Lord of the Truth

"Is that a martial technique... or perhaps... a Merged Law?!"

"...!!" A wave of discomfort, laced with deep offense, rippled through Caesar's core. This soul shard —this radiant being of arrogant brilliance— wasn't just ignoring his strength; she wasn't acknowledging his existence at all.

Yet the shard paid no mind to his rising fury. Her glowing eyes remained locked onto the flickering remnants of the black flame, almost entranced, her voice low and analytical.

"This flame... it is undeniably rooted in the Major Heavenly Law of Fire, there's no doubt about that. But this other half... it's something else entirely. I can feel its weight — heavy, sorrowful, oppressive... commanding. It resonates beyond the scope of essential laws. And the strangest thing..." — her gaze sharpened — "It affects me, despite how utterly weak you are. That shouldn't be possible. Unless…"

Fwoosh—!

Before she could finish her sentence, Caesar flicked his halberd in a sharp arc, instantly extinguishing the flame with a hiss of dominance, "Do not concern yourself with things that will never be yours," he said, voice low and edged with ice.

"...."

Though her luminous form had no visible expression, Caesar felt the sting of displeasure emanating from her —a subtle shift in the temperature of the air, a flicker in the light.

"Are you the one called... Robin Burton?"

"I am his eldest son," Caesar replied, his voice now calm, steady.

"Then summon him. Now." She waved her hand as though brushing aside an insect. "There's no point in wasting divine breath on a child."

"What do you want from him?" Caesar's fists clenched around his halberd. The shard's presence had already shaken the gathering, but now she spoke with clear ambition— the kind that led to empires burning and legacies collapsing.

Her laugh echoed through the air, light but venomous, "What do you think I want?"

She spread her arms slowly, almost reverently.

"I've come to claim him. He will serve me. As of what I see, He'll make a fine addition."

"You crossed entire starfields just to come here and dream aloud?!" Caesar's shout tore through the silence like a blade.

But once again, the shard acted as if he didn't exist.

Her eyes roamed lazily across the massive arc of space portals, the shining streets of the city, the stationed warlords, and the regal beast kings resting beneath holographic screens.

"Such elegance... such brilliant design and arcane innovation. The artistry, the science, the evolution of soul and metal alike... These wonders — they require protection. They demand sovereignty. And who better to offer such strength than—"

She froze mid-sentence. Her gaze locked on the central platform — and narrowed, "...Those... Are those... Red Plague?!"

"....." Sakaar's body trembled, his core reacting instinctively.

This wasn't the first time he had heard that term, and every time, it left echoes in his bones.

"No..." the shard said, voice suddenly taut. "They're not just Red Plague. There are five of them, calmly standing among you, unmoving, watching me with eyes full of comprehension — listening, even. Their armor... epic-tier, custom-forged... This is no accident. What is happening here?! What is this place?!"

And then, the impossible happened.

The shard — or the first time since her radiant arrival— braced for combat.

Light, blinding and ancient, began to gather and coil above her right hand, forming a spearhead of transcendent energy.

"No matter," she whispered, voice like thunder building behind clouds.

"A plague is still a plague. I'll do that Burton man a favor and purge these insects for him."

ZzzzZMMM ZzzZM!

In a flash, underworld Daisies burst across the floor like black fire. Sakaar leapt forward, energy surging from his core, "Taking me down won't be as easy as you think!"

Sayir, Baron, and Fyrun dropped into motion behind Amon without a word — seamless, like a ritual they'd practiced for months. Amon's body stretched, twisted, expanded — muscles cracking and bones stretching until he stood five meters tall, a beast of blood and war.

Then, with a mighty

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAWR!"

he leapt forward, becoming a living wall before Sakaar. The three behind him infused him with their blood. Meanwhile, Sakaar's flowers bloomed again, twisting and dancing, forming thorned vines and clawed petals, each one ready to strike with deadly precision.

In a single heartbeat, the five of them had formed a flawless assault-defense phalanx — monstrous, unshakable, and lethal.

"...The Red Plague has formations now? And two mutated among you?! What exactly is this place?!" The voice of the Soul Shard started to tremble, her words laced with disbelief and growing anger.

"STOP!" Caesar called out.

