Lord of the Truth

…Sky Opening City never ceased to amaze him; he merely supplied them with ingredients, and they were the ones who did all the cooking! The sheer ingenuity of their artificers, the almost reckless creativity of their engineers, and the limitless ambition of their research divisions continued to shock him every time he witnessed one of their creations in person.

"Only three have been manufactured so far, Your Majesty," the Shadow Sword explained respectfully, his tone carrying the weight of classified knowledge. "All of them are currently in the hands of Shadow Swords. They're physically and soul-wise bound to us and will self-destruct if separated, preventing theft, reverse-engineering, or unauthorized study." He paused before adding, "Her Highness did not order more because they're extremely expensive, and the project is still under development. It's said that another version—capable of teleporting across a longer distance, a full light-week—is coming soon, though the energy requirements for such a leap are extravagant."

He then bowed even deeper, posture almost kneeling from devotion. "If you wish, please—take the version in your hand. I'll retrieve an official transfer permit from the city so you may use it freely."

"No need. I can use the same technique without the array anyway." Robin casually tossed the ring back toward the Shadow Sword, as though it were nothing more than a trinket rather than a priceless prototype. His gesture implied complete mastery and calm confidence.

"…?!" Morgana turned toward Robin in disbelief, pupils trembling with shock. Robin could travel between nearby planets without gates, without ships, and without even an array?

"This is Substitute Instructor Morgana, of course you recognize her. Morgana has sworn loyalty to me. Spread that word to everyone it concerns… From today onward, treat her as you would a Supreme General." Robin announced calmly, voice carrying authority like iron wrapped in velvet. His tone allowed no argument, no loophole, no hesitation.

"Congratulations to you, and to the Empire for acquiring such an exceptional member, Your Majesty." A rare smile appeared on the Shadow Sword's face—it was obvious he was thrilled by this announcement! His eyes glimmered with excitement.

And how could he not be? Who inside the academy didn't know Morgana and her significance? Her reputation as an unparalleled prodigy of control, precision, and soul-perception preceded her everywhere she went. His Majesty had just fished out the cleanest, most precious catch in the ocean—something others had failed to lure for decades.

"Mm." Robin nodded, effortlessly authoritative. "Morgana will prepare Royal Soul Borrowings for us starting today. You must contact her to receive them and exchange information regularly, and ensure the channels remain discreet. Any leak could be disastrous."

"Understood, Your Majesty." The Shadow Sword bowed once more. Then he stood and offered Morgana a ring, its surface swirling faintly with hidden enchantments. "Please, my lady. You'll find my spiritual imprint inside. My name is Harper—simply call me at any time… whether it's to deliver borrowings, request information, issue commands—"

His eyes gleamed faintly with seriousness, acknowledging the weight of authority being handed to her.

"And since His Majesty has granted you a rank equal to the Marshals, you may also give us any orders you desire, no matter how demanding, dangerous, or delicate." He then bowed to her, and then to Robin. "I request permission to withdraw, Your Majesty. I mustn't remain in my full form for long—the surveillance arrays may detect me. Exposure would compromise several ongoing operations."

"Alright." Robin nodded and waved casually, giving leave to depart, though his casualness contrasted sharply with the tension Harper described.

"..." Morgana stared at the ring for a few long seconds, feeling the invisible weight of responsibility settle into her palm, then slowly lifted her gaze back to Robin's eyes. "You're really… infiltrating and monitoring the academy right now?!" Her voice trembled between shock and admiration.

"In my defense, the Shadow Swords infiltrate everything, not just the academy." Robin chuckled lightly, shrugging as if this enormous espionage network were nothing but mild convenience.

In truth, the Shadow Swords' wide-spread network would be his greatest weapon against annihilation in the coming Nihari War.

Not Caesar. Not Aro. Not Sakaar…

It was Theo who bore the heaviest burden, silently supporting webs of intelligence like a ghost lurking in every shadow.

And he had already surpassed Robin's expectations by a tremendous margin! The boy's brilliance, ruthlessness, and talent for manipulation blossomed far beyond what his frail appearance suggested.

To think Robin acquired him for just a few gold coins off a slave platform… perhaps his luck hadn't been terrible after all. Perhaps destiny had nudged him on that day.

