Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1697 Seraphim

”These are gifts from the Cosmic Elder. Do you dare attempt to take them from me?” Robin swung his hand with greater force this time, his voice booming far louder than necessary, and his aura swelling outward like a tidal wave that pressed upon the hearts of everyone present, radiating an overwhelming, absolute authority that could not be questioned.

”...Iʼm merely offering you choices, nothing more. I would never force your hand.” Althera immediately took half a step back the instant Robin invoked the name of the Cosmic Elder. Her composed face twitched, and she struggled to stretch a nervous, artificial smile across her lips.

”Just... keep the matter in mind. The amount I can gather from the Academies in exchange for this artifact would be more than satisfying-truly beyond imagination and I wonʼt tell anyone that you were its previous owner, so no one will covet your fortune or attempt to hunt you down. Your identity will remain eternally secret between only those present here... youʼll receive the payment and vanish quietly to pursue your own ambitions, and no matter how extravagantly you spend or how recklessly you waste, youʼll float forever upon an endless ocean of resources.”

Planetary migration between sectors was the long-standing dream of every great power in the universe. If the Academies managed to obtain such equipment, their chances against the Enemies of Life would skyrocket, and they would be capable of suppressing the Behemoths with unmatched efficiency. Acquiring this single artifact would grant the Academies eternal, unshakable dominance, allowing them to reshape the balance of existence itself.

And all of that was based on the assumption that its only function revolved around relocating planets... yet no one truly knew the extent of what seventh-grade planetary displacement artifact could accomplish.

No one knew anything-anything at all-about seventh-grade planetary artifact!!

”Iʼll think about it,” Robin finally replied with the same artificial smile, clearly signaling the end of the discussion. He carefully returned the equipment to the box and secured it with both hands as though sealing away his newborn child, gently, yet with immense caution.

Selling seventh-grade planetary artifact for Pearls alone sounded like sheer, unfathomable madness... but he chose to end the conversation quickly before he heard any numbers. If he began hearing actual prices, if those digits wormed their way into his mind, his heart might truly shatter from temptation.

”Hoo-” Robin released a long, controlled breath, then pulled the next box closer with both hands. ”Hoooh~ What might you be hiding for me as well?” ”....” Jabba and Shaddad leaned in further than before, their eyes wide and shimmering with raw anticipation.

But not as wide as Altheraʼs, whose heartbeat hammered violently inside her chest. She had already forgotten the harsh rejection sheʼd suffered moments ago and instinctively stepped forward again to inspect whatever would emerge next.

Clack

At that precise moment, the box opened, revealing what lay inside. ”Hmm?” Immediately, Althera furrowed her brows. ”A feather?”

”....” Robin tilted his head slowly, studying the object with greater focus. The thing resting inside the box was very small, undeniably resembling a feather- delicate, yet oddly imposing-and beside it rested a neatly folded piece of paper.

With a casual wave-whoosh-both the object and the folded paper drifted out of the box and floated gracefully before everyoneʼs eyes.

This time, the object did not expand to human size as the previous ones had. Instead, it only grew enough to comfortably fill the palm of an adult hand. Had it been placed inside the box without spatial reduction, it would have fit easily and without issue.

It was a quill... a feather pen!

The quill appeared like an ancient relic birthed at the dawn of creation itself, its feather shimmering with a countless spectrum of colors, as though fragments of a captured rainbow had crystallized within plumes plucked from the crown of some mythical, exalted bird. Flowing from the radiant feather was the penʼs hardened body, appearing to be sculpted from eternal crystal, pulsing faintly with a shifting chromatic glow-colors that felt forbidden, hues no mortal eye had permission to fully comprehend.

Near the penʼs tip gleamed a bizarre, viciously sharp metal, as though forged specifically to pierce through entire worlds and carve across reality itself. Intricate, breathtaking engravings spiraled along its surface like frozen tongues of eternal flame, cold yet burning with silent meaning.

