Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1119: Another task awaits

Robin stared intently at his disciple’s face, a face full of regret and determination. He stood frozen in place, unsure of what to do. It felt as though every door in existence had been slammed shut in his face.

(But I don’t understand something… why did he wait until the very last moment to act?) Evergreen spoke after giving Robin a moment to process things on his own. She wanted to pull him back to reality, to prevent him from getting lost in his thoughts. (As far as you know, the army of the Great Serpent Empire learned this technique quite some time ago. If he had detonated them back then, it would have been over—everything, even Pythor, would have been reduced to dust.)

Robin let out a bitter chuckle and shook his head. ”Who among us truly wants to sacrifice themselves if there is no need?” His eyes remained fixed on Jabba’s motionless body. ”He gambled that I would win, even despite his... betrayal. It’s clear now—this technique, this formation, was his absolute last resort. He wouldn’t have used it unless the situation became utterly desperate.”

(So when he came here…?) Evergreen murmured.

”He really was running from me,” Robin admitted, his voice laced with understanding. ”If I had won on my own, I doubt I would have ever seen him again— at least, not until he had repaired his soul domain and get rid of that seal.” He sighed. ”But I failed to meet his expectations, and in the end, he had to step in regardless.”

Robin gestured toward Jabba’s petrified body. ”I bet he had no idea about the seal was for,” he speculated, his voice dark with realization. ”He probably thought that whatever was inside his soul domain would kill him instantly. When he told Sakaar goodbye… he truly meant it. He activated this formation fully expecting to die.”

(…Honestly? Your disciple is just like you. A walking contradiction.) Evergreen chuckled.

”What do you mean?” Robin asked as he continued to scrutinize Jabba’s body with his eyes, searching for any weakness in the technique.

(The Impatient Woman wasn’t controlling his mind when she planted this seal in his soul domain. They spoke —exchanged words— and afterward, he became a follower of the Great Serpent Empire. You could say he was simply afraid. He didn’t want to lose his life, so he submitted to her.) Evergreen analyzed. (He lashed out at you during the meeting, condemning your decision to exterminate his people… yet he never actually raised his weapon against you or your followers.)

She continued, (Not only that, but he left, intending to escape—to survive, rather than be forced into an action that would kill him. And yet… he returned. He threw himself into the fire, willingly sacrificing his own life to end the war. So tell me, Robin… Do you think he did it for Nehari? Or was it for you?)

”....” Robin remained silent. He understood what Evergreen was trying to do—she wanted him to analyze the situation without letting his emotions cloud his judgment.

But he was already doing that. He was already asking himself if he would have done anything differently had he been in Jabba’s position.

After another ten minutes of deep thought, Robin let out a heavy sigh and deactivated his Eye of Truth. ”It’s useless. This technique is far too complex. It’s like an impenetrable fortress—I can’t see any weaknesses. A third-stage Eye of Truth won’t be enough… maybe if I reached the fourth stage...”

(You should calm down and put this matter on hold for now.) Evergreen advised. (That seal was designed to keep him alive in a suspended state. If you were to break it now, he’d probably continue screaming, thinking he was about to die— only to open his eyes and find you sitting there. His soul, his life energy, everything has been completely frozen. It’s as if he’s been placed inside a time capsule. When he finally wakes up… it will be in the future.)

Robin clenched his fists. ”But why a seal?” He asked the question that had been gnawing at his mind.

Sealing Jabba had cost the Impatient Woman far more soul energy than simply killing him. Perhaps even more than what it would take to craft a powerful Soul Shard.

What was her reason? What was she planning?

(Isn’t that an easy question to answer? Even if he disobeyed her orders, he is still a Truth Chosen, after all.) Evergreen laughed, her voice laced with amusement. (By sealing him like this, she can send someone to retrieve him for her and take him to the Middle Planetary Belt. Or perhaps, she simply plans to wait until this planet advances to the Middle Planetary Belt and then seize him herself. In this state, he won’t age, and no one can harm him— he’s a prize waiting to be claimed!)

”Waiting tens of thousands of years for Jabba?” Robin furrowed his brows. ”Why go to such lengths? Aren’t Chosen of Truth the most common users of Master Laws?”

(Most common users of Master Laws simply means they exist in greater numbers compared to other Master Law users across history. But do you know how many clans or families have a Master Law that can be inherited?) Evergreen smirked and then shook her head. (Zero.)

She continued, (Master Law users are always solitary figures. They never pass down their laws. If one does exist, they inevitably become one of the strongest figures of their era—assuming, of course, that any even appear in a given era.)

(As for the Truth Chosen, the Master Law itself selects them, which is why their numbers are relatively higher. Yet, even then, they are still incredibly rare. Finding one is among the most difficult tasks for someone like the impatient woman, as most of them prefer to keep their abilities a secret and live in isolation.)

Evergreen waved a hand dismissively. (So naturally, Jabba would be treated as a treasure. I wouldn’t be surprised if she sends more empires to seize control of Nehari just to ensure she gets her hands on Jabba’s body. In fact, even if they fail and she only manages to claim his body after tens of thousands of years, it would still be worth it to her!)

After listening to Evergreen’s reasoning, Robin stared at Jaba’s frozen face once more.

She was right.

Jabba’s actions were contradictory, but they made sense when viewed from the right perspective. He had wanted to separate himself from Robin, to spread his wings and carve his own path. But instead, he had been thrown into the harsh reality of the world—forced into submission by a figure he never could have imagined encountering in his worst nightmares. And so, he had struggled every day, caught between two choices: to die or to betray everything he once stood for.

In the end… he had chosen death.

Or rather, something that was neither life nor death.

The seal wasn’t something Robin could see through—not yet, at least.

But in this state, at the very least, nothing would be able to harm him while he waited.

Someday… somehow… He would free him.

After several more minutes, Robin slowly reached out his hand until it was just a breath away from the violet barrier surrounding Jabba. He clenched his fist tightly, then withdrew his hand and let it fall to his side.

”I never accepted your apology for what you said about my wife,” Robin muttered, his voice quiet yet firm. ”I’ll make sure to punch you myself later.”

His eyes flickered for the briefest moment before he turned away, sliced open the space before him, and disappeared without another word.