"Some things, you have to do them even though you know you’ll fail, that’s true courage!"
Just like burning with fierce flames, just like hammering with a sledgehammer, the impurities in the original metal are refined out.
Under the bombardment of truth, under the interrogation of nihility, Ian’s will, which was originally somewhat uncertain because he didn’t know the truth, is now as firm as quenched steel.
It becomes more resolute, more intense, and more steadfast!
In this aspect, it really lost! Completely lost!
Echo’s fingertips, like sharp claws, pierced through the flesh and blood on the skull, blood kept flowing, but Ian showed a delightful smile, laughing heartily: "I thought it was something big, turns out it’s just the destruction of civilization, ultimately just death—Echo, the Pioneer said your degradation is severe, now it seems indeed!"
"You information lifeforms who theoretically have an infinite lifespan simply don’t understand the human spirit... self-exile is death, staying on Terra waiting for the Demon of the Abyss to arrive is death, the awakening of the Thousand-Star Beast is death, the possible awakening of the Demon of the Abyss on the Skyfall Spaceship is death, and even the internal war within the Fifth Energy Level causing human civilization destruction is death—"
"Since it’s all death, then why not die on the path of exploring the Secrets of the Star Gods and the truth of the Demon of the Abyss?"
"Since it’s all death, then why not die on the journey towards the distant?"
"Since we are all forgotten, all meaningless, then why not act instead of running away, instead of waiting, to struggle, to survive, to possibly spark a flame on an irresistible powerful enemy?"
"As long as it looks at me directly, even for a moment, then it’s my win!"
[Sigh—you’re truly ten thousand times crazier than I am!]
At this point, how could Echo not realize that it has truly underestimated the distortion, demon-possession, and madness of the person in front of it? Ian could even say such words, who knows what else he wouldn’t dare to do!
But fortunately, the truths thrown out have indeed shaken Ian—so now in the spiritual confrontation, it’s in an absolute advantage!
[Go on, resist as much as you like!] It said solemnly: [No matter how much your will sublimates, in the direct entity connection with my advantage, your soul will be completely assimilated by me in half an hour—by then, you will also become one of us Echo, along with the Rites of the Star Gods within you!]
"Half an hour? That’s too slow!"
And Ian sneered: "Do you guess why I listened to you talk so much? You don’t really think I’d commit suicide just to know the truth, right? It’s because the Silver Chip told me, my friends are rapidly approaching me—yes, I would indeed lose my cool for Logos, and I would be shaken by knowing more unknown and incredible truths."
"I would indeed throw myself for your truth, even losing my advantage... this is my character flaw, but don’t you have one too?"
At that moment, amidst the extreme cold tide of ice dragons, the hurried footsteps of two people sounded.
Both Ian and Echo heard these two footsteps, Ian’s smile became more radiant, while Echo’s expression became more grim, the young man laughed heartily: "You only assimilate other lifeforms, right? All your Echoes are fighting me, this is your full strength... and I indeed exerted my personal full strength to confront you, now truly at a disadvantage."
"But, the strength of a person doesn’t entirely come from himself, also from his friends, his relationships!"
——Ian, are you alright?!
——Wait, Sio, he’s linked at the dragon’s reverse scale port... they’re fighting a soul battle!
Faintly hearing such voices, while Echo’s face was gloomy as water, Ian laughed heartily: "I have friends, and you have none!"
"Echo, this is your character flaw!"