Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1133 1133: Change in the sacrifice

”...As the commander of my third army, you will need a great deal of support and assistance.” Robin raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a confident smile.

”W- What?!” Aro barely managed to squeeze the words out, his mind struggling to process what he had just heard.

”...!!” Flora, standing beside him, widened her eyes in utter shock. Without thinking, she instinctively dug her sharp nails into Aroʼs hand, her grip tightening.

”Keeyah!!” Aro let out a sudden yelp of pain, snapping out of his stunned daze. ”Why in the world did you do that?!” he exclaimed, shaking his hand slightly.

”...I just needed to make sure I wasnʼt dreaming,” Flora muttered under her breath, her gaze still locked onto Robin as though he were some kind of illusion.

”Of course, youʼre not dreaming,” Aro replied, trying to reassure both himself and her. His expression, however, betrayed his inner turmoil. ”But His Excellency must be joking with us. He clearly has a penchant for humor,” Aro forced out an awkward laugh, but his voice was far from steady.

If Robin had told him that he was going to be appointed as a general or perhaps even the governor of a newly conquered planet near Orphanʼs Blood, he wouldnʼt have been so surprised. That, at least, would have been somewhat reasonable. But to be named the commander of the third army? That was beyond his comprehension.

The first army was led by none other than Caesar, Robin Burtonʼs own eldest son, a man who had walked by his fatherʼs side since the earliest days of their conquests. Caesar was renowned for wielding the terrifying Death Flame technique, a power so overwhelming that it was said he had single-handedly halted entire armies in their tracks. Legends spoke of his feats in the decisive battle— how he struck down a Marshal before engaging in a grueling duel with Sakaar, then proceeded to create a vast energy barrier that held back hundreds of enemy martial emperors. In one awe-inspiring display of power, and near the end of the battle he had unleashed a single attack that incapacitated or outright took down over 500 martial emperors!

The second army, on the other hand, was commanded by Sakaar, the undisputed king of the demon race. His people had been the first to pledge their loyalty to Robin when he had no other armies at his disposal.

It was they who spearheaded the invasions of both Jura and Orphanʼs Blood in his name. Their strength had been so fearsome that they managed to single-handedly crush the once-mighty Serpent Empire in the climactic war. Sakaar himself was a warrior of unparalleled might, wielding both the Blood Sea and the dreaded Underworld Daisies— powers capable of eradicating entire armies. His prowess had been proven time and time again, most notably in leaked footage that showed him going toe-to-toe with 400 of the Marshalsʼ elite and Imperial Guards, fending them off with terrifying ease.

Both Caesar and Sakaar were absolute monsters. Both of them held deep, personal connections with Robin. Both had been by his side through the most grueling of battles and had cemented their names in history.

And then there was Aro.

Aro, who had barely surrendered after being captured. Aro, who, in terms of both rank and raw power, couldnʼt hold a candle to either of these legendary figures. How could he possibly compare? How could he even be considered worthy of such a position?

”Haha, you two really make a great pair. Donʼt you have any plans to get married?” Robin suddenly asked, his voice lighthearted, as if he had just made an offhand remark.

Flora, who had barely recovered from the shock of Robinʼs earlier words, turned bright red. ”We... We decided to hold the ceremony once Orphanʼs Blood stabilizes,” she replied, slightly flustered.

”A wise decision. That way, you can invite not just the people of this planet but even the inhabitants of other planets if you wish,” Robin said with a chuckle. ”Of course, the transportation costs will be on you,” he added, grinning mischievously.

The playful comment might have lightened the mood for a brief moment, but Aroʼs mind was still racing. Before he could dwell on it further, he suddenly felt a firm pat on his shoulder.

”Walk with me,” Robin said, his voice carrying an air of authority that left no room for refusal.

Gulp. Aro quickly stole a glance at Flora, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. Without hesitation, he followed Robin and Haros, his mind still struggling to grasp what had just transpired.

At that very moment, the tiered pyramid standing in the distance was fully operational, absorbing energy from approximately 4,000 prisoners. The immense energy gathered was being funneled directly into a lone figure seated at its peak, undergoing an extraordinary transformation.

”I see youʼve started using 4,000 prisoners instead of 5,000. Why the change? And how many times has the process been completed so far?” Robin asked, his sharp gaze fixed on the ongoing ritual.

”As you are aware, Your Excellency, any excess prisoners in the ritual have their energy wasted—converted into Elemental Energy Pearls tied to the Secondary Law of Corrosion. Since no one can make proper use of these pearls, I decided to lower the number of captives to 4,000 per cycle to minimize waste. This adjustment gives us a better opportunity to maximize the number of emperors we can create,” Aro explained, his voice steady despite the weight of the conversation. ”As for the number of times the process has been conducted, we have successfully carried it out 11 times without encountering any complications. At this point, you now have 11 newly transformed Shadow Sword Emperors at your command, Your Excellency.”

