Tearrrrr!
A tear split through the very fabric of space, and from it erged a lone figure. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he moved with an air of effortless confidence. Draped in an immaculate white and gold robe, he exuded an almost regal presence. His lips curled into a subtle, knowing smile—one that spoke of authority, control, and certainty.
However, that confidence wavered almost imdiately as his gaze swept across his surroundings. The smile that once hinted at self-assurance faded gradually, replaced by an expression of growing concern.
Eventually, his features settled into a deep, contemplative frown.
This place…
By all rights, this land should have been a tranquil mountain range, untouched by civilization. A haven for wild beasts and small animals, isolated from the interference of intelligent beings. A place of unspoiled purity, where nature reigned supre.
And yet…
The scene before him bore no resemblance to what it was supposed to be.
The ground here had inexplicably sunk, creating a massive depression that stood in stark contrast to the surrounding landscape. It was as if sothing had devoured the earth itself, leaving behind nothing but a barren wasteland. Not a single tree stood in sight—not even the smallest sprout of grass managed to take root in this forsaken soil.
The very ground beneath his feet was stained black, not in the way that fertile soil might appear, but as if it had been burned relentlessly for a thousand years. There was no sign of life—no buzzing of insects, no scurrying of creatures beneath the surface. Even the simplest forms of life, such as worms or bacteria, had been erased entirely from existence for tens of ters below.
It was an absolute demise.
Wzzz~
At that mont, Robin finally heard sothing—a faint buzzing sound breaking the eerie silence. His sharp eyes locked onto the approaching creature: an insect, roughly the size of a clenched fist, its black carapace reflecting what little light managed to reach this cursed land. Its elongated tail ended in a razor-sharp blade, an unmistakable indicator of its predatory nature.
This was an aggressive species—one that would attack on instinct the mont it sensed an intruder. It was wired for survival, for dominance.
But then—
Shhhh~
Before Robin's very eyes, the insect disintegrated.
It didn't burst into flas. It wasn't struck down by any external force. Instead, its body simply crumbled into fine ash, dispersing into the wind like dust in the wake of ti. It happened slowly, agonizingly, as if the very fabric of its existence was being unraveled, atom by atom.
Robin's brows furrowed as he observed the unsettling phenonon. It wasn't just about what he saw—he could feel it now.
A force.
Sothing invisible, intangible, yet undeniably present. It was gnawing at him, clawing at his very being, trying to erode him just as it had everything else in this place.
It was too weak to harm him— his sheer power rendered him immune to its imdiate effects. But the fact that it was there, the fact that he could sense it, ant that sothing was very, very wrong.
This was Planet Nihari.
The site of the Dark Shadow's infamous attack on Holak.
Robin exhaled slowly, his gaze sweeping over the desolation that stretched endlessly before him.
"Fifth-Stage of the Minor Law of Ashification…" he muttered under his breath.
Months had passed since the Three Shadows made their terrifying appearance, yet the land had failed to recover. The damage left in their wake remained, untouched, untad.
A silent testant to the sheer scale of destruction they had unleashed.
Any ordinary person, beast, or even soldier who was not at least as strong as a Saint would perish instantly upon stepping foot in this cursed land.
(The issue isn't just the Minor Law of Ashification itself, my Owner,) Evergreen's voice echoed within Robin's soul domain, her tone tinged with urgency. (It's the fact that it reached the fifth stage.)
A heavy pause.
(There is a strict restriction on planets within the Young Belt regarding the intensity of natural laws. A fifth-stage law should never have appeared here in the first place. Had this attack taken place in the Middle Belt, the planet's existing laws would have balanced it out. They would have neutralized the Ashification process, just like any other law. But here? That safeguard doesn't exist.)
She continued, her explanation laced with concern.
(To put it in simpler terms, imagine this fifth-stage law zone as an active volcano beneath the ocean. In most cases, water would easily extinguish fire. But if the volcano becos powerful enough, if it reaches a certain threshold of suppression, even the entire ocean would be unable to stop it from erupting.)
Robin's expression darkened. "You're saying that the Minor Law of Ashification here has sohow beco superior to all other laws on Planet Nihari? That nothing can counteract it?"
Evergreen remained silent for a mont before answering.
(That's exactly what I'm saying.)
A long breath escaped Robin's lips. "That's… bad. Very bad."
