Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2116 Soul shards-1 ”...The situation here looks really bad.”

The white-golden soul sphere manifested into a human form, wearing flowing white and gold robes that seemed to shimmer faintly with every subtle movement. It was impossible to determine the true extent of that manifestationʼs power or awareness with a mere glance, as if all measurable presence was deliberately concealed. It was entirely wrapped in a silent, unfathomable mystery that pressed lightly on the surroundings without revealing anything concrete. ”Yo-Your--..!!!” Pitsu opened one eye after the other with visible difficulty, as if his senses were struggling to confirm what he was witnessing, as though a specter had suddenly appeared before him.

His expression, as he stared toward the soul manifestation that emerged from his forehead, carried neither joy nor sorrow... only pure, unfiltered shock that froze his features in place.

He recognized the owner of the shard without the slightest doubt. There was no one but His Majesty Robin who possessed such a presence, such a proud bearing, and that strikingly handsome appearance that carried both calm authority and unspoken dominance. ”Hmm?” Robinʼs soul shard turned back toward Pitsu with a composed motion, examined him with a single, quiet glance that seemed to penetrate deeply, then gave a slight nod before gesturing toward him in a simple, effortless manner. Hooom

A stream of soul force began to descend upon Pitsu like a light, steady rain, gentle yet undeniably effective. Instantly, he felt his pain lessen as if a heavy burden had been lifted, his trembling eyes steadied until they no longer shook, and his chaotic heartbeat gradually regained a firm and stable rhythm.

Before Pitsu could even open his mouth to speak or attempt to express anything, Robinʼs manifestation raised a hand with quiet authority. ”Shhh. Donʼt say a word.”

Then he crossed his arms calmly, his posture relaxed yet commanding. ”What Iʼve done for you is nothing more than a light anesthetic, barely enough to hold you together. Put everything you have left into drawing natural energy from your surroundings and stabilizing your condition. Do not let your thoughts wander, and do not think about anything else.”

He glanced around for a few moments, his gaze sweeping the area as if taking in every detail with silent calculation, then looked back toward Pitsu and continued in the same composed tone: ”Once you recover, return this shard to my body. I want to test something.” ””

Tears slowly welled up in Pitsuʼs eyes, gathering without restraint.

Even as he was dying, he had not cried, not even when his body was on the verge of collapse. But upon hearing those familiar words... a strange and profound sense of reassurance settled deep within his heart, spreading quietly through him. Then he closed his eyes and began drawing in natural energy exactly as instructed, focusing entirely on the task without uttering a single word. ”Good boy.” Robinʼs manifestation nodded in clear satisfaction.

Then, using soul force with effortless control, he lifted Pitsuʼs body as if it weighed nothing, holding it steadily for a brief moment before hurling it toward a specific direction.

Whoosh

Pitsuʼs damaged body shot forward like an arrow released from a taut bow, piercing through the air as it passed through every defensive array surrounding the logistical zone without encountering the slightest resistance. The identification systems tied to shields, soul signatures, and layered recognition protocols made it utterly impossible for the arrays to attack someone belonging to the True Beginning Empire.

Then-Bam-he landed headfirst at one of the field hospitals, the impact drawing immediate attention as doctors and nurses rushed out without hesitation to tend to him, their movements swift and coordinated. ”Amazing...” Robinʼs shard murmured in quiet astonishment, then revealed a faint smile. ”The empireʼs arrays have undergone tremendous development, far beyond what I last observed.”

He then turned his gaze back toward the battlefield, a passionate smile forming gradually on his face, his eyes filled with sharp curiosity and restrained excitement.

A soul shard, in truth, freezes at the exact moment it enters another personʼs soul domain, locking itself in that state without deviation.

This means the shard retains only the amount of units originally assigned to it, along with a complete copy of the information its creator possessed at the precise moment of its creation... and nothing beyond that.

A soul shard has no means of increasing its units or strengthening itself through external means, nor does it possess any ability to perceive or know what is happening to the main body after separation, remaining isolated within its limited framework.

