351-360
Chapter 351 - I Won't Say Another Word!
'To become a pioneer God of a world like the Nexus World, you need to gather the faith which can come in many forms but essentially boils down to you being well known and respected by all those in this world.
Looking at it objectively, It must be what the leaders of the two continents are vying for. Victory and complete control over the other half of the world.
Of course, the Dystopian continent does not actually have one supreme ruler like the Haron continent has in the form of an Emperor, but that does not change the code of their mission.
The Haron emperor is the one I feel is well on the way to being successful. I don't mean that he will win the war as both sides seem quite evenly matched, but I do feel he is the most well-known. Especially since he has sole rulership over all those in the Haron continent.
The Dystopian rulership however is divided between the four major tribes.
Anyway, if you wish to become the pioneer God of the Nexus World, then you need to fulfill all three criteria.
Or, you could simply wait for someone to become a pioneer god in which case you don't need the third and will only need to fulfill the other two.' Grimoire said.
Hal looked incredulous,
"Are you kidding me? The third is actually the easiest for me to get. As long as I am allowed to do things the Devil's way, then I just need to continue with my plans which are to spread my corruption over this world.
With my Devil seed already planted at Sapphire city, it is only a matter of time before I can do so...
I CAN do things as a Devil, can't I?" He paused to ask Grimoire.
'Of course, you can. What you did is a form of gathering faith as well.' Grimoire replied and Hal nodded and then grinned.
"Which means no one can possibly become a pioneer God in this world before me because they can not actually gain the faith of those living in Sapphire city." He said before he had a thought that causeed him to frown.
He was worried that should they find out once the time comes that the only thing standing between them and godhood was a small city, they could opt for genocide.
It meant he would have to move fast as well.
'Well, they are actually farther along than you think.' Grimoire said.
"What do you mean?" Hal asked.
The Artifact shook in his mind space,
'I apologize but that is information I am not allowed to divulge to you at the moment.' It said.
"Oh come on, you can't just drop that kind of bomb and go silent" Hal said exasperatedly.
'My hands are tied... Figuratively speaking, of course.'
Hal frowned but eventually sighed as he was well aware he could not actually force the Artifact to give anything up. Especially if this was an edict from the one who created the Primordial Cosmic Grimoire.
He adjusted his posture to one synonymous with serious cultivation as he began to refine all the energy he had received from the gem flower and received a significant boost in his cultivation.
The energy was still a tad bit violent but it was nothing his body could just handle.
However, while there was definitely a boost and he moved closer to another advancement, he never actually got there. In fact, it looked like it would still take a lot more to finally make the advancement.
That was just how difficult it was to advance now.
Taking the flower whole had had even more effectiveness than all the pills formed through it with dilution could have brought since dilution never involved another advancement material.
The gem flower was enough and adding any more would be overkill and borderline useless.
And yet, it only gave a boost and was still nowhere near completing the job.
Hal shook his head and his eyes opened while a lament began to build up within him.
However, Melinda's cultivation bore fruits at that point, and with the *boom* sound of her advancement, she proceeded into the mid-stage of the Cosmic phenomenon realm.
Hal had only been away for a few days but she had used that time to get ever closer to an advancement which this refined-through-Hal's-body Gem flower energy had now helped her complete.
However, there was a frown on her face as opposed to the jubilation she was supposed to be feeling and Hal knew why that was the case.
Now that she was at the mid-stage, Melinda had now seen past that ridge and was now aware of just how wide the gap to fill before advancement to the next stage was.
She could see and anticipate just how difficult it was bound to be and it was absolutely no picnic.
She opened her eyes and looked sideways at Hal looking at her,
"You knew, didn't you?" She asked.
Hal looked confused but did not bother hiding the fact that it was a false expression.
"Knew? Knew what?" He asked.
"That our previous quick advancement from Early to Mid-stage and even to a considerable level, from the peak of the cosmic Armament to the early stage of the Cosmic phenomenon realm, was all just to make us happy and eventually put a large road block in our cultivational path in the form of this wide gap" Melinda said and Hal's mouth gaped.
"What?" He exclaimed in incredulity.
He had considered the possibility of the advancement from mid to late-stage difficulty was more pronounced with them all who made use of the Primordial cosmic art and other techniques (upgraded) from Grimoire.
But he had no way of possibly knowing for certain because they are attempting to achieve things that normally took others months and maybe even years to accomplish in days and weeks.
Maybe, this was the Grimoire's way of limiting how far they could go in short periods of time but Melinda's theory was so much more comprehensive and if he was being honest with himself, it made a bit of sense.
Melinda took his exclamation for genuine confusion and said,
"I mean think about it. What if we're allowed to advance to the mid-stage so fast so that we had enough to defend ourselves while all the time actually needed for the advancement was added to the one needed for mid to late-stage?"
'Is that it? Is that why?' Gap asked Grimoire but the Artifact huffed,
'I won't say a single word without my lawyer' it said.
'That doesn't even make sense' Hal retorted.
'I know, I know. I've just always wanted to say that. Anyhow, I will neither confirm nor deny your little fiancee's theory. Juvenile as it is.' Grimoire replied and Hal ignored it after that since it was now clear it was not going to be of any use.
Melinda thought on it for a while before shrugging,
"Oh, whatever. I was getting worried by the speed anyway. Tempering myself with patience might do me some good." She said.
Hal smiled lightly,
"Way to look on the bright side" he told her before crossing his legs once again and begin a different kind of advancement.
The Devil energy he had swallowed in the form of lake water at Black lagoon temple as well as the Blood essence he had reaped in his process of tearing through enemies coupled with essence gained during his session with Melinda were now to be used to complete the development he could already feel.
The development that was him discovering another Demonic Bloodline...
Chapter 352 - Nihasa.
Hal drove all of the liquified Devil energy he had inside his body as well as the essence he had gotten from his session with Melinda which he coupled with all that he had reaped from the mutated guards and began the process,
His Devil bloodline grew stronger and with it came an increase in his natural strength but the true increase was bound to be sensed once he took on the Mid-world devil form.
His resilience and speed as well as the effectiveness of his {Regeneration} were all aspects where Hal noticed an increase but since that had not really been the aim of this whole refinement and absorption, he mostly ignored it.
Instead, he pushed in for that Bloodline that seemed so close he could almost quite literally touch it. He actually reached out in what looked to be an attempt to touch it.
And then he was gone from the room as his consciousness sunk into his very Dark soul World.
The two demons, Maya and Tiberius were nowhere to be seen which Hal felt was to be expected as he began to receive a swam of information on the Demonic bloodline he had discovered;
The Shadow Demon.
The wiliest of all Demonic Bloodlines that was known for its significantly weaker body but incredible speed that remains unrivaled against all other Demonic Bloodlines.
Also, the bloodline allowed an array of abilities that were heavily along the line of espionage and making use of trickery to worm their way into the forces of the enemy.
Those of the Shadow Demonic Bloodline were the ones who ran the Primeval Devil Queen's secret corps and were in charge of infiltrating enemies with their wily ways.
Anyways,
As Hal stood on the cusp of discovering the Shadow Demonic Bloodline (since he had only received the information and not the actual Demonic ability), he could not help but feel excited at the possibilities and how advantageous it was bound to be for him.
In fact, he could argue that it could not have come at a better time with him in the midst of those who surpassed him in strength so greatly. A Bloodline of tricks could be just what he needed.
Plus, with him going with Devon Dane on an Expedition against Dystopian powerhouses where the Dane monster planned to discover what it was he was hiding, the Shadow demon ways could be how he survived.
