Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1705 The ceremony ”... Would you like to become my second disciple?” ”...” Shaddadʼs eyes quivered violently, as if struck by a bolt of disbelief. He struggled to lift a shaky finger and point awkwardly toward his own chest. ”M-Me?” His voice came out thin and broken, barely more than a whisper. Realizing how pitiful it sounded, he swallowed hard, shook his head rapidly, and forced himself to try again with trembling effort. ”A-Am I the one you mean? Do you truly mean me specifically?” ”Heh~” Robin exhaled softly, scratching the center of his forehead as his gaze dropped to the ground for a fleeting moment of embarrassment. ”Iʼve refused you many times in the past for personal reasons, alright? First- youʼre significantly older than me, by absurd margins. Teaching you, correcting you, and trying to guide you wouldʼve felt awkward and cumbersome. And back then, I had no idea what your temperament was like. Iʼm a harsh, blunt teacher, as youʼve seen countless times; my methods arenʼt comforting or gentle. Meanwhile, youʼve lived hundreds of thousands of years... You might have felt offended, insulted, or even felt I wasnʼt qualified to discipline you.” ”... Second,” he continued, his tone deepening, ”you were far stronger than I was when we first crossed paths. Physically, as someone at the peak of World Cataclysm, you couldʼve crushed me like a bug simply by placing your hand on me. So how exactly was I supposed to act as your mentor when you possessed strength many times greater? Those two reasons alone were more than enough for me to refuse you without hesitation when we first met in that quiet library!” ”Thereʼs also a third reason,” Jabba chimed in, proudly raising a finger like an overly eager student eager to impress. ”You were traumatized by the student system because of me, and you didnʼt want to accept another disciple for fear of repeating the chaos. And right now, what youʼre doing is just trying to emotionally assure yourself that trauma is gone-by making a dramatic offer like this.”

Craack, Robin rolled his neck slowly, trying to release the sudden annoyance before it erupted. He forced himself not to glare at Jabba, then turned back to Shaddad with a calmer expression, ”...If you donʼt wish to become my disciple anymore, I truly wonʼt hold it against you.” ”I DO!!” Shaddad burst upright with explosive enthusiasm, his long-awaited moment slamming into him like a tidal wave. His eyes shimmered, a glossy layer of tears reflecting desperate relief. ”Thatʼs all it was?! Such trivial reasons?! If itʼs about age, donʼt worry-strike me if you must, discipline me however you see fit! And if itʼs about my strength, Iʼll only ever use my power to help you, never to oppose you!” ”Hmph. Even if you did use your strength against me, you wouldnʼt be able to accomplish much right now.” Robin tilted his head casually, almost tauntingly. ”...Well, thatʼs simply because I donʼt want to injure you, of course, big bro- I mean... Master!!” Shaddad corrected himself quickly, voice cracking with joy. ”No,” Robin waved, dismissing the idea entirely, ”itʼs because you genuinely wouldnʼt manage to do anything at all.”

A thick vein bulged across Shaddadʼs forehead, and his sharpened fangs clenched so tightly they nearly sparked. ”...Donʼt attempt to provoke me, Master. It wonʼt work. I have absolute control over my emotions. I refuse to be angered.” ”Even if you did get angry,” Robin smirked shamelessly, ”you still wouldnʼt be able to do anything” ”Grrrhh...” Shaddadʼs fists began cracking, knuckles popping like thunder. ”Master, perhaps you require a demonstration of the upgraded bear hug technique?” ”Uhh...” Jabba suddenly began sweating waterfalls, stepping forward swiftly as if his life and sanity depended on it, hugging the three colossal slabs to his chest like newborn children. ”Letʼs maybe cool down the wrestling ideas, friends?” He glanced left and right nervously, then turned to Shaddad and nearly shouted, ”The Masterʼs in the second level now, man!!” ”...” Shaddad froze, then slowly lifted both hands overhead in surrender. He sucked in a calming breath, then burst into hearty laughter that echoed warmly. ”Today truly is a wonderful, glorious day. How about I treat both of you to sandwiches? All expenses on me!” ”~Chicken” Robin said with a taunting, almost mischievous smile on his face, his voice dripping with playful provocation as if he were nudging an old wound on purpose. ”Alright, thatʼs enough nonsense. Itʼs time for hugs!” Shaddad announced boldly. He stepped forward with his arms spread wide, every muscle in his towering frame tightening with anticipation. In his mind, he imagined the perfect embrace-firm enough to display his overwhelming physical superiority, yet careful and gentle enough not to irritate or disrespect his newly accepted master. A delicate balance, like wrestling a raging bull while trying not to bruise its ego.

