Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1980 The opponent

After another two hours had passed-

BOOOOOOOM!

A wave of searing orange heat slammed into the ground, instantly melting a large portion of the shattered spacecraft wreckage and carving out a massive crater in its wake. ”Huaaah!!” Aro was forced to activate Storm Dash, clutching his wife tightly as he fled in blind panic before collapsing face-first, both of them getting torn apart by flying debris, dirt, and sharp fragments.

Then he screamed upward at the sky, his voice cracking with desperation, ”What are you doing, you idiots?! Fight! Do something-anything!!” ”Hahaha, thereʼs no escape for you, little bull!” Silas laughed loudly, though the exhaustion in his voice was unmistakable.

Silas continued to watch with his arms crossed as he maintained the Domain of the Heavenly Lawʼs Grace. Yet at this very moment, even he-as a Guardian- was showing extreme signs of fatigue.

The only reason he hadnʼt deactivated the domain was simple: the battle was on the verge of being decided.

Ten Nexus States among his followers had already been killed. And although only one enemy had died so far, nearly twenty others lay scattered across the ground, critically wounded and suspended between life and death, while three more had fled after their limbs were brutally torn apart.

On top of all that, fourteen Supremacy Note units had been destroyed already! At this point, the fighting resembled people struggling inside a pool of thick mud-severe exhaustion on all sides. Shattered limbs, mechanical parts, and debris flew through the air as blood stained nearly everything in sight.

One thing was absolutely certain...

The coming hour would witness the end of this battle. At least half of those still alive below would be dead by then, while the rest would be completely drained of any kind of energy-like sick chickens awaiting slaughter.

Thinking of this, Silas smiled despite his fatigue.

In less than an hour, he would personally descend to reap the souls of every remaining survivor from the Grave Empire.

As for his own side?

Even if all of them died, it wouldnʼt matter. With the countless multiplied treasures of the Centennial Grave Empire, along with the hidden riches and secrets of Silasʼs family stored on Sandal, the concealed capital planet of the Holva Empire, he could easily support and recruit new followers very soon. ”Silaaaaas!!” Aro shouted once more, collapsing onto his knees, his body riddled with wounds from indirect attacks. He looked around in terror, raising his voice desperately, ”Th-this is your last chance! If this battle continues, youʼll have no path left to peace!” ”I know,” Silas replied calmly, then laughed, ”because victory will belong to me alone-haha!!”

He spread his arms wide and roared, ”Kill them all!!”

His aura surged violently, and the power of the Domain of the Heavenly Lawʼs Grace intensified even further. The entire sky transformed into rolling waves of blazing orange heat. ”Chaaaaaarge!!” ”DIE!!” ”Damn it!!” Rantherʼs right arm burned as the armor covering it melted away. He retreated rapidly in agony, and this time he was the one screaming at Aro, ”Hey! If youʼre going to do something, then do it fast!!” ”I-Iʼll think of something! I will, I swear!” Aro crawled forward several steps on his knees. ”Please... donʼt abandon the empire now. Please, fight!!” ”Ahhh, damn it!!” Ranther shouted again as he watched the disgraceful scene unfold. ”Pray the High Lord compensates us for what happens today, Aro-because otherwise, I will never forgive you!!” ”Hahaha!” Silas laughed loudly once more.

Over the following minutes, the battle began to follow exactly the course Silas had anticipated.

Casualties and critical injuries piled up at an alarming pace. Several Nexus States and Wing Lords fled the moment they sensed the battle escalating beyond control. Some of the Grave Empireʼs Nexus States cursed Aroʼs parents and ancestry as they withdrew, barely escaping with severe injuries.

The World Cataclysm-level battles were nearing their conclusion as well. Most of those fighters were sprawled on the ground, gasping desperately for air-or completely out of breath, unable to move at all. ”Heh... hehe... just a little more... just a little more...”

Silasʼs exhausted, weary smile began to fade ever so slowly, inch by inch, until it almost disappeared entirely-his energy, his patience, and his control all showing the strain of the prolonged fight.

Distortion.

