Published at 9th of May 2026 7:08 am

Chapter 2139 The spread of swords

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"Am I supposed to feel pity for you just because you now possess a vast treasury of planetary artifact?" The Cosmic Elder let out a mocking laugh, his tone laced with clear amusement and a hint of ridicule, the very idea itself entertained him.

"Not to that extent-" Robin waved his hand casually, yet his eyes carried a trace of seriousness beneath that relaxed gesture, "the network operates on accepting sales at whatever price the owner decides. There is no real negotiation or prolonged disputes, otherwise we would end up no different from any ordinary auction house or marketplace. Why would anyone willingly choose to sell to us under such conditions?"

He then exhaled slowly, his expression turning slightly strained as the burden of the situation surfaced, "this has forced my subordinates to purchase equipment at no less than double the price, and in some cases it even climbs to ten times the normal value, sometimes beyond even that."

"Your followers wouldn't pay ten times the price unless the item is

extraordinarily rare and something they urgently need, something that barely even appears on the market to begin with." The Cosmic Elder waved dismissively, clearly unconvinced.

"...Still a tremendous amount of money." Robin did not deny it, his voice lowering as if acknowledging the heavy cost behind every such decision, yet without any intention of retreating.

"Heh, you now possess an immense stockpile of planetary artifacts, and a significant portion of it is rare, some even reaching fourth-grade or fifth-grade, yet you behave as though you're destitute." The Cosmic Elder laughed in his usual manner, his tone half teasing, half probing, "if you consider yourself poor, then what does that make me?"

"Don't say that." Robin shook his head slightly, his expression steady, "just the mature space beast crystals you continuously bring back every time you enter the corridor are already worth everything I've accumulated so far, perhaps even more, far beyond simple calculation."

He sighed again, but this time a wide, almost calculating smile appeared on his face, one that hinted at deeper intentions, "by the way, if you don't give me more now that we've already reached the count of fifty..."

The Cosmic Elder had indeed continued to hand over any cores he obtained from the other side after each visit to the corridor, whether those visits occurred once every week or at irregular intervals. He had even given Robin a considerable number of nascent space beast cores as well, yet after several years, he eventually stopped, drawing a clear line.

"And you won't be receiving any more from me." The Cosmic Elder's tone hardened slightly, a subtle pressure forming in the surrounding space, "how is it that you still haven't managed to find a way to make use of them until now?"

"That is the truth!" Robin responded quickly without hesitation, his voice firm and resolute, "however, I've assigned a specialized consciousness solely dedicated to discovering a method to neutralize the danger of mature space beast cores, and I have already made significant progress. Don't worry, it's nowhere near as complicated as the sixth path issue!"

"When you finish it and deliver the method to me, then I will provide you with more cores." The Cosmic Elder waved his hand lightly, though his eyes remained sharp, "I have a few promising scions who also require those cores, as you already know."

Then he chuckled again, this time with a deeper, more suggestive meaning behind it, "and it seems they will soon become part of your family, so you shouldn't forget about them."

"Forget them?" Robin's expression immediately turned displeased, his tone rising slightly with genuine irritation, "I could forget myself before I forget the sons of my elder brother!"

Then he spoke with clear seriousness, his voice steady yet carrying the weight of memory, "do you remember the day you sent them to me so I could teach them and introduce them to the world, and you didn't pay me a single thing? I took care of them, ensured their safety, and gave them the best education possible. Do you remember that day? The day you gave nothing in return..." "Little Robin." The Cosmic Elder did not seem pleased at all now, his expression stiffening slightly, "you are, quite literally, alive because of me."

"...." Robin remained silent for a few seconds, the weight of those words settling heavily in the air, then he let out an awkward chuckle, "I won't argue with that."

He then raised a finger as if about to continue, "but also-"

At that exact moment, his expression suddenly deteriorated, his chest tightening as if something invisible had gripped his heart, "ugh."