There was no meditation needed in the Dark soul world which did not come as a surprise to Hal because while when he had discovered the other bloodlines, he had not made a trip into the soul world to do so, he still knew the process was fairly automatic and would act more as an impartation.
An impartation by virtue of his bloodline.
However, he waited for the process to actually begin and was a little confused by the fact that it was taking much longer time than he expected.
Then he narrowed his eyes when the process began but was obviously different from what he had experienced previously. There was a presence with him in that Soul world.
A presence that had always been there but never deemed fit to make its presence known.
From the deepest recesses of his very Dark Soul world came an even deeper shade of darkness. One that was incredibly similar, NAY, was exactly the same shade as the art of his Bloodline he tapped into when he wanted to make use of a sliver of the Primeval Devil authority.
A sliver of his mother's authority.
If that was the case, Hal thought, it stood to reason that the presence that was about to make itself known was that woman...
And sure enough...
The Darkness congealed and formed into arguably the most beautiful woman Hal had seen to date.
Her hair was incredibly Dark and looked to have been woven from nightmares, hence its nightmarish hue.
There were two aspects to the woman he was now gazing at:
The first was her beauty which as stated earlier was most likely the most beautiful he had seen so far.
This woman, who Hal could tell with certainty was his mother, the Primeval Devil Queen or more accurately, an apparition of her had a wicked beauty about her. The smirk on her face and the slight and almost imperceptible narrowing of her eyes made it look like she was examining and assessing him and whoever else she looked at.
She was insanely seductive even though she remained stationary and just merely looking into her Dark eyes which despite retaining the normal white color of a sclera still released occasional bursts of nightmarish fog, had the effect of pulling someone in.
Corrupting their mind with nefarious thoughts of what they would love to try to do with her and what she would do for and to them regardless of whatever their sexual orientation or lack thereof was.
It did not have that effect on Hal, not because he was her son, but because this was not actually the real deal. This was the imprint in his bloodline which had been singing lullabies out of sight.
Knowledge of what the real deal was capable of which he was learning through his Bloodline was somehow mixing with his own observation of what the Imprint was capable of.
Her body was perfect and looked to be the sublime mix and combination of matured and seasoned beauty with eternal youth.
Her cantaloupe-like breasts were particularly pleasing to look at and even though she was facing Hal, her perfect and perky-looking backside was teased by her wide flaring hips and small waist.
Then the second aspect to this woman (imprint) was the power that she rippled. It was not the real power, of course, it was not even five percent of what the Primeval Devil Queen was truly capable of but it was enough to instill fear in any and all Mortals just by being in her presence.
It was a passive ability that Hal was confident no mortal could ever hope to reproduce.
Seeing as she was simply standing and not making any attempt to say the first words, Hal decided to take initiative,
"So... I'm guessing you did not show up just to state at my face, undoubtedly handsome as I am"
The woman's smirk became even more obvious,
"Slipping a boast of your looks into your first conversation with your mother, Hmm, that's a little unorthodox don't you think?"
Hal shrugged,
"I had feeling being unorthodox and mostly unpredictable was your thing."
The woman was silent for a few seconds before nodding,
"Fair point. I'm not saying you are right of course but at least you have a point.
So... Are you going to run over here and give me a hug?" She asked with her arms now spread wide.
Hal shook his head,
"I didn't know if you would want that" he said.
She shrugged,
"It doesn't matter. It would be nice to feel my son's hug. However, I doubt you can hug or touch me at the moment since this is just mostly an apparition through which I am projecting my will and I am only doing it because we have so much to talk about."
Needless to say, Hal did not exactly believe she would actually love to feel his hug, especially since he could tell that she was not actually the touchy feeling type of person,
"What's your name?" He asked.
Whether he liked the situation or even the woman or not, it did not change the fact that she was his mother and he still wished to know a few things about her and about their relationship.
Mostly relating to why he grew up as an orphan on earth.
The woman gave her first genuine smile, one that was brimming with supreme confidence,
"I am the Mistress of Evil, Supreme overlord, and the Primeval Devil Queen.
I am Nihasa"
Chapter 353 - Primordial Principles.
"What the...? I asked you for your name, not your many monikers" Hal pointed out with a shake of his head.
Nihasa smiled lightly,
"What can I say? I'm a show-woman at heart" she said with a shrug.
Hal sighed,
"You talk to me about boasting of myself to you and then you go around announcing your monikers when asked for your name" he said.
While still smiling, Nihasa said nothing and simply waved her hand at her surroundings so that a chair formed out of the Dark energy in the soul world. A chair she sat on and crossed her legs.
Then she waved her hand again and formed another chair which she invited Hal to sit on.
He looked at her for a few seconds and then took his seat while waiting for her to begin to speak. After all, she had said they had a lot to talk about so it stood to reason that she would be the one to initiate a conversation.
Nihasa chuckled, well aware of what his intentions were. There was a kind of doting in her eyes that almost made Hal believe she was at least interested in behaving like a mother.
Almost.
He was not so stupid to not doubt Nihasa's intentions and his doubt was to be understood.
Besides, the whole motherly routine only lasted a few seconds before Nihasa's expression shifted to a carefree and callous one.
The callousness was not actually very glaring but it was still noticeable but Hal. So was the calculating quality to it.
The whole situation regarding his birth which from what Tiberius and Myra had told him was something she always expressed disinterest in, to him having to grow up in the mortal realm was incredibly shady.
He was trying to be optimistic that he would get answers to those questions but it was hard to be positive since if there was anyone, mortal or not who could most likely lie to him flawlessly it was his mother, the Primeval Devil Queen.
"Where do we start?' Nihasa asked and it was clear that she meant the question to be rhetorical but Hal answered anyway,
"You decide" he said.
Nihasa chuckled once again,
"Very well. I guess that should be the way." She said and sighed,
"You are not a mistake. I don't make such mistakes, You should know that at least. I meant to have you."
"Good for me" Hal said with his voice oozing with sarcasm. "Who's my father?" He asked and was only asking it as more of a passing inquiry.
He was not actually curious and Nihasa was quick to pick up on that.
"Do you really want to know?" She asked him and Hal shrugged.
"Not really. Just a little curious" he answered.
Nihasa lounged even more on her Dark chair with her hand along the back,
"That is information that is unavailable to you at the moment" she said.
Hal rolled his eyes,
"Well, of course, it's unavailable. Because you are not telling me."
While he asked the question and prepared to further his inquiry, he also focussed his attention as best he could on Nihasa's expressions and reactions to the questions.
Her carefree attitude gained a bit of seriousness while there was something he noticed in her expression that only lasted no more than a second,
"Don't... Don't tell me you don't know?" Hal said with an incredulous tone.
"Pfft, Come on Hal, don't be absurd. Of course, I know who he is. I just don't feel like sharing that information with you." Nihasa said.
"What If I say I have a right to know?" Hal asked.
Nihasa shrugged,
"You have a right to nothing. Being my son does not grant you such benefits. I only made an appearance to converse with you and answer some of the questions that plague you.
This is a privilege, not a right." Sh said.
"Then this is a waste of time then" Hal said and reached for an exit out of his would world.
Not actually planning to leave just yet but that did not really matter as he was trapped.
Nihasa had cut off his connection to his body so that he could not leave even if he wanted to. It was not surprising that she could do so as even Tiberius had done the same thing once upon a time.
"Maybe it is. However, I have finally found the rhythm with which to begin speaking and I do not have any intentions of losing said rhythm. So you will remain here until I have said all I wish to say.
That is, after all, the reason I am here.
To explain certain things to you."
She let a moment of silence pass after that and then began,
"I had a lot of expectations and they were mainly the reason I had you in the first place. Do not delude yourself into thinking I wanted to experience motherhood so badly because I did not.
