Thump!
Morganaâs frozen heart beat violentlyâeach pulse echoing through her chest like a hammer against ice.
The feeling was foreign to her. She stood there, paralyzed, unsure of what to say or even how to breathe. The world around her seemed to blur for a moment, as if her own senses could not decide whether to fight or surrender to the strange warmth rising inside her.
"My promise to you has now been fulfilled."
Robinâs voice sliced through the silence with a calm authority that carried weight far beyond the simple words. He clasped his hands behind his back and continued, his face composed and expression. "You once said that your purpose in life was to continue liberating the specter farmsâthat it was the very reason you still draw breath. I agreed to help you with that. But if you intend to pursue this goal while being under my command, then you must rely on this necklace."
He gestured subtly toward her chest. "This black chain is no ordinary ornament. It holds the ability to absorb and preserve soul force. When your soul domain reaches its full capacity, I want you to channel part of that force into the necklace and continue absorbing as usual. Think of it as an extension of your soul. Keep it filled at all times, for an empty chain means a wasted opportunity."
Then his tone deepened, more instructive. "Now, the black side of the pendantâthatâs where the true magic lies. It serves as a converter, a bridge between soul force and natural energy. In essence, it deceives the cosmic laws into believing that the power driving them is natural energy, not soul force. This illusion allows you, a powerful soul master, to manipulate the laws of nature directly through your own essence rather than struggling through the tedious training of the energy system from scratch."
"Impossible!!"
Morgana gasped, her shock shattering her usual composure. She grabbed the necklace with trembling fingers, examining every curve, every rune etched into the metal. "Thereâs... something like this in existence?! This shouldnât be possible!"
Robin smiled faintly, a hint of exhaustion and pride in his eyes. "I spent decades of my lifeâdecadesâperfecting this concept, building it piece by piece, for
your
sake. Itâs not a mere artifact; itâs a revolution. If this design were ever revealed at an intergalactic auction, the universe would spiral into chaos. Every soul master, every researcher, every empire that hungers for dominance would chase me to the edge of creation."
"..." Morgana remained speechless for a moment, her mind racing to process his words. If what he said was true, then the necklace was beyond any imaginable value. With this, her strength would not just increaseâit would ascend to an entirely new realm.
She drew in a sharp breath and asked quickly, "Then what about the red half of the pendant?"
Robinâs lips curved faintly as he extended a finger toward the crimson side. "That part holds engraved runes of the Master Law of Creationâancient symbols capable of responding to soul force through the converter built into your necklace. When activated, they grant you the power to alter your outer appearance, to manipulate even your aura. The transformation wonât merely let you shift your age as you did before; it will allow you to assume
any
form your imagination can construct. Your beauty, your presence, your identityâeverything can be reshaped at will."
"The M- Master Law of Creation?!" Morganaâs voice trembled as her eyes widened until the pupils nearly vanished. Robin, who already stood in her mind as a being of terrifying mystery, suddenly became something far beyond human. His brilliance was now almost divineâand just as dangerous.
"You are now my direct subordinate," Robin said quietly, a confident smile forming on his face. "Thereâs no longer any need for secrets between us." He turned away, his cloak brushing lightly against the floor as he began to walk off. "With that necklace, you can change your form, your aura, and infiltrate any specter farm you wish. Strike them as you please, then return to me in your true form to continue your duties."
He halted mid-step and glanced over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "But tread carefully, Morgana. Conceal every movement, every trace of your existence. To the Syndicateâyou are already dead. I will not have them reopening another investigation into your name."
"....." Morgana stayed still for a long moment, staring deeply into his sharp eyes. "How much did this necklace cost you, truly?" she asked at last, her tone almost a whisper. "I know that patterns of the Law of Creation are priceless... but the materials, the craftsmanshipâhow much did it take from you?"
Robin gave a short, humorless laugh. "More than you can possibly imagine," he said, glancing at the necklace as if recalling every sleepless night that went into forging it. "Just the chain that stores the soul forceâthe raw materials alone cost nearly a billion in credits. And that doesnât even account for the rest of the components. Letâs just say... it was an investment that could have built an Empire."
Morganaâs eyes shimmered with an otherworldly hueâan eerie mix of admiration and gratitude. A faint, relaxed smile appeared on her lips. "...A moment ago, you said I should return to my
true form
after each specter farm liberation." She twirled slowly in a graceful circle, her voice soft but playful. "Did you mean this form..." she tilted her head slightly, "...or the one I had back on the Specter Valley planet?"
