Lord of the Truth - Chapter 2066 Temari's proposal
Chapter 2066 Temari’s proposal
“Suggestion from you? sounds interesting,” Robin raised his eyebrows slightly, leaning back in his chair with a faint smirk as he regarded Temari. “What exactly is it this time?”
This announcement and the network Temari was constructing, everything about it was meticulously designed to create the impression that he controlled an enormous cache of planetary displacement equipment, the sort of arsenal that could make entire sectors tremble.
Of course, if he actually bought some of the equipment, that would be an added advantage… Grade Seven planetary displacement equipment was still an incredibly rare and potent piece, and Robin commanded several empires simultaneously. Having a stockpile of emergency displacement equipment for each empire would be a prudent precaution, a safeguard against any sudden threat or unexpected crisis.
Typically, if someone wanted to sell such equipment at a reasonable price, they would have to enter an auction and promote it tirelessly for centuries, investing decades of effort to reach potential buyers. Robin had experienced this painstaking process himself when he had tried to purchase Grade Four displacement equipment years earlier.
Naturally, there were always opportunists who would jump at the chance to sell equipment directly, bypassing the lengthy auction process and getting exactly what they wanted immediately, rather than waiting for the outcome of a centuries-long event.
This announcement, even if it resulted in no actual purchases, would deceive everyone except the Soul Society… and if he actually purchased a significant portion, it would even fool the Soul Society completely!
No matter the numbers, Robin would have to meet expectations and acquire as much as possible to maintain the illusion. It was a game of appearances, a gamble to establish dominance without revealing his true intentions.
“Since you are going to make the announcement and the dedicated network anyway,” Temari continued, her tone enthusiastic and eyes sparkling, “why not make it an announcement to accept offers for any planetary equipment for sale? The idea will have a massive impact. Normally, the major powers wouldn’t sell high-level planetary equipment, but these are unusual circumstances.”
She leaned closer, lowering her voice slightly as she added, “The chaos sweeping all the sectors, the wars between the tyrants, has forced every major power to consider selling off substantial assets, replacing them with fleets, armor sets, and energy stabilizers. This shift in mindset among the upper classes is spreading quickly. If you checked the market right now, you would see that weapons and other tools used in large-scale conflicts have boomed, while items designed purely as status symbols for the elite have nearly vanished.”
“…” Robin furrowed his brow and regarded her thoughtfully. “Can I really pull something like this off, Temari? I don’t want unnecessary complications or attention.”
When dealing with the Soul Society, Robin had always needed to show careful restraint. If he gained a Pearl, he had to ensure they gained one as well; if he grew stronger, he had to project a sense of restraint and weakness to maintain balance.
The Soul Society-or perhaps it was more accurate to call them the Dreamer Galaxy-was far from weak, not by much, at least in comparison to the Syndicate.
This had been made abundantly clear from Temari’s earlier words when Theo had offered them 100 billion Pearls to secure 200 years of influence. At that moment, she had remarked that even the Dreamer Galaxy would not easily enter into conflict with the Syndicate.
On the surface, that statement seemed modest, but within the rules and politics of this universe, it carried a level of arrogance that few could voice aloud…
Wasn’t the implication that they had the capacity to engage in conflict with the Syndicate, but it would no longer be a simple task?
Robin’s research confirmed this. The Syndicate and the Dreamer Galaxy had clashed multiple times for various reasons. Each time, one party had retreated strategically, preventing the situation from escalating into a full-scale confrontation, leaving both sides wary of the other and the balance delicately maintained.
The announcement he was planning, combined with the network Temari was constructing, would amplify his perceived influence, creating an image of someone who commanded more resources and reach than most could imagine. Even if he acquired little or nothing, the illusion alone would shift perceptions, making every observer, ally, and rival reconsider their stance around him. It was power in its purest form-not by direct confrontation, but by the sheer manipulation of perception and fear.
If a confrontation were to erupt between the Syndicate, which commanded hundreds, or perhaps even thousands of Law Dominants, and the Dreamer Galaxy, the ONLY power that has the methods to achieve power surpassing that of a tenth royal star, who would truly emerge victorious in such a clash? No
one can say with certainty.
And no one truly desires to find out.
Robin had no intention of drawing the enmity of an organization of such colossal scale. If he were to attempt purchasing all this planetary equipment through them now, and they witnessed such vast quantities, wouldn’t they immediately perceive him as a rising threat, a force that needed to be contained or eliminated?
“Don’t worry about these formalities,” Temari waved her hand several times in a reassuring gesture. “I will ensure that your request is processed and that the network is fully constructed for you without any interference or obstacles. Furthermore, the taxes imposed on the sellers will also directly benefit the Dreamer Galaxy too.”
She gave him a teasing wink. “Consider it a special reward for requesting my presence personally, hehe.”
Robin’s gaze lingered on Temari for a long, contemplative moment.
At this very moment, the True Beginning Empire and its followers possessed around 3,000 pieces of planetary equipment.
A thousand of these pieces came from Hedrick, though technically under Robin’s name, the equipment still remained in Hedrick’s hands and was actively being used in ongoing campaigns.
The second thousand was acquired from the operations of the Black Wasps, who had emptied multiple vaults. The largest of these vaults belonged to the Garagnah Party from the Eternal Turtle Empire.
The third thousand pieces originated from other Shadow Sword operations, scattered strategically across various regions.
The overall number was undeniably impressive. Even the Crumbled Dreams Empire had barely managed to gather around 1,100 pieces.
Yet, for Robin’s ambitions, this was still insufficient, far from enough to allocate even a single piece to every Imperial Guardian under his command.
After a long, tense silence, Robin nodded thoughtfully while locking eyes with Temari. “This will be an immense service indeed.”
“Count on me!” Temari responded with a precise military-style salute, her movements elegant bringing a light charm to the seriousness of the moment. “Do you honestly believe I have enough wealth to acquire a significant number of planetary equipment pieces?” Robin asked, his tone reflective. “Ultimately, anyone putting equipment up for sale will demand astronomical sums, far
beyond ordinary expectations.”
“Sword-Theo2 will meticulously review all the offers and determine whether to approve or reject them,” Temari explained carefully. “Additionally, I will include a negotiation option between the parties, giving him the chance to lower prices where appropriate. This way, the final deals will remain practical and manageable.” She chuckled lightly. “Most likely, Lord Theo won’t have a moment to sleep or even step outside the Soul Society for an extended period,
hehe.”
She then lightly pounded her tiny fist into her other hand. “I’ll also find a method to extend the network to selected personnel chosen by Lord Theo. What do you think? Perhaps numbered Shadow Swords or planetary equipment specialists could assist him with this intricate task.”
She snapped her fingers decisively. “With this system in place, I am confident
you will reap an abundant harvest. Your balance has already exceeded 2 trillion Pearls, and the total continues to climb steadily!”
