Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2048 Making things easier ”...” The Cosmic Elder held his silence for several long minutes, the kind of oppressive, heavy silence that weighed on the air after several nascent space beasts had perished and others had slipped away. The tension of the moment pressed against the walls of the room, as if the very atmosphere waited with bated breath.

Finally, he lifted his head and gave a slow, deliberate nod. ”For your unparalleled service to the universe,” he said, his voice measured and deliberate, ”allowing me to take one side at the expense of the other may seem a simple matter... and yet... Heeh~ well, very well, letʼs proceed. But I must warn you, you need to understand the vast consequences that will inevitably follow this choice.” ”I knew you would agree,” Robin said, his face lighting up into a wide, confident smile, a mix of anticipation and determination sparkling in his eyes. ”If you look closely, even this very request of mine-this action we are about to take-will, ultimately, benefit the universe itself.” ”Your request,” the Cosmic Elder replied, now somber and weighty, ”has the potential to ignite an entire era of conflicts that could spread across the cosmos. No star system will be untouched. No being will be safe. The reign of chaos will be absolute, and the cosmos itself will tremble under the waves of war” ”But it will stabilize, Robin said, shrugging with a confident grin, ”if we succeed.” ”...” The Elder paused, considering the words, his gaze distant for a moment, and then stood deliberately. ”Do as you see fit. The path is yours to choose.” ”Where exactly are you going?” Robin asked quickly, springing to his feet, anxiety and anticipation mixing in his tone. ”I am going to prepare everything you have requested,” the Cosmic Elder replied, his back already turning to the portal, moving steadily toward the square gate he had opened earlier. ”And I will ready myself to enter the passage. I will return shortly-do not act hastily before I do.” ”Hey!” Robin called after him, his voice carrying a note of urgency. ”You didnʼt tell me! What if a space beast ancestor tries to enter? You said they were small!” ”That shard I left within your soul domain,” the Elder said without hesitation, walking with calm purpose, ”is more than capable of stopping a space beast ancestor. And if it fails... it will inform me of every movement, every attack. I will return personally to handle it. Does that suffice?” ”Good enough!” Robin exclaimed, giving a thumbs-up, his grin growing even wider.

Hmm

Moments later, the Cosmic Elder returned to his own planet, carefully closing the yellow gate behind him, the lock sealing with a sound that resonated faintly through the atmosphere. ”...” Robinʼs grin slowly faded, replaced by an expressionless face. An unsettling wave of regret and tension crept across his features, a chill sinking into his chest.

Baa Robin sank back into the chair the Elder had left behind, his breaths rapid and uneven, his heart hammering erratically in his chest. Had he truly considered the full weight of what he had just asked of the Cosmic Elder? Absolutely not.

Until this day, he had never imagined he would be granted such a monumental favor. The idea had passed through his mind, seemed good, and that had been enough.

But now, as he reflected on the task he was about to face, the scale of the struggle he was preparing for became terrifyingly clear...

Thwack Robin slapped himself hard across the face, muttering through gritted teeth, ”This is the only way to complete the first mission. Keep control! Focus!!” ”Hooof-” Robin drew a long, slow breath, letting the tension settle slightly as he focused.

Then, with a simple gesture of his hand, an immense amount of soul emeralds materialized around him-several thousand, shimmering in all shapes and sizes, floating in a dense cloud of radiant force.

Doom Doom Doom small soul gates opened nearby with a sudden flare. Tiny soul whirlwind emerged from each, spiraling greedily into the emeralds, siphoning units of soul energy with ravenous efficiency, scattering tiny sparks into the void.

Robin closed his eyes fully, severing all connection with the world around him, immersing himself entirely into the flow of soul force and the delicate task ahead.

Nearly an hour later-

Holak swung his fist back with immense force, striking the massive head of a colossal serpent. Baaang! Shockwaves pulsed visibly from the impact, sending the serpentʼs head snapping backward. Despite the force, the creature seemed remarkably resilient, taking no catastrophic damage from the strike. ”This... this is exhausting” Holak muttered, glancing down at his fist in frustration. The energy coursing through his body had dropped to dangerously low levels, every movement now costing him more than usual.

