Lord of the Truth

"...."

Robin stood frozen when he saw the strange smile, the silence stretching into eternity. His pupils dilated slowly, his breath caught somewhere between shock and dread.

Then—suddenly—

"...?!?!"

He clutched his head tightly, staggering backwards like he'd just been struck by an invisible force, pacing the ground like a madman.

"Oh no… Oh no, no, no… What have I gotten myself into?! This can't be real!"

The All-Seeing god let out a booming laugh.

"Hahaha! Unbelievable! You actually connected the dots all the way. Robin, my boy—you are a genius. A reckless, infuriating, egotistical storm of a human—but a genius nonetheless. Your mind only ignites when the flames of crisis are at your feet, but hey, better late than never."

"Genius?! Don't make me laugh!" Robin snapped, slapping his own forehead again and again.

"I'm an idiot! A complete, blind, arrogant idiot!"

He gritted his teeth as his voice rose to a near scream.

"How did I not realize it was you behind my golden eye? You, of all beings! It's been right in front of me this whole time! The planetary spirit lost her minds every time they saw it, as if staring at the face of death itself. But you? You didn't so much as blink. You didn't even mention it!"

The Humanoid light raised an eyebrow, visibly unimpressed by Robin's explosion.

"You're being overly dramatic, don't you think? It's just a color. A little visual flair. A minor enhancement in your affinity with the law. Nothing worthy of a meltdown."

Robin whirled on him, his fury boiling over.

"Just a color?!"

He clenched his fists so tightly they began to tremble.

"That's why your words about glory and destruction felt so familiar… That's the same thing the planetary spirits said when they looked into my eye. They didn't just see me—they saw doom. And now I know why!"

His voice cracked.

"Because they were right. Every 'Chosen' you've ever taken under your wing has died. Not only that, but their families, their friends, their homes—all erased from history. And everywhere they walked… reduced to dust. No wonder the spirits of the worlds tremble in my presence! No wonder Juri was terrified to let me refine her!"

The All- Seeing god merely sighed, casting his gaze toward the horizon,

"Well… not all of them died, you know. Over the millennia, dozens like you were chosen—shaped, honed, tested. It's true most met… unfortunate ends. But a handful—just a few—survived. Some even completed their missions. A rare few even reached something you might dare to call… glory."

He shrugged lightly, as though talking about fallen champions were no different than discussing the weather.

"Please shut up about it already, have some shame!" Robin growled.

He paced again, then stopped abruptly and pointed.

"Tell me—how do you do it? How can you manipulate the Eye of Truth? How can you change its color?! That's not some parlor trick—that's a Master Law! You shouldn't even be able to touch it!"

The All-Seeing god rolled his shoulders in a bored motion.

"The 'how' is not for you to know, not yet. When the time is right, you'll understand. Perhaps."

He smiled faintly.

"Besides, it's not really about the Law of Truth itself. You were chosen by Truth, and that's how you received the Eye. But I chose you as well—and that's how you got the golden hue. One thing doesn't cancel the other. They coexist."

Robin's eyes narrowed with focused suspicion.

"What do you mean it's not related to the Law of Truth? The Eye is the very heart of the Master Law!"

The humanoid light dismissed the question with a flick of his hand, as if brushing away a fly.

"Sure, sure. But so what? All your elder brothers—those tied to Master Laws like Balance, Creation, Identity and the rest—they each had a golden mark, a symbol of their identity. A surge of power to fulfill their grand roles in the cosmic order."

His voice dropped into something soft, almost teasing.

"I don't only choose among the bearers of Truth, if that's what you're trying to imply~"

"...!!!"

Robin's eyes flared open to their absolute limit, his pupils dilating as the shock hit him like a celestial explosion. His heart hammered in his chest, a storm of thoughts and realizations slamming into him all at once.

"No! No, that's not even close to what I meant!" he shouted, a raw blend of panic and frustration in his voice.

He clenched his fists, his arms trembling slightly as he threw them out to either side, like a man trying to stop the collapse of an entire world.

"I was expecting you to boast—to go on about your transcendent understanding of the Law of Truth or your enlightenment beyond mortal comprehension!"

His voice rose with each word.

