Chaos' Heir Chapter 979: Arrogance

Chapter 979: Arrogance

The arrogance in Khan's statement surpa.s.sed all his past claims.

The Thilku Empire wasn't simply another alien species. It was a society turned into a war machine, and its mere mention could strike fear in any kind of military organization.

The Ef'i's presence in Baoway confirmed that point. The former was a species of battle maniacs, but even they respected the Empire's prowess for multiple concerning reasons. The Thilku themselves were physically impressive. They were almost the Scalqa's match when it came to raw strength but also had martial arts and spells to enhance their innate gifts. Moreover, the Empire's constant expansion had filled its armories with libraries of alien knowledge. The Thilku had countless techniques and spells at their disposal, and their war- driven society had processed that sea of information toward a single purpose: Strengthening the Thilku.

The same went for the Empire's technology. Its endless wars had filled its warehouses with precious resources, turning them into fuel for more numerous, better weapons. The Thilku often held back during their conquests out of pride, but their actual battle prowess was unfathomable.

However, Khan had calmly claimed that he would take the Empire down. That unreasonably bold statement had actually come out of his mouth, and the audience didn't know how to take it. History told them Khan was serious about it, but that sounded too much even for him.

Nevertheless, the issue at hand didn't change. If anything, Khan's statement sent a clear message to the faction loyal to the Global Army.

Khan was ready to face the Empire only in the instance of betrayal. Meanwhile, Brigadier General Meadrey had been the one to attack him. It stood to reason Khan would reserve the General the same treatment.

Hence, the reason behind Khan's "merciful" actions. He had chosen to settle for the Brigadier General and his troops instead of going against the entirety of humankind. The latter had a different society, but Khan still saw it as holding back.

The news of Khan's stance and his previous revelation silenced the audience. Admittedly, the Global Army had to have a contingency plan against a potential invasion. Khan's resolve was also admirable. He looked ready to bear his share of responsibilities if his decisions ended up hurting humankind.

The two didn't solve the issue but eased Khan's guilt. Truthfully, the Global Army probably wouldn't have used or exposed the information about the military planet anyway. It only wanted Khan to update it to prepare countermeasures and eventually turn the news into leverage.

That was the nature of the chain of command and the intricacies of politics. That was how a proper Amba.s.sador had to behave. That was how someone in Khan's position should think, but mere rules couldn't control him.

That was a reoccurring issue with Khan, something many parties had tried to fix through different ploys. However, nothing had worked against him, eventually forcing everyone to settle for mutual benefits. Only the Nognes Excellencies had gained something without giving anything away, but that was a unique situation in and of itself.

The bluff successfully split Mister Cirvags and Brigadier General Seycomb's united front. The two didn't show it, but Khan saw their mana's stances. Distrust had begun to build between the two, and Khan couldn't let either try to salvage it.

"I've been clear about my every step," Khan declared. "What I have, I've fought for. I never attacked and only reacted while continuing to do my job. This situation is no different."

"Is this what humankind has to accept now?" Mister Cirvags questioned. "Should the Global Army be at the mercy of the [Blue Shaman]?"

"When it comes to the Thilku Empire," Khan responded. "It already is."

"Preposterous!" Brigadier General Seycomb finally spoke, standing up. "Is the Global Army a joke to you, Prince Khan? Should I remind you who negotiated an alliance with the Thilku Empire in the first place?"

"The Global Army may have initiated it," Khan said, "But it's the [Blue Shaman] who evolved it."

"You are just one Major," Brigadier General Seycomb pointed out. "The Global Army didn't authorize you for this level of authority."

"I don't remember asking for it," Khan stated. "And, let's not kid ourselves. You would have happily enjoyed my benefits without this news. You are making such a fuss simply because you want more."

As always, Brigadier General Seycomb felt that dealing with Khan was a headache. He had spoken the truth, but those words shouldn't appear in such public environments. Everyone knew about them, but they belonged in private negotiations.

Still, Khan didn't know or didn't care about those rules. Actually, the messier and more unorthodox the situation was, the more he would benefit. The Global Army held the advantage whenever it had the home field, but outside was Khan's playground, and he didn't forget to remind the world.

"Unless you are unhappy with the current resolution," Khan added. "Am I being too merciful? Should I increase the scope of my attack?"

Both Brigadier General Seycomb and Mister Cirvags wanted to argue, but neither spoke. One General and five hundred soldiers were nothing compared to Khan's monopoly over the Thilku Empire. Sure, they wanted more out of that mess, but Khan was leaving no openings. Of course, most negotiations would have to wait for Khan to deal with Brigadier General Meadrey. The Global Army would also have to wait its turn since the n.o.bles and Nognes Excellencies obviously came before it.

Mister Cirvags' issue was more personal, but he also had to wait his turn. Moreover, he was a Global Army servant, so his feelings couldn't interfere with his superiors' decisions. At most, he could contact the Thilku Empire directly, but even that would require authorizations from

above.

The conference seemed to have reached a stalemate, but one thing became clear. Unknowingly to the audience, everyone had silently accepted the imminent battle's outcome. Somehow, no one expected Khan to lose.

"If that'll be all," Khan announced, "I'll prepare my troops for battle. We'll postpone the individual meetings until after my return."

Khan left the central desk, heading toward one of the exits, when a thought halted his steps.

"Right," Khan muttered, eyeing the audience again. "I hope my admission won't stir your greed. I'm not in the mood to renegotiate existing deals."