Published at 31st of May 2026 6:36 am

Chapter 2182 King's cards

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"Huh?" The look of surprise returned to Theo, his brows knitting together slightly as confusion flickered across his face, "What do you mean the planet might be destroyed today?"

Theo's mind began racing at a terrifying speed, thoughts colliding violently under immense pressure the moment he heard that sentence. Who in this entire sector would dare to destroy a planet? And beyond that… how many beings in the vast universe could even accomplish such a feat in the first place?

Right now, his father was on that very planet, a man who, as far as Theo knew, could effortlessly overthrow a Guardian without breaking a sweat. There was also Asir standing firmly by the corridor, alongside ten thousand imperial guards stationed across key locations, twenty rapid-support vessels hovering in readiness, and thirty royal soul masters whose mere presence was enough to deter most threats...

And that wasn't even accounting for the planet itself, which had been reinforced with ten nascent space beast crystals so far. Those enhancements had already made it vastly stronger than before, allowing it to absorb greater quantities of energy while forming an additional protective layer around its core, a layer that pulsed faintly with defensive power.

This planet was anything but fragile. It was not something that could be casually destroyed. Even if an entire fleet launched a full-scale assault, its surface might suffer damage, scars might spread across its lands… but the planet itself would endure, its core remaining intact!

So just who could possibly—

"Do you mean space beasts?" Theo suddenly paused, realization dawning on him as he remembered that the gate was set to open today. "...aren't you worrying unnecessarily? This isn't the first time the gate has opened, and we've never mobilized an army on this scale before. This only happened because of your request, otherwise there would have been no real reason for such a deployment."

He frowned more deeply now, suspicion creeping into his voice, "...could it be that the Omen of Truth warned you that something unusual would occur when the corridor opens today?"

"Hmm? Of course not." Robin casually waved his hand a few times, his tone relaxed and almost dismissive, "If I had seen something like that, I would have canceled the entire operation without hesitation. I wouldn't take the risk of summoning even more soldiers into a potentially dangerous situation."

"...?" Theo's brows tightened further, his expression growing more serious, yet he chose to remain silent this time, waiting patiently for his father to continue speaking instead of interrupting again.

"Heh~" Robin let out a faint sigh, clearly feeling the weight of his son's doubtful gaze, "Look… I've discovered several very useful applications for space beast crystals, especially nascent space beasts." His eyes sharpened slightly as he looked directly into Theo's, "Take their use as stabilizers, for example. How many third-row commanders do we currently have who are in need of one? How many members of the Shadow Swords? How many imperial guards are waiting for such resources?"

"...a lot." Theo answered after a brief pause, his voice quieter now, his brows still drawn together. His heart had begun to beat faster as understanding slowly formed in his mind, the direction of his father's thoughts becoming clearer with each word.

"A lot indeed!" Robin emphasized with a small wave of his hand, "And how many nascent space beast crystals do we currently possess? A thousand? Perhaps eleven hundred at most? That number is nowhere near enough to meet our needs." His gaze shifted back toward the gate, his expression turning slightly more focused, "We need to increase these numbers quickly and steadily. This is no longer just a service we're providing to the Cosmic Elder… this has become a matter of life or death for us."

He continued without pause, "And even if we set the crystals aside, we've uncovered numerous uses for their bodies and flesh. What they can do to demon bodies alone is already more than enough justification!" His brows furrowed faintly, as if recalling something more, "And also…"

"And also what?" Theo asked calmly, though the curiosity in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Don't worry about it." Robin replied with a light smile, deliberately brushing the matter aside, "Just focus on what I asked you to do. Personally oversee the sales of the Cradle Empire and the Grave Empire in the coming period, just as we agreed… their names need to be associated with something beyond wars, something that shifts perception."

"..." Theo stared at his father's face for a few silent moments, carefully studying his expression, before finally nodding, "Understood."

It was obvious to him now that his father was planning something immense, something that could easily consume all of his attention if he chose to involve himself. That was precisely why he was being pushed away, why he was being given responsibilities elsewhere… to prevent his focus from being scattered.

As for the supposed danger to the planet? His father had only mentioned concern for the glass house, and realistically, that was the worst thing that could be affected even if the planet were somehow destroyed. At his current level, survival was not a concern. No matter what kind of catastrophe unfolded, he would remain alive, unharmed, and fully intact.

