Rise of the Cosmic_Emperor

The slash that decapitated the Bandit leader was a tad bit nonchalant and more so when Hal did not even give it a second glance.

Instead, he reverted to normal which saw to the return of his normal skin and eyes back to normal and the loss of his wings, horns, and claws.

He stuck Executioner into the ground once again and focused his attention on the large oval crystal he had gotten from Red Beard and was supposedly the reason the benefit leader comprehended the Ordinance of fire.

"What the hell is this?" Hal mumbled to himself and Grimoire was ready to supply information,

'That Hal, is a fire crystal and I can see how it can help with the comprehension of the Ordinance of fire. It is practically the purest portable form of fire and can help to get attuned with the Ordinance.

Of course, whoever it is, has to have an affinity for the element of fire' it said.

"Does it really increase cultivation speed?' Hal asked.

Grimoire made a dismissive sound, 

'No, it doesn't. Whatever 'increase' Red Beard thought it caused was most likely all in his head. The main use of the fire crystal is actually to serve as a possible explosive power source in the creation of an artifact. In fact, right in its raw state by which I mean the state at which it is in your hand right now, it can be appraised as semi saint rank artifact.' It told Hal.

Following this revelation, Hal's eyes widened, 

"Really?"

Grimoire did a mental appropriation of a nod, 

'Really. In fact, while it is not necessarily fragile, it could be set off if you are not careful and its detonation would be quite catastrophic and you will have no hope, none at all of surviving it.

However, if you reach an Astral sense Rank where you can attempt the creation or upgrade of an artifact, it could be very useful.'

Hal furrowed his brows, 

"What if I want to comprehend the Ordinance of fire? This could be what I need to not have to wait four thousand years for an Ordinance. I mean if Red Beard can do it, why can't I?"

Grimoire was silent for a while before saying, 

'Well, it all depends on whether or not you are attune with it'

Hal nodded and sent the fire crystal into his inventory before he pulled off Red Beard's spatial ring which he was able to peruse since its owner was dead and was a tad bit disappointed that the bandit leader's wealth was mostly in gold.

And he estimated it was about fifty million gold coins and only about 1000 Blue gems.

He had to admit that it was well within reason. After all, this region was a lot similar to Salmon city's region and would hence mostly trade in gold coins 

There were other things inside the spatial ting which ranged most from rune daggers to cultivation techniques and scrolls containing skills. The skills were actually the first things that actually piqued Hal's interest and how could they not when he spotted two Fourth grade skills and one fifth-grade skill; What a score!

Clearly, robbing merchants had been quite lucrative for Red beard and his bandit band.

Once he was done with his inspection and had put the ring into his inventory, he directed his attention to the battle that was ongoing and was still so heated that no one really noticed the end of his and Red Beard's battle, and those who did notice only fought harder.

After all, just because their leader was dead, that did not mean they should surrender to the cruel hand of fate now, did it?

Unfortunately, the hand of fate, in this case, seemed a force they could not escape as the battle had long since turned one-sided.

Rita herself had seen to the death of three of Red Beard's confidantes and the rest had been killed by the rest of the ladies. Now she had Essence stealer out and did not seem to tire of shooting the flaming arrows of lust to burn up as many bandits as she could target.

Hal had no intentions of letting any of the bandits go free. That they are more than he had expected was only too welcome since his beasts actually numbered in the thousands as well.

He pulled out Executioner from the ground and once he made contact with the fiendish armament, his blue irises turned a fiendish blood red and he began to reap the lives of as many bandits as he could.

Soon, most of the bandits were attempting to escape the onslaught which was impossible on account of the Dome of Astral energy that still surrounded the camp.

Not to mention that Karmen chased them all down and made sure she killed every last one of the bandits the beasts did not get to which was actually not that many.

Soon, all the bandits were dead and the ground was littered with their bodies.

Hal appraised it all with a satisfied nod of his head while he dispersed his Blood Fiend Armament before he opened the portal to the habitat and had the beasts go inside. Including Sassy.

Then the portal to the Harem space was opened as well so that all who had not been with him when he first arrived at the camp could return into the Harem space where they would refine all the essence they had siphoned from their victims.

Then he let the Dome of Astral energy surrounding the merchants fade away and reveal to their eyes the absolute devastation that had been wrought on Red Beard's bandit band.

Needless to say, they and all their bodyguards were shocked and awed at the sight.

"This is impossible" they mumbled and looked Hal over once again. Taking in his bloodstained clothes and the hint of wildness in his eyes they made their assessment,

He's a Monster!

They all are!

This assessment was more so because of Karmen who had dispersed Executioner but was still gripping her Cosmic Armament and glaring at the merchants and their bodyguards.

"H-H-H... How did you do this?" Asked the vocal merchant and at that time a commotion arose as the other merchants finally spotted Red Beard body in a crater, with his head beside him.

*Barf*

Collectively, a majority of the merchants threw up as they had never seen this level of bloodshed and absolute massacre of a force. 

Who the hell were this young man and the ladies with him?

While they did not yet have an answer for this question, it was clear that they were not a bunch to be messed with.

Hal eyes them but really had no patience to deal with the whole lot of them, 

"Get out" he said in a calm voice and deactivated the Dome around the Bandit camp.

However, calm as the words were, they seemed to sound incredibly loud in their ears and soon, they walked past him and his ladies who only eyed them without saying a word to head to the carriage they had come here with which was surprisingly not damaged in the course of the massacre, to get the fuck out of here as swiftly as they could.

However before the vocal Merchant, who was the last to walk past Hal, left, he stammered to Hal and produced a wooden seal for him.

On the seal was written only one word, Dell.

"It does not matter if you meant to or not, the fact of the matter is that you have done us and the mayor a great deed, and should you ever be in Doxon, be sure to visit the mayor's estate. This seal will get you in. 

Whether you visit or not, I will tell of yours and the ladies' deeds to the mayor." He said, pressed the seal against Hal's chest, and hurried past.

He boarded his carriage and left behind the other Merchant representatives.

Hal watched them, the vocal merchant, in particular, leave and smiled, 

"What a nice gesture" he said...

... But the sarcasm in his voice could not have been any clearer.