Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1217 1217: Failure

”...Itʼs been a long time, Robin.”

The man made of light spoke with serene calmness, his voice echoing slightly as though it reverberated through the very fabric of space. He paused for a moment, letting his radiant eyes wander across the frozen battlefield.

”Wow… things are quite heated here, arenʼt they?”

”...!!”

Robinʼs golden eyes widened until they nearly doubled in size.

The serene look of peaceful acceptance that had once graced his face vanished in an instant—replaced by sheer disbelief.

His lips trembled as the recognition set in.

”The All-Seeing God?! Is that... really you?”

He blinked rapidly, then looked around frantically, golden eyes scanning everything.

”What is going on here? I was just about to die! I felt it! The attack—everything—it was all real! Did you pull me into an illusion? Some dreamscape?”

The glowing figure laughed softly, a sound that carried both warmth and mystery.

”Hehe, analyze it all you want, little brother. Look closely, scrutinize every detail with those golden eyes of yours... but the truth is, youʼre still too inexperienced to fully see what stands before you.”

With a lighthearted gait, the man of light began strolling to the side—moving toward the figures of Robinʼs generals, all frozen in a snapshot of time, locked in expressions of defiance and loyalty.

”Just know this, Robin: What youʼre seeing now... is not a vision, not an illusion, not a dream.

This is reality. I didnʼt pull you into anything.”

”Reality...?!”

Robin shouted, his voice rising in alarm and disbelief.

He turned in place, scanning every corner of the scene.

Everything looked right.

Every detail, every motion frozen in time—it was real. This was his world.

”This is bad. This is so bad!”

He grabbed both sides of his head, pacing in circles like a caged beast.

”What did you do?! Did you stop time for just us? Or did you halt the flow for the entire planet?! No—neither scenario is acceptable! We have to act! That incoming attack—if we donʼt stop it, everyone here will die!”

The humanoid light chuckled again, this time more confidently, a knowing grin stretching across his glowing face.

”Calm yourself, little brother. Have you forgotten? You wonʼt die unless I allow it.”

He reached out and ran a glowing hand over Victoriaʼs long, flowing hair. She stood motionless, expression caught between terror and resolution.

”Incredible... Look at her eyes, Robin. Sheʼs ready to die for you. No hesitation, no regret.”

Then he turned, eyes scanning over the rest of Robinʼs army—his children, his warriors, his friends.

”All of them are the same. Theyʼre ready to fall… if it means standing by your side.”

He pointed toward Caesar, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

”Haha, I remember this one. Still burning with spirit, I see.”

”...Theyʼre good people.”

Robin let out a long, shaky breath.

The All-Seeing godʼs words grounded him somewhat, but the weight of the moment hadnʼt left his shoulders.

”Iʼve tried reaching out to you... over and over. Just yesterday, I called out.

Nothing. Not a single whisper in return.”

”Ahh, work, little brother, work.”

The humanoid light waved dismissively, as though brushing away dust.

”Youʼre an emperor now, arenʼt you? A planetary ruler. You of all people should understand how burdensome responsibilities can get, no?”

He chuckled and gestured toward Hulak and Aro.

One had his fist cocked back, the embodiment of raw power mid-swing.

The other clutched a woman protectively, screaming defiance to the sky with a gleaming spear in hand.

”Oh? Youʼve made allies from other races as well? Thatʼs very impressive. I didnʼt expect that level of diplomacy from you.”

”What ʼworkʼ are you talking about?”

Robin snapped.

”A soul shard is an independent fragment of your consciousness.

Itʼs supposed to be capable of independent thought! Even if you were in the middle of a battle to the death, the shard should still be able to respond! Thatʼs the whole point of a soul shard!”

But the All-Seeing god seemed to ignore the reprimand entirely, clapping his hands together softly as he looked around.

”Haha! Look! The Red Plague is still with you!”

His voice held genuine delight.

”Last time we spoke, they were your only allies. Iʼm glad to see you still keep them close.

But tell me—how did you manage to bring them together with humans? And demi-humans too?

And all of them, every single one, is willing to die for you… Thatʼs extraordinary, Robin. Truly.”

”Die for me?”

Robinʼs voice was low. Bitter.

He looked away.

”You mean for the mission you forced on me.

Thatʼs more accurate.”

Seeing that guy clearly had no intention of answering questions about the soul shard, Robin let the matter drop—for now.

”A mission you agreed to,” the Humanoid light said softly but with unwavering authority, his voice carrying the weight of ages. He turned fully toward Robin now, his glowing eyes narrowing slightly.

