Khan took a short sip from the cap as he adjusted his position on the bed and prepared himself for a long meditation. Lieutenant Unchai inspected him with his curious eyes, but he didn't dare to say anything or question him about the recent events.
The Lieutenant didn't eavesdrop on Khan's conversation with the Colonel, but he remained curious about the matter, especially after seeing the soldier laughing while leaving the cave. He had no idea what Khan could have said to leave such a good impression on someone so high in the chain of command.
Khan would be unable to give proper answers even if the Lieutenant mustered the courage to question him. He had decided not to ask anything about the Nak to the Colonel, and the support of the Global Army was enough to grant him everything he needed. His request for the bottle had been somewhat random, even if it voiced some of his superficial desires. Still, he also didn't expect the soldier to have that happy reaction.
Khan repeated the conversation with the Colonel in his mind while Lieutenant Unchai inspected him. Truth be told, Khan didn't understand the soldier at all. The interaction had also been mostly casual, with only one line that seemed to hide something deeper.
'Definitely too young,' Khan repeated in his mind. 'What does it mean? Does he want to recruit me in one of his platoons? Does it have something to do with my element?'
Khan couldn't find answers. He didn't know enough to come up with solid hypotheses either. He could only rejoice a bit due to the faint envy that Lieutenant Unchai's curiosity tried to hide. That reaction probably confirmed his performance had been good, and that was enough for now.
"Is drinking before the final match a good idea?" Lieutenant Unchai eventually broke the silence.
"Sir, I'd like to be alone for the rest of the night," Khan responded without addressing the question. "I hope you don't mind."
"No, no," Lieutenant Unchai hastily said while snapping out of his curiosity. "Of course. Do what you need to prepare for tomorrow. I'll make sure to contact you one hour before the fight."
"Thank you, sir," Khan exclaimed while wearing a fake smile.
Lieutenant Unchai nodded before stepping out of the cave and closing it from the tunnel. A groan left Khan's mouth as soon as he remained alone. It actually hurt to hold the cap, but the ointments and the booze were helping with the pain.
Khan spared a few more thoughts on the Colonel before giving up on understanding the soldier's intentions. He took another sip from the cap and crossed his legs as his mind quickly slipped into the meditative state.
The nature of his injuries became perfectly clear now that mana illuminated them. Khan could confirm that his back and hands wouldn't heal before the battle, but he had enough time to bring himself to a decent state. The days on Onia lasted thirty hours, so he would also have the chance to sleep a bit.
Khan's night went by quietly. He spent most of his time in his meditative state, but he didn't hold back from taking a few breaks and drinking in silence.
The booze never got better, but Khan didn't stop drinking. He didn't aim to get drunk, but the familiar situation brought pleasant feelings. Longing spread in his mind as Khan left the bed and sat on the ground to bathe on its faint coldness. Onia didn't reach Nitis' low temperatures, but that was the best he could do there.
Khan didn't remember when he fell asleep. He went from immersing himself in some good memories to facing his nightmare. The unknown solar system filled his vision, but the noise generated by the cave's metal door eventually forced him to wake up.
"Is everything okay?" Lieutenant Unchai asked when he noticed Khan sleeping in the corner of the cave.
"Never better," Khan lied while scratching the corners of his eyes and standing up.
The ointments' effects had ended by then. Khan could experience his injuries to their fullest. The burns on his arms and chest had mostly healed, but his palms and back still needed some care. They felt annoying when he moved or closed his hands, but he confirmed that he could ignore them.
"A soldier will change your bandages now," Lieutenant Unchai announced while gesturing something toward the right side of the corridor. "He will give you a new uniform and apply the oint-."
"I'll skip the ointments," Khan interrupted. "I don't want to be clueless about my condition."
Lieutenant Unchai opened his mouth to say something, but he quickly closed it and nodded. He whispered a few lines when a soldier arrived in front of the cave, and the latter left the cylindric case in his hands outside before approaching Khan.
The soldier began to change the bandages, but Khan gave him precise instructions when he reached specific spots. Khan didn't want anything hindering his fingers or waist. He didn't care if some of his injuries ended up touching the military uniform during the battle.
The soldier glanced at Lieutenant Unchai whenever he heard those requests, and the latter nodded every time. He was putting his whole trust in Khan, so he didn't dare to go against him.
Khan gave dispositions for what was left of his bottle before leaving the cave with Lieutenant Unchai. The two crossed the corridor and reached the large circular hall in a few minutes, and many gazes welcomed them.
The various platforms were already full. Khan could confirm that the number of humans among the audience had increased since the previous day. He found the Colonel quickly, but he also noticed other powerful presences belonging to unfamiliar faces.
The audience didn't cheer or speak. Palpable tension filled the underground hall as Khan and Lieutenant Unchai approached the single large platform placed at the center of the area. Even the Ef'i appeared slightly worried about the incoming battle.
'The mine must be really big,' Khan thought before handing his sheath and phone to the Lieutenant.
