Chaos' Heir

Chapter 1472: Strategy

Yeza woke up, only to explode into a shrill cry that made Khan pull her back into his embrace.

“Papa is sorry,” Khan whispered, rocking Yeza after leaving a kiss on her short hair. “But your grandfather really wanted to see you, and I bet he would have loved you more than booze.”

Yeza slowly calmed down, especially as Liiza joined the effort. Her mother’s caresses eventually silenced her, making her voice happy sounds at the sight of her parents’ faces.

“This is my father’s tomb,” Khan said, smiling at the happy Yeza, explaining something Liiza had already understood. “I buried him here, where my mother also died. He didn’t want to leave her no matter what.”

Liiza wished she had more hands, or that she could push down her husband, at least, to console him. That was the Niqols’ way in the end, but the situation didn’t really allow it.

“Oh, right,” Khan exclaimed, pretending to recall something while gazing past his daughter. “This is Liiza, my wife. She is the Niqols I talked to you about.”

Liiza’s head snapped up, a faint blush rushing through her cheeks. She always took her husband’s family matters seriously, wanting to appear worthy and suitable, but learning that Khan had talked with his father about her did lead to some embarrassment.

Of course, that embarrassment wasn’t anything negative. If anything, Liiza saw how Khan had inherited his father’s stubbornness. Their love story proved as much.

“I’m Liiza,” Liiza announced, playing along with that one-sided conversation. “If you allow it, I’ll take care of your son from now until the rest of our days.”

“It’s a bit too late to ask for permission,” Khan joked. “I married you already.”

Liiza threw a scolding glare at Khan, only to smile and lean back on him. Yeza remained unaware of the meaningful event, but her happy sounds brought some much-needed brightness to everything.

“By the way,” Khan announced. “I’m almost done with the whole saving the universe promise. I just have a God to kill, and it’s over.”

Something faint but profound in the vibe above that dark grey debris changed. The very symphony reacted to the deeper and problematic thoughts that rose through Khan’s mind, and Liiza obviously sensed them before anything could seep into the environment.

“It’s just,” Khan added. “This God is stronger than me, stronger than I ever can imagine being. I have a plan, but that’s quite risky, too.”

Liiza couldn’t help but grow serious. She had understood part of that topic despite never having that conversation with her husband, but it seemed that the two were about to discuss it now.

“This is something I would have really liked your advice about,” Khan stated. “Technically, I’m not an evolved warrior yet. Well, I am and I’m not.”

Khan struggled to put into words what he had in mind. Truth be told, most of it was more of a feeling supported by the crumbles of knowledge inherited from the mana’s heart. Still, he had to try.

“This means that I can still grow stronger,” Khan said. “It means I can still change before becoming complete.”

As strange as it sounded, Khan was talking about something he had already experienced twice, something that lucky people never had to deal with in their lives.

The first time had happened there during the Second Impact. The Nak had tainted Khan, changing him, mutating him past the mere human lineage.

The second time had happened on Coravis, after Khan’s victory against the Great Old One. That gargantuan snake had tainted him again, altering his flesh and the very flame of his being, granting him a new source of energy comparable to the mana.

Completing the attunement with mana with that incredible set of cards already promised to bring immense strength. No one in the universe was more unique than Khan. He was the allied front’s best shot at winning that war.

Yet, Khan wasn’t sure. He couldn’t be, especially when math itself went against his confidence.

The mana and might had been equally matched, with the former coming slightly on top. Instead, the True Chaos was its evolution, its superior state, making it stronger than both.

Sure, Khan could combine the two, which was something the universe had only seen properly in him. However, he remained uncertain, and he would rather not be when everything he held dear was at stake.

“If I absorb the True Chaos,” Khan explained, “An important piece of that energy, at least, I can hope to gain insights into this God and close the gap between us.”

Of course, the matter went beyond the simple energy absorption. Khan planned to let the True Chaos affect and change him, which was obviously risky.

“But,” Khan continued. “I don’t know how safe that is. I don’t know if my body can take being tainted for the third time or if I’ll turn into one of this God’s soldiers.”

Khan sighed, adding the last troublesome detail. “It doesn’t help that only the God might have the True Chaos I need, meaning I’ll have to get it while fighting him.”

To Liiza’s helplessness, she knew Khan’s plan was correct. His eventual success wouldn’t even remove his instance of the mana since it was unique to him, giving him access to three energy sources.

Still, the True Chaos was quite overbearing. It could devour Khan instead of fusing with his being and merging with his existing power to give birth to something stronger.

That was the unavoidable challenge of fighting a proper God. If anything, Liiza had to be grateful the regulated universe had a fighting chance in Khan. She also knew he had to fulfill that dangerous role, so she had to support him to the best of her abilities.

“While I’m no match for your scientific knowledge,” Liiza announced, “Khan has trustworthy and capable scientists at his side. His wife is also the best Shaman of her generation.”

The risk was unavoidable, but Liiza knew how to minimize it.

“The more complete he becomes,” Liiza continued, “The more set his path forward will be.”

Liiza stopped pretending to talk with Bret at that point, looking Khan straight in the eyes to make sure that her directives went through.

“Get as close as possible to your limit,” Liiza explained. “Only leave enough space for a minute speck of energy. Like that, you might contain the unwanted mutations.”

Liiza’s words made sense, and Khan would listen to her even if they didn’t, but applying her strategy wasn’t exactly easy. After all, Khan’s requirements remained monstrous.

“Do you think I can ask for a planet or two to eat?” Khan wondered. “Or is it too late to make demands?”