"Who are you really?"
Ian looked at another Ian. It was the same Ian who appeared in his dreams.
"Who am I? I am you... Perhaps, it’s right to say I’m the old you..."
Ian raised an eyebrow. "Don’t speak cryptically, just get straight to the point, would you?"
"I see, Impatient as ever." The other Ian chuckled lightly. "Well, you can understand it as you are reincarnation, and I am your strongest version. For some reason, I had to send my core soul to escape a calamity." Then, his gaze rested on Ian. "You are the core soul, I’m merely a remnant soul now. As for your system? That’s my innate ability originally."
Hearing this, a lot of doubts were solved in Ian’s mind. Although he was still rather skeptical. He could still determine the truth. For instance, Ian, in front of him, knows the existence of the system.
"Since I am your reincarnation and I am the core soul... So what now? You’re to merge with me, right?" Ian looked at his other version. "If so, do you think I’ll be foolish to do such a risky thing? What if you’re the one in control after the merge? That simply means I’m dead..."
"You’re smart. As expected of myself." The other Ian had a devilish grin. He folded his hands before saying: "But yes and no... Yes, I came for you to merge with me. But no, you’ll still be the one in control, and I’ll essentially perish after the merge... After all, you are the Core Soul; I’m merely a fragment. I’m not a match for you, even if I try to wrestle control. This fact already dooms me."
Ian smiled freely. Actually, his instinct, his very being, told him that he had to merge with the other Ian in front of him, no matter what. Even without the other party’s assurance. He could feel that he could gain something invaluable if he merged with him and still be in control. It was an instinct that seemed to be ingrained in his DNA. "What’s in it for me after we merge?"
"You’ll be complete. The system within you will experience a massive upgrade. The bloodline flowing through your veins will be cleansed from that menace’ control and you might have the chance to escape his grasp..."
As Ian digested the information. He felt a rush of excitement. ’It seems it’s time for another breakthrough.’
However, something also made him unsettled, which prompted him to ask:
"Menace, who is that? And I am not under anyone’s control." Ian began to ponder before his eyes widened. "Are you talking about the Nine Paths Bloodline? I mean, that’s the only bloodline that I have."
"Yup, you’re in for a deep shit." The other Ian sighed regretfully. "Perhaps, this is our fate. That damned bloodline is also the reason why I need to send the core soul for a way to survive. Didn’t expect you’ll be in the same shit." His voice, from serious, turned to amusement. "However..."
"However, what? Can’t you just drop the suspense!?"
Ian couldn’t help but complain.
"Do not worry. You’re Nine Paths had just turned to True Paths. It’s still a hundred times inferior to the Super Paths, and you still have a 90% chance to cleanse that before it’s too late."
Hearing this, Ian’s eyes deepened. What to do? Merge or not to merge? Actually, he had already decided.
"How to merge?" He asked his other version, or the so-called strongest version.
Ian couldn’t really understand how he, an earthling who had transmigrated to another world’s aboriginal vampire, suddenly turned out to be someone’s reincarnation. Maybe it’s not the body. As his other version told him, it was his soul. Ian certainly understood that in this bizarre world he was currently in. Anything seems to be possible. Not to mention, just the existence of his system and the dark races defies logic itself.
He knew that if he tried to understand this world with a scientific perspective, he would go nowhere. Although there’s a saying that if something cannot be explained by science, then science wasn’t just advanced enough. He knew that with his current level of expertise in science, trying to understand the supernatural world in this way would lead him astray and lose his direction.
Now he chooses to merge. As for the possibility of losing control and his other version taking over? It’s not as if he didn’t consider that. However, his very intuition had given him a good feeling. Although he didn’t really need to take risks. The prospect of a system upgrade, the chance to escape the so-called "Menace" control over his bloodline, etc... really tempted him.
After all, even if he refuses this just so he could avoid the risk of losing control after the merge. He would still have to face the "Menace" proble,m which was pessimistic without knowing who was this "Menace" was and how exactly terrifying its control over the Nine Paths Bloodline.
If he chooses to merge now, he still has the chance to escape that "Menace" control and with relatively lower risk.
Ian’s strongest version let out a sincere smile. He folded his hands together as he began to mutter language that sounded gibberish to Ian’s ears. As if even as a Devil, he wasn’t qualified to know this kind of information. It was like a taboo for his level of life.
One had to know that he had become a Devil. So, this just proves how terrifying his strongest version was. Just what kind of taboo existence was he in his past life? To have such an innate ability is like the system already spoke volume. Ian couldn’t help but wonder. What’s more, how terrifying is the "Menace" to force his strongest version to this point of sending out his core soul just for a way to survive, even when it means that he’ll no longer remain in control?
Just like that, Ian’s strongest version turned into golden mist slowly. Slowly, but surely, the golden mist began to seep inside Ian’s very pores. He suddenly felt lethargic and a massive amount of information began to flood his head, as vast as sea, as wide as the universe.
Ian’s mouth turned agape. "How is this possible? How strong is my complete form strongest version!?"
Even his current True Paths Devil pales in comparison with the power level his strongest version that he receives from the flood of memories.