Rise of the Cosmic_Emperor

"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...