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.


    “That world is gone, the writer is dead. I didn’t do it.”


    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?


    “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.


    “Vorm scoffed as if offended.


    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, 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.


    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,”


    So… reincarnate to gather the stuff. Why?


    “To strengthen the Soul Core, so each reincarnation they have a slightly stronger Soul Core. Slightly stronger, because upon dying most of…” “...The Stuff…” “…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.”


    Ray tried to keep up and understand.


    “Vorm paused. It tried to figure out a way to explain it to a stupid human. After a while, it spat in frustration There, even a dumb human should be able to understand that much.


    Ray felt Vorm was losing its patience.


    “


    Why else would an unfeeling creature want to make someone strong? It was like fattening up a pig.


    “


    “Those books you always read, you love them, right?”


    Mm.


    “Why?”


    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…” “…other worlds had bled through into those books. Don’t you want to see new worlds with your own eyes?”


    Could I then see the original world of my favorite hunter and snake?


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    “Crazy human, why would you want to go there? Do you have any idea… no, of course you don’t. Ignorant fool. You...”


    Are you scared of that world?


    “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.”


    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.


    “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.” “You can even become a dragon.”


    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 anda 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.


    “Let’s just say, the more intense and varied experiences, the better.”


    Hmm hmm, okay… so my last life, the wolf, was it good in gathering a lot of The Stuff? Which parts were the best?


    “


    “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.


    “What is it?”


    “


    “


    “


    Fine… anything to be a dragon… No, not anything.


    “I can just knock you unconscious.”


    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.”


    So when do we start? Hurry up and reincarnate me, the sooner we start, the sooner I can become a dragon.


    “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.