You were bound to be useful in the long run and upon your birth, you did not disappoint. You were born a god and not just any god, you were born as a god with a connection to a Primordial Principle."
Hal looked confused and without access to his body and his mind-space, he could not inquire what it was from the Primordial Cosmic Grimoire, so he asked the one who caused his confusion,
"What are Primordial principles?"
For an answer, Nihasa smiled,
"What do you know of Ordinances?" She asked.
Hal shrugged,
"They are the true dictators of world order." He said and Nihasa nodded,
"Yes, they are. But they are born from a Primordial principle. There are two Primordial principles, namely, Order and Chaos. The two are the first to actually exist and through them, all things were created.
No one knows which actually comes first and that is because neither of them came first.
It's like an endless cycle.
A riddle that cannot be solved.
Chaos only exists because Order does and vice versa. The birth of one, or more accurately, the coming-into-existence of one is what gives rise to the other.
The Ordinances which you have so accurately stated to be the 'dictators of world order' were all born out of The Primordial Principle of Order.
And it is with Order that you were born with a connection to. A connection that I and so many others saw as an opportunity."
Hal's eyes narrowed and he found that as much as Nihasa's tale intrigued and interested him, he did not quite care for the path it was now taking.
"What opportunity?" He asked.
"An opportunity to solve a puzzle. The puzzle of why the six abstract ordinances which could not be learned together by any one cultivator have a sort of attraction towards each other."
He did not like it one bit.
He had a strong feeling that this was related to why he had been struck down with lightning on earth and driven to transmigration into the cosmic realm.
"Your birth was impossible to actually keep hidden. Soon, there was no way to keep you safe at least not at the time."
"Really? You are a Primeval goddess and you were powerless?" Hal found it hard to believe.
"Ha, you forget that I am only one of Ten Primeval gods and goddesses and they all wanted to 'acquire' you. Well, all except one.
Of course, it was not a seize and grab situation and they tried to be diplomatic.
They wanted me to donate you to the solving of the Abstract puzzle and I refused.
Knowing how dangerous it would be for you to grow by my side, I decided to have you sent to a mortal world after I made several alterations that would keep you safe.
They were irate of course and wished to show their frustrations. However, they could not actually do much to me. I did not gain the moniker of Supreme overlord for nothing.
Also, I am a perpetual schemer and they knew how dangerous it was to get on my bad side."
Hal's eyes narrowed even further,
"So, you mean to tell me that I was to be a guinea pig right from my birth because of my connection to the Primordial principle of Order" he said.
Nihasa nodded,
"That's right. The thing is, in the long run, I would have managed to keep you safe. At that time, they were all just going crazy with the possibilities of solving the puzzle.
Eventually, they would leave you and me be. After all, you are my son.
They would make plans in secret but at least they would respect that much.
However, I knew that once you grew and showcased the talent you most definitely have, things would just revert back to how they were on your birth, so I hatched a plan.
I have to admit that it was one of my best.
I destroyed your body"
Hal's eyes widened,
"Excuse me?" He was shocked.
Niagara grinned widely and for the first time since she arrived and began to speak to him, Hal actually saw her as a Devil,
"It was painless, I assure you. Also, it wasn't really a destruction of your body as the freeing of your soul" she said.
Hal shook his head,
"You really are not a good mother"
Nihasa paused and then...
"Hahahahaha..." She laughed boisterously and then rolled her eyes at him,
"Well duh, of course, I'm not a good mother. I'm not a good person either. I AM the Devil."
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Read the Author's note/Creator's thoughts so that you are not caught unawares.
Chapter 354 - Moment Of Sentimentality.
Now it was Hal's turn to roll his eyes,
"Who said you were not the Devil?" He said with a huff.
"You just can't resist bragging, can you?" He asked her.
Once again, Nihasa said nothing in reply to Hal's mildly disparaging words, or more accurately, she said nothing against him for his words and instead took it in stride while shrugging and making another comment into how she was a show-woman at heart.
"So... How did it feel?" Hal asked after a brief moment of silence.
"How did what feel?"
"How did it feel to destroy your son's body?" Hal clarified his inquisitive question.
Nihasa made an 'O' Shape with her mouth,
"Not too bad to be honest. Like I said it was painless and hence not actually strenuous. Once your body was destroyed, I sealed my imprint and my generals inside you and created a new body for you.
A mortal body that could not channel Devil energy.
Now... this was very important because you see, my Bloodline is so powerful that it would not have mattered if you were in a world devoid of Cosmic energy or not, you would have still felt its effects.
Only your body lacking the ability to channel bloodline energy could really make you just like a mortal." Nihasa paused to observe Hal's expression and she noted that he still looked a tad bit confused.
"You still don't understand the plan?" She asked with an incredulous tone.
For an answer, Hal frowned at her and she giggled,
"I would think, smart as you are, you would have figured out the ruse by now" she said.
"Well, you thought wrong" Hal said.
Nihasa sighed and shook her head,
"The answer is right in front of you..." She said and spread her hands theatrically, "...it's me. I am the plan"
"Huh"
"After destroying your body and making you a mortal one that could not possibly channel bloodline energy, you became impossible to track. Think of it as me pseudo sealing your abilities and potential.
No one, not even a Primeval god can find you no matter how hard they try. That includes me... Or more accurately, that includes the real me as I am no more than an imprint left in your Bloodline.
I, as a mere imprint, am the plan.
With me here and in obvious close proximity with your person, my true self will be able to keep track of your whereabouts.
While no one knows where you are and you are safe from those who might mean you harm, I, the Primeval Devil Queen knows where you are.
I retain my connection to you.
I control the possibility of solving the Abstract puzzle."
For a few seconds, after she was done speaking, Hal was genuinely speechless, and then...
"Heh Heh"
... He chuckled.
The sound, while causing a narrowing of her eyes, did not really cause much of a change in the imprint's expression.
"What's funny?" She asked with her incredible smile still present.
Hal shrugged,
"It's just uncanny how accurately I predicted your actions were not out of concern as a mother but as an opportunist who wants it all.
You know, on earth, by which I mean the mortal world I was sent to, there is a popular opinion that the Devil is male while some believe the Devil does not really have a gender... This... This makes more sense to me.
I will admit though that I expected that, despite being THE Devil, you would showcase some sentimentality." He said.
Nihasa giggled,
"Do my words hurt you?"
Hal shook his head,
"Not at all. Actually, you not acting all motherly is far more comfortable. It strangely makes me feel... warm." Hal said with a smile.
Nihasa actually stopped smiling as widely as before,
"That's a shame then. 'Cause I was just about to show you that I am not without sentiments so as to boost your spirits. I fear that to tell you that now will have the opposite effect" she said.
"Oh? What is it?" Hal asked with his smile still present.
Nihasa sighed,
"Your being sent to the mortal realm was accompanied with a reincarnation ring. It ensures that whenever you died in the mortal world, you would remain safe and another body will be respawned for you.
It was always the same.
As you were literally created from scratch, you never have parents and live as an orphan. However, my good favor will always follow you and you would always be sponsored by those you can refer to as my agents in the mortal realm.
They would supply you with wealth that would allow you to live comfortably all your mortal life until you die and the process gets repeated"
At the end of her words, Nihasa was smiling again.
Hal's eyes were as wide as saucers,
"Reincarnation ring? Does that mean...?" He began but Nihasa interrupted,
"That you've died multiple times. Yes. You've died hundreds of times" she affirmed.
Hal's shock was immense and it remained clear on his face all through Nihasa's explanation,
"The memories of those lives are wiped from your head as they are of no importance.