Only two more people stood in the lower part of the underground hall. Two female Ef'i sat on the opposite end of the metal wall as they inspected the newcomers. Khan and the younger alien exchanged a long gaze, but they diverted their eyes when he decided to use the remaining time before the battle to rest.
The soldier who had handled the bandages had also brought some food, and Khan digested it during the short meditation performed next to the metal walls. Lieutenant Unchai interrupted his rest when the battle was only a few minutes away, and the two remained silent while they waited for the event to start.
The glow of the artificial lights then began to intensify, and Khan stood up to approach the ring. Lieutenant Unchai followed him, and the two Ef'i imitated them. The usual procedures before the battle went by in a few seconds, and Khan soon found himself alone with his opponent on the stage.
The countdown appeared on the floor. Khan noticed that it was longer than before, but the Ef'i suddenly claimed his attention by speaking in a decent human accent. "Khan, you will lose if you hold back."
"[You know I name]," Khan replied as best as he could.
"[I'm Mezmac]," The Ef'i announced as a smile appeared on her face. "[Give me a good battle]."
Khan moved his eyes between his opponent and the countdown. He found no reason to answer, but his hands opened and closed as the battle drew close. The uncomfortable sensations and pain radiated by his injuries lost intensity as he focused on the mana in the area.
Both contestants shot forward when the floor turned green. Khan was faster than his opponent, but the latter halted her steps before the two could clash.
Khan didn't let that event stop him, but his eyes widened when he saw the Mezmac using her momentum to launch her tail forward. The pointy limb was outside his range, but it threw a wave of mana when it cracked in the air.
The attack had the shape of a sharp bullet that reached Khan in an instant. He had sensed his creation and arrival, but he didn't expect something so fast. He had to duck to his right to dodge the projectile, but the sharp mana ended up leaving a shallow cut on his left shoulder.
Mezmac used that chance to jump forward. Her body rotated as she performed a kick that Khan dodged easily by taking a step back. However, she followed that movement by cracking her tail and launching another bullet aimed at the center of his chest.
Khan was faster than Mezmac, but her spell could match his speed. He dodged to his left, and the bullet left a long cut on his right side.
Khan accepted that dodging the bullets at that distance was impossible, but Mezmac didn't give him the chance to adjust his position. She continued to advance and deliver fast kicks, punches, and attacks that made use of her claws, and her tail cracked whenever he reacted to them.
Retreating made shallow cuts appear on Khan's body, but he didn't dare to counterattack. That would leave him in the open against the tail. Mezmac also made sure not to show any opening during her offensive, so Khan's kick wouldn't have the chance to hit her torso directly.
Mezmac was making full use of her additional limb and knowledge of Khan's abilities. She knew that a single kick on her torso could end the battle, so she made sure to force Khan into a defensive position. He didn't let any severe injury appear on his body, but his situation remained troublesome.
Khan eventually decided to change his approach. Mezmac threw a kick at him, and he responded with a kick of his own. Their feet met mid-air, and Khan used that clash to push himself backward.
The superior speed generated by the clash wasn't enough to escape the threatening tail. Mezmac launched a precise bullet after Khan and forced him to cross his arms in front of his chest before activating the [Blood Shield]. The attack tore his uniform and skin, but his defensive technique managed to prevent the appearance of deeper injuries.
Khan escaped Mezmac's range and reached the ring's edge. The Ef'i couldn't catch up with him, so she remained in her position and inspected her opponent going back in his stance.
"[This won't help you]," Mezmac stated while raising her tail above her head and accumulating mana on its tip.
Khan didn't answer. He had kept track of Mezmac's mana during the previous exchanges. Her spell didn't require much energy since she relied on the tail's quick movements to add that sharp power. She could keep fighting for a long time, and his body would be the first to give in.
His torso, shoulders, and arms featured many shallow cuts. They didn't release much blood, but they could become dangerous if more of them were to appear. Still, Khan didn't have a real tactic available. Even his knife wouldn't help in that situation.
Mezmac's tail was simply too fast. Khan could avoid its attacks from his current distance, but the cycle of dodges and injuries would resume once he approached her. Mezmac could also interrupt his spells easily as long as she didn't commit mistakes, and Khan didn't want to hope in his opponent's errors to win.
"[So, are you ready to fight me seriously]?" Mezmac asked as she bent her knees and prepared herself to resume her offensive. "[I know that you have something else for me]."
Khan couldn't help but show some hesitation now that Mezmac forced him to think, and she didn't like that reaction. Her tail shot forward before stopping abruptly and releasing a fast bullet. Khan had enough room to dodge it, but his legs remained still.
A broad smile appeared on Mezmac's face when a red-purple glow shone in her vision. Excitement filled her expression before some confusion made its way among that feeling.
The bullet had disappeared when Khan had moved his arm. A sharp membrane had appeared around his hand and had allowed him to cut the projectile. However, blood had spurted out of his fingers and palm as soon as he completed the attack.
"[That won't be enough]," Mezmac whispered as she kept her eyes on the glowing hand, but her smile broadened when Khan raised his other hand and enveloped it in another sharp membrane.
