Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2330 Logic

”...Even the Syndicate never asked us to swear an oath!”

Glatheon stood up as well and stepped toward Zavaros with a calm expression, clearly intending to smooth the situation over before it escalated any further. ”Your Excellency, thereʼs just one small thing you need to—”

”Shh.” Robin raised a hand, silently gesturing for Glatheon to stop before he could finish. He then fixed his gaze directly on Zavaros, his eyes unwavering and completely serious. ”Are you comparing me to the Syndicate now? Do you think my request is beneath your dignity, or that asking for an oath somehow insults your status? Fine. Then letʼs make sure this comparison is actually fair. Letʼs look at what the Syndicate has been doing for millions of years before deciding whether the two situations are even remotely alike. Did the Syndicate respect you while draining your wealth, extracting your information whenever they pleased, and treating your vaults as though they were extensions of their own property? Did the Syndicate respect you when they hunted down and murdered the universeʼs greatest geniuses, people like Arkalon, simply to ensure that no civilization would ever progress enough to threaten their rule? Did the Syndicate respect you while secretly nurturing the Plague, deliberately spreading it across countless galaxies so that the universe would continuously bleed money, manpower, military supplies, and countless years of development, all while working hand in hand with that cheap Council of Thrones?!”

”Brother Zavaros didnʼt mean it as a comparison,” Kiryan interjected after a brief silence, speaking in a measured tone. ”Everyone here knows exactly what kind of organization the Syndicate has always been. He was only referring to the difference in recruitment. They donʼt require an oath, while you do, and that...”

”And that diminishes your status?” Robin interrupted, waving his hand sharply before Kiryan could finish. ”The Syndicate never asked for your oath because they never needed one in the first place. They donʼt intend to trust you—they intend to use you. Youʼre nothing more than trained dogs they can unleash against me whenever they wish, convenient pieces to probe my strength, wear down my allies, and absorb the first wave of losses on their behalf. If you refuse to obey them, youʼll simply be destroyed—and thatʼs already happening in the Galaxy of Oppression while youʼre all standing here wasting valuable time debating formalities.”

He slowly shifted his gaze toward Kiryan without changing his expression. ”Under circumstances like these, why would they bother asking for an oath? The two of you are already doomed from the moment they made their decision. Whether you attack me, refuse them, hesitate, or attempt to remain neutral, youʼll perish in every possible outcome. In their eyes, youʼre already dead. Dead~ As for the Syndicateʼs true followers, the ones they actually value and intend to keep close, they most certainly take a Soul Oath. And even if, for some special reason, they donʼt swear one, then Sevar has undoubtedly arranged another method to bind them permanently to his side.”

Then he pointed calmly toward himself. ”Iʼm giving you the opportunity to become true followers, inseparable members of my own retinue rather than disposable tools. Whoever lays a hand on you lays a hand on me, and whoever wishes to kill you will first have to fight through every ounce of strength under my command before ever reaching you... Yet somehow, that has become an insult?” He waved dismissively before continuing, ”Then forget the oath entirely. Iʼll send each of you unconditional support worth one hundred billion pearls in funds, weapons, military equipment, and strategic resources, with no strings attached whatsoever, and Iʼll sincerely wish you both the best of luck!”

After saying that, Robin calmly shifted all of his attention back to the sword as though the discussion had already ended and no longer deserved another moment of thought.

The sword was already resting firmly in his hand, so stable that it had completely stopped struggling to escape his grasp. Even so, it continued to pulse with a bright yellow glow, constantly releasing heat and a fierce aura as though it were stubbornly threatening Robin despite being restrained... At that very moment, Robin was steadily forcing Soul Energy deeper into its interior, carefully examining every layer of its structure, inspecting every fluctuation within it, and attempting to uncover every secret hidden inside its existence.

The swordʼs reaction, together with the fluctuations in its aura, gradually caused a smile to appear on Robinʼs face...

He could clearly feel the swordʼs embarrassment, its unwillingness to submit, and even its overwhelming sense of humiliation over what was happening to it, as though its own pride had been trampled while it remained completely incapable of resisting.

”....!!”

That single smile, however, caused both Kiryanʼs and Zavarosʼs hearts to skip a beat.

The two of them immediately misunderstood it, believing Robin was silently mocking them after having already witnessed a future in which both of them would inevitably be destroyed, abandoned, and left dead without any possibility of escape.

”Allow me to say something.” Glatheon finally found an opening to speak after the brief silence. ”Lord Robinʼs reasoning is perfectly logical from beginning to end. We shouldnʼt forget that Lord Robinʼs objectives and the Syndicateʼs objectives are fundamentally different, regardless of the fact that the two sides currently stand against each other.”

”Different in what way?” Zavaros asked through gritted teeth, unable to hide his frustration. ”Theyʼre two sides at war with each other. Isnʼt that enough to make them the same?”

”Thatʼs not true.” Glatheon slowly shook his head. ”The Syndicate and its followers have existed since ancient times, spending era after era destroying the universe, suppressing its greatest powers, and humiliating those who dared rise above the rest. Even now, theyʼre openly supporting the destroyer Helmor against you, sending an unmistakable message to every other Behemoth that resistance is meaningless and submission is the only acceptable choice. Theyʼre steadily advancing toward absolute domination, toward an era that may become even more oppressive than the era of the Ruler of Chaos herself.”