From above, a giant beast descended-a monstrous eagle-like creature, hundreds of eyes glinting along its wings and body. Its long, serpentine tongue lashed out with alarming speed, wrapping around Holak with the intent to swallow him whole. ”Not today, you feathered piece of shit!!” Holak roared, his voice echoing across the battlefield. With a violent snap of his jaws, he sank his teeth deep into the beastʼs tongue, twisting with ferocious strength to resist being pulled into its gaping maw. ”Shaaahhh-” The massive beast was forced to release him, and Holak crashed to the ground like a blazing meteor. He didnʼt attempt to adjust his trajectory, landing hard on his back with a deafening thud that sent tremors through the soil. ”Ugh... be careful what you wish for. Perhaps that saying wasnʼt so foolish after all...” he groaned, his chest heaving, feeling the sting of impact in every muscle and joint.

He scanned the battlefield around him, gasping for air as sweat ran down his forehead... This was going bad, very bad.

The gate continued to vomit nascent space beasts without interruption, sometimes two emerging simultaneously, their screeches piercing the air. More Rapid Support-1 vehicles arrived in that tense moment, bringing with them thousands of Imperial Guards in total, giving the battlefield a slight reprieve. Their arrival provided temporary breathing room, though it was far from enough to turn the tide.

Still, the losses among the Imperial Guards were staggering... at least six hundred had fallen so far. Most were wounded, their armor shattered and useless, and at least nine had been killed outright, their lifeless forms lying scattered across the battlefield. ”Hmm?” Holak raised his eyebrows in astonishment. ”Tsk~ Iʼll have to request the bossʼs method for absorbing energy during combat too. This isnʼt fair!!”

The only warrior still fighting with full force, maintaining and even surpassing his previous momentum, was Richard. Each strike he delivered seemed sharper, more precise, his aggression growing with every movement.

Looking skyward, he muttered thoughtfully, ”Hmm...”

High above, the Academyʼs lady, Monarch Althera, was still engaged in relentless combat, her stamina visibly strained. The number of nascent space beasts had doubled compared to the beginning of the fight, making her task nearly impossible.

Though she tried to restrict her role to keeping the beasts close to the gate, it became increasingly difficult; several were already slipping past her defensive efforts. ”Heeh~ no rest today,” Holak muttered, springing to his feet and cracking his neck, mentally preparing for the next onslaught.

Baa

At that moment, he felt a light, almost reassuring pressure along his spine.

Then a familiar voice rang out clearly across the chaos: ”Excellent work so far. Sit and recover for a few minutes. Gather your strength for what comes next.” ”Boss?” Holakʼs face lit up with a wide smile as he turned to look beside him. ”Will I finally see you in the fray this time?” He laughed, then glanced toward Althera. ”Hehe, Who will you call shameless, brainless this time?” ”If I fight while weʼre here, wouldnʼt that insult you?” Robin chuckled softly, beginning to stride confidently toward the gate. ”Iʼll ease your burden just slightly. Sit, recover, and prepare for the final cleanup.” ”Hmm, understood.” Holak shrugged and lowered himself onto the ground. Three complex soul arrays materialized around him, forming a small pyramid-like structure, yet his eyes never left Robinʼs back. ”Look... itʼs His Majesty! Iʼm certain of it!” ”Clear the way for His Majesty!!” ”Step aside!!!”

Even Robinʼs calm, deliberate stride, with his hands folded behind his back, gave the Imperial Guards a tremendous morale boost. Instantly, the path to the gate was cleared of all combatants and beasts. Some guards used every ounce of their strength to defeat and drag away the beasts they were facing; others simply lured them aside.

As His Majesty had said... if he fought in their presence, it would symbolize their failure.

Finally, when Robin reached the gate, he tilted his head upward with a confident smile, eyeing a massive lizard-breed beast attempting to force its way through. He began channeling a colossal surge of soul force into the pendant on his chest, his arms outstretched to their fullest span... And then he pulled with all his might.