Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2051 Turning a curse into a blessing

After nearly an hour- ”Hmm hmm~~” Robin hummed softly, a low, relaxed sound, as he moved slowly through the field of destruction. The corpses of the space beasts towered around him like mountains and plateaus, massive silhouettes casting long shadows in every direction. His eyes glowed with a faint, dim golden light as he gave each creature a brief, measured glance, scanning them one by one, trying to form a general impression of the dayʼs hunt-its scale, its value, and its outcome.

Along his path, he nodded calmly to the Imperial Guards-the wounded and the unharmed alike. None were ignored. All of them were in a strange, almost surreal state of pride and joy as they saw His Majesty before their eyes, walking among them, alive, present, and satisfied with their performance. When he nodded to them with a faint smile, it felt like recognition, like approval, and that alone filled their chests with honor.

Almost no one present had lived through the Jura invasion, nor had they been there during the coronation itself. And ever since then, none of them had seen His Majesty the very man they were sworn to protect-until today. So standing before him now, fighting under his command, and surviving in his presence was not just duty... it was honor. It was something that brought genuine happiness. Something they would speak about for years, something they would remember for the rest of their lives. 4,600 Imperial Guards.

That was the number who had participated in the battle, arrived through 15 Rapid Support-1 vessels.

There were several other vessels that could have been summoned, but they were deliberately not called. Authorization had been given to use instant mobility abilities to extract Imperial Guards from their most critical missions across the sector. All of them were placed on standby, fully prepared to move the moment a signal was received. Each time the number of beasts increased, a signal would be sent to the nearest vessel to come immediately.

The Imperial Guard must never all gather in one place-this was how they were trained, how they were raised, how their doctrine was built. No one could ever know if a planet or a vessel might be annihilated in a single catastrophic event, killing everyone present. And if that happened, His Majesty would be left without protection.

Always...

The number of guards in any single location vulnerable to total destruction must never exceed half.

That rule was absolute. ”Your Majesty.”

Latania, Drake, and Malik appeared before Robin and knelt on one knee, their movements precise and disciplined. ”Mm. Well done, all of you,” Robin said calmly. ”Go and rest. Tend to your comradesʼ wounds. Make sure the injured are stabilized. Iʼll walk around a bit.”

He nodded to them, then passed by without ceremony. ”Yes, Your Majesty.”

The three answered in perfect unison.

Robin suddenly stopped.

He reached out and patted Drakeʼs armor lightly. ”Iʼve given orders to find solutions to support you on the path youʼve chosen. Iʼm expecting even more hard work from you in the future.”

Then he continued walking, unhurried. ”...?!” Drakeʼs eyes widened in shock. ”Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The two other legion commanders remained kneeling until Robin had moved far enough away, then they slowly stood up. ”Hmmm,” Drake moved his lower lip as if chewing on a thought, ”His Majesty... is kind of short.” ”Nope,” Malik said with a laugh, shaking his head. ”Youʼre just absurdly tall.” ”I wonʼt argue with that.” Drake nodded firmly. ”He might be short to you,” Latania said, clearly annoyed, ”but he could crush you and break you before you even realized what happened.” ”Hm. I wonʼt argue with that either.” Drake nodded again, his gaze fixed on His Majestyʼs back.

That young man-who looked to be around their age.

That short figure-who didnʼt even reach 190 cm.

Walking casually, hands behind his back, moving through a battlefield of corpses as if it were a quiet garden path...

He radiated an involuntary presence from his very being-an aura that said he was untouchable.

His indifferent posture, his relaxed movements, and the gentle smile on his face as he walked through such a tense, brutal atmosphere didnʼt just show that he felt safe...

It showed that he didnʼt see anything around him as a threat at all.

Not fear.

Not caution.

Not concern.

Not even curiosity.

Nothing.