He continued without hesitation. ”Lord Robin, on the other hand, is still the weaker side despite his personal strength. In my opinion, his own combat ability already stands on the same level as the Archon, but the followers beneath him are both fewer in number and considerably less formidable than the Syndicateʼs accumulated forces. Thatʼs precisely why his first priority must be gathering a close-knit circle of truly powerful companions—a team he can trust completely, and that trusts one another just as deeply. Only with such a core firmly established can he realistically stand his ground, defend at least a respectable portion of space, gradually expand his influence, and ultimately resist the Syndicateʼs overwhelming tyranny.”

He continued, ”How could a small elite team composed of supreme experts like yourselves possibly be compared to the Syndicateʼs criminals in any meaningful way? That comparison itself is the real insult. If you expect to receive the exact same treatment they give ordinary subordinates, then youʼre undervaluing your own worth. Your standing is far higher than that. You deserve entirely different treatment and a position of genuine importance, one where youʼre trusted with long-term plans, confidential information, and critical decisions, rather than being left on the sidelines and treated like replaceable mercenaries who can be discarded the moment someone more convenient appears.”

”...?”

”And thereʼs absolutely no need to worry, gentlemen!” Glatheon quickly pointed at himself with a reassuring smile, eager to prevent the atmosphere from growing any more tense than it already was. ”Lord Robin has entrusted me personally with drafting the details of the oath. Iʼll prepare something specifically for you, something worthy of elite decision-makers such as yourselves—a light oath that wonʼt diminish your dignity, wonʼt undermine your standing, and certainly wonʼt force your tongues to utter anything beneath your status. And, just as Lord Robin himself said, every single detail remains open for discussion, adjustment, and mutual agreement. I think itʼs already quite obvious that heʼs deliberately giving both of you plenty of room to negotiate instead of imposing conditions unilaterally, and that alone should make it clear just how highly he values you and how elevated your positions will become after taking the oath.”

”....” Kiryan lowered his gaze for a brief moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts, before raising his eyes to meet Glatheonʼs once again. ”...Iʼve heard about you before—about your remarkable ability to remain neutral no matter how complicated the situation became, and your talent for avoiding responsibility without making anyone resent you for it afterward. I honestly never imagined that one day youʼd willingly use those very same skills on behalf of someone else. What exactly happened to you?”

”....Iʼve seen things,” Glatheon answered calmly, his expression remaining unusually serious, without the slightest hint of his usual composure. ”Things that forced me to reorganize every concept Iʼd built over countless years about this universe and the people within it.” He paused briefly before continuing in the same steady tone. ”Things that taught me neutrality has become nothing but foolishness in times like these, silence has become a crime in itself, and choosing to ignore everything unfolding before my eyes would be a sin against my own conscience that Iʼd spend the rest of my life regretting.”

”....” Kiryan slowly turned toward Zavaros, giving him a meaningful look that carried far more than words could express. After seeing the same calm acceptance reflected in Zavarosʼs expression, he gave him a slight nod before returning his attention to Robin. ”...Iʼll take the oath, provided itʼs reasonable. Iʼll join your faction, accept your terms, and wait for the support youʼve promised. Letʼs hope Renara wonʼt be delayed much, because I have a feeling time is becoming more valuable than ever.”

”A wise decision.” Robin gave a small nod of approval, his golden eyes never leaving the blade resting in his hand, as though even this conversation wasnʼt enough to distract him from studying it.

”...Iʼll take the oath as well.” Zavaros let out a long sigh before lowering his eyes toward the ground, his voice noticeably calmer than before. ”But on one condition.”

”...?” Robin finally raised an eyebrow and turned his head toward him with genuine curiosity. ”Now thatʼs interesting. Letʼs hear your condition.”

”Whatever it is that makes you so confident in Renaraʼs strength, I want it for myself.” Zavaros struck his own chest firmly with a clenched fist, his eyes burning with determination rather than hesitation. ”Whatever made her this powerful... will make me even stronger!”

”Hehe~” Robin laughed quietly, unable to suppress the amusement on his face.

”Whatʼs so funny?” Zavaros immediately took a step forward, his brows knitting together in dissatisfaction. ”Do you honestly think Iʼm beneath Renara? Do you believe she possesses something that I could never obtain?”

”Iʼm laughing at your ridiculous priorities.” Robin slowly looked Zavaros up and down before speaking again. ”Wouldnʼt it be wiser to ask for your healing instead, considering the condition youʼre in?” Then he casually gestured toward a certain direction, where an Emperor Beast continued staring at Robin and the others with the hungry gaze of a predator looking at prey already placed on its table. ”Wouldnʼt it be even wiser to ask me to save your children from the inevitable fate thatʼs waiting for them instead of chasing strength first?” Without waiting for an answer, he calmly returned to examining the sword in his hand as though the matter no longer deserved another thought. ”What a terrible father you are.”