Lord of the Truth - Chapter 2050 A deal with the devil

Chapter 2050 A deal with the devil

“…What exactly do you want to keep it open and help guard it?”

“…..” Robin let out a long, weary sigh and slowly shook his head, his gaze dropping to the ground. “You’re putting me in an extremely difficult position, Your Excellency. I’m barely trying to find my own way through all of this. I’m just a young man, barely a thousand years old-not even close to the

experience needed. How could I possibly bear the weight and responsibility of the entire universe on my shoulders? This… heh~”

“Just say it, Robin Burton. I already know you want something-there’s no need for long-winded introductions or hesitation. Speak plainly and directly.” Althera’s brow furrowed with intensity, her eyes piercing.

It didn’t matter whether she suspected he was trying to manipulate her or not; the truth was undeniable-she was the only one capable of luring the nascent space beasts and eliminating them with precision.

Who else could do it?

The academies hadn’t even managed to fight against the Crimson and Black Plague, let alone the Blue, whose numbers were rapidly increasing in the neighboring sectors. Attacks on entire planets by them had become so common that it was almost routine news.

Who else? The Centennial and Millennium Empires? They wouldn’t sacrifice even a fraction of their armies to protect the corridor, much less engage in a methodical luring operation. No single empire could justify all those losses among their elite ranks. Not one had an elite force comparable to the Imperial Guard capable of executing today’s operation.

If a Millennium Empire had been stationed here instead of Robin and his small group of guards, killing all those nascent beasts would have demanded the annihilation of the empire’s entire army-or at least half of it!

Who else could possibly handle it? The Behemoths? Only they truly possessed enough followers to match what Robin and his men achieved today. Yet, among them, who would be willing to commit their elite forces to fight day and night while chaotic war raged across the universe in all directions?

Only two could: the Dreamer and the Tyrant. They alone had the ability to come and execute the mission with the same efficiency as Robin and his men. Free from enemies to fear, they had no immediate threats-but… could they genuinely be entrusted with a task of such immense scale and consequence? Would they fight tirelessly for the sake of the universe, or would they exploit the corridor Robin Burton had painstakingly created to pursue their own

ambitions and desires?

The possibilities were many, and the odds of disaster far outweighed the hope for success.

The wisest, safest choice was to remain alongside someone you already knew, someone the Cosmic Elder had personally trusted and deemed worthy of overseeing this monumental and perilous task.

At that moment… Althera fixed her gaze directly on Robin, her eyes narrowing as if trying to measure the depths of his determination.

This young man… the skill and efficiency of his special forces could only be compared to the legendary armies of Interas and Morpheus?!

This… was absolutely terrifying.

“What could I possibly need?” Robin shook his head slowly, a determined yet weary expression crossing his features. “I will do everything I can to control the battlefield, to minimize casualties and prevent unnecessary losses. But I cannot constantly be opening and closing the portal every time my men falter or grow weary! There must be someone here-someone capable of supporting them when things go wrong, someone to prevent the nascent space beasts from escaping, someone strong and unyielding, someone who can truly make a difference!”

“Someone like me?” Althera raised an eyebrow, her tone sharp with disbelief. “You want me to sit beside the corridor day and night, abandoning the academy entirely, and just stand there while all this chaos unfolds?!”

“If you refuse, I’ll just close it completely!” Robin stepped forward rapidly toward the portal, urgency written across his face.

“Wait!” Althera clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms. “…What about the academy? What about dealing with the plagues that are spreading? You can’t just leave them to fend for themselves!”

“Leave the Crimson and Black Plagues entirely to the Sacred Covenant Academy,” Robin explained, a calm authority in his voice. “After they’ve been protecting two-thirds of the sector for so long, I’ll send Morgana an order to defend the entire sector from their menace. As for the Blue Plague, your deputy will manage it. Or he can occasionally come here to take your place temporary. And you can intervene yourself if a certain Blue Plague proves to be too strong-problem solved!”

“…I would also prefer if you brought your elders and teachers who have achieved Nexus State strength to assist here. Once the Crimson and Black Plagues are out of the equation, they are no longer useful, correct?” Althera then gestured toward the horde of beasts behind him. “Althera, if you agree to come, I will give you 10 million Pearls for every single beast killed here, regardless of whether you participate in the kill or not. My only requirement is your presence in the area, overseeing the operation.”

“….” Althera furrowed her brows so tightly that they almost formed a line across her forehead.

Robin’s smile widened as he noticed her distracted expression. “Huh? What do you say, Your Excellency? You’d be serving the universe while simultaneously earning extra income for the academy, gaining hands-on combat experience instead of sitting behind a desk, and you could even explore beyond the barrier during breaks to see what lies on the other side. How many people in all of history have been given an opportunity like this?”

“…..” Althera’s gaze lingered on the small circular opening amidst the countless corpses a hole barely large enough for a single human to pass through… yet beyond it lay an entire unexplored world, waiting to be discovered. She then turned sharply to Robin. “Ten million per beast is far too little, and you know it. If you refuse to hand over their corpses to me, then give me a fair price.” “Huh?” Robin was caught off guard. “I thought you’d reject the ten million, insisting it should all be sacrificed for the universe!”

“I am willing to sacrifice for the universe, but not for your personal gain,” Althera replied, lifting her chin with pride. “With these Pearls, I can rebuild my peacekeeping army far more effectively, ensuring I won’t have to rely on slaves

to do the work.”

“Do you really think your noble goal will magically produce Pearls from the ground? Where would I get extra? Ten million is already an excessive amount!” Robin’s voice rose, tinged with exasperation.

“Do you take me for a fool?” Althera snapped. “I will ignore the crystal-it is rightfully yours since it is your portal-but at the very least, share the remaining corpses with me. Each corpse could contain resources worth up to fifty million Pearls. And if it weren’t for me, not a single one of them would still

be here!”

“What do you want then? This is my army, and that is my corridor!” Robin gestured angrily toward the portal, frustration evident in every movement. “… Raise it to twenty-five million Pearls, and I will stay,” Althera said firmly, leaving no room for argument.

Robin rubbed his eyes in exasperation. “Ugh… twenty million, that’s my final offer!” He extended his hand, a mixture of pain and pleading in his expression.

“Do we have an agreement?”

“We have an agreement!” Althera responded with a determined smile, then turned to patrol the space portal they had arrived through. “I’ll return to the

academy first to coordinate with my deputy.”

“….” Only after she had left did Robin’s smile return. He walked slowly, deliberately, toward his guards.

Fifty million per corpse? That was probably just the value of the outer scales-

or perhaps the worth of a single bone. Even five hundred million would still underestimate the treasures hidden inside each one of them.

And these 500 million pearls are only for the corpse. the scales, meat, and

blood.

The crystal is another thing entirely.

How many billions could he sell just one crystal for?

Robin let out a long, frustrated sigh. “Ugh… if I had known this money-printing

machine would appear when testing the corridor, I wouldn’t have rushed to sell the four projects so quickly!”

The thought lingered as he considered the scale of potential wealth hidden in

every corpse. Each one could fuel armies, fortify entire sectors, or provide enough Pearls to construct unimaginable power.

Robin shook his head, a mixture of irritation and excitement brewing inside him. “This corridor… it’s not just a pathway-it’s a goldmine, a battlefield, and a tool all in one. And now, with Althera here, I might just be able to handle both.”

He glanced once more at the portal, imagining the untapped world beyond it. The countless unknowns, the hidden dangers, and the treasures waiting to be claimed-it all lay just beyond reach. And for the first time, he allowed himself a small, confident grin. “Yes… this is going to be far more profitable than I ever

imagined.”