Chaos Heir

Chapter 1447: Original sin

It was stupid, really, and so uncharacteristic for Rodney to discuss such trivial topics in a situation that had far worse problems on so many levels.

Personal feelings and interests had to be discarded in the face of a universal war. The enemy was real and had already invaded the allied front’s domains. Mere relationships and love talk had to take the backseats to allow cooler minds to discuss battle arrangements and more.

Rodney was also in the sky, and his brief inspection had been unable to tell him how high he was. He could sort of fly, or hover, but getting back to the surface from such altitudes required plans nonetheless.

Ultimately, a monster Rodney couldn’t hope to oppose was holding him, looking right through him, leaving him naked and powerless, exposed and trapped in that unbreakable grip.

If Rondey didn’t know any better, he would have already deployed his miracles to try to escape the situation. Yet, as much as he believed that Prince Khan wouldn’t kill him outright, that option still existed, making the danger very real.

Therefore, talking about Miss Solodrey and scolding the monstrous entity in the process truly was the worst possible move Rodney could have made. Still, he didn’t go back on it, matching the alien light shining on his face.

For all the big words, insults, and lies, Rodney understood Prince Khan’s strength, which couldn’t be more evident in that confrontation.

Prince Khan was no man. He wasn’t even an evolved warrior. That title was too weak for someone at that level. Truthfully, any human classification had become too narrow and outdated for that monster years ago.

Now, that creature stood before Rodney in all his might, stronger than he could ever be, stronger than he had ever been. Prince Khan was a superior entity through and through, and Rodney couldn’t help but feel some envy.

Of course, Rodney wouldn’t feel envious about something as superficial as sheer might, not toward Prince Khan. That emotional leader had shed blood and struggled more than anyone else. His tale was nothing short of heroic, especially when considering how stacked against him the odds were.

Instead, the envy came from something far more profound. Despite all the alien traits and mindset, Rodney knew Prince Khan was the better man. He had always been.

Where Rodney had panicked, Prince Khan had excelled. Where Rodney had fallen prey to the worst traits of his character, Prince Khan had endured, using that pain and pressure to grow as a man, a partner, and a leader.

Rodney could blame all that on the different starting points and lives, but only a delusional man would use traumas and suffering as justifications. The truth was undeniable. Prince Khan was better, embodying what Rodney could never become.

That conclusion had been evident since Milia 222’s tragedy. There, Rodney had chosen to forge his own path, bending darkness and crime to his will to reach similar heights. He had even succeeded to some extent, but the current situation seemed to refute that.

Rodney had yet to reach humankind’s peak and had somehow developed a special interest in Prince Khan’s ex-fiancée. Those similarities and comparisons fueled his envy, which his captor’s silence deepened.

The god, monster, alien-lover, or whatever didn’t reply. Prince Khan just looked at Rodney, seemingly looking directly at his deepest and darkest thoughts while playing with him as if he were nothing more than an ant.

To make things worse, Rodney realized he was an ant for Prince Khan. All his achievements meant nothing in the face of that unreasonable, overwhelming strength. He was even inconsequential to the universe, while that monster was supposed to be its savior.

Needless to say, that storm of emotions culminated in anger that Rodney couldn’t find the reason or will to suppress. After all, no one could see him up there, and that could very well be his last moment. There was no point in holding anything back.

“If you plan to kill me,” Rodney announced, “Just kill me.”

The god, or monster, remained unmoving. Prince Khan didn’t react to those words at all, conveying perfect, unbreakable stillness.

“You won’t see me beg, alien-lover,” Rodney snorted, “And I won’t have my time wasted.”

Rodney waved his arm, slamming it on the limb that clung to his collar, only for pain to spread after the clash. He felt as if he had hit the toughest material in the world, and all his physical strength had been unable to put a single dent into it.

Of course, Rodney didn’t show any pain or surprise. His face only grew more defiant as mana gathered inside him, ready to fuel his next move.

Yet, that mana failed to gather and dispersed on its own. It turned out that when a god wanted you to stay still, you could only stay still.

Rodney could understand imprisonment, but that wasn’t it. He knew Prince Khan probably was trying to prove a point or instill permanent fear in him, which had to have something to do with Miss Solodrey, but he wouldn’t stand for that.

“What gives you any right to treat me like this?” Rodney uttered, resorting to words since they were the only means of communication the god, or monster, was allowing.

As much as Rodney played the bad guy, he had been nothing short of valuable. Sure, he had taken a few rewards for himself, but all that was in service of humankind.

Serving the Global Army couldn’t be a sin, just like pursuing a free woman wasn’t. Even the political bargains had been quite fair, especially since Rodney didn’t abuse them. The sole possible reason he had ended up in that situation dated back to the time on a cold, dark planet.

“I made one mistake!” Rodney shouted. “One! I spent all my years after that paying for it, and you know I did. The Global Army wouldn’t have had it differently to earn your favor.”

After Nitis, it had taken Rodney years of shady jobs and ploys to restore his reputation and regain access to his home world. Yet, that original sin still played a role in his life. It was one of the reasons why his troops only had improvised criminals.

“How much longer do I have to pay for it?!” Rodney asked. “For how long do I have to continue making up for it?!”