Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2251 Offering help

”What do you mean Iʼve become complacent, old man?!” Caesar pointed directly at his father with obvious dissatisfaction. ”What Iʼm doing in my sector is a hundred times harder than what that reckless bull is doing. He just charges forward and smashes whatever stands in front of him, while Iʼm forced to manage an entire sector full of competing interests, alliances, ambitions, and powers that constantly test boundaries.”

Then he pointed toward Mid Sector 100. ”The Cradle Empire over there has become the most respected and dignified force in the region, and it has attained a status that surpasses the other millennia-old empire in prestige, influence, and public perception. Whenever thereʼs a dispute between the surrounding empires, they come to me and ask me to resolve it for them. Trade conflicts, border disputes, military disagreements, resource claims, succession issues, all of it eventually ends up on my desk.”

Then he began listing examples. ”We have the fewest army casualties even though my army are mostly humans needing elixirs, the fewest equipment losses, the lowest civilian casualty rates among the locals, the highest rate of complete subjugation, the highest salaries, and the highest stability rating among all surrounding empires, including the Grave Empire. The entire Human Powers Union joined us with all of its affiliated human forces, and it sends daily offers to every small neighboring power based purely on the reputation Iʼve built, and they actually accept. I now dirictly or indirectly control more planets than the Grave Empire, even after they absorbed the millennia-old Vast Ice Wing as one of their Wings!!”

Caesar was clearly on the verge of losing his mind.

For years he had been carefully building influence, establishing systems, improving governance, and ensuring that every newly acquired world integrated smoothly into the larger structure. Yet somehow all of that was reduced to a single accusation of complacency.

In truth, even Peon, who followed him everywhere, participated in most of those projects, and already knew all of this, let out a low whistle when he heard the entire list spoken aloud one achievement after another.

”Thatʼs not the point.” Robin waved his left hand dismissively as though none of those accomplishments carried much weight in the current discussion. ”What matters is actual control. How many enemies inside the sector will appear to oppose something we want to do? How many enemies do you still have to take into consideration before making a decision? And how many enemies refuse to submit, causing everyone else to resist because of their defiance and giving others the courage to delay their own surrender?”

”And what exactly are you planning to do with the sector that makes you think about things like that?” Caesar frowned. ”Aro keeps smashing his head against everyone around him because heʼs following your orders. He wants to completely stabilize the playing field in preparation for hosting the Seed. He sacrificed reputation, political capital, and an enormous number of soldiers in exchange for unification. As for me, why should I rush?”

Caesar continued in a calmer tone after forcing down some of his frustration. ”I really did slow down and change my methods after learning that the Seedʼs promotion location had changed, but thatʼs not complacency. Itʼs adapting to reality and adjusting priorities according to the situation. We donʼt need that kind of destruction and death in Mid Sector 100, where there wonʼt be a Behemoth any time soon, and therefore we donʼt need to unify it any time soon either.”

”And who told you it wonʼt have a Behemoth soon?” Robin chuckled.

”....?” Caesarʼs eyes widened with hostility almost instantly. ”What are you planning this time, old man?!”

”Iʼm not going to tell you how to run your affairs, but I will tell you this: pick up the pace.” Robin looked forward again. ”We donʼt have time to negotiate with this one and calculate that oneʼs reaction, or spend decades waiting for everyone to become comfortable with our presence... destroy them.”

”....” Caesar slowly lowered his gaze to the floor while frowning, then nodded. ”Iʼll see what I can do...” He immediately began reconsidering all of his existing strategies, mentally rearranging decades of plans and projections.

Ask about Robinʼs plans? Ask what Behemoth he intended to place there, or what exactly he had planned for Mid Sector 100?

He was far too smart to waste his energy asking questions like that. That person never explained himself.

Even when he occasionally answered questions, the answers only created more questions.

He had once lost his only disciple, Jabba, because the fool had asked what he intended to do with Nihari.

But...

Destroy them?

Destroy five millennia-old empires?

He was only dealing with one of them, the Seven Thrones Empire, and even now he still couldnʼt destroy their capital or eliminate their ruler despite years of pressure and encirclement.

He had repeatedly sent people to communicate, negotiate, and mediate in hopes of forcing their submission without unnecessary losses, but it had all been pointless. Their ruler possessed an absurd amount of pride and stubbornness that bordered on irrationality.

If that person werenʼt terrified of Hedrick and the reach of the forces under Lord Robin, he would have already emerged personally and begun smashing apart the strongholds of the Cradle Empire the way Silas had done before him, launching raids and devastating worlds simply to prove a point... but he had seen what happened to Silas and ultimately chose to retreat into his capital and refuse to move.