They are more of a way to keep your soul busy until I was ready to bring you back to my side and also keep those who were still aiming to guess your location... guessing.
Not to mention that the pain would have been unnecessary."
"Did I...?" Hal was not sure how to phrase his question but Nihasa knew exactly what it was he wished to ask,
"Did you have a family? No, you did not. That was one of the traits that were predominant in you all through your many lives. You never wished to settle down.
You always had 'commitment issues'."
Hal looked her in the eye,
"It was your doing, wasn't it?" He asked.
"Of course it was. I couldn't have you forming ties and relationships in lives that were never meant to last. Lives that were mere mirages. The life you remember in the mortal realm, why do you think you never became a father as active as you are sexually.
Do you really believe it was because you were being careful?
Well if you thought so, then you are wrong. It's all because of the reincarnation ring.
It makes it impossible for you to form actual, lasting, and meaningful relationships."
Hal frowned,
"The reincarnation ring. Is it still in me?" He asked.
Nihasa sighed,
"No, it's not. Upon this last reincarnation, which is already weird as it was not into the mortal realm, the reincarnation ring no longer resides within you.
Should you die now, it could very well be the end for you.
It annoys me because your being in the Cosmic realm without my involvement means there's is now someone or something else involved."
"So, I'm guessing your moment of sentimentality was the agents who were always available to make me live comfortably and borderline wealthy all my life.
In the life I remember, it was a lawyer." Hal said.
"What makes you guess so?" Nihasa asked with a smile.
"Well, the reincarnation ring to keep me living as a mortal is to keep me safe and away until you are ready to make use of me. It's still selfish.
Making me forget the past lives is just so I remain clueless which still translates to you being selfish.
The only thing not really necessary and looks to have been done entirely for my sake is to live semi-wealthy life in the mortal realm."
Nihasa nodded,
"Yes, I admit, it hurt me to think my son, a Devil prince will be made to suffer in the mortal realm just for my schemes.
However, I wouldn't be so sure it was just for your own benefit. After all... I still have a reputation to uphold."
Chapter 355 - Comprehension Of Self.
Reputation...
Hal could see how she would want to uphold such a thing. After all, he had a reputation of his own and would never jeopardize it by NOT being a philander.
"I still wonder why you would have Myra and Tiberius tell me that you were missing." Hal said.
Nihasa shrugged,
"Curiosity. Nothing more. I was curious if the news that I was missing would cause a stir within you.
Curious if you would aim to get to the bottom of my 'disappearance'."
Hal could not stop the amused sound and also did not bother to,
"Pfft. Well, that is incredibly stupid." he said.
Nihasa smiled lightly,
"How so?"
"Well, I knew nothing about you. I grew up without any knowledge of my parents. Only after arriving in the Cosmic realm did I get some answers and you thinking that was going to be enough to spur me to your aid is quite frankly... Stupid." Hal told her.
Nihasa shrugged,
"Is it really? Is it so stupid to believe that blood is thicker than water?" She said with a slight smirk.
Hal chuckled,
"I never really got that proverb. I mean it's quite literal to me since blood IS thicker than water. Also, where does water come into this?" He asked.
"I thought it best to make use of a proverb that was familiar to you.
The point is... The fact that I am your mother who you have never known and finally have contact with should have been incentive enough." She said.
Hal shrugged,
"Well, it wasn't" he said.
Nihasa leaned back and looked into his eyes,
"You're lying. You did feel an incentive to search for me. You just don't want to admit it"
Hal said nothing and simply kept looking at her.
Nihasa sighed,
"Well, it's good you are actually still capable of some act of goodness."
Hal took a deep breath,
"So what now? You know where I am and whether you were ready or not, I am now in the Cosmic realm and making use of the Bloodline I inherited from you.
I am far from being at your level but I am growing...
What's your plan? Because it surely must have changed."
Nihasa chuckled,
"I don't see why it should. I mean, sure you arrived in the Cosmic realm earlier than I had planned and you arrived away from me where I can not actually take an active part in your life but the general plan remains the same.
You get stronger and eventually explore the connection you have to order. With my I'mprint inside your bloodline as well as my Generals, I have a front-row seat to you doing it.
If anyone should be upset with this change, it should be you."
Hal's eyes narrowed,
"How so?" He asked.
Nihasa grinned,
"Well, had things happened the way I planned, I would have granted you a body befitting of your status as the offspring of the Devil. A body similar to the one you had been born with. It would have roots that would grant you speedy advancement, such that you would be a god in a thousand years.
Then there is also the fact that comprehending an Ordinance in Paradise is already as simple as simple cultivating.
Unlike this Neglected World, it is not contradicting."
At this point, Nihasa paused and watched Hal's expression. She noted that apart from a slight change when she mentioned the ease in the comprehension of Ordinances, he remained mostly undisturbed.
"What? You're unimpressed? Of course, you are. I have been constantly impressed with the speed of your cultivation and I have to agree with the consensus that it is monstrous.
However, I am sure you have begun to face stagnation" Nihasa cocked her head as though to hear his input.
Hal nodded to show he had indeed begun to face stagnation.
Nihasa smiled at his admittance,
"Well, even after you manage to overcome this stagnation, there will be others which I can assure you will be worst. It represents the difficulty of cultivation.
It has nothing to do with talent as all geniuses face it eventually, but the mark of a true genius is how quickly they are able to overcome the setback.
That said, the thousand years I mentioned earlier is not as a result of the difficulty of cultivation since it is so much easier to become a god in paradise.
It is especially harder here since becoming a god in this world requires a pioneer god one way or the other.
However, the true test is in the comprehension of your Dao. Because Hal, no matter how talented you are or how much of a genius you are, you can not rush the comprehension of your Dao."
"My Dao?"
Nihasa nodded,
"Yes, your Dao.
Comprehension of a Dao is all about the comprehension of self. You have to be attuned with your whole being. Let it speak to you and let it drive you to how you want to be defined. How you want to be known and how you want to be perceived."
When she spoke of Dao, there was no playfulness in Nihasa's expression and for the first time since she had begun to speak to Hal, she actually seemed serious.
"What's your Dao?" Hal asked her.
Nihasa's smile was back in a flash,
"Can't you guess?"
Hal narrowed his eyes and thought back to her many monikers,
"Supreme?" He ventured his guess.
"Why was that your guess?" Nihasa asked.
Hal shrugged,
"It fits as a Dao more than your other names." He said.
Nihasa chuckled,
"I love the way your mind works. And you are right. I comprehend the supreme Dao and it was through it that I adopted the moniker of Supreme Overlord."
Hal was a bit confused,
"I've been meaning to ask that, shouldn't being a supreme overlord make you the most powerful?" He asked.
Nihasa sighed,
"Well, it is hard to be the most powerful when I have nine other Supremes at my level of strength."
Hal's eyes widened,
"What?"
"Haven't you figured it out? All Primeval gods are supreme. Against each other, supremacy means nothing.
Don't get me wrong, Supreme is the highest form of Dao. It is practically perfection itself. It is the strongest Dao and should actually be impossible to achieve. However, we Primevals were somehow destined to be supreme and I have to admit that at the time, it seemed so wonderful.
But since then, millions of years have gone by and I am still stuck in a rivalry with that prude bitch and the whole lot of them."
By Prude bitch, Hal knew she was referring to Sariel The Primeval Virtue Queen.
Then Nihasa, whose eyes had been looking up in reminiscence looked down and into Hal's eyes,
"You wish to reach my level, don't you? Well, that's okay. It's especially okay because I know it's next to impossible. Although if anyone can actually manage to achieve it, I guess it is you.
Maybe that's the use of your connection to order. I wouldn't know."
