Bangs resounded inside the forest. The Niqols who could stand attended their injured companions since the battle was basically over. Still, they couldn't help but shoot glances at the rectangular chunk of ice in the middle of a relatively empty spot whenever another loud noise resounded.
The injured Niqols and those who weren't helping didn't even try to hide their interest. Their eyes never moved away from the chunk of ice, and their mouths slowly opened as Khan's actions generated waves of astonishment inside them.
Liiza was among that audience. Her left shoulder wasn't in an ideal state, and her spell had left her drained. She had decided to rest near a tree while inspecting her secret boyfriend with her usual cold expression.
Khan firmly believed that the training halls were the best asset in the camps. Fighting against dummies that could feature different power levels and multiple martial arts made his battle prowess improve far faster than any other method. Even sparring with partners couldn't compare to the metal puppets.
However, the Global Army was still at the beginning of its relationship with the Niqols, so it couldn't teleport those incredible structures to Nitis. Khan had to practice in the Lightning-demon style on his own or against monsters, but that couldn't live up to the high standards developed after his intense training on Onia and after Istrone's crisis.
Depending on their innate features, the monsters would die in a few blows or remain completely unaffected by his attacks. Khan could only test his proficiency level against those creatures, but his actual battle experience didn't improve a lot. He still grew used to the battlefield, but those fights didn't push him beyond the limits of his expertise.
The bull stuck inside Liiza's ice wasn't a worthy opponent either, but Khan felt happy to finally have something that could endure his blows and give him an actual understanding of his power.
Khan kicked the bull's exposed head, making sure to alternate his legs and go through all the techniques described by the Lightning-demon style. He didn't care that the Niqols were staring at him during the process. They couldn't learn much from a simple observation of his moves, and his blows were too fast to memorize anyway.
The bull had a metallic skin that seemed able to absorb and endure every blow, so Khan could go crazy. He performed all his techniques methodically. He didn't even hold back from retreating by a few steps whenever his moves required sprints or long jumps.
The monster successfully endured the entirety of the Lightning-demon style, but Khan only rejoiced at that sight. He could start again while pouring more power into his techniques to explore the current limits of his body.
The Niqols remained astonished in front of that methodical training. Liiza had seen Khan performing those moves in their intimate spot among the mountain chain, but the scene appeared far more incredible now that her boyfriend had a target.
Liiza, Doku, Bula, and the other members of his team had even seen Khan performing dangerous roles during the hunts. He had gone all-out in each battle, without ever sleeping or eating during the breaks. In their minds, he had to be on the verge of fainting, but their ideas shattered whenever another powerful blow landed on the bull.
Khan was clearly exhausted. Sweat covered his body, and large eyebags stood under his tired gaze. His figure had even grown thinner than usual after the long dehydration, but he didn't stop attacking, and he didn't even fail to perform perfect executions.
The Niqols could accept that Khan had grown used to endure his physical exhaustion. They didn't know about Istrone, but the azure scar on his chest and his performance during the battles proved that his life had been far from easy and that he was an admirable soldier.
Yet, the mana inside his body had limits. Both organic and synthetic mana cores would need time to produce more energy once they became empty. They worked like normal organs. They required nutrients to refill the reserves of mana and allow their users to perform techniques again.
A higher attunement would increase the maximum capacity, but it couldn't make it endless. Even aliens like the Niqols who had innate mana cores would find their reserves of energy running short after spending an entire night fighting. Liiza had completely exhausted them after her spell, for example, and her companions were close to her condition.
Still, Khan never appeared to run short of mana. He continued to deliver powerful attacks without ever holding back. Some techniques even required a lot of energy, but he didn't seem affected by their cost.
Khan wasn't completely ignorant about his situation. Most of his concentration was on the bull, but he didn't fail to notice the surprise shown by the Niqols, and he also easily connected that reaction to his stamina.
Doctor Parket had already inspected his stats twice, but he couldn't calculate Khan's mana capacity with his tools. The mutations could explain why the scanners failed to evaluate his reserves of energy, but Khan had slowly realized that something was off as he kept fighting and training.
Khan simply didn't run out of mana. His body often reached its physical limits, but his core had never once lacked energy. He could always meditate right after long training sessions or strenuous battles without worrying about running out of power.
Khan had initially disregarded that feature during his time on Earth. He had even forgotten about it at some point. Yet, those around him kept reminding him of how incredible his reserves of mana were, and that had inevitably made him see his advantage as a potential issue.
His similarities with the Nak and the mutations could explain that peculiar feature. Khan couldn't help but accept that his compatibility with his mana core was perfect. After all, he had gained the organ of the very alien that had caused his mutations.
Still, that raised another issue. Having vast reserves of mana clearly was an advantage, but Khan didn't like being unaware of his limits. He could accept the matter now that his body depleted its energy faster than his mana core, but everything would change after he learnt spells.
