Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1199 1199: Shattered

”Evacuate the planet? The entire planet? Are we really abandoning it?!”

Caesar took two urgent steps forward, disbelief painted all over his face. Out of all the countless possibilities and contingency plans they had considered, not a single one had accounted for such an extreme and final measure as this.

Though Jura was just a small, seemingly insignificant planet with little strategic or economic value, it remained their cherished homeland—the birthplace of the Emperor himself, the sacred ground that held the ancient city of Jura. Its historical, cultural, and emotional significance made it utterly irreplaceable. The idea of leaving it behind, to be claimed by someone else or even destroyed, was unbearable.

Tap Tap

From behind Rubin, the soul shard of Rinara emerged, floating forward gracefully, her arms folded elegantly across her chest. A faint, amused smile tugged at her lips, as if she were a spectator enjoying the climax of a well-written tragedy on stage.

”Father, are you really planning to hand over our homeland to that woman?!”

Richardʼs voice erupted in a mix of fury and desperation.

”We have the power to fight back! You donʼt have to do this—donʼt force yourself to compromise! I— I alone am enough! I can destroy this soul shard myself!”

Clench

Theoʼs hand gripped Richardʼs shoulder firmly, and he gently shook his head in disapproval.

”Obey with no second thoughts.”

”B—” The words caught in the young manʼs throat like thorns. He stood frozen for a heartbeat before a single tear slid silently down his cheek.

”...At the very least, give her a different planet. We own so many! Give her one—no, give her two if you must! Iʼll repay you, I swear! Iʼll make up for all of it!”

”Itʼs not that simple, my son,” Rubin replied softly, his tone weary yet determined.

”This is merely a precaution—nothing more. Just a temporary step, alright? Trust your father—I always find a solution, donʼt I?” He gave Richardʼs shoulder a few reassuring pats before gently nudging him toward the departure platforms along with his siblings.

”I donʼt know exactly when sheʼll arrive, so donʼt waste any time. Start the process immediately. First, send the people who already belong to other worlds back to their respective planets. Then begin evacuating everything and everyone else as quickly as possible. Prioritize the extraction of energy pearls, treasures, and all high-value artifacts—get them off this world at once! Every last bit! Those resources are far more critical than the people themselves!”

He then turned toward the gathered demons and generals, his voice exploding like thunder, his veins straining with fury:

”What are you all waiting for? A personal invitation?! Move your damn asses—NOW!”

”Yes, sir!”

Everyone snapped into motion in an instant, struck with fear. The authority of His Excellency when enraged was absolute and terrifying, not open to negotiation. Even seasoned warriors like Sakaar and Amon found themselves instinctively obeying without a full grasp of the situation.

”Hehe... what a strange decision, truly unexpected.”

The soul shard let out a soft, polite laugh.

”Hehe, I apologize, truly—but I had thought you were far more clever than this.”

”Kindly mind your own business,” Robin snapped back, though her attention was clearly not focused on Rinara anymore.

The ”wise alternative” Rinara alluded to most likely referred to relocating to another planet and abandoning this strange place entirely. After all, Robinʼs children had confirmed they possessed other habitable planets. So logically, why not just leave?

The answer was simple, yet critical.

The planet Nihari—where they had originally come from—was ruined, reduced to a desolate wasteland. There was absolutely nothing of value left, nothing worth returning to. The planet itself might still exist, but in terms of resources, it was a barren grave. Naturally, the impatient woman would eventually lose interest and move on, perhaps even wipe Nihari out of existence. That massive celestial body wasnʼt going anywhere anytime soon.

But if she arrived here—on Jura—and extended her soul sense across its surface, taking in all that had been built...

A cold, involuntary shiver raced down Robinʼs spine.

Abandoning the planet wouldnʼt be enough to protect them.

Despite all their progress, the vast majority of the wealth Robin had salvaged from Nihari had been relocated and consolidated here on Jura. This world was overflowing with treasure. Even the homes of commoners held small caches of energy gems. If that short-tempered woman discovered this, she might forget about Robin entirely—and set her sights on Jura instead, determined to claim it for herself.

The only viable way to preserve the planet and everything it represented was to take everything valuable and leave nothing behind.

If they failed to act fast, their small but meaningful homeland would be lost forever.

”Hmm... but how do you intend to evacuate an entire planetʼs worth of population?”

Rinaraʼs soul fragment stepped slowly forward, approaching the edge of the platformʼs balcony. Her gaze swept over the chaotic scene below, where generals shouted orders and civilians scrambled to flee in a frenzy.

”I can sense the presence of roughly one billion people on this world. Physically transitioning between planets by tearing through space is extremely difficult, even for someone at the Nexus Stage. But... itʼs still more practical than using ships, which would take too long. I donʼt know precisely how far that woman is, but if sheʼs within this spatial zone, then Iʼd wager sheʼll arrive in less than a month, three days would be the best guess if the planetʼs isnʼt too far. That particular travel method—though crude—is nearly equivalent to using spatial portals for the very first time.”

She turned her eyes back to Rubin, her smile fading just slightly.

”So youʼre planning to evacuate the entire planet within three days? And then what? Stay behind and perish with it?”