This shard, which Robin formed on Planet Zaron and carefully planted within Pitsuʼs soul domain, was embedded with two distinct functions, each serving a precise purpose.

The first was to protect the boyʼs life. Robin was fully aware that there were individuals attempting to track down a human by following the traces left behind by inks and tablets crafted from Treant bark, and he had no intention of allowing the boy to die because of such indirect consequences tied to him.

The second... was to kill the boy instantly if he ever attempted to leak even the slightest piece of information about him, ensuring absolute control over any potential risk.

And since that day, for nearly 600 years, this shard had remained in a deep state of dormancy, completely cut off from the outside world, isolated without any source of information or feedback whatsoever... it could truly be said that it was Robin himself, a fragment of his existence, sent forward into the distant future! ”Amazing...” Robinʼs manifestation revealed a wide, genuine smile as he slowly observed his surroundings with growing interest. ”The golden armors are no longer forged from Veradium like in the past,” then he let out a soft chuckle, his tone carrying clear amusement, ”they actually went out of their way to search for a stronger golden metal, specifically so they wouldnʼt have to change the color of the main armyʼs armor? That must have been incredibly expensive... but I like it!”

It was immediately clear to him that the new armors were not made from a single, uniform metal, but rather from a complex alloy composed of multiple carefully selected materials, forged and refined with exceptional precision. They were crafted to reach the strength of epic-grade equipment while still maintaining that refined and elegant golden shine that defined the identity of the army... without a doubt, a large number of researchers and craftsmen must have dedicated immense time and effort to perfecting them! Those arrays as well, he could only vaguely recognize two of them at a glance, their structure faintly familiar, while the rest were entirely new designs that he had never encountered before. Yet despite their differences, they all shared something deeply familiar... their operational logic, targeting mechanisms, and energy recharge systems all functioned according to a unique framework that he himself had once pioneered long ago.

He had, in one way or another, contributed to the creation of every single one of these arrays!! ”Hmm, it seems my enemies never found me. Good... that is exactly what I expected of myself!” Robinʼs manifestation laughed lightly, clearly pleased by the conclusion.

Every soul manifestation that emerges in such a form naturally carries an inherent urge to question, to observe, to learn more, and to study the changes occurring around it in detail. But soul shards are different. They suppress or ignore such evolving impulses. A shard cannot know anything that the main body itself does not already know, nor can it develop independent understanding beyond its initial state.

If the shardʼs role is purely defensive, it simply carries out that function with precision, then returns to dormancy once its task is complete... or dissipates entirely if necessary.

But if its role involves communication... then everything changes completely.

At this moment, Robinʼs soul shard did not exist for the purpose of sending or receiving direct messages, but rather to perform a far more subtle task... gathering information.

Not information about the battle itself or the arrays surrounding it, but rather deeper, more technical data... how much information it could collect and successfully transmit back to the main body, how long such a transmission would take across vast distances, and most importantly, the limits of the shardʼs own awareness and operational capacity.

After gathering a sufficient amount of interesting data, the soul shard would attempt to send it back to the main body.

But how? When there is no direct, active connection between the shard and the main body?

Through the soul imprint.

The shard retains an intrinsic connection to its origin. It can locate the soul domain from which it was separated anywhere within the universe, regardless of distance, and it can send and receive information with that original soul domain without doubt or obstruction.

But the real question is... what is the cost?

How many soul units would be required to transmit even a single set of information from the Young Sector 99 to the Mid Sector 99, across a distance that spans millions of light-years?

How many thousands of units would that demand?

And more importantly... how many units would Robin need if he intended to send a complete battle report, containing extensive and detailed data, to his main body, which he now senses to be located in an entirely different Mid

Sector?! Naturally, transmitting a short message consisting of only a few words would not require the same amount of energy as sending an enormous volume of complex battlefield data.

The difference between the two would be vast, almost incomparable. Ordinary energy units can be gradually replenished over time through external sources... but the units contained within a soul shard are fundamentally different.

A shard consumes itself from within, burning through its own essence in the process of transmission.

And once those units are spent... they can never be restored again.