Ray read for hours upon hours, lost in the book’s world. When he was in the middle, and looked up wondering if he could get more, a stack of books appeared. He knew it wasn’t him who summoned them, but he threw who it was that did it to the back of his mind, and lost himself in the books. He had no hunger, no thirst, he didn’t tire, didn’t have to go to the toilet, he didn’t get smelly, didn’t have to shower. He read, and just read.
When he was on the last book more than 800 chapters later, he paused. This web novel was still ongoing. He turned to the last chapter, and it was the one he read last. So it was all from his memory, but could he get the new chapters? He struggled with himself for a bit, but he wanted to keep reading it more than anything. Can you get the new chapters?
Vorm was slightly surprised the fool asked it this, it didn’t expect him to talk to it again so soon. So books were the way to calm the fool down. Vorm was somewhat reluctant to answer since the fool finally seemed relaxed.
“That world is gone, the writer is dead. I didn’t do it.” Vorm didn’t really understand why it added the second sentence, but it supposed, it was more interesting when the fool talked to it, and it didn’t want to anger him into silence again.
Ray put the book down, and imagined a good ending that would satisfy him. It probably would have had a good ending—“I’m sorry.”—Ray’s daydreaming was suddenly interrupted. It took him a moment to comprehend the words. Sorry? Was it even possible for that creature to be sorry? Sorry? Do you really feel sorry?
“Of course not. But humans say that when they are trying to placate each other.” The usual mocking tone wasn’t present, it was so neutral and without any feelings that it reminded Ray of a machine.
Ray laughed dryly. It was so absurd, he laughed in his helplessness. Are you an AI? A system?
“No, I’m no mere AI,” Vorm scoffed as if offended.
So what’s your goal? Why am I to keep reincarnating? he asked tiredly. He at least wanted to understand why he was to suffer living countless lives.
Vorm decided to try and explain a bit more in the simplest terms possible to appease the fool, “Not just you. Everyone with a Soul Core reincarnates, it’s just that they don’t remember. As they live, they go through different experiences to gather &#Í$&#>|&@…” Vorm cut himself off when it noticed Ray wasn’t listening anymore. It sighed, the simplest terms weren’t simple enough. It realized yet again, how weak humans were.
Ray’s mind was blank and he stared ahead with vacant eyes. Eventually he blinked. He frowned, he felt like he forgot something important. What was he doing just now? Right… asking Vorm. Vorm was, for a change, seriously answering. It said everyone reincarnates, and… different experiences to gather… he frowned again. Gather what?
“You can’t comprehend. You can call it essence, meaning, experience, aspect, element, reality, substance, fundamental, form, facet, matter, truth, constituents, the smallest building blocks…but these words are all too lacking to describe it,” Vorm said impatiently, such a lacking description, it felt like it was lying.
Ray’s head was spinning. That… didn’t explain anything! So… reincarnate to gather the stuff. Why?
Vorm grimaced. Calling it the stuff, it hurt its non-existent heart. “To strengthen the Soul Core, so each reincarnation they have a slightly stronger Soul Core. Slightly stronger, because upon dying most of…” Vorm gritted its teeth and continued, “...The Stuff…” it cringed so hard it felt like it was about to learn what crying was. It sighed and continued angrily, “…is taken back, only a layer adheres to the Soul Core that remains. Over many lives, this builds up, and the Soul Core gets stronger. You, however, will keep most of it, that is why you will remember.” Vorm felt exhausted.
Ray tried to keep up and understand. Why does it matter how strong one’s Soul Core is?
“It’s the basis of…” Vorm paused. It tried to figure out a way to explain it to a stupid human. After a while, it spat in frustration “Weak Soul Core weak creature, strong Soul Core strong creature.” There, even a dumb human should be able to understand that much.
Ray felt Vorm was losing its patience. So… you need me to have a strong Soul Core, right? Why?
“Why, why, why why! It’s always why, I explain one thing and there’s another why. I explain that and there’s yet again, another why. You don’t need to worry about that. Isn’t it good for you to be stronger?”
What if you just want me to be strong so you can eat me? Why else would an unfeeling creature want to make someone strong? It was like fattening up a pig.
“Then you would die, wouldn’t you? Isn’t that what you want to begin with?”
Ray couldn’t argue with that, the thought of living many lives depressed and crushed him.
To Vorm, it didn’t matter whether Ray cooperated with it or not, even if the fool just sat through each of his lives and did nothing, Vorm would still reach its goal eventually. But… “Those books you always read, you love them, right?”
Mm.
“Why?”
Ray frowned. Why would Vorm ask this. Still, he decided to answer. Because they are new worlds I haven’t seen before, and I can get lost in them to my heart’s content. Because as long as I’m lost in a story’s world, I don’t have to think about and face my own life. Because, while I read I can be someone else. It’s exciting.
“Then why aren’t you excited about living many lives, seeing many worlds? Your original world had no magic, as you call it, but even bottom ranked worlds usually do. Those books you read…” Vorm was struggling yet again to explain, “…other worlds had bled through into those books. Don’t you want to see new worlds with your own eyes?” Vorm couldn’t believe it was actually coaxing this fool.
Ray thought about it. He looked at the books he had just read, and had an exciting thought. Could I then see the original world of my favorite hunter and snake?
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Vorm would have paled in horror if it had a face. “Crazy human, why would you want to go there? Do you have any idea… no, of course you don’t. Ignorant fool. You...” Vorm kept muttering curses. Luckily, the chance of coming across that world was so negligible, it was basically zero.
