Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2296 The new order

”...?” Arkail turned slightly toward Glatheon, genuine surprise flashing across his face as he studied the younger manʼs expression, almost wondering whether he had misheard him.

”Did you just compare Lord Robin to the Elder Cosmic... and the Archon?”

A faint, almost amused smile slowly appeared across his lips.

”Not even Marlik?”

”Marlik isnʼt worthy of polishing his shoes.” Glatheon answered immediately, without the slightest pause or hesitation. His voice carried neither provocation nor exaggeration. To him, it was simply an objective statement of fact, one that required no further explanation.

”....” Arkail frowned, the smile gradually fading from his face.

”Iʼve always admired your sound judgment, Glatheon. Among all the people Iʼve met over the years, youʼve consistently been one of the few capable of remaining rational even when everyone else allowed emotions to cloud their thinking. Perhaps Lord Robin prefers to remain hidden behind layers of mystery for reasons known only to himself, but youʼre perceptive enough to understand that if one wishes to earn respect, one must first reveal enough to deserve it.”

Although every sentence appeared to be directed toward Glatheon, it was obvious to everyone present that Arkail was actually speaking to Robin.

”No one can expect to be treated as an equal in a position like this merely because he wishes it. Respect cannot simply be demanded—it must be established through actions that everyone can clearly recognize.”

”Soooff...”

Robin leisurely took another sip from his drink, looking entirely unhurried, as though Arkailʼs words had not disturbed him in the slightest. The cup in his hand seemed to command more of his attention than the argument unfolding before him.

”Lord Robin isnʼt trying to appear superior or deliberately surround himself with mystery, Your Majesty,” Glatheon replied almost immediately, unwilling to let the misunderstanding continue. ”Up until just today, I myself had already sworn loyalty and service to the Grave Empire, yet despite that I knew almost nothing as well. By pure coincidence, todayʼs events allowed me to witness things I was never supposed to witness—things that immediately made me understand why nobody had ever spoken of them to me.”

His brows slowly tightened together as the image of the six Master Law symbols vividly resurfaced within his mind.

”I witnessed a world completely different from everything I believed existed. I heard of matters that simply were never meant to become part of conversations like ours. The more I saw, the more I realized that ignorance hadnʼt been an insult—it had been protection.”

He then slowly pointed toward Robin.

”I donʼt wish to exaggerate or speak beyond my place, but saying that this man can merely be compared to the Elder Cosmic or the Archon... doesnʼt even begin to do him justice.”

”...?” Arkail continued maintaining eye contact with Glatheon, yet the warmth in his expression gradually disappeared, replaced instead by unmistakable coldness. It was painfully obvious that, in his opinion, Glatheonʼs words had crossed every reasonable limit.

”Heh~”

Glatheon rested his head against one hand with a helpless smile.

He truly felt restrained.

He wasnʼt permitted to reveal any genuine secrets or disclose anything specific, yet at the same time he couldnʼt help feeling a trace of pity for Arkail, who had absolutely no idea what sort of existence he was speaking to or how incomplete his understanding of the situation truly was.

Then, suddenly, Glatheonʼs eyes brightened.

”Oh!”

He snapped his fingers.

”There is one thing!”

Immediately afterward, he pointed toward the gateway through which they had all entered.

”Lord Robin intentionally allowed you to see that gateway, so I donʼt believe itʼs inappropriate for me to speak about it.”

A smile spread across his face.

”That gateway was created through Fifth Grade Master Spacetime Law. We came here directly from Mid Sector 99. A single step... literally one step... and we arrived here instantly.”

”What?!” Saher shot to his feet once again before he could stop himself, his eyes instinctively widening as he looked back toward the gateway.

Robin immediately cast a sidelong glance toward him.

”....?”

”...Purely a reflex.” Saher hurriedly answered, awkwardly lowering himself back into his seat while raising both hands slightly. ”I wasnʼt raising my voice at anyone in particular.”

Even after sitting down, however, his eyes immediately drifted back toward the gateway from which they had emerged, as though he were seeing it for the first time.

