Khan and Monica woke up at the same time, but the latter panicked as soon as she realized where she was. The two had ended up sleeping in Khan's flat, which looked terrible from a social perspective.
"Shit!" Monica cursed while straightening her back to sit on the bed. "Shit, shit! This shouldn't have happened."
Khan let out a sigh while glancing at his phone. Countless missed calls and messages had accumulated on the screen, but the time was reassuring. It was still early morning, so he had the entire day to handle his many tasks.
"Maybe we can erase the tape," Monica suggested. "Khan, you know the doorman. Can he-?"
Monica couldn't finish her line since Khan sat down and laid his head on her shoulder. Merely thinking about everything he had to do was exhausting, and the childish desire to cuddle a bit longer took over him.
The panic vanished from Monica's mind. She smiled while taking Khan's head between her arms. He rarely relied on her so openly, so the gesture filled the symphony with cozy feelings due to the affection they radiated.
"How are you feeling?" Monica whispered while leaving a loving kiss on the top of Khan's head.
"Body is fine," Khan reassured. "Mind is getting better."
"Stay here as long as you like then," Monica stated, and a giggle left her mouth when Khan took her waist to pull her onto his lap.
Another kiss arrived on Khan's head, but he continued to hide his face on Monica's shoulder. He held her tightly, and she did the same while leaving loving caresses and running her fingers through his short hair.
"My poor, tired captain," Monica muttered when Khan snuggled closer to her neck. "What can I do to lift your spirit?"
"Make the days longer," Khan groaned while his lips were on Monica's skin, "So I can stay like this for hours."
Monica could barely contain her happiness. She adored being at the center of Khan's attention, so she didn't hesitate to state her support. "Sure. I'll bend time for you."
Khan began to lift his head, rubbing his nose on Monica's neck until he finally reached her cheek. He pulled his face away at that point, but the two remained close enough to feel their breath.
"What is it?" Monica whispered, taking Khan's cheeks in her palms. "Is bending time not enough?"
"Nothing will ever be enough," Khan teased, "But you did get pretty close to it last night."
"Did I?" Monica giggled. "I guess I know what you like."
"You did get a lot of practice," Khan joked.
"Oh, shut it," Monica complained, pushing Khan down. His back fell on the bed, but his eyes remained glued to Monica's naked beauty.
Monica wanted to pretend to be angry a bit longer, but her plan crumbled under Khan's attentive stare. He had eyes only for her, and she knew how to retain that interest.
A smirk made its way into Khan's face when Monica completely turned to sit on his waist. Her hands ran over his abdomen, tracing the edges of his muscles until they reached his chest. Monica almost gasped when she felt Khan's reaction under her butt, but she held back to enjoy having him all caught in the spectacle.
"If you want," Monica eventually announced while slightly bending toward Khan, "We can spend the day here."
"Ooh?" Khan voiced as he began to straighten his back. Monica supported herself to his shoulders, wrapping her legs around him once he sat again.
"Though," Monica continued as some shyness finally touched her voice, "I want you to say it."
"What should I say?" Khan feigned ignorance while diving into Monica's neck.
"Say," Monica gasped to suppress a moan. "Say that you want me to stay. Say that you want nothing but me for the entire day."
"What happens when the day is over?" Khan teased once he reached Monica's ear.
"You say it again," Monica whispered while pulling herself slightly away to face Khan, "And I'll stay for another day."
"People will get suspicious if we hide in my flat," Khan pointed out.
"I don't care," Monica replied.
"What about your family?" Khan continued.
"I don't care," Monica repeated. "If you ask me, I won't mind dealing with the consequences."
"You must really like what we do when we are alone," Khan snickered, and his smile widened when a soft slap landed on his cheek.
"Idiot," Monica laughed before gulping. "It's not that."
"Don't you like it?" Khan wondered.
"Stupid!" Monica snapped and delivered another slap before hammering her fists into Khan's chest. "Idiot! Scoundrel! Donkey! Crook!"
Monica's fists slammed on Khan's chest whenever she voiced a new insult, but he eventually grabbed her wrists to make her stop. Monica tried to break free but gave in when Khan lifted her arms and put his forehead on hers.