The Domain of the Heavenly Lawʼs Grace violently wavered, shuddering with uncontrollable energy, and suddenly shrank to half its original size. Silas gritted his teeth so hard it felt as if his jaw might break, forcing himself to keep what remained of the domain active for just a little longer. But his condition was worsening rapidly-far worse than he had anticipated. Every second of maintaining the domain now drained him more, pushing him dangerously close to collapse. His body trembled under the immense strain. ”Hey, Silas.” ”Hm?” The Guardianʼs gaze fell downward. He immediately recognized that infuriating voice-Aroʼs-but this time, it was completely calm, steady, and shockingly devoid of panic. There was no tremor in it, no trace of fear.

Indeed, Silas noticed the young man smiling at him in a strange, almost unsettling way, a smile that seemed far too calm for the chaos around them. ”How does it feel,” Aro asked, his tone casual yet cutting, ”knowing that today, you are going to die at the hands of this little bull?” ”What are you even talking about, you thing?” Silasʼs brow furrowed deeply, veins standing out on his forehead. ”Has defeat finally eaten away what little remains of your mind? Have you lost all sense of reason?” ”Defeat?” Aro shook his head slowly, stepping into full view. ”No, youʼve walked straight into my trap. With the power you have now, thereʼs no chance for you to escape this place. You are trapped, fully exposed, and helpless.” He began brushing the dust and dirt from his clothes with deliberate calm. ”What encirclement? Hahaha,” Silas laughed, his voice edged with disbelief and arrogance, though strained by exhaustion. ”Do you think I donʼt know the full extent of the Grave Empireʼs strength? Everything youʼve deployed was concentrated here on this planet. Every Wing Lord, every operative of value- right here. And what else do you think you have? Were you hiding five pathetic Nexus States, or some desperate gambit? Perhaps an entire Note-4 armada, waiting in your pocket?”

He shook his head slowly, letting the laughter die down, his voice turning sharp and measured. ”It doesnʼt matter what tricks youʼve prepared. Nothing youʼve done can force me to remain, and nothing can touch me with harm. Those words, those threats-they might fool someone else, but not me. I know you, I know your abilities. Iʼve studied you like the back of my own hand, and I am no one who can be intimidated by cheap theatrics.” ”Tsk, tsk~ Your obsession with me makes you see me as the real leader,” Aro said with a faint smirk. ”Donʼt you think I could call on my master for assistance? Didnʼt you say it yourself that your master is Zarghul the Sorcerer Behemoth, and tried to gather alliances repeatedly because of that very fact?” ”Are you trying to scare me with support from Zarghul the Sorcerer Behemoth? What nonsense is this?!” Silasʼs voice roared, deep and furious, echoing through the battlefield. ”How could he possibly support you while supporting me at the same time? Impossible!”

Clap!

Aro clapped his hands sharply, the sound ringing like a whip across the tense battlefield. ”Thank you for the confession. Someone is recording this right now. Very soon, the entire sector will know your truth-and the truth that Zarghul the Sorcerer Behemoth is the one causing harm to the sector, not me. Your lies are finally over.” ”Huh?” Silasʼs eyes narrowed to slits. ”What are you even talking about? Your death is approaching, and youʼre babbling about recordings and confessions?”

He raised his hand, his gaze piercing and deadly. ”Youʼve lived long enough to see your defeat. Now, you can die and spare me your incessant chatter.” ”Tsk tsk~” Aro shook his head slowly, a subtle confidence in his posture, then gestured for Silas to look behind him. ”Your opponent... is not me.” ”Who in this entire sector could possibly be my opponent?” Silasʼs voice boomed with indignation and disbelief, his arms spreading wide as he shouted. He could feel the provocation like a fire beneath his skin. ”You were a worthy adversary for some time, little bull... but now, die.”

KRAAASH!

At that instant, something extraordinary occurred, something that forced Silas to halt mid-motion and slowly, very slowly, turn his head.

The space behind him shattered violently, breaking apart like fragments of glass scattered by a storm.

Then-crash-once again, a tremendous force smashed through the broken shards, scattering them in every direction, and through the chaos, a figure emerged.

A young man stood there, striking in appearance: crimson eyes burning with intensity, long white hair tied neatly behind his head, his posture calm yet undeniably commanding. He tilted his chin slightly, his gaze fixed on Silas with a mixture of disdain, subtle amusement, and a faint hint of pity. ”Didnʼt he already tell you,” the young man spoke, his voice calm but carrying absolute authority, ”that he is not your opponent?”