Fifth Grade?

The Fifth Grade of any Master Law represented the ability to stand against Behemoths.

More than that...

It represented the ability to defeat Behemoths.

”...Is what heʼs saying true?” Arkail stared directly into Robinʼs eyes. The coldness that had occupied his expression only moments earlier gradually disappeared, replaced instead by unmistakable awe mixed with profound disbelief. ”You... a Fifth Grade Truth Chosen, as you claim to be... also possess Fifth Grade Master Spacetime?”

”Mhm.”

Robin simply nodded, looking as though he was enjoying the drink considerably more than the conversation itself.

He then casually extended one hand, placed the now-empty cup upon the table before him, and gave Glatheon an approving nod.

”This is better than what Pistu usually makes. Well done, Glathi.”

”Thank you for the praise, my lord.”

Glatheon immediately stood, respectfully bowed, then quietly resumed his seat, visibly pleased by the compliment despite keeping his composure.

”Mhm?” Arkailʼs brows furrowed once again, still dissatisfied with how casually Robin had answered. ”Fifth Grade Truth... Fifth Grade Spacetime... and First Grade Creation...”

He paused thoughtfully before continuing.

”Was that truly enough to repel a Space Beast Ancestor?”

”....”

Glatheon slowly shook his head with a quiet sigh, already knowing where this line of questioning was headed.

Robin, however, merely smiled.

”Itʼs enough to repel the Marlik you fear... and kill any Behemoth I decide to kill.”

His eyes calmly met Arkailʼs.

”Isnʼt that sufficient?”

”Talking with you is exhausting, Lord Robin.”

Arkail rubbed the bridge of his nose before once again knitting his brows.

”Not every Behemoth is the same. They cannot all be killed so casually. Some possess strength far beyond what they outwardly appear to have, and some have survived countless eras precisely because ordinary measures simply do not apply to them.”

”Zero interest.” Robin casually raised both hands in an unconcerned gesture, speaking as though the subject genuinely failed to hold his attention. ”I came here to give you a gift because of Asir. That was my sole purpose.”

His expression remained perfectly indifferent.

”After that, youʼre free to do whatever you wish.”

”Oh?” A faint smile returned to Arkailʼs face. ”And what exactly is this gift?”

From Arkailʼs perspective, the conversation had effectively already reached its conclusion.

Lord Robin was absolutely nothing like the person he had imagined before today.

He was not the calm, scholarly figure with whom one could patiently exchange ideas, gradually build mutual understanding, and eventually reach common ground through discussion.

If anything, Theo and the others surrounding him—despite all their pride, confidence, and occasional sense of entitlement—appeared considerably easier to reason with than the man they all followed.

”Now weʼre back to what truly matters.” A broad smile appeared across Robinʼs face before his expression gradually turned serious once more. ”I, Robin Burton, grant you complete security and absolute independence over Mid Sector 96 for eternity. Govern it however you see fit, establish whatever order you believe appropriate, and rule it how you see fit.”

Then the seriousness vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.

He smiled again.

”Thatʼs all.”

”...Thatʼs all?” An exceedingly faint smile appeared on Arkailʼs face, somewhere between disbelief and amusement. ”Youʼre granting me sovereignty over my own sector? A sector that has always been under my authority in the first place?”

”Hehe. One day youʼll understand just how valuable that promise truly is.” Robin nodded with complete confidence before casually patting his thigh and rising to his feet. ”Well then... weʼre finished here. Iʼve accomplished everything I came here to accomplish.”

”Oh? Why the rush?” Arkail asked with a dissatisfied smile before gesturing toward the stone table between them. ”Thereʼs still a full cup left untouched. Go ahead and drink it before you leave.”

Among people of their status, it was considered discourteous for a host not to drink together with his guest.

It was an even greater insult to deliberately point that fact out in front of the guest himself.

But Robinʼs own attitude had gradually driven Arkail to this point.

After all...

Robin had been the one who established the tone of this meeting from the very beginning.

”Hmm.”

Robin simply nodded.

