Chaos' Heir

Chapter 947: Loneliness



A series of sharp ice shards flew in Khan's direction, threatening to dig holes into his body. The attack had the same power as a fourth-level mage's spell, which would usually force him to dodge. However, Khan kept advancing, slamming headfirst into those dangerous spikes.

A noise of shattering glass resounded, trying to expand in the chaos of the battlefield. Tiny ice shards flew everywhere, creating a cloud of shimmering reflections, but a dark figure quickly crossed it, and the spell's leftovers evaporated under its pressure.

Khan stepped forward, his body covered in an intricate net of clotted blood vessels. Shallow holes had littered his skin, but those injuries were already closing. Meanwhile, his bright gaze fell on the huge creature before him.

The spell's source was a three-meter-tall monster. The creature was similar to its fellow specimens, but its paler fur and glass-like spikes revealed a unique mutation. It was also far stronger than anything the army had faced in the past eight months, but Khan barely felt anything approaching it.

The monster growled, crouching forward to point its spikes at Khan. Those glass-like items started to glow as mana flowed inside them. Soon, another wave of ice shards would shoot forward, but Khan was faster.

Khan waved the cursed knife, sending a red slash forward. A humming sound accompanied it, and a fuming line soon appeared on the monster's head and back. Its body split in half in the following second, crashing to the ground to reveal its disgusting insides.

Khan slashed the knife into the air, sending attacks that shot upward before flying back into the battlefield. Each move earned him a kill, but that speed still didn't satisfy him.

The cursed knife was mighty. Nothing could block its attacks, making each slash a confirmed kill. Yet, that weapon lacked the vast area of effect of Khan's spears and other spells.

Sadly, the battle had developed in a way that prevented Khan from unleashing his barrage of spears. The high number of monsters had stopped Khan from claiming a piece of the battlefield for himself, leaving him in the middle of the mess with his army.

Of course, Khan had claimed many lives before the immense pack clashed with the army, but the outcome didn't change. The monsters had blended with the lines of Scalqa, disrupting battle formations and any resemblance of order. Countless individual fights unfolded simultaneously, leaving no safe target for Khan's highly destructive spells.

A monster jumped at Khan from his right. His left arm was still in the air, sending deadly slashes everywhere on the battlefield, theoretically leaving him exposed to the sudden assault. He could dodge and deal with the creature afterward, but the wasted second would slow down his killing pace.

One second was nothing, but the countless simultaneous individual battles made it meaningful. Many could die in that short time, and Khan's attacks could save some soldiers from that bitter end.

So, Khan kept his knife in the air and lifted his right hand. He stretched two fingers, pointing them at the incoming monster. A sharp energy wave shot forward, digging a hole in the creature's forehead and killing it on the spot. Still, its falling momentum didn't disperse, making the corpse crash on Khan.

Senerth's monsters were relatively light for their sizes, but the impact of such a big creature was bound to push human soldiers aside and even break some bones. However, Khan didn't move at all when the beast crashed on him. He also kept sending red slashes to the sky, retaining his killing pace.

Khan shrugged the corpse off and shot forward, slamming on a nearby creature. His foot pierced the monster's head, chaining his leg to its skull. He could free himself in no time but didn't bother to. Instead, Khan kept advancing, delivering more kicks and slashes to anything that dared to breathe without his permission.

The symphony sang the army's deeds, echoing noises of death and destruction that resonated with Khan's mind. He lost himself in the simple act of extinguishing any enemy trace of life, be it with his knife or his kicks. Nothing ever survived him, and eventually, he found himself with nothing else to kill.

Khan was almost surprised when the symphony failed to provide him with new targets. He looked around, finding nothing but furred corpses and tired Scalqa. His army shared his hesitation, but everything ended when the first "Ka-Han!" disrupted the silence.

The single victory cry quickly transformed into a deafening sea of shouts. Every Scalqa in the vast battlefield turned in Khan's direction, slamming their chests while chanting their bottomless reverence. Their faith in Khan had reached new heights after eight months of conquest. They truly believed to be in the presence of a divine existence, and Khan didn't know how to respond to that.

Khan inspected himself. A mangled corpse was still stuck to his right leg, and a severed head had somehow ended up on his left shoulder, its fangs clinging to his skin but unable to pierce it. Patches of the creatures' blood covered him from head to toe, turning his long hair into a greasy mess that attached itself to his forehead and cheeks. Khan even spotted traces of gore on his dirty cape and torn trousers.

As for how Khan had ended up in that condition, he didn't remember. In his mind, he had simply advanced, rushing where the battlefield needed him. Killing those monsters was as easy as breathing for him, and his brain barely recorded the one-sided slaughter. His breath was also steady, confirming the lack of exhaustion.

'When did this even happen?' Khan wondered, his gaze falling on the white sky. 'When did I get this strong?'

Khan obviously knew how he had gotten there. The toxic pool had long since become useless, limiting his training to the improved [Blood Vortex] and the study of his element. Still, the realization remained shocking, pushing his mind toward topics he loathed.

Sensing the symphony gave Khan a vague summary of the battle. The victory had been overwhelming, but casualties had been unavoidable. A decent number of Scalqa had died, and that waste of valuable life turned his thoughts sour.

'Why did I even bring them here?' Khan questioned. 'I alone would have been enough. It would have been safer, too.'

Khan couldn't help but ponder the value of an army far weaker than him. He felt he was wasting the Scalqa's lives by throwing them into battles he could handle himself. The aliens quickened the planet's conquest, but Khan hated the price they had to pay.

'Life sure feels thin these days,' Khan sighed internally. 'They might weigh me down one day.' Khan suddenly shook his head, noticing the dangerous thoughts. He had always been far stronger than the Scalqa. Taking them under his wing was part of his debt toward Zu-Gru. He had given his life to protect Khan, so Khan would take care of the Scalqa.

'They are my people,' Khan thought. 'Their individual value doesn't matter. Battle prowess is only one aspect of it.'

Khan lifted his knife, earning himself another wave of victory cries. His gaze ran over his army, refueling the Scalqa's battle drive. Loyal subjects surrounded him, but his brain updated him on a sad truth. Khan had never felt lonelier.