An aimless pathetic bastard.
It was something Carto had heard numerous times in his life.
Whether it was from his parents, his siblings, his ex girlfriend or friends. Everyone knew that although Carto at the surface had a brilliant future ahead of him, it was all a show.
A show to appease the audience.
All that Carto Harts wanted to do was just laze around and waste his time until death.
He had no true purpose in life and never would be able to have one under normal circumstances.
He had hoped that with his transmigration perhaps he could have passion yet even that didn’t work and Carto was once again back to putting on a show.
No he had a passion right?
“Don’t think about that one, I had to influence you so you could take the events seriously.” The Computer’s words tore down once again any hope.
Carto could only sit there curled up in The Library reverting back once again to his old identity of Carto Harts, The Showman.
“What if I told you that I could give you a goal Carto.” The Computer revealed.
Carto’s dimless eyes suddenly shone with shock.
“What ?”
“Indeed I’ll give you the opportunity to let go of your pathetic state and become something far greater, a being with an aim.”
“H-how?”
“It’s quite simple, I just give you a goal that you can aspire to with your very being.”
“W-What?”
“Carto do you not wonder how I exist, how YOU exist, how everything is occurring and will occur?”
“Yes ?” Carto couldn’t help but agree, he truly was a curious one, all humans were. In fact it was just that this curiosity had been deemed as worthless in both worlds for varying reasons.
In the original world it was due to Carto being born in an age where curiosity was not needed to live a fairly comfortable life. In this world only the strong lived and to become strong curiosity was not needed much.
Carto could also become an adventurer and wander the lands,yet what would happen after that? When Carto had explored and discovered all the secrets what would happen next?
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
This thought process once again trapped Carto.
“Do not worry about those trivial matters Carto, I will save you from yourself, I will give you such a goal that will always be in your mind. Something you’ll never ignore and will instead always strive towards. A goal that has no end.”
“A limitless goal that I’ll always strive towards?” Carto felt excitement and happiness, finally he can become a normal person !
“Tell me what this goal is !” Carto asked as he tried to move himself but instead felt stinging pain from his back.
“Become the Strongest Being in This World, an organism that has reached the Ultimate Pinnacle of Life and can never be replicated nor be overtaken. Complete this task and I shall reveal to you, your goal.” The Computer gave Carto Harts the task.
Carto hearing the proposition couldn’t help but feel nervousness, but this time it was truly his own nervousness and not something influenced by The Computer.
“See ? you’re starting to feel nervous for the first time just about hearing these words.”
“So do you agree with Carto Harts ? Do you accept me ? Do you ?” As these words resounded throughout the Void, Carto felt his injuries fading and The Computer shapeshifted into another form.
TAK TAK TAK
Footsteps that were not of Carto approached the latter.
“Come on, Carto, accept me and become your truest form.” A voice spoke, yet it was far from ordinary; it was unnervingly smooth, like silk gliding over shards of glass. Each word echoed with an eerie, hollow resonance, blending false sympathy with an underlying menace. It was a disconcerting blend of comfort and command, persuasive yet chillingly detached, designed to seep into the cracks of an already broken mind and tighten its grip.
Although Carto could hear the footsteps and voice, he couldn’t see the owner of these actions almost as if he was talking with a ghost.
“Where are you?” Carto asked.
“Oh Carto dear, I’m in front of you, I’m beside you, I’m behind you, I AM EVERYWHERE.” The Computer gave a short and swift response.
Carto hearing this raised his hand and he could feel something hold it.
“I accept.”
As Carto answered, The Library started shaking and all the books caught on fire.
The sight was tremendously horrifying for Carto who was in the middle of the fire.
“What’s happening !” Carto questioned with fear.
The Voice of The Computer gave the answer.
“You Carto Harts have begun your ascension and thus this Library shall ascend with you, no more shall it be a mere set of shelves within a prisoning void representing your shut in nature, no it shall be Greater ! And for it to achieve such it must first be destroyed and remade again from the ashes !” As it spoke the shelves started falling one after another resulting in the fire getting closer to Carto Harts and trapping him as well.
“I have to leave now !” Carto realised and chanted the exit word.
“Avacaniya!”
Ye nothing happened, Carto was still in The Burning Library.
“ Oh since everything is going under reconstruction that means that Avacaniya and Kanuya have also lost their powers for now.”
“Wait, then how will I return ?”
“Oh in about 3 2 1 and now !”
As it said ‘now’ Carto saw that the shelf that was behind him caught fire and fell down.
“Ah Shi-” Carto could barely say two words as the shelf fell down on him and crushed him alive.
SQUASH
Some of Carto’s blood and organs managed to squeeze themselves out from the shelf.
KASH !
Methodically these organs were crushed as well by some invisible force.
The Library now had no ongoing fires, it was as if the moment Carto was crushed the fires disappeared and the Shelves turned into ash.
Only a single thing remained a bit intact in The Ashen Library.
The broken Computer booted up and a message flickered on.
[ Permission to begin 2nd Phase Requested.
Reason : Host has completed the 1st Phase.
Remarks : It was easier than thought to be.
Permission request sent.
………………….. ………………….. …………………………
Request for thought influence sent.
Reason : May speed up the process.
……………………………….. …………… ………………..
Permission for 2nd Phase Acquired.
Request for thought influence Acquired.
Beginning 2nd Phase
……………………….. …………………… …………………]