”Since youʼve already turned down the offer, then please do us all a favor—stay silent, or simply leave.”

Robin raised his hand and gestured with a sharp flick toward the space portal, the finality in his voice like a door slamming shut.

Traveling at the same speed as the first-time use of a space portal?

That kind of journey was raw, unassisted by a portal at the other end. Robin had done it before—when he journeyed to Nihari under the same circumstances. He still remembered it clearly.

It took him eight full days.

Eight days ahead of her arrival?

That wasnʼt just a guess—it was critical information. A crack of hope. Eight days might seem short to some, but to Rubin, that was more than enough. Time to think. Time to plan. Time to outmaneuver.

”Oh? Is that a change in tone I hear, Robin?”

Rinaraʼs smile turned wicked, her voice sweet but lined with venom.

”Arenʼt you the least bit afraid that I might turn on you? That I might descend upon this place myself and burn it all down?”

Her eyes shimmered—no, glowed—with dangerous amusement.

”Not in the slightest.”

Robin shook his head without hesitation. His expression was calm, composed, and just a little tired.

”Youʼre many things, Rinara, but reckless isnʼt one of them. Youʼre rational, at least to a degree. You want power, yes, but not at the cost of triggering a full-scale war with the Star Academies or bringing the wrath of the Law of Karma upon your head. Youʼre not stupid.”

He tilted his head slightly, watching her carefully.

”The most you would realistically do is provoke some young belt empires to make moves against us—or wait until we ascend to the Middle Belt.”

”Oooh?~”

Rinaraʼs mocking tone dropped slightly, the glint in her eyes dimming for a brief moment.

”So... you do know about the Star Academies... and the Law of Karma.”

She tilted her head, frowning faintly.

”Then why, may I ask, are you so frightened of that woman?”

Robinʼs expression darkened instantly. His jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing like a beast remembering the predator that scarred it.

”...You donʼt know her.”

His voice was low, sharp, and heavy with memory.

That lunatic. That unhinged thing had nearly destroyed the entire planet of Nihari in a single fit of fury—because the spirit of the planet dared to displease her.

He turned back to Rinara, speaking quickly now, trying to press through her arrogance.

”Listen, thereʼs not much time left to reach a favorable agreement. If you accept my offer—if you agree to partner with me now—youʼll secure something no one else has. A new era could begin for your empire.”

He gestured outward.

”Iʼd be proud to call you my first client, and in return, youʼd gain the protection and influence of a future Great Truth Chosen. Thatʼs not a small thing, Rinara.”

”A Truth Chosen, hmm...”

She lifted her eyebrows in surprise, then let out a small chuckle.

”Well, well. That explains a lot, actually.”

She turned, scanning the ancient skyline of the city before them.

”Unfortunately, Robin...”

Her tone shifted again, this time turning cold.

”...I still want to see that proud knee of yours drop to the ground.”

Robin scoffed and waved her off with an annoyed flick of his hand.

”Then stay. Watch all you like. Wait until you see my legs turn into dust, because thatʼs the only way youʼll see me kneel.”

”Why donʼt you call on your Overlord?”

Her voice was casual, but there was a sharpness beneath it, like a blade beneath silk.

”You didnʼt invent those space portals. That was Interasʼ design, wasnʼt it? So you do have someone to buy you those.”

She smiled knowingly.

”Call him. Maybe he has the connections you lack. Maybe he can save you.”

Then she laughed, a cruel little sound.

”Let me guess... you never kneeled to him, did you? You two were partners, werenʼt you? Equals. And now that youʼre in real trouble, he doesnʼt want to get involved. How poetic.”

Robin remained silent, jaw tight, fists clenched.

”Hehe~ Thatʼs what happens when you reach too high too fast, Robin.”

Her voice dropped, low and intimate, like a whisper directly into his mind.

”This is exactly the fate I tried to shield you from. All your partnerships, your trades, your little services—they wonʼt save you now.”

She pointed at Elizabeth, who was guiding a group of refugees toward the space portals.

”Just as you would protect those who follow you without hesitation, I would protect you just as fiercely if you belonged to me.”

She then gestured behind her, at Holak.

”And just as you ignore those who didnʼt swear loyalty to you… your partners will ignore you when you need them most.”

Robin exhaled slowly, the weight of her words sinking in.

”...Does the Empress of the Multi-Path Empire always enjoy talking this much?”

His voice was almost a whisper this time—his pride forcing a smirk, but his eyes betraying how much those words had cut.

”Hehe~ Not usually,” Rinara replied cheerfully.

”But today is different. Today is unique. Itʼs fresh and beautiful~”

”....”

Robinʼs lips twisted slightly into a frown. He could see it now—plain as daylight. Rinara was betting everything on his surrender before the arrival of the impatient woman.

”Donʼt celebrate too early,” he muttered.

”In a few days, everything will be revealed. In that time, I will—”

CRACK!

CRACK!

SHATTER.

Suddenly, Robin froze.

A terrifying weight gripped his chest, as if an invisible mountain had dropped directly onto him, pressing him down, suffocating.

And then, his eyes were drawn upward.

He saw it.

Something that should not be.

The sky...

It looked like shattered glass.