”You werenʼt forced, you werenʼt tricked. You got the details. You knew the stakes. And after that… well, after that cruel little tragedy~ I even offered you a different path, an alternative mission. You refused. You made your choice.”

He gestured casually, almost lazily, one hand pointing behind his back, the other drifting through the air.

”So donʼt you dare try to paint me as the villain in this story. The blame doesnʼt lie with me.”

Then he turned his gaze more intently on Robin, a small, almost pitiful smile on his lips.

”That mission… well, it seems to me like you failed.”

Robinʼs expression darkened instantly.

”...Failed? Failed?!”

The word echoed in his mind like an insult. Something inside him, something fragile, snapped clean in two.

”You told me to stop the invaders! You told me not to let them take anything from Nihari—that was the mission! And I did it! I crushed them!”

He took a step forward, voice rising with every word.

”I annihilated their forces, shattered their planetary emperor into nothing, took everything they had. Nihari itself is under my control now! You said they couldnʼt have it—and they donʼt!”

His golden eyes blazed.

”And now you dare to say I failed?! On what basis?!”

The humanoid light slowly raised one hand and pointed toward the sky—toward the massive sphere of impending destruction frozen in place.

His other hand remained calmly folded behind his back, as if he had all the time in the world.

”Once that falls, it wonʼt matter what you built.

Your empire, your army, your legacy—erased.

And after that, Helen will rally her remaining empires.

Sheʼll come with reinforcements, and Nihari will be hers.

Weʼll be back at square one.”

He turned back, eyes burning with a strange sadness.

”So tell me again… is that not failure?”

”You...!!!”

Robin clenched his fists until they trembled, his knuckles cracking under the pressure.

”So now youʼre expecting me to fight a Nexus even after Iʼve already won?!

How in all the worlds am I supposed to handle that?!

Thatʼs not just unreasonable—itʼs INSANE!”

The Seer tilted his head slightly, his smile never leaving.

”Thatʼs your problem, Robin.

You treated the mission like a checklist.

Win the battle, claim the land, call it a day.

But this isnʼt some game. You shouldʼve expected a bigger predator to come sniffing around after you killed the smaller ones.”

He turned and began pacing slowly.

”You couldʼve tried diplomacy.

You couldʼve built bridges with other powerful forces.

You couldʼve established hidden bases, escape plans, alliances with her equals,

something. Anything.

But no… instead, you stood still, basking in victory.”

He stopped again and faced Robin.

”And now, here we are.

The mission resets to zero.

And you... youʼve returned to square one as well.”

Robinʼs shoulders sank for just a moment—just a moment—but he quickly straightened himself again, jaw clenched tight.

”...All this time, I believed she was locked in some war with you, in the middle belt.

That she couldnʼt possibly come here—that neither she nor her generals could show up,

because that would make the mission impossible.”

His voice trembled—not with fear, but fury.

”You gave me this mission when I was still a level sixteen, a knight!

A fuckinʼ knight!

And now youʼre telling me you knew Iʼd have to go up against a Nexus state?!

How should I have prepared for that? How the hell does that make sense?!”

The All-Seeing god chuckled and slowly approached Robin, his glowing form drifting with ease.

”But you did face her, didnʼt you?”

He smirked.

”That little space-time shift move of yours? Impressive. Very impressive.

You know how many sages in history have survived a full assault from a Nexus?

Zero.”

Then, with pride in his voice, he added:

”Well… until now.”

”Donʼt change the subject,” Robin growled, his voice low and dangerous now.

”That woman—she was your responsibility.

It shouldʼve been you fighting her.”

The Seer stopped, blinking as if genuinely confused.

”Me? Why would I?”

”...Why?! What kind of twisted question is that?!”

Robin shouted, his voice echoing in the still, frozen world.

”This entire mission is because of you!

It all started with you, revolves around you, and now ends with you watching from the sidelines!

Why did Pythor get the support of his Overlord while you couldnʼt even be bothered to answer me with you Soul Shard?!”

Snap.

The All-Seeing god snapped his fingers and pointed straight at Robin, his expression shifting from confusion to clarity.

”That right there… Thatʼs the keyword. his Overlord.”

He smirked.

”Tell me, Robin… Am I your Overlord?”

He folded both hands neatly behind his back again and continued calmly.

”Back in the cave—you remember what you said, donʼt you?

You told me you owed me a favor for saving your life.

You said it with pride.

You told me youʼd never kneel.

Not to destiny, not to fate, not to anyone.”

The All-Seeing god shrugged one last time, still wearing that same calm, unnerving smile.

”Even now… youʼre just a stranger to me.

A man who owes a debt.

Nothing more.”