Chapter 1181: Reopen |
Khan wasn't too conscious about the changes that finding the array of asteroids had caused. Yet, some soldiers noticed them, especially those who had happened to interact with him in the past.
Returning to Coravis virtually emptied Khan's schedule. He had nothing to do but wait for Garret and his scientists to complete the projects connected with the asteroids' exploration, in which he wasn't involved at all.
That free time could allow Khan to return to Baoway and check in with other aspects of his organization. After all, Coravis had a teleport, so getting there would take less than a few minutes.
Still, the situation within the Nognes family was relatively complicated, and Khan was prone to messes. He didn't want to get involved in politics again, and it didn't feel right to reappear in public without Monica.
As strange as it sounded, two years had passed since the breakup, but Khan still didn't want to return to that life. It wasn't his world anyway, and Princess Rachel might use that opportunity to tempt him again. The same went for her family, so Khan remained on Coravis, doing what he did best.
Khan's routine didn't change. He mostly spent his days in empty areas of the planet, abusing the [Blood Vortex] as much as possible. He still bled every time, and his return to the sea stations never became more docile. Yet, a strangely peaceful aura enveloped him, almost making him look fulfilled.
The ordinary soldiers obviously couldn't put that sensation into words, but it was undeniable. As overbearing and breathtaking as Khan's mere presence was, a more carefree vibe had joined it. That godlike, or monstrous, existence had become more benevolent, easing its terrifying aura.
In hindsight, Khan's change was unavoidable. The mysterious species that had unleashed untold pain throughout the universe wasn't as mysterious anymore. The secret mission wasn't secret anymore. The unreachable Nak weren't unreachable anymore.
Khan had stood at the edge of the Nak's domain and only needed to stretch his hand to touch it. Also, the existence of that location was vivid in his mind. Khan always felt it, and glancing at the empty sky almost made him see it.
Sadly, those veiled changes didn't improve anything else. Khan's training was as slow as always, no matter how much he abused his superior techniques.
Nevertheless, Khan only had to focus on training and eating, so the following weeks after his return to Coravis were extremely peaceful and productive. He could probably stick to that routine until his new ship and checkpoints were ready, but the universe had a funny way of messing up his plans.
Garret was the first to spot the news. It was an ordinary morning, in which he was overseeing the teams working on the Great Old One's carcass. That once mighty creature had become nothing more than an immense floating pile of maimed flesh and bones, but a message reached his phone, distracting him from his task.
The event was rather surprising. Coravis was one of the most classified locations under the Nognes family, and Garret operated it as such. Few people could contact him directly on his phone, but reading the name on his device put a frown on his usually stern face.
"Prince Thomas, sir," Garret answered, bringing his phone to his ear. "Did something happen?"
The words that came from the phone made Garret's eyes widen in surprise. He couldn't help but look toward Khan's usual training area. He obviously couldn't see anything from his position, but he couldn't stop himself. After all, Garret knew how important those pieces of news were for his Prince.
"I'll get the Prince immediately, Prince Thomas," Garret promised, closing the call, storing his phone, and voicing a shout that had become familiar in that period. "Fabian!"
Over a year had passed since Fabian Bizelli's arrival. The scientist wasn't a newcomer anymore. He had adjusted to Coravis' schedules well and had proven himself capable enough to become Garret's assistant.
The scientist rarely left Garret's side, and that familiar shout made him drop everything to reach him, blurting out polite words that had become routine. "Mister Bizelli, sir."
"Take over until I come back, Cousin," Garret ordered without adding explanations, placing a rectangular device in Fabian's hands. "Something came up."
Fabian said something, but Garret didn't hear it. His stern expression grew sterner as he seized one of the available floating platforms and drove it back to the nearest sea station.
"Is the Prince still training?!" Garret shouted as soon as he landed on the sea station, his voice louder than the area's general mess.
Most soldiers on the station's surface heard Garret, but only those connected with the task checked their consoles and stood up, performing military salutes while providing confirmations.
"I'm going to get the Prince," Garret revealed, hopping on the circular, floating platform again. "Send a ship after me if I fall into the sea."
The problems with Khan's elements were more than known in that environment, but the soldiers knew better than to argue with Garret. They got to work, making sure to have everything ready by the time the floating platform disappeared on the horizon.
Garret flew over the sea, standing on the circular disk while heading for the tall upside-down waterfalls in the distance. The menus under him started flickering earlier than predicted, but the device kept working, bringing him closer to Khan's training area.
Nevertheless, a stronger interference suddenly ran through the area, and the circular device stopped working for a second. That wouldn't usually be a tragedy, but the disk tilted forward, and Garret couldn't restore his balance anymore at that point.
Garret was about to fall into the not-waters. Except he didn't. The floating device stopped working altogether, and sizzling noises came from its insides, but its surface straightened, and the cause was evident.
A figure had materialized next to the metal disk, grabbing its edge and keeping it straight. Khan was lifting the device and Garret with one hand while floating in the sky. The waterfalls behind him crumbled and generated tall waves, but the two were outside their range.
"My Prince," Garret called, ignoring Khan's superficial injuries. "Thank you. I apologize for interrupting your training, but the matter is quite urgent."
"What happened?" Khan casually asked, seemingly not minding the interruption at all. He didn't even look to be struggling while keeping the device straight from its edge. Khan was entirely at ease, but Garret knew the next revelations would change that.
"There have been two developments," Garret revealed. "Prince Thomas just called. He wishes to discuss them with you directly."
"Good news?" Khan wondered.
"Colonel Norret's evolution finally succeeded," Garret responded, confirming. "The pool project can move to the next stage now. There's hope we can help more soldiers at the fifth level now."
Khan couldn't help but smile, but his eyes turned slightly colder. As happy as he was about the news, Garret was still hiding something, and his mana told him that the matter troubled him.
"What else?" Khan questioned, his voice carrying the inevitability of his power.
"I," Garret gulped, lowering his head. "I think it's better to discuss it with your Uncle, My Prince."
Garret hoped the pressure on him would vanish, but Khan kept looking at him, his glowing eyes growing more piercing by the second. The mood wasn't heavy, but it was bound to be, and Garret truly didn't want to be the bearer of that news.
It wasn't even about something official or tragic, but everyone knew how much Khan cared about that subject. Many believed the event had shaped him into who he was. Of all the things that could happen in that peaceful and fruitful period, Garret thought that to be the worst.
"My Prince," Garret sighed before steadying his resolve and lifting his gaze to look at the source of that blue light. "Nitis is about to reopen."
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