Published at 31st of August 2026 8:15 am

Chapter 2362: Crossroads

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"Heh~" A mocking smile slowly spread across Sevar’s face as he looked directly into Qarun’s eyes, showing neither anger nor contempt, only an almost effortless amusement.

Even after everything they had just discussed, Qarun had once again insisted that he had resorted to those dirty methods to obtain his Master Laws for the Master’s sake, despite knowing with absolute certainty that the Master himself would have rejected such methods without the slightest hesitation.

But none of this came as a surprise to Sevar.

They had spoken many times over the years. He had quietly investigated Qarun’s past until he learned everything about his childhood...

...and understood him far better than Qarun himself seemed to.

Anyone who looked only at the honorable history of the child Qarun would inevitably be moved to tears and see him as nothing less than a genuine hero whose every action deserved admiration.

But someone who first observed the man Qarun had become throughout his life, carefully studied his personality and the consistent way he approached every situation, and only then turned back to examine the actions of that same child...

...would begin noticing countless details hidden beneath the surface that most people would never think to question.

Helping the oppressed humans?

Qarun had deliberately kept them divided into isolated groups scattered throughout the city, even though a child possessing his intelligence, resourcefulness, and remarkable foresight could easily have gathered them together and smuggled them out of the city altogether.

Giving them food?

Examining Qarun’s numerous operations revealed that he had accumulated far more food and resources than he had ever distributed among them, meaning he almost certainly possessed the ability to feed them far more generously than by bringing them a single feast once every month.

Even the very act of providing the food for free?

It filled them with gratitude toward him.

It made them look upon him almost as though he were a god.

It made them willing to fight and die for him should the need ever arise.

But at the very same time, it also taught them dependence, gradually robbing them of the habit of thinking for themselves as they simply remained where they were, waiting for the next meal to arrive instead of seeking a better future with their own hands.

The truth was that after Qarun departed to carry out his mission, he never once asked about them again.

Meanwhile, they eventually began acting in pursuit of their own interests and gradually secured better positions for themselves.

Yes, they became servants and laborers...

...but that was still infinitely preferable to starving to death inside some forgotten alleyway.

Was it difficult to believe that a five-year-old child could have intentionally planned something like this?

Perhaps.

But the methods he employed later in life were not particularly different from that same pattern...

The Star Academies kept the Plague suppressed just enough for intelligent life to continue existing throughout the sector, yet they never truly attempted to eradicate it altogether.

Meanwhile, Qarun steadily amassed wealth, stockpiled weapons, and expanded his influence with every passing year.

The condition of everyone under his care gradually worsened...

...while he himself continued growing stronger, richer, and increasingly influential.

Long ago, Sevar had stepped away from the Seer’s mission after the Weaver revealed the truth to him, abandoning his war against the Behemoths before ultimately completing his assignment in an entirely different manner.

His mission had been to bring down a particular Centennial Empire.

Instead, he simply ordered that Empire’s Emperor to activate a Planetary Displacement Device and relocate the imperial capital to a designated starfield whose coordinates lay at the very bottom of the sector.

Thus...

...the Empire had technically been brought down.

From a purely technical standpoint, he had completed the mission exactly as instructed.

But he had done so in a manner that infuriated the Seer beyond measure.

During that same period, Qarun reached out to him.

In truth, he had been trying to steer Sevar back onto his original path.

He knew Sevar was a candidate, and he knew perfectly well that this course of action would greatly anger the Master.

So he deliberately presented himself as a kind-hearted elder brother offering nothing but sincere advice for Sevar’s own benefit.

But Sevar confronted him with several uncomfortable truths and bluntly told him to leave him alone, deeply resentful that Qarun had never lifted a finger to help him when it actually mattered, only to later return and behave as though he were some wise and caring older brother.

Oddly enough, Qarun returned sometime later and proposed that the two of them cooperate instead.

Working alongside the Syndicate, they devised several methods through which they could earn enormous amounts of wealth together...

...just like a pair of brothers.

From that moment onward, Sevar deliberately took a step back.

He accepted Qarun’s proposals because they were genuinely excellent ideas that benefited everyone involved.

But he never again made any effort to become any closer to him than absolutely necessary.

