"Lord Burton," Althera tilted her head slightly, her voice calm but cutting, "I understand that the Cosmic Elder was the one who recommended you to us. But as far as I know, that was merely to repay a debt and to sever the threads of fate that once bound you two, wasn't it?"

"That's correct," Robin nodded lightly, his expression unreadable.

"Then what makes you think he'll even acknowledge your name when he hears it—while he's refused us, the heads of the academies, even when we warned him that the entire universe might be collapsing due to the spreading rumors?" Althera's tone hardened, and her brows knit sharply. "I said it before, and I'll say it again... you overestimate yourself, Lord Burton."

"Just do it," Robin's expression twisted, his tone cold and absolute. "You have nothing to lose at this point. Your world is falling apart from every direction, and you're hesitating over my request?" His words struck like cold steel. "Simply give him my name—tell him I have something valuable for him."

"...." Althera stared into Robin's eyes for several long seconds. She wanted to retort, to slice his arrogance apart with words, but she restrained herself. Instead, she decided to let him see the futility of his pride for himself.

Whoosh

A crystalline shell shimmered into existence on the desk before Robin, glowing with a soft azure light. Althera placed her palm upon it, channeling a thread of power through the crystal. The energy pulsed outward like a silent ripple—and Robin shuddered slightly, sensing the alien force moving through the air.

Then, Althera spoke aloud, her voice reverent but steady:

"Honored Cosmic Elder, this is Althera speaking. I have Lord Robin Burton with me. He wishes to meet with you—he says he bears something of great value for you."

When she finished, she withdrew her hand, cutting the flow of energy. The room fell silent again.

"..."

"....."

"...Now what?" Robin finally spoke after nearly a minute of silence, his tone edged with impatience. "Are we expecting an answer now or something?"

"No," Althera sighed softly. "The Cosmic Elder doesn't usually reply directly. If he grants permission—or wishes to summon one of us—he simply opens a gate. It could happen instantly... or take minutes, days, even years. You know how it is; all of us have tried reaching him, yet none succeeded. Perhaps the signal hasn't reached him yet."

"...Heh~" Robin could see it now—the smug, almost mocking smile curving Althera's lips. She clearly didn't expect any reply; she just wanted to watch him wait, to see his confidence crumble little by little.

"Forget it," she added lightly, turning toward another pile of papers on her desk. "There's another matter I wanted to discuss. First, we shoul—"

Bzzzt!

A bright door of light erupted open within the room—a rectangular portal, glowing steadily like a window to another plane. Its dimensions were no larger than a human door, yet it emanated an eerie stability that made the air itself tremble.

Robin froze. This was unlike anything he had ever seen. Even his vast mastery over spatial laws could not sense the usual distortions that accompanied such openings.

"Impossible!" Althera shot to her feet, her eyes wide in disbelief. "This—this is the Cosmic Elder's permission!" She turned sharply toward Robin, stunned. "This is the—"

But she stopped mid-sentence.

Because Robin was already looking at her with a grin stretching from ear to ear, his eyes narrowed with triumph. Never in her life had she seen a smile more provoking, more unbearable.

"...We still don't know if it's truly because of you," she snapped defensively. "It could be a coincidence."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," Robin replied casually, placing his hands behind his back as he began walking toward the glowing door. "Let's go see how the dead old man is doing."

Whoosh!

"...." Althera exhaled deeply, a long breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

------------------------

Bzzzt!

Robin took two steps forward—and the world around him changed completely. Just a moment ago, he had been standing in a dim, enclosed chamber; now, he found himself upon a vast, radiant shoreline. The sand was pale and shimmering, and the sound of waves filled the air like a song of peace and memory.

Bzzzt!

A ripple shimmered behind him—Althera appeared beside him, scanning the horizon with alert eyes.

"Where is he? Where is the Cosmic Elder Zolan?" she asked, stepping forward, her senses spread wide.

