Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2327 Moral anchor

”...The mission itself is the proof?” Kiryan asked in surprise, his brows knitting together as he tried to follow Glatheonʼs reasoning. ”A mission designed to pit Brother Zavaros against Helmor is somehow proof that Lord Robin stands on the righteous side? ...I believe youʼll have to explain that point a little more clearly, Glatheon, because Iʼm not seeing the connection yet.”

The mission Lord Robin had just revealed certainly demonstrated that he was not Helmorʼs ally, but that alone did not make him fundamentally different from Helmor, nor did it explain why the Seer should be any different from whoever was secretly supporting the Destroyer from behind the scenes.

”The answer lies in the objective.” Glatheon explained patiently, choosing each word with unusual care. ”Youʼre right—the mission ultimately points toward an indirect conflict between the Savage Galaxy and the Destroyerʼs Galaxy, and on the surface it certainly looks like nothing more than another carefully orchestrated war. But what is the final objective?” He then shifted his gaze toward Zavaros and Kiryan. ”Forgive me, but the objective certainly wasnʼt to eliminate Behemoth Helmor. Both of you have personally witnessed the strength of his Second Row Scions, and you understand better than anyone else that a confrontation on that level would never have ended with so much as a scratch on someone like him. The outcome of such a conflict could only have been the beginning of something much larger.”

”....” Zavaros felt deeply insulted by that blunt assessment, yet after everything Robin had revealed, he suppressed his anger and forced himself to remain composed. ”Then what was the objective?”

”Most likely, the objective was to display the Destroyerʼs Galaxyʼs overwhelming strength before the entire universe, even if accomplishing that required sacrificing the Savage Galaxy in the process.” Glatheon frowned seriously. ”The objective was to make every other Behemoth question what they were witnessing instead of simply accepting Helmorʼs rise at face value. The objective was to create a disturbance so enormous that the Elder Cosmic himself would have no choice but to investigate what was truly happening. The objective was never the battle itself... the objective was to expose everything taking place there before the entire universe and force the hidden truth into the open.”

”....?” Zavaros felt his heart sink lower and lower as the implications settled inside his mind.

The Seer had actually been prepared to sacrifice him and his entire galaxy simply to expose Helmorʼs true nature? Should he feel honored that his galaxy had been chosen for such an important role... or insulted that countless innocent lives could have been treated as acceptable losses for the sake of revealing the truth?

Even Kiryanʼs expression darkened considerably as he imagined such a possibility. The entire concept felt unimaginably cruel, regardless of the purpose behind it.

Robin smiled faintly before giving a slow nod of approval. Glatheon had gone even further than Robin himself had originally intended, yet somehow his explanation remained remarkably coherent and persuasive, making the overall picture significantly easier to understand.

Glatheon continued, ”Of course, you can still argue that Lord Seer remains a mysterious figure, every bit as mysterious as the one supporting Destroyer Helmor, and that both of their true objectives remain hidden from us because we simply lack enough information. However, despite all of that uncertainty, we do possess one solid foundation upon which we can safely stand.” He slowly raised a finger. ”If you truly believe the Elder Cosmic is a hero worthy of absolute trust, then you should stand on the Seerʼs side... Lord Robinʼs side. That single fact becomes the cornerstone supporting this entire matter, and it should serve as the foundation upon which every one of your future decisions is built.”

He then narrowed his eyes slightly. ”The real question, therefore, is surprisingly simple... Do you trust the Elder Cosmic, or donʼt you?”

”Without question.” Zavaros answered firmly, without even pausing to consider the answer, his voice leaving absolutely no room for doubt.

”If the Elder Cosmic is guilty, then none of us deserves to call himself righteous. And if he is a traitor, then none of us has the right to claim integrity.” Kiryan declared without the slightest hesitation, speaking as though he were stating an undeniable truth that every Behemoth should already understand.

”Then weʼre finished.” Glatheon gestured toward Robin with a broad, satisfied smile. ”The Seerʼs intentions ultimately depend upon informing the Elder Cosmic and allowing him to uncover the truth with his own eyes, and Lord Robin has been helping that very being accomplish exactly that from the very beginning. Therefore... Lord Robin stands on the good side.”

”...” Kiryan, Zavaros, and even Robin himself remained silent for quite some time as Glatheonʼs reasoning echoed inside their minds.

It was an incredibly simple and straightforward conclusion, built almost entirely upon faith in the Elder Cosmic himself, yet there simply existed no deeper, older, or more unshakable moral anchor anywhere in the universe than him. Once that single assumption was accepted, every other conclusion naturally followed, and Glatheon had successfully conveyed exactly that, leaving almost nothing further to argue about.

”Lord Robin.” Zavaros finally looked once more toward the golden-haired young man, this time with noticeably greater respect than before. ”You chose your companion well.”

”Hmm... It certainly appears so.” Robin nodded several times with a faint, satisfied smile.

