The toast seemed to spread a silent order throughout the Thilku guests, who resumed partying harder than ever before, going out of their way to socialize with members of other species.
That obviously was due to the Emperorâs speech. Most Thilku would have never gotten the chance to be in his presence, let alone hear his words.
Yet, the Thilku were now attending the same party as that mighty leader, and the underlying meaning behind his message had been clear. They indeed had to defy death incarnate, but they also had to do so together with the other military powerhouses in the universe.
Therefore, the Thilku had to socialize. The Emperor had implied so and was leading by example, so his troops didnât dare to hesitate anymore. The way they saw it, the Empireâs very pride was at stake there.
With the scariest guests of the bunch working overtime to make the best out of that gathering, the party inevitably became more festive, and the incredible booze kept supporting that progression.
Cheers, happy cries, shouts, and general, funny chaos took control of the vast gathering, making each species default into their iconic activities, even extending them to guests that didnât look anything like them.
In contrast, the central spot in the desert with evolved representatives was tamer but no less festive. It was also the perfect place to observe the gathering and be submerged by the surrounding celebratory mood, acting as front-row seats to that miraculous spectacle.
The spectacle felt especially miraculous for Khan, who often lost track of his surroundings and the loud nonsense that reached his ears, to dwell in appreciation of the scene.
Of course, there wasnât only nonsense. That was impossible with the Kros at the negotiating table. Yet, the critical matters had been taken care of, leaving only minor ones to iron out.
"Say, Emperor," Khan casually called at some point, throwing his head back, letting it rest on Liizaâs shoulder, who was hugging him from behind.
The Emperor had never stopped grinning since his speech, and the same went for drinking. Lord Envoy actually had to work overtime to satiate his leaderâs thirst, and the negotiating table greatly appreciated his efforts, especially the seemingly tipsy human representative.
"Donât ruin the mood, my disciple," Dean Ulluw jokingly scolded while understanding Khanâs intentions. "This is the part when we drink until we forget where we are."
"[Ah]!" Lord Blind Sword cried, lifting his drink in Deanâs direction, clearly agreeing with the man.
Khan glanced amusingly at the interaction, unable to stop smirking at the rare sight of a drunk evolved warrior, but his blue light soon rose again to the Emperor.
"How strict is the rule on your Royal Guards?" Khan wondered. "Do they truly need to be with you all the time?"
"The Royal Guards protect the Emperor," Lord Enforcer declared. "Their place is with the Emperor."
Surprisingly, no one corrected Lord Enforcer for responding to a question directed to the Emperor. Even the latter ignored his reply, looking meaningfully at Khan.
"Whatâs your request, Lord Blue Shaman?" The Emperor asked.
"One of my evolved assets," Khan explained, "Craig Arngan, one of the two who faced the True Chaosâ King. He needs a sparring partner to get stronger, so I wondered if you could loan me Lord Mighty."
"This is unacceptable, Blue!" Lord Blind Sword cursed, only for the reason behind it to have nothing to do with duty. "Idiot Muscles already sparred with you. Itâs my turn to fight."
"Iâm the most sought-after sparring partner among the Royal Guards!" Lord Mighty claimed, laughing loudly while crossing his arms in pride, but still throwing a glance at Lord Enforcer.
Nevertheless, Lord Enforcer purposefully ignored his companionâs look, pretending to focus on drinking, despite plenty of booze falling from his big mouth.
"Blind Sword, are you even suitable as a sparring partner?" Khan questioned. "Iâm pretty sure Arngan can heal from being broken. Iâm not sure about being cut."
Khan obviously wanted Major General Arngan to be in fighting shape after the sparring session, but that problem never seemed to cross Lord Blind Swordâs mind.
"[Ah]!" Lord Blind Sword cried. "Blue is saying that Iâm more dangerous than you."
"Lord Blind Sword is correct," Lord Enforcer confirmed.
"Iâll still be the one to fight," Lord Mighty grinned, before recalling something important. "If the Emperor agrees to Blueâs request."
Silence fell at the negotiating table, or sand, at that point, with every evolved representative looking at the Emperor, who opted for a calm question. "Is this Arngan worthy?"
"He might be," Khan admitted. "An injury stunted his growth, but he has a peculiar element with great potential, as well as the right will to pursue strength."
"What element?" The Emperor asked, his apparent curiosity on the topic slightly surprising Khan.
"Bloodthirst? Bloodlust?" Khan pondered. "Even the Global Army couldnât quite figure it out, but it can resonate with enemies and work as an additional energy source to fuel powerful transformations."
"Humans," Liiza sighed, caressing Khanâs hair with one hand while holding her drink with the other. "His element embodies a primal urge for violence, which he can harness like you did with your entropy. Itâs a spiritual but profoundly basic element."
Khan couldnât help but glance to his right, watching as Liiza calmly brought her cup to her lips, experiencing some of the primal urges she had talked about while also appreciating how she had been able to understand so much in such a short interaction.
"You are so smart," Khan commented, kissing Liizaâs cheek, almost making her spill her drink, earning him a glare that her evident blush betrayed.
"In that case," The Emperor said, reclaiming Khanâs attention, "Lord Blind Sword is a better match as a sparring partner."
"Yes!" Lord Blind Sword shouted. "Thank you, my Emperor."
Lord Mighty opened his mouth, only to fill it with booze when his three fellow Royal Guards snapped glares at him. Even with the eyepatch, Lord Blind Sword clearly warned his companion not to speak against the Emperorâs decision.
"But!" The Emperor promptly cried, worrying everyone at the table but Khan. He wouldnât let that loud, huge guy trick him again.
"I must watch the spar!" The Emperor added, confirming that he was as much of a battle fanatic as the rest of his species. If anything, Khan guessed he had to be the most heated of them due to his position.