His fingers instinctively curled into fists. He felt it—the way the ground beneath him was still weakening, deteriorating, collapsing. This wasn't just a past event—it was ongoing.
The Shadow's attack had not been a re act of destruction. It had been a deliberate, calculated move to fundantally change the planet's ecosystem— to alter its very laws.
His voice grew heavier.
"There are three such zones across this planet, and on top of that, there's the Sea of Lava, overflowing with Ashification energy."
He clenched his jaw.
"What happens if this doesn't stop? What if, over ti, these zones begin to spread—begin to consu the entire planet?"
(There's no need to overthink this. You can find dozens of active volcanoes beneath the ocean—neither can the water extinguish them, nor can the volcanoes evaporate the water.) Evergreen spoke in a calm, asured tone. (Although the Minor Law of Ashification is of a higher stage, it remains contained. It will stay active for a long ti—perhaps thousands or even tens of thousands of years. After that, it will eventually fade away on its own.)
"...."
Robin furrowed his brows tightly. Tens of thousands of years with those four deadly zones still present?
No wonder intervention from the higher belts was forbidden—just the re shadow of a figure from that level had almost destroyed this planet.
He sighed, feeling a rare sense of helplessness before pushing the thought aside. Slowly, he began to ascend, then moved in a specific direction.
"...I still believe the Rulemaker should have been harsher on those who attempt to play gas with his words."
(He wants you, Young Belt dweller, to be more vicious. He wants you to take your own justice, by your own hands.) Evergreen chuckled. (And honestly? I don't think the day when you can exact your revenge is that far off.)
"Revenge? On that impatient woman?!"
Robin couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it.
"This has nothing to do with ! I was the one who interfered in her affairs, not the other way around. And all of it... was for the sake of the All-Seeing God— the one who hasn't even acknowledged my efforts until now! I never expected anything from him, but would a simple 'thank you' have been too much to ask? Whatever. What's done is done. I kept my promise, and now my ties to him are severed."
(Do you really think he'll just let you go that easily?) Evergreen's voice carried a hint of concern. (You are an irreplaceable subordinate, Robin…)
Despite having never t this All-Seeing God herself, nor witnessed any of his interactions with Robin, she still recognized one undeniable truth—he was an Overlord.
And what kind of Supre Lord would willingly allow a planetary empire of this scale to slip out of his grasp?
Robin's expression darkened. "I was never his subordinate!" he snapped, clearly irritated.
"Second, he explicitly told that once I defended Nihari and prevented the invaders from taking even a single energy pearl, my debt to him would be repaid in full. That was the deal."
He exhaled sharply before continuing.
"I didn't just stop them from taking the energy pearls—I conquered their entire empire for myself! What more could he possibly want from ? There's no way he's that shaless."
Baah!
Robin landed at the entrance of a cave, carved into the largest mountain in the area. Without hesitation, he stepped inside.
Evergreen remained silent for a mont before speaking again.
(Hmm… Didn't Pythor say that other planetary empires would co seeking revenge? And now that you've angered that woman, hasn't that just confird his warning? What if the Seer tells you that fighting against these new invaders is also part of your mission?)
She let the thought linger before adding, (They're still the subordinates of his old rival, after all. If they manage to take the energy pearls from Nihari, everything you did to Pythor would be rendered aningless.)
"....I can definitely see him saying sothing like that," Robin admitted with a bitter laugh.
"But he won't ask directly. He knows I have to fight now— I have no choice but to defend my empire. So he'll just stay silent and pretend he has nothing to do with it… Aaah~ that bastard. Sohow, I've ended up as his agent in the Young Planetary Belt—fighting his battles in exchange for him saving my life. I'm actively destroying the infrastructure of his enemy, yet I haven't received so much as a single reward in return. Is that fair?!"
(What greater reward is there than your life?) Evergreen countered, her voice laced with amusent. (If not for him, you'd be nothing more than a pile of bones buried in the dirt by now.)
"....I suppose you have a point," Robin admitted, rubbing the back of his head, looking almost embarrassed.
"Let's see how long he keeps taking advantage of this favor."
He suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Raising his hand slightly, he summoned a small fla.
Fwoosh!
The fire flickered brilliantly in his palm, casting long, dancing shadows along the cave walls.
Then, with a wide smile spreading across his face, he declared—
"We're here… The Library of the Second Heaven's Chosen."
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