Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2090 A new proposal

Mid Sector 99 - Capital of the Continuous Chaos Millennium Empire

Step.

Step.

Step.

The sound of measured footsteps echoed through the vast obsidian corridor.

Aru advanced beneath towering arches carved from black astral stone, veins of dim starlight flowing faintly within the walls like imprisoned constellations. The ceiling stretched so high it vanished into darkness, as if the structure itself devoured light.

Yet he walked forward calmly - chin raised, posture straight, gaze unwavering. He wore a wide blue robe embroidered with the finest gemstones and luminous threads that shimmered like fragments of a distant galaxy. Every movement caused faint ripples of light to travel across the fabric. Upon his head rested a small blue-and-black crown crafted exclusively for him - modest in size, yet unmistakably imperial in authority.

On his right and left followed two Nexus State experts, silent as shadows. They wore the layered, seemingly endless armor of the Double-Century Grave Empire - plates upon plates etched with funerary runes and defensive inscriptions, their presence heavy as sealed tombs.

And yet...

Despite being escorted, Aru did not appear subordinate.

He walked with a composed smile, his right palm resting before his abdomen in a gesture of noble restraint. His breathing was steady. His heartbeat unhurried.

At last, they stopped before an enormous gate forged from chaotic alloy, its surface engraved with ancient sigils that radiated suppressed power.

Aru halted without speaking.

The two beside him stepped forward instinctively.

Grrrrr-

With a deep metallic groan, the colossal doors were pushed open. Dense spiritual pressure seeped outward like a restrained tide.

They stepped aside.

Aruʼs smile deepened slightly as he resumed walking, crossing the threshold alone.

The doors shut quietly behind him. The escorts remained outside.

He now stood within the heart of the strongest millennial empire in the entire sector.

Here dwelled two perfectly synchronized Guardians.

Here stood the sovereign rulers of a star field containing millions upon millions of planets - a star field monopolized for millions of years without a single challenger daring to encroach upon it.

Neither multi-millennial empires nor ambitious centennial dynasties had dared to seize even one world from their dominion.

That was their influence.

That was their terror.

A few decades earlier, Aru had attempted to enter this very place to negotiate trade relations. He had intended to reassure them that he had no desire to disturb their star field, that they should not heed the provocations of the Holfa Empire.

He had prepared tributes beyond measure - treasures capable of shifting the balance of smaller empires.

Yet they had refused to receive him.

Unworthy.

That was the word conveyed to him.

Unworthy of an audience.

He had swallowed the humiliation. Swallowed the fury that burned in his chest.

Unable to confront such a behemoth directly, he had sent Ranther instead.

But pride... pride did not fade so easily.

And so, during Rantherʼs diplomatic meeting with the two Guardians, Aru had issued a different command.

The mother planet of the Holfa Empire was attacked.

It was destroyed.

Not purely for strategy.

Not entirely for expansion.

But because his dignity had been wounded.

He would NOT be treated as insignificant.

And now-

Now he walked through their halls as a welcomed guest.

Members of their ruling bloodline had opened doors for him.

The contrast was intoxicating.

Step.

He finally reached the grand hall and lifted his gaze. ”Greetings.”

His tone was level. Neither submissive nor arrogant.

Then, without hesitation, he seated himself upon the chair prepared for him. Before him stood two identical thrones carved from the same chaotic alloy as the gates. Seated upon them were two nearly indistinguishable young men. They appeared youthful - perhaps in their twenties by mortal standards - yet their eyes were ancient, layered with the weight of millions of years.

The twin Guardians of the Continuous Chaos Millennium Empire.

Omis and Omira.

The unofficial sovereigns of the sector for epochs beyond memory. ”Hm.”

One of them glanced down at Aru with faint irritation. ”Is it not proper etiquette to await permission before sitting in a foreign home?” ”Etiquette,” Aru replied with a soft chuckle, ”varies from culture to culture.”

He crossed one leg calmly. ”In my homeland, proper etiquette would dictate that you provide me a throne equal to the ones you occupy. Yet I chose not to dwell on that detail. Such is the behavior of those who wish to forget hostility and move forward.”

