Chaos' Heir

Chapter 1379: Excitement

That wide, traditional grin was uncharacteristic for the usually restrained Emperor. His gesture had been swift, quick, and natural, an instinctive reaction he must have actively worked to suppress due to the catastrophic repercussions it created.

As the Emperor showed his long canines, the whole area fell prey to a natural catastrophe. Zedekiel’s firm, brown grown was usually able to handle the strongest Thilku’s steps, but his instinctive, sudden grin shattered it, making its debris fall prey to a violent earthquake.

The arena, its four pillars, and the entire banquet resting on it suffered from a similar fate. The structure’s metal, red floor broke, bending and crumbling into shards under the violent pressure released by such a simple gesture.

The red symbols on the black pillars went dark before those tall structures fell, shattering into pieces once they hit the trembling ground, piercing its now-brittle surface.

All the bowls and bottles blew up, sending food and booze everywhere, mixing them with the broken arena’s floor, turning the majestic banquet into a disfigured, inedible mess.

Those catastrophic effects didn’t stop at the area in the Emperor’s immediate surroundings. Vertical cracks opened on the hill the married couple had crossed, releasing boulders that rolled down its slopes.

Violent winds afflicted the area, growing faster than Zedekiel’s natural storms, seemingly wanting to give birth to proper hurricanes.

Even the sky permanently afflicted by light pollution saw its red shades receding, revealing patches of the planet’s natural colors at night.

Lower beings would cower in fear before the might that the Emperor showcased. His mere smirk had been too much for the world, so his actual attacks had to exist in far superior leagues.

However, Liiza and Khan remained unfazed. They had just witnessed something far stronger than that, so their scale of values could comprehend and classify the Emperor without giving birth to any sense of inferiority.

If anything, Khan was more curious about the reason behind that instinctive gesture. After all, it probably wasn’t easy to make the Thilku Emperor forget about his self-restraint, but a few words from Khan had achieved precisely that.

Luckily, the Thilku didn’t usually waste time in pleasantries, and the Emperor perfectly embodied that trait of his species.

"[Lord Blue Shaman]," The Emperor called, his voice generating gales that intensified the surrounding storms and lifted the lightest debris. "[Are you saying that this enemy can compel me to join the fight]?"

The question could be up for interpretation, but the vivid, intense excitement in the Emperor’s aura made its true meaning evident for everyone to see. Khan could also comprehend him since he had experienced similar feelings in the past.

The Emperor was too strong. It had probably been decades or longer since the regulated universe featured beings that could give him a good fight.

Power begged to be used. It was in its nature, and keeping it stored made it worthless. Kings had no real authority without subjects to command, while the Thilku Emperor was cursed with an element he couldn’t personally employ.

Khan guessed the Thilku’s pride played a part in that curse. Cegnore had been a great example of that. Despite the Empire’s overwhelming military superiority, the Thilku had only deployed troops with equal strength to their opponents there.

In the same way, the Emperor couldn’t just join his Empire’s endless expansion. It wouldn’t be fair to his opponents. It would also go against the Thilku’s claims of superiority, bringing them shame to use nukes against enemies still in the Stone Age.

Still, Khan also felt that another reason existed, something he could resonate with. Crushing ants brought no enjoyment. The Emperor would probably get nothing out of battles he was sure to win. He needed an actual challenge, both for his entertainment and element.

However, the Emperor wasn’t alone at the top anymore. The promising mutated human he had welcomed in the Empire and decided to trust had stayed true to his word in more ways than one.

During Khan’s first visit to Zedekiel, he had boasted about his potential, using his rapid growth since Cegnore’s war to vouch for his talent.

Little over three years later, Khan was back in Zedekiel, standing tall, proud, and unfazed before the Emperor, his presence matching his. His boasts had come true, and things didn’t end there.

It seemed the Emperor hadn’t only gained an equal in the regulated universe. That young Lord had also found him a proper opponent, someone who could force him to finally unleash and put to the test all the power he had accumulated throughout the years and his very existence.

The Emperor couldn’t be anything but ecstatic at the news, forsaking his self-restraint to show genuine but catastrophic reactions.

Nevertheless, Khan would have to pour cold water on that long-awaited excitement, at least partially.

"[I’m saying that this enemy is stronger than either of us]," Khan declared. "[I teleported here because our joint might can temporarily mislead this enemy, but it is coming, and I’m its target]."

Khan’s words ended up having the opposite effect. The Emperor only grew more excited upon learning about the new enemy’s strength. His face didn’t show it, but the worsening earthquake acted as a perfect representation of his emotional state.

"[Why would you delay this attack]?" The Emperor questioned. "[Lord Blue Shaman, are you still concerned about the lives of the weak]?"

"[I’m concerned about my daughter]," Khan confirmed, "[My force, and anyone who swore loyalty to me. They are under my protection, and I have the strength to justify their weakness]."

The Emperor couldn’t retort. The Thilku shunned weakness but respected strength. Khan was indeed powerful, so if he wanted to use his might to protect others, he could, and the Thilku wouldn’t object.

"[We must get all the regulated universe’s forces ready for the war first]," Khan suggested. "[Then, we can start the fight, with me and you on the frontlines]."

Liiza didn’t know the Thilku language but still somehow managed to follow the conversation. Her husband’s tone was like an open book for her, so she knew Khan was about to speak about a topic she also wanted to question him about.

"[And, I have a specific request]," Khan added. "[This enemy, the True Chaos, has a God, and I must be the one to face it]."