Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1209 1209: the last resort

”Hooo~”

Robin exhaled slowly, the breath leaving his lungs like the final calm before a storm. His voice came out soft, yet resolute, like a quiet command to the world itself:

”…Evergreen, itʼs your turn.”

(Finally!)

The voice of Evergreen burst out from deep within his soul—excited, eager, practically trembling with anticipation.

(At long last, theyʼll all witness what it truly means to bear the gift of a Fundamental Law!)

Her tone was so jubilant, so full of burning purpose, that Robinʼs eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. Even in a moment like this she sounded excited.

Did she not realize the severity of their predicament? Or… was her trust in him truly so absolute, so unwavering, that fear no longer held any meaning?

FWWWWWWWHHHHHMMMM—

From the center of Robinʼs soul domain, a tiny orb of green light shimmered into existence. It rose gracefully, drifting upward like a candle flame on the wind. With each passing moment, it grew—swelling in brilliance, gaining mass and majesty—until it became a blazing green sun high above.

And then... it began to rain.

Gentle droplets of emerald liquid descended from the sky, each one light as air yet thrumming with overwhelming energy. The droplets landed on Robin, vanishing instantly into his skin, merging with him seamlessly as though they had always belonged.

”....”

All across the Imperial Capital—within the grand plaza and beyond it—countless eyes struggled to lift toward the sky. It was difficult; even breathing felt like a trial beneath the pressure of the descending doomsday sphere.

But when they saw the green sun, they felt it.

A change.

Unlike the oppressive might of the blue sun that had come before, this one did not weigh down on their souls. It soothed them, embraced them. Its warmth spread through their bodies like rivers of calm. Some gasped as they felt the pressure ease, even if just slightly. A wave of hope, soft but undeniable, began to bloom across the battlefield.

Shhhhhhhiiiing—

Under the gentle emerald rain, a new transformation began. A golden shimmer began to rise from beneath his skin. It grew and thickened, wrapping around his body in cascading waves, until it formed a resplendent royal cloak, flowing and regal.

Golden boots took shape beneath his feet, crafted with the dignity of an emperor. A delicate, translucent hood—like spun sunlight—settled upon his head, veiling his face in sovereign majesty.

KSSSSHHHHHH—

Then, from beneath the golden cloak, his chest ignited.

A pulse—deep green and vibrant—burst outward, beating like a second heart. With every thrum, it grew darker, more intense, until finally—

SHWAAAAAAAHHH!!

A wave of green energy exploded around him. It roared to life, wrapping around his cloak like emerald fire, each flare crackling with barely-contained power.

Robin stood still amidst it all, bathed in light, transformed into something more than mortal.

In that moment—in that sacred heartbeat of time—he was the most battle-ready he had ever been.

(What are you doing?!)

Evergreenʼs voice returned, now urgent and confused.

(Why are you burning your life force now?!)

”Because…”

Robin spoke softly, barely louder than the wind,

”…I may not get another chance.”

He smiled faintly, then turned his gaze upward—toward the black-dressed woman suspended high above.

”…Letʼs hope you keep your promise.”

He exhaled slowly, then closed his eyes. He didnʼt wait for her reply.

Far above, the woman furrowed her brow. She examined the arrogant golden-green beetle with disgust, ”Then hurry and begi—”

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM—

---------------

Robin opened his eyes again.

And the world—the very fabric of reality itself—changed.

Colors drained away. Light and shadow flattened into endless shades of gray. Time… halted.

The world was now monochrome, suspended in a spacetime so warped that even motion itself became a whisper of a dream.

”…Letʼs hope this works as planned.”

Robin clenched his jaw, then launched forward in a blur of motion toward the descending gray spiked sphere—the very embodiment of planetary extinction.

His sprint wasnʼt about speed.

Thanks to his recent breakthrough in his understanding of the Master Law of Spacetime, he could now sustain this frozen moment—this Monochrome World—for long enough to act.

Whether he moved swiftly or slowly didnʼt matter.

He surged forward simply to conserve energy, to focus every ounce of his power into what was to come.

KRRRK… KRRRRK…

Robinʼs brow tightened as he approached the sphere.

The area around it was seething with violent distortions—ripples in the monochrome fabric that twisted and bled outward.

He could feel it in his bones: the time he had in this frozen world would be cut in half.

But he didnʼt question it.

After all, this attack was forged from a Sixth-Rank Fundamental Law, and he was trying to contain it with a Third-Rank Sovereign Law.

Only the miracle of his recent insight—gained during his confrontation with Baithor—made any of this even remotely possible.