"...What exactly are you laughing at?" Qarun’s sharp brows drew tightly together, his irritation becoming increasingly difficult to conceal. "Has defending the universe become nothing more than a joke in your eyes? At the very least, I’m actually trying."

"Tsk, tsk~ Just as I expected from you, big brother." Sevar slowly shook his head with a faint smile. "Your mind is razor-sharp whenever it concerns something you personally want, yet you’ll never acknowledge your true motivations. Everything you do is always for someone else... always for the greater good, isn’t it? Because if you ever stopped for even a single moment and honestly looked at the ugliness of your own actions without hiding behind noble excuses, you wouldn’t keep acting as though you stood upon some moral high ground above me. You’d realize that you’re holding back the universe’s progress every bit as much as I am... perhaps even more."

"I’m not contacting you to exchange insults, but to coordinate." Qarun furrowed his brows, his expression remaining stern as he looked directly at Sevar. "I’ve decided to take action as an official protest against the Master’s support of his candidate in this manner. Do you intend to participate as well?"

"Hmm, of course I’ll participate, whether you want me to or not. That boy’s mission is to destroy me, after all." Sevar answered with a faint smile before slowly shaking his head. "But I’ll do it my own way, when I see the time is right."

"You’re only making things harder for both of us." One of Qarun’s brows twitched in irritation. "If you use Causality while I use my own abilities to construct a projection of future events and map out the possible outcomes, the two methods will inevitably interfere with one another and create contradictions."

"Anything would be better than working together with you." Sevar replied calmly, without the slightest hint of hesitation. "What is it this time? Am I supposed to become the face of all your dirty work while you remain safely behind me handing out advice and instructions? Keep all of that to yourself. Go ahead, take the lead yourself and deal with it however you see fit."

"....." Qarun slowly raised his head, his expression turning unexpectedly calm. "Remember those words."

Hummm...

The golden portal gradually closed, its brilliant radiance disappearing as though the conversation had never taken place.

"Finally..." Marlik stepped out from the darkness with both arms folded over the hilts of his swords, visible annoyance covering every inch of his face. "I honestly thought that conversation would never end."

Then he nodded respectfully toward Sevar before speaking again. "Thank you, Sir, for refusing to cooperate with him. That refined little brat wasn’t going to do anything anyway. We’re the ones who’ll take action, and we’re the ones who’ll set things right in B-14. He would’ve done nothing except stand there watching everything unfold from a distance."

Hearing those words, Sevar remained silent for several moments, his gaze fixed ahead as though weighing something in his mind, before finally opening his mouth once more.

"...No. We won’t be setting anything right for the time being."

"What are you saying, Sir?" Marlik’s smile immediately turned into one of stunned disbelief. "He’s openly attacking the Patrons’ forces, and he even threatened you directly without the slightest restraint. How can we possibly remain silent after something like that?!"

The humiliating memories of his brief battle against Robin Burton replayed vividly before his eyes once again, every exchange and every overwhelming moment returning with painful clarity, causing the frustration buried inside him to surge back to the surface.

"...Something isn’t right." Sevar spoke in a calm, measured tone, completely ignoring Marlik’s rising emotions. "Robin’s rate of growth is abnormal. I watched the thread between us change from something that was barely visible and almost laughably insignificant into a chain capable of dragging entire planets... and now, after my latest attempt... his thread has disappeared completely." He lowered his eyes and stared intently at the ground beneath him. "Forget about The Unbound for the moment. Robin himself isn’t a normal candidate."

Then he turned to look directly at Marlik.

"Didn’t you say he used Space-Time and Balance during your battle? That’s on top of Truth. That combination alone already places him on equal footing with that refined fellow... and Robin isn’t even a thousand years old yet! Compared to beings who have cultivated for countless ages, that amount of time is practically insignificant."

His eyes narrowed slightly as a thoughtful look appeared within them.

"And who knows..."

"...what else he’s still hiding?"

"...Your orders?" Marlik asked through clenched teeth, feeling as though he wanted to scream from the frustration and rage building relentlessly inside his chest, yet forcing himself to suppress every bit of it while waiting for Sevar’s command.

"Support. Observe. Analyze," Sevar replied in the same calm, unwavering tone, showing no intention whatsoever of acting rashly. "...until I weave a suitable plan."

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