Asher's eyes gained a slight mix of puzzlement as he stared at Yuki. He was trying to gauge her true intentions over that question.

But when she had asked him, 'what is your goal' all Asher heard and felt from her was genuine curiosity.

Asher, while as kind and friendly he is towards others, isn't the type to really talk much about his deep personal life. He either didn't really see it as a point to bring up when talking or didn't want to put unnecessary baggage on others about his problems.

However, with Yuki, Asher immediately felt different.

And this wasn't even the fact that Yuki's voice is hypnotically persuasive or alluring beauty charm.

It was him more so realizing that he will honestly be stuck with Yuki for probably all of his life.

The event with the blue sapphire gemstone certainly happened, and Asher could still recall the terrifying sensation of nearly dying. Yet somehow, he is still living and apparently will become even better after this.

Furthermore, Asher did really believe this was inside his soul. Not only did he feel so at home here, but there was also a strange yet powerful connection that Asher feels running through his entire being.

Moreover, even if Yuki has some suspicions about her, Asher didn't believe she would so blatantly lie all the time. They were, after all, bound by their souls.

Considering all of this, Asher relented to Yuki's request. Asher also realized this could be a good way to slightly vent just a bit.

With his mind made up, Asher felt some appreciation towards Yuki. He took several seconds to come to this decision, and Yuki remained patient with her ever-present beautiful smile.

Sighing just a bit, Asher began to speak. "My goal….well, it's actually a pretty simple one. My goal is to correct the pains my family uncaringly unleashed on anybody and everybody."

After saying so, a hint of steel tone entered Asher's voice at the end of his sentence. But he quickly caught himself, quelling any rise of emotions or resurgence of unpleasant memories.

A silence had hanged in his soul space.

Yuki wasn't disturbed by the silence or how Asher became quickly tight-lipped. She had actually slightly nodded her head towards him.

Deep within his eyes, Yuki could spot a faint twinkling glint.

It was a look that reminded Yuki of several personal things from her own life. Her smile grew again as she had then asked Asher, "That's a very noble goal, Asher. And for that….you'll need power! So? Are you ready now?"

Gripping his palm, Asher took one final breath. "Haaah….alright, let's do it. From this day onwards, I won't be left behind by none of them or anybody really."

"You know, Asher, you'll see our goals will line up so perfectly," Yuki claimed while raising two of her fingers.

She didn't give Asher a chance to question what she meant as she instantly followed up next with, "Now then, get ready for pain. And I when I mean pain, I mean pain! When I snap my fingers, it will come all at once, and our merger can be completed then."

"Bring it." Asher immediately answers.

He was curious about Yuki's goals, but for now, he had to get past this tremendous trial right in front of him. It was impossible for him to avoid it, so Asher was going to take this head-on.

Keeping up her smile, Yuki had then snapped her half translucent fingers.

"AHHHH!!!"

And immediately, agonizing shrieks blared from Asher's mouth. He crashed to his knees, his arms wrapped around his body, tightly gripping it.

The most torturous sensation wracking Asher's entire being was like he was getting slowly burned by molten lava inside and out.

This pain was even worse than when he got drilled by the sapphire gemstone.

What exactly made this pain a thousand times worse than anything was a feeling that surpassed the burning agony. No amount of physical pain could compare to this overwhelming feeling.

This feeling came from pure soul pain.

"Nnng!! Ahh!!" Asher began thrashing about in his soul space.

This experience truly was like being plunged into the depths of hell. With each little passing second, Asher almost wishes he could die right now.

But, no matter how hellish this was for Asher, he stubbornly persisted. To any average person, they would've had their minds wholly broken by now.

And even experienced people would be driven utterly mad.

Yet, no matter what, Asher desperately clings on to persist through this.

"Ah-Ah-Nnn!!!"

Suddenly Asher stopped thrashing about. He began to violently gnash his teeth to a point where he was sure he was cracking them.

As Asher was seemingly making progress in resisting, a new wave of anguish burst in his mind. Numerous painful memories of his most excruciating moments had suddenly popped right into his mind, trying to destroy his stubborn will.

However, Asher didn't let his mind get consumed by these memories.

He pushed everything down, forcing past any tortuous memories appearing in his mind.

"I….I….I-" Asher desperately tried to talk. His words came out shaky, and it legitimately hurt to try and talk.

