Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1679: Necklace

Thump!

Morgana’s frozen heart beat violently—each pulse echoing through her chest like a hammer against ice.

The feeling was foreign to her. She stood there, paralyzed, unsure of what to say or even how to breathe. The world around her seemed to blur for a moment, as if her own senses could not decide whether to fight or surrender to the strange warmth rising inside her.

”My promise to you has now been fulfilled.”

Robin’s voice sliced through the silence with a calm authority that carried weight far beyond the simple words. He clasped his hands behind his back and continued, his face composed and expression. ”You once said that your purpose in life was to continue liberating the specter farms—that it was the very reason you still draw breath. I agreed to help you with that. But if you intend to pursue this goal while being under my command, then you must rely on this necklace.”

He gestured subtly toward her chest. ”This black chain is no ordinary ornament. It holds the ability to absorb and preserve soul force. When your soul domain reaches its full capacity, I want you to channel part of that force into the necklace and continue absorbing as usual. Think of it as an extension of your soul. Keep it filled at all times, for an empty chain means a wasted opportunity.”

Then his tone deepened, more instructive. ”Now, the black side of the pendant—that’s where the true magic lies. It serves as a converter, a bridge between soul force and natural energy. In essence, it deceives the cosmic laws into believing that the power driving them is natural energy, not soul force. This illusion allows you, a powerful soul master, to manipulate the laws of nature directly through your own essence rather than struggling through the tedious training of the energy system from scratch.”

”Impossible!!” Morgana gasped, her shock shattering her usual composure. She grabbed the necklace with trembling fingers, examining every curve, every rune etched into the metal. ”There’s... something like this in existence?! This shouldn’t be possible!”

Robin smiled faintly, a hint of exhaustion and pride in his eyes. ”I spent decades of my life—decades—perfecting this concept, building it piece by piece, for your sake. It’s not a mere artifact; it’s a revolution. If this design were ever revealed at an intergalactic auction, the universe would spiral into chaos. Every soul master, every researcher, every empire that hungers for dominance would chase me to the edge of creation.”

”...” Morgana remained speechless for a moment, her mind racing to process his words. If what he said was true, then the necklace was beyond any imaginable value. With this, her strength would not just increase—it would ascend to an entirely new realm.

She drew in a sharp breath and asked quickly, ”Then what about the red half of the pendant?”

Robin’s lips curved faintly as he extended a finger toward the crimson side. ”That part holds engraved runes of the Master Law of Creation—ancient symbols capable of responding to soul force through the converter built into your necklace. When activated, they grant you the power to alter your outer appearance, to manipulate even your aura. The transformation won’t merely let you shift your age as you did before; it will allow you to assume any form your imagination can construct. Your beauty, your presence, your identity—everything can be reshaped at will.”

”The M- Master Law of Creation?!” Morgana’s voice trembled as her eyes widened until the pupils nearly vanished. Robin, who already stood in her mind as a being of terrifying mystery, suddenly became something far beyond human. His brilliance was now almost divine—and just as dangerous.

”You are now my direct subordinate,” Robin said quietly, a confident smile forming on his face. ”There’s no longer any need for secrets between us.” He turned away, his cloak brushing lightly against the floor as he began to walk off. ”With that necklace, you can change your form, your aura, and infiltrate any specter farm you wish. Strike them as you please, then return to me in your true form to continue your duties.”

He halted mid-step and glanced over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing dangerously. ”But tread carefully, Morgana. Conceal every movement, every trace of your existence. To the Syndicate—you are already dead. I will not have them reopening another investigation into your name.”

”.....” Morgana stayed still for a long moment, staring deeply into his sharp eyes. ”How much did this necklace cost you, truly?” she asked at last, her tone almost a whisper. ”I know that patterns of the Law of Creation are priceless... but the materials, the craftsmanship—how much did it take from you?”

Robin gave a short, humorless laugh. ”More than you can possibly imagine,” he said, glancing at the necklace as if recalling every sleepless night that went into forging it. ”Just the chain that stores the soul force—the raw materials alone cost nearly a billion in credits. And that doesn’t even account for the rest of the components. Let’s just say... it was an investment that could have built an Empire.”

Morgana’s eyes shimmered with an otherworldly hue—an eerie mix of admiration and gratitude. A faint, relaxed smile appeared on her lips. ”...A moment ago, you said I should return to my true form after each specter farm liberation.” She twirled slowly in a graceful circle, her voice soft but playful. ”Did you mean this form...” she tilted her head slightly, ”...or the one I had back on the Specter Valley planet?”