The war with them was already over.

The war that had lasted for centuries and consumed countless resources, soldiers, fleets, and opportunities.

At present, all of his forces were compressed onto a single planet, his capital world, and every remaining fleet was stationed around that planet in dense defensive formations. Surrounding them were fleets of the Note family, watching them and keeping them under constant siege and surveillance, ensuring that not even a significant transport vessel could leave without being noticed.

But that was all.

There was nothing either side could do in that situation. The two camps had reached a complete stalemate, a suffocating deadlock where neither side possessed the strength to truly finish the other off, yet neither side was willing to retreat, surrender, or admit defeat after investing centuries of effort and countless resources into the conflict.

And he was supposed to repeat all of this with four more empires?!

”....” Robin noticed Caesarʼs expression almost immediately. ”How are Rinara and the Heat Path doing? I sent her everything I had on it, along with the entire Kyomaji family and the bloodline of a Kyomaji Fox Law Dominator more than half a century ago.”

Caesar was not the type to ask for outside help.

If he could not accomplish something himself, then one of his subordinates would do it. If he lacked capable subordinates, then he simply would not do it at all and would instead continue searching for another solution until one appeared. The matter was that simple in his eyes, and he had lived by that principle for so long that it had become part of his identity.

As for speaking to an outside party and requesting assistance, that was something far removed from his nature and temperament. He considered himself a failure if he ever had to do such a thing, and he felt it diminished the empire he led, reduced the value of the people beneath him, and exposed weakness that should never exist in the first place, even if refusing help meant progress would come to a complete halt for years.

Robin could not complain too much about this attitude.

Part of the problem was his own fault.

Back when Caesar was still growing up, Robin would send him alone into difficult missions while he was still little more than a child. He would refuse to help him, tell him to remain outside for two or three years if necessary, survive by himself, adapt by himself, and make it clear that returning before completing the mission perfectly was not an option. Failure was unacceptable, excuses were meaningless, and dependence on others was discouraged from the very beginning.

”The last time I sent someone to contact her, she said sheʼs having difficulty linking all of her Minor Laws to Heat. If she chooses to break through using Minor Frost, sheʼll advance immediately, but sheʼll need much longer if she wants to break through with Major Heat.” Caesar sighed heavily.

They had invested an enormous amount of money, resources, manpower, time, and expectations into Rinara.

It would be unfortunate if she advanced through a Minor Law alone after all of that effort.

But it would be even more unfortunate if she never advanced at all and remained trapped at the threshold despite possessing the talent and foundation to move forward.

It was truly a frustrating dilemma, the sort of situation where every option felt wasteful in one way or another.

”Hmm, sheʼs a genius when it comes to her nine Laws. Sheʼll find a solution.” Robin waved his hand dismissively, showing far more confidence in Rinara than either of them seemed to possess. ”Apply the Sixth Path technique to all Special Forces corps and free them from the limitations of the Third Path. Then continue with what we agreed upon. If you need assistance, ask Theo and only Theo. Heʼll handle the rest.”

”...Iʼll see what I can do.” Caesar repeated, and it was obvious from both his expression and tone that he had no intention of requesting anything no matter how difficult the situation became.

”As you wish.” Robin returned his attention to the battle and the sky above it, as though the matter had already been settled in his mind. ”You may leave now and attend to your duties. You have a great deal to accomplish over the next few decades, more than you realize at the moment... just send Pitsu to me before you go. I need a proper meal after spending all that time asleep.”

”Understood.”

Robinʼs grandchildren cast one last glance toward him before retreating. Part of them felt reluctant to leave after finally spending time beside him again, while another part was still trying to process everything they had experienced today, everything they had heard, and everything they had learned about forces, enemies, and ambitions that existed far beyond what they had previously imagined. They were trying to comprehend the world that had been hidden from them all this time... the world that revolved around their grandfather and uncles, where millennia-old empires rose and fell like pieces on a board and where even Behemoths could become subjects of casual discussion.

Pion grabbed Caesar with one hand and Zara with the other and pulled them along as they departed together. Each of them was lost in their own thoughts, digesting different parts of the conversation and rearranging different priorities inside their minds. Even Pion was considering the fact that his Special Forces would be removed from active service for a long period of time in order to implement the Sixth Path, and he was already calculating the disruption that would cause throughout several ongoing operations.

”Theo.” Robin raised his voice just before Theo could leave to search for Pitsu.

”Yes, Father?” Theo stopped immediately, his expression becoming serious as he turned back.

”....” Robin remained silent for several moments, watching the distant battlefield and seemingly organizing his thoughts before finally speaking. ”Help Aro finish his mission.”

”...Understood.”