Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1997 Extinguish-1

Somewhere in the vast expanse of Mid Sector 101-deep within the void of space, inside one of the warships-

Within one of the enormous halls inside the vessel, a chamber that closely resembled a command cockpit, a figure lay stretched out on an open seat shaped almost like a bed. He wore nothing but his lower undergarments and a pair of dark sunglasses, giving the impression that he was leisurely enjoying the seaside atmosphere rather than being aboard a warship drifting through space. Despite not appearing human at all-his body riddled with holes that pierced cleanly through from one side to the other, and his skin bearing an unusual texture and tone-it was abundantly clear that none of these abnormalities hindered his enjoyment of the moment. On the contrary, he seemed perfectly content, fully indulging in his personal sunbath as if nothing else in the universe mattered.

Above him, there was nothing but a thick layer of reinforced glass. Beyond it stretched the endless void, dominated by a massive blue sun that drifted slowly, almost lazily, across the heavens.

”Hmmm...”

The man frowned slightly when he noticed that the sun had slipped beyond the frame of the glass overhead, abruptly ending his pleasant sunbath. With a look of mild irritation, he reached for the control lever beside him and gently adjusted the shipʼs orientation, nudging its nose a little to the right.

”Hmph. Thatʼs better.”

Kshhh-

At that moment, the door slid open, and another figure stepped inside-a person with a perfectly round hole embedded in the center of his forehead. He remained silent. ”...”

”Hm?”

The man lounging in the seat glanced back briefly, then returned his gaze forward. ”If you came to relay new orders, say them quickly. And if youʼre here to scold me for adjusting the ship again, keep your words to yourself and leave. Boredom is slowly killing me here.”

The newcomer furrowed his brows slightly, continuing to stare at the back of the ship captainʼs head. After a moment, he finally walked in, closed the door behind him, and began removing his clothes without saying a word. He pulled over a seat and joined his companion, settling in beside him in silence. ”...”

”Heh~”

Seeing this, the first man let out a long sigh. ”Is it really that bad? No news at all about our movement?”

”Nothing” the second replied calmly. ”The sector is burning, and weʼre sitting here sunbathing... literally.” He paused for a brief moment before continuing. ”Still, that doesnʼt mean our mission is any less dangerous-or any less important. At the very least, weʼre safe for now.”

”In my opinion,” the first man said as he closed his eyes again, basking in the rays, ”His Majesty Lord Hedrick is overdoing it by placing such a massive bet on his sister, Lady Helen. I wonder what he plans to do if she fails after all this.”

”Nothing” the second answered after a short pause. ”Sheʼs still his sister.” Then, his tone shifted slightly. ”The real question is... what will become of our homeland-beyond what it has already suffered?”

After that, the two of them sank into a heavy, contemplative silence.

...Mid Sector 101 had recently fallen into unprecedented chaos and devastation. Yes-it seemed that whatever had been happening before simply hadnʼt been chaotic or destructive enough.

Something had occurred half a century ago-something unknown-that caused the pace of events to accelerate dramatically. No one knew exactly what it was, but from that moment onward, the entire sector ignited in turmoil.

The armada of the Cursed Behemoth Empire abandoned their once-secure paradise and the military zone that had cost billions to construct, moving in a straight, relentless line toward the Bright Galaxy.

At the same time, the forces of Zavaros the Savage began expanding to the left and right at an insane speed-after having previously advanced at a painfully slow pace, never once venturing beyond their safe territory.

Those hostile movements were, at first, met with nothing but silence from Lord Hedrick, while the Bright Galaxy responded with repeated attempts at dialogue and negotiation. No faction rushed to file a formal complaint; everyone hesitated, watching, weighing the situation, hoping it would resolve itself without forcing their hand.

But the forces of the two Behemoths did not relent. Their pressure continued to mount, step by step, until every major power within Mid Sector 101 was driven to appeal directly to Lord Hedrick-the very monarch they had chosen to stand as their shield in times like these. How could he abandon them and simply observe from afar? In the end, hesitation was no longer an option. He was compelled to move.

This time, however, his choice was clear and deliberate. He selected the armada of Zavaros the Savage as his target, while completely ignoring the armada of the Cursed Behemoth Darvion, which was advancing straight toward the Bright Galaxy. He did not attempt to slow Darvion down. He did not send warnings, nor did he seek an alliance with the Bright Galaxy or even open a channel of negotiation. It was as if Darvionʼs forces did not exist at all. Once Hedrick acted, he did so decisively. He deployed his vast, overwhelming army to encircle Zavarosʼs forces, and soon after, clashes erupted along the perimeter. These were not full-scale battles, but persistent, grinding skirmishes -yet they were enough to completely halt Zavarosʼs advance. With that single move, all the voices that had been shouting demands and accusations at Hedrick were pushed into the background, drowned out by the illusion of decisive leadership.

Naturally, no all-out war broke out between the two armadas. Hedrick was content with a siege, and given that the numerical balance heavily favored him, the Behemoth armada of Zavaros also chose to stop. They made no attempt to force a breakthrough, even though they possessed nine individuals with Law Domination-level strength within their ranks.

A total war under such conditions would have meant mutual annihilation. Entire regions of space would have been erased, and neither side was willing to

pay that price.

Strangely enough, this outcome benefited both parties. Hedrick freed himself from the constant pressure and the demands that he ”do something.” Meanwhile, Zavaros-the commander of the Savage Behemoth armada-was relieved of the responsibility that urged him to intervene elsewhere. Now, both sides could stand back, observe from a safe distance, and wait patiently to see how events would unfold on the other front.

And so, while they watched, the Cursed Behemoth Darvionʼs armada continued its relentless advance, crushing everything in its path year after year. For years, the Pure Kaylis and her children cried out, declaring their willingness to negotiate, to compromise, to avoid catastrophe. Their voices went unanswered. Then, at last, Darvionʼs forces struck the galaxy with their full, unrestrained

power.

The galaxy of the Pure Kaylis-home to nearly eight thousand planets-should never have fallen easily. Any invading army should have bled for centuries just to breach its layered planetary defenses, fighting through endless waves of reinforcements fueled by lives, wealth, weapons, and vast internal resources. In truth, the most difficult undertaking in the entire universe is the invasion of

an artificial galaxy.

And yet-

The moment the invasion began, something profoundly strange occurred- something unprecedented since the age when civilizations first learned how to discover galaxy seeds and construct galaxies of their own.

The Bright Galaxyʼs army stationed along the galaxyʼs outer shell surrendered entirely. Not only that-they defected, joining the army of the Cursed Behemoth Darvion without resistance.

That was only the beginning. Across the galaxy, the remaining military forces

turned their weapons inward. They began rounding up the countless members of the Pureheart family like livestock, binding them in chains and herding them onto warships, delivering them directly into the hands of the Cursed Behemothʼs armada-without a single shot fired in protest.

”What is happening here?!”

That question erupted simultaneously in the minds of everyone throughout

Mid Sector 101, echoing in fear and disbelief.

Yet no answer came.

Across the entire sector, only a handful truly understood the truth: a select few

among the Shadow Swords, Lord Hedrick himself alongside Heigra and Drays, and the Law Domination Realm individuals of the Savage Behemoth armada.

And all of them stood far away from the storm-

Watching.