Ooooom...
A vast, shimring wall of water erupted from the tranquil stream, stretching high into the air until it ford a towering, translucent surface that glimred like a liquid crystal. Its surface rippled gently, reflecting the ambient light in dancing patterns, as if the water itself were alive, breathing, and aware.
At the base, tiny pebbles scattered along the streambed began to tremble, quivering like they had a mind of their own. Gradually, they lifted into the air, rising slowly, gracefully, and aligning themselves on the sheer surface of the water. Each pebble found its place with ticulous precision, arranging into letters, symbols, and finally words that glowed faintly with a mystical light. The water wall was no longer just a surface-it had beco a living ssage, a vast, flowing display of intelligence, knowledge, and opportunity.
"This is...?" Robin's eyes widened in awe and disbelief as he stared at the massive aquatic structure. Before him now were the missions of the Chamber of Truth, flowing down the wall like a river of light. Each mission was displayed in perfect order: the most valuable at the top, descending step by step to the least rewarding at the bottom. The hierarchy of bounties shimred clearly, each glowing inscription highlighting the rewards in Pearls, radiating their importance like a beacon to those who dared accept them.
The last ti Robin had been here, centuries ago, there were only a few hundred missions scattered across the wall. The highest bounty among them had been 375 million Pearls, which had been considered astronomical at the ti, a reward worthy of a legendary master.
But now... the scale had grown incomprehensibly. The wall shimred and quivered, revealing nearly a thousand missions, each one larger, brighter, and more valuable than the last. At the very top, the pinnacle of all offerings, glead a mission worth 3.25 billion Pearls-nearly ten tis what the largest mission had once been. The magnitude of the reward alone was enough to make the heart race, even for soone like Robin.
"Your star has risen once again, Lord Human, Temari said with a tone that mixed pride and excitent, her tiny wings fluttering rapidly as she circled the wall of water like a living halo of golden light. "The Colonize the Uncolonizable array you created has beco a phenonon across realms. I may have... subtly reminded the people that this array was crafted by you, through the Chamber of Truth itself. Naturally, I also let it slip that you now accept only the highest-paying, most prestigious requests."
She twirled in midair, trailing a sparkling ribbon of light behind her. "And as you can see, the results speak for themselves. A fresh wave of missions poured in, flowing from across the galaxies. So-yes, so-co from the ruling elites of the so-called Behemoth galaxies themselves!"
Robin's eyebrows shot up in shock. "Behemoths sent missions themselves?!" Temari let out a light, tinkling laugh and waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, heavens no! Not the Behemoths personally, of course. But their elite underlings who are capable of offering such massive rewards. If they can stake this much money as a prize, you can be certain they command unimaginable power."
Robin's gaze fixed firmly on the wall, his hand lifting slowly as he hovered over the topmost mission. The water rippled beneath his touch as the mission details unfolded before him like a glowing holographic scroll:
"Seeking a technique or artifact capable of slowing down the cumulative damage inflicted upon the body by prolonged use of Ti Chambers."
Robin's brow furrowed imdiately. This mission was no simple favor, no polite request ant to curry influence or earn gratitude. The request was serious, technical, and urgent. And the bounty? Generous, but he could easily demand more. Much more, in fact.
Ti Chambers -sotis called Temporal Acceleration arrays, or by other nas depending on the realm- were designed around the sa principle: creating a sealed capsule around a person's body, a space in which the Law of Ti flowed at a dramatically accelerated rate. Days could pass in hours, years in a single breath, and centuries in re monts. Within such capsules, a person could master skills, absorb knowledge, and train at a pace impossible in the outside world.
The acceleration itself was not inherently dangerous; those who used Ti Chambers were often experienced masters with millennia of life left to them.
The danger ca upon exit.
Once a person left the chamber, the effects of the accelerated ti violently clashed with the flow of the primary tiline. Their body, mind, and soul, having aged or experienced far more than the universe intended for that duration, suddenly collided with the natural flow of ti.
The physical and ntal age no longer matched the environnt. Pain, fatigue, and temporal shock struck imdiately. The body would groan under the pressure, muscles, bones, and organs rebelling as they struggled to recalibrate. The mind, overloaded by decades or centuries of experience, could falter, faint, or even lose fragnts of mory temporarily.
