C336 - Tears
Resting wasn't Khan's strong point, but he couldn't ignore Doctor Blackburn's orders. A week wasn't too long in the end, and he only had to refrain from doing particular exercises.
Meditating and relying on the [Blood Vortex] were off the table, and the same went for his time with Martha. Khan was too dangerous in his current state, so he made sure to explain the situation to Cora, Amber, and Martha before booking a training hall for an entire week.
Cora would have understood if Khan requested to have the flat all for himself, especially after their fight. However, Khan believed that Amber or Cora would have still checked on him, and he wanted to avoid that while his mana remained unstable.
Only Headmaster Pitcus knew where Khan spent that week since he had access to the camp's logs. The lack of activities recorded by the training hall also reassured him. It seemed that Khan had really decided to rest, but the truth was far different.
Khan found himself reviewing his fight with Cora multiple times during that week, but the process often left him sighing. The discussion had made their position clear, and it also hinted at the absence of solutions.
Khan and Cora weren't to blame. They were simply two different people who had reached a crossroads in their lives. Cora wanted to remain on Earth, while Khan wished to resume his journey across the universe.
The only conclusion that came out of those reviews was that Cora deserved the truth. She would probably blame herself for her inability to match Khan's desires, and he wanted to prevent that.
Other than reflecting on the fight, Khan did his best to work on other projects. He had his phone, so he could write reports about his subject and prepare his replacement. He could also continue to study Milia 222 and other topics.
Nevertheless, Khan's main focus was on the "simulated mental battle". He had yet to master that technique, but he didn't hesitate to dive deep into it now that he had free time.
The "simulated mental battle" was a complicated technique. It required complete concentration and control, and even Khan fell short in those fields.
Still, the focus on the technique allowed Khan to achieve some initial success. The main benefit of the "simulated mental battle" came from the absence of external resources required to activate it. It was a portable training hall that could award greater results if performed at the highest levels.
Khan managed to immerse himself in an empty area and materialize a few enemies. He wanted to prioritize the Ef'i since they were some of the strongest opponents he met throughout his life, but he failed to make them move properly.
The Ef'i's tail was a limb that Khan couldn't imagine correctly, especially when it came to its movements. That affected the overall effectiveness of the "simulated mental battle" and forced him to use a simpler type of enemy.
The choice fell on the Stal. Those big aliens had an extremely simple fighting style, so Khan eventually succeeded in imagining a fight against one of them. Still, he failed to make his body experience the entirety of the battle, so the results remained inferior to an actual training hall.
The week went by quickly due to those many projects. Cora, Amber, and Martha sent messages every day to make sure that Khan was doing better, and he always reassured them.
Khan didn't lie in those messages. He had lost control of his mana a few times during the week, but those unwanted reactions stopped happening afterward. He was doing better, and he could sense those changes when he inspected his body.
Even if Khan wasn't meditating, the mana inside his body continued to affect his flesh. Still, the absence of a forceful approach made the whole process smooth and gentle.
Khan could sense his flesh accepting the mana and growing according to its nature. The process made him experience a lack of stress that he had never noticed in the past. His body was finally relaxing, and Khan became able to feel the benefits behind that action.
When the week ended, Khan decided to take a few more days off. The Headmaster didn't refuse his request, even if he misunderstood the reasons behind it.
Headmaster Pitcus believed that Khan wanted to rest a bit longer, but the truth was far different. Khan didn't forget that his attunement with mana had reached fifty-nine percent. He only had to take a small step to become a second-level warrior, and he planned to do that during the break.
The [Blood Vortex] would push Khan into the next level, but he wanted to avoid using abrupt methods that might cause problems. He limited himself to meditating during the additional break, and a change eventually happened.
The transformation wasn't as radical as the other one. Khan didn't lose control of his body or physical strength, but he experienced the change anyway.
Everything about Khan became stronger as the mana radiated by his flesh intensified. He could feel a new wave of power filling his insides and granting him a new level of power that he didn't hesitate to test in the training hall.
The change turned out to be more significant than Khan expected. His sheer physical strength had increased, and the same went for all his basic features. He was faster, and his endurance had reached a new level.
Moreover, his mana flowed more smoothly than ever as he fought against the puppets generated by the training program. Khan's attacks and senses had increased sharply. He felt utterly confident in battling against second-level warriors now.
