Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2356 Injustice-1

Mid Sector 250 — Council of Thrones

”.....”

Upon a lofty platform stood twelve identical seats surrounding a single throne set above the rest, distinct from all the others. It was rare for all thirteen seats to be occupied at the same time... yet today, every one of them was filled.

Thirteen figures watched in complete silence, observing the recording of a brutal battle unfolding directly before them.

Holding their breath, their eyes opened as wide as they could, none of them moved, and not a single comment was made... they simply watched.

Bloop

The recording abruptly ended at a certain point, yet silence continued to dominate the chamber—

”...”

One of them finally turned toward the person beside him.

”Was that recording number fifty? When will the next one arrive?”

”The live broadcast is still ongoing,” another replied calmly. ”Theyʼll bring another recording once theyʼve accumulated another hour of footage. It wonʼt take long...”

”...Then what? Are we seriously going to sit here and watch Zargul and Darvion get crushed like this? Theyʼre among the academiesʼ greatest taxpayers and supporters!”

”You want to jump in and stop Renara and Hedrick in their current state?!”

”...”

That person fell silent before turning toward Qarun, who sat at the center of them all.

”If the Lord of Thrones gives the order and all of us move together, weʼll stop them without question.”

”.....”

”Zargul and Darvion pay to fight the Anti-Life forces anyway. These are their own problems, not ours,” one of the twelve disciples said before gesturing toward the recording. ”Thereʼs no reason for us to make enemies out of those people because of them.”

Bang!

One of the twelve slammed his fist onto the table.

”Youʼre severely underestimating us,” he declared before raising his voice even further. ”So what if their heavenly lawʼs support is somewhat excessive? Didnʼt Master Qarun do the same for us?”

”Yes, but theirs is clearly on an entirely different level,” another answered seriously. ”Didnʼt you see that girl freeze a Guardian before shattering him into a cloud of cellular dust? She didnʼt even need more than a few moves!”

”I still believe I can fight her until we both have to retreat. If three of us join forces, it would be an even battle. If six of us fight together, weʼll probably kill her.” The disciple frowned. ”I have no idea how or why so many people blessed by the heavenly laws have started appearing. First Helmorʼs children, and now the followers of the Cosmic Elder... but our master didnʼt make fragile pottery either!”

”....”

Several disciples nodded.

From the very beginning, their master had granted them terrifying laws. Then he personally designed both individual and group combat styles for them, making them stronger than the predecessors who had once led the academies before them.

Later, as the Syndicateʼs oppression intensified and several powers—such as theTyrant, the Dreamer, and others—refused to tolerate the academiesʼ presence in the surrounding sectors, as the prestige of the Stellar Academies steadily declined... their master informed them that he would leave on a training journey.

He disappeared for years.

When he finally returned, he brought them a pleasant surprise.

He gathered them together and announced that he would perform a procedure to increase the heavenly law support each of them received.

And he truly did.

Every one of them felt an unprecedented sense of freedom and an overwhelming surge of power.

By displaying that newfound strength at carefully selected locations and precisely chosen moments according to Master Qarunʼs plans, the Star Academies gradually regained the respect they had once lost. They reopened branches within the sectors controlled by those great powers, at least to a certain extent, and once again negotiated with the Syndicate as equals, reaching compromises instead of merely listening and backing down.

Some time later, he also began bringing them astonishing Covenant weapons of incredible power, though none of them had any idea where he obtained them. He gave one weapon to each disciple, trained them personally in its use, then carefully orchestrated an opportunity for one disciple to reveal that weapon—alongside his unbound strength—against one of the Syndicateʼs greatest figures...

Even though that battle ended without a single death or even a single injury on either side, the prestige of the Council of Thrones had been firmly established before all the great powers that day, and the matter had remained settled ever since without anyone daring to challenge the conclusion reached on that battlefield. Even after the Star Academies gradually began rebelling and nearly ninety percent of them stopped carrying out their assigned duties, none of the great powers attempted to test the Council of Thrones or probe the limits of the authority it had displayed.

Even the Syndicate chose to politely remain on the sidelines throughout the entire period. They made no obvious attempt to interfere with the situation, nor did they seek to exploit the opportunity despite everything that had unfolded before their eyes.

”Master.”

The twelve called out in perfect unison. Some of their voices carried unmistakable anger, others were filled with excitement, while several could not hide the concern lingering beneath their calm expressions.

Yet they all shared one thing in common: absolute, unwavering faith in the man who had elevated them to their current status and secured their position without relying upon a single major war, accomplishing everything through meticulous planning, flawless judgment, carefully calculated timing, and systematic deterrence that consistently forced every opposing force to reconsider its next move.

None of them understood why or how the other powers of the universe possessed methods capable of increasing heavenly law support. They had no idea what had suddenly changed, what force had stirred everything into motion, or why the balance that had remained stable for so long had begun collapsing with such astonishing speed.

But if Qarun merely pointed toward someone, they would destroy that target without the slightest hesitation, without demanding an explanation, and without asking a single question.

”....”

Qarun, who had kept both hands covering his face throughout the entire day, remained silent for a long while after hearing the unified call that none of them dared repeat a second time. Only after that prolonged silence did he finally part his lips and speak in a restrained voice.

”Leave me alone for a while.”

”Master?” The disciples frowned simultaneously. ”Is there some—”

”Get out!!”

Qarun pulled his hands away from his face, revealing features flushed crimson with overwhelming rage, then roared at them with a voice that echoed throughout the entire hall.

”Why do I have to repeat myself? Get out of my sight and clear this hall immediately!”

Whoosh Whoosh

In the blink of an eye, the twelve disciples disappeared through different methods of movement until not a single person remained within the vast chamber, leaving the hall completely empty except for the lone figure seated upon the throne.

Each of them collapsed in terror wherever they reappeared moments later, their hearts still pounding from what they had just witnessed, unable to erase the image of their masterʼs expression from their minds.

Their master had always been a man of few words and countless smiles. No matter what obstacle appeared before him, he would always find a solution. No matter what enemy stood in his path, he would quietly devise a method to match them or even surpass them, accomplishing everything with calm composure, measured confidence, and unwavering dignity that never seemed to falter regardless of the pressure surrounding him.

Not a single one of the twelve had ever seen him in such a state before.

Silence—

”....”

Qarunʼs facial features continued twisting uncontrollably for several long minutes as though he could no longer restrain them. He had lost command not only over his expression, but even over the natural functions of his own body, while the turmoil raging inside him steadily overwhelmed the discipline he had maintained for countless years.

”Why...”

Qarunʼs voice sounded as though it were rising from deep within his stomach, heavy, strained, hesitant, and burdened by emotions he could no longer suppress.

”Why did You abandon me... and support him so openly instead?!”