"Unfair," Monica complained since she was trapped.
"Were you about to explain something?" Khan asked.
"No," Monica scoffed. "You don't deserve it."
"Can I earn it back?" Khan questioned.
"Ask me next month," Monica scoffed again.
"But I can barely go one day without you," Khan admitted.
"Really?" Monica used a sweet and honest tone.
"Imagine calling me unfair when you can be so cute," Khan sighed. "Can I at least get a kiss?"
"No," Monica pouted. "You give it to me."
Khan didn't dare to refuse. He let go of Monica as the two kissed, and the gesture soon brought them back on the pillows. Their passion was bursting, but an interruption eventually arrived.
Groans escaped Monica and Khan's mouths when buzzing noises filled the room. Monica's phone was on the floor, so they both turned toward the corner of the bed, where Khan's device was.
"Every fucking time," Khan cursed while lowering his head to dive into Monica's curls. She laughed while her arms and legs remained clung to Khan's neck and waist, but no words left her mouth. She limited herself to quick kisses on Khan's cheek to reassure him.
Khan picked up the phone only to discover that the number of missed calls had increased. He was getting three at the same time now, and he didn't even dare to look at the messages.
"What did you do now?" Monica asked when Khan threw his phone away.
"It must be about the third-level mage," Khan explained while returning to Monica's curls. "The Colonel updated my profile right before you barged in."
"That explains why I'm also getting calls," Monica exclaimed as her caresses started to convey something different from affection.
"What is it?" Khan questioned.
"I was thinking," Monica announced, "Maybe it's time I get another infusion. It should bring me closer to the third level."
Khan lifted his head to inspect Monica's expression. She was talking seriously, but her voice carried deeper meanings that Khan didn't fail to notice.
"You don't have to force yourself to keep up with me," Khan scolded.
"It was almost time anyway," Monica reassured. "Besides, you'll check on me, won't you?"
Khan smiled faintly before focusing on Monica's mana flow. He let go of the mattress to place a hand at the center of her chest, but he eventually put his ear there.
Khan's ears had gone through the same changes as his eyes. Somehow, he could hear the symphony and add those details to his sensitivity. Being so close to Monica gave him a clear idea of her state. Nothing was amiss. In theory, she could receive an infusion right away.
"Am I ready for the infusion, Doctor Khan?" Monica mocked once Khan lifted his head.
"I can't let you go until I perform a thorough check-up," Khan claimed, and Monica's giggle remained stuck in her mouth when a kiss sealed it.
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Leaving the building was a hassle. With the update on Khan's profile, a new crowd of soldiers and reporters had gathered on the sidewalk, but someone always made sure to keep a path open.
Of course, leaving with Monica gave birth to wild gossip, but the couple was in no mood to care. They reached for their car without answering questions and separated after reaching George's building.
The separation was part of the couple's plan. As much as Monica and Khan wanted to stay together, they had many tasks to attend to, so they settled for half a morning in the flat before going on separate ways. Monica would study with George and Anita, while Khan would hit a training hall.
Having money to spend allowed Khan to catch up with his hobbies, and the training halls were one of them. The embassy's subjects were interesting, but he couldn't abandon his warrior side, and the fighting programs could solve that.
However, Khan didn't activate the programs even after sealing himself inside the training hall. A few issues still needed his attention, and he sat on the floor to attend to them.
'I might have underestimated the prices,' Khan cursed while scrolling through the many labels on his screen. He had opened Pandora's menu, and the situation looked far from good.
Pandora's menu had many sections which went over all kinds of things. Khan saw basic goods like booze and food but also complicated machines like cars and advanced projectors. Needless to say, many of those items crossed the million of Credits in terms of price.
'They want three million Credits for a single bottle?!' Khan shouted while his browsing continued. 'Rich people are crazy.'
The surprises didn't end there since Khan found more expensive bottles, and the situation worsened in other sections. The money people would need to afford some of those items was unfathomable, which made him wonder about the subscription's original price.
'This is pointless,' Khan eventually admitted defeat and moved to the non-elemental spells. He would still give everything a look, but not now.
The non-elemental spells followed a similar pattern as the other sections. Many items surpassed the price of a million Credits, which made them untouchable for Khan. However, knowledge had its value, so he read each description carefully and discovered interesting details.
