Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1821 The truth about the sister

Thirty years later - Year 600 After Coronation Middle Sector 100

On a raised, stone-like platform overlooking the entire battlefield, Caesar sat observing a ground battle below from a seat that fully reflected his rank and prestige within the sector.

Behind him stood three individuals acting as personal bodyguards, each one being a Nexus State... and notably, all three were hired from outside the empire, not born from its own forces, none of of them was a wing master or even of those related to them.

”...A fine entourage you keep around you,” Jabba remarked. Sitting beside Caesar, he allowed his gaze to linger on the three experts for a long, evaluative moment before muttering with his eyebrows lifted.

”A necessary entourage,” Caesar replied in a calm and composed tone. ”We cannot risk being caught off guard and murdered while standing there helpless, can we? Sadly, my friend, even now we are still relying heavily on Fatherʼs innovations supported by his overwhelming wealth- just to compete and survive within the Middle Belt. Without those two pillars, we are practically nothing in this region.”

...Even after the Centennial Cradle Empire expanded, annexed several Wings, and secured more than eleven Nexus States -represented by Wing Masters and their close blood relatives- the empire still depended on hiring from that Syndicate.

No-rather than reducing their dependency, they went from hiring two Nexus States to hiring five!

Moreover, as part of the promise given to Theo, he recently managed to

directly purchase two of these experts from the Syndicate, and both individuals were transported immediately to the Centennial Cradle Empire. This raised the number of Nexus States actually owned by the empire to seven, excluding the Silent Emperor himself...

And they were not alone- even the Centennial Grave Empire followed the same practice.

The reason? Although the Wing Masters were indeed subordinates of the empire, each of them had been a planetary emperor not so long ago. Every one of them carried immense pride, a deep sense of dignity, and also a set of responsibilities toward their original people. They couldnʼt simply be dragged around everywhere to fight at Caesarʼs side.

Yet their presence within the empire expanded the borders, increasing the areas that needed to be protected-forcing Caesar to hire even more external power!

Thus, the core problem of both the Cradle Empire and the Grave Empire still remained unchanged...

They had no Nexus State experts of their own.

”...” Jabba absorbed Caesarʼs heavy words in complete seriousness. After a long stretch of silence, he nodded once, firmly. ”Itʼs only a matter of time before the Cradle Empire stands strong on its own-without relying on the Wings, without excessive renting of outside help. Iʼll work closely with little brother Shaddad to make this happen...”

”Oh?” Caesarʼs lips curved into a mocking, half-amused smile. ”Weʼre barely testing todayʼs war plan after your MAJESTY arrived late, delaying the start of our Fifth Path footsteps in the middle sector 99. Yet somehow youʼre confidently promising to eliminate our need for hired Nexus States? What now -are you going to cook Nexus State experts for me soon?”

”Well... not sooooon in the literal sense,” Jabba admitted with an awkward laugh, scratching the back of his head. ”But it has been more than forty years since the Fifth Path was created, and Master ordered us to produce the first World Cataclysm within a single century... meaning that within half a century, one must emerge. Otherwise, Master will definitely be furious with us. And once that milestone is achieved, the appearance of a Nexus State shouldnʼt take much longer.”

”...As you know, the gap between the Martial Emperor Realm and a World Cataclysm is monstrous-mainly because of the complexity of forming the Core. Compared to that terrifying chasm, achieving the Nexus State becomes more matter of innate talent and soul alignment than a life-or-death ordeal. Things become calmer... more controlled... and just a bit easier to approach.”

”The fifth path was completed forty years ago, and you only came to me twenty years later? Tsk, tsk~ I should complain to your master about this.” Caesar shook his head slowly, letting out a long breath as if disappointed.

”Hey! I wasnʼt slacking off!” Jabba snapped upright the moment he heard the word complain. ”Wasnʼt I helping Sister Zara build more Greed Crucibles? I didnʼt want to leave before witnessing five of them working flawlessly before my own eyes-and I did!” A bright, eager smile spread across his face, full of excitement and nostalgia. ”If the rare materials needed to craft the crucibles hadnʼt run out, I wouldʼve stayed long enough to finish five more without hesitation!”

”I thought youʼd say something like if not for your dire situationʼ or at least pretend to care,” Caesar shot him a sharp, irritated look. ”I sent you messages practically every month urging you to hurry. I sent you reports about the planets I kept losing, one after another, hoping youʼd show even the slightest bit of concern-but nothing!”

Jabba exhaled deeply. ”I really donʼt know what to say. Even though I contributed to the fifth path, those five Greed Crucibles on Nihari are far more important to me than starting the application of the fifth path. Losing all those planets... itʼs temporary. But the time you bought me to help Sister Zara perfect her work-thatʼs invaluable.”

”...Thatʼs quite humble of you.” Caesar returned his gaze to the battlefield, his frustration softening. He no longer felt like pressing Jabba about the delay. ”It has nothing to do with humility. Iʼve seen the structure of the Greed Crucible up close. Iʼve seen the living Shaping Law she integrated into it with her own hands. Your little sister is a genuine prodigy. Working beside her is no less intense or demanding than working beside Shaddad. And her mind -its clarity and sharpness- maybe even surpasses his...”

His brows tightened slightly. ”That living Shaping Law... itʼs the midpoint toward Master creation Law. A law Shaddad himself couldnʼt comprehend-yet she achieved half of it. Thatʼs not undermining Shaddad; heʼs proven himself more than enough. But what exactly is your sisterʼs secret? There were moments while we worked when I genuinely wondered why I was the one who got the Eye of Truth, and not her.”

”... You keep belittling yourself, Brother Jabba. The Eye of Truth didnʼt come to you by chance, and Father didnʼt choose you by accident,” Caesar said gently. ”You simply need to discover your own path-just like Zara found hers, just like my little brother found his...” Caesar drifted off for a moment, thoughtful. ”As for Zara, she already has an eye of truth. The golden pair within Fatherʼs gaze... those two alone are more than enough for her.”

He turned toward Jabba with a faint smile. ”Do you really think she led armies because she craved power? Or governed the city because she sought advancement and cosmic truths?” He shook his head. ”She led his armies because he needed generals. And now she governs the city because he needs developers and builders. Her innovation-the living Shaping Law? She created it because he told her to try. That is her path-the path she takes pride in.”

He paused briefly before continuing, voice quieter. ”If that man had died naturally, leaving behind all those empires and riches... Zara would probably abandon everything and disappear without a second thought. She wouldnʼt even look back. Not at the treasures, not at the city, not even at her blood-brother Peon. I donʼt know whether itʼs out of gratitude for saving her from the slave platforms long ago... or something like a deep, unshakable filial love. But Zara sees no one else. Hm. I honestly donʼt know what that man did in his life to deserve a daughter like her.”

”...?” Jabba slowly looked down at his feet, a heavy realization settling over him.

Working to turn her fatherʼs dreams into reality... was that truly the path she chose for herself?

”Look, somethingʼs happening!” Caesar suddenly pointed toward the arena.