Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1302 1302: Introduction to Soul Society

After several seconds—and the passing of that peculiar sensation that had gripped his entire being, a feeling like freefalling from a towering, unseen height—Robin slowly opened his eyes once more.

”Hmm?” he muttered with a hint of caution.

What he saw in front of him wasnʼt drastically different from what he had expected. The same glowing white chamber encased him from all sides, unchanged and otherworldly. Its walls shimmered faintly, void of any shadows or edges.

He glanced down at himself, half-expecting some bizarre transformation.

But what he saw was... normal.

His body appeared just as it always had: the same clothes, the same texture of skin, the familiar contours of his limbs. It was all far too realistic—eerily so.

But despite how convincing it all looked, he knew without a shred of doubt:

He was no longer in the real world.

”Huh?” Robin turned sharply, instinctively scanning for the source of the voice.

It didnʼt take long to find it.

Floating gracefully into his view was a strange being—delicate, radiant, and undeniably ethereal.

It looked like a tiny fairy, perhaps a fairy, with four translucent wings and a semi-humanoid figure. Despite the almost human proportions, its diminutive size—no more than a few centimeters tall—made it feel surreal, like something out of a childʼs dream or an ancient tale.

”…Constructed from pure soul energy?” Robin whispered in awe, stepping closer.

He began to circle the creature slowly, studying it from every angle. Every motion it made, every faint shimmer along its outline, screamed of high-level energy manipulation.

Extraordinary.

The tiny entity continued, her voice smooth and oddly mechanical, as if she were reciting a long-memorized script.

”…”

Robin froze. His expression faltered.

He had assumed it was a standard ID number. Something generic and randomly assigned.

But no.

That was his actual number—his literal placement among all users in the Society.

88 quadrillion… and some loose digits at the end.

A quadrillion… was a million billion.

The scale of that number was astronomical—almost absurd.

Yet, when he thought more deeply, it wasnʼt so unbelievable.

The Soul Society extended across the entire Middle Planetary Belt—a zone that spanned countless star systems, all teeming with advanced civilizations.

Even so… that number was terrifying.

In fact, it was possibly even small—if you considered how strict the entry requirements were. Not just anyone could join. It likely represented the total population of the upper-middle to elite classes scattered across the Belt.

Then, a darker thought crept into his mind.

If those 88 million billion users paid 70 liters of essence each day—for just basic access—how much wealth had Morpheus amassed over the millennia?

And thatʼs without counting the fees from these trades, cross-planetary commerce, soul-forging licenses, and other services…

Gulp.

”…Understood.”

Robin nodded, taking a silent breath. This largely mirrored what the receptionist outside had told him—only this version was more detailed, more official.

The fairy fluttered her wings and paused, giving him a moment to consider.

”Three thousand pearls?!” Robinʼs eyes nearly popped out of his head from sheer shock.

He had already been thinking, deep down, that commuting to this place every single day was utterly impractical—especially for people of high status like emperors, council members, or those burdened with endless responsibilities. And just when he had begun to wonder how such individuals might use the Soul Society regularly, this offer was suddenly laid out before him.

This—this was the answer.

A private access implant.

A system designed specifically for the elite. With it, those who stood at the summit of society, the true powerhouses of the Middle Planetary Belt, could log in anytime, anywhere, without being physically present near a terminal. They could access the network from within their own soul domain, continuing trade, exploration, and research uninterrupted.

It was brilliant—a masterstroke of both convenience and profit.

With this system in place, commerce within the Soul Society would soar, powered by the spending of the richest and most influential. And meanwhile, the Society itself would quietly drain energy wealth from them, day by day, hour by hour.

And then another thought hit him—

”Wait a second… Did you just say three thousand Soul Units or three thousand Energy Pearls?” Robin asked again, eyes narrowing slightly. His tone was incredulous, but tinged with curiosity.

The little fairy nodded politely, her wings fluttering gently in place as she responded in her cheerful, melodic voice.

Robin stood still for a moment, his brows furrowing into a deep, thoughtful crease.

The idea of using Soul Units as a form of currency didnʼt sit well with him—not entirely. Soul itself was a vital essence. A foundation of life, cultivation, consciousness...

To spend it so casually? That felt dangerous. Risky. Maybe even sacrilegious.

But just as those thoughts formed, they were abruptly interrupted—

the fairy added with a slight smile.

”Pardon?!” Robin blinked in disbelief, caught completely off guard.

The fairyʼs tone remained serene and unshaken.

she said, as if reciting a law written into the fabric of the system itself.

”…The Chamber of Truth?” Robin repeated, his voice low with caution. ”And what exactly is that supposed to be?”

Something in him resisted the idea. He hadnʼt exactly imagined Morpheus as a kind, noble benefactor.

But then again… how long had Morpheus existed? How many Chosens had come before him—over the centuries, the millennia, the eons?

If heʼd ever intended harm toward people like Robin, heʼd had more than enough time to act on it.

the fairy continued gently,

”…”

Robin stood in silence, face tightening.

Twenty-five percent?!

Thatʼs an enormous cut for simply hosting a list. What did they actually do to justify it? They already charged an outrageous entry fee, and now they took a quarter of every transaction, too?

That was practically extortion.

”…And what does any of this have to do with that ʼChamber of Truthʼ?” he asked pointedly.

the fairy said, her tone gaining the faintest trace of pride.

Then, the fairyʼs eyes seemed to shimmer strangely as she added: