Lord of the Truth - Chapter 1257

Chapter 1257: Power of the third army
“…?!”

Aro turned around ever so slowly, the shock painted plainly on his face. His eyes were wide—so wide they seemed as though they might leap from his skull. His voice trembled with disbelief.

“My… my merged law? MINE!?”

Robin raised an eyebrow, a playful glint dancing in his eyes. “Oh? Has someone already forgotten the day he came pleading to me—asking for a law that would place him shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Caesar and Sakaar? Or wait…” He rested his chin gently upon his closed fist, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Could it be that you’ve grown so confident… so powerful… that you no longer feel the need for your emperor’s aid?”

“But you told me yourself, Your Majesty, that I possessed a unique and powerful talent—that I wouldn’t need anything beyond that, I already lost hope!” Aro turned completely to face him now, his voice rising with excitement. His body practically vibrated with anticipation, his eyes glowing with hopeful energy. “Did you really—truly—craft something just for me?”

Robin let out a soft chuckle, the sound low and rich. “I thought about it long and hard, Aro. And yes, your talent is undeniable. You’re capable of channeling an extraordinary amount of energy into a single strike. That’s your gift. But here’s the thing—” he waved a hand slowly, “—that gift isn’t tied directly to the Law of Lightning. That law is just your current framework, not your limit. So why, I asked myself, should I continue to keep you confined within that narrow domain?”

Robin’s voice dropped slightly, taking on a more intimate tone.

“Strengthening my top general—truly unleashing your full potential—that was an opportunity far too valuable to ignore.”

Aro’s knees almost buckled with joy. “Thank you! Thank you so much, Your Majesty!” he exclaimed, his voice overflowing with raw emotion. Gratitude surged in every word. If joy could take physical form, his would have filled solar systems.

Over the past century, he had risen to level 50—an incredible feat in its own right. He had pushed his limits further than most dared. As His Majesty had once noted, he could now deliver blows capable of wounding titans like Caesar and Sakaar, even reducing elite marshals of the Great Serpent Empire to mere ash.

And yet… despite all that, he remained just a Lightning user. In a fight where everything was on the line—where all cards were revealed and no one held back—Aro knew that without a more potent law, he would always fall short against those monsters.

“Oh? So you really do want it?” Robin teased, lifting both brows and flashing a knowing smile.

Aro took a step forward with no hesitation. “Of course I do, Your Majesty! More than anything!”

But Robin’s expression suddenly changed—completely and without warning. His amusement faded. His eyes sharpened, cold and commanding. The air around him seemed to grow heavier.

“Then sit down, soldier,” he said in a hard voice, the words like iron striking stone.

Aro flinched, frozen mid-motion. Confusion gripped him.

“Is… is Your Majesty angry with me?” he asked hesitantly, trying to read Robin’s face. “I only meant to excuse myself respectfully—I thought I was being courteous—”

“You asked for permission to leave,” Robin said, his tone icy, “but did I give it to you?”

His gaze narrowed like a predator’s. “Why did you turn your back on me, soldier? Was that your silent protest? A subtle act of rebellion in response to the oath you just swore? Or perhaps… you’ve begun drawing imaginary lines between us—lines that don’t exist. Tell me, soldier—do you now act by rules of your own making?”

“No, of course not, Your Majesty.”

Aro quickly forced his face into a composed expression and rushed back to his seat, sitting straighter than ever.

“I merely didn’t wish to take up too much of Your Majesty’s valuable time. That was all—nothing more.”

Robin regarded him with an even gaze, then leaned back slightly. His voice remained calm, yet authoritative.

“Listen carefully, Aro. Memorize what I’m about to say—let it sink deep into your bones so that we can avoid future misunderstandings.”

He flicked his hand lazily as if dismissing dust from the air.

“You’re free to feel whatever emotions you want—frustration, resentment, pride, wounded honor—when you’re dealing with the other high-ranking figures in this empire. That’s fine. You’re equals.”

Then his gaze sharpened once more, as piercing as a blade.

“But with me—with your emperor—none of that applies. My words carry no humiliation, no injustice, no insult. There is only one response that is appropriate when I speak.”

Robin leaned forward slightly, his voice low and firm.

“There is only: I heard and I obeyed. What is there, soldier?”

“…I heard and I obeyed,” Aro answered immediately, his voice steady, his smile, broken, but real this time.

BAAAM!

Robin clapped once, loud and full of energy, his grin returning like the sun breaking through storm clouds.

“Excellent! That’s what I like to hear. Now we can move forward without distractions.”

With a casual gesture, he summoned a large metallic tablet from his ring and handed it over to Aro.

“Here is your first gift. Go on—take a look.”

“…The Storm Merged Law?” Aro whispered in awe, eyes wide with wonder.

“I spent a lot of time figuring out what would suit you best,” Robin said thoughtfully. “Something that still draws from your roots—your experience with lightning—but also highlights your true advantage: your vast reservoir of fixed particles.”

He made a few vague gestures in the air, like one sketching a vision unseen.

“So I chose the Merged Law of the Storm. A fusion of Lightning, Wind, and Water. It’s the very first tri-elemental merged law ever successfully completed within the empire.”

“Lightning, wind, and water… all together?”

The fake smile Aro had worn earlier finally cracked—replaced by something pure and honest. Real happiness bloomed across his face, unstoppable.

There is no soul alive who does not yearn to be exceptional—who doesn’t long to carve their name into history, to be remembered as more than just a fleeting shadow. And now, with the bestowment of the Empire’s very first tri-elemental law, Aro’s path to becoming a legend was no longer a dream—it was a certainty.

“At first,” Robin began with a thoughtful smile, his fingers lightly tapping the arm of his throne, “I had considered crafting something a bit more dramatic for you. Maybe a fusion involving Time… or Destruction… something that would strike awe just by its name alone. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized—that wouldn’t serve you. Not truly. It wouldn’t reflect the essence of your strength. And it certainly wouldn’t suit your role as the Supreme General of a vast, relentless warhost.”

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking with Aro’s.

“No, what you needed was something grand in power, yet practical in scope. A law that would amplify your unique trait—the ability to unleash an overwhelming quantity of energy in a single, devastating blow. And thus,” Robin gestured elegantly toward the heavy metallic tablet, “the Storm Law was born. A composite of Lightning, Wind, and Water—designed to command nature’s wrath and channel it through you.”

“With this,” Robin continued, “you will be able to conjure thunderstorms of unimaginable ferocity. Lightning bolts that tear through steel and bone. Hurricane winds that flatten cities. Torrential rains that turn battlefields into graves. Armies will not simply fear you—they will pray never to face you.”

He then pointed with precision at Aro’s chest.

“Your natural affinities are another reason I chose this law. You’re gifted: ninety percent affinity with Lightning—nearly perfect. Sixty-five percent with Wind—well above average. And thirty percent with Water—not outstanding, but workable. With this combination, your reliance on external aids like elixirs will be drastically reduced. All you’ll need are diluted Affinity Elixirs for Wind and Water before large-scale engagements. Had I chosen any other law combination, you’d have been drowning in elixir debts.”

Aro could barely contain himself. “Thank you! Thank you so much, Your Majesty!!” His voice trembled slightly, overcome with awe and gratitude. He held the storm tablet as if it were a sacred artifact, something forged by the gods themselves. Without doubt, this had become the greatest treasure he’d ever held—greater than medals, titles, or even the twenty-one worlds he’d conquered.

“Now then,” Robin said, casually waving his hand, “set that aside for now.”

With another flick, a smaller tablet appeared in his hand. “Catch.”

“Hmm?” Aro quickly stored the storm tablet in his ring and caught the new one mid-air.

“Blood Storage Technique?” he read, puzzled.

Robin leaned back, tone now tinged with curiosity.

“It’s something I discovered while studying the Demon race. You’re familiar with how they convert the energy from their meals into a sort of reserve—stored directly in their blood. A trait believed to be unique to them. And even among the Demons, there are limits. Each individual has a set capacity—most of them barely enough to matter.”

He pointed again at Aro, more firmly this time.

“But you’re not them. You have a body built for war. Dense with fixed particles. Vascular systems wider than most. In theory… your body could act as a second energy gathering center. Once your primary energy center is full, you could start storing ambient natural energy in your bloodstream—turning your entire circulatory system into a living energy battery.”

He smiled, sharp and deliberate.

“The Storm Merged Law will allow you to release colossal strikes… but Blood Storage allows you to fuel them continuously. Why rely on a single center when your entire body can become a weapon?”

“…Can I really do something like that?” Aro’s voice dropped, filled with disbelief and awe. His eyes quivered, pupils dilating as the weight of what he’d just heard hit him.

Robin shrugged modestly. “It’s theoretical, of course. The tablet holds everything I’ve researched—notes, diagrams, application steps. You’re the only one whose body might actually pull it off. The success or failure depends on you. But if you do manage it…”

He grinned, fierce and full of anticipation.

“Earlier I told you the Storm Law could make armies fear you. If you master Blood Storage? You won’t threaten them—you’ll erase them.”

Ba-dum!

Aro’s heart pounded like a war drum. The tablet in his hands trembled as if it too understood the gravity of its contents.

This man—this unshakable warrior who had leveled entire legions, brought ruin to cities, and trampled twenty-one worlds under his heel—had never flinched. Never blinked. Not even when the screams of the vanquished echoed through blood-soaked fields. But now… now his soul surged with such force, he felt the very earth beneath his boots struggle to hold him.

Tak.

“Alright then, Third Supreme General,” Robin said with a laugh, snapping his fingers like a stage magician wrapping up an act. “You may leave now. Your army holds a minor law of Destruction, two merged laws, and you—a walking apocalypse—with a tri-elemental merged law and a special blood-based energy technique. I expect those twenty-one planets to become two hundred and ten very soon.”

“…”

Aro stared at Robin in silence for a long, long moment. Then, as if something ancient and sacred stirred within him, he lowered his head slowly… and bowed. Deep. So deep that his forehead nearly touched his knees.

“I shall wield this power in your name.”