Chapter 828 Izraz
Khan appeared unaffected by the scenery. His eyes and senses stretched far past what his crew could see, reaching similar conclusions. Yet, his attention never lingered on the environment, and no real worries arose.
The interspecies agreements prevented humankind and the Thilku Empire from building heavily militarized bases near the two domains' borders. That was a standard safety measure since the alliance between the two species created many blind spots. Either side could use the friendly relationship to launch hidden attacks and claim the advantage in an eventual war.
However, the Thilku were rather honorable. Resorting to those tactics would be an insult to their prided strength. Chances were the military planet was a precaution against the Global Army's possible betrayals.
That was the closest thing to a compliment the Empire could award. The Thilku respected humankind's power enough to split their already limited manpower and establish a secret military base. Khan couldn't blame them. Actually, he was sure the Global Army had something similar in place.
Nevertheless, sightseeing wasn't the reason Khan visited. He didn't care about interspecies politics now. He only wanted to deal with the alien who thought he could be used as a mere pawn.
The Thilku company was fearsome. Those rows of aliens reeked of battle experience, and their firearms only empowered them. Yet, recognizing Khan gave birth to some hesitation. His reputation preceded him, and anyone could sense his raging mood.
Khan didn't waste time studying the environment. He directly strode forward, marching toward the rows of aliens. The Thilku retained their composure, but their resolve faltered under Khan's angry pressure.
Theoretically, the Thilku had orders to stop and restrain unwanted visitors, but Khan was an exception. Although he was scary, the aliens would still try to perform their duty. Yet, he had earned their species' respect, which was greatly valued among the Thilku.
Heads bent once Khan reached the first line of Thilku. The aliens performed their traditional bows, muttering "[Blue Shaman]". That respectful response halted Khan's steps, but his anger remained as strong as ever.
"[Bring me to your Lord]," Khan ordered.
Truth be told, Khan had no way of knowing he had landed in the right place. The planet was small, but many quadrants still existed on it. He might have reached an area with Thilku loyal to Lord Exr.
Still, Khan didn't choose his destination. The Thilku did, so he felt almost sure he was in the right place. Otherwise, the aliens would have denied him access to the planet altogether.
The Thilku didn't react, but their mana spoke loudly, confirming Khan's hunch. The aliens knew who he was talking about, generating conflicting emotions among the company.
"[Blue Shaman]," One of the Thilku in the first line eventually said. "[You trespassed into the Empire's domain without official businesses. You must answer for the crime]."
The Thilku didn't believe his own words but spoke them anyway. He was clearly chanting a script meant for the ploy, but Khan was in no mood for games.
"[This isn't a negotiation]," Khan exclaimed. "[I'll get to your Lord with or through you]."
The situation instantly grew tense. The company wore sterner stances, seemingly getting ready for battle. The Thilku didn't feel any confidence but would face Khan anyway. In a way, that was the intended outcome of the ploy.
The rational part of Khan's mind worked overtime to justify the violent ideas rising within him. Those Thilku didn't act under a proper Lord's orders, effectively making them criminals. The Empire would probably execute them anyway, and his red cape gave him some authority over the matter.
Still, those justifications never went too deep. Khan simply didn't care anymore. Someone had crossed a line against him, leaving only one option. The organization, species, or reason didn't matter.
The stalemate between Khan and the company was short-lived since a circular ship suddenly descended into the area. The sight reassured the alien, hinting at the vehicle's contents. The ride landed behind the small army, and a powerful aura joined the symphony when a metal ramp stretched forward, touching the metal floor.
A small squad of Thilku quickly crossed the metal ramp, and the company opened up to create a path. The five newcomers advanced toward Khan, but he only had eyes for one of them.
The squad had four fourth-level warriors and an alien in the fifth level. That already explained who the leader was, but the march also highlighted the different authorities. The stronger Thilku was in the lead, followed by his companions. Moreover, his wide smirk starkly contrasted with the rest of the squad's stern faces.
The fifth-level warrior's aura updated Khan on several details. The alien was strong and confident. Khan could easily place him above Major Veril, and that from mana alone.
