Rise of the Cosmic_Emperor

As for as usually the case with Hal's dominant battle performances, it got to a point where Zeke was completely incapable of mounting any sort of defense.

Before things even got as terrible for Zeke as they now were, Hal had taken off Zeke's spatial ring to avoid any surprises of any attempts to swallow a mending pill or a time-limited strength increasing pill which he thought the truly top members of top clans or families in the Dystopian Continent must have brought with them.

Hal had already sent the spatial ring into his inventory while he continued beat-down but the longer it went on, and the more Zeke wondered when Hal would finally put an end to his pain by killing him, Hal was discovering that beating someone up was helping him to clear his mind.

The more punches he delivered to Zeke's face and midsection while breaking through the Dystopian's sturdy scales, and more than a few of his bones, the more of an epiphany Hal had.

The fact that Grimoire had so far been silent was dawning on him more and more...

Yes, it was nothing out of the ordinary for the Artifact to be silent but in this sort of situation, after such a crippling blow to Hal's self-esteem that had caused him to doubt himself, Hal would bet anything on the fact that Grimoire should have been able to keep quiet.

The Artifact would and should have at least commented on the monk while probably agreeing with all the terrible names Hal had given to the bald bastard.

The silence was ominous and several attempts to communicate with the Artifact had so far been fruitless which was why Hal finally delved into his consciousness.

As he did, he passed Devil energy into Zeke's body to keep him subdued while he was no longer that much focused on the physical scene.

Hal went into his mind space which was now even more beautiful than ever as a representation of how much further Hal had gotten in the Development of his mind through the improvement of his Astral sense.

Anyway, Grimoire had a nuanced feeling all about it and while Hal furrowed his brows at the feeling, he did not ask the Artifact what was wrong.

Rather he asked,

"You know who the monk is, don't you?" he said.

The Grimoire shook slightly and for a few short seconds, it was still quiet and then it said,

"He is who/what he said he is... He is the Primordial Principle of Order and I know this because I was created by the one he calls brother... I was created by the Primordial Will which is a title that the Avatar of Choas fashioned for himself after he was formed by Chaos following the great catastrophe.

You can ask me why I was created and made to move from host to host but I truly have no answer for you... In that regard, I am just as in the dark as you are.

Hal paused... He was not entirely surprised by the revelation as he already guessed as much and that was why he had asked that very pointed question.

On a side note, he wondered why Grimoire was freely giving him the answers and not having any reservations whatsoever... After all, if there was something he knew by now, it was that the Grimoire was very capable of keeping its secrets with Hal not being able to do anything about it.

Anyway, he had not thought about it when the monk had said it (because he was fighting against a force and power that was completely beyond him) but once he had his moment of clarity following his beat-up, the fact that the monk claimed he had been touched by his brother was eyebrow-raising and thought-evoking.

Add tar to Grimoire's sudden uncharacteristic silence and you have an eventual arrival at a hazy conclusion.

"A creation of Chaos... Imagine that..." Hal said and chuckled even though the more he was learning, the more ominous things were feeling.

"Well, considering his brother has an issue with me and wants something out of me, I wonder if you can evoke your creator... I need to have a chat with him" Hal said with a mild smile on his face.

"I can't evoke his presence... That said, the fact that I was able to tell you all that I have told you is because I was given express permission to do so... Which means..." Grimoire began but Hal interrupted to complete his sentence,

"... That your creator no longer sees the need for secrecy and a meeting is all but guaranteed?"

"More or less... It could also mean that he has deemed you a failure and there is no longer any need for secrecy as you will be killed soon... Before you can do anything with what you know" Grimoire said.

"It's almost like you are going out of your way to make all this grimmer than it already is," Hal said while noting that Grimoire now seemed to lack the usual charm it usually had been in words and dialogue.

"I'm just saying it as it is. This is how it is when I am finally allowed to express details that I have long kept hidden." Grimoire said once again in a bland and almost cold tone of voice.

Hal shrugged,

"Okay. By the way, Failure? Failure at what?" he asked.

"I- I don't know," Grimoire said with a bit of its old self back in its tone and that was the last it said to Hal who left the mind space a second after.

Returning to the outside, Hal took a deep breath and this time delved into the pitch black of his bloodline to direct his words at the three individuals within, But especially at his mother's Will,

"You and k both know you have something to do with this, I'll be waiting"

While he received no vocal response to his words. He felt the stirring in his bloodline that made it clear that they had heard him.

With that done, Hal finally returned his attention to the battle happening in the hall he was in but the Dystopians were all but done for.

Only a few of them were still alive and those few had been forced to their knees as though their death was to be slow and savored.

Hal had other ideas though...

The ground was already littered with the bodies of Dystopians whose blood essence the three Bloodknights had siphoned already and would just have to do as Hal then inspected those that were still alive to see that they were all had passable cultivations and could surely be assets... Especially if they got the chance to comprehend Ordinances to further boost their strength.

There were five of them still breathing with three of them being male and two being female.

The two females were a certified plus to Hal's plans but it was not really because of anything lewd but because he would rather not give any male access to the Harem space which he planned to use in his travel between the two continents.

Even though the males would never dare lay their hands on his women, he still felt that Harem space should be a region that they should not freely have access to enter.

Anyway, he learned the name of the two ladies (Kya and Leanne) as he branded them, scared as they were, with the Devil mark just as he did the same to the men who were equally as scared looking.

For the two ladies, Hal went a step further by contracting them after which he granted them Harem keys.

Other than the conversation he had with them during contracting, Hal did not socialize with them.

Now was really not the time.

He branded Zeke, who was still held down by the Devil energy in his body, and with them all pacified, the Monument reacted right on cue...

It shrouded everyone with its multicolored light and pulled them all into separate sections where they could be alone with their attempts at Ordinance comprehension...

Hal was shrouded as well and he did not even try to resist or escape which would have been futile.

When he was drawn into the Private section he had previously escaped from, Hal was quite relaxed even as he saw the Monk smiling with that annoying benign smile.

"So, you enjoyed yourself... Let out your frustrations on that poor young man... Continued moving forward with your plans as though you didn't have an eventual reckoning with me... I have to say, I am impressed.

Still, your lack of resistance has me hoping that you have a better understanding of your fate... I hope you don't try another futile escape and finally let me take what I kept inside you" the monks said and began a slow and confident approach.

Before he reached Hal though, a Darkness bubbled in front of Hal and as the darkness appeared, Hal guessed who was coming and he was right...

"Hope I'm not too late to this show of yours brother," said a male voice as a man stepped out of the bubbling darkness which fizzled out almost immediately, and let Hal look him over.

In looks, he was quite the contrast to the monk...

Where the monk was simple in dressing, the new arrival was excessively ostentatious...

Dressed in a chaotic mix of garments that somehow still looked right on him... His long hair was of different colors that were in no particular order and on someone else's head would look incredibly stupid but on his head, it somehow seemed fitting...

Where the monk was calm, the new arrival was causing chaotic rifts all around him just by standing still.

Where the monk was fairly average height, the new arrival was tall and muscular in a further ostentatious show of power...

Hal didn't need it spelled put to him... He knew who this was...

This was the Avatar of Chaos, Creator of the Primordial Cosmic Grimoire... This was the Primordial Will.