Chaos' Heir

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Khan's injuries were numerous and vast but also shallow. The ointments did wonders when coupled with an ordinary meditative session, basically restoring his usual appearance in a matter of hours.

The ointments and Khan's unique body weren't the only aspects that had facilitated that recovery. The unusual state resulting from the immersion in the pool quickened the process. It almost seemed like Khan's flesh wanted to regrow, albeit in a slightly different shape.

That difference was unnoticeable. Even Khan struggled to spot it, so the audience at the tournament never had a shot at it. The guests only saw a few still-unhealed faint red spots, which Khan easily justified with some half-lies.

The day went smoothly, but Khan found himself dodging the parties once again when the night arrived. He departed alone, flying into the city to reach one of his labs in the main building.

The involved personnel had been warned, and Khan found everything ready when he entered the lab. Abraham and Garret were expecting him, planning to add a full-body scan to the samples retrieved in the cave.

Khan had undergone a similar procedure, but the familiar and friendly environment added a pleasant touch. He still felt like a guinea pig while the two scientists poked blood and tiny chunks of flesh out of him, but the situation justified those tests.

"The current samples are clearer, My Prince," Abraham eventually announced, studying the test results on his console. "Whatever happened inside the pool stabilized now."

"It's worth mentioning your blood levels are still strange, Prince Khan," Garret added, also looking at his console. "The algorithm for mana-enhanced warriors can't justify them."

"That algorithm was developed for humans, right?" Khan questioned.

"Indeed, Prince Khan," Garret confirmed.

"That should explain it," Khan continued.

"Yes," Garret exclaimed. "However, the difference remains striking, and I'm not sure your mutations can justify them. I've seen a similar pattern in my studies, but linking it to your recent training session sounds unreasonable."

"What do you mean?" Khan asked.

"One short training session can't produce these results," Garret explained, facing the interactive desk where Khan sat. "This process must have gone on for months or even years."

"Which process exactly?" Khan wondered, crossing his legs to sit more comfortably on the desk.

"The natural induction, Prince Khan," Garret revealed, "Which shouldn't be possible in your case, is it?"

"Describe it to me again," Khan requested.

"The natural induction uses the warrior's mana to transform his body gradually," Garret explained. "Some stimulants can be used to facilitate the process, but the users' mana remains the main fuel."

"And why shouldn't it be possible in my case?" Khan asked.

"Because a complete attunement with mana is required, Prince Khan," Garret replied. "Only then does the body have the right state and enough energy to enforce a transformation."

Khan diverted his bright gaze, going over his unique features. The Nak mutations probably made him more inclined to transform through mana, and an anomaly afflicted his energy. The [Blood Vortex] also gave him far more fuel than average, so the idea wasn't entirely unreasonable.

"Let's say it's happening," Khan declared, focusing on Garret again. "Is it a problem?"

"Usually," Garret announced, "Attempting a preemptive evolution leads to body instabilities. Humankind has tested many approaches but has always found it impossible to keep the process homogeneous."

"And in my case?" Khan questioned.

"It-" Garret sighed, "It appears homogeneous. Though I can't explain how, Prince Khan."

Khan looked at his hands while his mind explored past topics. He had guessed that a similar process was happening, and the confirmation had arrived. He was still transforming, and the blue plants had only facilitated that.

"My Prince," Abraham called, "I don't mean to pry, but how many unorthodox training methods are you pursuing? Knowing them might give us a better idea of what's happening to you."

Abraham knew something, but Garret's presence forced him to be vague. He didn't want to reveal Khan's secrets without his explicit permission, so his question left the last word to him.

"My mana is more intense than average," Khan explained, hinting at his mana anomaly. "I also have a method to enhance the normal meditation, and I didn't hold back with the blue plants."

"Do you have anything more scientific to say, Prince Khan?" Garret wondered.

"This is the best way I can explain it," Khan said, and Abraham nodded at him, knowing Garret wouldn't notice the gesture.

"In that case," Garret uttered, "I can only suggest constant check-ups to catch any deviation in time."

"That I can do," Khan confirmed.

"However," Garret continued, "The pool is another issue. Your recent training session requires a different investigation altogether."

Garret turned to look at Abraham, who approached a cylindrical machine and retrieved a circular container from its socket. The item was transparent, so Khan saw a black substance inside and connected it to what he had spewed after exiting the pool.