The list had deep descriptions attached to each label. They went over the effects of the spells as well as their compatibility with humans, difficulty, and sheer power. A few claimed to be as strong as actual techniques, which Khan didn't find odd after witnessing Lucian's fight.
The inspection at the Elite's Refuge and Pandora's list ultimately confirmed Khan's suspicions. The non-elemental spells could enrich someone's arsenal in many ways, often in fields unrelated to battles. Their variety was their scariest feature since they could come in any shape or form.
'There is no such thing as getting an idea,' Khan eventually accepted. 'There are too many of them to predict what someone might have. I bet the descendants even have some spells commissioned to fit their styles.'
Princess Edna appeared in Khan's mind. He recalled the words she had spoken during their first meeting. She had compared herself to him while being a second-level warrior, which probably hinted at special techniques and spells owned only by nobles.
The study wasn't going anywhere, and the insane price tags worsened the situation. Khan wasn't only confused. His poor finances also limited his choices.
Nevertheless, the list had one saving grace. Khan could afford some of Pandora's weakest spells, but he wasn't thinking about them. A few items had extremely poor compatibility with humans, which greatly lowered their value, even if their effects were quite strong.
The topic was quite troublesome for Khan, but he couldn't ignore it, especially in that situation. He wasn't entirely human. He had actually never been farther away from humanity. The transformation might give him access to incompatible spells without needing modifications or research.
'This might work,' Khan realized. 'The problem is, which one do I choose?'
Truth be told, Khan's fighting style was quite complete. He had speed, deadliness, and reach. Trading with the Tors had already fixed his weakness, and his senses were a powerful asset that made many items on the list pointless.
Getting something similar to Lucian's sound attack was also useless. Khan had the Nele's arts, which could produce far more creative effects. He could even copy Lucian's spell if he put his mind to it.
'Did I waste ten thousand Credits?' Khan eventually wondered before putting away that idea. Knowledge alone was worth the price, and he could still ask for second opinions. Monica could add a lot to that list, and George might come up with battle-related advice.
Khan left Pandora's menu at that point. He had something in mind, but another task came first. The techniques and books purchased from Ace High needed study, and he would dedicate the rest of the morning to them.
'Dangers of spacewalking,' Khan read on his phone as he made himself more comfortable.
Before mana, humanity used spacesuits to survive in space. That dark environment was too cold for the human body and debris that flew faster than bullets could be deadly without protection. Radiations were also an issue, and the same went for oxygen.
However, mana changed the way humanity approached space. The smaller ships and teleports almost made spacewalking outdated. However, some jobs still needed it, and malfunctions could always happen, so the pilots replaced spacesuits with techniques and non-elemental spells.
The cold was easy to fix. The Global Army developed advanced non-elemental spells capable of enveloping the body in a layer of kinetic energy. Khan had the best on the market, and one look at it told him that it wouldn't be too hard to master.
The debris was a problem that often required an additional technique or spell. Yet, Khan had purchased something that could deal with it while keeping him warm, allowing him to save money and time.
The radiations belonged to the same field. They would often require more protections, but Khan's purchase dealt with them too.
In theory, pilots also explored a superficial version of the Niqols' control since they needed the mana to float around. Still, the energy necessary to push a body in an environment without friction was so little that Khan didn't even consider purchasing actual techniques. He only bought a general manual that confirmed his idea.
Only the oxygen issue remained basically unsolved. The mana could make bodies able to extract it from hostile atmospheres, but space didn't have any. There was no air to breathe in that blackness, and no spell could fix that.
'Every ship has emergency breathers containing up to three hours of air,' Khan read in the manual. 'However, they can suffer damage or get lost during a crash, so a quick response in creating a personal atmosphere can be the difference between life and death.'
The insides of the ships had artificial atmospheres that would vanish in case of a breach. Still, pilots could use their mana to seize some air and store it under their protective spells. The amount of oxygen depended on many factors, but even a tiny bit could prolong someone's life during a crisis.
'I guess I should give them a try,' Khan thought as he connected his phone to the floor and stood up.