Hal chuckled,
"Actually, I feel, No, I am certain that you know a lot more than you let on and you are simply stringing me along with a bunch of half-truths.
After all, you HAVE lived for millions of years.
However, YOU are actually just an imprint of the true thing, and prodding you for complete honesty would probably not do me a lot of good."
Nihasa smiled but overall ignored his comment,
"If you wish to attain my level, you have to comprehend the Dao of supremacy. That is if your being agrees with it."
Hal shook his head,
"I'd rather not. Ten is already a large number of supremes. Eleven will just be a crowd."
"So what will you do?"
"I'll strive to discover a Dao that surpasses the Supreme Dao and I will comprehend that. I will not be just one of the bunch. I will be unique."
Hal only said this in a spur of the moment but as he studied Nihasa as he said it, he noticed... Worry?
Chapter 356 - Unique Dao. Part 1
What she was worried about, he could not be certain but it still tied up to the fact that there was so much she was not revealing to him.
Nihasa's worried expression did not last for long and she was back to normal in but a few seconds,
"Well, look at the time, I believe that is all we are permmitted to discuss" she said and stood up from her dark chair while Hal actually took a lounging one.
He was not about to start feeling or acting anxious because she decided it was time for her to leave. She had made him understand so much.
Much more than she had wished to make known.
One of them being...
"You're glad I am here aren't you?" He asked her.
Nihasa looked down at him and smirked but said nothing.
That was fine.
Hal didn't really need a reply for something he was certain to be true.
"Don't get me wrong, you are or were disappointed that I did not arrive by your side. Which is because it happened prematurely by virtue of a lightning strike that destroyed my body.
However, this is a welcome compromise. Especially since the lightning strike damaged the reincarnation ring and would have made it impossible for me to reincarnate into another mortal world.
There is something attracting you Primevals to the neglected worlds. Not necessarily the Nexus world as that is most likely a coincidence but I wonder what it is you want... here."
Nihasa gave him a long hard look and was quiet for a few seconds before she spoke but there was something about it that told Hal he was no longer simply speaking to an Imprint.
His mother was speaking through said imprint...
"That lightning was quite peculiar. It carried along with it the energy of a Primeval. One particular Primeval actually. I wondered if it had been done because it was known that you were my son but following my investigations, I discovered that was not the case.
You were sighted for different reasons.
Be rest assured that I was angry but I could not actually showcase that anger without making it known who exactly you are.
After all, I am not exactly... selfless.
However, the lightning did not damage the reincarnation ring which would have survived a strike to a mortal made from a Primeval. Especially since the attack was meant for a mortal and not a god. Hence your current self might even have actually survived it.
Whatever damaged the reincarnation ring..."
At this point, Nihasa paused and looked right into Hal's eyes as though to tell him that she knew that he knew what it was that damaged the reincarnation ring.
And Hal indeed knew... Or at least, the image of a large book in his head was quite predominant at the moment.
Meanwhile, Nihasa continued,
"Whatever damaged it does not have your best interest at heart."
Hal swallowed as stealthily as he could but could tell that she still saw it.
He decided to change the subject since there was still one question he wanted answered,
"Why is there a tribulation hanging over my head? Myra and Tiberius say it can't be Sariel who is responsible but I am sure you know."
There was no real surprise on Nihasa's face at the mention of Sariel's name which ascertained that she was aware of all that had happened to Hal thus far and relaying it all back to her real self.
He did not like the feeling of being spied on but was sure that it would be next to impossible for him to get rid of an imprint placed there by his extremely powerful mother.
But, maybe he could take a leaf out of Melinda's ancestor's book and put the imprint into hibernation.
He also considered simply letting it remain. Much as he would prefer not to be spied on, he could tell he was really valuable to this mother of his and there might come a time when his value to her might come in handy.
Nihasa sighed,
"Yes, Sariel is not the one causing your Bloodline tribulations." She said.
"Then who is?"
Nihasa shrugged,
"Don't ask. If you want it to stop, become a god." She told him.
"That's all you have to tell me with regards to a tribulation that seems hellbent on snuffing me out" Hal said with a hint of confusion.
"Yes. Thar's all I have or wish to say regarding the matter. However, you can simply ascend to Paradise. The tribulation will only attack in a Neglected World.
I say simply, but with my plan's timeline so messed up, it is anything but. Taking you out of this world and to Paradise will be an annoying task. Also, I doubt you're actually ready to leave..."
Hal shook his head,
"No I am not" he replied.
Nihasa nodded and giggled in such a way that her large breasts trembled,
"I thought so. However, should you change your mind..." She began,
"I probably won't" Hal interrupted but Nihasa ignored it
"... Should you change your mind, there are means to ascend to paradise. Means you will need to discover yourself as I am now done handing you the easy answers." She said.
Hal's eyes widened in annoyance,
"Easy answers? You owe me those easy answers, 'Mother'."
Nihasa clutched her chest and her eyes became slightly wet,
"You don't know how much it warms my heart to hear you call me mother" she said.
"Cut the crap!" Hal said understandably not believing a word of Nihasa's fake display of warmth.
Nihasa sighed and stopped the act,
"Fine. You are being unnecessarily hostile by the way. Maybe I do owe you those easy answers but I don't want to give them and if I don't what to give them, there is nothing you can do about it."
Hal frowned,
"Okay then, can you at least tell me what it is Primevals want from a neglected world such as the Nexus World."
"Me? Nothing. As long as I have you, I don't care about any of the neglected worlds. The others however are indeed attracted here."
Hal sighed and looked down,
"But you are not going to tell me what the attraction is exactly, are you?"
Nihasa shook her head,
"No, I am not" she said and looked on ahead before suddenly looking back at him with a mischievous grin playing on her lips,
"But you should be able to guess" she added.
Hal did not hide the fact that he was thinking hard but as nothing came up, he sighed and shook his head in defeat,
"Nothing comes to mind"
Nihasa's eyes narrowed,
"Really? Nothing at all?" She pressed.
"Nothing at all" Hal replied while looking right into her eyes.
Clearly, mother dearest thought he had come up with the answer but did not wish to share the fact.
He genuinely wished she was right but he truly had no idea what she could be talking about.
Nihasa smiled warmly and this time, Hal actually felt it was genuine,
"Very well. You will figure it out eventually..."
With Hal looking down, it took him a few seconds to realize that those were going to be his mother's imprint's last words to him before she dissolved and faded into the darkest part of his soul world.
With her gone, he regained control of his soul world and reconnected with his body, and spoke to Grimoire right from his soul world,
"All information concerning Dao... Go!"
There was a pause and then grimoire replied,
"Ask nicely"
"What?" Hal asked incredulously and Grimoire seemed to gain an air of smugness,
"I said, ask nicely cause it's good to be courteous once..." The artifact could not complete its words because Hal's countenance had changed and there was the air around him that showed he was not interested in Grimoire's antics at the moment.
Chapter 357 - Unique Dao. Part 2
"Alright, Alright. Chill, I was only joking.
So Daos are the connotation of self which means to comprehend them, you have to attune with your very being. However, this is actually open to interpretation." Grimoire began at a quick pace.
"How so?" Hal asked.
"Well, only YOU can actually know what you are attuned with. Only YOU know what makes you tick. What makes you, you. As such, you can theoretically choose any Dao that suits you.
There are no actual rules." Grimoire said.
"If that's the case, shouldn't Dao be fundamentally the same. I mean, there should not be one stronger than the other. It's... Unfair" Hal was never a defender of fairness.
In fact, as long as all was well with him and those close to him, the world could remain unfair. However, this whole Dao business seemed bogus.
