Lord of the Truth

"…Wait a second. Something's happening to my physical body outside," Robin said slowly, his facial expression shifting from calm contemplation to a sharp focus filled with wariness and curiosity.

"Hm?" Neri's eyebrows arched slightly in surprise. "What could possibly be happening out there? If anyone had approached even slightly, both of us would've sensed it instantly."

Even in his current meditative state, Robin's soul force wasn't something that could be dismissed lightly. In the past, he might have needed to hide or rely on layers of protection and guards just to safely enter his soul domain. But those days were long gone. Now, he could stand tall with the confidence that his awareness extended far beyond the physical even when not paying attenting.

"No one's physically approaching, that much I can confirm… but there's definitely something odd happening." Robin's brows knit together in concentration. With a simple wave of his hand, a translucent, glowing screen appeared in the air before him. Even though his physical eyes were closed, his spiritual awareness—leaking through the edges of his consciousness—gave him a crystal-clear view of his surroundings.

"See? There's literally no one in the room," Neri pointed toward the screen, which showed the interior of the room—completely still, silent, and empty.

But Robin shook his head, more firmly this time, and his frown deepened. "No… there's something wrong. I can feel it. My body is starting to grow heavier, sluggish, almost like—"

He suddenly cut himself off, and a broad, knowing grin spread across his face.

"…So that's it," he murmured, almost to himself.

"What? What is it? What are you talking about?" Neri leaned closer, her expression now mixed with suspicion and intrigue.

Even Evergreen hobbled over, limping slightly and rubbing the spot where she'd been kicked earlier. Her cheeks puffed with frustration as she glared at Robin. "I hope someone comes along and kicks you like that one day! Preferably twice!"

"Shhh." Robin gestured for silence, folding his arms as he watched the screen with a growing, entertained smirk. "If I'm right about this, something very interesting is about to unfold right before our eyes."

Twenty-five minutes later—

"There it is," Robin said with calm finality, unfolding his arms and watching the scene unfold like an actor reaching the climax of a play.

Creeeaaak…

The door to the room began to open slowly and cautiously. A head peeked in—nervous eyes scanning the room left and right with visible tension.

It was Pitsu.

Moving with the exaggerated stealth of a child trying to sneak cookies from the kitchen, he began tiptoeing his way inside, oblivious to the fact that his movements were being watched closely from another realm.

"What in the hell is that clown doing…?" Neri muttered with open annoyance, her eyes narrowing.

"Exactly as I suspected," Robin said with a sigh. "Just now I began feeling a creeping heaviness throughout my body… like my muscles were being lulled into stillness. And then, about ten minutes ago, my body entered a forced sleep state. One so deep and unnatural, it felt like I'd been drugged. Even if I had wanted to wake up, I wouldn't have been able to."

He paused before continuing, "And even after I was completely unconscious, he still waited for another ten full minutes. He wanted to be sure—make absolutely certain that I wasn't faking it or resisting it with sheer willpower. That tells me he doesn't underestimate me."

"What kind of effect are we talking about here?" Evergreen asked, her curiosity now outweighing her irritation. "You didn't eat or drink anything from him, did you?"

Robin shook his head, slowly and deliberately. "It wasn't through ingestion… it was something far subtler. It was sound. Inaudible to the human ear. If I'm right, he used a form of subsonic or ultrasonic soundwaves designed to trigger deep relaxation and eventually force the body into a sleep-like state—a state bordering on coma."

Then he smiled again. "It's a fifth-stage sonic attack. If he unleashed it on a small village or even a town, everyone there would be knocked out cold before they even realized what hit them."

"Fifth-stage?!" the two girls yelled in unison, their voices filled with shock.

"Yes. And to think… people were saying that most of the humans walking the streets of the inner cities were high-level experts. I thought it was exaggerated nonsense. But apparently, that rumor holds more truth than I gave it credit for. Our dear friend Pitsu is a hidden cataclysm disguised as a harmless goofball."

Robin lifted a brow, intrigued. "What's more, he's been hiding his real cultivation level this entire time. Even I couldn't get a read on him. I assumed he was just barely at the entry level of the Martial Emperor Realm. I had no idea he was this deep."

His eyes gleamed. "He must be using an artifact, or maybe a high-tier concealment technique. To be able to mask his presence so completely… now that is impressive."

-------------------

Inside the room—

"…" Pitsu cautiously slipped his head through the doorframe first, scanning the room like a thief tiptoeing through sacred grounds. His eyes darted left and right, searching for any sign of movement. When he was finally convinced that Robin lay still and unresponsive, like a stone statue in slumber, he let out a long, quiet breath of relief and crept forward with deliberate care, placing each step as though the floor itself might betray him.

