Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1988 The demonʼs request

Virillion - Young Sector 101

Inside one of the underground chambers of the city, Sakaar was kneeling as he always did, his posture rigid and disciplined, his claws resting calmly atop his thighs as though carved from stone.

His presence alone was overwhelming. A thick, almost tangible aura radiated from his body, causing the fourth-grade spatial layer of Planet Virillion to shudder violently with every slow inhale, only to ease and settle again with each measured exhale, as if the planet itself were breathing in sync with him. Directly before him lay a darkened patch on the floor, smeared with fresh blood that had only just begun to coagulate. The metallic scent lingered heavily in the air. Off to one side of the dim chamber, three additional bodies lay piled atop one another.

Each corpse was dressed in attire that resembled priceless treasures-robes and armor infused with power. Their skin remained smooth and unblemished, as though they were merely asleep. Even the decapitated body lying nearby showed no signs of decay; it looked almost like an artificial doll crafted for display.

Yet they were all real. Every single one of them had been a great figure moments before death.

Knock Knock

”Brother, we need to talk.”

”Hm?” Sakaar slowly turned his head toward the chamber door, which had been redesigned-taller and wider than before-to allow a demon to pass through without constraint. ”Brother Amon, enter.”

”Excuse me.”

Even with the massive doorway, Amon still had to lower his head and angle his body as he entered, his huge, tightly muscled frame towering close to four meters in height. After taking a few heavy steps inside, he settled down onto his haunches. His gaze drifted toward the corpses at the edge of the chamber before he spoke again.

”You still havenʼt finished your last portion?”

”Eating alone is not everything, Brother Amon,” Sakaar replied evenly, his tone calm and unhurried. ”After every feast, I deliberately spend time digesting the blood slowly, breaking it down and analyzing it. This process allows me to better understand my own limits and capabilities. Once I fully absorb the Atlas of Blood, it grants me an additional push forward.”

He paused briefly, then added in a quieter voice, ”... You do the same, do you not?”

”...Ah. Yes. Of course I do.” Amon answered vaguely, his response lacking conviction. He quickly shifted the topic. ”I came to ask your opinion about something. I want to leave this place.”

”...” Sakaar raised his hands and clasped them together in front of his chest, remaining silent for several long moments. ”We have standing orders to remain here and continue expanding the Millennial Shattering Meteors Empire.”

”I donʼt believe you truly need me here anymore,” Amon said, his rough voice carrying a note of restrained impatience. ”What we are doing in Young Sector 101 amounts to nothing more than bullying. The number of corpses we collect every single day far exceeds what we can consume. It has reached the point where even the cubs and the females are feeding on high-level energy cultivators. Our race has never experienced this level of abundance before.”

He continued, his eyes narrowing slightly. ”The number of cubs is increasing at an alarming rate. When we first arrived, we numbered barely two hundred demons. Now our population has reached the hundreds of thousands-and it will only continue to grow from here on.”

”...I suspect that Lordʼs son ordered us to expand the Millennial Shattering Meteors Empire specifically to ensure we would have enough to eat,” Amon went on. ”That objective has already been fulfilled. Although the empire now fully controls more than three thousand planets because of our actions, it is our army that has grown stronger-not theirs. Every treasure we uncover is sent away with the Shadow Swords to benefit the Lordʼs other empires.”

He let out a slow breath. ”So... we no longer serve a real purpose here. Or at the very least, I no longer do. Nothing in the Young Sector poses a true threat to our existence except space beasts or the Blue Plague. And if either of those were to appear, I would not be able to intervene regardless.”

Amon lifted his gaze to meet Sakaarʼs. ”That is why I wish to leave.”

Sakaar fell silent for a long moment, deliberately making sure that Amon had completely finished speaking before finally opening his mouth.

”I understand that you envy Aro and the son of Lord, Caesar,” he said calmly, ”but we are not them. We cannot afford to fight in the Middle Belt. Even if it is true that our armor fortifies and empowers our fighters, the reality remains that we would still be dangerously exposed before a Great Soul Masters of even moderate strength, or someone possessing specialized planetary-grade detection equipment, or even an experienced Nexus State who understands these matters well... and there is no need to even speak of the Law Dominators and the Royal Spirit Lords who have already begun waging war against the Cradle and the Grave. Any one of them would be able to uncover us with ease.” ”Are we doomed, then, to remain forever in the Young Sector, brother?” Amon bared his fangs, his jaw tightening. ”I feel filthy for being unable to appreciate the blessing as I say this-we live in comfort and abundance here, but...” Amon clenched his fists with overwhelming force. ”But...!!!”

”Trust in the Lord.” Sakaar extended his hand and rested it firmly on Amonʼs shoulder, his voice steady. ”In the same way He once enabled us to reveal ourselves before World Cataclysms and most Nexus States without being exposed or eradicated... He will one day find a way to bring us into the open before everyone.”

He then withdrew his hand and placed it back on his thigh. ”And if He does not, then that is fine as well. He is not indebted to us in any way. Hiding us here is protection for us before it ever becomes protection for Him. If you were to appear in the Middle Belt, you would be the one who dies-not Him.”

”.....” Amon nodded slowly, then stood up with visible irritation weighing on his posture. ”Iʼll go check the meat warehouses. You can continue with what you

were doing.”

”Amun.”

”Hm?” The massive demon paused, then turned downward in response.

”Return to planet S-1 in Young Sector 100. We have all been absent for far too long. That is where our primary army resides-the same force that has been attacking the sectorʼs planets for hundreds of years. Several new Demon Kings must have emerged by now. Go and discipline them. Correct their behavior, and show them the proper path-the path of absolute obedience to the Lord.”

”...Planets S-1, S-2, and S-3 are the worlds that were granted to us as a homeland by the Lord Himself. We must maintain firm control over them, and under no circumstances is a Black Plague to appear there, no matter what the cost. I want you to personally oversee the creation of civilized societies, similar to the ones you observed here. And now-you must silence every voice that dares to demand the annexation of those three planets into the galaxy... Demon worlds will never join the galaxy. We will not create unnecessary problems for

the Lord.”

”.....” After a long stretch of time, Amon finally nodded. ”I appreciate it. Iʼll make sure the situation there is brought under control. Then he asked quietly, ”Do

you want me to do anything else?”

Amon knew very well that Sakaar was deliberately trying to change his surroundings, to ease the suffocating pressure in his chest, even if only slightly.

For Sakaar sent a Demon King every ten years there with new orders to carry

out, while constantly monitoring the news of the Second Demon Army through

the Shadow Swords.

Sakaar revealed an ugly, crooked smile. ”Have a few cubs for yourself while youʼre there youʼve grown old, demon.”