Grimoire however could not really understand Hal's reasoning,
"Why should Dao be 'the same' regardless of what you choose. Why should it be fair?
Imagine someone comprehending the Dao of invincibility and face off against someone with a Dao of Gallivanting. Obviously, the former comprehended his Dao to be powerful in combat while the latter wanted to be free of all responsibilities and only exist to enjoy the pleasures of life.
When the two face off against each other in combat, will it be 'fair' to the invincible Dao to lose to the Gallivanting Dao?"
Grimoire did not actually require an answer from Hal because it could see its point had been made already.
It was not fair at all.
Grimoire continued,
"Daos are comprehended for various reasons and that's the beauty of it. YOU get to decide why you want to comprehend a certain Dao and in a situation where you comprehend a Carefree Dao for instance, it would be best to stay away from most to all combat.
Once again it is totally your choice"
Hal could understand what Grimoire was going on about and decided to move on.
"What is the strongest Dao?" He asked because when he thought back to the worry on Nihasa's face, he felt she was not being totally truthful about the potency of the Supreme Dao.
Grimoire paused and then spoke carefully,
"I am forbidden to speak of it"
"What, the Supreme Dao?" He asked and could instantly feel the incredulity radiating from the Large Book,
"Supreme Dao? Of course not. I can speak of the supreme Dao and it is not the strongest Dao." It said.
Hal grinned with excitement before it was wiped from his face when he sensed how impossible it would be to comprehend whatever this Dao was,
"So what is?" He asked.
"Like I said. I am forbidden to speak of it." Grimoire told him.
"How am I supposed to comprehend a Dao whose name and nature I know nothing about?" Hal wondered.
Grimore chuckled,
"Because that's how you are supposed to comprehend a Dao.
Once you have been told of a particular Dao and seen its capabilities, it affects your judgment and you stop attempting to be attuned with yourself but instead you become obsessed with what defines someone else."
"Huh?"
"Think of it this way. If what defines you is supremacy but before you actually learn of this attunement, you see it in action from someone else, it becomes a hindrance to comprehending because you would, at that point be attempting the comprehension for all the wrong reasons.
Not because it is what makes you, you but because it looks powerful on someone else.
Here's another way to look at it;
On earth where you came from as well as many other mortal worlds for that matter, you study the uniqueness of fingerprints. There are about four general patterns for fingerprints and yet even among the billions of individuals on earth, no fingerprint is the same. Not even the fingerprints of identical twins.
In that way, Daos are also fingerprints. In a household, they could all be attuned with one particular Dao but individually, there are subtle differences between them that make all the difference during comprehension.
Even if everyone comprehended the exact same Dao, they would still be unique.
An example of the uniqueness is your mother who is known as the supreme overload. That moniker shows in what way her supremacy is being used."
"So, if you knew the name of the strongest Dao and told me, it would make it harder for me to comprehend it? That makes sense."
Grimoire sighed,
"Even if you knew its name... Well, let's just say I was forbidden to speak of it for a reason."
Hal sighed as well,
'That's a bit disappointing. Then again, back when I was with Nihasa, I was planning to find out what I am attuned to because I know for a fact that it's not the supreme Dao' He thought.
He could not explain how he knew, but he was absolutely sure.
He would have to take time to find out what it was that made him, who he was.
"How do I comprehend my Dao?" He asked Grimoire and the book took a deep breath.
"I can't help you" it admitted.
Hal's eyes widened in disbelief,
"What, why not?"
"Well, the comprehension of Dao is a personal journey and there are no laid down instructions to follow. Some have discovered theirs at the brink of death.
There are those who sit and cultivate for years for the discovery while some discover it during a casual walk out of their homes.
The ways are diverse and only you can complete the journey.
I can not help you here.
I will tell you that talent is a factor here, however, it is a small factor as even geniuses have been known to spend centuries in their quest for the discovery of their Dao."
Hal's eyes widened,
"The fuck? So I could potentially spend my whole life attempting to comprehend my Dao?" He was mostly thinking out loud, but Grimoire took to answer,
"Well, it should not take that long.
Also, if it helps, think of it as comprehension of self." It said.
Hal sighed,
"Actually, I feel like that just makes it even more incomprehensible..."
...
Outside the Soul World,
Melinda had been watching Hal for a while since he entered his state of meditation and was quick to notice a twitch that announced that he was finally coming out of it.
However, before he opened his eyes, a Dark vapor that seemed to be shifting from a gaseous to a liquid state and back at every second was also being emitted from his form.
Then Hal lifted off the bed as though he was weightless before he settled back unto the bed as the shifty vapor, or more accurately, a part of the entire volume condensed into a weapon.
A Dark Scythe...
One that did not stay for long before dispersing.
Once it dispersed, the vapor also vanished into Hal's body just as he opened his eyes to show that his Sclera had changed to a Dark color while his iris remained their normal sapphire blue color.
He looked over at Melinda and grinned at her.
However, it was not his normal smile but one of obvious creepy intent that was meant to intimidate instead of enamoring.
Melinda's eyes narrowed and she scoffed,
"Seriously? That's the best you can come up with to scare me?" She said and Hal looked mockingly taken aback,
"I was so sure it would work" he said while exhaling heavily.
"Well, that would be hard considering your eyebrows kept twitching comically." She told him while moving to be behind him,
"So that's what gave me away. I will work on that." Hal said with a serious nod.
Melinda was now behind him completely and wound her arms around his chest,
"Don't bother. I've bedded the Devil, nothing scares me anymore..."
Before Hal could say something in reply, she pressed their lips together with enthusiasm that hinted at another pleasurable session...
Chapter 358 - Cirk's Dreams. Part 1
After another pleasurable romp, the two lay within the sheets with Melinda tracing patterns on his chest while Hal gave her a rundown of what had happened in his soul world.
She in turn told him she had not spent the whole time he had spent in his soul world looking at him. She had solidified her cultivation base further and steadied her advancement.
He also discovered Melinda was already in the process of discovering what her Dao was. What defined her.
Apparently, she thought he was already in the process himself. After all, Dao discovery was a very personal journey for all cultivators, the sort of thing you simply assume others are also doing but never directly ask the question.
Wishing to change the subject and also because he was indeed curious to know, Hal asked,
"So, what are you going to be doing while I am away? I don't think or expect you to spend the whole time pining after me"
By away, he obviously meant his planned journey to Doxon to see his two ladies as well as his eventual expedition with her father.
Melinda adopted a mockingly thoughtful look,
"Hmmm, well pining after you sounds quite nice if I'm being honest. Also, maybe the thought of my sadness will bring you back much faster" she said.
Hal shrugged,
"With Doxon, it might work, however, I have no say in the expedition length, it all depends on your father and the ones he battles I guess." He decided to play along.
Melinda sighed melancholy that Hal could see was not all fake,
"Oh well, I plan to be productive while you're away... I'll be joining the military"
Hal blinked,
"Come again?"
...
A room in the Dane Residence in the Dane Territory...
A young man was laying on the bed and he could quickly be identified as Cirk Dane who was still unconscious following his fearful experience with Hal.
He twitched in his bed and opened his eyes to view as much of the room as he could with his eyes before opting for his senses by virtue of his cultivation and with it, he ascertained that he was alone in his room.
He sighed heavily,
"How the mighty has fallen" he mumbled.
The memories of the days when he lived with prestige in the Dane household were now foggy in his mind, Not because a lot of time had passed but instead because his experiences since it stopped were much more predominant.
Was it truly a mistake that he had attempted to have his way with Melinda?
No, it was not.
Actually, he believed the mistake was him not taking into account that she would use what he and her father had taught her against him to free herself.