Short sessions often caused little more than mild discomfort. Hours inside could leave a person with searing headaches, joint aches, or fatigue imdiately upon leaving the formation. Repeated use accelerated the aging of certain organs unevenly, causing long-term deterioration.
And for those bold-or reckless-enough to remain inside for weeks, legends described the consequences as near-catastrophic. When the formation was dispelled, the body felt as though it were crushed under a pressure far beyond normal limits. The exhaustion coursed through every fiber of their being, often inducing fainting, convulsions, or a sense of drowning, as if pulled from the ocean's deepest abyss and hurled into the blazing sun above. Every heartbeat felt as though it carried the weight of centuries, every breath a battle against forces beyond comprehension.
But what about those who spend even longer inside the chambers? Months, perhaps? Or those who accelerate ti a hundredfold, stretching years into re hours? Such users often suffer permanent, irreversible damage-injuries inflicted directly by the Law of Ti itself.
These aren't ordinary wounds that can heal with rest or dical skill; they are temporal scars, disruptions to the very fabric of one's being. Healing them requires laws of equivalent level, such as the Fundantal Law of Life, and even then, such laws are incredibly rare, precious beyond asure, and almost impossible to acquire. The higher the level of temporal distortion, the more extraordinary the redy must be.
Ti Chambers were considered the most prized and critical commodity of the Behemoth of Ti, theoretically the most essential resource in the galaxy. In truth, however, only a select few Behemoth galaxies and Millennial Empires had actually purchased such chambers. The majority of Ti Chambers were used sparingly: to accelerate recovery from injuries, to hasten the assimilation of techniques, or to prepare for an imminent event with unparalleled speed.
Typically, ti acceleration was capped at tenfold and used for no more than a week or two, making the chambers largely impractical for extended use. In effect, they were more ornantal than functional-luxuries and symbols of prestige. Like precious gems, they were ant to be displayed in royal treasuries. Behemoths and the affluent rulers of Millennial Empires loved to boast of owning them... but in practice, they contributed little to real power or
efficiency.
"Hmmm..." Robin murmured thoughtfully, rubbing his forehead while a faint smile spread across his face. "No one will truly care about this problem except the Sand of Ti Galaxy. If they can find even a partial solution, their sales and influence will skyrocket across multiple sectors." He tapped twice on the water wall, the sound echoing faintly as the missions shimred in response. "Even if this request is only for a thod to delay the onset of symptoms, rather than a complete cure... 3.25 billion Pearls? If I create exactly what they want, they could easily make ten tis that amount without even trying."
He sank into a reflective silence, his mind tracing possibilities and probabilities. "...I'm already on my destined path toward confrontation with the Intiras Galaxy. Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to establish a positive relationship with another Behemoth galaxy in the anti." He looked upward and waved decisively, the water wall shimring with a ripple of light. "Very well. I will accept it."
Turning toward Temari, he added firmly, "Fairy, rember this-when I deliver
the solution later, you must tell the requester that I could provide even more effective solutions if they are willing to pay more. Make sure they understand that. Do you follow ?"
The mission itself was deliberately vague. It did not specify the exact artifact,
technique, or thod required, nor did it indicate the desired degree of symptom delay. Even a modest solution that postponed the effects for a few hours would technically fulfill the assignnt-though Robin knew he could easily exceed expectations and create sothing far more valuable. "Registered!" Temari exclaid, raising a tiny finger in confirmation, her wings fluttering with excitent.
"Good. Next!" Robin said, beginning to open the highest missions one by one. Although none of the subsequent missions had the imdiate allure or audacity of the first, each was undeniably more challenging, requiring greater ingenuity, skill, and resources. He even rejected one, instructing Temari to demand a higher reward from its requester.
After carefully selecting ten missions, he waved his hand, and the remaining inscriptions shimred faintly. "That's enough for now. I'll choose the next batch after I complete these."
"Why ten, Lord Human? Why not tackle them one by one? You're here to work
anyway" Temari asked, tilting her head curiously.
A broad, mischievous smile spread across Robin's face. "Hehe... not this ti. I have a new pen I want to try, and I intend to savor the process."
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