Lord of the Truth

~You have a chance to establish two centennial empires in two different sectors at the same time...

~You would be the first in history to accomplish such a feat...

Ba-Doom

Robin's heart pounded violently, then suddenly seemed to stop. His breath hitched, his eyes trembled involuntarily, and his lips parted slightly in sheer disbelief. The weight of those words struck him like a thunderclap.

Establishing a multi-planetary empire was already an incredibly daunting task, one that only the most powerful and visionary individuals could even attempt. But to create a centennial empire? That was on an entirely different level. No... not just one, but two centennial empires at the same time?!

A cold chill ran down his spine, colliding with the fire of exhilaration surging within him. A storm of emotions erupted in his chest—fear, doubt, and... an overwhelming, insatiable excitement!!

Neri, watching him closely, saw the flicker of a new flame ignite deep within his gaze. A slow, knowing smile crept onto her lips.

"Now that is the expression I like to see."

Robin took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay composed, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him as he hesitantly asked,

"...Is something like this even possible? Establishing two centennial empires simultaneously? Neri, just moments ago, you called yourself my companion in glory. If that's truly the case, then don't feed me dreams so grand that they end up crushing both of us later. Tell me, honestly... is there even a chance?"

"Of course, it's not something that can be achieved easily. For most people, such an ambition is nothing but a fool's fantasy, a mere delusion beyond their reach. But you..." she tilted her head slightly, her voice smooth and unwavering, "you are not like most people, are you?"

A glimmer of confidence sparkled in her eyes as she continued,

"I've witnessed what you are capable of. In terms of sheer individual power, no one in the entire Young Belt can stand against you. You stand unmatched. In terms of your military, you have already established a formidable foundation— a base strong enough to support expansion on a scale most would not dare dream of.

As for your generals, there is no need to even speak of them. They have shattered your enemies with ruthless efficiency, despite being outclassed in both numbers and levels. Time and time again, they have defied the odds and emerged victorious. If there is one thing standing between you and the realization of this dream, it is resources."

She paused for a brief moment, then smirked.

"But with me at your side... tell me, can you even afford to worry about resources? Do you truly think that would be an issue? I am not called a Galactic Seed for nothing!"

She pointed to herself with a confident flick of her wrist, tilting her chin upward with unmistakable pride.

"Just decide— steel your resolve. Prepare your armies, dispatch your research fleets, and begin your conquests. I will be right there beside you! Those meager treasures you have harvested from my surface? They are nothing—barely a scratch of what I can truly offer. Once I am fully refined, I will guide you to wealth beyond imagination, to resources untapped and limitless in their potential.

Supporting one, or even two centennial empires?" She chuckled softly, then gave him a teasing look. "For me, that would be no problem at all!"

"....."

Robin was silent for a moment, but his body betrayed his emotions.

The smile he had been fighting to suppress slowly began to creep onto his lips. His heartbeat quickened, pounding like a war drum, and his pupils flickered wildly, unable to stay still.

Baa!

With a sudden movement, Robin slammed his right fist into his left palm, as if physically restraining his own trembling hands. He could feel it... the thrill. The anticipation. The hunger.

Neri's words had reignited something within him, something even greater than before.

All at once, his ambition, his desires —his very essence— came roaring back, stronger and more determined than ever.

"Neri..." Robin exhaled deeply, his voice carrying the weight of his emotions. "You are truly a gift from the heavens. If I had known just how important you were, I might have come and tried to claim you for myself even without the All-Seeing God sending me."

He muttered the last part almost absentmindedly, his thoughts spinning wildly. Nihari Planet is truly beyond comprehension...!

"Naturally!" Neri grinned, puffing out her chest with pride. "I am a Galactic Seed, after all!"

Robin narrowed his eyes, his curiosity piqued.

"...Can you finally explain what that actually means? I've heard you say it multiple times now."

He lifted his gaze, locking eyes with the small girl in front of him.

"Are you really saying that one day, you will transform into an entire galaxy? That you'll become a celestial entity filled with billions of stars and planets, just like the ones you were describing earlier?"

"Only if you want me to~" Neri giggled, winking mischievously.

Then, her voice took on a more serious tone.

"Alright, I'll explain properly this time. I started with explaining the natural galaxies to have a vague idea first. But I am something different. I can create an artificial galaxy—o ne shaped and formed specifically according to your desires."

Robin's eyes widened slightly as he absorbed her words. His thoughts raced as possibilities began unfolding before him.

"...And what exactly does that entail?"

"The natural galaxies, as I mentioned, consist of billions of stars and countless suns and planets, all revolving around the galactic core. That core is typically a massive star or a black hole, which distorts space-time and exerts immense gravitational pull, drawing all celestial bodies toward it and holding them in an eternal cosmic dance."

