"So, what is your purpose in Terra?" Vlad’s eyes bore into the duo, his A.I. Chip meticulously tracking every microexpression and vital signal, searching for any hint of deception.
Vlad did not blindly hate aliens, nor did he trust Freya and the viking race from Valhalla. He felt a strong connection to the young woman and was captivated by her beauty and strength, but that was far from enough for him to lower his guard. Until he knew more about them, he would remain vigilant.
Freya remained silent after hearing Vlad’s question. Her eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, darted towards the young man, her intent clear.
Vlad was momentarily confused before a small smile appeared on his face. The woman wanted to know about his race and background before answering more questions. He thought for a moment about the type of answer he would give until one came to mind.
"I am what you would call a hybrid. My Gift allowed me to awaken my Soul Bloodline Heritage, and I am currently evolving beyond my human limitations. As for Jormungandr, I can transform others into my kind, although the process is extremely complicated and has several limitations." Vlad chose to give an honest answer, although he changed some details and made sure to hide the most precious parts.
Freya’s eyes narrowed, her curiosity piqued by Vlad’s words. She was well-versed in the unique powers of Gifts, and the notion of awakening an ancient power was not beyond the realm of possibility. Sensing Vlad’s honesty, a smile appeared on the young woman.
She then turned toward the old viking and nodded, signaling for him to reveal their purpose.
Though still not a fan of the young man, Grey Hawk did not let it deter him from his duties. "Ahhh, we have come here to fight and kill, similar to the angels and demons you have seen. But our core purpose is different. While the soldiers from Heaven and Abyss are just pawns of powerful beings sent into this New Plane to dominate it, we serve no one but our own interests."
Vlad and Jormungandr’s eyes narrowed at those words.
Angels and demons would only benefit if they took control over Terra and suppressed its people. It would be impossible to form a harmonious relationship with humans because their higher-ups would eventually demand control over the world and take its native people as slaves.
However, if Grey Hawk’s words were true, the vikings that reached Terra acted on their own volition, meaning they were free to pursue a different path. Vlad focused on the old Viking, eager to hear more.
The old viking continued, displaying a scholarly aura. "Our path is simple. We will kill the hostile life forms threatening Terra, hoping to gain its gratitude and benefit from its Origin Force. After the New Plane completes its rise to the higher dimension and Origin Force is no longer used as a reward, we will return to our home and let your kind be."
Vlad’s eyes widened as he understood the vikings’ ambition. Gaining the goodwill of the Plane Will was a titanic task, demanding much more effort than the angels’ and demons’ paths. However, if they succeeded, they would gain access to Origin Force—the one thing nearly impossible to attain in the higher dimension unless you were a god or an extremely high-level life form.
Freya’s eyes were full of resolution as she spoke to Vlad. "We aim to help and protect Terra and, in return, gain its ultimate reward."
"Hahaha, great! If that is your goal, there is no reason for any animosity to rise among us. We can even be friends if you are interested." Vlad was happy to learn he would not have to fight with the young woman. He did not want to harm her; the thought made him uncomfortable. However, if she were an alien who sought to suppress and enslave the world, he would not hesitate.
A small smile appeared on Freya’s face as she heard those words, glad to see the harmony with the young man. Now, she could finally relax a little, and a spark of curiosity arose in her eyes as she focused on the runes of the duo.
"Those runes, are they your race’s Bloodline Runes?" As a member of a Plane in the higher dimension, Freya was aware of Runemasters and their craft. She also knew just how hard it was to master it, and the idea that the craft would appear in a New Plane was preposterous, so she naturally concluded that the ones that appeared on the duo’s bodies were Bloodline Runes.
Vlad could not help but smile as he heard those words. The reason was that Bloodline Runes was a term that he knew from his Second Past Life’s memories, and the fact they also existed here meant that the core rules of the universe were more similar than he expected, meaning his sea of knowledge would be extremely helpful.
The spells and techniques in Asmael’s memories were already losing their usefulness, and Vlad needed to find stronger ones for himself and his people.
Vlad had already devised a solution for the shortage of spells and cultivation techniques. He planned to use the A.I. Chip to modify his Second Past Life techniques to work in this universe.
Initially, Vlad thought this would take a considerable amount of time. Yet, if the core principles of this universe were similar to those of the old one, it might be easier than he anticipated.
As for Bloodline Runes. These extremely rare runes only appeared in individuals with powerful bloodlines and significant potential. They were much more potent than regular runes and increased in power with age.
"Boss was the one who created this Runic Set. He actually gave one to all our top warriors in the Xaos Kingdom." Noticing that Vlad was lost in his thoughts, Jormungandr seized the opportunity to boast once more about the young man’s abilities.