Adding the Thilku's superior physique to the equation created scary simulations. The wannabe Lord had to be a formidable opponent, someone Khan shouldn't fight with his injured legs. Yet, he never considered alternative options.
"[Blue Shaman]," The smirking Thilku called, his wide mouth revealing his sharp canines. "[This is outrageous. Earning our cape didn't grant you the liberty to invade the Empire]."
Khan's crew counted four soldiers and one prisoner. Seeing his arrival on the planet as an invasion was ludicrous, but the technicalities were on the Thilku's side. Khan did breach several interspecies treaties by flying there uninvited.
'Lord Exr is a fourth-level warrior,' Khan thought, noticing an odd detail.
The planet was in Lord Exr's domain, but it sounded odd for him to have access to soldiers stronger than him. The Thilku's hierarchy didn't work like that. The planet's purpose probably had something to do with the issue.
'Lord Rsi?' Khan wondered. 'Someone above him?'
"[Seize him]," The Thilku leader ordered when he had almost reached Khan. He didn't know how to take his silence but wanted the ploy to progress.
A few Thilku broke the formation, approaching Khan from different sides. They kept their weapons lowered and their movements slow, showing as much respect as possible, but followed the order anyway. Still, none of them could fulfill it.
The five Thilku who had approached Khan lost their balance and fell to their knees. By then, they had encircled him, so their new posture seemed to have a different meaning. It looked as if they were worshipping Khan.
"[Did you plot with humans to have me pushed here]?" Khan finally broke his silence.
The alien soldiers' reaction halted the newcomers' steps. The Thilku leader inspected his kneeling troops, seemingly mesmerized by that development. However, he didn't hesitate to reply when Khan's question reached his ears.
"[Yes]," The Thilku leader calmly admitted. "[I]-!"
The Thilku leader couldn't finish his line since a foot landed on his open mouth, flinging him away. The alien slid on the smooth floor for a few meters before stopping and lifting his still-smirking face. A drop of blood fell from where his lips had hit his canines, but nothing more.
"[Ah]!" The Thilku cried without hiding his happiness. "[This is a direct assault. This human is using his privileges to hurt the Empire]!"
Khan had landed among the four alien squad members after his attack. When the leader spoke, those Thilku closed on him, but their arms only hit empty air. Khan had disappeared again.
The leader proudly straightened his back when Khan materialized before him. The alien towered above Khan, but he didn't show any fear. Khan's face was as cold as always, and his aura conveyed his killing intent.
"[Humans wearing our capes]," The leader grunted. "[It's insulting. The Empire shouldn't lower itself to such compromises]."
Khan lifted his left leg, and the leader swung his right arm. The alien's movements were oddly quick for someone of that size, but nothing reached Khan.
The alien's arm had barely started aiming for Khan when the distance between the two increased again. Khan had delivered three precise and instantaneous kicks on the leader's abs, flinging him away before he could even send power into his attack.
The leader slid away again, but his arrogance didn't diminish. He straightened his back as soon as he stopped and showed no surprise in finding Khan before him.
"[I know My Lord shares my thoughts]," The leader declared. "[It is my duty to act on them]."
"[There is no duty]," Khan said, "[No pride, and no species. You attacked me, so your life is mine]."
"[How will you kill me, Blue Shaman]?" The leader mocked. "[Your feeble kicks are but scratches on my skin]."
The company was finding it hard to react to Khan's sudden attacks, but it never stopped moving. They chased after him, lifting their weapons and creating a vast encirclement, but a shocking sight prevented them from advancing any further.
Tens of purple-red orbs materialized above Khan and the leader, bathing the area in their intense glow. Those mana spheres quickly morphed, transforming into spears that pointed at the metal floor. Khan seemed about to unleash hell, but the wannabe Lord lifted a hand, signaling his soldiers to retreat.
"[Rumors have it that you are the best warrior in the galaxy]," The leader revealed, bowing with his mantle. "[I, Izraz, shall test them out]."