Chapter 764 Child
The mansion was no battlefield. Khan didn't kill out of self-defense or to serve a higher purpose. That was proper murder, and the audience could only watch as blood dripped from Amy's severed head.
Needless to say, silence enveloped the reinforced hall. Khan was now a Prince, so most of his actions were justified, especially toward an inferior family that had insulted him. Yet, executing someone without trial or dialogue sounded too much, even for those lofty parties.
The explanation behind Khan's action was evident but also scary. He had killed someone who had betrayed him. Still, the situation involved far more than simple revenge, giving insights into Khan's mindset. His behavior told everyone that the environment, the place, and the individual didn't matter to him.
The three members of the Padridge family remained stunned, partially still absorbing the development. Meanwhile, the various guards in the hall took battle stances to protect Princess Felicia and Prince William. Khan's unpredictable behavior earned him as much.
However, a few guards and Prince William showed additional reactions. The sudden event shocked them, but their minds didn't stop at that. Something in Khan's action was far more deserving of attention, and thinking about the issue sent tension into the symphony.
Everyone knew Khan was fast, but the hall had no shortage of fifth-level warriors. Few could react to his sudden sprints, but many had the experience and training to notice them. Yet, nothing similar happened.
The matter went beyond that. Such a fast dash would usually leave tracks in the air or marks on the floor. After all, bursts of speed had to come from somewhere, generally requiring massive energy or physical strength discharges. However, Khan's move didn't give birth to a single gale.
The event was highly unnatural and led to a single, scary conclusion. Khan could sprint unnoticed, delivering killing blows without triggering survival or battle instincts. He had access to the deadliest technique in the world, forcing the guards to prepare for eventual attacks beforehand.
Nevertheless, Prince William didn't share the guards' wariness. His friendly face turned serious, and his focused brown eyes darted between Khan's previous and current positions. Countless calculations and thoughts filled his mind until an explanation finally arrived.
"Expert proficiency level," Prince William announced. "Full mastery of the Lightning-Demon style. You are one of a kind, Cousin Khan."
Khan glanced at Prince William before dropping the severed head to the floor. The Prince had hit the mark, but Khan didn't convey any approval or refusal. He simply moved his attention to the Padridge group, approaching them.
Ethan and the two older figures snapped back to reality at Khan's approach. Their knees immediately hit the floor, and their heads soon joined them. They hoped their prostration would earn them mercy, but similar gestures no longer had any meaning for Khan. Luckily for them, he had different intentions.
"Amy's parents, I suppose," Khan announced.
The two older figures lifted their heads, nodding and speaking simultaneously. "Yes, Prince Khan."
"Your faction is now mine," Khan declared. "It will live to make up for your daughter's betrayal. Anything amiss, and I'll wipe out your family."
Khan had chosen his words carefully, and the Padridge group could read between the lines. They would have to burden the responsibilities of their entire family, sharing the guilt of eventual ploys from other factions. Khan wasn't only demanding their servitude. He also wanted them to keep the other members in check.
The request sounded unreasonable, but Khan wasn't asking. He had given his piece, so he returned to the noble group. Prince William had noticed something important, and Khan couldn't leave it be.
"I had no ill intentions," Prince William exclaimed at Khan's arrival. He waved at his guards to stand down while advancing to meet his cousin face-to-face and add something. "Mine was an honest compliment."
Khan inspected the Prince. There was something cunning about the man, but that feeling lacked malice. It was an odd match, mainly since sly people preferred to keep that side a secret.
"Besides," Prince William continued. "The information is useless now that you have a new martial art. At most, you can use it to improve your political figure."
Prince William was right in many ways. That environment was also isolated, so preventing leaks would take little effort. Yet, Khan mostly cared about the Prince's intentions.
"Miss Padridge got what she deserved," Prince William stated. "Based on your preferences, we'll share a fitting story."
"What are you trying to do?" Khan eventually asked.
"Taking a side," Prince William responded. "You are our faction's best hope. I want to get in your good graces."
"Why not aiming for the leading spot yourself?" Khan questioned, ignoring the seemingly sarcastic comment.
"Please, no," Prince William chuckled. "I'm a bit older than you, and I've enjoyed benefits all my life, but I'm no match. You also cling to life quite stubbornly, so I don't want to take my chances."
Prince William almost seemed to be joking or mocking Khan, but his mana told otherwise. The man was completely serious, which confused Khan even more.
"I read you appreciate honesty," Prince William added, seemingly reading Khan's mind. "There's no point in lying to you anyway, right? I'm guessing the device our family developed no longer works on you."
Khan didn't know how to take Prince William's behavior. The man definitely had a tricky character but also knew his stuff. Still, Khan couldn't afford uncertainties anymore.
"I have no use for variables," Khan declared.
"But I'm not!" Prince William promptly shouted, lifting a hand to stop his guards. Khan's words made them try to step forward, but the Prince's gesture stopped them.
"He is testing me," Prince William scoffed, glaring at his guards. "I would have been already dead otherwise."
"Forgive him," Princess Felicia apologized, approaching her brother. "He has been like this since he was a kid."
"What I'm saying is," Prince William cleared his throat. "Our mother already supports you, so just use us until you can trust us."
Prince William and Princess Felicia were clearly looking out for their interests, or rather, their mother was following her father's wishes to restore the faction's power. That wasn't real loyalty, but Khan could use the additional power.
"What about the others from Baoway?" Khan changed topics, diverting his gaze.