Hoooom-

Suddenly, a shimmering soul gate snapped open behind Robin, the circular portal humming with deep, resonating power. Radiant spiritual light spilled over the floor like golden water. From within, a white-gold soul creature marched forward, wearing an ornate set of gleaming armor and holding a thin, elegant sword forged entirely from spiritual essence. Its physique was humanoid, sculpted like a veteran warrior, yet where a face should be, bundles of twitching tendrils extended downward from its neck like delicate, living whiskers that shivered with anticipation. ”Beat him thoroughly, but donʼt break any bones or cut the skin,” Robin commanded calmly, his eyes flashing with sharp intent. ”A few bruises are acceptable, nothing beyond that.” Ever since attaining the rank of Royal Soul Master, his curiosity burned endlessly. He craved a challenge. And a peak World Cataclysm body-type cultivator was practically the perfect moving, breathing test dummy.

And frankly... modifying that obnoxiously large nose just a little would feel deeply satisfying.

A student should never forget that the teacher can destroy him at any moment. Respect mixed with a touch of fear-that was the proper foundation. ”Understood.”

The sword dissolved into sparkling particles in the soul creatureʼs hand. The tendrils sprouting from its shoulders coiled tightly, merging into the snarling shape of a massive bearʼs head. The creature opened its arms as well and closed the distance toward Shaddad with unnerving calmness. ”Eh?” Shaddad blinked, baffled. ”A soul creature wants to wrestle me? Thatʼs just-”

CRAAAACK ”GHHH-AAAAAH!!!”

His scream echoed across the hall, bouncing off every surface mercilessly. ”Hehe,” Robin chuckled, his laughter rumbling from his chest down to his stomach, shaking his shoulders. ”A part of me has been desperately wanting to hear that scream for quite some time. Ahh... now my spirit feels completely refreshed. Wonderful.”

Creeeaak-

Jabba dragged the three colossal slabs across the floor with noisy difficulty until he stood beside Robin, panting softly. ”Is this some kind of traditional initiation ritual for welcoming new disciples?” ”Well,” Robin replied, patting Jabbaʼs back twice with a heavy hand, ”when a disciple starts believing heʼs stronger than his master... smarter... wiser... when he begins to think he no longer needs guidance, terrible things unfold. Donʼt you agree? So this time, Iʼm establishing the rules clearly from the very beginning.”

Jabba turned his eyes away, lips tightening slightly as if wrestling with a thought. ”Listen,” Robin continued, his gaze fixed with meticulous focus on the precise hits Shaddad was taking, ”about what you said earlier... I was not traumatized by the disciple-master system. What happened with you did sting, emotionally, I wonʼt deny it. But I learned. I grew. I evolved. I would never accept another disciple unless I could control every variable around them.”

Then he smiled, more sincerely this time. ”I donʼt become traumatized or crippled by failure. I learn, and I try again. And if I fail again, I learn even more, and I try again. Thereʼs simply no room in my heart for regrets or dwelling on the past. Maybe... that mindset is precisely why

I am who I am?” ”..”

Jabba kept his gaze stubbornly turned away. He wasnʼt sure if he should feel relieved that his teacher never formed a psychological scar because of him... or ashamed for having believed his presence mattered more than it actually did.

Perhaps, if he vanished from existence this very second, Robin would continue on-unshaken-without the slightest hiccup.

And honestly, after witnessing the masterʼs accomplishments, the impossible distances he crossed, the monstrous achievements he accumulated during only three days, everything seemed to support that conclusion.

Maybe he truly had been exaggerating his own importance from the very beginning.

Creaaaak-

The door behind them opened, wooden hinges protesting, followed by the soft rhythm of footsteps descending the stairs gracefully. ”What is all this noise? Whatʼs happening down here?” ”Oh, sister Morgana,” Jabba turned his head, desperately pushing away his heavy thoughts. ”Little brother Shaddad is undergoing his ceremony to become the teacherʼs newest student.” ”That mule will become His Majestyʼs disciple?” Morgana replied with thinly veiled annoyance-still clearly irritated ever since he assumed she was Robinʼs mother.

But when she saw Shaddad being pulverized into the polished floor of the lecture hall, her expression shifted instantly. Her lips curved, predatory and amused, ”Heh-”