It did not resemble a tool meant for simple writing; rather, it emanated the presence of destiny itself. Simply beholding that small quill robbed the world around it of taste, of color, of meaning. For a fleeting moment, existence itself paled, fading to gray before its presence.

”...” With an eye trembling violently and a heart pounding with feverish excitement, Robin finally paid attention to the folded paper in his hand and opened it carefully, finding the elegant line of words written inside:

/The Eternal Quill Seraphim - none but you is worthy./

”It looks impressive, it feels impressive, Itʼs origin as it came from the Cosmic Elder is impressive... but itʼs just a quill?” Althera tilted her head toward Robin, hoping he might perceive something she couldnʼt see.

But instead, she found a stream of drool waterfalling from the corner of his mouth, splashing all over the ground beneath him.

”W-what... is that...” Jabba took an involuntary step forward, drawn helplessly like a moth hypnotized by a blazing flame.

”This... is magnificent...” Shaddad echoed, also stepping forward-and without even realizing, his foot landed directly on Robinʼs leg.

Baa! Baa!

”Itʼs mine! My gift! Back off, both of you!!” Robin snapped out of his trance,

smacking both their hands away like a jealous beast guarding its treasure. ”Do you two have any idea how long Iʼve been trying to obtain a proper pin? Entire factories in Jura are dedicated to manufacturing quills and pins specifically for me, the Shadow Swords deliver shipments every single week! Finally-finally- Iʼll be able to work like a civilized human!!”

He stared at the quill, his eyes literally projecting cartoonish hearts, ”Ahh- My love, youʼve found your way home. Iʼll use you with absolute, delicate perfection.”

Then he extended his hand with blinding speed, seized the quill, and hugged it tightly to his chest like a lost child reunited with a parent, ”Ah~ where have you been all this miserable time?!”

”Master, Iʼm your one and only disciple! At least let me test it with you, just

once!” Jabba pleaded, ignoring the fact that Robin had struck him moments

earlier, inching forward again.

Shaddadʼs eyes gleamed with predatory intensity, ”Elder brother, allow me ONE attempt! I swear Iʼll stop pestering you to accept me as a disciple for a full day-

no, TWO DAYS!”

”..” Altheraʼs expression slowly twisted into speechless bewilderment. The quill was clearly extraordinary-its craftsmanship alone spoke volumes, and the fact it came from the Cosmic Elder made it undeniably priceless...

But why on earth were these two behaving like rabid animals over it?

Even when they witnessed seventh-grade legendary equipment, they never reacted with this unhinged obsession!

Then, like a realization striking lightning-fast, she remembered-

All three of them were Truth Chosen, all three were deeply invested in inscriptions and scriptwork, obsessed with perfect rune-etching.

They were all captivated by the sheer aura of the quill before even knowing what it does or how it functions.

Once she understood this, she let out a small amused exhale and crossed her

arms proudly across her chest...

If an ancient mythical short-sword were to appear before her, she would probably behave just as embarrassingly, if not worse.

”Back off! Stay back!” Robin retreated several hurried steps away from the two predators, then swung the quill in his hand defensively, ”Stand back, you beasts! None of you will TOUCH it unless you wash your filthy hands a thousand

times!!”

Ooooom

Intricate runes manifested in mid-air with terrifying speed, sketching themselves into a shimmering inscription before Robin. When the formation completed, it solidified into one single word:

/Back off/

Then-

BAAAAAAM!!

A devastating shockwave exploded outward, blasting Jabba and Shaddad away

like rag dolls. They didnʼt even feel what happened until they realized their bodies were already airborne, splashing helplessly into the sea.

”...” Robin stood frozen, staring silently at the feather-quill... then at the distant

ocean... then back at the quill again.

His brain short-circuited.

The world spun violently, his eyes rolled upward, and-

POOF!

He collapsed sideways like a felled tree, utterly unconscious.