Ray was surprised how worked up Vorm got. He smiled in schadenfreude, he finally found something Vorm seemed to be scared of. Are you scared of that world?
Vorm scoffed. “If you had even a single brain cell, you wouldn’t ask that. Oh how nice it must be to be so ignorant and oblivious. I almost envy you.”
Ray grew quiet and pondered on what he had just learnt. See new worlds… that sounded interesting. Magic… he thought of the exhilarating feeling of running through the sky. The storm he summoned, the moonlight that enveloped him, the immense power he gained in exchange for his life. That was indeed thrilling, but… but then remembered what he had done after gaining all that power. He could still see the bloody city, taste the girl’s blood, smell the horror and dismay... his stomach churned. He felt sick. Not to mention, everything he went through before that.
Yeah no… if the price of seeing new worlds is to live through hell like I did as a wolf, then no thank you.
“It’s not like you have a choice. You might as well look at the bright side. Also, forget about your last life, you didn’t have your memories.”
Does it even matter whether I have my memories or not? I used to think if I grew up differently, I would be different. But didn’t I end up being the same even as a wolf? I just put up with everything until the day I couldn’t anymore, and exploded. I hate that I’m such a coward that I can go along with anything. I always give up. Ray was very well aware of his own nature.
“Your last human life wasn’t your only life. Through many lives, you experienced many things that shaped you, and the most dominant traits got ingrained in your soul that shaped your personality. That’s how you are you now. Having your memories means you can choose to change, ingrain new traits into your soul to cover the old. Over time, through many lives, you can become someone you want to be.” Vorm paused and as it remembered something, added, “You can even become a dragon.”
Ray’s eyes grew wide in shock. I can become a dragon? Really? A real dragon, that is the most powerful? Not a pathetic dragon, but an arrogant, confident, self-assured, amazing and cool dragon?
“Yes… but it will take a long time. Dragons have the most powerful Soul Cores.”
I can be a dragon… a freaking dragon… so amazing…
Ray forgot all his grievances and sorrows. He had no choice to begin with, so he might as well make the most out of this situation. Seeing new worlds wasn’t such a bad thought, and becoming a dragon? He shook in excitement. He was always obsessed with dragons, he loved dragons. Dragons were the coolest. Maybe he loved them so much, because they were the opposite of him. Compared to them, he was just a slime and—a particular slime came to mind—no, slimes could be cool too. Never mind, he was pathetic and weak, but he could become a dragon now.
So what do I do to become a dragon? The Stuff, how do I gather it? I just live? Is it better to live longer, or to die more frequently? What is the fastest way?
It was fine that Ray was more spirited, but Vorm for some reason found him just as annoying as before. “Let’s just say, the more intense and varied experiences, the better.”
Hmm hmm, okay… Ray nodded in thought, so my last life, the wolf, was it good in gathering a lot of The Stuff? Which parts were the best?
“It was good, yes… you don’t have to think this hard about it. You can’t even comprehend what you are gathering, how do you expect to know what is the best way to do so? Stop thinking about it this way. Just live your life however you want to live, and you will eventually get there.”
I want to be happy and not suffer through these lives… that’s good too, yes? I can just be happy, I don’t have to be miserable to gather The Stuff?
“Yes, it doesn’t matter. A happy life is just as good.” As if, Vorm thought to itself. All considered, the chance of this fool having a happy life was basically nil. But the fool didn’t need to know that. While it didn’t really matter if the fool was cooperative or not, Vorm preferred the former.
Ray seriously started thinking about situations he might encounter the next time based on his wolf-life. Alright, I’ll do it, but you need to promise me some things.
Why is this fool acting as if he had a choice? Vorm really couldn’t understand humans, but it went along. “What is it?”
You are capable of killing me anytime, right? You offered last time.
“I offered it, because I knew you wouldn’t choose it. I will not kill you and give you easy escapes.”
What if I’m getting tortured? I don’t want to be tortured again.
“You already got tortured plenty and didn’t choose to die.”
But I didn’t know I would just live again…
“I’m not killing you, it’s bad on the long term. You cannot kill yourself either, you have to fight to stay alive, no matter what, otherwise you’d take death too easy and grow apathetic. Don’t you want to become a dragon as soon as possible?”
Ray gritted his teeth. Fine… anything to be a dragon… but he paused. No, not anything. There was one thing he’d absolutely refused to go through no matter what.
Vorm had a feeling what the fool was considering based on how worked up he was before. “I can just knock you unconscious.”
Ray took a deep breath, this suggestion pissed him off, but he answered calmly. Not enough.
“Purify your body as well, it will be as if it never happened.”
No.
“…”
No.
“...then..”
No.
“But…”
No.
“It’s too dangerous if I take action.”
I don’t care, either that or you kill me. I don’t care how you solve it.
“…”
“……………..”
“…fine.” Vorm hoped it wouldn’t come to that so the fool wouldn’t realize it lied.
Ray felt reassured, he stood up with great enthusiasm. So when do we start? Hurry up and reincarnate me, the sooner we start, the sooner I can become a dragon.
Who spent so long reading…
Wait can I choose what I’ll reincarnate as? Can I be a wolf again?
“It’s random.” Vorm changed the fool’s Soul Core Designation to be born as a human. Human’s Soul Cores were the most varied, even Ray’s weak ass soul could handle being a human, it was just… well it had some drawbacks, but the fool didn’t need to know about that.
Ray was suddenly hit by a crushing sleepiness, and before he could form a single thought, he lost consciousness.