wasn't wrong. Yet, he had miscalculated a few details.

"No," Khan directly refused.

"Prince Khan," Brigadier General Seycomb called. "Could you state terms you might be willing to agree to? I understand your situation-."

"You don't," Khan interrupted.

"Prince Khan?" Brigadier General Seycomb uttered.

"Did the Global Army approve my former teammates?" Khan questioned, and the General suddenly understood where he was coming from.

The nobles had supported the assassination attempt, but the Global Army had still cleared Khan's former teammates. Many didn't know anything about the ploy, but a few figures were bound to suspect something, and the General had just asked Khan to run things with them.

"I apologize," Brigadier General Seycomb declared. "I was too hasty with my words in the hope I could settle the matter quickly."

"The matter is settled," Khan pointed out. "I was finished before you lay a battalion before me."

Brigadier General Seycomb held back a helpless sigh. Truth be told, he had nothing to do with the battalion's deployment. The soldier in charge had simply caved to external pressure before the Global Army could intervene. Still, telling Khan that wouldn't change his mind.

"What can the Global Army do to prevent this week's events from repeating themselves?" Brigadier General Seycomb asked, changing his approach.

"If anything goes against me," Khan replied. "These events will happen again. If the Global Army doesn't like them, it should work harder to prevent them."

The request could sound unreasonable, but Khan had already proven he would stick to it. The General also understood that point but still asked a question to clarify.

"Do you want the Global Army to watch your back?" Brigadier General Seycomb asked.

"I have no interest in empty words," Khan explained. "The Global Army already caved to external pressure, and these are the results. It can either learn from this experience or see it reiterated."