Lord of the Truth

"That minor wind law — that gaseous substance — it's not something one can simply find in nature. No, I synthesized it myself by combining several rare and volatile gases in a very precise manner until I finally managed to produce it, and after extensive effort, I was able to discern its underlying pattern. You could say that, in essence, it's a merged law in and of itself! ...When combined with the element of fire, this law significantly amplifies the capabilities of any flame user, empowering them to a degree that even the smallest attack — no matter how trivial or seemingly weak — becomes capable of inflicting devastating damage, as you witnessed yourself."

Robin then laughed, his tone light yet carrying a faint menace. "A small group — just a handful — of individuals who have mastered this law could reduce entire cities to ash, merely by spreading their flames over the landscape. And the best part? It would hardly cost them any significant amount of energy."

"....." Caesar fell silent. He couldn't help but turn back and study that tablet once more.

He could already envision the scene in his mind… One or two users of this law, hovering in the skies above a city, unleashing torrents of fire that swallow everything in sight — green fields, stone walls, forests, people — all reduced to nothing in moments. And all the while, those users would remain unfazed, not even breathing heavily. The very idea was bone-chilling.

Then Robin gestured toward the next tablet. "Second, we have what I call 'Poison Wind.'" He gave a casual wave. "The name says it all, doesn't it? There's no need for elaborate examples here. I've carefully fused together a variety of toxic elements — neurotoxins, physical toxins, and even hallucinogenic or mind-affecting poisons — all woven into the structure of the technique. The wind behaves as normal, and the user manipulates it as they usually would… but every breeze, every gust, every motion of air they command will carry deadly consequences. I strongly advise keeping such users far, far away from civilians — they wouldn't stand a chance."

"...?!" Caesar's eyes darted toward the tablet again, alarm growing in his chest.

Each and every attack would be laced with different types of poison? Combatting enemies like that would be a nightmare. Against large-scale armies, it would be pure chaos. Just a few individuals like that could flood entire battlefields with invisible death.

Even the most resilient soldiers, those with the highest levels of poison resistance, aren't immune. Resistance isn't immunity — it's never absolute. A slight weakening of their bodies, a moment of dizziness or hallucination… that alone could tip the scale of battle and doom them.

Robin moved on, pointing with a slight arch of his brow. "The third tablet holds what I've named the merged Law of Metallic Plants."

He continued, "With this, users of the plant element gain a new, terrifying capability. They can instantly summon metallic elements from the ground beneath them and infuse every part of the surrounding plant life with those minerals — every tree, every vine, every blade of grass. Everything becomes infused with iron and other metals, turning them into hardened, unyielding weapons. Every leaf, every root becomes something lethal. I imagine this will make them far more useful on the battlefield?"

"'You imagine?!'" Caesar's eyes flew open in disbelief.

Even if he ignored the sheer destructive potential of someone wielding such a law on their own — that alone would be fearsome — the strategic value was immense.

If an army had someone who could summon metallic plants at will, wouldn't that mean they could construct instant fortresses, walls, and defensive structures wherever they went? Entire camps or military strongholds could rise from the earth in mere moments.

"And finally," Robin said with a grin, moving to the last tablet, "last but certainly not least — Electric Water." He gave a mischievous chuckle. "This law is a direct fusion between the major Law of Water and a minor Law of Lightning. It was by far the most enjoyable one to work on. Watching what happens to people who come into contact with just a single drop of this water… well, it's quite the entertaining sight, hehe."

Caesar narrowed his eyes. "And where exactly did you see people get hit by it? Weren't you supposed to be in seclusion all this time?"

"...There were a lot of unsavory hunters lurking around. Let's not dive into unnecessary details," Robin deflected with a lazy wave. He then gestured toward the four floating tablets, eyes gleaming. "In any case, I believe the First Army no longer has any excuse to complain. These four laws are to be granted exclusively to a special unit — an elite force. Each and every member must first recite a strict and binding oath, something as serious as the Oath of the Shadow Swords, before receiving their assigned law. Understood?"