He released a long breath, his gaze shifting sharply toward a distant direction, while a thin strand of blood slowly trailed down from the corner of his mouth, adding a grim undertone to the scene, yet he did not allow it to disrupt his

composure.

Without wasting another moment, he pulled out an empty scroll along with his epic pen and began writing rapidly, his movements swift yet precise, as if every second mattered.

After finishing, he rolled it up tightly, sealing his intent within it, then raised his voice with sudden authority and urgency, "Shadow Sword!"

Whoosh One of the nearby stone shadows subtly distorted, then peeled away from the surface as if it had been alive all along, and a kneeling figure manifested beside Robin, his head lowered with absolute respect, "Your command."

"Take this," Robin extended his hand and passed him the scroll with deliberate calm, "it concerns Elizabeth's zone of control. Use a great space portal, do not delay, and deliver it to her personally."

"Your command." The Shadow Sword responded without hesitation, his voice steady and devoid of emotion, then his form dissolved back into the surrounding shadows, vanishing so completely it was as if he had never existed in the first place, leaving no trace behind.

Kshh Robin pulled out a clean handkerchief, the fabric crisp and untouched, and carefully wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. His breathing gradually steadied before he lifted his head again and smiled toward the Cosmic Elder, as if nothing had just occurred, as if even pain could not interrupt his flow, "What were we saying?"

"...Take your time and stabilize your body functions." The Cosmic Elder waved his hand a few times, his gaze lingering on Robin with quiet scrutiny, "It seems

this one was quite significant, more than usual."

This was far from the first time Robin had undergone such a sudden change. The Cosmic Elder had witnessed this exact scene countless times ever since. the announcement of the Cosmic Academies shook the universe and altered its

balance.

Every time, Robin would twist in discomfort, sometimes muttering curses under his breath, then swiftly write something down with intense focus, pass it to a Shadow Sword, and immediately return to normal, continuing his actions as though nothing unusual had taken place, as though such moments were merely interruptions in a much larger plan.

"It was indeed significant." Robin inhaled deeply, drawing in a long, stedy breath as if to anchor himself, "...something is being arranged in the Mid sector 89." His voice slowed as he continued, "it appears there is a movement forming, one that intends to cut off the Shadow Swords at the root, and it will begin from there... Elizabeth is going to have quite a lot to handle in the coming period, far more than usual."

...After the announcement of the Cosmic Academies and the public revelation of Lord Human's identity, Theo initiated a large-scale campaign, one that unfolded methodically and without pause, expanding the influence of the Shadow Swords across all neighboring sectors one after another, tightening their reach step by step with the clear goal of achieving complete intelligence dominance over those regions.

At the same time, he began establishing small but highly efficient Shadow Sword offices across every accessible sector in the universe, turning them into interconnected nodes that facilitated communication between the academies, while also serving as channels for gathering, analyzing, and distributing critical intelligence on an unprecedented scale, forming a vast unseen web.

This undertaking demanded immense recruitment. For a long stretch of time, the budgets of multiple empires were funneled almost entirely into recruiting, training, and equipping the Shadow Swords, as well as constructing their ships, arrays, and operational infrastructure. Everyone understood that the expansion of the Shadow Swords was not an isolated effort, but rather the foundation upon which all future plans, control, and influence would be built. Their numbers had now reached the millions, scattered across an enormous

number of planets and sectors throughout the vast expanse of the universe. And because they were backed by an overwhelming flow of resources and funding, Theo never needed to slow down, never needed to accept outside missions, nor concern himself with budgets or the loyalty of his followers. He simply continued expanding, continued advancing forward with unwavering momentum, as though nothing could impede his progress or challenge his

direction.

And this relentless expansion did not sit well with anyone, as its implications became clearer with each passing cycle.

Especially not with the enemies Robin had recently drawn into his orbit... the Hidden Hand Organization, and the Supreme Council of the Stellar Academies.

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