Neri lifted a finger as if giving a lecture, her tone carrying the confidence of someone speaking of undeniable truths.

"But I —as a Galactic Seed— am different. I can replace the black hole. Whenever my owner desires, I can artificially distort the fabric of space around me, altering the very flow of its fabric, and in doing so, I will become the center of an artificial galaxy."

Robin's brows shot up as high as they could go, his brain struggling to grasp the full weight of her words. "You can do something like that?" he asked, his voice carrying both skepticism and intrigue.

Yet, despite his curiosity, a lingering doubt remained in his mind. He frowned slightly and added, "And then what? Will celestial bodies just start gravitating toward you on their own or something?"

Neri giggled, shaking her head. "No, no, no. You will be the one bringing them to me," she corrected, amusement dancing in her violet eyes.

"You can relocate any solar system that falls under your control and introduce it into my spatial distortion field, essentially merging it into my artificial galaxy."

She then extended a hand and pointed directly at Robin, her expression brimming with confidence.

"For instance, you could take Greenland, Jura, and Orphan's Blood solar systems, and attach them to my artificial gravitational field, making them permanent parts of my galaxy. If you so wished, you could even bring Poison Rock along with all the other planets from Sector 100, and link them to me as well."

Her lips curled into a knowing smile.

"That wormhole— more than capable of facilitating such a transfer. But if you take my advice, I wouldn't recommend it. You'd be throwing away a golden opportunity if you abandoned expansion in that sector altogether..."

"....?!"

Robin's expression twisted into one of absolute shock. He felt a sudden rush of dizziness as if reality itself had just shifted before his very eyes.

"I can move planets?!" His voice cracked slightly in disbelief.

"No... I can even move entire solar systems?!"

Neri burst into laughter at his reaction. "Of course, you can," she said with a teasing smirk.

"There's specialized planetary equipment designed specifically for relocating entire planets. Normally, it's used by weaker planet-owners who are being targeted by larger empires— a desperate measure to avoid annihilation.

For example, if Pythor decided to invade Jura, and you feared that it would be completely destroyed, you could use that equipment to relocate Planet Jura's entire solar system to a random point within Sector 99. That way, Pyithor could end up searching for you for thousands of years before even catching a whiff of your location again!"

Then, she gave him a sly smile, tilting her head slightly.

"But you, my future owner, are not like those weaker rulers. You don't need to flee from anyone. Instead, you can use this very same equipment to strategically position your planets exactly where you want them—right here, within my gravitational field.

"And once they are here..." she paused for dramatic effect, "I will forge an artificial galaxy for you— one tailored to your exact desires."

Then, as if remembering something important, she raised a single finger in warning. "But—be warned," she said in a more serious tone.

"That Relocation Planetary Equipment is extraordinarily rare. It is highly sought after across the known universe. Everyone wants it.

It is the ultimate failsafe, a last-resort tool that even the most powerful rulers crave, because no one is truly untouchable.

Those who possess it either hoard it for themselves, sell it for astronomical prices, or—more often than not—are murdered for it."

She leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with Robin. "So if you're serious about obtaining it, you need to be very, very careful."

Robin remained silent, processing the sheer magnitude of what she had just revealed.

After a moment, he muttered, almost to himself, "... A Relocation Planetary Equipment? What is a Planetary Equipment."

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it sounded.

Something with the power to move entire solar systems... that wasn't just advanced technology—it was godlike.

Neri waved her hand lightly. "I suggest we stay focused on the main topic for now," she said with a casual shrug.

"You won't even see a piece of Planetary Equipment until you enter the Middle Belt, so there's no point in getting distracted by it right now."

Then, with a mischievous smirk, she crossed her arms. "Now, do you have any more questions about my ability as a Galactic Seed?"

Robin exhaled, rubbing his chin as he mulled over everything she had just said. "...I don't know," he admitted after a pause. "It's an incredible ability, but I can already see problems with it as well."

Neri raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"If I gather all my planets in one place, wouldn't that just make it easier for my enemies to invade?" he asked.

"Think about it. In my war against Pythor, I had multiple fallback options—I could retreat, regroup, and strike back from different positions. But if all my planets are concentrated in one location, then I have nowhere to run if something goes wrong..."

Neri suddenly let out an exasperated sigh, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Why would you even need to run when you have a galaxy of your own?!" she groaned.

Robin blinked.

Then, she leaned toward him, her expression turning slightly impatient. "Tell me, Robin—have you never heard of Necropolis Fortress Galaxy?"

Her voice grew sharper as she continued, "Or what about the Tyrant's Galaxy, Interas? The Galaxy of Morpheus The Dreamer? Or even the Galaxy of House Destra?!"