"I still want to have follow mighty generals under me, like what the other armies have," Caesar said with a heavy sigh, his brows tightly knit. "All of our generals—yes, they are military masterminds, no doubt. Their tactical genius is unmatched. But in terms of raw strength? They're simply not enough. Sakaar has Amon, Sayir, and Fairo… While Aro has Haros, Servon, Kandal, and others—"

"Tsk~ I knew you'd say that." Robin clicked his tongue and smirked knowingly. Without further comment, he casually tossed his son four additional metallic tablets, each glowing faintly with engravings of great power. "These," he said, pointing at them one by one, "contain the same four laws I explained earlier. But these aren't the diluted versions you saw before. These are the originals — purer, more refined, and far more dangerous. The previous ones were like watered-down shadows compared to these."

He waved a hand with finality. "Deliver them to Alexander, Elizabeth, Victoria, and Martin. As for Raiden, I've crafted something unique for him. These individuals have proven themselves, time and again. Their loyalty and potential are no longer in question."

"Haha! Now this is what I've been waiting to hear!" Caesar grinned broadly, storing all the tablets carefully into his dimensional ring. He slapped Robin's thigh affectionately. "You've really outdone yourself, old man. All that seclusion and research over the last century — it's finally paid off. Go on, take another hundred years if you like. As long as you keep showing up with treasures like these, I won't complain!"

Robin raised an eyebrow and scoffed, brushing Caesar's hand away with mock disgust before theatrically dusting the spot he touched. "No thanks," he replied dryly. "I've got far more pressing matters to attend to than hiding away again. Alright then, tell me this — who do you have in mind to lead this new special forces unit?" Caesar asked as he settled back into his chair, fingers tapping lightly against the armrest.

"I've got a few candidates. I'll need to evaluate—"

"It'll be Peon," Robin interrupted bluntly, leaving no room for debate.

"Peon?! Didn't you just send that lunatic on indefinite leave?!" Caesar looked genuinely stunned. "You actually think he's going to settle down, get married, and start a peaceful life? He's probably out there wrestling wolves barehanded or challenging mountain beasts just for fun!"

Robin chuckled softly. "Peon is still a noble — born and raised as one. He grew up with honor, with pride, surrounded by our values. That doesn't just vanish overnight. Sure, he might go off into the wild and disappear for years. Maybe he'll curse me. Maybe he'll howl at the moon or run naked through the forest for all I care. But in the end, he will come back. And when he does, it won't be because he's lost or broken. He'll return because he chooses to. Because he's found purpose. He'll finally stop thinking he's just here to die gloriously in someone else's war. This time, he'll come back for himself."

"I don't really see that happening, to be honest," Caesar said, raising both brows. "But it's your call. I'll leave the position vacant until further notice."

Despite his skepticism, a small part of Caesar was curious — he'd witnessed his younger brother's madness firsthand too many times to simply write it off.

"When he returns, give him this," Robin said, handing Caesar one more metallic tablet. This one pulsed with an eerie, almost toxic energy. "This is Corrosive Wind. I fused Peon's major heavenly law of Wind with the minor law of Corrosion. He'll need to craft a special elixir using Durger's blood to use it, but once he does… the results will be terrifying."

Caesar went silent, his eyes drifting toward the tablet. Corrosive Wind... Just imagining Peon wielding that kind of power on the battlefield — it sent a chill down his spine. That might even rival Caesar's own combat prowess.

"And one more thing," Robin added, pointing at his son. "I want you to hand Peon Planet Poison Rock. Let him refine it and make it his own. I've completely withdrawn my soul imprint from it. As of now, it has no master — it's a blank slate, waiting to be claimed. Once he absorbs the planet's gift, it'll grant him a major boost."

"That too?!" Caesar's brow shot up again before he burst into laughter. "Are you trying to make Peon the new me or something?!"

Robin grinned and winked. "Didn't you say Sakaar has Amon, and Aro has Haros and Kandal? Then it's only fair that you have Peon."

He let out a hearty laugh, then leaned closer, voice lowering with intent. "But don't tell him everything I've prepared. Let him come back on his own terms. Let him earn it. However, if he takes too long, and I mean too long… then choose someone else. Someone truly gifted and loyal from your own circle. Give it all to them instead."

"...Sigh~ understood." Caesar nodded several times.