”Choose whatever you like,” Robin said with a faint shrug, his tone calm yet carrying that commanding ease that seemed to come naturally to him. ”Of course, you’ll need to stay in this current form while we’re still at the Academy, I don’t need people whispering nonsense. But after that,” he tilted his head slightly, a faint, knowing smile crossing his face, ”you may return to your youthful form if you wish. I know you’ve missed it—after all, you’ve been trapped in that form for nearly a million years.”

He turned on his heel, his coat sweeping lightly behind him as he made his way toward the staircase. ”Now,” he added, glancing over his shoulder, ”I’m going out with the boys for a while. Take this time to rest, to examine your body and the necklace properly. I know how much strain that process put on your body and soul. You’re exhausted, even if you won’t admit it. We’ll discuss your future later—when you’ve recovered.”

Creaaak

The door closed softly behind him. For a long moment, Morgana stood in complete silence, staring blankly at the wooden frame as though his presence still lingered there.

Seconds turned to a full minute before she slowly lowered her gaze to her hands. She turned them over, fingers trembling slightly, tracing every detail of her smooth skin as if confirming what her eyes could not believe. Then, her hands moved up to her cheeks—her touch hesitant, almost reverent, ”...Return to my youthful form?!”

Bang!

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StepStep

Robin descended the staircase slowly, each footstep echoing against the marble steps. His expression had grown solemn, his brows slightly furrowed as his thoughts weighed heavily on his mind. He kept his eyes on the ground, his mind wandering far beyond the walls of the Academy.

The sheer investment he had poured into Morgana—both in time and fortune—was staggering. A Royal Soul Lady, bearing only a single star... The resources he had used to restore her and craft her artifact could have easily been enough to lure three or four Royal Soul Masters to his service for centuries—perhaps even millennia!

But there was one thought that anchored him, one flicker of justification for the mountain of sacrifices he had made. Ever since he examined her soul domain back on the Specter Valley planet, he had known her potential was vastly greater than she herself believed. Her stagnation wasn’t due to lack of talent—it was her wounds, her broken harmony. Once those were healed, her growth could be terrifying.

So now, all he could do was wait—wait and watch as Morgana ascended to the true peak of her power. He only hoped that all his years of effort, his fortune, and his calculated risks would not be wasted.

”Hm?” As he reached the final step, something caught his attention. In the front row of the amphitheater sat Jabba and Shaddad, whispering to each other with gloomy expressions—clearly complaining about him.

Robin stopped, eyes narrowing. ”What are you two still doing down here?!” he called out sharply, his tone carrying that effortless authority that made both of them jolt upright immediately.

Crack!

They stood at attention so fast it was almost comical. ”Nothing, Master!” they said together in perfect synchronization.

”...Urgh...” Robin sighed deeply and rubbed the bridge of his nose between two fingers, his patience thinning. ”Shaddad, my dear, how many times must I tell you—I am not your master, understood? If you have any questions, or unresolved matters, I’ll help you deal with them later.”

”But—!!” Shaddad started to protest, clearly ready to unleash a tirade of complaints that had been building.

”Ahem.” Jabba quickly cut him off, grabbing him firmly by the arm and forcing a polite smile. ”Of course, Master.” Then, smoothly changing the subject, he asked, ”So, where are we heading now? I’m guessing I can’t stay upstairs with the lovely lady, right?”

”...I’ll head to Althera first,” Robin replied after a short pause. ”I don’t want her thinking I’m trying to avoid my promise. And after that...” He exhaled heavily, muttering under his breath. ”There are too many things waiting for me to handle.”

”Ugh, I’ll figure it out after I’m done there.” He waved a hand dismissively, cutting off his own train of thought before it spiraled further. ”You two stay here until I return.”

”Ma– Big brother,” Shaddad said anxiously, waving both hands. ”I don’t think it’s wise for you to go out alone right now. There are protests outside—people are chanting against you!”

”Protests?!” Robin blinked, caught off guard for a second before bursting into laughter. ”Alright then, fine. Come with me, I don’t need any more headaches today.”

”And I’m supposed to stay here alone?!” Jabba shouted, leaping down from the seats in a dramatic jump. ”No way! You’re taking me too!”

”Tsk~” Robin muttered under his breath, shaking his head with a faint smirk. ”I swear this feels like a school field trip.” He turned toward the massive doors at the end of the hall. ”Fine, both of you, come along.”

He pressed a hand to the door and pushed. Creeeak

And from the other side, a thunderous chant greeted them—

”...Down Down Robin Burton!!”