Published at 31st of May 2026 6:36 am

Chapter 2180 Good son

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"...What about the first-row leaders?" Theo swallowed, his throat tightening slightly as unease crept into his voice.

"Hehe, you already know." Robin Burton chuckled, his shoulders shaking lightly, as if the answer itself was obvious.

"You're joking… right?" Theo forced out a strained laugh, though a hint of genuine fear lingered beneath it. "If third-tier leaders get nascent crystals, and second-tier leaders get young crystals… then we…" he paused, his thoughts catching up to the implication, then his eyes widened, "we get mature crystals?!"

"Exactly!" Robin clapped once, clearly satisfied by the realization. "In fact, from the very beginning, I've been working toward a way to use mature space beast crystals as stabilizers. Along that journey, I designed the array for nascent crystals and came up with a preliminary framework for young ones…" Then his gaze shifted toward one of his copies standing amidst the Runes on the upper floor, still locked in relentless effort. "But the core issue is still unresolved. I'm close… very close… but it's still there."

Then he shrugged lightly and looked back at Theo. "All I can promise is that I'll find a solution before the promotion of Niahari. If necessary, I'll use the four Truth Runes again."

At that thought, something tightened faintly in Robin's chest.

Each of those Runes had taken decades to fully form, painstakingly shaped through effort and sacrifice. Using them on the internal training seal had already consumed nearly half of their stored power, and uncovering the correct arrangements for so many laws had drained even more. If he used them again on something of that magnitude… they would disappear entirely.

And rebuilding them from scratch was not something he currently had the luxury of time for.

"You… are confident you'll find a way to let us use mature space beast crystals as stabilizers?" Theo's mind blanked momentarily as the scale of it all overwhelmed him. "Is that even possible?! Even Behemoths themselves can't kill one!" His voice rose slightly, unable to remain calm. "There are records in history of one of those crystals detonating during a massive battle against the Cosmic Elder, creating a colossal black hole that swallowed an entire galaxy!"

Then he pointed toward himself, disbelief written all over his face. "And you're planning to put something like that… inside us?!"

"It's a simple matter. Don't be a coward." Robin waved dismissively, as if the concern itself was exaggerated.

"….." Theo held back the flood of questions that surged within him and leaned back into his chair, forcing himself into silence for a few moments. He needed time… time to process the mixture of shock, fear, and excitement building within him. "...You said there were two things you wanted to correct. What's the second?"

The amount of information he had been exposed to today alone was enough to occupy him for years. The number of arrangements, decisions, and operations he would have to manage had already reached an absurd level… he had more than enough to deal with already.

"It's about your choices regarding who will receive the Sixth Path… the Law of Darkness." Robin's tone turned serious, cutting through Theo's thoughts. "I want you to give it only to the regular members of the Shadow Swords, the ones working in the streets gathering information or stationed inside headquarters. Stay away from the leaders and elite members."

"What?" Theo was caught completely off guard, interrupting instinctively. "Do you mean the opposite?"

"I mean exactly what I said." Robin continued, his brows slightly furrowed, then he let out a low sigh and looked toward the distant horizon. "Heh… I know things have been difficult for you lately. The Swords of Shadow are our extended arm. They're always the first to enter any sector I set my eyes on… and they're also the arm our enemies constantly try to sever. That… cannot continue."

He turned his gaze back to Theo, his eyes steady and resolute. "The Shadow Swords shouldn't remain just a tool for intelligence gathering, sabotage, and assassination. That might have been enough when your operations stayed within the range of my armies… where you had indirect protection. But as long as you operate beyond that… you need real power to defend yourselves."

"..?" Theo was visibly shaken, unsure how to respond to such a shift in doctrine. "Do you… want us to build an army?"

"And why not?" Robin waved his hand casually, as if dismissing any hesitation. "The Shadow Swords have always been the driving force behind the empire's movements. Leaving you without a protective force in hostile territory was reckless from the start… especially considering what you've been facing recently."

Then he straightened slightly and gave his command, his tone carrying unmistakable authority. "Theo, I want you to establish a military branch within the Swords of Shadow. Their role will be simple: protect other members when needed, and strike enemies directly when they overstep… no more hiding behind shadows when force is required."

He paused briefly, then added with a faint, confident smile, "And this military branch… will operate using the merged Law of Space Darkness."

"…?!" Theo's eyes widened to their limits, the shock striking him without warning. "All of them?!" His voice rose, this time far more serious, carrying a clear weight of concern. "Father… you… you do remember the power of the merged Law of Space Darkness, right? You're talking about building an entire military branch based on it? Aren't you worried about the eyes that will turn toward us because of this? Even I avoid using it unless absolutely necessary!"

"Anyone who has a problem can go smash their head against a wall." Robin Burton frowned deeply, his expression hardening, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "The Imperial Guard exists to defend my assets. The Shadow Swords exist to expand those assets and stabilize my external interests. That will never happen while you're being hunted and attacked from every direction like this."

Then he fixed his gaze directly on his son, his eyes sharp and unwavering. "Theo… the Shadow Swords must begin infiltrating Behemoth galaxies. Buying information from the Syndicate is no longer viable. You've already realized that, haven't you?"

"…." Theo's expression slowly shifted. The initial shock faded, replaced by a calm, cold focus. "…Understood."

Infiltrating an artificial galaxy meant bypassing unimaginable defensive systems and evading the perception of the galaxy's own soul itself… something that could never be achieved through the major Law of Darkness alone.

And just like that, his already overwhelming responsibilities gained one more addition… one as heavy as all the others combined.

He would now have to distribute Space Darkness among all commanders and numbered members of the Swords of Shadow, while carefully organizing structured periods of leave for each of them to dismantle and rebuild their foundations without destabilizing their operational network.

At the same time, he would have to cultivate an entirely new generation of Shadow Swords specifically trained as a dedicated military force… one capable of direct assault, capture operations, and destructive missions deep within enemy strongholds… even if those strongholds were entire Behemoth galaxies.

Rebuilding the foundations of hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of existing members using Space Darkness was not realistic. That meant this new force would have to be built from the ground up, from younger recruits.

And standard Swords of Shadow training would not be enough.

He would need to coordinate with the Imperial Guard, requesting them to provide direct combat training, transferring their vast battlefield experience to this new branch.

And beyond that… he would also have to—

"Hey."

"Hm?" Theo lifted his head once more when he heard his father's voice cut through his thoughts. "Yes, Father?"

"…" Robin watched him quietly for a moment, his gaze softer now, almost contemplative. "…Aren't you upset that I gave Space Darkness to others instead of keeping it for you?"

"Why would I be?" Theo replied calmly, his tone steady and sincere, without the slightest hesitation. "It's yours. You can do with it as you see fit. In fact, I think it's an incredibly bold and ambitious move. I've wanted for a long time to infiltrate a Behemoth galaxy of curses myself, but I never had the time to attempt it. Now… I finally have options."

"…You're a good son, Theo." Robin's voice lowered slightly, his expression shifting in a rare moment of quiet acknowledgment. "You've never complained, never demanded anything for yourself. You've built my empire in silence, without seeking recognition…"

He held his son's gaze for a brief moment, something deeper passing through his eyes.

"And good sons deserve a proper reward."

Clang

With a casual motion, Robin gestured toward the table. A much bigger metal plate materialized instantly, its weight settling with a heavy, resonant sound.

"This…" he said, his tone returning to its usual confidence, "is for you."

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