Khan felt warm while flying across the sky to return to the Thilku trench. His brain was on fire, but similar burning sensations came from his belly, too. Something had broken, forcing him to look for experts' opinions.
The injuries didn't get in the way of Khan's natural pressure, and the flight allowed him to notice more of its effects. He quickly left the area filled with the monsters' chaotic influence, diving into the untouched symphony. The natural mana there didn't belong to him, but his presence soon changed that.
Khan studied the seemingly empty air to check the effects of his mind. He could affect the speed of that transformation by releasing stronger wills or mana, and the process felt almost natural. That technique had become a part of his very being, putting it at the foundation of his entire skillset.
'I'm unbeatable now,' Khan calmly realized.
Taking control of a big area wouldn't always be easy, especially without thousands of monsters helping out. However, Khan could hold his own even without that technique. He could also fly, so wasting a few seconds or minutes was completely in his power.
Moreover, Khan knew he could become better at that. He had barely learned that new technique, but his tests mid-flight already showed improvements. As long as his desires came out, the symphony would change.
The trench and the big building behind it eventually became visible, and Khan dived directly toward the big entrance. His landing was graceful, but his insides churned anyway, creating an unstoppable urge.
Khan spat at the ground before half-bending to his side. He puked blood, and retches resounded even after his stomach emptied. More liquids were flowing into it, creating a troublesome picture.
Luckily for Khan, the gate began to open even before he calmed down. The decontamination area unfolded in his view, and he forced his abdomen to stay silent while jumping into it.
The decontamination process began, and Khan sat on the floor to meditate in the meantime. He was far from good, but his resilient body retained strength to keep him ready to fight.
A few Thilku appeared once the room opened into the vast hall. Khan jumped to his feet to approach them, and they immediately ran scanners over his body, often mumbling worrisome statements.
Khan remained still during the process, but the Thilku eventually claimed his attention. They had bags with them, and one dived into it to take out a handful of tablets.
"[I can't take those]," Khan directly said. "[My body rejects them]."
The three Thilku were doctors used to difficult patients, but the instinct to argue never appeared in their minds. Khan had spoken calmly, but his voice conveyed a type of power those aliens couldn't describe or oppose.
Nevertheless, the Thilku didn't freeze. They quickly understood the reason behind Khan's refusal and exchanged a few words to devise a solution. One of the doctors also left, approaching the wall to retrieve different meds, and a fuming cylindrical container eventually appeared in his hands.
"[Drink this]," The doctor ordered when he returned near Khan. "[It will fix you up]."
Khan checked the Thilku's mana before looking at the bottle. The doctor believed in his words, and the dark, slimy liquid inside the container didn't carry any trace of synthetic mana. It smelled awful, but Khan had gotten used to far worse.
Taking a sip from the bottle revealed that the smell wasn't the liquid worst feature. It tasted horrible, and its texture could make most humans throw up. Yet, the Slums had trained Khan's throat thoroughly, so he gulped down without complaining.
"[You need to finish it in the next hour]," The doctor warned. "[Once you do, come get a refill]."
"[Is it for my internal injuries]?" Khan asked, even if his body was already replying. The liquid was hot, but its effects were chilling. His abdomen grew colder while the medicine's effects spread.
"[Yes]," Another doctor replied. "[It will restore your strength, too]."
Khan didn't bother to nod but proceeded to take another big sip. His urges made him hate that temporary weakness, so he wanted to recover as quickly as possible.
The doctors ran their scanners over Khan again, but the door on the other side of the hall suddenly opened, showing Onp's huge frame. The Thilku had already crossed his arms in anger, and a cold, hoarse voice accompanied his arrival.
"[Captain Khan]," Onp called, "[Come with me]."
Khan didn't even try to refuse the order. He stepped forward, crossing the doctors to reach the other side of the hall. His slow walk annoyed Onp, but he didn't say anything and waited for Khan to get to him.
Onp turned to leave as soon as Khan reached him, and the two crossed the corridor and the control room after it to get into the small room seen before.