With a sense of urgency, Robin looked up—toward the black-cloaked woman once more.

He needed to know: how did the Monochrome World affect someone in the Nexus State? Was she immune to timeʼs grasp?

And then—he saw it.

Massive ripples rolled through the frozen world around her.

Her lips… moved. Slowly. Still mid-sentence.

She was the first person he had ever seen able to move at all while the Monochrome World was active.

But it didnʼt matter.

The ability still held.

”Hoo~”

Robin exhaled a long, relieved sigh, a heavy weight lifting slightly off his chest. Now—at the very least—he had confirmation: his Monochrome World ability could indeed assist him even when facing someone in the Nexus State.

That alone was a monumental discovery.

However, deep down, Robin knew—just freezing everything wouldnʼt be enough.

Even if time stood still, he couldnʼt actually kill her.

He lacked the raw destructive power needed to strike her down.

Moreover, if the woman in the black dress sensed the slightest anomaly—just the tiniest disturbance—she could unleash her terrifying aura, one that could annihilate the Monochrome World instantly, like wiping dust off a table.

It was the exact same dilemma he had faced when confronting Pythor before.

Yes, he could freeze her in time. Yes, he could slow the world to a crawl.

But what then?

Escape? Flee with his children?

A fantasy at best.

Spatial Portals, the only means of true escape, wouldnʼt function inside the Monochrome World.

And running anywhere else across the planet would be futile.

She could simply erase the planet from existence if she desired and pluck him out of hiding like a wolf sniffing out prey.

Robin shook his head firmly, clearing the creeping doubts from his mind, and focused his gaze upward once again, at the monstrous calamity descending.

There was no running.

There was no hiding.

There was only one path: to face it head-on.

He clenched his fist, hardening his will, then slowly extended his finger in front of him.

He pointed directly at the space around the gray spiked sphere.

The entire turbulent zone—where even the fabric of the Monochrome World wavered—became his target.

And then—

TRRRRRRIP—

A subtle, almost inaudible sound of tearing fabric filled his ears.

Robin alone heard it.

That marked area became outlined in pure black—as if someone had taken an ink-drenched brush and slashed across the canvas of reality itself.

It was the same technique heʼd used against Pythor: tearing the world apart.

But that time, it had been almost accidental—an act of desperation.

Today, it was deliberate, controlled, intentional.

Back then, he had nearly exhausted his entire being just to shove the torn space a few meters, creating a void—a true void so deep and profound it couldnʼt even be compared to interstellar space.

But todayʼs challenge was on an entirely different level.

He only had 23 solid energy foundations remaining—pitiful reserves compared to what he needed.

And even if he could banish the attack into a pocket dimension, there was no guarantee it would hold.

But...

Robin smiled faintly.

That was never his plan to begin with.

Now, with the torn fragment of space clutched tightly in his right hand, Robin turned his body westward, facing the distant ocean that lay beyond the horizon.

He clenched his right fist firmly—and pulled with all his might.

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—

The Monochrome World twisted and shifted once again.

The imperial capitalʼs scenery—its towering structures, the distant mountains, the endless crowds—all vanished.

In their place emerged a vast, endless ocean, its waters rippling under an eerily still gray sky.

Without hesitation, Robin raised his left hand, slicing through the air again with a sharp finger.

He cut out a piece of this new scene—one that matched the size of the piece he had torn earlier.

Now, holding a piece of the capital in his right and a piece of the ocean in his left, Robin prepared himself.

He cast a final glance downward.

At the people he loved.

At the friends and strangers he had sworn to protect.

At the world he had fought so hard for.

A soft, almost bittersweet smile formed on his lips.

Then, he lifted his head proudly and whispered into the stillness:

”Replace.”

--------------

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM—

WAAAK! WAAAK!

The world shuddered.

”...And DIE, you filthy rat! Youʼre not even worth—!”

The woman in the black dress, moments away from delivering her final, cruel taunt, suddenly faltered.

Something wasnʼt right.

The scene before her had shifted.

Robin—

was gone.

The monstrous attack that had been consuming the soul-forged pilar—

was gone.

In their place—

a bewildered seabird, flapping its wings in confused panic.

”What the hell—!!”

Zara, Richard, and the others stared, their mouths agape, their voices frozen in their throats.

The figure they had been watching—their father, their leader, their hero—

had vanished.

And the overwhelming pressure that had been crushing them to the ground—

was gone as well.

”Whatʼs going on?! Whereʼs Father?! Did anyone see what happened?! He couldnʼt have just vanished—there must be—!!”

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM—

At that moment, Everyone, turned their heads sharply—

—toward the west.