Chaos Heir

Chapter 1164 Cryptic

Khan's ship had been ready since his forces sent it to Coravis, and his long training session eventually ended. He could test a few more things and indulge in another abundant banquet, but the time to depart eventually arrived.

Of course, Khan, Garret, and Gordon gathered for a supposedly long meeting before that departure, but the latter didn't need any directives. Everything was proceeding smoothly, and Khan had written down his will long ago. Now that Garret knew about the scarlet eyes, Khan didn't have to add more orders. His scientist would take care of them.

So, the meeting ended up being far shorter than expected, and Khan found himself on his ship less than a week after his return to Coravis. The usual grand greetings unfolded, but Khan eventually set off, escaping the planet's atmosphere and pushing his ride into the depths of space.

The journey promised to be long, restless, and uneventful for the first stretch. Coravis had been the Great Old One's checkpoint, making it the center of its vast perception. The ancient creature had already explored the quadrants immediately past the planet, so Khan knew he wouldn't find anything useful there.

Still, an uneventful journey had its uses. Khan would lack checkpoints from that point onward, so fuel and supplies became an issue. He could go quite far, farther than where the Great Old One had explored, but he still needed to account for the trip back, which created severe limitations.

Having a long stretch that wouldn't require stops or breaks could help a great deal in saving fuel. With Garret's help, Khan had set precise directives for the ship's autopilot, ensuring it would preserve its resources as much as possible during the journey's initial phase.

That would usually mean that Khan could kill time and avoid paying attention to the control desk, but the reality wasn't as nice to him. As plentiful as the Great Old One's knowledge was, it remained slightly outdated, and Khan's unique perspective could also uncover details the ancient creature might have missed.

There was another reason, too. Khan's perception didn't improve after inheriting the Great Old One's genes. It seemed that the ability had been unique to the ancient creature, like an element of some sort. Yet, Khan had still unlocked something, and watching past the transparent canopy made it evident.

Only a true host could find the Nak. Only the Tainted creature that retained its mind against the nightmares could become a proper heir and seize the Nak's legacy.

In the past, Khan had been able to hear the Nak's call only when their remains were nearby. However, gaining the Great Old One's memories had sharpened his instincts. He couldn't quite sense where the Nak were, but his subconscious hunches told him he was on the right path.

Those feelings were faint but unmistakable, and Khan could make them clearer. He had already tested the subject, too. Looking at the universe from behind the ship's canopy already triggered them, but immersing himself inside that dark expanse while removing any obstruction intensified them, almost drawing the path he needed to follow.

So, Khan couldn't leave the ship's bridge. He had to stay in his seat, studying the dark expanse due to the remote chance that something might pop out. It was tedious, boring work, and things were bound to worsen.

A ship offered few recreational activities. Khan usually killed time by drinking, eating, or training, but the latter left the equation as soon as he finished absorbing the mana accumulated through the [Blood Vortex].

Khan didn't even have foreign memories to explore and had completed his physical training on Coravis. Soon, only the normal meditation and the blind exploration of his new instincts remained, which were far from the most entertaining activities.

As for eating and drinking, Khan sadly had to hold himself back. As vast as his ship's cargo area was, the journey promised to be longer. Garret had tried calculating its duration, but much remained unclear, forcing him to draw quite restrictive rationing.

The booze was sort of an exception, but Khan felt he had to add it to the rationing, too. He knew how unstable he was, and the journey could tick him off, so he needed some company during those almost inevitable dark moments.

At last, the journey would eventually create a problem with the communication array. Khan's ship was an engineering marvel, and Garret had even improved anything that could be improved. Only Leviathan-class rides surpassed its reception, but the journey promised to bring Khan far past it.

Soon, Khan would be cut off from the network and any chance to contact his forces. He would truly be alone, wandering the unexplored universe with no potential backup. Garret had planted a few security measures in his ship, but they would only activate if enough time passed and Khan still didn't return.

That meant a single mistake could kill Khan or leave him stranded for a prolonged time, with no chance of shortening it. The Great Old One's genes had improved his odds, but traveling through space remained difficult. Sadly, there was no solution to the issue, so Khan simply pushed the ship forward, watching the edge of his communication array's limits drawing closer each day.

Khan half-hoped to find something before that point of no return, but nothing happened. His instincts remained silent, giving him nothing to check or explore. The dark, endless scenery past the canopy became dull after weeks passed, promising to remain empty forever until it didn't.

To Khan's surprise, a communication reached the control desk when the ship was approaching the edge of the network's coverage. He had left precise directives about those matters, so he expected the message to come from Garret, wishing him a safe journey or updating him on something important.

Instead, the message was from Abraham, and its contents were quite cryptic. The scientist asked for advice on a strange call that had reached Baoway's labs and wanted Khan's opinion.

Khan was starving for entertainment by then, so he didn't hesitate to play the call's recording, and his glowing eyes grew colder as soon as he heard that robotic, altered voice.

"I cracked it," The unrecognizable voice resounded from the control desk's speakers. "I know how to turn the Scalqa's tissues into organic mana cores without compatibility issues."

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