Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2355 The Tyrant

Sector One— The Tyrant Galaxy

Inside a vast hall that resembled a fragment torn from outer space itself, where endless darkness was illuminated by drifting stars and distant galaxies suspended in silent motion, a solitary throne rested high above countless planets and entire galactic systems as though the universe itself had willingly arranged every celestial body beneath its owner. Seated upon that magnificent throne was a man quietly holding a glowing recording disc in one hand, watching it with calm, unwavering attention...

His hair was pure white, contrasting sharply against his healthy wheat-colored complexion, while a peculiar tattoo—a perfect fusion between a star and an ×—rested upon his forehead. Every individual piece of clothing adorning his body was so immeasurably valuable that it could purchase entire solar systems without exhausting its worth. He was Intiras... the Tyrant.

Whoosh!

At that very moment, another figure appeared inside the immense hall.

It was Drathan.

His arms were folded firmly across his chest, unmistakable urgency written across his face as he stepped forward with unusually hurried movements.

”Have you seen whatʼs happening, Father? I returned as quickly as I possibly could without wasting even a moment.”

”...”

Intiras offered no immediate reply.

Instead, he continued watching the recording in complete silence, allowing the final moments to play uninterrupted before calmly placing the disc beside him atop an already sizable pile of similar recordings that had evidently accumulated over time. Only then did he lean back comfortably against his throne as though nothing unfolding before him was capable of disturbing his composure.

”Helmor crossed the line... and the reaction was far heavier than he expected. In fact, it was far heavier than any of us anticipated, regardless of how many possibilities we considered beforehand.”

”This isnʼt merely a reaction—itʼs the deployment of heavy weapons.” Drathan spoke with an increasingly deep frown as the seriousness of the situation weighed upon him. ”Why would the Seer carve away this much of his own strength simply to create Unbound Ones? Two of them?!” His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as countless possibilities flashed through his mind. ”Was everything weʼve heard regarding his current condition inaccurate, or have we misunderstood the reports entirely?”

”...Stubbornness.” Intiras answered calmly, without the slightest trace of hesitation.

”This is what happens when you push someone into a corner far beyond reason. Itʼs what happens when you repeatedly strip a man of his dignity inside his own home until he feels he has nothing left to lose. His response is unquestionably excessive... but itʼs also understandable. Had someone driven me into the same position, I wouldʼve answered in much the same way.”

”Thereʼs a difference.” Drathan slowly shook his head, remaining unconvinced.

”To them, this place is nothing more than a playground where Seals are gathered and opportunities are seized. It shouldnʼt be something capable of wounding the Seerʼs pride to such an overwhelming extent. What heʼs done will undoubtedly strengthen his own faction by allowing it to carve away a larger portion of the pie that weʼve divided among ourselves over countless years... but at the same time, itʼll weaken his standing inside the Pantheon even more than it already has, and thatʼs a price he canʼt possibly ignore forever.”

”Oh, the Seer isnʼt weak. Not even remotely close to deserving that description.” A faint smile appeared upon Intirasʼ face, carrying equal measures of confidence and amusement.

”But he still has much to learn. He still has to understand that personal strength isnʼt everything, regardless of how overwhelming that strength may appear, and that there are certain individuals whom even someone of his stature simply cannot afford to provoke carelessly.”

His gaze then slowly drifted toward the endless void stretching beyond the hall, as though his thoughts had already wandered across unimaginably distant reaches of existence.

”Still... youʼre right about one thing. Tearing away that much of his own strength will significantly damage his position within the Pantheon. This move may restore much of his authority inside B-14 and strengthen his influence there... but beyond its borders, his enemies will exploit that weakness with ruthless efficiency, and theyʼll waste no opportunity to turn it against him.”

”...Should we inform the Patron?” Drathan asked seriously after a brief silence.

”He may possess something capable of helping us deal with the Unbound Ones before they become a larger problem.”

”No.”

Intirasʼs expression immediately hardened, his answer arriving without even the slightest pause for consideration.

”And what exactly could he give us, anyway? The very first time he ever contacted me was after I launched the Age of Expansion and the Space Portals I had personally created began spreading throughout countless worlds. By that point, I had already become a Tyrant through my own efforts and accomplishments.”

He dismissed the thought with a casual wave of his hand.

”True, he gave me the method for creating THE Soldiers—a method superior to the one Helmor possesses—in exchange for relatively simple requests, such as monopolizing the Space Law and hunting down users of Master Laws, especially fifth-grade Truth chosen... but I accepted because every one of those arrangements benefited me personally. Not because I was forced into agreement, nor because he possessed the ability to break my will or make me lower my head.”

”Even if he had never taught me how to create the Soldiers, and even if he had never revealed what lies beyond the Universal Shell, I still wouldʼve monopolized the Space Law with or without his guidance. Even if he had never requested the extermination of those Master Law rats, I wouldʼve hunted them down regardless. They threaten my own interests, and protecting those interests has always been my responsibility before anyone elseʼs.”

His voice gradually became colder, accompanied by an expression of unmistakable irritation that rarely surfaced upon his face.

”...I dislike meeting that individual. No matter how generously or courteously the Transcendents attempt to behave on the surface, arrogance seeps from the very marrow of their bones. Every glance they cast toward you silently screams that they find your mere presence unpleasant, that standing beside you is something they endure rather than accept, as though they cannot conceal the disgust they feel simply from sharing the same space.”