Khan instinctively stopped before the table and inspected his surroundings while Onp walked to the other side. That distracted behavior added fuel to Onp's anger, but that was a misunderstanding. Khan was extremely focused, just not on the Thilku.
The privacy of that small room allowed Khan to perform tests that involved the synthetic mana. His presence was too heavy for that energy, but the symphony still changed. Adding his own mana quickened the process, making his immediate surroundings fall under his control in mere seconds.
Khan's control continued to expand as his concentration remained strong, but Onp couldn't stay silent anymore. He slammed his huge hands on the table, and loud words followed.
"[Captain Khan]!" Onp shouted. "[Who authorized your departure from the battlefield]?"
That shout affected the expansion of Khan's control. Onp was a fourth-level warrior, and his feelings naturally carried a weight that hindered the effects of Khan's presence.
Khan noted down those events while looking at Onp. His pressure fell on the Thilku, which instantly surprised him. He had seen Khan mere hours ago, but his presence had completely changed.
Nevertheless, Onp was no ordinary Thilku. His mind carried years of experience dealing with similarly powerful or stronger soldiers. Khan's transformation was shocking, but Onp couldn't experience fear.
"[I did]," Khan explained.
"[You don't have that authority]," Onp scolded. "[I thought you wanted the Empire to treat you like an ordinary soldier]."
"[I was wrong]," Khan admitted. "[I'm no ordinary soldier]."
The arrogant claim didn't make Onp falter. Truth be told, Khan was right. His very presence in the building proved that. The Thilku would have never accepted a human among them if he were ordinary.
However, the issue remained. Khan had disobeyed orders, which Onp simply couldn't accept. Khan following his own desires was an insult to the Thilku's authority and pride.
"[You will leave as soon as the day ends]," Onp scoffed, fixing his gaze on the desk to tinker with its runes. "[Your cooperation with the Empire ends here]."
"[No]," Khan promptly stated, making Onp's head snap back up.
"[No]?" Onp questioned, using the entirety of his self-restraint to control his anger.
"[No]," Khan repeated. "[I'll stay here and call more beasts until both the Empire and myself are satisfied with the results]."
"[Who do you think you are]?" Onp growled, leaving his spot to approach Khan. "[When did you start believing you could make decisions for the Empire]?"
"[I'm sorry for my past behavior]," Khan declared. "[I'm too strong to have no authority]."
Onp struggled to believe his ears. Part of him even thought Khan was playing with him, but one look at his intense eyes removed any doubt. Khan was deadly serious and truly believed his words.
That became a problem. Khan's firm belief almost made him a criminal in Onp's eyes. That behavior wasn't only unacceptable from someone inside his building. It also required suitable punishments.
"[Did you check the scanners yet]?" Khan continued, knowing what was happening inside Onp's mind. "[We can have this conversation after you do]."
"[What are you implying]?" Onp asked.
"[Check the battle]," Khan pressed on.
Onp lost it. That request sounded like an order, which was beyond unacceptable. In Onp's eyes, Khan had just turned into a criminal, giving him the authority to execute him.
Onp's huge arm shot upward before starting to descend. The Thilku was ready to kill Khan on the spot, but a beeping noise suddenly came out from the desk, interrupting the attack.
The beeping noise didn't come on its own. The desk began to release more sounds, filling its surface with notifications. Tens of reports had arrived in those seconds, triggering Onp's curiosity.
Onp's glanced at the desk before looking at Khan again. He had just tried to kill him, but he didn't even blink. Khan had remained still, but his expression didn't convey any helplessness. His face was the embodiment of confidence, which slightly scared Onp. Khan seemed to believe he could face a fourth-level warrior, and his eyes carried no delusion.
The surprising scene didn't make Onp forget his duties. He approached the interactive desk, unlocking the reports to read them. His mana shook and changed as knowledge flowed into his mind, and surprised eyes fell on Khan after going through half of that info.
"[Captain Khan]," Onp called, his tone still cold. "[What is your goal with the Empire]?"
"[I want your capes]," Khan bluntly said, angering Onp again.
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