And that... was what made him truly terrifying. ”Hm?” Robin stopped in front of a space beast shaped like a colossal sea serpent, stretching several kilometers in length. His smile widened slightly, carrying a calm confidence that felt almost unsettling. ”Leonid.” ”Present.” A young man stepped out from the darkness behind Robin, his posture straight, his presence sharp and attentive. ”Have the experts from Sky Opening City start dissecting this one first,” Robin said calmly, pointing toward the massive beast. Then he opened his hands and gestured broadly around the battlefield, his voice steady and commanding. ”Of course, I want all of this cleaned up properly, every trace handled. And establish a full flaying and processing site on the other side of the planet, in preparation for the next opening. I want everything ready in advance.” ”Yes, sir.” Leonid nodded firmly, without hesitation. ”Iʼve already contacted Sky Opening City on the planet Kizar, and they should be-”

Whoosh

At that exact moment, the sand mixed with water and blood beside Robin rapidly morphed and reshaped, flowing unnaturally as if guided by an invisible force, forming the figure of a small girl. She looked like a long-haired child, her expression filled with boredom, irritation, and barely contained anger, as if the entire situation disgusted her. ”You... is what I heard true?” she said sharply. ”Are you really going to leave that portal open on my surface?!” ”Hah!” Robin let out a small, amused laugh. ”The spirit of Planet Dinara?” He clapped once, slowly. ”Of course the portal will stay. Where do you think itʼs going to go, exactly?” ”You-you-you!!” The planet spirit tried to force her lazy eyes open, her voice trembling with rage. ”One single nascent space beast can explode the planet down to its core and devour it completely! I was terrified throughout the entire battle, and now youʼre going to open it again and let hundreds of them in once more?!” ”Maybe thousands this time.” Robin shrugged casually, as if discussing something trivial. ”Do you really think Iʼll stop my plans for the sake of a planet spirit?” He chuckled softly and resumed walking. ”Go absorb some primordial energy or do something useful, donʼt waste both out time here.” ”Wonʼt my destruction ruin your plans too?” the planet spirit hurried after him, her tone shifting into panic. ”If battles like this continue, the atmosphere will rupture and me heart will inevitably collapse. One direct strike to the heart of the planet could destroy it-and your portal as well!!” ”...” Robin stopped. ”Heh- alright, youʼve got my attention.”

He slowly turned toward her, his expression now focused and sharp. ”Do you have a solution other than moving the corridor?” ”Give me those crystals!” the planet spirit pointed urgently at the crystal of the sea-serpent-like space beast, her voice filled with desperation. ”Huh?” Robin laughed. ”Are you trying to break through a World Cataclysm?” ”Burying those crystals deep beside my planetary core will give me immense power and make my destruction extremely difficult,” she said rapidly, barely pausing to breathe. ”It will also change my climate, stabilize my structure, and make me suitable for long-term human habitation!” The planet spirit spoke fast, clearly tense and afraid of being refused. ”Hm?” A wide smile spread across Robinʼs face. ”Trying to change your miserable fate overnight, huh?”

He looked away for a few moments, as if calculating something far deeper than her words suggested, then slowly nodded. ”Fine. Iʼll give you one for now.”

Then he gestured to Leonid. ”For every 100 space beasts we kill, bury one crystal deep within the planet, right beside the core.” ”Yes, sir” Leonid nodded firmly, his tone unwavering. ”Only one?!” the planet spirit shouted in disbelief. ”Thatʼs far too little!” ”Itʼs far too much,” Robin replied coldly, his voice sharp and final. ”Who knows how many thousands weʼll kill here?”

He looked at her seriously, his gaze heavy with meaning. ”...In fact, Iʼm starting to think this is TOO much for you. Burying all those crystals here would turn you into a super-planet. Over time, youʼd become stronger and tougher than a galaxy seed-if you didnʼt turn into one in the end. As just a planet, youʼd become a dedicated battlefield world. Why should I invest all of that into you?” Robin glanced around for a moment, taking in the ruined land, the blood-soaked sands, and the broken sky, then looked directly at her. ”...Hey. What exactly is your primary law affinity and owner gift?”