"Choose whatever you like," Robin said with a faint shrug, his tone calm yet carrying that commanding ease that seemed to come naturally to him. "Of course, youâll need to stay in this current form while weâre still at the Academy, I donât need people whispering nonsense. But after that," he tilted his head slightly, a faint, knowing smile crossing his face, "you may return to your youthful form if you wish. I know youâve missed itâafter all, youâve been trapped in that form for nearly a million years."
He turned on his heel, his coat sweeping lightly behind him as he made his way toward the staircase. "Now," he added, glancing over his shoulder, "Iâm going out with the boys for a while. Take this time to rest, to examine your body and the necklace properly. I know how much strain that process put on your body and soul. Youâre exhausted, even if you wonât admit it. Weâll discuss your future laterâwhen youâve recovered."
Creaaak
The door closed softly behind him. For a long moment, Morgana stood in complete silence, staring blankly at the wooden frame as though his presence still lingered there.
Seconds turned to a full minute before she slowly lowered her gaze to her hands. She turned them over, fingers trembling slightly, tracing every detail of her smooth skin as if confirming what her eyes could not believe. Then, her hands moved up to her cheeksâher touch hesitant, almost reverent, "...Return to my youthful form?!"
Bang!
-------------------------
Step
Step
Robin descended the staircase slowly, each footstep echoing against the marble steps. His expression had grown solemn, his brows slightly furrowed as his thoughts weighed heavily on his mind. He kept his eyes on the ground, his mind wandering far beyond the walls of the Academy.
The sheer
investment
he had poured into Morganaâboth in time and fortuneâwas staggering. A Royal Soul Lady, bearing only a single star... The resources he had used to restore her and craft her artifact could have easily been enough to lure three or four Royal Soul Masters to his service for centuriesâperhaps even millennia!
But there was one thought that anchored him, one flicker of justification for the mountain of sacrifices he had made. Ever since he examined her soul domain back on the Specter Valley planet, he had known her potential was vastly greater than she herself believed. Her stagnation wasnât due to lack of talentâit was her wounds, her broken harmony. Once those were healed, her growth could be terrifying.
So now, all he could do was waitâwait and watch as Morgana ascended to the true peak of her power. He only hoped that all his years of effort, his fortune, and his calculated risks would not be wasted.
"Hm?" As he reached the final step, something caught his attention. In the front row of the amphitheater sat Jabba and Shaddad, whispering to each other with gloomy expressionsâclearly complaining about him.
Robin stopped, eyes narrowing. "What are you two still doing down here?!" he called out sharply, his tone carrying that effortless authority that made both of them jolt upright immediately.
Crack!
They stood at attention so fast it was almost comical. "Nothing, Master!" they said together in perfect synchronization.
"...Urgh..." Robin sighed deeply and rubbed the bridge of his nose between two fingers, his patience thinning. "Shaddad, my dear, how many times must I tell youâI am
not
your master, understood? If you have any questions, or unresolved matters, Iâll help you deal with them later."
"Butâ!!" Shaddad started to protest, clearly ready to unleash a tirade of complaints that had been building.
"Ahem." Jabba quickly cut him off, grabbing him firmly by the arm and forcing a polite smile. "Of course, Master." Then, smoothly changing the subject, he asked, "So, where are we heading now? Iâm guessing I canât stay upstairs with the lovely lady, right?"
"...Iâll head to Althera first," Robin replied after a short pause. "I donât want her thinking Iâm trying to avoid my promise. And after that..." He exhaled heavily, muttering under his breath. "There are too many things waiting for me to handle."
"Ugh, Iâll figure it out after Iâm done there." He waved a hand dismissively, cutting off his own train of thought before it spiraled further. "You two stay here until I return."
"Maâ Big brother," Shaddad said anxiously, waving both hands. "I donât think itâs wise for you to go out alone right now. There are protests outsideâpeople are chanting against you!"
"Protests?!" Robin blinked, caught off guard for a second before bursting into laughter. "Alright then, fine. Come with me, I donât need any more headaches today."
"And Iâm supposed to stay here alone?!" Jabba shouted, leaping down from the seats in a dramatic jump. "No way! Youâre taking me too!"
"Tsk~" Robin muttered under his breath, shaking his head with a faint smirk. "I swear this feels like a school field trip." He turned toward the massive doors at the end of the hall. "Fine, both of you, come along."
He pressed a hand to the door and pushed.
Creeeak
And from the other side, a thunderous chant greeted themâ
"...Down Down Robin Burton!!"