'I finally did it,' Khan exclaimed in his mind when the training program ended and he found no sweat on his skin.
The breakthrough had been a success. Khan had become a second-level warrior, and an ocean of options had opened in front of him now.
Khan performed a few tests before confirming that his resistance to the [Blood Shield]'s drawbacks had increased greatly. He could rely on the alien technique more often now, and he also had the chance to improve it.
His spells had grown stronger, but he wanted to deepen his knowledge in the field. In theory, Khan could have access to attacks worthy of his new level and even add a star to his left shoulder, but he had to study a bit to see what could work.
The improvement of his senses allowed him to work harder on the "simulated mental battle". Khan felt more flexible when approaching the technique, which led to significant benefits and smoother training.
Overall, Khan had improved his foundation and laid the basis for significant enhancement. He only needed time to research those additions and work on them.
A mere message to Luke would grant Khan everything he desired. The man couldn't wait to hear the formal agreement to the mission of Milia 222, but Khan had to do something else first.
It was already past the curfew. Khan had spent a total of one week and three days inside the training hall. The third month of his third academic year had begun, and the time to spill the beans with Cora had arrived.
Khan sent a message to Cora before leaving the training hall and strolling through the camp's streets. He didn't feel surprised when he saw the familiar figure of his girlfriend sitting in front of his flat. He could also see how anxious she was from a quick look at her face.
The fight had been a significant event, but Cora didn't mind it for now. She jumped on her feet and ran toward Khan as soon as she noticed him, and the two exchanged a long, tight hug that culminated into a few kisses.
Khan found himself caressing Cora's hair while she hid her face in his chest. The memories of the peaceful time spent together surged in his mind as he inspected her. He knew that he felt something toward Cora, but those emotions remained inferior to what he had experienced with Liiza.
"Let's go inside," Khan eventually whispered. "I want to talk with you about something."
"Can't it wait a little longer?" Cora asked.
"Is something the matter?" Khan questioned.
"I'm afraid that there won't be any going back after tonight's talk," Cora revealed, and Khan didn't know what to say to reassure her.
Khan let Cora remain on his chest for a few more minutes, but the two eventually entered the flat and sat on opposite sides of the couch. They both stayed silent for a while as their sorted out their thoughts, but Cora turned out to be the first to speak.
"I'm sorry for freezing," Cora stated. "Everything you said is true. I'm not a warrior."
"That's not a bad thing," Khan reassured in a loving tone while approaching Cora and taking her hands. "You are many incredible things, so don't ever feel bad for being bad at something so messy and cruel."
"But being bad at it makes me a hindrance in missions," Cora complained. "It makes me unable to follow you."
"That's just bad luck," Khan sighed. "We both knew that our characters were different, and I don't regret a single second of our relationship."
"Is breaking up necessary?" Cora sniffed. "I can't follow you, but I can wait. I don't care if it's entire years. I will still be here, ready to take you into my arms whenever you return."
"Cora," Khan called before gulping and explaining his situation.
Cora almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. Khan revealed everything about the nightmares, the unclear relationship with his father, and Nitis' events.
Cora could only remain silent as tears fell from her eyes. The more Khan revealed, the more she understood that he would never stop exploring the universe. His adventurous character and the need to find answers about his condition made him unsuitable for a peaceful life on Earth.
Khan could accept a long-distance relationship, but Cora knew that she would only slow him down if he forced him into that situation. He had far bigger problems to handle, and she didn't want to be a hindrance in the path toward the solutions.
The more Khan talked, the more the break-up felt inevitable. Cora couldn't hold back her tears even if she tried her best to make it easy on Khan. The two soon fell into a hug, but neither of them dared to kiss or do anything else.
"Do you mind if we remain together until you leave?" Cora asked after the story ended.
"Not at all," Khan stated. "I'll do everything I can to make you happy until I'm gone."
"Don't force yourself," Cora sniffed. "You haven't done anything wrong."
"I could have refused you," Khan admitted.
"I prefer it this way," Cora declared. "You made me really happy. I wouldn't have been able to accept your departure if we didn't spend this time together."
Khan knew that Cora's lines carried a hidden meaning. She wasn't speaking about the departure. She was saying that she wouldn't have been able to forget him if that relationship had never happened.
"What do you want to do now?" Khan questioned through a sigh.
"Let's pretend that everything is normal," Cora pleaded.. "I don't want to waste time in tears while you are still here."
To be continued