Lord of the Truth

After a few moments, the gentle smile that had been lingering on Robin's face slowly dissolved, replaced by an expression of deep contemplation and thoughtfulness.

Theo had asked him to decide on the location where the grand effort of galactic consolidation would begin. Should they focus on building around Nihari's current location in the Young Sector 99? Or would it be wiser to relocate Nihari entirely to Sector 100, and then begin the long-term development there?

And honestly... Robin had no clear answer.

His decision to expand operations into both Mid Sectors 99 and 100 had always been built around two key objectives.

The first was simple in concept, but difficult in practice: to determine whether he could find a stable foothold in either of the two sectors and to uncover the deeper truths they held. If he tried to settle in one and failed—if that sector rejected him or proved too volatile—then the other would naturally become his fallback plan.

But now, that objective had become almost irrelevant. With both the Cradle and the Grave Empire fully established and functional, he now had the freedom to ascend through either one as he pleased. Especially since, by sheer fortune, no Behemoth resided in either Mid-Sector 99 nor 100—while both Sectors 98 and 101 were already occupied by such terrifying forces. That stroke of luck alone had significantly shifted the balance in his favor.

The second objective, however... was on an entirely different level. It was madness—pure, unfiltered ambition. Something Robin had never truly committed to, but had allowed to simmer in the farthest recesses of his thoughts. Just in case the day ever came when he'd need to reach for it.

"Hmm..." Robin furrowed his brows slightly, lost in the swirl of possibilities.

With a quick mental comparison, Mid Sector 100 seemed like the better option. Caesar and the majority of his powerful slaves were already rooted there. The first native-born World Cataclysms had begun to emerge within the empire. The Maizer family had joined the cause, as well as another growing faction called the Nightborne. And if all went well, they might even be able to rally more human powers under their banner, thanks to the strong human foundation already present in the Cradle Empire. Even though the empire's emperor was of uncertain origin, the empire itself had captured the attention—and admiration—of nearly every human in Mid Sector 100.

But with those benefits came risks. Rinara still operated within that sector, and if pressured, she might reveal something dangerous—something best left buried. And then there was Helen, whom Robin wanted to avoid entirely if he could. If he truly intended to rise as a Behemoth of the sector, he would have to confront and subjugate both of them eventually.

Meanwhile, Mid Sector 99 came with far fewer complications. Robin knew almost no one there personally, save for his faint ties to the Light Dawn Stellar Academy, which meant fewer political entanglements. The sector was more chaotic, more competitive, and far less saturated with millennial empires than Sector 100. That made it more volatile—but also more promising.

The only real disadvantage was that Aro's forces had started there relatively late. They had no popular support yet and had not formed any strategic alliances. But that was a temporary problem. They still had six full centuries before the next ascension phase—plenty of time to lay down solid roots.

"Aaah~ this is draining..." Robin let his soul projection collapse backward onto the lush green meadow, both hands clutching his head as though warding off a splitting headache. "I really can't afford to stall any longer... Which one do I pick? They're almost identical in terms of advantages and drawbacks!"

Almost an hour later, Robin's expression slowly shifted. Determination settled in his eyes as he sat up straight once more.

"Alright, then."

Since the two sectors were so close in value and potential, the logical thing to do was to avoid unpredictable elements. In this case, those variables were Helen's strong background and Rinara's sensitive knowledge.

Thus, the decision was made: the ascension would take place in Mid Sector 99.

<Very well, Lord Human. Shall I assume you are now ready to continue reviewing your remaining messages? Or will you Reply to Sword-Theo2 first?> the fairy asked with her usual formal cheerfulness.

"Hmm?" Robin blinked, pulled from his thoughts. "There's more?"

The fairy did a graceful circle around his head.

<Yes, indeed. First, I highly recommend addressing the messages from the other Lords. You've left them unanswered for over a century—which is terrible for diplomatic relations. Some may be invitations to join alliances, which you can decline politely. Others might be requests for custom creations, in which case you can name exorbitant prices. In every scenario, you lose nothing.>

"..." Robin remained quiet for a few seconds, then gave a slow nod. "You're right. No need to keep putting it off. I'll deal with them before I begin any Chamber of Truth missions." He then tilted his head slightly. "...You said 'first'?"

The fairy nodded gently.

<Yes, there is one new message you haven't opened yet. It's from Lord Hedric.>

She then fell into a thoughtful silence. She was well aware of the special weight that name carried in Robin's heart—far beyond what any of the other Lords meant to him.

"....."

Robin looked down slowly, the shadows of thought casting themselves across his expression. His brows were tightly drawn, his jaw still, his breathing barely audible. He didn't appear excited, nor was he frightened. Instead, there was a solemn, guarded tension in his eyes. A cautious stillness that said he was bracing for something potentially heavy.

The last time Lord Hedric had reached out was to press for the finalization of an agreement—a high-stakes deal involving the transfer of a Grade-4 Planetary Displacement Gear. Robin's response back then had been... less than gentle. He had outright refused to deliver it unless a very specific, and rather severe, set of conditions were met.

That reply had been sent well over a hundred years ago.

And in all that time... there had been no follow-up. Nothing.

It was difficult to guess what Hedric's mood might be now, but it was safe to assume it wouldn't be pleasant.

"Is there anything I should know about his wars," Robin said finally, his voice low, "before I read what he has to say?"

<He may be in a difficult... and potentially volatile state,> the fairy responded at once, with no hesitation.

<The war he's been waging in the Young Belt has spiraled far beyond expectations. It can no longer be hidden from public eyes. And the secret surrounding the Galactic Seed he discovered is no longer secret. At this point, nearly every major power across Young Sector 101 has sent forces to the seed—either to claim the Seed for themselves or to obliterate it entirely.>

<Lord Hedric continues to consolidate his best generals around the Seed, trying to hold the center. His empire is still funneling soldiers into the fire, trying to delay the inevitable. But the war has grown beyond just the Seed. Now...>

<His entire empire—his Millennial Shattering-Meteor Planetary Empire—is locked in a one-sided war against the whole sector. It's no longer a conflict of borders or resources; it's turned into a total war, the likes of which hasn't erupted in the young sector for millions of years.>

"....."

Robin's brow furrowed deeper, eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to process the magnitude of it.

Just how far had Lord Hedric pushed this empire? And how long had he been building toward this insane confrontation?

<This legendary war, however, is nearing its breaking point,> the fairy added with a grim note in her voice.

<Just as many predicted, his empire... is no longer what it was. It no longer stands as a "Millennial" force. The war over the Galactic Seed has turned into a black hole, devouring every planet under his banner. Once, they boasted nearly 2,300 planets across several galaxies. But the most recent reports place that number at just 950—and it's still declining rapidly.>

"This...!!"

Robin's entire posture stiffened. His eyes widened with disbelief.

They had lost more than 1,300 planets in under a century?

That kind of catastrophic collapse was more than just a military failure—it was a testament to the sheer, overwhelming scale of devastation unfolding across that entire region of space.

He lowered his gaze once more, lips tightening, his thoughts racing at lightspeed. Numbers, possibilities, and consequences flickered across his mind like fireflies in a storm.

Then finally:

"Hoo~"

Robin let out a long, slow breath, collecting his thoughts, forcing clarity through the storm of uncertainty.

After several minutes of complete mental focus, he raised his head, his expression sharpening with renewed determination.

"...Open the message."