She turned towards Caesar and pointed at the demons. "Do you not see what I see?!" She shifted her attention back to the demons, her right hand glowing brighter as the power in her grasp increased exponentially, radiating an aura of authority and dominance. "No matter, even if all of you are mutated, your fate is sealed, and there's nothing you can do to change that."

"Ah!" The crowd froze in fear. Everyone present understood the magnitude of what was happening. They all knew who Supreme General Sakaar was and were well aware of the terrible consequences of provoking him. The entire atmosphere became thick with tension as the stakes rose higher by the second.

The generals on the platform immediately leapt to Sakaar and Caesar's side without hesitation. They knew this was a pivotal moment and wasted no time in preparing themselves. Meanwhile, Emily acted swiftly, sending out an urgent call to the Warlords, summoning them for immediate assistance. The situation was escalating rapidly, and their arrival could very well be the key to turning the tide.

Caesar gripped his halberd tightly, his knuckles turning white. He raised it high, the flame of death already flickering at its tip. His eyes narrowed, focused and full of intent. He was ready to ignite the deadly flames and cleave the Soul Shard in front of him in half if necessary.

At that moment, Holak... slowly retreated a few steps back, showing an unusual caution. It seemed like even he felt the weight of the situation, unwilling to take any chances.

All of this unfolded in a matter of seconds, a flurry of movement and tension. A sharp crack resonated in the air, reverberating like a warning bell. Before anyone could take any further action, the sky itself seemed to shudder. A massive storm began to swirl above the grand plaza, its winds howling with unnatural fury.

Then, Oooommm — a small human girl, seemingly formed from the clouds themselves, descended before the Soul Shard. Her arrival was as sudden as it was stunning. "If you harm anyone here," she said, her voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight, "I will immediately apply the third level of resistance on you. I hope you understand the gravity of that threat."

The Soul Shard looked at Yuri in stunned disbelief. "An embodied Planet Spirit? So, this truly is a refined planet," she mused, her tone filled with intrigue. "But why are you stopping me? I'm simply going to rid this place of the Red Plague. Purging planets of disease is something that is rewarded with positive karma. It's a service to the greater good, not something that requires the defense of Planet Spirits!"

"I don't care about such things," Juri replied coolly, her stance unwavering. "I'm refined now, and my sole concern is the interests of my Master. And my Master's interest is to keep those things alive." Juri placed her hands firmly on her hips, her gaze piercing as she pointed toward Richard, who remained standing quietly on the platform. His calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the tension in the air. "If my Master wills it, I'll begin an attack immediately. I won't need a reason to destroy this shard."

The Soul Shard's expression turned more serious, her gaze narrowing as she scrutinized Richard. "You are the Master? You are that Robin Burton?" she asked, her voice filled with suspicion.

"Just one of his sons," Richard answered with a quiet smile, his composure unshaken.

"Really?" The Soul Shard's tone shifted, and she raised an eyebrow. "Your Emperor seems like a lustful one, doesn't he? Someone who enjoys multiplying excessively." The sarcasm in her voice was evident as her words grew sharper. "Tell me, Planet Master, why do you allow the Red Plague to stay among you?"

Richard remained calm, his voice still steady. "Please, come to my side as an honored guest until my father arrives. He will answer your questions."

The Soul Shard sneered. "I won't stay in a place tainted by those things," she said, her finger pointing toward Sakaar with a mixture of disdain and anger.

"Then please, return to where you came from as an honored guest," Richard replied smoothly, still maintaining his calm demeanor. "This is Supreme General Sakaar's homeland, just as it is mine, and he will not leave."

The words seemed to resonate deeply within Sakaar, Amon, and the others, especially as they came from Richard, the son of their Lord. They could feel the weight of Richard's words, and a quiet sense of pride and unity stirred within them. Even though the situation was perilous, they stood firm, unwilling to let anyone threaten their home.

The Soul Shard hesitated for a moment, her gaze shifting to those around her. "I leave... and they stay?" She pointed at herself, her fists clenching tightly. "I, who move the Nine Paths Empire with a mere gesture, am being driven out by a handful of humans, all for a handful of Red Plague?!"

"No matter..." The Soul Shard turned quickly toward Sakaar, her right hand raised in anger and authority. "I will clean my planet with my own hands."

BOOOOOOM