Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2028 Planet Donara

On a planet somewhere in Mid Sector 99-

Bzzzzt

Leonid emerged from a Space portal, his figure stabilizing as the dimensional light faded. Almost instantly, his sharp gaze locked onto the guards stationed nearby. He raised a black card bearing a clear, powerful soul imprint, its presence alone radiating authority. ”I am the Second Sword, Leonid. This planet has now become an operation zone of extreme importance. From this moment on, every movement, every word, and every breath matters. If your lives-and the lives of your families- mean anything to you, then keep your mouths shut and follow orders without question. Understood?” ”Yes, sir!!”

Several individuals in the unified blue uniform of the Grave Empireʼs army, along with other portal operators, snapped into a sharp, disciplined military salute. Their bodies were visibly trembling-hands stiff, shoulders tense, hearts pounding. This was the first time they had ever seen such a high-ranking figure this close, let alone heard such a direct warning from him!

But what happened next was far stranger... far more unsettling than they could have imagined.

The Second Sword nodded toward them with a controlled, restrained motion, then stepped back and placed both hands in front of his abdomen, standing respectfully to the side like a subordinate awaiting someone far greater.

Bzzzzt

Several figures emerged after him, wearing the official armor of the Shadow Swords and the Imperial Guards. Their auras were dense, heavy, and overwhelming, and the level of refined armor accessories and ceremonial enhancements made it clear they were not low-ranking individuals among the Shadow Swords or the Imperial Guards. These were elites-true pillars of imperial power...

What in the world was happening today?!

Then the portal activated once more, its light flaring brighter than before, and three people walked out calmly, as if this overwhelming scene meant nothing to them...

A woman with large, striking eyes and light-colored hair, holding a small sword in her right hand, her presence quiet but sharp.

A young man with spiky white hair, radiating a cold, steady confidence.

And another smiling man with hair reaching his shoulders and a short beard- someone who looked extremely familiar, so familiar that it made the guardsʼ hearts tighten in their chests.

Inhale

That man took a deep breath, as if savoring the air of the planet itself, then stepped down from the portal platform with natural authority. He nodded toward the guards in a calm, almost casual gesture. ”Keep up the good work!”

Then, without another word, he and his team quickly vanished from sight, their presence disappearing as suddenly as it had arrived.

The guards and portal workers only allowed themselves to breathe normally after everyone disappeared, their bodies slowly relaxing. But the atmosphere did not calm at all-it remained extremely tense, thick with fear, awe, and confusion. ”Who do you think they were?” ”I donʼt know, but the Second Sword would never treat an ordinary person like that.” ”Important visitors from another empire? People they want to keep as allies, maybe?” ”Uh-u-u-” ”Hm?” Everyone turned toward one man among them. ”Whatʼs wrong with you, man? You look like youʼre about to swallow your tongue.” ”I- itʼs him... from the statue... itʼs him!! itʼs really him!!”

On the other side of the planet- ”Hm.”

Robin began looking around with a relaxed smile, slowly taking in the surroundings. In front of him stretched a vast sea with no visible end, its surface merging with the horizon, and behind him lay a barren desert where not a single soul could be found-silent, empty, lifeless. He nodded in satisfaction. ”Alright. This is perfect. Absolutely perfect.” ”What exactly are you planning to do?” Althera stepped beside him, her voice cautious, her gaze scanning the endless landscape. ”Something big-very big, if itʼs done right,” he said with a low, amused tone.