”What about the prisonersʼ corpses?” Robin raised an eyebrow, gesturing toward the tiered pyramid. The process was nearing completion, and a significant number of prisoners had already perished. Their lifeless bodies lay strewn across the sacrificial platform, their energy having been drained completely.

”Weʼre collecting them for the demons, of course, Your Excellency,” Aro responded with a knowing smile, as if he had anticipated the question. ”Weʼve learned from our first agreement.”

When Robin had first negotiated peace with them, he had made it clear that all corpses resulting from the sacrificial process would be his to claim. At the time, the reason behind this demand had been a mystery. It was only later that they realized he had been handing them over to the demons, providing them with a valuable food source.

”Good,” Robin nodded in approval. ”The demons have no interest in the energy within these bodies. They only crave the blood of powerful beings. As long as we provide that, they will remain satisfied.” He paused for a moment, then his gaze sharpened. ”But the system of sacrifices is going to change.” He shifted his focus toward Flora. ”This time, Iʼm speaking to you, Flora.”

The unexpected mention of her name made her tense. ”Change how, Your Excellency?” she asked, casting a quick glance toward Aro before stepping forward cautiously. She wasnʼt sure why Robin was addressing her directly instead of Aro.

”We no longer need to mass-produce martial emperors,” Robin explained, his tone firm but measured. ”Wasting this many prisoners just to create a hundred or two hundred martial emperors is inefficient. This is an unnecessary luxury I can no longer afford to indulge in.” He shook his head slightly, as if reprimanding himself for allowing it to go on for so long. ”The initial plan was born out of necessity because of the war. But now? That urgency is no longer present. Why should we continue such reckless consumption?”

Flora hesitated for a moment before asking again, her voice careful. ”So… do you want us to stop the process entirely?”

”No,” Robin clarified, raising a hand. ”Continue as you are, but without a fixed target anymore. The process will go on, but its purpose will change.” He gestured toward the Shadow Sword officer seated atop the pyramid, the one overseeing the ritual, then clasped his hands behind his back in a thoughtful manner. ”I want every single prisoner converted into elemental energy pearls instead. There are more Durgerian prisoners on Poison Rock and the surrounding planets. Some are even being held in Planet Nihari. Iʼll gather them all and bring them here to be processed. I trust you can manage this task for me?”

This was an important decision. Now that he had committed to cultivating an entirely new generation of Durgerians, he would require an immense quantity of energy pearls. These pearls would serve multiple purposes—first, as a means of purchasing the vital blood from that ancient, colossal serpent. Second, they would be invaluable in strengthening and attuning Haros and his future generals, ensuring they reached their full potential. And beyond these uses… pearls infused with the essence of destruction—just how valuable would they be if he decided to sell them on the market later?

Flora blinked a few times before nodding quickly. ”Of course, Your Excellency. These prisoners are yours, and this pyramid exists only because of your command. You are free to do whatever you see fit, but…” She hesitated slightly. ”Why are you addressing me specifically? Aro is the one who oversees the organization of the pyramid.”

Robin chuckled. ”Because Aro will be busy elsewhere— preparing the Third Army, to be precise.” His voice carried a certain finality. ”Hasnʼt you seen him working for more than two weeks already? You can take his place and assume control over Orphanʼs Blood from now on.”

Aroʼs expression twisted in disbelief. ”Your Excellency… This isnʼt funny anymore,” he muttered, clearly shaken.

Haros, who had been silent until now, scoffed and eyed Aro from head to toe, his expression unreadable. Then he turned to Robin, his voice filled with skepticism. ”This is the one you want me to assist? He doesnʼt even have the courage to consider leading an army. Just give me command instead— Iʼll build you an army that will crush both the First and Second Armies combined!”

Robin let out a low chuckle, shaking his head in amusement.

”You think you can create an army that would surpass the First and Second combined?” Aroʼs tone was light, but his gaze was sharp. ”Do you even understand the strength of either of them? Do you know who Caesar is? Who Sakaar is?”

Aro, now visibly irritated, clenched his fists. ”Arrogant. Loose-tongued and utterly ignorant of your place and the basics about the Empire. Who do you think you are to speak like this, my so-called right hand?”

Robin merely smirked, patting Haros on the back. ”This one?” He tilted his head toward Haros as if introducing him for the first time. ”This is Haros—the Tenth Marshal.”

”...”