Chaos' Heir - Chapter 1554

Chapter 1554: Emperor

The Source quickly climbed out of the crater his impact with the ground had created, stepping on its edge to gaze at a similar formation in the distance.

As expected, a figure jumped out of that other crater, landing heavily on the chaotic plain past it. The Emperor had also survived the previous clash, albeit his condition had worsened once again.

By then, there was hardly any intact spot left on the Emperor’s body. Torn flesh surrounded by dark patches littered him, reaching as far as his face. Nothing was ever too deep, but his appearance couldn’t have looked more foreboding.

Nevertheless, that battered appearance couldn’t trick the Source. He knew and had experienced the troubling truth. The previous clashes, and especially the last one, had more than proven it.

Despite the accumulating injuries, the Emperor was getting stronger. His state had never stopped worsening, but his gradual improvement had ultimately led to a draw with the Source.

That improvement wasn’t merely physical, either. The Source would have easily dealt with it otherwise.

Instead, everything about the Emperor was getting better. He was growing stronger, faster, sharper, and deadlier, turning his existence into something that could even affect the very momentum released by certain attacks.

Moreover, the Emperor’s current expression showcased nothing but disappointment while he inspected his wounded limbs. He had already achieved something that the Source had to acknowledge and respect, but he looked nowhere close to satisfied.

The scene made the Source’s mind produce a thought he never believed he could experience. For the first time since the beginning of the battle, or life for that matter, the alien considered defeat a possibility.

Of course, the Source didn’t believe he would lose. He remained one of the two perfect sons of a superior existence, heir to part of a divine power. That wasn’t a realm warriors born from an inferior energy could touch, let alone surpass.

However, the Source also had to acknowledge the reality of the situation. His opponent resembled a restless zombie who would be able to hurt him if he became any stronger, which could tilt the scales in his favor.

Typically, the path to victory in that predicament would involve a mighty attack capable of ending the battle in a single exchange. After all, that scary growth would stop if the Emperor finally died.

Still, the Source had tried and failed to put his opponent down for good every time. He wasn’t like his disloyal twin. He wasn’t playing around or doing his best to enjoy that battle. The alien wanted to win as quickly as possible, but the Emperor wouldn’t let him.

And it was strange. The Emperor looked like the brutish, straightforward type, which his resilient body vouched for. Yet, his attacks also conveyed keen battle sense, and his element seemed to have no real limitation.

The Emperor didn’t shoot beams or summon storms. Still, his vast existence aided his every action, expanding what he could reach and affect, making simple punches capable of pushing ethereal momentum.

Things didn’t end there. The Emperor’s existence also made him faster when he needed to. It generated counterattacks when he couldn’t move, and even allowed him to fly to a certain extent.

It seemed that, as long as the Emperor needed to do something, his existence would adapt to make it possible.

Those flexible elements usually had heavy drawbacks. Even Khan had to suffer for decades to get his chaos to a somewhat similar level.

However, the Emperor seemed to have nothing of the sort. He could defend, attack, and more with the same growing strength as all his other actions. He was the opposite of having no specialization. He appeared to be specialized in everything.

“[Don’t take a break now]!” The Emperor shouted in his native language since the Source remained motionless. “[I think I’m finally getting it back].”

That genuine excitement, which seemed to disregard the seriousness of the situation, angered the Source. It would have been different if Khan had been his opponent, but he couldn’t accept such playful shallowness from the Emperor.

“[What are you]?” The Source asked. “[You might be my counterpart, but you are no chosen of the mana. You are just a strong child of an inferior energy].”

The Emperor didn’t really care for conversations, especially now that he had finally stopped taking a one-sided beating. Yet, that progress was due to his opponent, so indulging him felt like a show of respect and gratitude.

“[I’m the Emperor of the Thilku Empire, the greatest species in the universe],” The Emperor declared, using the Nak’s way of speaking, which he seemed to have learned during the battle.

The declaration had no meaning for the Source. All the children of the mana were the same in his view. While different species existed in the universe, they remained inferior lifeforms born from an outclassed energy.

“[What does that mean]?” The Source ended up asking, not satisfied with the answer.

“[As the Emperor],” The Emperor shouted, “[There is no Thilku stronger than me. There is no Thilku faster than me. There is no Thilku wiser than me].”

That was another statement that lacked comparisons the Source could understand, but the Emperor made sure to add something.

“[That’s what the Emperor is],” The Emperor stated, “[Because the Emperor of my Empire has to be the greatest Thilku].”

When those words reached the Source’s ears, he accepted that the matter was hopeless. The Emperor might see intrinsic value in those statements, but they didn’t have any.

“[Your species is a sub-product of a desperate diversity],” The Source explained. “[You are blind to the true scope of the universe, which is why conquering a tiny fraction of it gives you the illusion of control].”

The anger the Source had initially felt now turned toward himself. That surprise and slight fear of defeat were beneath him. He was the perfect son of a God. His only job was to obey and win.

“[I was given the power to generate universes],” The Source announced, straightening his arm toward the distant Emperor. “[You’ll see how meaningless your title and species are before my divine heritage].”

The alien hadn’t spoken a single lie, and the Emperor was sure of it, but that terrible truth only broadened his excited grin.

“[That’s perfect],” The Emperor exclaimed. “[By defeating you, I will know that my Empire can conquer the universe].”