He waved his hand once more, bringing the matter to an end.

”If he hears about what happened and chooses to appear of his own accord to ask something of me, then so be it. Other than that... I wonʼt be the one to contact him first.”

”How will he know unless we tell him?” Drathan asked, unwilling to let the matter rest so easily.

”We canʼt simply allow the Seer to act this way without taking some kind of action. Ignoring a development of this magnitude will only create even greater problems later.”

His brows slowly drew together as another possibility crossed his mind.

”Or are you planning to stand with him... and his Candidate?”

”...That opportunity passed long ago,” Intiras replied calmly, his tone carrying neither anger nor regret despite the weight of the subject. ”Had the Seer come to me from the very beginning, before everything reached this point, I wouldʼve never accepted the Patronʼs offer in the first place. Even if heʼd approached me afterward, seeking reconciliation and sincerely attempting to repair what had already been broken, I still wouldʼve chosen him over the Patron without the slightest hesitation... because, in the end, heʼs one of us.” His eyes slowly drifted toward his throne as his expression gradually cooled. ”But instead of doing that, he sent seven candidates with the clear intention of destroying me? That isnʼt something Iʼll simply allow to pass without consequence, no matter what excuse he may eventually come up with.”

He continued speaking in the same composed voice, never raising his tone. ”Our Patron will undoubtedly learn about this soon enough. Those people donʼt communicate solely with us. They have hands hidden within numerous smaller powers scattered throughout existence, feeding them insignificant crumbs in exchange for information so they can ensure that we—the larger fish—continue fulfilling the duties expected of us. Those organizations compete with one another for favor, so sooner or later one of them will spread news of everything thatʼs happening without needing to be asked.” His gaze shifted toward the endless void beyond the hall. ”And when that happens... the Seer will come to regret the choice he made, because some decisions cannot be taken back once the right people become aware of them.”

Drathan gave a slow nod before asking, ”...What should we do until he contacts us?”

”The Seer has entered a state of complete frenzy, and we canʼt rule out the possibility that heʼll eventually order an attack against us once he concludes that words are no longer enough.” Intiras continued lightly tapping one finger against the armrest of his throne, the steady rhythm echoing faintly throughout the silent hall. ”Gather the army and establish an official war zone extending from Sector 50 to Sector 950, effective immediately. From this moment onward, no one is to enter or leave those sectors without explicit authorization, regardless of their status or affiliation.”

His rhythmic tapping continued for another brief moment before he added, ”...I also want you to prepare the Soldiers and intensify their training in Covenant Weapons. I donʼt want them hesitating, improvising, or learning on the battlefield when the time finally comes.”

”Youʼre going to reveal them?” Drathan asked almost immediately, unable to conceal the surprise in his voice, because that single decision lay at the very heart of the greatest problem currently facing them, and revealing them too early could permanently alter the balance that had been maintained for countless years.

”...When the time is right.” Intiras slowly lifted his head, his eyes growing noticeably colder as his thoughts reached far beyond the current discussion. ”If the Seerʼs Candidate and those Unbound Ones continue rampaging unchecked, I have no intention of remaining seated and patiently wait for my turn to arrive, pretending that someone else will deal with the consequences in my place.”

He finally stopped tapping the throne altogether before continuing in an unwavering voice. ”Perhaps the Cycles are nothing more than competitions and games in the eyes of the Transcendents—convenient methods for preventing them from tearing one anotherʼs throats apart while deciding who gains the greater share of the seals—but to me, this is my life, my authority, everything Iʼve built, and everything that bears my name. If war is truly destined to come... then Iʼll drag the entire universe into hell alongside me before I surrender any part of what belongs to me.”

He continued, unmistakable resentment surfacing in his voice as the calm mask he normally wore began to crack ever so slightly.

”The Seer, The Oppressor, and whoever else believes they can extend their hands into my home and interfere with my affairs as though I am incapable of responding... Iʼll cut off every one of those hands if thatʼs what it takes, no matter whose hands they happen to be, and let me live the rest of the 2.2 millions years like the Emperor I am.”

”...Understood.” Drathan nodded firmly before turning to leave without another word, having already begun organizing the necessary preparations in his mind.

”Hey.”

”Hm?” Drathan stopped in place the instant he heard his fatherʼs voice calling him back, immediately turning around once more.

”...” A faint smile slowly appeared on Antirasʼs face, carrying a hint of amusement that hadnʼt been there a moment earlier. ”Keep a close eye on Robin Burtonʼs followers over the coming period. His products, the tribute from Planet Donara... everything connected to him, no matter how insignificant it appears at first glance. I want reports on all of it.”

”Understood.”

Whoosh!

”Robin Burton...” Intiras gazed into the distant horizon beyond the endless hall, his eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly as countless thoughts crossed his mind. ”...I donʼt know how you keep pulling it off, but every advantage you continue extracting from the Seer, every fragment of strength that fills you with satisfaction and propels you millions of years ahead within the span of only a few months... will eventually circle back and destroy both of you together. The greater the benefits you continue taking from him, the heavier the price waiting at the end will become.”

Then a slow smile spread across his face, broader than before as though the thought itself genuinely entertained him.

”If things continue unfolding like this... I wonder whether Zolan will decide to take part in the coming war as well...”

His smile stretched from ear to ear.

”..The true cosmic war.”