Without saying another word, he reached forward, picked up the cup that had originally been prepared for Arkail himself, and emptied its contents in one uninterrupted gulp.

Gulp.

Gulp.

Not a single drop remained.

After finishing, he casually tossed the empty cup aside as though it no longer possessed any value.

Then something strange happened.

The cup dissolved into fine dust while still suspended in midair.

That dust immediately transformed into something resembling a tiny drifting cloud before completely dispersing and vanishing the instant it touched the ground.

Even more astonishingly, the patch of barren earth upon which it disappeared immediately began sprouting vibrant green grass, fresh blades rapidly emerging from the desert as though life itself had quietly awakened beneath the sand.

”....?!” Arkailʼs brows drew together tightly as he watched the bizarre phenomenon unfold before his own eyes, unable to determine whether what he had just witnessed belonged to which master law.

”Listen, old man.”

Robin calmly raised two fingers toward Arkail.

”You have two choices regarding the Syndicate fleet.”

He held up the first finger.

”First, gather every one of your forces and head immediately to Mid Sector 95. Prevent them from advancing even a single step farther. Use every soldier under your command and every one of your sons to completely destroy that pathetic fleet. Personally participate in the battle as well and stop whichever Guardians and Monarchs have joined their ranks. Donʼt allow a single significant opponent to continue advancing.”

His gaze remained fixed directly upon Arkail.

”If you do that, Iʼll grant you the exact same promise regarding Mid Sector 95.”

His voice remained perfectly calm.

”Eternal sovereignty over it as well.”

He then lowered the first finger, leaving only one raised.

”Second, return to your galaxy immediately. Watch them pass through your territory without interfering, and consider your war against Zargul already concluded in victory.”

He spoke as though the outcome had already become an established fact.

”Because, from my perspective...”

”...heʼs already dead.”

”If you choose that path, I wonʼt bear any resentment toward you.”

”My original promise regarding Mid Sector 96 will remain exactly as it is.”

His expression became slightly more serious.

”But from that point onward, youʼll never again leave the boundaries of your sector.”

”And in exchange for maintaining your sovereignty over it, youʼll pay me an annual tribute.”

He paused briefly.

”The amount will be determined solely by me.”

”What kind of madness is this?!” Arkail abruptly rose to his feet, unable to remain seated any longer as disbelief finally overcame his composure.

”This madness...”

Robin met Arkailʼs eyes directly, neither yielding nor avoiding the confrontation.

”...is the new cosmic order.”

The words left his mouth without the slightest trace of hesitation.

”Adapt to it if you wish to survive.”

Several long seconds of absolute silence followed.

Neither man looked away.

The pressure hanging between them became so heavy that even the others instinctively remained silent, allowing nothing to interrupt the invisible clash of wills taking place.

Only then did Robin quietly snap his fingers toward Glatheon and Richard.

”Letʼs go.”

Riiing...

The Scales appeared once again.

The small sphere resting within Robinʼs hand immediately vanished, seemingly absorbed by the scales themselves, before transforming into an immense surge of incomparably pure energy that completely enveloped his body from head to toe.

Robin casually waved one hand.

The same small golden door quietly materialized before them once again, standing in the empty air exactly as it had before.

Without another glance backward, Robin stepped through it.

Richard followed immediately behind him, still releasing exhausted sighs with nearly every step as he disappeared through the doorway.

Glatheon remained behind for only a brief moment.

He turned toward Arkail one last time, bowed respectfully, and quietly said,

”Please...”

”...adapt.”

There was no mockery within his voice.

Only sincere advice.

Then Glatheon stepped through the golden door as well, disappearing from sight as the doorway gradually began fading away.

Silence.

The vast desert became completely still once again.

Only the faint breeze continued passing over the newly sprouted patch of green grass, gently swaying its blades as though quietly reminding everyone that what had just happened had not been an illusion.

”.....?”

Arkail continued staring toward the place where the golden door had disappeared, his thoughts racing through everything he had witnessed.

”...Was that...”

”...Balance?”