Lord of the Truth

(Hey, don't do it!)

A familiar voice echoed sharply within the confines of his soul domain, slicing through his concentration like a blade of reason. Then it came again, louder, more insistent—(Don't you dare spend that massive amount of pearls all at once!)

"Neri?" Robin responded mentally, his tone strained. "I realize it's a huge amount... but this mission—this dream of establishing a Centennial Empire within a thousand years—I can't achieve that without a fleet of Stellar Scout Ships." His jaw tightened as he ground his teeth in frustration. "Without them, the whole plan collapses."

"I don't know how you think you'll pull it off," Neri shot back, her voice both fierce and protective. "But you have to find another way—any way—that doesn't involve bleeding me dry of pearls like this!"

Her tone sharpened, almost maternal in its warning. (I didn't say a word when you recklessly overused the space portals during the war, wasting tens of millions of pearls like a madman until the battles were over. And you're still throwing them away just as carelessly now! The only reason I kept silent about this is because pearls don't truly vanish. If you leave them on an energy-rich planet or bury them within a river of essence, they'll naturally recharge themselves. That means you still technically have access to all the pearls you took to date—you haven't lost them in the absolute sense. The loss is only temporary.)

(But this—) her tone darkened, almost trembling with frustration, (—giving away 300 million pearls to an external party? For nothing more than a few ships and some undeveloped planets?! That's not just reckless—that's borderline suicidal! You're burning through my most precious resource, one meant to fuel your long-term dominion, to carry your conquests across centuries—until you discover a new source of pearls. And you're wasting it all for short-term gain.)

Robin frowned deeply. "...Is 300 million pearls really that significant to you? Didn't you create more after you were refined?" His tone was tight, defensive, even though a sliver of doubt crept in.

(I did create more,) Neri replied with quiet force. (Using the violent surge of primal chaos during your refining ritual. But I won't tell you about their true value, you need to think twice before throwing them around like pocket change. I won't stand by while you continue this self-destructive spending pattern. You're going to strip me of my essence and leave me powerless. And then you'll regret it.)

Her tone softened only slightly. (You need to find other ways to gather wealth. Exploiting your own assets should always be your last resort. Weren't you negotiating some kind of trade deal with that woman? Good. Do more of that. Forge alliances, strike bargains. Accept pearls as a currency and stop overestimating the wealth already in your hands. As long as you possess pearls, you hold power—you can buy anything you want. But not if you spend like this.)

Robin fell silent, his fingers drumming a slow, thoughtful rhythm on the armrest of the couch. Neri clearly believed the planets he could acquire using the scout ships wouldn't come close to justifying the cost—300 million pearls. Were they truly that precious?

Maybe she was right… Of the 13 planets under his control right now, only four were producing energy pearls—and one of those was Néhari. The other three? Even if he squeezed every last drop from them, he might only get a few thousand pearls at best.

To recoup an initial investment of 300 million pearls? How many solar systems would he have to conquer? How many wars would he need to win? ...Was it wiser to just buy one Stellar Scout Ship and hope for the best? But could one ship truly find what he needed in this sprawling, seemingly infinite universe?

Of course, there was another option—building the ships himself. He already possess the fourth stage of the major Law of Space, and he had knowledge of several minor laws useful in exploration and resonance tracking. He could possibly merge them, fashion some kind of hybrid vessel for scouting…

But was the fourth degree enough? Could it detect distant planets scattered across vast interstellar distances? More importantly—could he pull it off in time?

Rinara, who had been silently watching him sink into deep thought after hearing the staggering number, finally broke the silence with a smile.

"Why don't you just tell me how many ships you need?"

"…At the very least, I need an estimated seven to begin my plans," Robin replied, rubbing his tired eyes. "Two for each army, and one dedicated to headquarters."

His original plan had been more ambitious—three ships per division to maximize expansion speed, and one for HQ to locate lifeless celestial bodies and destroy them scanning for resources. But looking at the numbers now... maybe he'd have to scale back.

"Very well," Rinara said with a soft smile, inclining her head. "Then at least grant me the courtesy of hearing my offer."

She straightened her posture slightly, her tone becoming smooth yet deliberate. "A long time ago the tyrant Interas oversaw the production of a special type of scout ship. These vessels were engineered using a blend of fifth- and sixth-degree laws from the specialized branches of the Space Path—laws finely attuned to long-range reconnaissance and astral detection."

Her eyes shimmered faintly, reflecting distant memories. "Yet, for all their precision, they had one fatal shortcoming: their range. They could only scan and search within less than a quarter of what the newer, seventh-patterned models could reach. That limitation, combined with their relatively low return on investment, led Interas to abandon their mass production entirely. He ceased all sales, and those vessels became relics of a bygone era."

She paused for effect, letting her words settle. "But that doesn't mean they disappeared. Far from it. Numerous factions scattered across the universe had already purchased those ships. Some still use them, while others are forced to sell them from time to time—either due to dwindling resources, internal restructuring, or simply a desire to upgrade to the more advanced, seventh-tier designs. On the current market, the price of one of those older ships—built on fifth and sixth-tier laws—hovers around seven million pearls."

Then she turned her gaze directly to Robin, her expression softening. "For you, I'm willing to stretch my resources. I'll purchase you three modern ships, and I'll also obtain four of the older generation. That's seven vessels total. A full scouting unit. Their combined cost will be approximately 118 million pearls. Transporting them across systems will take time, effort, and diplomatic maneuvering, but I give you my word: within thirty years at most, all seven ships will be at your command."

She let a smile curl her lips, though her eyes gleamed with sharp calculation. "But now… I can't help but wonder—what do I get in return for such an investment?"

"....!!" Robin's eyes snapped open wide, stunned.

That's right… he wasn't the one paying. He had almost forgotten—in the tension of the discussion—that Rinara was doing this to earn his trust. She wanted an alliance. But still… 118 million pearls? Even for a noble from a powerful planetary empire, that was an astronomical expense.

"What is it you want in return?" he asked, voice cautious.

"That black flame…" Rinara smiled, her tone laced with admiration and subtle desire. "It was breathtaking."

"Forget it." Robin waved his hand firmly, his tone absolute. "You could multiply your offer tenfold and I still wouldn't entertain the idea for even a heartbeat. That flame isn't for sale—ever." He narrowed his eyes. "So, you're after a merged law then?"

"I want a good one. Something worthy of such a price," Rinara said, her voice steady and resolute. "I'm engaged in a brutal war that's flaming for millions of years. I need something that can help me end it. Without that level of power, I'd rather hold onto my pearls. Spending them at the Soul Society to buy martial arts, relics, or high-tier weaponry might be a better use."

Robin gave an annoyed exhale. "Cut it out with the games. You think these 'toys' compare to the things I can create?" His voice was laced with irritation.

He paused for a few seconds, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Then, pointing at her with deliberate motion, he asked, "That fox outside… what were you planning to do with him?"

Rinara's expression shifted slightly, her tone turning reverent. "The Empire of the Nine Paths bears that name for a reason. Our founding ancestor—the great fox from whom our bloodline descends—was born with a rare affinity to nine different heavenly paths. Every child born of our race inherits an affinity to one of those nine paths, chosen seemingly at random. One of them… is the Path of Heat, which has the minor law of Frost."

She glanced at Robin, then continued, "The blood of the beast king, Deivos, would have been invaluable to us. His essence is rich with pure affinity toward the Heat Path. That kind of vitality… it could significantly enhance the talents and breakthroughs of our cultivators who walk that same path."

"...And what about the other path that Deivos uses?" Robin asked, a subtle curiosity flickering in his tone.