I Hate Systems Chapter 1108.7: Representation War (Part 7)

Huuu!

A slow exhale escaped Compass Carburettor as overwhelming weariness crashed down upon him. The chains of luck actively thwarted any attempts he made to escape, while the ruination powers relentlessly sapped his vitality.

The tower steadily drew out his strength, conjuring monsters from it and populating the remaining sections of the tower with these foul creatures.

He found himself ensnared in a relentless cycle of power depletion. Yet, more than his predicament, Compass Carburettor was consumed by a profound sadness, not for his circumstances, but for his own failings.

After all, the myriad experiences dwelling within him were actively rebelling against his current course of action.

"You may be the primary experience, but this is utter foolishness," a voice interjected. It belonged to a middle-aged man who had navigated life as a merchant. "As a fellow merchant, I understand your position. However, what you are doing is a fool's bargain."

"I am aware," Compass Carburettor responded with a sigh. "What choice do you expect me to make here? If I were to fight back, I would end up eliminating the very individuals for whom I am fighting."

"How long have you been associated with Stencil?" an elderly woman, who had lost her husband in war, inquired calmly. "You were with her on Earth for eight years. Following that, you spent a few months with her in the Fantasy World. That is the extent of it."

"Is there any connection between you two beyond the fact that she is your daughter?"

The old lady's question struck directly at the heart of the matter. She had uncovered the truth: "You are the one stubbornly clinging to Stencil. Do you even grasp the true nature of the person she is?"

An elder stepped forward to elaborate. "She is an individual driven by a thirst for power, possessing a merchant's insatiable greed. She can never be content."

"You... ought to remain silent!" Compass Carburettor retorted, glaring at the elder with palpable anger.

"And why should I be silent?" the elder scoffed dismissively. "I am merely another version of you who has lived a different life. We are all fundamentally the same. Our experiences are our strength, and most of us can assert this with confidence."

"Stencil is not the innocent, naive girl you are deceiving yourself into believing. Tell me, how many times has your Hate Erasure been ineffective against her, forcing you to halt its activation in haste?" At this pointed question, Compass Carburettor fell silent.

Witnessing his silence, the elder let out a sigh. "I understand your pain. She is your only family. However, solely for that reason, you should not overlook her true character. I know you are as capable as the rest of us. You were aware of her nature from the very beginning."

"It is time for you to abandon Stencil."

"Is... killing people truly that detrimental?" Compass Carburettor suddenly spoke, continuing, "The number of lives lost in the few years since I initiated the Representation War has already surpassed the total casualties during the age of System Supremacy."

"We have collectively caused more deaths than Stencil could ever hope to inflict," he concluded firmly. "Therefore, I will never abandon my daughter, even if she were the most malevolent entity to exist."

"That is not a decision for you to make," a teenager declared, stepping forward. "Act according to your experiences. Otherwise, relinquish your power. Transfer Dreamcraft to Hazen."

"And why should I?" Compass Carburettor retorted with a snort. "If all of you attempt to obstruct me, I will simply erase everyone. I possess the ability to accumulate experiences anew through Dreamcraft from its inception."

"What makes you believe you are still in control of your own body?" Suddenly, a voice echoed from behind him, causing Compass Carburettor to freeze in shock. He spun around hastily, his gaze fixing upon a figure remarkably similar to himself, yet unmistakably embodying the essence of a selfish merchant – the most deplorable kind of unscrupulous individual.

The figure stood directly behind Compass Carburettor. His very presence signified a shifting dynamic.

At this moment, they were situated within the confines of Compass Carburettor's mind. Each entity present was a consciousness brought into existence by Dreamcraft. They constituted his repository of experiences, enabling him to execute a vast array of actions with ease.

The further along one was in this internal hierarchy, the greater their influence over his physical body. This dynamic mirrored that of a Genre Representative.

Typically, when his Psyche Star barrier was active, a distinct separation existed between Compass Carburettor and the other consciousnesses. However, once this barrier dissolved, the consciousnesses were free to breach it and reach him directly.

Despite this, Compass Carburettor had always maintained the strongest hold over his body. This remained true until he made a critical error.

When Stencil launched her attack, Compass Carburettor hastily ceased his powers. Given the seething waves of negativity Stencil was directing towards him, Hate Erasure would have obliterated her entire memory. To prevent such a drastic outcome, he forcefully intercepted the attack. It was at this precise moment that his accumulated experiences sought to unleash a devastating wave upon the three attackers, aiming to annihilate their physical forms.

After confronting Mystique, his power output intensified, becoming potent enough to instantly eliminate the three low-levelled Grade 3 Systems.

With this act, Compass Carburettor's sense of self diminished, inadvertently creating an opening for another consciousness to transcend his own.

From this moment forward, Compass Carburettor no longer held absolute dominion over his own body.

"Allow me to demonstrate the proper way things are handled." With these words, the unscrupulous merchant persona seized control, taking the reins of the body.

The eyes of Compass Carburettor fluttered open within the tower, but a chilling aura emanated from his gaze. He calmly surveyed the tower, which relentlessly drained his strength to spawn monstrous entities that populated its halls. The luck chains, in their insidious design, guaranteed that no fortunate turn of events would ever favor him.

Moreover, the ruination effects were systematically eroding his very being. 'This predicament is quite dire,' he mused.

"However, that is precisely the point." A cold snort escaped him as his monocle flashed. Instantly, the luck chains loosened their grip. He extended a hand, seizing them and infusing them with his newfound mortality-based power.

Now brittle, the chains snapped with ease at his touch. Yet, Compass Carburettor did not cease there; he employed Lore and Tell-Tale to mend the fractured luck chains. His sole objective was freedom, which he then achieved, allowing him to wander the tower at will and begin subtly manipulating the fundamental laws within.

Now liberated, he resolved to transform this very tower into a formidable weapon against his adversaries. After all, its inherent power was considerable, and with his own enhancements, it would undoubtedly pose an even greater threat to the Systems.