899 Stump

Colonel Norrett was properly excited now. He had almost accepted that his chances to aim for the extreme induction were gone, but Khan was giving him hope, and the bright eyes in his view reinforced it.

"Besides,

" Khan continued.

"I need someone able to deter my family's attacks until I can do it myself. A simple evolved warrior wouldn't do.

"

"I heard you were still a fourth-level warrior,

" Colonel Norrett commented.

"Do I look like a fourth-level warrior to you?

" Khan asked.

Colonel Norrett had many answers, none befitting his new position. Nevertheless, his silence satisfied Khan, who stood up and began returning to the ship.

"Khan,

" The Colonel called, remaining on the ruined pool's edge.

"Would it be possible to meditate here for a while?

"

Khan had crossed the Colonel but turned to inspect him. Some eagerness had filled the man, and his eyes often fell on the pool, revealing the target of his interest.

"Do you even need to meditate anymore?

" Khan wondered.

"I have a training method suitable for the natural induction,

" Colonel Norrett explained, raising his hand to study it.

"However, I mainly want to get accustomed to this strange substance.

"

Khan couldn't help but feel slightly happy. The Colonel's failed evolution had still changed him, granting him a superior sensitivity level. He lacked proper heightened senses but had still opened a window into the world only Khan could see.

Needless to say, that was heartwarming for Khan. His spiritual loneliness wavered for an instant before regaining full power. Yet, that moment remained priceless.

"My first evolved warrior won't train with ruined equipment,

" Khan announced.

"Come. I have something better.

"

Khan didn't have to ask twice. Colonel Norrett followed Khan to the ship, waiting as he flew them back to the city. The two soon landed on a building, and crossing a few corridors and elevators revealed the incredible destination.

Colonel Norrett found himself inside a dim room with soil as the floor. The place had nothing but a series of blue plants growing from seemingly random spots. Even while inside a mostly artificial area, that vegetation was thriving, creating an atmosphere that matched what the Colonel had experienced near the pool.

"This is my private training area,

" Khan explained.

"You can meditate here tonight. I'll have something else prepared by tomorrow.

"

Colonel Norrett was too focused on his body's reactions to muster proper words. He limited himself to a nod, slowly diving inside the room. He looked lost in that small environment, and his legs stopped when he reached its center.

"I'll leave a few soldiers outside for anything you might need,

" Khan said, recognizing the Colonel's mood.

"Good night.

"

Khan didn't wait for the Colonel's answer. He exited the room, sealing it while summoning soldiers. Usually, he would never allow outsiders in his private training area, but Colonel Norrett was a special case, and he wanted everything to go smoothly.

Once the soldiers arrived, Khan hurried to the first available balcony. The morning was close, making sleeping pointless. However, he owed Monica some regular bedtime, and the idea of watching her rest on him soon turned into a powerful urge.

Yet, the universe wasn't done with Khan that night. A message reached his phone before he could set off, updating him on a critical issue that made him change his plans.

Khan set off but flew outside the city, heading for structures built explicitly for the revolutionary project. The place had multiple warehouses connected through isolated metal corridors, and their reinforced surfaces prevented Khan from inspecting their insides.

Doors opened as soon as Khan landed before the warehouses, revealing teams of scientists, labs, and priceless equipment. Everyone bowed at his passage while he headed directly for the main areas, and the audience soon started to change.

The initial warehouses only had human scientists, but Fuveall appeared as Khan reached the last ones. That alien presence on Baoway had increased in the past weeks, and many almost lived in those labs.

Nevertheless, the warehouses were only the superficial aspect of the revolutionary project. The scientists mostly processed data and materials there. The experiments happened underground, which Khan reached through an elevator at the structure's end.

The polite, tense, and silent atmosphere vanished as soon as Khan descended to the structure's lower levels. Shouts immediately reached his ears when the elevator's doors opened, and he recognized each voice.

"Tell this metal-headed fool that my arm was far better than this!

" Major General Arngan shouted.

"Major General, Sen-nu can speak our language,

" Garret reminded.

"He knows,

" Sen-nu snorted.

"He just likes to insult Sen-nu's genius to mask his ignorance.

"

"I remember how strong my arm was,

" Major General Arngan claimed.

"This thing can't even compensate for my pinkie!

"

The heated conversation kept the other human and Fuveall scientists away. The audience watched the fight unfold from the underground lab's sidelines, and many showed hope when they spotted Khan.

