Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1694 Learning from the young

”...Ask for three items,” the cosmic elder declared, his voice carrying the weight of stars, ”and consider them already in your hands.”

”...?!”

Altheraʼs eyes widened completely, her body tensing as she turned sharply toward Robin - there was absolutely no way he grasped the full cosmic magnitude of what had just been offered!

”Three items... or three categories of items?” Robin asked quickly, his mind already racing faster than light. ”For example, can one of my requests be something like... a thousand planetary-grade weapons? Or perhaps... five hundred billion energy Pearls?!” His tone wavered between awe and disbelief. ”You may,” the elder replied with tranquil certainty, nodding slowly. ”Wish for three things that do not demand my direct intervention for the sake of my dignity and my station - and consider them fulfilled. Even if I do not possess them this very instant, I shall gather them for you in due time, by will or by destiny.”

”...Did... did he just say that five hundred billion Pearls are possible?” Shaddad, who had only recently regained consciousness, blinked blankly at the scene. His mind faltered, then faltered again - and suddenly the world spun beneath him. Before anyone could react, he simply collapsed backward, as if struck by the absurdity of the number itself.

”...”

Jabba glanced at him, sighed deeply, and didnʼt even bother to wake him this time. For once, he had heard something he knew, and finally he can use it measure everything else he heard until now!

As for Althera, her expression was caught between disbelief and a growing sense of existential dread. Five hundred billion Pearls?! The Dawn light Stellar Academy, greatest institution in the entire Sector 99 - which collected more than a billion Pearls every single year - hadnʼt amassed such an amount at the same time through its entire existence! And that was without mentioning that most of its income was spent defending its region, maintaining dimensional wards, and sustaining planetary ecosystems.

Even if the academy somehow had that amount hidden in secret reserves, it would never be allowed to spend it freely. The bureaucratic machinery of the academy was legendary - any attempt to withdraw more than ten percent of its treasury required unanimous approval from both the Council of Professors and the Assistant Board, a process that could take months.

And a thousand planetary weapons? That number exceeded the combined arsenal of most stellar academies and Millennial Empires! perhaps only a Behemoth Galaxy could boast about having more!

.....

Robin stared at the cosmic elderʼs serene, ancient face for several long seconds. The weight of possibilities - the raw infinity of choice-pressed down on him like a mountain. If one looked closely, they might have sworn they saw faint wisps of smoke curling above his head as his mind churned furiously, calculating, reconsidering, doubting.

At last, he exhaled deeply, shoulders slumping. ”I give up,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head in defeat. ”This is too difficult.”

”Whatʼs difficult, boy?” Elder Zolan - now with faint, freshly-grown strands of silver hair across his brow raised an eyebrow slightly, his expression caught between amusement and mild irritation. ”You extended my lifespan with ease, yet you struggle when it comes to simply wishing for what you want?”

”There are too many things I want.” Robin admitted, rubbing his temples. ”Far too many. But I canʼt shake the feeling that Iʼll miss out on something greater if I open my mouth without thinking. No matter how much Iʼve seen or how much Iʼve learned, compared to you - compared to your era - Iʼm nothing but a newborn. If I ask for billions of Pearls, I might waste a wish that could shape the future itself. What Iʼve witnessed doesnʼt even measure to a fragment of what youʼve experienced.”

”Boy, I do not have the whole day to indulge your hesitation,” the elder replied, his newly sprouting eyebrows furrowing. ”There are still celestial matters awaiting my attention.”

”...Fine,” Robin finally said, drawing in a long breath. His voice grew steady, and his eyes carried a distant gleam - that of a man remembering something sacred.

”Iʼve made my decision.”

He paused, letting the silence stretch between them - long enough for everyone to feel the gravity of the moment.

”Hundreds of years ago,” he continued softly, ”I used to ask my children - one by one - which heavenly path they wished to follow. Peon told me he wanted to master the wind, and Theo gestured of embracing darkness. That was the extent of their imagination back then...”

He lifted his gaze toward the elder once more, a faint smile touching his lips.

”But when I asked my daughter, Zara, which celestial path she desired... she chose to leave the decision to me. And because of that, she was the only one who received a fundamental law perfectly suited to her. Her brothers, though talented, gained only essential ones as they asked.”

Robinʼs voice grew quieter but steadier, filled with both memory and conviction.

