Lord of the Truth

Robin's eyes widened to their absolute limit—and stayed that way ever since he heard the phrase: "A hundred times the reward."

What did that even mean?

Instead of the reward being a modest one thousand pearls... it could be one hundred thousand?

There were people out there, somewhere, willing to pay such obscene amounts just to have their problem solved?

But his shock quickly gave way to recollection—his absurd registry number. That impossible sequence that branded him as user number 88,546,258,753,147,852. If even a single thousand among those 88 quadrillion users submitted just one request each to the so-called Chamber of Truth… it would remain flooded forever. The chamber would never be empty,

And as for the 10% commission instead of 25%? Was that supposed to make him feel honored? Respected?

Because 10% of a reward multiplied by a hundred was still much more than 25% of the usual rate. It was a genius move—efficient exploitation for the Chosens of Truth wrapped in a silk glove. At least they pretended to care.

Pretending, sometimes, was enough.

But Robin knew better.

That so-called "special treatment" wasn't merely out of respect for his title as a Truth Chosen—it was strategy.

He, and those like him, were tools of influence. Living lighthouses. Just by existing within the Soul Society, they added weight. Meaning. Intrigue.

Simply including the option to submit a problem directly to a Truth Chosen gave problems status and prestige. It sent a message:

This matter is worthy of higher judgment.

It was no different from a man seeking to locate someone—finding only amateur trackers—until he was suddenly offered a chance to employ a practitioner of the Master Law of Causality.

That alone would make most people forget the price. When Master Laws appeared, all discussions of currency became... irrelevant.

And yet... despite all that, they apparently still had to pay high entry fees like everyone else.

"Seems like the Dreamer Morpheus is a master when it comes to business..." Robin muttered under his breath, a reluctant smile curling on his face—like a blade forced to bend.

<Running the Soul Society across billions of planets in the vast Middle Planetary Belt is a costly endeavor,> the fairy replied with a mysterious glimmer in her crystalline eyes, her smile unnervingly serene.

"…Yeah, I bet it is," Robin exhaled, before shifting the subject. "Say… is there any way I can conceal my identity when I deal with others in this place?"

<Of course,> the sprite nodded, her four wings fluttering in unison. <You can retain your full appearance if desired, or you can enter Stealth Mode, remaining anonymous for the entire duration of your visit. Others will only see a masked avatar, and you'll be asked to select a codename.>

"…" Robin crossed his arms, eyes lowering. The gears in his mind turned quickly.

If he was to gather allies, establish a presence, and spread influence… he'd need to show his face eventually. Let people know his name.

But right now? He was a newcomer. Unknown. Vulnerable. Any wrong move could spark conflict, and he didn't yet possess the strength to protect himself.

After a brief moment of silence, he nodded—several times, with firm resolve.

"…Fine. I'll stay hidden. Stealth Mode it is. For now."

<Understood. Your avatar has been shifted to Stealth Mode. Please select a codename.>

Robin thought in silence again. A few seconds passed.

Then he raised his gaze and looked straight into the sprite's strange, glowing eyes.

"…What about Human?" he asked.

<Human…> The fairy blinked once, scanning.

<The name is available. You are now in Stealth Mode, and your codename is "Human.">

She nodded firmly, wings flicking once in emphasis.

<Human, would you like to proceed directly to the Chamber of Truth?>

"Straight to work, huh?" Robin chuckled and shook his head. "You guys really don't waste time, do you?" He let out a sigh, then grinned. "Not yet. I want to explore this place first. Show me where people gather. A hub, a plaza, something public."

<As you wish. You may summon me at any time simply by thinking of me. Typically, instantaneous transfers and guidance requests are billed separately, but for Truth Chosens, all services related to me are entirely free.>

"Oh? A free service in this place? Now that's flattering."

Robin chuckled, clapped his hands once, and said with playful flair:

"Alright, lead the way!"

<...> The fairy extended both her delicate arms, her translucent wings fluttering with faint luminescence.

<We wish you a wondrous experience, Human… may the Soul Society be generous with your destiny.>

SWOOOSH!

"Wha—?!"

In a blink, the world around Robin twisted and folded in on itself. The infinite white space that had surrounded him vanished like mist under sunlight, revealing a completely new reality.

A vast, breathtaking scene unfurled before him.

It was as if he had stepped into the celestial heart of an imperial palace, one that stretched beyond horizons and challenged the imagination.

Above him loomed a ceiling so tall and majestic it might as well have been the firmament itself. It was carved with ancient runes, gilded patterns, and living murals—statues rose from the walls, caught in poses of war, wisdom, and worship.

All around him: life.

Thousands of beings moved with purpose—or without. Some floated midair with magnificent wings of energy or feather. Others walked or sat on chairs that materialized the very moment they needed them. Conversations buzzed in dozens of languages. Magic crackled softly. Laughter, debate, and silence mingled in the air like incense.

Robin blinked.

Just moments ago he had been standing in a realm of nothingness—and now, he felt as though he were inside the gateway to the multiverse.

Out of instinct, he tried sitting down—and just as before, a seat shimmered into existence beneath him, perfectly molded to his form. He sat quietly, observing.

The people around him weren't in the millions as he thought, maybe a few hundreds. Yet, what fascinated him most was how no two individuals seemed the same. Some bore the appearances of regular people: smiling, laughing, showing their faces without a care. Others? Covered in armor. Wearing strange, horned masks. Cloaked in shadow or pulsing with a radiant inner glow that made their features unreadable.

"This place…" Robin murmured. "What is it, really?"

In response, the fairy reappeared at his side, serene as ever.

<It is what you need it to be,> she said, her voice soft but certain.

<This is the Gathering Hall. Most users appear here first upon entry—either to orient themselves, to seek out companions before traveling together… or simply to connect. It's common here to strike up conversations and forge alliances, sometimes even rivalries.>

Robin looked around again, brow slightly furrowed.

"But… why are there so few?"

The fairy chuckled lightly.

<Because this is only one node—one lobby. It connects users from the planet Zarun exclusively. Every planet across the Middle Planetary Belt has its own local hub.>

She tilted her head. <This eases communication, reduces psychic strain from overcrowding… and frankly, prevents mental collapse from being exposed to too much consciousness at once.>

She gave him a look.

<If you could see how many minds are connected to the Soul Society across the belt right now… you would be stunned.>

Robin exhaled slowly.

"…I doubt walking around and making friends will get me the power I'm looking for," he said with a lopsided grin. "So—what if I want to go to one of those specialized halls you mentioned?"

<You may walk,> the sprite replied, gesturing upward.

Robin followed her hand to see an enormous floating display—a transparent digital screen etched with golden light, filled with arrows and directions written in elegant script.

<There are signs everywhere to guide you. But walking, of course, takes time.>

She added smoothly, <Some choose to purchase wings, soul vehicles, or even instant portals to make navigation easier and faster.>

"Heh. Even movement has a price tag…" Robin chuckled bitterly.

"Of course it does. Why wouldn't it?"

The sprite smiled—oddly, as if amused.

<As I've told you, Truth Chosen—you have privileges. I can transport you instantly, at no cost whatsoever.>

Her tone became warmer, almost teasing.

<So… where would you like to go first?>

Robin paused, deep in thought. His eyes lowered slightly, then he drew a slow breath.

"…Take me to the place where I can purchase planetary-grade equipment."

<Understood.>

WHOOSH

Reality folded again—this time faster, more violently.

Robin felt the ground disappear from beneath him.

He spiraled through something that wasn't space and wasn't time—and then—

TAK!

"SOLD!"

A loud voice rang out from the crowd ahead.

And Robin had arrived.