"...Show the profits tab!" Robin raised his voice with a sharper edge this ti, as if trying to snap himself out of the lingering weight of those thoughts. Those nightmares-so similar to the harrowing visions he had witnessed back on the Specter Valley Planet... those terrifying, suffocating dreamscapes that painted for him a future overflowing with sorrow and loss.
Were they real? Were they genuine glimpses of a destiny that awaited him... or rely vague, distorted hints?
Or were they nothing more than chaotic, tangled dreams born from the relentless anxiety in his chest, the constant pressure of the looming war that shadowed every decision he made?
He didn't know, and he had no reason to sink deeper into that uncertainty... because no matter the truth, the correct response had to be the sa, unwavering answer:
Gain more power! More strength!! More leverage to push back against everything coming his way!!!
After ten years of launching the next wave of advancents, the entire structure of his plan was undoubtedly moving forward at full force. Every departnt, every system, every branch must already be operating like a machine at maximum capacity. Even if he personally stepped out to lend a hand, he knew he would barely influence anything at this stage.
But there was sothing valuable he could still provide-funding them with more Pearls, fueling their growth with overwhelming resources!
Nearly fifteen years ago, he had entrusted the fairy with selling a device capable of restoring its user's appearance to youth. And although countless devices and concoctions had been created over the years to tackle that problem, nothing had ever been crafted that was completely free of side effects -nothing that could display a flawless youthful form without pain, distortion, or discomfort.
Even if the device had been thrown into a vast ocean of similar ideas and inferior copies, there was no doubt at all that at least a handful of units must have been sold! It was too unique, too clean, too practical to be ignored entirely.
"At once!" The fairy, Timari, lifted one delicate finger, and above it materialized a floating window with a large number glowing at its center.
"...?!" Robin slowly opened his eyes wider as he examined the number, as if his brain needed extra ti to process what he was seeing but simply couldn't. "... Sothing's wrong. This can't be mine. Is this soone else's profit?"
"Of course not-" Timari covered her mouth with her hand and laughed softly. "These are your earnings from the last fifteen years."
"...?!" Robin's eyes widened to their absolute limit. "How? How is that even possible?"
The number displayed before him in that mont was: 67 billion Pearls!! "The Youth Reversion Device caused a huge commotion in the shop, naturally, Lord Human. The entire store practically exploded with excitent when people realized that the na of a Human had resurfaced once again. Everyone wanted to check what kind of war-changing machine you had forged this ti... After all, you, Lord Human, are well known for releasing talismans, arrays, and combat arts that directly or indirectly shift the course of war. So even gave you the title: Truth Chosen of War!
"...?!" Robin lifted his eyebrows even higher, baffled. He had a title like that?! When had that even happened?
"And that is exactly why, when people saw the device and read its details, they were stunned... This was the very first thing you ever published that had absolutely nothing to do with warfare!" Timari explained with enthusiasm. "Good... at least the title Truth Chosen of War should fade away now." Robin scratched his head with a small sigh of relief, feeling a rare mont of lightness.
"But-" Timari continued quickly, "soone pointed out that the device could flawlessly transform an old man's appearance, allowing him to infiltrate enemy fortresses with ease. And they claid that must have been your secret intention, which caused the entire device to beco the center of discussion all over again!"
"That loudmouthed bastard..." Robin muttered, finding himself cursing a man he had never t in his life.
"Even though we set a high price for the device-five thousand Pearls for the main unit-and set the cost of each injection dose at five hundred Pearls, with every single dose lasting a full ten years, everyone who even vaguely knew your na was naturally curious enough to try it for themselves. And indeed, as expected, a surprisingly large number of people imdiately purchased not only the device but also multiple doses alongside it, eager to experience its effects for themselves."
"...During the very first month alone, feedback began to pour in relentlessly. Buyers flooded us with their opinions, comnts, and reactions. Many stated outright that they had completely abandoned all other devices, talismans, or magical concoctions they had been using for years. According to them, the Youth Reversion Device was now unrivaled, without peer or competition. And from that mont onward, the true impact began to unfold... more than eight million people have purchased the device so far, and judging by the ongoing market trends, we fully expect that number to double in the near future!"
Timari clapped her hands together several tis, her voice full of excitent and her eyes sparkling with delight. "Congratulations, Lord Robin! Truly, you've surpassed expectations with this invention!"
"Eight million people purchased the device? That's roughly forty billion Pearls already, and if we consider that many of them bought more than one dose, then the total revenue might very well reach fifty billion Pearls or more..." Robin rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a full minute, his eyes narrowing as he processed the staggering figures. "This... this is absolutely astonishing!" He then lifted his eyes to et Timari's, a flicker of amusent mixed with astonishnt crossing his features. "But what about the remaining few billion Pearls? Where did they co from?"
"They are the combined revenue from your other products," Timari explained with a small, knowing smile. "A large portion cos from the Colonization Array, of course, but your martial arts have also begun generating substantial inco again. The market, however... has not been calm lately. There's been a noticeable surge in demand for your various creations."
Robin's brow furrowed, a trace of disbelief appearing on his face. "What kind of turbulent conditions could have developed to result in that kind of money in sales from my other products alone?"
Whether it was the Colonization Array, combat arts, or other specialized devices, all of Robin's creations primarily targeted the middle and upper classes -skilled cultivators, officers, and military elites. Therefore, even in tis of war, these products weren't expected to have any significant impact. No ruler, no emperor, would personally buy tens of thousands of martial arts manuals, energy restoration arrays, or healing devices for their armies. These were products that individuals purchased for themselves, to increase their own personal survivability and maintain an edge in tis of uncertainty.
Of course, Robin realized that he had slightly misjudged the reach of the Colonization Array... yet aside from that, his underlying theory remained sound. It was, in principle, impossible for such items to be used in large-scale warfare
effectively.
Which ant one undeniable truth: countless individuals were now emptying their pockets, gathering Pearls, and acquiring every available device simply to strengthen themselves, driven by fear of sothing. Fear that lood unseen but ever-present, prompting them to prepare for an unknown threat. "...Lord Robin," Timari's voice interrupted his thoughts, a hint of hesitation creeping in, "would you like to provide you with the latest cosmic news now? I should warn you, though-if you wish to receive a full and comprehensive report, it will take up a significant amount of your ti." Robin's gaze dropped, his mind suddenly quiet, his curiosity and questions montarily stilled. After a mont, he shook his head slowly, his expression calm yet firm. "No. Occupying my mind with what's happening out there won't benefit or harm in any aningful way. If sothing truly requires my attention, it will reach here, regardless."
He waved his hand lightly, a gesture that cut off the discussion before it could
go further. "Are there any new missions waiting in the Truth Chamber? ...Or perhaps any ssages directed to ?"
He asked the questions as he began to prepare for departure, his movents
composed and deliberate. Fifteen years of absence might not have been enough for missions to accumulate in any aningful way, and he knew there likely wouldn't be any ssages at all-he had deliberately severed nearly all forms of external communication long ago.
"There are, indeed, many new missions, Lord Human," Timari confird, her voice tinged with excitent. "After the Youth Reversion Device reminded the public of your presence, we were able to collect more than one hundred new missions specifically tailored to your preferred style and thods." She paused for a brief mont, her expression thoughtful, before continuing, "Additionally, there are a few ssages that have arrived just for you, all waiting for so
ti."
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