Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1131 1131: Robinʼs idea

”You? You want to turn your army into artificial demi-humans?!” Haros raised an eyebrow in surprise, his mind accelerating rapidly as he processed all the possible implications of such a decision. ”Well, I suppose this was somewhat expected. The third cultivation path has always been known for its exorbitant cost. But to be completely honest, I didnʼt anticipate that you would adopt the second cultivation path so soon. Your men—the very soldiers who have fought alongside you in countless battles—used to call us monsters on the battlefield. If they discover what youʼre planning, how do you think they will react?”

The four major paths that humans had devised as a means to escape the overwhelming restriction imposed by the Emperorʼs Domain were as follows:

Soul Force– a method that involves deep soul refinement, allowing the user to transcend physical limits. Transformation into a demi-Human – a controversial path that involved altering oneʼs very being, fusing human essence with that of a beast or another entity to enhance physical and mystical capabilities, giving them long-term affinity towards a certain law. Temporary Drugs – an artificial shortcut to achieve the immense power of the fourth stage of the laws for a limited time, but its very expensive and carries severe risks for the cheap ones. Energy Path Foundations – a complex system of cultivation that seeks to create a stable and special energy foundation within the individual but has many shortcomings.

Over time, it became increasingly evident, through long and brutal conflicts, that the True Beginning Empire had deliberately chosen to pursue the third path —despite its overwhelming cost— rather than resorting to the seemingly easier second option.

From an external perspective, this decision was met with laughter and ridicule from the Great Serpent Empireʼs marshals and generals. To them, it was utterly absurd that an empire would willingly spend an enormous fortune simply to match their strength. After all, temporary drugs were nothing more than borrowed power, and their effects could dissipate at any moment. Many of the so-called martial emperors of the True Beginning Empire had suffered tragic fates—dying helplessly when the effects of their enhancements wore off in the middle of combat, leaving them vulnerable before their enemies.

But from an internal perspective, it was an entirely different matter. Deep down, a fracture was forming in the hearts of the Great Serpentʼs commanders. There was an undeniable truth that gnawed at them: their enemies were achieving the same levels of power while still retaining their original human nature. It was a source of both bitterness and envy. Their planetary emperor had chosen to pay an enormous price to ensure that his followers remained pure and independent, refusing to let them succumb to monstrous transformations or tainted enhancements.

”Stop, stop. What nonsense are you talking about?” Robin interjected, his voice laced with clear disgust. ”I have no intention of corrupting my men by turning them into half-beasts. That is beyond disgusting. I am striving to build a noble army, not one that has been twisted into something inhuman. Who told you I would ever do such a thing? I will follow the third path for now, but only as a temporary measure—until I find a true, permanent solution. No human under my command will ever be forced to undergo such a transformation!”

”....”

”...Alright, I apologize. I didnʼt mean to call you disgusting… You understand what Iʼm trying to say.” Robin waved his hand awkwardly, shifting his gaze away as if slightly embarrassed. Then, regaining his composure, he continued, ”Anyway, this is the conclusion Iʼve come to. The Golden Caesar Army —composed of the warriors of Jura and Greenland— must remain noble and untarnished. It is the true and purest symbol of the empire. I cannot allow that symbol to be stained by transformations that rob people of their humanity. To do so would be a direct betrayal of the empireʼs core principles!

But then I realized something… I still have another army.

That second army is different. It is a force that represents the underworld— a force of filth, greed, and endless hunger. It is an army that embodies hostility toward life itself. And yet, despite everything, that army is now an undeniable part of the empire as well.”

Robin turned his piercing gaze toward Haros once more. His eyes gleamed with an unsettling intensity. ”So, I thought to myself… If I already have two armies, then why not create a third?”

”Please, explain further,” Haros responded, his brows knitting together in a mixture of concern and curiosity. ”You just said that you refuse to turn humans into half-beasts. But at the same time, you are speaking about forming another army. What exactly are you trying to say? … Are you suggesting that there are still survivors from the Great Serpent Empireʼs military forces? Do you expect me to take control of them on your behalf? You do realize that such a thing would be impossible, donʼt you?”

The Great Serpent Empire had once commanded a military force of approximately four million soldiers and more than four thousand martial emperors. According to the songs sung by the souldiers on the streets, every last one of them had either been killed or captured.

But in reality, a large enough number of them still remained to form a third army—a force that could shake the balance of power once more. However, the real question was: how was Haros supposed to bring them under control? Was he expected to pat them on the head like unruly children, tell them to obey Robin, and assume they would simply fall in line? That was absurd.

These werenʼt fresh recruits waiting for orders—they were hardened warriors who had fought to their last breath for a cause they believed in. They had watched their empire crumble, their leaders fall, and their comrades either die or be taken captive. These men were filled with rage, grief, and desperation—not exactly the kind of emotions that made people docile and obedient.

