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Much of Earth\'s surface had yet to be reclaimed by the Global Army. The First Impact had left the planet deeply scarred, and humankind had aimed for the stars after regrouping into families and organizations. The universe was far more lucrative, so the humans had ignored the many vast territories that were too expensive to restore.

Needless to say, the security and control over those territories were non-existent. The Global Army only cared about the big cities, even ignoring the Slums around them, so their scanners never pointed at those abandoned lands, making them perfect for criminal activities.

One of those lands was an immense barren plain. Vast cracks covered its brittle yellow ground, which occasional black clouds from the nearby active volcano darkened. It seemed life hadn\'t touched that area in centuries, but a ship still landed at its center.

The ship\'s metal ramp pierced the plain\'s surface during its quick descent, digging into the ground. Yet, the elderly man who crossed it didn\'t hesitate to step on the yellow soil. Cracks spread around his shoes, but his annoyed eyes never looked at them.

The man\'s stance, expression, and gait didn\'t match his age. His cold face expressed strength and vitality. His back stood straight and never wavered as he took firm steps into the plain. He didn\'t flinch at all at the clear instability of the ground under his feet, but a tinge of displeasure tainted his mouth when a secret trapdoor opened.

Part of the soil before the elderly man rose, turning into two vast pieces that spread apart, revealing a metal tunnel and a descending staircase. Artificial light illuminated the hidden area, hinting at the presence of intelligent life.

The elderly man ignored the dust lifted by the trapdoor and dived into the tunnel, his march as firm as ever. His feet released clanging noises that echoed through the area when they hit the metal steps, and those sounds continued for many minutes.

The long march brought the elderly man deep underground, and the descending tunnel eventually ended with a metal door. The entrance opened at his arrival, revealing a vast living room with couches, carpets, interactive tables, and screens on the walls. Yet, the man didn\'t look at the furniture. He only focused on the figure on the other side of the hall.

"Quite the retreat you have here," The elderly man announced, entering the hall and letting the door close behind him.

"It\'s but a fancy cage," The other figure, a grey-haired middle-aged man, stated. "Even with all the luxury Earth has to offer, a prison remains a prison."

16:01

"And why did I have to come all the way here to a prison?" The elderly man asked.

"Because, General Creseul," The grey-haired man said, turning to look at his guest, "My family and a noble faction are searching for me. As resourceful as I am, even I know when it\'s better to lay low."

The elderly man wore casual clothes, but the grey-haired man knew his identity. The same went for the former. The General and Raymond Cobsend had been secret allies for years, but things had gotten problematic after the latter\'s latest ploy.

"You know I can\'t disappear for too long, Raymond," The General exclaimed, approaching one of the couches to sit on it. "I hope you have a good reason for demanding this personal trip."

"The reason is quite obvious," Raymond declared, retrieving a nearby bottle and approaching the General\'s couch. "Reasons, actually. First, I needed to see how committed you were to our friendship. I must say it\'s a pleasure to see you step on the field."

"I\'m not some spoiled descendant from a big family," General Creseul snorted. "My position demands attendance to many duties, and I always have eyes on me. I thought I made that clear from the beginning."

"You did," Raymond confirmed, preparing two glasses on the desk near the General\'s couch. "Hence my second reason. I wanted to understand how desperate Prince Khan\'s rise to power made you."

Raymond wore a polite smile while offering one glass to the General, but the latter\'s expression grew colder. General Creseul even hesitated to seize the drink but eventually accepted it.

"It\'s no secret, really," Raymond continued, sitting on a different couch. "That young General, Brigadier General Seycomb, must be asking questions. Too much has happened to Prince Khan for it to be a genuine mistake."

As always, Raymond\'s words hit the mark. The security around Khan had been full of holes, often on purpose, and asking questions might reveal General Creseul\'s involvement. He had always covered his tracks well, but a fellow General might uncover troublesome secrets.

"I blame you," General Creseul calmly replied. "You messed with powers beyond your reach, and it backfired on all of us. Prince Khan now has the full support of his faction and a monopoly over the Thilku Empire. I also heard he\'s adding new species to his planet every week."