Khan might find himself in a situation that depleted his mana without requiring physical efforts. Knowing his limits would be important there. However, he had to wait until he gained access to the Wave spell to test himself properly.
The Niqols could help kill the monster, but they didn't want to interrupt Khan's training. His resolute expression and concentration revealed how much he cared about that matter, so the aliens focused on tending the injured and recovering while informing their superiors.
The bull eventually gave in. Its skin remained intact, but the skull under it crumbled after Khan's relentless offensive. The monster died after its brain transformed into a meat paste that flowed out of its nose, ears, and mouth. The hunt was finally over, and the Niqols confirmed it to be the last.
The area was finally clear. The crisis was over. Some monsters still roamed freely in other parts of the planet, but the Niqols would take care of them in the following days.
"What do I have to say to my superiors?" Khan asked once Doku and the other team leaders gathered to discuss their orders.
"I can't say anything, Khan," Doku explained while wearing a regretful expression. "These matters involve Nitis' global security. We can't inform the humans about them."
"That's understandable," Khan sighed before showing a polite smile. "It was fun to hunt with you all, but I think I must return to my camp now. I didn't have the chance to update them at all."
"We took care of that for you," Azni commented as her cold expression broke into a surprising happy smile. "You were busy with the monster, so we thought to inform our superiors about your situation. I'm sure Ambassador Yeza has already notified your Captain."
"Thanks!" Khan exclaimed in a happy smile. "I guess that's it then. Don't hesitate to call me if you need help for other hunts."
"Of course," Doku laughed while stretching his hand forward. "You humans shake hands for the informal salutes, right? It doesn't feel right to bow after what we have gone through tonight."
Khan's smile broadened as he shook Doku's hand. The alien didn't know how long that gesture had to last, but Khan made sure to relax his grip once they had stayed in that position for a few seconds.
"Who knows?" Khan laughed. "Your superiors might even organize another formal event to celebrate today's victory. We might see each other sooner than we expect."
"It won't happen tonight," Liiza's snort resounded from behind Khan and made the small group turn toward her. "They aren't dumb enough to organize another event after everyone fought for an entire night."
Liiza's sudden cold remark and fast-paced walk toward a path that led at the edges of the forest made the whole situation awkward. The Niqols didn't know how to react to that poor behavior, especially with a human among them. Liiza had basically shown how their ranks could have unruly soldiers, which inevitably put some shame on their species.
Khan limited himself to laugh and pretend to feel normal about Liiza's outburst. Still, he could immediately understand the meaning behind her words. She was telling him to remain inside the camp that day.
The seemingly ignorant smile that Khan wore made the Niqols relax and regain their happy mood. A small group even separated from the other aliens to accompany him to the edges of the forest where his white eagle was waiting for him.
"Can I ask for a favor?" Khan asked as something popped in his mind while everyone prepared for a new wave of salutations.
"I hope it's not connected with our species," Doku laughed, but he quickly fell silent to wait for Khan's words.
"My friends in the camp have enjoyed the drinks in the celebration a lot," Khan explained, "But the army will never purchase them since they only have recreational purposes. I was wondering if we could trade them without notifying our superiors."
"Oh!" Doku exclaimed. "Like a, what's the word, secret market!"
"Exactly," Khan laughed. "I don't know what we can offer, but it would be nice to establish a connection."
"That shouldn't be a problem," Doku announced. "I'll tell the others. That drink is quite common on Nitis. We wouldn't mind giving it for free either."
Another wave of salutations happened at that point. Khan jumped on Snow once the formalities were over and set off to return to his camp.
Intense exhaustion filled him as soon as he relaxed on the Aduns' familiar back, and his eyes eventually closed as the soft feathers provided the best pillows in the world.
A loud screech eventually awakened Khan and made him tighten his legs when he realized that he was in the sky. He almost lost his balance even, but his firm foothold allowed him to remain on Snow's back.
The Aduns gave voice to an annoyed screech before disregarding the matter. Khan didn't hesitate to relax his legs and pet his reliable companion while expressing how happy he was to have it through the mental connection. Snow still felt slightly pissed after the process, but it vented its feelings by flying recklessly for a few minutes.
Snow had woken Khan up because they had almost reached their destination. The city had reappeared in the distance, and the training camp soon unfolded in their eyes too.
Khan let Snow have fun before landing near the camp's entrance and saying his goodbyes to the loyal animal. Liiza had been quite clear before. She wanted him to remain on the site, and he didn't mind following her orders too much.
Khan wanted to spend some valuable time with his girlfriend, but he couldn't endure his condition. He was desperate for rest, and Liiza appeared in the same situation after launching her spell.
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Author's notes: The second chapter might take another thirty minutes to come out.