Khan did his best to understand the issue in those short seconds. Major General Arngan sat on an interactive desk, angrily waving his stumped right arm and pointing at it. His limb only reached up to slightly above the elbow, ending in a silver-blue cover.

The silver-blue cover differed from what Khan had seen in the Fuveall but still connected it to their technology. That organic metal had mana flowing inside, almost blending with the General's natural energy.

Nevertheless, the two types of energy didn't blend. The mana inside the Fuveall seamlessly flowed through organic tissues and metal alike, but in the General's case, it remained limited to the silver-blue cover. It worked, but the Global Army could have probably created something stronger without requiring invasive procedures.

Meanwhile, Sen-nu and Garret stood before the sitting General, the former too proud to admit design flaws and the latter doing his best as a mediator. The trio looked stuck at an impasse, and their eyes soon turned toward the newcomer.

"Khan!

" Sen-nu called.

"Tell this brute about Sen-nu's amazing design.

"

"Cocky brat!

" Major General Arngan shouted.

"You promised an arm, not this weak stump.

"

"Prince Khan, please,

" Garret pleaded.

"I'm not sure how to handle this situation.

"

Khan found the situation both annoying and amusing. The bickering reminded him about the Thilku and Ef'i, but seeing humans and aliens interacting so smoothly was fun. His idea of a multi-species organization didn't look too impossible in the end.

Still, those concerns needed to be addressed. Khan dived into the lab, reaching the trio and fixing his glowing eyes on the metal stump. Taking sides wasn't ideal, and both Major General Arngan and Sen-nu had points in their favor, but Khan had to speak the truth.

"I'm guessing this is only a testing prototype,

" Khan said, using the human language to make sure everyone understood him.

"You want to check whether the General's flesh can accept the implants, right?

"

"Exactly,

" Sen-nu proudly stated.

"Humans aren't strong enough for our implants, so Sen-nu has to see what works first.

"

"I keep telling you that I can work with far more than this,

" Major General Arngan snorted, waving his stump again.

"Are your scanners broken? Did you really think this was suitable for me?

"

"Our scanners studied you perfectly,

" Sen-nu claimed.

"We knew exactly how much you could bear right now.

"

"You are wrong,

" Major General Arngan declared.

"I can bear something a hundred times better than that.

"

"If you are in a hurry to lose what's left of your arm,

" Sen-nu uttered,

"Sen-nu will comply.

"

"Silence,

" Khan ordered.

"Both of you.

"

Khan's mood was still intense due to the training in the pool, so his words carried unmistakable weight. Sen-nu was only a third-level warrior, so he shook under their pressure. Meanwhile, the General noticed something but left those topics for later.

"General,

" Khan called.

"This field is revolutionary. Its first phases are bound to be slow. Besides, Sen-nu is the lead scientist here, so his judgment is paramount.

"

Sen-nu began to snicker and nod, but Khan had words for him, too.

"Sen-nu,

" Khan called, pointing at the metal stump.

"This prototype is a failure. The General's mana can't flow into it.

"

"Sen-nu knows,

" Sen-nu admitted.

"Sen-nu had another prototype ready, but this brute started complaining as soon as he saw its design.

"

"Because it was the same thing as this piece of trash,

" Major General Arngan explained.

"It won't work like this one.

"

"Sen-nu amped the muscle density and power output ten times,

" Sen-nu claimed.

"That's already dangerous for the first phase.

"

Major General Arngan snorted, and mana flowed into his right arm while he spun on himself, jumping off the interactive desk to plunge his stump on the floor.

An earthquake invaded the lab. Equipment shook and tilted over while the various scientists did their best to remain on their feet. The same went for Garret and Sen-nu, who failed to retain their balance and fell butt-first onto the floor.

Screeching noises echoed as the metal screamed in pain. The General's descending punch had bent the floor, creating a vast cavity in the lab. His previous interactive desk fell into it while Sen-nu and Garret managed to cling to its edge. Only Khan remained unaffected, hovering in the same position, using air as his new foothold.

The floor had bent without breaking, vouching for its resilience. Yet, the General had only delivered a simple punch, and the damage demonstrated his sheer physical strength. The lab had survived, but the General clearly required more than weak prototypes.

"Piece of crap,

" Major General Arngan scoffed, straightening his huge frame and showing his stump. The silver-blue metal had cracked, and shards were falling from his arm.