Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2047 Excessive demand

”...What?” The Elder raised a single, sharp eyebrow, his gaze fixed on Robin with a mixture of curiosity and mild irritation. ”Why are you staring at me like that? Speak plainly-what is going through your mind?”

”You canʼt simply ask me to do something-and then make my reward the exact same thing I am being asked to do,” Robin said, shaking his head firmly, his eyes flashing with frustration. ”You are asking me to kill the nascent space beasts on behalf of the universe, to risk my life, to act as the executioner for forces I did not summon, and then you try to convince me that the corpses of the very creatures I kill will somehow be my reward. What exactly kind of reasoning is this? How is that fair, or even logical?”

The Cosmic Elder fell silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. ”...Do you want assistance in guarding the passage?” he asked slowly. ”I could easily speak to a few behemoths, gather some armies, station them here. It wouldnʼt take much effort on my part. Protection would be guaranteed by others, leaving you free of the burden.”

Robinʼs expression hardened. ”Why would I ever agree to concentrate other peopleʼs armies next to my SPACE-TIME corridor I built myself?” he asked, voice firm. ”If this place becomes famous before I am fully prepared, I will dismantle the corridor and leave. Then someone else-someone knowledgeable in space-time-can open another one when the time is right. This is the only way to ensure control and security.”

”Youʼre speaking illogically!” the Cosmic Elderʼs voice rose slightly, a hint of impatience in it.

Find someone else capable of using third-stage space-time manipulation? Where could such a person possibly exist?!

Users of master laws have appeared in dozens across countless eras, yet most perished young, for the path of progress in these laws is extremely difficult, treacherous even. Those who survived to reach the second, third, or even fourth stage bore tremendous burdens-the cost of wielding master laws in combat is staggering. A single strike can annihilate all their accumulated power, or even cost them their life.

The remaining survivors are hidden carefully, preferring silence until they have amassed sufficient strength to reveal themselves...

Are there master law users in the universe under the sixth stage right now? Certainly.

But the likelihood that they will ever reach the level of power they seek is slim, almost nonexistent. Therefore, they remain hidden, invisible to the eyes of those who might rely on them.

”How am I speaking illogically?” Robin shot back, raising his voice with equal intensity. He gestured toward the passage, emphasizing his point. ”You yourself said that what happens here can save the universe from the impending danger. If we use this passage strategically-hunting nascent space beasts over years, carefully controlling their numbers-wouldnʼt that weaken the overall threat of space beasts? Could it not even prevent the threat entirely before it reaches catastrophic levels?”

”...From what I understand based on your words, and from the patterns observed during the three previous crossing incidents, there are tens of millions-perhaps even billions-of nascent space beasts on the other side, pressing against the universe, waiting. What happens if they all enter one day? Have you considered that? What would be left of the universe then?”

He shook his head, a mixture of disbelief and frustration in his movements. ”I am here, risking my armies, my men, and all the progress Iʼve made, for the safety and future of the universe. And you... you do not even try to respond to me, to open your mind even a little. Tell me-how am I supposed to feel right now, knowing the stakes, knowing the lives on the line?”

”...?” The Elder raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly, clearly waiting for Robin to finish. ”What is it that you want?”

Robinʼs voice trembled slightly, burning with the intensity of his convictions. ”I am only saying that I will provide a great service to the universe-a truly monumental service, one that could mean life or death, that could shape the very future of everything. A service-”

”What do you want, Robin?” The Cosmic Elder cut him off, his tone serious, sharp, and commanding, leaving no room for hesitation. ”Speak. what is it that you want?”

”...” Robin held the Cosmic Elderʼs gaze for several long, tense moments, as if trying to peer through the layers of experience and power that radiated from him. ”I want the head of the founder of that Syndicate.”

”Ahche-” the Cosmic Elder laughed, a soft, almost teasing sound. ”You want Sevarʼs head... and yet you donʼt dare to speak his name?”

”But YOU dare,” Robin said firmly, narrowing his eyes, ”and thatʼs what matters here.”

Between the two monumental missions entrusted to him by the All-Seeing, one was nearly within reach, teetering on the edge of success, while the other remained agonizingly elusive... the mission to confront Sevar, the sixth-degree user of the Master Causality Law. The stakes were unimaginable, the difficulty almost insurmountable.

”I dare speak his name, yes,” the Cosmic Elder said, shaking his head slowly, ”but thatʼs all. I will not fight Sevar. Not for you, not for any cause, not for any

reason in the universe.”

”Are you afraid?” Robin asked, his voice carrying a teasing edge, challenging the old man with subtle provocation.

”Yes,” the Cosmic Elder admitted, nodding without a hint of shame, calm and

honest.

”...?!?” Robinʼs eyes widened in shock.

”Whatʼs wrong with admitting it?” The Elder chuckled, a self-mocking laugh that carried the weight of centuries. ”The Causality Law... it is terrifying. Youʼve only seen a glimpse, because you hold the first stage. But it becomes more and more terrifying with every step you take, the more you understand it.” His expression shifted, turning grave. ”It is true: the law requires enormous strength, enormous sacrifice, and an unimaginable amount of energy to use directly against a target. But if Sevar desires it, if he is willing to pay the price... then no one would survive an encounter with him. No one, not a single being in

the universe.”

”....” Robin stared at him, astonished. ”Arenʼt you embarrassed to say that aloud?”

”Not at all, the Cosmic Elder replied, shaking his head decisively. ”If I were at my full strength... if all my seals, even up to the sixth stage, were gone, then perhaps I could stand with pride and claim confidence in facing him. But otherwise? No. Even if only a single seal remained, I would have no confidence in challenging him at his peak.”

He laughed again, a deep, knowing laugh. ”That wretched creature has never lost a battle he entered. Even when he retreats strategically, he does so without a single physical loss. It is said he has never been wounded, and no one knows the color of his blood.” The Elder shook his head. ”Several behemoths approached me when Sevar reached the fifth stage of the Master Law of Causality, begging for assistance in killing him. They said his heart is dark, his intentions vile. They claimed he is destined for some greater entity, that he seeks to corrupt the universe, that he has become far too powerful... And even then, I refused to intervene.”

”... Why should I risk destroying what remains of myself to kill someone who has never wronged me?” the Elder continued, his tone sharpened with conviction. ”That is foolish beyond reason. Worse, why would I rob the universe of one of its pillars? Even if his methods are questionable or underhanded, he is still a child of the cosmos. At the very least, if a war arises, and space beasts attempt to devour the planet he refined, he will defend it to keep his life!” Robin furrowed his brow, contemplating the logic behind such restraint. ”Iʼll put all that aside,” he said finally, ”and accept the simple conclusion: you are

afraid.”

”Accept that if you wish!” the Elder snapped, waving his hand dismissively, irritation clear in every gesture.

”...Could you at least intervene with him?” Robin tried again, a note of urgency in his voice. ”Convince him to destroy his Master Causality Law cultivation. If he agrees, I could find a way to preserve his life through the process, and even allow him to rebuild his foundations with another law!”

”Is that your mission, or some fantasy?” the Elder laughed bitterly, shaking his head. ”Am I supposed to go to him and say, ʼHello Sevar, please dismantle your energy core for me?” He waved his hand twice, emphasizing his disbelief. ”Remove me from your childish conflicts. Give me something I can actually achieve, or dismantle that passage yourself and leave if that is what you wish!” ”...” Robin paused, thoughtful, weighing his next words carefully. His gaze returned to the Elder, steady and resolute. ”Then what do you think about

this...”