"We are still tracking some down," Prine William revealed. "Others we have located. We will apprehend them soon enough."
"Keep them there," Khan ordered. "I'll get them personally."
"As you wish, Cousin Khan," Prince William said, nodding at his guards to relay the order.
"Are there other gifts?" Khan asked.
"One," Princess Felicia replied. "Follow me."
The march across the immense mansion resumed, and Prince William obviously followed. The escort had grown in number, but nothing broke the silence. Everyone simply waited for Khan to get to his destination.
The scenery finally changed. The endless array of halls and corridors ended to make room for a spacious hangar filled with luxurious rides. The area also had plenty of personnel, marking a stark difference from the previous environments.
Khan could pretty much guess the nature of his third gift by then, but reaching it still generated some silent and hidden surprise. Princess Felicia stopped before a big white ship, and one of the soldiers near it delivered a device describing its characteristics.
The ship was long and rectangular, featuring four big engines at its bottom. Its canopy was half-circular and reinforced, and the various measurements on the device spoke for its spacious insides.
The vehicle's functions didn't stop there. In addition to decent living quarters, a relatively small cargo area, and a reinforced room, the ship also had multiple shields to compensate for excessive accelerations. In short, it could fly far faster than Khan's previous rides without affecting his body.
The model was clearly different from Khan's ride, but he guessed that move had been intentional. His faction wasn't giving him a new vehicle to replace his current ship. It wanted to add tools to his arsenal, gifting him something befitting of his position and status.
'I can fit entire teams in this,' Khan concluded. He wouldn't require the Global Army's support for political missions and similar endeavors with that ship. He could move independently, even carrying handpicked soldiers if he wanted to.
"It has no model," Khan pointed out, scrolling through the device.
"This ship won't hit the market for another year or two," Princess Felicia explained. "It won't get a model code until then."
The matter was hardly surprising. The nobles didn't only have a monopoly over most new products. They built many of them, and delaying their arrival into the general market helped retain their power over other families.
Khan almost jumped inside the ship to review its contents, but a new, familiar sensation hit the symphony. He sensed clear scorn spreading through the synthetic mana and approaching his position, making him turn in its direction.
Prince Felicia and Prince William followed Khan's gaze, and their faces turned serious when they spotted the newcomers. Four people were approaching the white ship, but only one earned their attention.
"Cousin Richard," Princess Felicia announced, eyeing the youngest man in the new group. "I thought Mother forbid you to come."
"Father thought otherwise," Prince Richard responded. "Besides, I wanted to check our new Cousin myself."
The short exchange of words told Khan everything he needed to know. Excluding Elizabeth, Alexander had another daughter and son, who had children of their own. Prince William and Princess Felicia came from the daughter, while Prince Richard came from the son.
The symphony and tones of the conversation added another detail. Khan's aunt supported him, but the same didn't seem to apply to his uncle. Even with the refusal, Khan had still been caught up in his faction's infighting.
"I wouldn't suggest it," Prince William warned. "Cousin Khan might not react well to your presence."
"Why not?" Prince Richard asked, reaching the ship. "We are all one big family. We should get to know each other better."
Anyone could see that Prince Richard had unfriendly intentions. Still, the man and his guards didn't witness Khan's previous actions. Their confidence and sense of safety were misplaced, and Prince William felt the urge to defuse the situation.
"Cousin Khan," Prince William muttered. "Cousin Richard doesn't know his place and has no real relevance. His older brother is the true heir."
"Are you asking me to let him live?" Khan questioned without bothering to lower his voice.
"Killing him would launch our faction into an internal war," Prince William explained, "Maiming it as a result. You would throw away a big part of our power and influence."
"Killing me?" Prince Richard declared, anger invading his expression as he glanced at his guards. "Did you hear them? My Cousins are openly plotting my assassination."
Khan heard everything Prince William said but found the situation boring and pointless. He had seen Prince Richard's kind often. He was nothing more than a spoiled child, unaware of the world's true nature. His insults couldn't even reach Khan's ears.
Nevertheless, Prince William had a point. Prince Richard was part of his faction. He remained an asset even as an overgrown child, and taking him out would only create problems. Khan couldn't see his barking being worth the hassle.
"I guess I can do my uncle a favor," Khan eventually said.
"Favor?" Prince Richard scoffed, eyeing his guards. "The barbarian thinks he has something worth giving me."
The guards were used to mustering fake laughs at Prince Richard's distasteful jokes, but something happened before their mouths could open. Khan had materialized before them, and his right hand had already closed on Prince Richard's face.
"I'll teach you fear," Khan uttered. The guards began to move, but Khan's figure disappeared again, along with Prince Richard's.
The sudden, unpredictable, and untraceable movement almost sent the noble guards into a frenzy. Their Prince had disappeared, and they didn't even know where he had gone. However, a sizzling noise soon spread through the hangar, bringing everyone's eyes to the mana barrier at its bottom.
The various guards, the hangar personnel, Prince William, and Princess Felicia spotted Khan before the mana barrier. Prince Richard's face was still in his hand, but the other had created a glowing short sword that was piercing the membrane.
The mana barrier quickly gave in to Khan's spell, and a hole opened into its ethereal fabric. A sucking force immediately spread through the hangar, sending breathable air into the empty universe. Still, Khan didn't let it be alone. The audience couldn't believe their eyes when they saw Khan throw Prince Richard outside, too.