Chaos' Heir

885  Laughs

Khan slowed down his fall into the pool as the dark green liquid approached. Jokes aside, the substance was dangerous, and he didn't want a single drop to splash out of the insulated hole, especially since Monica was sitting outside.

The dive was seamless. Khan immersed himself in the pool, barely creating ripples on its surface. He closed his eyes and crossed his legs, focusing on his mana core to force his energy to flow. Yet, an unfathomable wave of pain immediately assaulted him, breaking his concentration.

Khan was no stranger to pain, and the scars that littered his body vouched for that. He had also experienced mental suffering like no one else. However, the dark green substance crossed his tolerance threshold.

As soon as Khan became surrounded by the toxic substance, countless needles surrounded his skin, poking at it. His flesh opposed the assault but to no avail. The liquid weakened him, affecting his survival instincts and lowering his innate defenses, quickly allowing injuries to appear.

The liquid eroded the superficial layer of Khan's skin, creating a path for his insides. Patches of red flesh opened all over his body, chemically scarring him and causing more pain than he had ever experienced. The urge to fly away invaded his mind, which also created some room for his rational side.

The substance wasn't supposed to have such an immediate effect. After all, the Scalqa mixed it with their drinks, and Khan had spent months training next to its source. His tolerance should be over the roof, so the strange event demanded a different explanation.

The dark green liquid didn't change. Abraham's scientific team didn't affect its composition while building the pool. Khan's body was the only possible variable in that environment, which hinted at something exciting. The toxic influence there was intense enough to trigger an immediate reaction.

As for whether that reaction was positive or negative, Khan still didn't know. He could only try and see what he could make of it.

Khan endured the pain, focusing on his mana core. He forced his energy to flow and intensify the halo his enhanced flesh radiated. That process was no different from his usual meditations, but the new environment changed its outcome.

The pain caused by the surrounding dark green liquid made Khan numb to the suffering triggered by the meditative state. He could push himself as much as he wanted without dealing with the process's repercussions. The procedure was still atrocious, but that remained a decent silver lining.

Also, the destruction caused by the dark green liquid seemed to facilitate the expansion, albeit adding an unusual factor. Khan's flesh didn't only welcome the irradiated mana. It didn't limit itself to absorption. Its very fabric tried to change as if striving to transform.

Of course, Khan didn't notice those differences on the spot. His senses were great, but the immense pain he experienced clouded them, often affecting his concentration and inspection. He had to restart his study multiple times to obtain answers, but they arrived nonetheless.

The green liquid invaded Khan's very blood vessels, expanding throughout his body like a poisonous spiderweb. His flesh was on fire, intensifying the already unbearable pain and making him shout, but only bubbles reached the pool's surface. Khan chose to remain below it.

The decision wasn't easy to make, but Khan could almost feel his element affecting his flesh. That sensation was closer to a hunch than a scientific result, but Khan trusted his guts. He could experience his body trying to change and needed to set the right path.

Nevertheless, as crazy and resolute as Khan was, he also had limits. He could endure the pain, but his mental awareness waned by the second. At some point, Khan felt himself close to fainting, so he stretched his legs, kicking the liquid to fling himself out of the pool.

The jump was far from controlled, and Khan's awareness of his surroundings was clouded at best. He failed to realize where he was but felt his right side slamming on a hard surface.

Leaving the pool restored Khan's senses, bringing awareness of his surroundings despite his closed eyes. He was in a corner of a cave, supporting himself on elbows and knees while his body continued to burn. Yet, an approaching familiar presence became clear, changing his priorities.

"Don't touch me!" Khan shouted, his hoarse voice mixing with a faint echo of the clicking cry.

Monica would usually ignore Khan's orders when it came to his safety, but the scene made her stop in her tracks. She instinctively lifted her hands, only for her body to freeze. Monica wasn't afraid, and worry flooded her mind. However, Khan's state was beyond her expertise.

Khan's crawling position exposed his back and the large, sizzling wounds that filled it. Shallow holes of different sizes covered him, releasing painful noises. Drops of the dark green liquid also still lingered on him, attempting to dig through his already damaged skin.

Monica couldn't think of a single way to support Khan or remove the lingering substance without hurting him. He was covered in red spots, making Monica afraid of touching him. She didn't want to increase his pain or worsen his already tragic condition, hence her frozen state.

As for Khan, he didn't want the lingering substance on him to end up on Monica, potentially hurting her. Her hesitation in approaching him gave him some room to work on the issue, and he implemented a solution once he regained enough control over his mana.

A reddish barrier slowly enveloped Khan, increasing the temperature around his body. The pilot's technique came in clutch, evaporating the remaining dark green substance on his body and freeing him of its influence.

Khan dispersed the membrane when the process was over, but a violent cough took control of his lungs. Something solid rose through his throat, and he spat it during that adverse reaction. Opening his teary eyes revealed a dark spot on the rocky ground, which he couldn't differentiate between blood or part of the substance ingested during his underwater shout.

The cough continued but quickly waned. Khan's condition stabilized, and his breath grew deeper and more regular. He calmed down enough to study what had happened to him, and his salivating mouth morphed into a smile.

To Khan's surprise, the pool's effect didn't stop at facilitating the flesh's absorption of the irradiated mana. It had also tried to change the tissues themselves, but the process had been too short to provide consistent results. The energy output might have even been lacking to trigger a proper transformation, but the behavior was clear.

"It works," Khan said, his voice still hoarse. "I can feel my body wanting to change."

Khan's smile had multiple reasons. The most superficial was the simple ecstasy caused by the success of that experimental procedure, but deeper layers existed.

Khan's current body came from the Nak genes, which he had struggled to accept for a long time. Changing it into something more aligned with his characteristics would finally detach him from that species, albeit the difference wasn't exactly striking.

The chaos element was part of the Nak's heritage, and any transformation would still carry their influence. However, Khan was ready to accept any improvement in his current situation. He was happy as long as he set the path for those changes.

Moreover, the apparent success of the experimental procedure was bound to overhaul Khan's training schedule. He had found something that could give him another edge over his fellow warriors, possibly even the evolved ones, which he wouldn't hesitate to pursue.

"This has the potential to be revolutionary," Khan laughed, lifting his head to look at Monica. "I must have Garret keep track of my changes."

Monica couldn't share Khan's excitement. Seeing that crazed face littered with red spots froze her once again. For the first time since the beginning of her relationship, she couldn't recognize Khan. She only saw the alien.

The impression went beyond the bright eyes, terrible skin, and overall terrifying appearance. Khan felt wilder than usual. There was something unruly about his presence, and Monica couldn't help but think about one of his old titles. Many would see the monster of Nippe 2 in that scene.

The sensation only lasted for a fraction of a second. Monica came back to her senses and drew her phone, quickly typing the only contact that could help in that situation. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Abraham, yes," Monica immediately confirmed. "We need medical assistance. Is the team still nearby?"

Of course, a medical team had remained outside the cave area, so doctors didn't take long to reach Khan. They wrapped him in ointments and bandages, but he kept smiling, occasionally giving orders to Abraham, who was overseeing the process.

"I need a full scan," Khan commanded, "With blood samples and everything. I want to know what's happening to me."

"Also," Khan continued, pointing at the black spot he had spat out earlier. "Get that analyzed. I need to know what it is."