However, as Haros contemplated this challenge, a thought struck him. He absentmindedly stroked his short, trimmed beard, his mind piecing together a possible solution, ”...Perhaps,” he murmured, ”if you gave me a sufficient quantity of your Oath Tablets, I could—”

”No, no, that wonʼt work.” Robinʼs voice cut through Harosʼ thoughts like a blade. He immediately shook his head, his expression filled with a mixture of annoyance and conviction. ”I already have an enormous number of your people as prisoners. In fact, there are nearly a million of them stranded on Orphanʼs Blood Planet. But let me make one thing absolutely clear—”

Robinʼs golden eyes flashed coldly.

”They will be held accountable for their crimes. I have no intention of letting those filthy wretches become part of my army.”

He exhaled, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off an unpleasant thought.

”Besides, do you really think I can build an entire army based solely on Oath Tablets? Do I look like Iʼm desperate for manpower? Do you think I lack soldiers so much that I need to force mercenaries into serving under me?”

Robin scoffed, then shook his head again—this time with disdain.

”No. What I want is true followers. People who are loyal to me not because of an oath, but because they believe in my cause—because they see me as their rightful leader.”

His voice grew stronger, more unshakable.

”If I canʼt have that, then I donʼt want them at all.”

Haros felt his patience wearing thin. He let out a slow, steady breath, his brows furrowing in clear frustration.

”You donʼt want to create new mutants, and you donʼt want to keep the existing ones either?” His voice was sharp now. ”I give up. What do you want, Robin Burton?”

Robin paused, as if carefully choosing his words.

”...During my conversation with Pythor, he told me about the Law of Karma—about how entire civilizations have been cursed into oblivion for committing racial extermination. Later, I spoke with a planet spirit, and it confirmed the same thing.”

Robin tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable.

”Even though the entire Durgerʼs human race is made up of warriors who deserve death, I donʼt want to dirty my hands with their extermination—nor do I wish to invite a storm of bad luck upon myself because of you.”

Then, a slow, confident smile spread across his lips.

”So, Iʼve decided... I will cleanse most of you and start anew.”

Robin lifted a hand, pointing directly at Haros. His words were both a command and a decree.

”And you are going to help me do it.”

”....” Haros did not speak. His instincts told him to object, to push back, but he knew better. He would listen until the very end.

”Let me explain my perspective first...” Robin began, his tone shifting slightly. ”The Path of Destruction is a ruthless path. Just by using it, it burns away the Durger blood inside your bodies— stripping you of the very essence that makes you what you are.”

Robin took a step forward, his boots pressing into the dirt. He could see the flicker of confusion in Harosʼ eyes, but he continued.

”And your biggest problem is that most of your army only has a one-hundredth of a single drop of Durger blood in their veins. As for your martial emperors, they might have several drops, but even that wasnʼt enough. This resulted in a shallow transformation—barely enough to give them a weak affinity toward the Minor Law of Corrosion. And once their meager Durger blood was burned away? That affinity vanished.”

Robin paused, letting his words sink in before he delivered the final blow.

”In the end, all it really did was alter your outward appearance—nothing more.”

Then, with deliberate slowness, Robin turned on his heel and began walking in the opposite direction. His voice remained steady, but there was a sharp edge to it.

”This has already been proven ineffective. Your army was fragile, overly dependent on weapons. Your common soldiers feared using the Law of Corrosion, because if they did, they would burn away the last traces of Durger blood in their bodies and die. Even among your martial emperors, those who used the Law of Corrosion multiple times in a row eventually lost the ability entirely—some of them even dropped dead on the battlefield.”

Robin narrowed his eyes.

”The only exceptions were Pythor, the Marshals, and the Imperial Guards. They were the few who received enough Durger blood to alter their bone marrow—enough to continuously produce more Durger blood after burning it. They could fight without hesitation. They could reproduce, ensuring the continuation of their lineage. And that is why they were the true backbone of your empire!”

Robinʼs voice rose slightly, his tone sharp with conviction.

”Now imagine this... what if your entire army was like the Imperial Guards? Like the Marshals? What if every single one of them had a bone marrow transformation, allowing them to wield the Law of Corrosion freely—whenever they wished?”

Robinʼs golden eyes blazed with intensity.

”Do you really think I would have been able to win against an army like that using only my demon legions? No. In fact—” Robin let out a short, sharp laugh. ”Would I have even won at all?!”

He shook his head, his confidence unwavering.

”Pythor had no ambition. He wanted to maintain a strict hierarchy, ensuring that he alone remained at the top. He didnʼt want to grant everyone this power, because that would mean losing his absolute control. Even the Marshals —those who were granted this privilege— were all his trusted companions from the past. Or... they were like you—someone intelligent and ambitious, but too afraid to take the next step.”

”...” Haros looked down, his jaw tightening. He felt the weight of Robinʼs words pressing down on him. It was brutal.

But it wasnʼt wrong.

Robin exhaled, his voice lowering—but the fire in his words remained.

”Thatʼs when I realized something...” His golden gaze locked onto Haros.

”I donʼt have that problem. I donʼt care about rigid hierarchies. And my ambition? It goes far beyond merely lording over a handful of subordinates.”

A dangerous gleam flickered in his eyes.

”So why not build an army... Where every single soldier is transformed to the bone using Durger blood? A legion of Marshals.”