That was where he believed his stupidity came into play.
He was not possessed and lacking the ability for rational thought.
He just really... Really wanted her to be his.
And who could blame him?
Melinda was a very beautiful lady and her beauty seemed to have only been increasing following her exile.
His whole mindset was that as long as he lay with her once, there was no way she would go running to speak of the matter.
He was right about Melinda not going to speak of it to someone of authority, however, as now obvious, he miscalculated and lost his manhood.
It was reattached of course but the humiliation was still there.
Then he remembered his relief after no one spoke of what he had down and was focused on Melinda's actions.
After she was banished was when his life was turned upside down and he was reminded of how much his uncle doted on his daughter when he beat him an inch from death.
However, the fear he had felt on that day while the beatdown was ongoing was nothing compared to what he felt when Hal stood in front of him and smiled callously at him.
Just the thought of it caused Cirk to shiver and he shook his head to chase those disturbing thoughts away.
He considered leaving the Dane family right now and fend for himself away from home but he doubted he could actually do so without joining some other force for protection which would be unwise.
You see, the Dane family took familial loyalty seriously, and to even entertain the thought of allying with another party and work directly or indirectly against the family was an incredibly disgraceful act that would label the one who left a traitor.
Of course, this was only in terms of how he or she would be viewed and they would not actually punish such a person with death.
Then again, this was a world where the rules are only meant to be obeyed when there is someone stronger and of bigger support there to ensure its enforcement.
In the case of that 'Traitor', they would be cut off from the family and be potentially without any support. Ripe for the picking for those who remained legitimately 'Danes'.
So whoever would consider such an act would make sure they have a support to fall back on which would ensure their survival.
And then there was also the fact that since the 'Traitors' were once Danes and had been privy to the family secrets, they would be marked as liabilities and secret assassination ploys would be set in motion to end their life and avoid any potential leakage.
'No', Cirk thought, 'Deserting the family would grant me with a fate no better than death. It is much wiser to lie low in the family. Despite the threat, those two would not dare make any moves against me.
I might now be dishonored and no better than a servant but I am still my father, the Patriarch's son. I should be fine.'
At that time, he heard a soft chuckle,
"Indeed. The 'mighty' has fallen. Of course, I mean 'mighty' in the loosest of forms. However, you have indeed fallen and fallen very hard it would seem" a voice said out of shadows.
Immediately, Cirk was on high alert and adopted a defensive pose but that hurt him more than it threatened the one in the shadows.
This was made clear when the one in the shadows walked out confidently to the side of the bed,
"Will you be calm? I can't hurt you and you can't hurt me."
Now that he was out of the dark and in the light that was coming from a Rune lamp that was close to his bed, Cirk could now observe his features in the entirety.
He was a tall man, about 1.7 meters in height, and was clearly muscular
His hair was a strange mixture of black and blond while his eyes were the darkest shade of green that Cirk could have sworn he saw a slit in for about a secondd.
His smile was predatory like he was examining Cirk and imagining how good he would taste.
Yes, this man, whoever he was, was showing cannibalistic tendencies.
"W-who are you?" Cirk asked.
The man shook his head,
"My name is not important and I do not say that to be mysterious but because it truly is not important. Just know that I serve a wonderful and powerful man who wishes to help you achieve your dreams." He said with the same predatory smile.
"My dreams?" Cirk looked confused.
The man nodded,
"Well of course. You wish to become Patriarch, don't you? Well, he can make that happen."
Chapter 359 - Cirk's Dreams. Part 2
It was understandable that upon listening to this unknown man with mixed colored hair and dark green eyes, Cirk's eyes brightened at the thought of glory and the possibility that he could still have all he wanted.
After all, the hardest part of his ambition at this moment was to become patriarch now that he had fallen out of grace from his father.
Once he accomplished this nigh-impossible task, everything else should simply fall into place.
The rational part of his mind(you know, the one that vaguely noted that this was more like an unachievable dream) brought him back to reality and turned his newfound hope into skepticism.
Surely, he could not simply trust this stranger, could he?
"You... Can actually make that happen?" Had asked skeptically.
The stranger's eyes widened,
"Me? No no, I can't do anything. I'm only a messenger. But the one who sent me here? He absolutely can. I assure you"
There was such confidence in the messenger's tone. Confidence that went much further and looked to be edging close to absolute devotion.
"How?" Cirk asked and his pose loosened to one where he was not being so defensive.
It might look foolish that Cirk was so quick to even consider what this stranger was offering but it should be noted that right now he was without support in his family. And if he was not going to put his trust, life, and ambitions in the hands of a complete stranger who was actually showing an intention of helping him, then he might as well give up on those dreams.
Even the elders who were based at the Fiery lotus sect would much rather back Hugh as the much more probable option.
After all, if they could actually succeed with a coup, they would have done it already.
This was his one chance.
The stranger looked at Cirk for a while after he asked 'How' and then chuckled,
"The schematics while important are not available to you right now. First, you have to show that you are indeed ready to embrace this new opportunity." He said and chuckled once more to show how naive he thought Cirk was being.
Cirk narrowed his eyes,
"How do I show it?" He asked yo which the stranger spread his arms,
"Simple. You just have to break out." He said.
Cirk's eyes narrowed even further,
"Break out? I'm not a prisoner" he said with an indignant tone.
The stranger looked at him for about half a second before roaring into laughter,
"Oh my goodness, you could have fooled me. You have lost all privileges that make you who you used to be and after the latest incident involving the return of your cousin who has shown that she outmatches you, you are even in more sure straits than before.
You are right, you are not a prisoner as most prisoners only have to be behind bars for the rest of their lives, you are much worse off my man...
... you are much like like a man on death row.
Escape this... Large, beautiful but ultimately an entrapment of a residence and meet me at this location..." He touched Cirk's forehead and passed the information on where they were to meet.
When his fingers touched Cirk's head, the dishonored Dane shivered and seemed to finally understand why this stranger said they could not hurt each other.
That contact with his forehead was cool and seemed to be constantly changing in state. Going from solid to gas...
This was not a real body!
It was a phantom that was created solely fur the purpose of infiltration.
It had no substance and would most likely vanish after a fairly powerful attack, whoever was dealing the attack between the phantom and its opponent was not important as the result would be the same.
It explained how it could infiltrate the Dane territory which was not an easy thing to do without causing a ruckus and drawing out a powerhouse who would put an end to the infiltration.
Once the transfer of information was complete, the phantom stranger leaned back and looked Cirk in the eye as he noted the comprehension in the young Dane's eyes.
He smiled lightly but ultimately declined to comment.
Instead, he got back to what was actually pressing at the moment,
"I will be dispersing now that I have delivered the message. You should know that the invitation is not without end regardless of what you do. If you are not at the meeting point by nightfall, then you can forget it."
Looking out his window, Cirk could see, he did not have much time left, and just as he was realizing that, the phantom dispersed.
Immediately, he stood up from his bed and took a deep breath.
Now that he thought of it, was there even a future for him if he stayed with his family?
No.
He decided there wasn't.
It was time he ventured out of the home and location that used to be a constant rock for him to rest on.
As he put on his clothes, he found that there was no one he was particularly going to miss in this family.
Except for his mother.
This last Five years after Melinda was exiled, all relationships he had formed with his kinsmen had now been reduced to next to nothing.
The only one that remained strong was his relationship with his mother who remained constantly on his side.
He considered going over and telling her goodbye before setting off but he eventually decided he did not have that much time and considering he had no idea what would happen to him upon leaving this rock of a family he had, then he might as well avoid the painful parting which was assured, should they meet.