Thwack! Shaddad screamed from a bizarre position, limbs twisted and consciousness spinning, "Master! M-Master!!!" His cry echoed through the training field like a desperate alarm bell.

"Hmm? Ah…" Robin slowly turned his attention toward Shaddad, waving his hand lazily as he parted his lips to speak, his tone carrying a faint hint of amusement. "Alright, this shou—"

Knock Knock

Before he could finish, two firm knocks echoed through the room, sharp and authoritative, cutting his words in half. A composed voice followed from outside the door: "A special delivery from Her Majesty to Instructor Robin."

"Hm?" Robin raised his eyebrows slightly in mild surprise, curiosity flickering in his eyes. Without speaking, he gestured toward Jabba, signaling him to answer.

"Understood." Jabba carefully set the massive metal slabs down with exaggerated caution, as though they were priceless artifacts. He then gently placed the three rectangular boxes atop them, positioning everything neatly, before moving toward the door with hurried steps.

Creaaak

The door opened, revealing an elderly man whose presence felt scholarly and ancient. He clutched a softly glowing book, and his brows furrowed the moment he laid eyes on Jabba, clearly confused by the unexpected sight.

Jabba didn't bother explaining; instead, he stepped aside and widened the entrance, presenting Robin in full view.

"Oh! There you are, sir," the old man said, his tone shifting to respectful formality. "Her Majesty asked me to tell you: your time is made of gold, so invest it wisely." He extended the luminous book gently toward Robin, bowed deeply, then turned on his heel and departed without another word, his robes swaying behind him.

Bang Jabba shut the door firmly, then spun to face Robin with wide eyes. "What was that supposed to be? Didn't we literally just leave her audience chamber moments ago?"

"Hmmm…" Robin rotated the book in his hands, inspecting its cover and spine from every angle. Only once satisfied did he open it.

Immediately, a tidal wave of information surged into his mind—dense concepts, layered insights, and intricate soul-theories flowed relentlessly. Even with his monstrous mental capacity—already doubled beyond normal limits—Robin stood frozen, eyes unfocused, posture rigid as a statue carved from thought. Several long, heavy minutes passed in complete silence.

Then at last, he exhaled softly, eyes snapping open as a victorious smile curled across his lips. "Heh… that girl… she's finally beginning to act like a truly wise ruler. I'm proud."

"What exactly was it?" Morgana raised a curious brow, arms folding as she waited for an answer.

Whoosh Robin casually extended the book toward her. "Lucky you. This is the third and final volume of the Soul Atlas—clean, unmodified, and free of deceit. Althera just saved me decades of tedious searching and psychological torment. I'll have to repay her generously later."

He paused, tapping the book lightly. "…This is the most valuable volume for you. It focuses on the Purple Substance from the perspective of a Royal Soul Master of seven stars. Study it, comprehend every layer, rewrite it in your own voice, and deliver the refined version to the Shadow Sword along with your annotational borrowings."

Morgana accepted it carefully, not daring to open it yet. A tome like this deserved a dedicated session, silence, and absolute focus. "Oh? What will they do with the rewritten version? Do you have other Royal Soul Masters serving under you?"

"Heh~ Not yet…" Robin's smile deepened, his voice dripping with quiet confidence. "But we'll address that matter once we leave the academy."

"…?" Morgana tilted her head, confusion clouding her expression.

Then realization crashed into her like thunder.

Those three foundational volumes… combined with the miraculous star-compression technique capable of dividing royal effectiveness… together, they formed a near-perfect blueprint. Achieving the rank of Royal Soul Master—once considered a nearly impossible dream—suddenly felt several magnitudes easier. All they needed was a steady stream of promising candidates, a capable instructor… and a reliable source of Soul Emeralds.

"…!!!" Morgana stumbled one step backward, eyes trembling with shock. "You… you're planning—!!"

Clap! Clap! Robin clapped twice with exaggerated cheer, his grin widening as he deliberately ignored her accusation. Then, with a voice full of authority, he declared, "Alright, alright, that's enough, Mophith—return to the soul domain! Shaddad has officially passed the acceptance ceremony."