"I merely pursued our common goal," Raymond said, dismissing the accusation. "Just as planned."

"Blowing up Milia 222\'s dock wasn\'t in our plans," General Creseul reminded. "Your alien bomb also ended up involving powerful descendants, and Xiotov\'s tests didn\'t get us anywhere. Now, even Thomas Nognes is our enemy."

"I admit I miscalculated Prince Thomas\' loyalty to the Nognes blood," Raymond uttered. "Luckily, I took precautions."

"This cage of yours is working for now," General Creseul announced, "But it will fall apart once I start taking my precautions."

"We are above threats, General," Raymond responded, showing unwavering confidence. "We both know you are as loyal to the cause as me."

"I expected results," General Creseul pointed out. "You promised results but still have nothing to show for."

"Don\'t I?" Raymond wondered. "I think I have plenty to show for."

"What are you getting at, Raymond?" General Creseul questioned.

"When was the last time a fourth-level warrior defeated a fifth-level one?" Raymond asked. "There have been cases throughout history, but it\'s the norm for Prince Khan."

"He is a skilled warrior," General Creseul commented. "It\'s not surprising considering his element, history, and training."

"The Global Army has plenty of skilled warriors, General," Raymond declared. "Each noble family attempts to produce one Prince Khan every year, but no one ever comes close."

"Neither of us knows the full extent of the noble families," General Creseul reminded. "They might have similar monsters in store."

"Monsters capable of defeating a superior warrior from a superior species?" Raymond asked. "You know he is unique, General. If not for the act itself, for its conclusion."

General Creseul fell silent. He understood Raymond\'s game, but defeating him with words was impossible. The facts were on his side, and the General also didn\'t believe enough in the opposite opinion to continue arguing for it.

"Are you sure he defeated a fifth-level Thilku?" General Creseul asked.

"Obliterated is the correct translation to the report I received," Raymond explained. "The details are iffy, but it\'s clear that Prince Khan is no longer in the realm of humans."

"It\'s been a year since that," General Creseul pointed out. "Longer than a year with his supplement and the full support of his faction. Who knows how strong he has gotten?"

"I made projections," Raymond revealed. "However, I believe Prince Khan will surpass them. He tends to be full of surprises."

"Will?" General Creseul questioned. "You have a noble family on your tail, Raymond, and that damned tournament is turning every wealthy pocket in Prince Khan\'s direction. I\'m afraid he is out of your reach now. You must give up on him."

"My reach? Maybe," Raymond partially admitted. "Yours? Not so much."

"Are we finally getting to the point of this meeting?" General Creseul scoffed. "What would you have me do? Arrest a Prince? The Global Army has all the proof it needs to imprison him, but no one will lift a finger."

"If he truly is humankind\'s next evolutionary step," Raymond announced, "We must see him in action. We must study his growth. Maybe we should even force it."

"Join him, then," General Creseul suggested. "I heard he started teaching his techniques to descendants now. You might even gain access to the alien technology he is developing."

"He won\'t teach anything valuable to anyone," Raymond said, shaking his head. "He must have learned from his mistakes. That\'s why you have to bait him out."

"To what end?" General Creseul asked. "Watch him slaughter more soldiers? What can we even learn from it?"

"I withheld information from you," Raymond suddenly admitted. "About the ploy with Prince Thomas. The planet I sent Prince Khan was no simple planet. It had brigades of Thilku soldiers and heavy weaponry."

General Creseul understood everything from that simple revelation. The Thilku Empire was notorious for lacking manpower, so stationing many soldiers and weapons near the Global Army\'s domain could only mean one thing.

"This is beyond our goal!" General Creseul shouted, finally losing his cool. "Our research pales before a war with the Thilku Empire. Why didn\'t you tell me sooner?!"

"Because the Thilku don\'t want war with us," Raymond declared. "Still, only you, Prince Khan, and I know this. With the right political maneuvering, we could force Prince Khan to choose between the Thilku Empire and humankind."