Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1140 1140: Problems of the offensive tattoos

(Hehe, that actually is a really good plan when you think about it. Go ahead and execute it quickly.) Evergreen clapped her hands excitedly, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Every planet is born with a specific energy level, and that level only increases naturally through a few rare methods. The first is when the planet gains a true owner, someone capable of directly influencing its fate. The second occurs when the planet ascends to a higher planetary belt. The third method, however, was the one Robin had just explained— a more indirect yet incredibly effective way to elevate a planetʼs energy levels.

When a vast number of cultivators reside on a planet, they absorb the surrounding ambient energy to build their solid foundations. This creates an imbalance in the natural energy cycle, temporarily lowering the available energy density in the atmosphere. In response, the spirit of the planet instinctively pulls in more energy from the surrounding primal chaos to restore balance.

But hereʼs the crucial part: the energy absorbed into the cultivatorsʼ solid foundations doesnʼt vanish. It remains within them until their eventual deaths, at which point it returns to the planet. This means that over the centuries, as more cultivators train, grow, and eventually perish, the planetʼs total energy reserves gradually increase.

In essence, this method allows planetary spirits to be indirectly rewarded for fostering large numbers of cultivators. The more powerful individuals a planet nurtures, the more energy it can accumulate over time, creating a cycle of continuous growth. It was a subtle yet profound mechanism that could shape the fate of entire worlds.

”Oh?” As Robin reached the second wall of the cavern, he turned his attention to the first bookshelf. His fingers traced the spines of the ancient tomes before he pulled one free and flipped it open.

”…These are first-stage patterns, but they donʼt seem to belong to a single law. Theyʼre interwoven… a fusion of fire and water, somehow.” His brow furrowed in thought.

”Hmm, this is definitely an offensive tattoo. It gathers moisture from the air and rapidly heats it to create a thick mist or scalding steam. That could be incredibly useful for an army unit trying to retreat under cover!”

Intrigued, he grabbed a few more books, flipping through their pages. Each one contained a different first-tier offensive tattoo, all with unique combinations of elemental patterns.

His curiosity growing, Robin moved to the second bookshelf and selected another tome. ”…This one envelops the body in layers of stone and compresses them into an incredibly dense armor. It contains second-stage laws.”

Then, he suddenly paused, his eyebrows rising in surprise.

”Strange… neither this tattoo nor the previous ones are familiar to me. Theyʼre not part of the standard tattoos distributed among the Giant Tribes!”

He cast a suspicious glance at the two bookshelves. Unlike the previous sections, these shelves werenʼt overflowing with books, but they still held a few hundred volumes—each one a potential treasure trove of knowledge.

Robin turned his gaze toward the third bookshelf… and then, finally, the fourth.

The difference was immediately apparent. The third shelf contained far fewer books, barely fifty in total. The fourth shelf, however, held only five.

His heart pounded as realization struck him.

”Could these be… fourth-stage offensive tattoos?!” Without hesitation, he strode toward the fourth bookshelf and carefully lifted the first book. As he opened it, his breath caught.

”…An offensive tattoo incorporating multiple law patterns from the Wind Path. These are fourth-stage patterns!”

His eyes widened, unable to contain his astonishment.

This was the first time he had ever laid eyes on a fourth-stage tattoo—aside from body-strengthening tattoos and the ones he had personally created, of course. The sheer complexity of the patterns etched into the pages was unlike anything he had seen before. ”If these are truly fourth-tier tattoos… then the techniques stored in this cavern might be even more valuable than I originally thought.”

The giants of Nihari generally rely on three primary strengths in battle and survival. First and foremost, they depend on their naturally powerful bodies, which grant them immense physical strength and resilience. Second, they make use of energy weapons left behind from ancient wars, relics of devastating battles fought long ago. And finally, they utilize tattoos, which serve as a form of external augmentation. However, tattoos rank third in priority for two significant reasons.

The first reason is that tattoos come with numerous risks and side effects, as they directly impact the userʼs body, often causing strain and damage. The second reason is the severe limitation in the available tattoo stages. Throughout all recorded history, even within the elite army of the Second Heaven chosen himself, there has never been an instance of offensive tattoos beyond the second stage being successfully used in combat. The absence of higher-tier tattoos wasnʼt due to lack of effort but because of the sheer complexity and danger involved in their application and usage.