The best option would be to simply not talk.

Yet Asher was entirely determined to declare to himself and Yuki, "I didn't just drag myself through these grueling years of hell just to die!!"

Asher violently clamped down on his teeth.

He was now doing his absolute best to suppress any roars or grunts of pain. This was the most intense struggle Asher had ever experienced in his life. But he had a burning determination to not give in.

Everything in life was riding on this!

Yuki remained still with her ever-present small smile. Though it may look like she was indifferent to Asher's suffering, there was an evident emotion visibly radiating in her eyes.

It was a genuine feeling of respect.

Yuki knows more than anything about the tremendous agony Asher was currently undergoing. She did indeed expect Asher to lose out to the pain and probably end up losing consciousness.

However, a couple of minutes of this torture went by already, and Asher was as stubborn as a mule in breaking through this pain.

In his blue soul space, this agony process went on for minutes on end.

Asher couldn't tell how long time had passed. But to him, it genuinely felt like several hours already breezed by.

And just when Asher thought this torture would be everlasting, he finally felt a different sensation course in himself.

This different sensation gave Asher an entirely more incredible feeling than the anguish.

It was a rushing sensation of overwhelming power!

Asher had sat right up, experiencing pain and power mixed throughout him.

At this moment, the power coursing within him was immense. With this power, Asher legitimately felt like he could take on the whole world!

'Chi!!'

His eyes exploded into blinding blue rays of lights, spewing across his entire soul space.

"Oh? Now, this I also haven't expected!"

A legitimate tone of surprise blared out of Yuki's mouth. She didn't think it was possible at all, but it really seemed like Asher managed to perceive their Merger powers a slight bit.

Even though it was only a slight bit, this was still an immense feat that gave Yuki a good omen for the future.

However, the blue rays of lights spewing from Asher's eyes only lasted for a mere second.

In the immediate next second, Asher went abruptly stiff.

The blue rays of lights from his eyes instantly vanished, and Asher's body crashed to the floor. His eyes were closed shut as he was now passed out cold.

Yuki slowly went up to Asher. She had actually crouched down to Asher's face and reached out to gently caress his half translucent hair.

A genuine warm smile formed on her lips as she spoke out loud. "Like always, you're just so interesting to me."

….

Complete darkness was the only thing enveloping Asher's vision. He wasn't entirely sure when his consciousness came back to him, but it felt like hours passed already.

Immediately when he had come to this Darkness scene, the excruciating pain from his soul space returned.

However, it wasn't as intense as he experienced there. The pain slowly adjusted to a point where Asher could slowly deal with it and bear the pain.

And finally, after what seemed like hours, the pain became entirely negligible for him.

While stuck in this Darkness space, Asher wonders if he went through the species-changing process already and became a ghost.

It was a bit of an odd feeling to him now.

Initially, he had such a volatile reaction to losing his humanity.

Asher thought most humans would react the same as him when being told their whole species is about to get forcefully changed.

But now, after undergoing the whole process, Asher could only describe this as a natural feeling.

There weren't any inhibitions or weariness he has over becoming a ghost now. Asher thought, perhaps it was because he's now a ghost or something about undergoing that immense pain contorted his mind.

Whatever it was, Asher wasn't regretting this process. He didn't even care what his family would think, considering it was his parents that forced him on this path.

And finally, when Asher felt his mind become calm, over reaching a small conclusion.

He experienced a vibrant rush of power wash through him once again!

This energy wasn't nearly as potent as what he felt in the soul space. In fact, it wasn't even a full single percent of what he experienced.

Although what was coursing in him indeed was power far beyond what he had ever surge in his life.

This time, the energy also gave Asher a more tingling sensation. It wasn't an uncomfortable tingling sensation but a pleasant one that was fueling Asher with incredible power.

Right while Asher was basking in this tingling power, a booming voice had abruptly blared in his mind!

"Wake up!"

The whole Darkness space Asher was in instantly crumbled under that voice, and light blared into his vision.

....

"Ahh!!" Asher woke up screaming, having a tremendous fright.

He felt like his ears were still ringing as a jumbled mix of feelings swirled around Asher's mind. But upon awakening, the first thing Asher noticed was the change of scenery.

His eyes crazily looked around the place, and he noticed he was finally back in his bedroom!