Khan reviewed the details of his techniques before summoning his mana. A thin strand of energy left his body and expanded to create a layer meant to envelop him. He had never performed anything similar, so he took it slow and focused on building a stable barrier.
A faint purple-red radiance slowly covered every inch of Khan's skin, leaving no connection between him and the outside world. He was completely shielded from the training hall's environment, but that was the easy part.
Under Khan's control, the purple-red radiance began to shake. The mana had to generate enough heat to fend off the space's cold, so the tremors had to be quite intense. In Khan's case, they had to make the barrier almost too hot to handle since it had to perform multiple functions.
The menus kept track of Khan's performance and updated him on the barrier's temperature. He knew the level he had to reach, so he pushed his control to the limit while forcing his mana to follow his instructions. The chaos element liked to tremble but hated those limitations, and problems eventually arrived.
A short flare escaped the barrier and triggered a chain reaction that spread wild tremors all over its fabric. More mana burst out of the technique until everything turned into a bright cloud that left Khan's skin. His execution had failed, leaving a few burnt spots on his uniform, but he rejoiced at that outcome.
'I can master it quickly,' Khan confidently claimed. 'I just need practice.'
Khan moved to the next part of his purchases, the technique for the personal atmosphere, which turned out to be slightly easier. He still needed to create a barrier, but the latter only required firmness since it had to contain air.
The short tests proved that the techniques were nothing special for someone like Khan, but knowing how to cast them wouldn't make him pass the pilot's course. He needed responsiveness and fast deployment, especially when using both simultaneously.
Of course, Khan didn't need that level of mastery right away. The pilot's course still wanted him to complete twenty flights, which would take months. He had time to learn his new techniques properly, so he could use the rest of the day for another task.
Waiting to talk to Monica and George was a valid option, but Khan wanted to get his own ideas first. The transformation had changed him, and no significant battle had followed. He didn't know his limits, but the training halls existed to test them.
Khan moved his phone toward one of the walls before exploring the various fighting programs. He had money now, so holding back on important details wasn't an option. He could choose chaos-resistant opponents that countered his style and see how it went.
The mood changed as soon as Khan left the settings alone. Coldness spread through the training hall when he drew his damaged knife and looked toward the clanging noises. Something was happening behind a wall, and a faint smile appeared on his face once it opened to reveal its contents.
Many metallic arms released whooshing noises when they cut their connections with the ten training dummies inside the workshops. Synthetic mana ran through those metal puppets and activated their functions, making them step forward and line up before the closing wall.
Khan's eyes darted left and right. He could see the mana now. He could follow that synthetic energy running under and through the puppets' reinforced black metal, but the scene left him unsatisfied. Something told him that they wouldn't be enough to test him.
Stomping on the floor activated the fighting program and made the ten puppets shoot toward Khan. They were fast and nimble, and he let them get within five meters of him before making the first move.
Khan gathered mana in his right hand, giving birth to three glowing needles that he immediately threw forward. The attacks targeted different puppets, but the latter crossed their metal arms to block them.
The needles pierced the metal and exploded, but the event didn't stop the puppets' advance. The ten dummies' initial plan was to encircle Khan to use their numerical advantage, but he disappeared as soon as his spell detonated.
One of the puppets targeted by the needle saw a shadow covering its red bionic eyes. A knee slammed on its head before it could understand what was happening, and the attack destroyed three-quarters of that structure.
Khan straightened his position, using the puppet's shoulder as a foothold while summoning more needles. His attack was already over, but the dummies had just started to turn in his direction. Somehow, everything felt too slow, but that didn't apply to him.
Three needles flew to Khan's right while he jumped to his left. He reached another puppet before explosions could resound, and the latter delivered a punch to catch him in mid-air.
Yet, Khan rolled on himself, slashing down with his knife. His acrobatic gesture made him dodge the punch, and his glowing weapon cut the dummy's head in half while he was upside down.
The other puppets chased after Khan, with two of them ready to welcome his landing. One thrust its arms forward while the other lifted its leg to deliver a kick. Khan saw attacks flying toward his face, chest, and torso, but they remained slow.
Khan was still rolling on himself, and the two puppets had even chosen an advantageous position. His legs were between the attacks and the floor, which theoretically made them useless. Yet, Khan only needed the faintest touch.