"This is mostly waste product, My Prince," Abraham explained, showing the circular container. "It's superfluous organic matter that your body doesn't really need. However, studying it revealed two things."

"The training session damages your body," Garret continued, "And alters your tissues."

Khan reviewed the explanation in his mind for a few seconds before uttering a single word. "So?"

"So, My Prince," Abraham sighed. "The next time, you might spit out vital tissues, like a piece of your stomach, lungs, or even heart."

"Moreover," Garret added, "The alteration isn't homogeneous. The likelihood of deviations appears ensured, especially with longer training sessions."

Khan had identified similar problems already but didn't come to the lab to confirm them. He had put his best two scientists on the task, so he wanted answers, and it seemed one had some.

"Garret, what is it?" Khan asked, his piercing eyes noticing something in his mana.

"The sample from when your training session had just ended, Prince Khan," Garret announced, lowering his gaze in thought. "I think I've seen a similar trend but in different cases."

"Explain," Khan ordered.

"This is uncharted territory, Prince Khan," Garret stated. "I'd rather not make assumptions with so little data."

"Make them anyway," Khan reiterated the order.

Garret wasn't part of Khan's inner circle. In many ways, he was still an outsider to Baoway, and his position stood on his reliability and expertise. Making wrong scientific assumptions could ruin him, especially since they involved Khan's training. However, refusing to answer when those bright eyes were pointed at him wasn't an option.

"The trends look similar to my studies of the aided metamorphosis," Garret revealed. "Yet, they are most unusual."

"Unusual how?" Khan questioned.

Garret opened his mouth but quickly closed it. He had no easy way to describe his thoughts to scientists with no advanced expertise in the topic, let alone Khan, so he approached an empty interactive desk, hoping a visual explanation could help.

"The aided metamorphosis mainly needs three things," Garret explained, summoning a hologram of a faceless body and adding empty brackets at its side.

"A catalyst," Garret continued, typing the word on the holograms. "Something that can induce a specific transformation. The mineral carrying the life element mentioned by Major General Arngan back then is one."

"A reagent," Garret said, moving to the next bracket, "Something that can trigger and facilitate the transformation. Humankind has developed many chemicals for the job, but they always need some tweaks depending on the individual."

"Lastly," Garret added, reaching the last bracket, "Energy. Well, mana specifically tuned for the procedure."

Khan listened attentively and noticed resemblances with his training session. However, he couldn't understand what Garret was up to.

"Of course," Garret announced, "This is only a broad and superficial description. The actual procedure involves many stages and variables, which would be pointless to list now."

"I get it," Khan said. "What's the issue?"

"The issue, Prince Khan," Garret stated, "Is that it seems you are using your element as the catalyst. It appears you are forcing an aided metamorphosis, a self-metamorphosis, if you will."

"I like self-metamorphosis," Khan admitted. "Still, isn't this good? It should face fewer hurdles than normal metamorphoses, right?"

"Except you'd be transforming into yourself, Prince Khan," Garret explained, "Which is what the natural induction aims to do. You are only adding a strong reagent to the process."

"Hence the uncharted territory," Khan understood.

"Indeed, Prince Khan," Garret confirmed. "I must warn you. This procedure isn't safe or tested. Also, it sounds superfluous due to your apparent ongoing transformation."

Garret had a point. It seemed that Khan was already undergoing something similar to the evolution, so adding an untested procedure to his training schedule would only increase his problems and put him in danger. Yet, Khan felt he couldn't wait for a gradual growth. He wanted power, and he wanted it now.

"So," Khan announced, focusing on the holograms. "I have the catalyst, and the reagent works. I also have a way to increase my energy reserves. What more would I need?"

"A way to make the transformation homogeneous, My Prince," Abraham responded, "And a higher tolerance to the substance to prevent organ damage. Am I right, Mister Bizelli?"

Garret was almost shocked Abraham was playing along with Khan. He had done his best to explain the procedure's flaws and dangers, but the two still wanted to explore that procedure.

"Garret?" Khan called, clearly demanding an answer.

"The potential complications are numerous," Garret declared, "But, yes, those are the requirements even to attempt to continue the procedure."

"It sounds like your workload just increased," Khan announced. "Get it done. I'll deal with the tolerance issue."