Then he thought of Melinda and how she was most likely spending time with the scary Hal who the very thought of still caused him to feel fear,
"As it turns out, there might still be hope for you and me. I will have you, Melinda. I promise you that" he said in a quiet voice and a nasty smile.
This ambition of his was clearly not born of any actual feelings but instead of the thought of finally succeeding where he had once failed.
Outside of his residence was free from unnecessary guards who were for 'his protection' and while Melinda was almost completely certain to seek his life eventually, it did not change the fact that he was not currently a prisoner.
Leaving the Dane territory was not exactly prohibited and he would only really be known as a traitor when he was known to have allied with another party that had no ties to the Dane family.
He knew what he needed to do which was to get to the closest teleportation circle and make use of the few blue gems he still had in his possession to leave the territory in its entirety.
The only time he found any other living being apart from the occasional servants going about to see to the bidding of their masters was when he was completely away from his residence and at the location of the teleportation circle.
There, the required number of guards were present and speaking of how their job was a tad bit unnecessary since no one would actually dare to infiltrate the Dane family through the private teleportation circles.
This was actually only one of the few teleportation circles that were being guarded in the Dane territory and only because they are used for exiting and arriving into the territory.
The others which were much more in capacity were only to make journeys within the territory easier and shorter.
"Who goes... Oh, it's young master Cirk" one of the guards began his demands before realizing who it was and changing his tone.
Cirk hardly spared him a glance and there was no reason for him to do so since him taking a trip outside of the territory was nothing that warrants the raising of brows.
He walked stoically past them and stood on the teleportation circle, slotted in the required number of gems, and was on his way out...
Chapter 360 - Shifting Allegiance.
Once he materialized on another circle closest to the location he had been given to go by the phantom, he stepped off and began his dash with the full speed he was permitted by his cultivation base.
The sun was not yet completely down and he smiled to himself that he still had time just as he put in more speed in his bid to reach this new opportunity.
And then...
*Bam!*
From where the strike came from, Cirk did not know but one thing he was certain about was how it knocked the wind out of him and smacked him into the wall of what looked like a dilapidated building.
He recognized the building even without it being within the instructions he had been passed with regards to this 'meeting' spot. The building as well as this location was a part of the Swanson estate which had been demolished partially after the entire family was wiped out.
It could have been completely reduced to rubble but the Astral palace let it stand looking neglected and damaged as an example and a symbol of what happens when they are crossed.
Why or how they had been crossed by the Swanson family was generally unknown but such were unimportant when this remembrance continued to stand.
*Bang!*
With the state of the wall already weak, Cirk broke through completely and lay in the rubble.
"Argh" he groaned and grabbed the point where he had been hit but he had no time to actually nurse his injury as the sound of a weapon cutting through the surrounding air could be heard and he rolled out of the way to avoid it.
But even then, the wielder was quick to make a transition that, aided along with fancy footwork, saw the handle of the weapon which Cirk could now see was a large ax hit him in the chest.
*Crack!*
The sound was faint but announced to the dishonored Dane that his sternum had been damaged.
However, while he might have fallen short against Melinda, Cirk was still a capable expert and he could now sense the pressure being given off by this attacker of his which showed they were of the same cultivation base.
He grabbed the handle of the ax that was still pressed against his chest and without letting go of it, he shifted it to the side with his left hand, which was not an easy feat since this attacker was much more capable than he was physically, and summoned his sword Cosmic armament to take a swipe at this mysterious attacker.
However, with ease that deserved to be commended, the attacker wrenched the handle of his ax out of Cirk's hand and leaped out of the reach of his sword to stare at him with a relaxed smile.
Seeing as the attacker did not seem to be in a haste to attack again, Cirk decided to take a few seconds to observe him...
The attacker was male with his upper muscular and ripped torso revealed for all to see while he wore plain britches to cover his lower half.
He was now leaning on the ax handle with the large and dangerous-looking head pressed against the ground.
"What the Hell?" Cirk asked while letting all his frustrations and pain show in that question.
"Who the fuck are you?" He asked.
To this inquiry, the half-naked man with an ax said nothing except that he lifted the ax and adopted a battle stance that showed he had given Cirk all the reprieve he could afford.
Cirk gritted his teeth and gripped his sword even tighter,
"You underestimate me. The only reason you have been successful in your attacks is because they began with an ambush" he said and spat but could not get rid of the metallic taste of blood in his mouth.
The attacker smirked,
"That you could not sense my incoming ambush shows your senses are rather dull" he said but did not give Cirk the opportunity to reason on what he had just said before he closed the short distance between then and swung his ax.
However, that failed to catch Cirk off guard as the Dane unleashed a blast of cosmic energy in defense of himself.
*Bang!*
The force pushed the attacker back and Cirk needed no further invitation to press in and stab at his opponent's chest without even bothering with any other measures as this was guaranteed to hit since avoiding this required a level of agility which this attacker looked to be lacking.
But was he?
Quick as can be, the attacker positioned his ax in front of chest and it acted as the perfect shield to deflect the jab and the resultant repulse force numbed Cirk's hand and created an opening for the attacker to ram right into him.
*Bam!*
Cirk slid back but while his knees buckled but he stopped himself before actually falling to said knees and that was a good thing too because his attacker was back on him and swinging the flat side of the ax towards him.
Cirk quickly blocked it's path with his sword while sending a fully charged cosmic phenomenon at his opponent who was quick to send his in retaliation such that they canceled each other out.
There was a brief moment when the two connecting blasts of phenomenon caused a cloud that blocked vision and Cirk used this moment to push the ax aside and slam into his opponent and then blast him with a point-blank cosmic attack.
In half a second, with his whole body aching with pain, Cirk was atop his opponent with his sword pointing straight at his chest and his golden eyes wild with anger and annoyance.
The attacker did not look remotely worried even as Cirk brought his sword increasingly closer to stabbing him and then, right at the moment the sword was about to make contact, the muscular form of his opponent liquefied...
"What the...?"
... And the puddle moved away to solidify into the attacker a few meters away.
Shocked beyond relief, Cirk remained in place, staring at his opponent standing away from him and smiling lightly,
"That's enough!" Called a voice from the shadows and Cirk turned towards it and found himself looking upon the familiar face of the phantom with the multicolored hair and Dark green eyes.
"Did you have your fun?" The newcomer asked the attacker who was once again leaning upon his ax which he flooded cosmic energy into to show that it was an Aurora grade artifact!
Cirk's eyes widened as this showed his opponent had been taking it easy on him as for him to actually be able to power an Aurora grade artifact, his cultivation had to be, at the very least, at the peak of the Cosmic Phenomenon Realm.
The attacker shook his head,
"Fun? Bah! Incredibly boring more like. But... He will do I guess. There are much worse recruits you could have found."
"This was a test?" Cirk sounded indignant.
It was the phantom stranger, who was still not here with his real body, by the way, that answered,
"Yes, Ergo here just wanted to be sure you would make a good recruit"
Cirk's eyes narrowed as he stood to his feet,
"A recruit? I thought you were going to introduce me to someone who could give me what I want" he said and the stranger nodded,
"That's right" he affirmed but when Cirk's eyes were moving towards where Ergo stood, he shook his head, "Ergo is not that person. He is a recruit just like you. Just of higher importance. If you want to accomplish your goals you will have to give something in return."
Understanding dawned on Cirk,
"You want me to work for you?"
The stranger shook his head
"For me? No. For my master? Absolutely.
Now before any more is said, do you agree to this arrangement or would you prefer to return to your family and 'lay low'. At this moment, the choice is still yours."
Cirk thought to for a second and then took a deep breath before making the statement that marked the shifting of his allegiance,
"What do you need me to do?"