Khan's left leg rose to meet the incoming kick. He was in no position to stop the attack, but his figure vanished as soon as his foot touched the black metal. He had walked on flames, so that solid surface was more than enough to generate momentum.
The second round of needless had exploded by then. Two had destroyed the upper part of a dummy, while the other could only damage a metal arm. Still, that created a structural weakness that the shadow passing through it didn't hesitate to exploit.
The puppet with the damaged arm saw its torso splitting in half, but Khan didn't deign him a single look. He rushed toward the next dummy, and his senses had already warned him about the mass of mana accumulating in that position.
The following dummy had a rifle instead of an arm, and a red bullet shot from it as soon as Khan reached it. Yet, he raised his free hand to make the attack land on his palm, and the [Blood Shield] took care of it. As for the puppet, half of its head fell in the next second.
The remaining five puppets tried to establish a new battle formation, but Khan was too fast. Those dummies could use mana to fuel weapons or enhanced attacks, but they paled before Khan's speed, deadliness, and destructive power. He often crushed them before they could even show their abilities, leaving nothing but metal corpses in his path.
Khan didn't know what to think when he found nothing else to attack. The ten puppets had turned into broken rubble, ready to go back to the workshop. The fighting program had failed to be a challenge for him.
The menus confirmed Khan's old guess. He was beyond humans now. Standard training programs meant for third-level warriors and mages were beneath him. He would need something extreme to test his limits, but that would require more Credits.
'My fighting style is good,' Khan exclaimed in his mind while scratching his head with the knife's handle. 'I really can't think of anything right now.'
Having the knife so close made Khan notice the new damage. Cracks had spread through the holes in the dark metal, threatening to shatter the entire structure. Many came from the clash with the fabric of superior quality and power, but he knew his mana had helped in worsening the situation.
'It might not hold another fight,' Khan sighed as he stored the knife. 'I guess I'm stuck at rehearsing my foundation.'
Khan almost made up his mind about the matter when another idea appeared. He studied the training hall before retrieving his phone to do some research. The Harbor was famous for many things, and the network claimed that its structures were state-of-the-art.
'Maybe I can try it here,' Khan wondered while recalling the clicking growl heard with the Princess. The cloud spell was true to the chaos element, so it could show him something he had yet to realize. Besides, he had to see if he could make any progress with it.
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"You know who I am," Headmistress Holwen coldly announced to the crowd of curious bystanders. "Make a path, or I'll have all of you arrested."
A few rumors spread and went silent in a matter of seconds. The Headmistress' coldness was something that the crowd sensed very well, and a path soon opened on the sidewalk.
Headmistress Holwen kept her gaze straight as she headed toward the building containing training halls. She crossed the entrance and searched for the number mentioned by Khan, but that became pointless when she noticed him sitting in front of a door.
"Captain Khan," Headmistress Holwen called while approaching Khan. "Your relationship with the Princess doesn't give you the authority or privilege to summon me without sharing any relevant detail."
Khan stood up and performed a military salute. Part of him wanted to joke about the fact that the Headmistress had answered his call so quickly, but he held back. It was better to keep her in a good mood after his actions.
"So?" Headmistress Holwen exclaimed. "What's this urgent matter that requires my presence?"
"Well," Khan cleared his throat while eyeing the door next to him. "Maybe it's better if you see for yourself, ma'am."
Headmistress Holwen hated that prolonged mystery, but the Princess liked Khan, and he was also part of the reason behind yesterday's shopping session. Khan had done an incredible service to the embassy, so she decided to play along and approach the door by herself.
Khan cursed in his mind as soon as he felt the tremor in the Headmistress' presence. The latter had opened the door, and destruction had unfolded in her vision. The once perfect training hall now had channels dug into its walls, floor, and ceiling, with wires and sparks coming out of its deeper holes.
The menus were no better. The interactive floor had been thoroughly damaged, and the same went for the workshops behind the walls. The training hall had lost at least thirty percent of its functions, and the culprit didn't even try to hide.
"In my defense," Khan coughed when the Headmistress glared at him, "The hall claimed to have chaos-resistant materials. They weren't that resistant."