”But before this conversation moves on to another subject...” Zavaros stared directly into Robinʼs eyes without the slightest hesitation, his expression unusually calm despite the seriousness of what he was about to say. ”I donʼt dare claim that Iʼm standing on the side of good, because I have no idea what either of those two entities truly wants to accomplish or what kind of future they are trying to shape. However, there is one thing I do know with absolute certainty...” He paused briefly before continuing. ”One of them is supporting Helmor, the man who wants to kill me, while the other is supporting you... and you came here as an honored guest rather than an enemy.”

He continued, ”...I donʼt care what either of those two entities is ultimately trying to achieve, nor do I intend to involve myself in a struggle between beings that stand far beyond my understanding, but I refuse to die as collateral damage. I reject the very idea of sacrificing myself for the so-called greater good, because thatʼs complete nonsense. The greater good can go to hell. If Iʼm destined to die either way, then Iʼll simply fight every last one of you instead, regardless of whose banner you claim to fight under.”

Robin nodded without taking offense, as though he had expected exactly that answer. ”Thatʼs your right.” He then waved his hand dismissively. ”Thereʼs no need to worry. My first mission has already been completed and is no longer relevant, so your battle with Helmor is no longer part of the equation.” He gestured toward the side. ”He already exposed himself during the attack on the Galaxy of Oppression. A few useful recordings, along with testimony from the esteemed Behemoth sitting here, will be more than enough to bring that mission to a successful conclusion. Thereʼs no longer any reason for your galaxy to become part of that particular plan.”

”So Iʼve become the collateral damage now?!” Kiryan shot to his feet, shouting in disbelief while pointing at himself.

”Hehehe.” Zavaros let out a short laugh before quickly turning his face away, suppressing it with visible effort as he realized the irony of the situation.

”Donʼt look at me like that.” Robin smiled helplessly. ”What happened to you had nothing to do with me. I have two completely different missions now, and neither of them has anything to do with you. Whatever happened in your galaxy wasnʼt something I deliberately arranged.”

He then continued, ”A great deal has happened recently. Events that forced both the Syndicate and the Council of Thrones into motion. Events that drove the Behemoths into open conflict with one another. Events that made Helmor completely disregard the consequences of exposing his true nature. Events that even pushed ordinary people to abandon ordinary lives and become lone fighters desperately searching for power... And, of course, events that caused the Elder Cosmic to disappear—or perhaps simply ignore everyone. It has been an eventful millennium unlike any other, with countless threads becoming entangled all at once.”

”Werenʼt you standing right at the center of all of that?!” Kiryan pointed accusingly at Robin, his frustration only growing stronger. ”So the Seerʼs first mission ended up being accomplished because of you after all. The only difference is that I was the one who got destroyed instead of Zavaros!!”

”....” Robin raised an eyebrow before suddenly bursting into loud laughter. ”Hahahaha! Thatʼs actually true... that bastard really pulled it off. When you put it that way, I canʼt even argue with you.”

”Argh!” Kiryan ground his teeth so hard that the sound echoed throughout the chamber, his face twitching with frustration.

”Lord Kiryan, please sit down, and donʼt be angry with Lord Robin.” Glatheon stood up and gently pressed Kiryanʼs shoulder, carefully guiding him back toward his seat while speaking in a calm, reassuring voice. ”You simply became caught in a game between two ancient entities whose plans extend far beyond the understanding of ordinary people, and Lord Robin never intended to harm you. Even if he had played some part in it, he would merely have been carrying out the plan of that entity known as the Seer.”

”Even if Helmor hadnʼt attacked today, he would have attacked sooner or later regardless. Besides Lord Zavaros, youʼre the closest Behemoth to him geographically, making you one of the most natural targets imaginable. It was never a question of if he would come after you, only when.” After Kiryan reluctantly sat down, Glatheon continued, ”The only real difference—and the advantage you possess now—is that Lord Robin is sitting right in front of you.” He smiled confidently. ”...And he possesses the Keys, enjoys support equal to that of the person threatening you, and commands enough power to openly threaten Archon right before your very eyes. That changes your situation more than you may realize.”

09:35

”....?” Kiryan and Zavaros silently turned toward Robin with deeply furrowed brows, neither of them speaking a single word as they waited for whatever he intended to say next.

”....” Robin revealed a broad, confident smile as he looked directly at Zavaros. ”I came here because I read the report concerning the Nine-Tails Family, the bloodline of the Nine-Tails Emperor, and your refusal to destroy the Shadow Swords or participate in hunting them down.” He slightly raised his head. ”Zavaros, you offered your gift on Saturday... and now Iʼm returning it to you on Sunday. I donʼt intend to forget a favor that was shown to me.”

Maintaining that same unwavering confidence without the slightest trace of hesitation, he asked, ”Zavaros... would you like another chance?”