Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2152 Time requirements

Mid Sector 96 Sand of Time Galaxy

”This is no longer acceptable.”

Lord Saher raised his voice slightly. Although his expression remained composed, almost unnaturally calm, and his refined stance, with one hand placed neatly behind his back, reflected discipline and control, it was clear to anyone present that he was far from satisfied. Beneath that calm exterior, there was unmistakable displeasure, a restrained pressure that hinted at deeper frustration.

”Your personal issues have dragged on for far too long.”

The place where Lord Saher stood was a vast hall bathed in a faint yellow hue resembling endless desert sands, yet it was far from ordinary. Strange temporal phenomena unfolded around them, moments stretching and contracting, grains of light drifting like suspended time itself, creating an atmosphere that felt both ancient and unstable. Despite the grandeur of the hall, only a handful of individuals were present.

Seated directly beside him was his father, the Temporal Behemoth Arkail, resting upon his throne in complete silence. His mouth remained closed, his expression unreadable, his gaze lowered slightly as though observing something beyond the present moment, yet his mere presence filled the hall with overwhelming pressure.

Standing before them were only two individuals...

”Ahaha, indeed, indeed, Your Highness, you are absolutely correct in every word. We are truly torn apart inside at the thought of falling short of our commitments,” Ryan Burton spoke with an exaggeratedly wide smile, one that did not quite match the tension in the room, ”but Your Highness is well aware of the circumstances we are facing”

Ryan was one of the few survivors of the Jura massacre, a man who had endured events that would have broken most. Because of his experience, he had been appointed to lead the trade delegation responsible for dealings with the Nihari Union Clan. Over time, that experience accumulated steadily, shaping him into something far greater than a mere merchant.

Recently, Ryan Burton had surpassed the role of overseeing the commercial branch of the True Beginning Empire. He was no longer just a negotiator of profitable deals with external factions. His authority had expanded significantly, positioning him as the empireʼs official representative in all matters concerning economics and large-scale exchanges.

Whether it involved resolving a catastrophic economic crisis or addressing a minor transactional issue, as long as it revolved around resources, trade, or value, Ryan Burton had become the man people turned to without hesitation. ”Until when?” Saher frowned, his tone sharpening slightly, ”Are difficult circumstances exclusive to you, while we live in comfort?” Then he pointed directly toward Ryan, his gesture precise and firm, ”Do you even understand what we are facing because of you?!”

What had originally begun for the Sand of Time Galaxy as a calculated alliance with Robin to pressure Zargol...

The agreement had been excellent, almost too good to ignore.

They would eliminate the closest Behemoth, the one they despised the most. They would receive the support of the Shadow Swords in achieving this objective, and on top of that, they would benefit from Robinʼs resources, strategies, and backing.

At the time, it had seemed like a perfect arrangement.

But of course... things had not remained that simple.

If not for the intervention of the Temporal Behemoth, who extended his protection over the Shadow Swords, establishing clear boundaries and limiting their pursuit within the neighboring Mid Sector 95, even deploying forces there as a warning, and going so far as to threaten the Behemoth of Gravity with open war should he approach, the Shadow Swords would have been driven back entirely to Mid Sector 99.

And even that had not been the true end of it.

If the situation had only involved confronting the Behemoth of Gravity and redirecting a portion of his forces toward Mid Sector 95, it would have remained within manageable limits.

The real danger lay elsewhere.

The Syndicate itself had begun to actively manipulate the board, moving pieces in the shadows against the forces of Robin Burton as a whole, and the Shadow Swords in particular. Their interference was no longer subtle or indirect, it had become deliberate and coordinated.

Especially over the past two years, where their actions had grown increasingly aggressive, calculated, and impossible to ignore, turning what was once a strategic alliance into a pressure point that threatened to spiral out of control. ”Lord Saher, your words are not fair.” Ryan Burton spoke with his wide smile, ”Of course, we recognize and appreciate your efforts and your additional contributions, but have you not benefited from this relationship as well?” Then he raised his hand slightly in mild disbelief, ”Let us speak only of His Majestyʼs innovations that were delivered to you, the ones that raised the profits of the Sand of Time Galaxy to 650% compared to its past. Is that alone not enough to cover all your contributions and more?”

The deal that Robin initially proposed, which included the assault on Mid Sector 97, involved providing a number of ready-made innovations centered around the core path of time. These innovations pushed the products of the Sand of Time Galaxy far beyond the limits of the Time Chamber by an overwhelming margin, to the point that the Time Chamber itself was no longer even among their top ten best-selling products.

Although the Temporal Behemoth Arkail never directly received pearls from Robin, those innovations had effectively funded the entire war from beginning to end, and they continued to generate even more profit.

How had no one within the Sand of Time Galaxy thought of such innovations before him?

Robin had not provided them with any technology that contained pure

time-path laws.

Instead, he had integrated laws from the body path, earth, metals, energy, and hundreds of other laws, making the engravings of those innovations impossible to decipher, let alone replicate.

If anyone within the Sand of Time Galaxy wished to modify or further develop any of those technologies, they would most likely need to return to Robin first. for the next several thousand years... at least until they could fully understand

them.

”Those gifts from Lord Human Robin were for the war against Zargol the Sorcerer. They have nothing to do with everything that happened afterward.”

Saher frowned.

”Your Highness, please do not forget that the war against Zargol the Sorcerer was not fought from your side alone,” Ryan gestured lightly beside him with a smile, ”I believe you will be better than me at explaining this point, Sword Kiri.” Beside him, a girl who appeared to be half-human, half-cat, dressed fully in the attire of the Shadow Swords, nodded lightly and spoke, ”We have been heavily involved in the war in Mid Sector 97. All local forces have been assisting us with intelligence and weaponry. Our arrays and epic golden weapons have filled the sector since the war began!”

She then continued with a hint of sharpness in her tone, ”The forces of the Sand of Time Galaxy are nearly equal to those of the Spell Galaxy in terms of equipment and numbers. Without our contribution, and of course the contribution of Marshal Aro, Zargol the Sorcerer would not have been driven out of Mid Sector 97 last year, leaving the field open for you!” ”What does that have to do with our discussion?” Saher frowned, ”Even your own war, you were unwilling to fully commit to? Now merely providing intelligence and weapons is considered a major contribution?”

”We do not mean it that way, Your Highness, but it was you who called for this

complaint meeting, not us... increasing your profits sixfold permanently, supporting you with nearly all local forces of Mid Sector 97, and even clearing it entirely for your sake through Marshal Aroʼs maneuver, were those not sufficient contributions from our side?” Ryan Burton smiled, ”Lord Saher is

truly difficult to satisfy.”