"Whew~" he sighed, wiping an imaginary bead of sweat from his brow. "Sorry, buddy… but honestly, this is your fault. A little too much showboating, don't you think? Even if you've got money to burn, it's plain reckless to flaunt it so carelessly in front of others. Some of us just don't have the self-control," he chuckled softly, eyes gleaming with mischief.

He made his way toward the side of the bed, his eyes never leaving Robin's unmoving form. Slowly, cautiously, he reached out toward the shimmering storage ring on Robin's finger, hands trembling slightly with anticipation.

"Tsk~ I was being overly cautious at first, worried you might be wearing a belt too. But it seems I was just being paranoid for nothing," he muttered. "Anyway, when you wake up, please don't take it personally. Think of it as a donation. I'll make good use of whatever treasures are in here—for the betterment of mankind, of course. Hehe."

Just as his fingers began to gently tug on the ring, a sudden flash of movement cracked through the air like lightning.

Shooo—

Robin's other hand, previously still as stone, snapped forward with blistering speed. It shot out like a chain-sickle, wrapping firmly around Pitsu's wrist with iron strength.

"Who said you could touch my hand, boy?" Robin's voice rang out, smooth and mocking. "You haven't even offered me a drink yet."

"...!!" Pitsu froze, eyes widening in raw, primal fear. That smile—twisted and sharp—spread slowly across Robin's face like the grin of a predator toying with cornered prey. A chill surged through Pitsu's spine, and his instincts screamed at him to act.

With panicked reflexes, he raised his other hand, shaped it into a deadly palm strike, and hurled it toward Robin's face with the force of a Cataclysm level expert. It was a devastating blow, one he normally wouldn't dare unleash indoors… but the terror gripped him too tightly to care.

That palm strike, infused with fifth stage sonic waves, could have reduced a reinforced steel wall to rubble. If it landed on Robin's head, it wouldn't just knock him out—it would disintegrate his skull.

But fate had other plans.

Time seemed to stretch, then shatter.

In a split second—barely even a fraction of a moment—Pitsu saw golden runes flare across Robin's arm like living lightning. His arm surged upward, glowing with ancient light, and impossibly, it reached Pitsu's forehead before his own attack could land.

Robin's voice rang out, firm and absolute. "Stop!!"

The moment Robin's palm made contact and the command was spoken, an invisible force snapped into place. Pitsu's body froze mid-attack. His muscles locked. His limbs turned to stone. Even his breath caught in his throat.

But though the blow didn't land, the shockwave from his powerful strike still exploded outward.

BAAAAAAM!!

Robin was hurled backward by the residual force like a leaf in a storm, his body slamming hard against the wall with a thunderous crash. Paintings, lamps, and every piece of decor in the luxurious fifth-floor suite were rattled or knocked to the floor.

Thankfully, the wall didn't collapse. It creaked but held.

"Tsk, tsk…" Robin muttered, shaking the dust from his robe. "Your tab just got a lot bigger."

The brilliant golden runes etched along his forearm—symbols from the fourth stage rune of the Law of Light—flickered, then slowly began to fade, their radiant energy dispersing.

"...!!" Pitsu stood there, utterly immobilized, unable even to gasp. A tremendous pressure—unseen but undeniable—bound him in place like a statue carved from fear itself. For the first time in his life, the so-called cataclysm-level expert couldn't even move his lips.

Robin let out a small chuckle at the sheer horror in the young man's eyes. He approached slowly, calmly, and patted Pitsu's neck a few times, "I've wrapped your entire body in a soul binding shell," he said casually. "About 400,000 soul units' worth. Even a mid-tier World Cataclysm expert would need a couple of days to break out of it, assuming they don't burn themselves out trying. As for you? Don't even bother."

"….?!?!" Pitsu wanted to scream. 400,000 units?! The number echoed in his mind like a death sentence.

Tears almost welled up in his eyes.

Why would someone with 400,000 soul units participate in a soul trait test?! Was this… all a trap? Was I the prey from the beginning?

Robin, meanwhile, ignored the turmoil unraveling in Pitsu's mind. He nonchalantly slipped off his slightly torn shirt, draped it mockingly over Pitsu's frozen arm, and removed his shoes with exaggerated calm. One after another, he carefully placed them on top of Pitsu's head like a pair of mocking trophies.

Then, with a sigh of exaggerated comfort, he climbed back into bed, stretched out luxuriously, and yawned.

"Sleep tight, roommate," he said with a smirk. "We've got a long night ahead."