Robin remained silent, turning slowly, his immense soul perception stretching far into the endless blue expanse. Then, after a few moments, he raised his hand and pointed toward the ocean.

"He's floating on a small boat—about seven hundred kilometers in that direction."

"What?!" Althera gasped, eyes wide in disbelief, before vanishing in a flash of blue light.

Bzzzt!

The portal shimmered again.

"Oh... what a magnificent place," the voice said softly.

"Indeed," another voice followed, deeper and more deliberate, "but doesn't it feel as though the very Laws of this realm are… twisted?"

"Hmm?" Robin turned sharply, irritation flickering across his face—then froze. Standing behind him were Jabba and Shaddad, both staring around the luminous coastline like tourists.

"What the hell are you two doing here?!" Robin nearly shouted.

"Oh, but you said 'let's go,' didn't you?" Shaddad scratched his head, his expression as innocent as a child caught stealing sweets. "We assumed you meant all of us."

"Never mind," Jabba sighed heavily, turning away. "Let's go back, little brother. The master clearly doesn't want us interfering in his divine meeting."

But when he turned toward the portal, its shimmering light was already fading into nothingness. The air rippled once—then silence.

"Eh? It's... gone?" Jabba blinked twice, confused.

"Tsk~" Robin clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Fine. Stay here, both of you. Just keep quiet while I handle this. When I'm done with the mummy, we'll all leave together."

His voice dropped to a tense whisper. "...Just pray he doesn't lose his mind again and repeat what he did last time..."

Jabba tilted his head, puzzled. "What did you say, Master? Repeat what?"

Robin exhaled through his nose, his steps slow and deliberate as he descended from the spatial gate's platform.

"That man you're about to meet," he said quietly, "once tried to erase my energy gathering center—my entire soul domain—just to teach me a new Law. Forcefully. But something went wrong... and I survived. Barely."

He didn't mention the sudden appearance of the cosmic balance that day—or the punishment that struck the Elder like divine retribution. That secret wasn't something even he fully understood yet.

"Something like that actually happened?" Shaddad followed behind him, his brow furrowed. "Then why come here? Why meet someone who tried to destroy you?"

For him, the idea was unthinkable. To touch another's cultivation was a sin beyond forgiveness—a declaration of eternal war.

"...I don't know," Robin replied after a pause, rubbing the back of his neck. His tone softened. "When I thought about a universe without him... something inside me panicked. The first thing I could think of was coming here—to see him, to understand, maybe even to help." He let out a short, almost bitter laugh. "It's strange, realizing your fate is somehow chained to the life and death of someone who once tried to end you."

Shhhhhhhhhhh—

A distant sound rose over the rhythmic whisper of the sea. Robin's expression hardened instantly; his eyes turned toward the horizon, his senses expanding like a storm.

"He's coming," he said quietly.

Far out across the glittering expanse, a small boat raced toward them, slicing through the turquoise waters. The one pushing it—Althera—was nearly frantic, her body tense, her energy flaring violently as she forced the vessel forward with all her strength.

And there, sitting motionless in the boat, was a figure so frail that even the ocean breeze seemed strong enough to scatter him. The sun had scorched his skin into a leathery bronze, stretched thin across bones that jutted sharply beneath. His ribs were visible, his heart's faint rhythm trembling just beneath the surface. A ragged blindfold covered his hollow eyes. He had only one arm—and one leg.

He was a ghost of life, a ruin of what once must have been a being of immeasurable power.

Anyone else who saw him lying by the roadside would have left a crust of bread out of pity and turned away to spare their mind the ache of such misery.

But Robin could not look away.

To him, this was no crippled old man.

This was the being upon whom the entire fate of the cosmos now rested.

Shhhhh... tchhhh...

The boat slowed as it neared the shore, gliding to a stop upon the sand.

Then, the frail old man turned his head toward Robin. The corners of his toothless mouth curved upward into the faintest of smiles, and he raised his single arm in greeting—his voice weak but clear, carrying across the gentle surf: "Yo~"

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