"I'll begin the procedures immediately." Theo rose to his feet, straightening his posture before offering a slight bow. Then he turned and walked forward with steady, composed, and respectful steps toward the edge of the cliff, his figure gradually moving away.

"Theo."

"Hmm?" The young man with long black hair paused mid-step, then turned his head slightly, casting one last glance back.

"That law… the Cosmic Silence…" Robin spoke with calm seriousness, his tone steady yet heavy with intent, "I don't want you to merely understand how it works and use it to adjust your foundations… that alone is not enough. I want you to dive deeper into it, to truly comprehend how every rune merges with every point, how each line interacts with the next… especially the segments between space and time, those fragile intersections that most never even perceive."

Then he continued, his voice growing noticeably heavier, as if each word carried unseen weight, "It is… a good opportunity, a rare opportunity… one that not many are fortunate enough to obtain, even if they spend their entire lives searching for it."

"...." Theo frowned slightly, confusion flickering in his eyes as he failed to fully grasp the deeper meaning behind those words, yet he did not question further. Instead, he nodded firmly, his resolve clear, "Understood."

As long as he had orders, he would execute them without hesitation.

Then whoosh his figure vanished the instant he reached the edge, his presence disappearing as he moved toward the space portal, already leaving the planet behind without a second glance.

"...." Robin remained standing there, his gaze fixed on the spot Theo had disappeared from, silent for a few seconds as if measuring something unseen. Then he exhaled slowly, a faint sigh escaping his lips, "Heeh~ I wonder if he'll reach spacetime… technically, I've already placed it within his grasp, handed it to him on a silver platter."

He paused briefly, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly, "Even the darkness… I left it there deliberately, to act as a filter. It separates time from space while exposing the exact points where they intersect, forcing clarity where there would otherwise be chaos."

Then, as if nothing significant had just been said, he returned to his quiet activity. He began placing the cards on the table one after another, carefully and methodically, aligning them in neat rows, their backs facing upward in perfect order. Each movement was precise, unhurried, almost ritualistic. When the final card touched the table, he stopped and simply stared at the spread in silence, his expression unreadable, "Hmm."

These playing cards had been purchased by one of the Shadow Swords from a nearby planet at Robin's request. Along with them came a small instruction booklet, a trivial guide explaining the basic rules of the game, something utterly mundane.

Under ordinary circumstances, they were nothing more than simple playing cards, cheaply produced beneath someone's staircase in a lowly mortal dwelling, objects of no value whatsoever.

Yet fate had twisted their path.

These cards had been used upon the laws of balance, creation, causality, spacetime, and the Eyes of Truth… and although that usage had been nothing more than cheating at first glance, it had been repeated countless times, sustained over a long period, layering effect upon effect until something far beyond their original nature had been created.

Playing cards?

Even the most precious treasures locked away within the vaults of the Behemoths could no longer compare to these cards now. They had been saturated with five of the fundamental laws upon which the universe itself stood… and despite that immeasurable value, Robin had never once considered selling them, not even as a passing thought.

...Robin continued to observe the cards for several silent seconds, his gaze steady and focused, before he slowly reached out and brushed his hand over them with deliberate gentleness. If Theo had been present, he would not have sensed anything unusual, not even the slightest fluctuation… but Robin himself had already entered a state of absolute concentration.

At that moment, every card trembled faintly, as if touched by an invisible breath, a subtle ripple passing through them like a whisper carried by a distant wind.

Then, "Fuu~" Robin exhaled softly, extending his hand once more toward the spread, his fingers hovering briefly before settling, "Alright… let's see what you have to say."

Without hesitation, he pulled a single card at random from the middle of the arrangement, his motion smooth and controlled, and flipped it over in one fluid movement.

The moment the image was revealed, his brows drew together slightly, the faintest shift betraying his reaction...

On the card, a crowned figure was depicted, fallen to one knee, his body barely supported by a massive sword planted into the ground to keep him from collapsing forward. His face was drained with exhaustion, streaked with blood that continued to drip, yet even in that state, there was a stubborn dignity about him, an unyielding pride that refused to break.

"...The Kneeling King." Robin murmured, his gaze lifting toward the corridor, his expression sharpening ever so slightly, "That's not a very good sign..."

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