Silence.

The air grew subtly heavier.

The twinsʼ brows tightened.

For millions of years, no one within this sector had spoken to them as an equal.

Even Ranther - a cultivator at the absolute peak of the Nexus State, ruler of an empire with over seven million years of history and more than eight hundred and fifty governed planets - had bowed respectfully in this very hall. He had addressed them with reverence bordering on worship.

And this Aru...

His cultivation was laughable in comparison.

His lifespan trivial.

His empire young. Either Omis or Omira could extinguish him with a breath. With a thought. They can literally kill him with a spit.

Indeed, the Double Centennial Grave Empire had become terrifying in every sense of the word, a presence whose mere mention sent shivers across entire starfields.

Especially after the death of Guardian Sylas fifty years ago, the Double-Century Grave Empire swallowed every single planet of the Holfa Empire without the slightest notable resistance. Entire civilizations were toppled before they could even muster defenses. Their forces began systematic attacks against every multi-centennial kingdom and empire within the Specter Blood Starfield and the Broken Sword Starfield, leaving scorched worlds and broken alliances in their wake.

Over the course of those fifty years, they had demolished several imperial capitals entirely, reduced sprawling cities to rubble, or compelled their submission as wings, imposing harsh and unyielding oaths. Their assaults were like unstoppable waves, overwhelming and rapid, leaving nothing standing in their path, crushing hopes and defenses alike.

At this moment, the number of planets under the Double Centennial Grave

Empireʼs dominion had nearly reached seven thousand- a staggering testament to their scale and absolute dominance.

Yet Aru did not act arrogantly toward them, despite the empireʼs immense power. He understood the balance of authority and the danger of miscalculation.

If either side had acted personally, if the Continuous Chaos Millennium Empire had declared war against the Grave Empire, the Double Centennial Grave Empire would have been forced to halt, besieged and swiftly annihilated. No one could even imagine the level of devastation two Guardians moving in unison could unleash, not to mention the immense armies they had trained and perfected over millions of years.

Aru knew this very well... which is why he chose to ignore the opportunity to treat them as inferiors.

What could possibly prevent them from striking him down here and now?

The only safeguard was the presence of Lord Hedrick, the one who had once come to kill Sylas.

One-on-one, no ordinary being could confront a bearer of the Path of

Destruction or the Path of Death - especially a genius like Hedrick, a man whose reputation included wounding his own father in the past. Distance and caution were the only safe strategies.

And then there was the chilling rumor surrounding Lord Human - no, more accurately, Lord Robin Burton. His presence and influence loomed like an unseen shadow across the empire, commanding fear and respect in equal measure. ”What brings you here, Aru?” Omis furrowed his brows slightly, his voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and controlled irritation. ”Our trade agreements with Ranther are functioning perfectly. If we need anything, he is the one to contact... What, has your pride been appeased after the destruction of the

Black Nebula Empire, and now you come here to unsettle the calm atmosphere between us?” ”...”

Aru responded with a wide, confident smile that radiated both charm and authority.

The Black Nebula Empire was one of the centennial empires he had once tried to ally with. At that time, their representative, named Ezekiel, had physically overpowered him, choking him and publicly humiliating him. Had it not been for the Nexus State agents he had hired, Aru might not have survived that encounter. Ezekiel had not only done this, but he also spread the tale, mocking Aru and ridiculing the perceived weakness of the Double Centennial Grave Empire, highlighting their detachment from the reality of the cosmos.

Now, all of that had been completely reversed. Every major planet of the Black Nebula Empire had been destroyed, every layer of its ruling class eradicated. They had not even been offered the opportunity to surrender as wings.

Ezekiel himself had been captured by the Wing Leaders and was now being interrogated and tortured beneath the surface of the planet Necropolis. ”Ranther did his best,” Aru said, motioning to himself, ”but he does not control the Double Centennial Grave Empire. I do. And I have come with a new proposal.”

The twins exchanged a glance, calculating and wary, then looked toward Aru. ”What is this proposal?” ”Hehe,” Aru chuckled with a wide, confident grin, the kind that suggested both amusement and authority, ”Join me as a wing, of course!”