"Why are you fighting for those cowardly companions? They can't even face their own fear."
But the nature of Scorpio began to take effect. Insight allowed Scobio to see through not only the enemy, but also the true face of the parasites.
Through layers of conceptual camouflage, Scobio saw the primitive form of the parasites. They were not evil predators, but a group of shattered souls.
"You... you used to be guardians, too." Scobio's voice was filled with shock.
The disguise of the parasites was instantly torn apart, revealing their true history.
In the zeroth universal cycle, these entities had once been the bravest conceptual warriors. Facing the conceptual pollution that swept across the universe, they chose the most radical countermeasure: merging themselves with the pollution in an attempt to purify it from the inside.
But they failed. The power of the pollution exceeded their expectations, and their consciousness was completely distorted, turning them into tools to spread the pollution.
"We just wanted to save our own universe..." A faint voice came from deep within the parasites, "but we failed... now we can only keep infecting... this is the only way for us to exist..."
Scobio understood their pain. These parasites were not purely evil, but victims trapped in an eternal curse.
"Then let this all end." Scobio made a dangerous decision.
He began to activate the deepest power of Scorpio—death and rebirth. This process required him to actively let his consciousness "die" and then rebuild a new existence upon the ruins.
"What are you doing?" The parasites felt panic. "Stop! This will kill all of us!"
"Exactly." Scobio said calmly, "You have endured the pain for too long. It is time to gain true liberation."
The Scorpio Mark began to emit a deep black light. This was not the