Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2160 Power Tax-2

Ranther frowned for a few moments, his gaze drifting far into the distance, then finally he drew in a slow breath, returned his focus forward, and gestured lightly toward a nearby seat, ”Lord Glathion, may I sit?” ”Do as you please.” Glathion waved his hand with visible irritation, not even bothering to mask the tension in his posture. ”Iʼll speak to you honestly,” Ranther said as he lowered himself into the seat with calm dignity, resting one arm on the armrest as if he were settling into a long conversation, ”none of the wing leaders are happy with whatʼs happening. Weʼve been dragged by the neck from one war to another since the moment we joined, and not just any wars... massive ones, chaotic ones, wars that reshape sectors. Wars we havenʼt been involved in anything like for tens of thousands... or even millions of years.” ”...” Glathion gave a slow nod.

It had indeed been an unimaginably long time since he had entered a war and truly felt danger pressing against him. His forces had spent ages expanding freely across unclaimed worlds, spreading their influence across empty planets without resistance, without losses worth mentioning. ”...Weʼve lost several planets during the wars over the Specter Blood Starfield and the Broken Sword Starfield,” Ranther continued, his tone steady but heavy, ”then we lost more in the war against the Holva Empire, and now weʼre losing even more in a direct conflict against a Behemoth!” He exhaled deeply, shaking his head slightly, ”and thatʼs without even counting the losses in Pearls, soldiers, equipment, fleets, world cataclysm experts... and even brothers at the Nexus State level falling one after another!” ”...” Once again, Glathion nodded, though this time his expression tightened slightly, ”and what is the solution, in your opinion?”

This was precisely why he had summoned Ranther. Among all the wings, Rantherʼs faction had joined the Grave Empire earlier than most, had endured more of these wars, had adapted to this madness... he would understand. Perhaps... perhaps he had even found a loophole, a hidden path through the constraints of their oath, and was simply keeping it to himself. ”A solution to what, exactly?” Ranther replied slowly, tilting his head slightly as if genuinely puzzled, ”thanks to the wing system, everything Iʼve lost has been returned to me... and more. For example, when I joined as a wing, I had 870 planets. I lost 40 of them... but I conquered 150 in return!”

Then he revealed a wide grin, his teeth flashing slightly, ”every Pearl I spent on war and artillery came back to me with profit. My vaults are fuller than ever, my reserves deeper than before. My people adore me because theyʼve become part of something far greater than themselves, something vast... something unstoppable. And my army? My fleets? Theyʼve grown, not just in number, but in quality, in refinement, in sheer destructive capability!” ”Are you saying you approve of whatʼs happening?” Glathionʼs voice rose slightly, his patience thinning, ”of your planets and fleets collapsing day after day under enemy fire?” ”Of course,” Ranther answered without hesitation, his tone unwavering, ”Iʼm absolutely certain Iʼll be compensated-greatly. Iʼve seen it happen again and again. When dealing with the Grave Empire losses are simply seeds... seeds that return as forests.” ”And what about the Syndicateʼs harassment?” Glathion pressed, leaning forward slightly, his gaze sharpening. ”That would have been a serious issue before the announcement of the Cosmic Elder,” Ranther replied, his smile fading into calm indifference, ”but not anymore. As long as theyʼre afraid to strike us directly, then I donʼt see a real problem.”

He continued, counting casually on his fingers, ”what can they do? Cut off our resources? That problem has already been solved by His Majestyʼs exclusive network, something that doesnʼt exist anywhere else in the entire universe. Intimidate empires so they wonʼt join us? Thatʼs fine... weʼll conquer them instead.”

He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if amused by the thought, ”destroy our public facilities and mines? His Majesty has enough wealth to rebuild everything millions of times over. Honestly, we could even consider the Syndicate as helping us reduce unemployment.” ”...Unemployment?”

Glathion raised an eyebrow in disbelief, his expression stiffening as irritation crept deeper into his face. Then he waved his hand sharply, cutting the air. ”It seems todayʼs discussion has reached a dead end. You may leave.” He had summoned Ranther because he was the one overseeing imperial operations in the absence of Marshal Aro. He had hoped to extract some strategic advantage, some hidden benefit after the recent crises... but now that the conversation had devolved into ”fighting unemployment,” what possible value remained? Every additional felt like of ”I only meant to demonstrate the Empireʼs strength in a lighthearted way, Lord Glathion, please donʼt be upset,” Ranther said, showing his fangs in a relaxed smile, ”His Majesty... Iʼve met him once before. Heʼs an extraordinary individual... and now, weʼre all witnessing that with our own eyes.” ”Hmm,” Glathion raised an eyebrow again, though this time with a hint of curiosity breaking through his annoyance, ”youʼve met Lord Robin personally? Yes... Iʼve heard something about that...” ”I met him,” Ranther nodded slowly, his voice carrying a weight that didnʼt match his usual light demeanor, ”he is a truly imposing man... the kind of person whose presence alone reshapes the atmosphere around him.” Then his gaze drifted into the distance once more, as if the present had faded away and only that memory remained vivid, ”back then, he didnʼt have even a fraction of the fame he holds today. He was barely known as Lord Human, and the Grave Empire was still nothing more than an ordinary Centennial Empire, insignificant in the eyes of most powers.”