Internally, Robin understood the real reason behind this. Tattoos, by their very nature, were incredibly intricate, and the higher their tier, the more difficult they were to create and master. His own tattoos were crafted by his own hands simply because no one else possessed the ability to do so. It was unreasonable to expect the Second Heaven Chosen to personally go around engraving tattoos on thousands of warriors! That would have been an impossible and inefficient task.

”Incredible...” Robin murmured to himself, his fingers tracing the delicate patterns inscribed in the ancient books.

(Arenʼt you exaggerating a little? Even you managed to develop several tattoos for yourself quite easily.) Evergreen scoffed, waving her hand dismissively.

Robin chuckled. ”Hehe, whatʼs truly remarkable here isnʼt just the tattoos themselves, but the fact that they were created by another Truthchosen. He managed to link different fourth-stage patterns in ways Iʼve never considered before—I didnʼt even know such combinations were possible.” He rubbed his chin in fascination before adding, ”Besides, developing tattoos wasnʼt easy at all. These four libraries alone could be worth a fortune! Even if offensive tattoos arenʼt the most practical tools for combat, we could still use them as high-value reward items, exchanged for points by those willing to take the risk.”

(And what exactly would be the benefit of exchanging for them?) Evergreen crossed her arms, her voice carrying an air of disapproval. (Any cultivation path that defies the natural order imposed upon you humans will never work out in the long run. Youʼve already seen how even first-stage tattoos cause physical strain and harm to their users upon activation. What do you think will happen to someone who attempts to use a fourth-stage tattoo? Or even a third-stage one? Thereʼs no need for you to slaughter your own army, my owner. It would be far better to just let these books gather dust where they are.)

Robinʼs excitement dimmed slightly as her words sank in. She wasnʼt wrong. Offensive tattoos came with several severe drawbacks. Although they gathered energy from the surrounding environment rather than draining power from the userʼs core, the act of absorbing energy placed immense pressure on the body. When a tattoo was activated, the user would suddenly feel as if an ocean of energy had been poured onto them from above. Those with weak mental fortitude might collapse from the sheer shock of it during their first attempt.

But that wasnʼt the only problem. The second, and arguably the more dangerous issue, was the conversion process. A tattooʼs secondary channels would take the absorbed energy and forcefully reshape it into a different law. One moment, the user might feel as if they were submerged in warm, comforting water—then, in the next instant, that same energy would violently transform into raging flames, a surge of lightning, or even a devastating storm of wind blades. This sudden transformation placed extreme strain on the body, and if the energy wasnʼt properly controlled, the user could end up burning themselves, electrocuting themselves, or even shredding their own body apart with their own attack. The crucial flaw was that the user did not naturally develop resistance to the laws they were channeling!

Robin scratched his nose, contemplating her words before replying, ”...You do have a point, to some extent. But tattoos can still serve as a powerful auxiliary system. For example, if someone built their foundation upon the Path of Fire, they could receive a fire-based offensive tattoo. That way, the tattoo wouldnʼt harm them upon activation, and it wouldnʼt drain any energy from their core.”

(But it would still place immense stress on their body when drawing energy from the surroundings. No human could activate it repeatedly in a short span of time without collapsing from exhaustion.) Evergreen shook her head in disapproval, then waved her hand as if brushing aside the entire concept. (Honestly, I donʼt see any value in wasting more time on this wall. The tattoo system is inherently flawed—just move on to the next section already.)

Robin sighed in defeat. ”...Heh~” He returned the book to its place and took a deep breath. He had no solid counterargument to refute her reasoning. As much as he wanted to believe in the potential of offensive tattoos, he couldnʼt deny their fundamental limitations.

Resigned to the conclusion, he turned and began making his way toward the third and final wall.

”Hmm?” As he walked, something caught his attention.

At the far end of the second wall, in a shadowed corner beneath the fourth bookshelf, there was a small section that he hadnʼt noticed before. There, resting on the stone floor, were two large stacks of loose papers.

The piles were disorganized, with sheets slightly tilted and unevenly arranged, yet they remained mostly intact. Each stack stood at roughly half a meter in height.

Robin narrowed his eyes in curiosity, ”What are those...?”