Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1026: Matching opponents

”...Richard, bring me that pyramid,” Robin commanded in a steady voice that carried a mix of calm authority. Without turning his gaze, he pointed toward Marshal Zannox. Robinʼs eyes remained fixed on Pythor, as though his opponent alone was the sole threat in todayʼs game of chess.

”Understood,” Richard responded swiftly, without hesitation. In less than a moment, he lifted his left heel from the ground and slammed it back with a burst of green energy injected into the ground in a flash.

Shaaaa.

Time seemed to halt for everyone except Robin, who subtly activated his Eye of Truth to observe every detail without missing a beat, and Richard, the one wielding the technique. All the others could do was widen their eyes and await the inevitable. And the inevitable didnʼt take long to arrive-BOOOOM.

The ground beneath Marshal Zannox exploded violently, unleashing a jagged, fiery green spike of rock. The attack was sudden, rapid, and, worst of all, aimed not at the dark blue pyramid as Robin had instructed, but straight at Zannoxʼs chest. The intent was clear- Richard wanted the pyramid retrieved from a corpse!

”Damn...!” Zannox shouted, the first to sense death rushing toward him. His survival instincts flared, but there wasnʼt even enough time for a fleeting glance downward. Shhhhhh. With the first thought that crossed his mind, a thick, purple mist erupted from his mouth, spreading like a defensive veil against the impending doom.

The purple mist easily eroded the tip of the jagged rock spike, turning it into scattered dust. But the attack didnʼt stop. The spike continued its relentless drive, slamming into Zannoxʼs body with a force that reverberated like a lightning strike hitting the ground. BAAAAM.

Zannoxʼs body was hurled violently into the air, a stifled scream of pain escaping his lips. ”Arrrgh!!”

”Get back here!!” Richardʼs voice roared again, this time filled with fury and insult. He hadnʼt expected his target to survive the first strike, let alone manage to keep hold of the small pyramid. Slamming his hands onto the ground in front of him, a surge of green energy rippled outward, shaking the earth beneath his feet. A moment later, Richard launched himself into the air, chasing after Zannox. Dead or alive, he was determined to retrieve that pyramid.

”Where do you think youʼre going?!” a sudden voice roared, cutting through the chaos with ferocity. Although none had been able to intervene in the rapid exchange between Zannox and Richard, they had seen everything and realized the dire situation for their ally.

In an instant, Marshal Serbal leaped from his position, swinging a massive sword he had concealed behind his chair. The sword was no mere weapon- it was like an epic relic from the distant past, weighing more than a ton. Yet, in Serbalʼs hands, it seemed as light as a feather. His target was clear: to cleave Richard in two as he soared overhead.

Shwaaaalaaaaa.

As Serbalʼs blade gleamed with intent, his eyes suddenly glowed a dark shade, and the world seemed to darken around him. ”AAHHH!” he screamed, a mix of rage and terror in his voice. The black flames consuming him were not ordinary-they seemed to devour his very essence.

”Who gave you permission to attack my little brother?!” boomed Caesarʼs voice, resonating like an earthquake. His eyes burned with pure fury, his face stern, and his words were as unavoidable as a lightning strike. ”If you wish to hasten your demise, I will gladly deliver it!”

To Caesar, Richard was more than just the son of Robin by blood. From the moment Richard was born, Caesar, along with Lord Mila and Billy, had cared for him until disaster struck. To Caesar, Richard was not only a little brother but also a son. There was no way he would allow anyone to harm him while he stood!

”Argh... huff... huff!” Serbal regained consciousness with great difficulty, using the purple mist to extinguish the deathly black flames that had nearly consumed him. But that single second it took to douse the black flames left a deep scar on his heart. ”Iʼll kill you... Iʼll kill you, Iʼll kill you!!” he roared, charging at Caesar with his massive sword.

But Caesar showed no fear. With each step Serbal took toward him, Caesarʼs annoyance grew. He tried to summon his Death Halberd through his spatial ring, but there was no response. Facing that enormous blade without a proper weapon would be a hassle.

”Let me lend you a hand,” came Robinʼs calm but confident voice. With a casual wave of his hand, one of the tattoos on his body began to glow faintly.

Swoosh.

In the next instant, the Death Halberd materialized, floating in front of Caesar. He grabbed it with both hands, a small smile forming on his lips.

”Thanks!” Caesar said before rushing to confront Serbal.

”Hmmm?!” Pythorʼs brows furrowed deeply.

BOOOOOM.

The massive sword clashed with the Death Halberd, forged entirely of aurasilium. The collision unleashed a shockwave that instantly shattered the table at the center and sent Caesar flying backward. Swoosh.

In terms of levels, Caesar stood at Level 46, while his opponent was at Level 48. In terms of weaponry, the Marshalʼs sword was more specialized for close combat. Physically, though their strengths were nearly identical due to their beastly bloodlines and Jabaʼs body- strengthening array, the Marshal held a significant advantage in height, granting him superior leverage.

Robin wasnʼt surprised to see Caesar lose the direct clash and be hurled backward like a projectile. But...

”AAHHHH!!” The Marshal let out another scream, dropping to one knee. His eyes filled with tears and blood as he leaped after Caesar. ”You filthy scoundrel! Iʼll kill you! Iʼll kill you!!!”

In that fleeting moment, Caesar had ignited the flames on his Halberd and struck his opponent during the collision!

”Robin Burton!!!” Marshal Celebosʼs voice roared with fury. ”We gave you a chance-a slim chance to survive and salvage what remains of the chaos you call an empire. Yet you chose to destroy everything and doom your followers!”

Standing ablaze with anger, Celebos unsheathed a crescent-shaped sword, its core embedded with a fiery gem. He pointed it at Robin. ”Now that your two sons have fallen, who will protect you from me? The horned one, who was gravely wounded by the Seventh Prince? Or the blue jester with one functioning hand while the other barely reaches his wrist?” Step by deliberate step, Celebos advanced steadily, his eyes shining with murderous intent, his demeanor exuding absolute authority. ”You dared challenge an entity greater than you, your pitiful power deluded you into thinking you stood a chance at victory. Let me enlighten you-you are nothing but-”

”Whatʼs with the headache, you blabbering bitch?!” a sudden voice interrupted.

As Celebos approached, Holak stood up and, with his good hand, grabbed his shield. Then- BAAAM-he headbutted Celebos squarely on the nose with his thick skull.

Bshhhttt. The impact sent the First Marshal Celebos skidding backward, furrowing the ground until he collided with the chair he had just vacated.

Celebos stood quickly, his face a mix of embarrassment and rage. ”How dare yuh, yuh mongrel!?” His voice was distorted, his nose utterly shattered, yet his words were somewhat

understandable.

”Of course, I dare! Why wouldnʼt I? Ahahaha!!” Holak leaped forward, laughing maniacally, clearly enjoying himself.