Chaos Heir

Chapter 1450: Slave

Of course, a person’s value didn’t only come from battle prowess.

Khan wasn’t under any delusion of grandeur. Raymond’s scientific proclivity was something Khan would never come close to in his entire life. Even inheriting crumbles of the white-azure sphere’s god-like knowledge couldn’t close that gap.

For all intents and purposes, Raymond was a genius, and a crafty one at that. His intellect and innovations when it came to mutations were so unmatched that Garret himself had to suggest his involvement.

The still-incomplete pieces of information Khan had gathered from George even confirmed that point. Despite the Niqols’ restrictions, the lack of direct involvement, and the different priorities, Raymond had devised a fuel that could survive the True Chaos’ weaker versions.

That invention was priceless for the regulated universe. The mutagen could make warriors fight head-to-head with the Scarlet Eyes, but many species in the allied front had technology as their foundation and backbone.

Regaining access to the multitude of tools of war developed throughout centuries and millennia of experiments with the mana would significantly increase the regulated universe’s odds in that war.

Obviously, mere technology would be powerless against the Scarlet Eyes’ Kings, God, and warriors in their unleashed state, but it remained something. It was an edge the regulated universe could rely upon to achieve minor victories or lower the inevitably immense number of casualties, at least.

So, Khan didn’t doubt his inferiority to Raymond in many fields. He also knew Raymond was an exceptional asset. He was a necessary evil in the war to come. His genius had made Khan decide to keep him alive, which was an incredible achievement on its own.

Yet, as always, Liiza was right. The smartest ant couldn’t do anything against a raging lightning storm. It could only hide in the sand, hoping that the natural catastrophe would forget about its existence.

Still, Khan didn’t forget about Raymond. He couldn’t after everything that had happened. His daughter also carried his monstrous genes, so he couldn’t let that threat stay unchecked.

Moreover, value didn’t imply innocence. Even if Khan now stood far above what Raymond could hope to affect, the latter remained guilty of much and needed to be punished accordingly.

Khan ignored the kneeling troops at his sides, calmly advancing through the living hall. His silent stance and fixed eyes intensified the surrounding tension, even doing something as surprising as birthing a tinge of it inside Raymond.

That faint, tiny, and natural event couldn’t have been more meaningful. It clearly showed how much the tables had turned and how far Khan had gotten.

The kid who could be bullied around was no more. Politics couldn’t control Khan anymore. He was in a world of his own, and everyone had to follow the rules and values he set.

That revolutionary new perspective almost gave birth to bittersweet emotions inside Khan’s brain. Raymond had been such an influential presence in his life, but had now become nothing more than a trivial detail.

A trivial detail Khan knew exactly how to handle.

“My Prin-” Raymond began to say, only for his throat to close, preventing him from speaking any longer. His mana-enhanced flesh abided by Khan’s silent orders, keeping him perfectly still and powerless.

Khan stopped before Raymond, whose body had become his own prison, only to place a hand on his shoulder. The suit’s fabric truly felt nice at the touch, but Khan only delayed his departure to address the other bystanders.

“If you can survive the desert and reach Aynor,” Khan announced, “There might be a place for you in the battles to come.”

Afterward, Khan just disappeared, taking Raymond with him, leaving the team of scientists and soldiers on their knees, frozen in fear.

The environment on the now more crowded spot of sand had slightly changed. The atmosphere was still tense and full of glares, but Rodney had somehow ended up with a drink in his hands in the middle of all that.

Monica had also returned from where she and Khan had talked and was sitting at George’s side, acquainting herself with the Niqols while shooting furtive glances at Liiza, the white bird behind her, and the baby in her arms.

Still, Liiza suddenly lifted her gaze, illuminating an empty spot among the group where Khan materialized. He wasn’t even alone. Raymond was with him, finally able to breathe, but lying in the sand and in the middle of far greater danger.

“[Is that him]?” Liiza asked in her native language, the temperature dropping due to her new, chilling mood.

That piercing, dangerous cold overwhelmed the previous tension. Even Zalpa and Doku couldn’t help but wear somber expressions, making a point or remaining silent and letting the following event unfold.

Snow had been resting on the sand, kept cool by Liiza’s mark, but that new atmosphere made it lift its head in wariness. Even Yeza woke up, crying in response to her mother’s scary features.

“[It’s him],” Khan responded, seemingly losing interest in Raymond as he reached for Liiza. She stood up, handing him Yeza, whom he rocked in an attempt to calm down.

Meanwhile, Liiza’s aura only grew more chilling as she took slow but steady steps toward the lying man in a suit. Raymond obviously recognized her, but the white light shining on him ended up freezing him more than Khan did.

Raymond tried to open his mouth but couldn’t. Even his lungs refused to release or draw any air. He was in the presence of powers he couldn’t hope to oppose, making all his intellect useless.

“[For a man who lusts after our bloodline],” Liiza announced. “[He is quite puny].”

Liiza stretched her hand, and the blue mark on Raymond’s neck reappeared, only for a pulling force to make it stretch his skin from the inside until it broke.

Raymond couldn’t even grunt in pain as the blue symbol left a similarly shaped wound that released no blood on his neck to rise toward Liiza’s hand. She took it, manipulating its mana and shape according to her will, altering it with her energy.

“[Husband],” Liiza called, but Khan was already at her side, keeping Yeza on his chest with one hand, while the other was under the white light, showing a new wound on its palm.

Liiza scooped a few drops of Khan’s blood and spilled some of her own, adding them to the blue rune hovering in her palm, altering it even further. The Niqols symbol became redder and darker, growing in power and intricacy before flowing back down.

The now dark-red symbol returned to Raymond’s neck, covering the old wound and digging new ones to make room for its changed shape. Still, instead of diving deeper, it fused with Raymond’s skin, becoming a permanent tattoo.

Obviously, the red tattoo didn’t stop at that. It released a cold, invasive energy that reached every corner of Raymond’s body, fusing with its functions and waiting for the rules Liiza had set to be broken.

“[Since you wanted to be close to our family so much],” Liiza said once the process was over, “[I’ll grant you the gift of being its slave until your last day].”