”Today, just like that little ten-year-old girl... I choose to believe that I donʼt know everything”

He met the elderʼs eyes directly. ”I ask you to choose for me.”

”Hmm?” The cosmic elder arched his brows, his expression twisting between curiosity and amusement-then suddenly burst into roaring laughter that shook the air.

”Ha-hahahaha!” His booming voice echoed across the empty space as his wide grin revealed a mouth lined with sharp, perfectly aligned teeth. Stroking his beard thick and bristled like the mane of an ancient lion - he chuckled again.

”So, youʼre tossing the ball into my court, are you? Clever boy. Now Iʼm forced to gift you three treasures worthy of my stature... hmm, quite the position youʼve put me in. Still, I must say - you have a wise daughter.”

”I know,” Robin replied with a calm, almost nostalgic smile. His eyes softened for a moment.

”Hmm... hmmmm... hmmmmmm...” The cosmic elder began pacing slowly, murmuring as he rubbed his chin, lost in contemplation. Each sound rumbled like distant thunder as he weighed what he possessed and what he could part with. Then, suddenly, his expression brightened. Snap!

A deep, resonant hum filled the air - Aoooom! as a square portal materialized beside him, shimmering with colors unknown to mortal sight. ”Wait here for a moment,” he said with a smirk, before leaping gracefully into the glowing gate and vanishing.

”...?” Robin blinked, his brows knitting together in bemusement. ”Did he just go to some treasure planet or something?”

”The cosmic elder never cared much for treasure or riches,” Althera said quietly, still watching the place where he had disappeared. Her voice carried both awe and reverence. ”Whenever he found something of great value during one of his missions, he would simply leave it behind within a cave on whatever planet he happened to be on, and then move on without a second thought. They say countless geniuses across the universe stumbled upon those hidden relics by pure chance. Some used them to rise as heroes of their age... and a few... even became Behemoths.””

”...?!” Robin turned toward her so fast that his cloak rippled behind him. His expression shifted from disbelief to excitement, and then to a grin that betrayed his growing anticipation.

”Heh~ That actually raises my expectations quite a bit,” he said, his tone brimming with amusement and a flicker of greed.

-A few minutes later-

Whooooom

The small luminous portal pulsed once more and split open like a veil of light.

From within, the cosmic elder emerged, hopping lightly onto the ground, his energy far steadier than before. Under each arm, he carried a perfectly identical box - simple, metallic, and radiating a restrained yet immense presence.

”Did I keep you waiting?” he asked with a teasing smile. ”I had to cross through several sectors just to retrieve these things.”

”You traveled between sectors?” Robin asked in disbelief, his eyes widening. His memories flashed - the last time heʼd journeyed with the elder, it had taken them three full years to move from the planet Zaron to this place. That the old man could now travel across multiple sectors in mere minutes was... absurd. Clearly, he had been conserving his strength before, knowing full well his end was near.

Then a thought struck Robin, and his expression hardened. ”Hey, old man, donʼt tell me you used Sixth-Stage Balance in your current state. If you keep making those kinds of sacrifices, I wonʼt be able to heal you. Show some respect for your body!”

”Heh heh...” The elder chuckled again, the sound deep and raspy, like the voice of a storm made flesh. ”A newborn sprout lecturing me about health - but strangely enough, it fits.” He gave a small, almost humbled nod. ”Donʼt worry,

Iʼve already tasted weakness before. Iʼll try to preserve what remains of my strength for as long as I can.”

Running his thick fingers through what little hair he now had, he sighed faintly.

”...Iʼll try.”

”Youʼll try?” Robin crossed his arms, tilting his head. ”Then listen carefully. If you ever face those soul creatures again, and you find no choice but to sacrifice part of yourself instead of using ten percent of your power to activate the Sixth-Stage of Balance and obliterate the beast completely - pour one hundred percent into the Second Stage and strike only its heart. That way, Iʼll still be able to heal you afterward.”

The cosmic elder froze, and though he lacked eyes, the weight of emotion was

palpable in the silence that followed. For a brief second, the ageless being trembled. To hear that he might one day be healed again... it was almost enough to make him weep.

But instead, he straightened himself with dignity and simply nodded. ”Iʼll keep that in mind,” he said quietly. Then, with a single, graceful motion, he extended the three boxes toward Robin. ”They are yours.”