"But now you're telling me every one of your pawns was a wielder of a Master Law? All of them?!"

He staggered back a step, as if the very air had turned to poison.

"You said there were dozens...! How? How did you find so many beings capable of bearing such immense power? And more than that—how did you convince them to follow you into your schemes, your impossible dreams?"

The All-Seeing god tilted his head slightly, as though the question were a naive one, something a child would ask. He narrowed his eyes—not in annoyance, but in subtle amusement.

"You still don't understand the heart of it, Robin…"

His voice softened, but it held an edge of disappointment, like a teacher whose brightest student had just missed the most obvious answer.

"I don't search for Master Law wielders as if I were hunting rare beasts. That would be a waste of time. What I seek... are promising seeds."

He stepped forward slowly, his presence towering despite his calm demeanor.

"Young souls with potential. Children who gleam in the fabric of fate like golden threads—threads not yet woven into the grand design."

His hand moved through the air as if painting their paths on an invisible canvas.

"I watch them. Study them. Learn who they are deep inside—their desires, fears, talents, instincts. And when I am sure, when I see what they could become... then, and only then, I offer them a Master Law to fit their character and talent."

Robin blinked, feeling the words settle like lead on his chest.

The realization came not as a spark, but a slow-burning fire.

"…You're the one who grants them the Master Laws?"

His voice cracked, lower now, filled with awe and dread in equal measure.

"Of course!"

The All-Seeing god erupted in laughter, full-bodied and unrestrained.

"Did you truly think I merely stumbled across paragons of power lounging in obscurity, waiting to be recruited? That I offered my hand and they eagerly followed? No, no, no. The process is far more intricate than that."

He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"To carry out my plans… they must be exceptional. They must possess the strength to reshape worlds and defy the heavens. You think I spent eons crafting the perfect gameboards, only to entrust it to a clown wielding a Fundamental Law? Please."

Robin's expression twisted. A dark, sardonic grin stretched across his face, though it lacked any warmth.

"And here I thought I was shameless when I asked for Greenland and Orphan Blood, or when you gave me the Space Gates, all the time I was thinking of ways to repay you."

He laughed bitterly.

"But it turns out I did not even take half of what the others took."

"You're right."

The All-Seeing god's response came instantly, mercilessly, without pause.

"To be completely honest with you, I don't usually choose bearers of Truth to be my pawns."

He circled Robin like a lion around prey, voice cool and calculating.

"Those who follow the Law of Truth rely on knowledge, on invention and discovery. Their strength lies in supporting others, not standing alone in battle. They were never meant to be warriors. And I need warriors, Robin. I need world-breakers."

He raised two fingers.

"I tried this path twice before. Two Truth-bearers. I gave them both the golden eye. Both died pitiful deaths before they could even complete ten percent of the mission. Less than 10%. Can you imagine? It was laughable. Tragic, yes—but mostly laughable."

Then he pointed, sharp and direct.

"That's why, when I saved you from death, I didn't commit right away. I watched you from afar. I needed to see what you'd do with this supposedly 'supportive' law."

His tone grew sharper, more intense.

"If you had remained in that cave, churning out manuscripts and distributing enlightenment like a noble little philosopher, I would've erased your name from my list without hesitation. Your story would've ended in obscurity."

Then, slowly, his lips curved into a wide grin—sincere this time, if unnerving.

"But you didn't. You turned Truth into a weapon. You used invention to survive, to dominate, to rally the strong around you. You turned your family into a dynasty. You conquered kingdoms, forged alliances, and began reshaping the political structure of the entire planet—all within a few short years. And I thought: perhaps this one… is worthy."

He jabbed a finger again, voice proud now.

"And you didn't disappoint. Not even a little. You overcame the limitations of Truth by strengthening your soul, and discovering Space-Time on your own, becoming invincible in the young belt! And on top of that, you built an empire. A structure so vast, so efficient, you don't even need to fight anymore. You alone have proven that the Truth Chosens aren't weak— The Truth just needed someone like you to wield it."

Robin exhaled slowly, his mouth curling into a reluctant, tired smile.

"Let me guess…" he muttered, his voice laced with bitter amusement.

"…You're not actually a wielder of the Law of Truth, like you told me before."