He paused for a moment, as if carefully choosing his next words, then continued, ”and yet... despite all that, we all sat before him like students. Not because we were forced to... but because it simply felt natural to do so. Even then, there was something about him that made resistance feel meaningless.” Rantherʼs lips curved slightly, ”with a single word, he handed over the file of the Eternal Turtle Millennial Empire to the imperial guard... and they were destroyed. Just like that. At the time, we didnʼt even understand what had really happened... we didnʼt know that the 900 Black Wasps were merely the first wave, a simple opening move... and that there were far more waiting in the shadows, ready to descend when needed.”

He leaned back slightly, still staring into the distance, ”that man spoke to us as if he could already see the future unfolding before him... as if every path had already been walked in his mind. And he prepared for that future as if it were already the present. There was no hesitation in him, no wasted movement... every step he took was steady, deliberate, building an empire with roots so deep that no force could ever uproot it.”

Then he turned his head back toward Glathion, his eyes now gleaming with a faint intensity, ”an empire that stands against multiple Behemoths at once... and above them, challenges that Syndicate... yet continues to expand, to grow, to solidify itself as if nothing can slow it down.”

Glathionʼs heart pounded heavily in his chest when he heard those words. For a brief moment, something flickered deep within him... unease, perhaps even a trace of anticipation. But outwardly, his face remained perfectly still, devoid of any visible emotion, ”I see... you are very confident in what is to come.” ”I am,” Ranther replied without hesitation, nodding firmly, ”Iʼm confident that what weʼre witnessing now isnʼt chaos or coincidence... itʼs part of a plan that was laid long ago. Everything happening at this moment was already accounted for.”

He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice, ”and right now... heʼs preparing for the next stage. A new phase, a new rise... a new glory that will surpass everything that came before.”

Then he locked eyes with Glathion, his expression sharpening, ”..a glory I want to be a part of.” ”...I understand.”

Glathion nodded slowly. Although he hadnʼt obtained the answer he originally sought, he had gained something else... an understanding of how one of the Empireʼs most influential figures truly thought.

That man... was driven by glory and power with an intensity that bordered on obsession. A creature that chased ascension without hesitation... not much different from that mad bull, Aro. ”Iʼm not entirely sure what you think youʼve understood,” Ranther said, a strange smile forming on his face once more, ”but since weʼve reached the end of this conversation... shall we move on to the serious matter?” ”.?”

Glathionʼs brows furrowed slightly as he waited. The shift in Rantherʼs tone was unmistakable. Whatever came next... would not be casual talk. ”Weʼve received new orders,” Ranther said, his voice turning firm and direct, ”a counteroffensive will begin soon... and you will serve as the spearhead.” ”Me?!”

Glathion pointed at himself, his composure cracking for the first time. ”Yes,” Ranther nodded without the slightest hesitation, ”those five have grown far too comfortable. Theyʼve been roaming freely, striking at will, believing themselves untouchable... that ends now.”

He continued, his tone carrying quiet authority, ”you will be supplied with a substantial amount of planetary-grade equipment, ancient weapons recovered from old battlefields, and extremely powerful soul borrowings capable of turning the tide in critical moments. In addition to that, youʼll receive curses, talismans, phantom shadow vessels for misdirection, a modified instant space portal, and various layered defensive measures to ensure your survival.” ”...They split up some time ago and began attacking randomly, but we already know their locations,” Ranther added, ”theyʼve relaxed for far too long... they wonʼt expect a coordinated counterstrike at this moment.”

Glathionʼs expression darkened, ”fighting royal soul masters with seven to eight stars was not part of my agreement with Aro.” ”Our apologies, Lord Glathion,” Rantherʼs eyes glinted faintly, though his smile remained calm, ”but circumstances evolve... and so must we.”

He leaned slightly forward, his voice dropping just enough to carry weight without raising volume, ”Until the Note of sovereignty is completed... youʼll have to endure a little more with us.”