Robin chuckled, then turned toward Leonid. ”This is your last chance, boy. Are you sure this planet matches my requests exactly? Iʼll be angry with you if it doesnʼt.” ”How would I dare bear Your Majestyʼs anger?” Leonid stepped forward in panic, his posture stiff, his voice tense with fear and respect. ”Your requests were very clear and very precise. You asked for a planet with a small population, and at the same time, a size above average-large enough for your operation,”

He continued quickly, his tone precise and informative, ”We are now standing on the surface of planet Donara. It happens to be the largest planet belonging to the Grave Empire. Its size is roughly half that of Nihari, making it a massive world by any standard. The planet is entirely desert -endless seas of sand stretching in every direction-and at its center lie several closed lakes, each as vast as entire oceans on other planets. However, these lakes are extremely salty, so concentrated with minerals and corrosive elements that they cannot support life beyond their own boundaries. Because of that, the planet is completely devoid of citizens and permanent settlements.” He then added, continuing without pause, ”The reason this planet was occupied, and why a Space portal and guards were established here, is because the Grave Empireʼs stellar scout vessels discovered a significant mineral reserve beneath its surface. Multiple mining sites are currently being developed near the Space portal. Heavy machinery, extraction arrays, and transport routes are already in progress-but this specific area remains completely empty, untouched by any population or infrastructure.” ”Hm, this is perfect. It seems luck has finally started to favor me.” Robin nodded a few times in satisfaction, clearly pleased with what he was hearing. ”Alright, retreat to a safe distance now, and...” He cast one last, sharp glance at

Leonid. ”I donʼt want Aro, Morgana, or anyone who knows me to find out that Iʼm here, hmm? This is just a small experiment, nothing more. After that, Iʼll return to the academy as if nothing ever happened.” ”Of course!”

Leonid bowed slightly, respectful and obedient, then retreated quietly with the rest of the Shadow Swords and the Imperial Guards. Their movements were swift, disciplined, and silent, until all of them reappeared at a distance of nearly a thousand meters, forming a distant, watchful perimeter. ”Should I go with them?”

Richard pointed toward Leonid and the others, uncertainty clear in his voice. ”Youʼre not getting away that easily,” Robin said calmly, pointing at the ground in front of him. ”Sit where you are.” ”Yes!!”

Richard immediately dropped down and sat on the damp sand, his posture stiff and obedient. ”Where were we?”

Robin rubbed his chin for a moment, thinking. ”Oh, right... You want to become strong? Fine.”

He then pointed at himself firmly, his presence radiating confidence and authority. ”But youʼll do it my way-not your clumsy, reckless way.”

He slowly extended his right hand to the side, moving with extreme effort, as if he were trying to push against an invisible iron wall. The resistance seemed so intense that even his facial expression twisted slightly from the strain. ”Why... do you try to break into a World Cataclysm for power?” he said calmly. ”To obtain an energy core instead of foundations? Everyone at that level has cores. Every single one of them. So tell me what would make you special among them?”

Then-baa-it felt as if something cracked under unbearable pressure.

A black rift suddenly appeared in the void in front of Robinʼs right hand, a dark, unnatural opening that did not resemble ordinary spatial distortion. Without hesitation, he thrust his entire hand into it, as if reaching into another layer of reality itself. ”What you should focus on,” he continued, ”is increasing your combat capabilities against those at the same level as you. True growth comes from dominance within your tier. Only when you reach the absolute ceiling of your development at the same level should you even think about searching for the next level!” ”..?!”

Althera, standing to the side, opened her eyes wide in shock. Her soul sense, and all the knowledge she had accumulated over hundreds of thousands of years, were being violently challenged in this single moment.

What exactly was this opening?

Robin had not destroyed space.

It was not collapsing, and it was not rapidly healing the way space normally does-returning to its original state like broken water smoothing itself out. This did not look like an ordinary spatial rift at all.

It was something else entirely-something far more unnatural, far more terrifying. ”But with my current power, I can fight World Cataclysms with case,” Richard said, clearly confused and deeply unsettled. ”And if I use Anti-Life during combat, I can even exchange a few blows with a

Low Level Nexus State. How many people at the level of a Martial Emperor can achieve that kind of equation?”

He looked genuinely lost. ”So how can I become stronger while staying at the same level?” ”...?!”

Altheraʼs eyes slowly shifted from the strange black rift toward Richard, her expression filled with disbelief.

A Martial Emperor exchanging blows with a Nexus State?

What is going on here...?