Chapter 899: What it Means to be Human
Chapter 899: What it Means to be Human
“Calculating, huh? I see,” Compass Carburettor muttered upon hearing their discussion from the training hall. He had concentrated on his senses to hear them talk, immediately able to get a complete picture based on their conversation.
Indeed, now that he thought about it, he had glossed over one primary detail of human nature—Ignorance!
One of the oldest quotes on earth was that ‘Ignorance was bliss.’
It was meant derogatorily but if thought further, it also had other implications. If a human were to know everything there exists, would they be wise?
Probably not.
There was innocence that streamed from ignorance. A businessman took advantage of that ignorance and cunningly harnessed that innocence to value. Was he called wise? Nope. They were typically referred to as hyenas.
To a normal human, innocence was an appreciable trait. And if someone was ignorant, people were willing to correct their ignorance and teach them things.
But what happened here?
From day 1, Compass Carburettor worked on actively shattering their ignorance. Yes, his students were now the most knowledgeable as compared to their peers and were the least ignorant.
But this placed a toll on their minds. Their individualities resisted their ignorance from getting shaved off so rapidly.
Being ignorant was an inherent trait of humans. It wasn’t appreciated but was a necessary trait. Because, without it, social interaction would become minimal.
“Eh, what is football?”
“You don’t know football? Seriously? Were you living under a rock or something?”
“I just wasn’t interested in sports, bruh. So, what the heck is it?”
“Well, it’s a game where you kick a ball into the goal.”
“So…”
“Yeah, there is a goalie…”
The convo would go like that in such an example. But, if both were fully aware of everything there exists in response to football, no convo would happen. Even the mildest argument wouldn’t ever happen.
With nothing to disagree on or even argue about, and with the knowledge of everything regarding the subject at hand being known to them, their ignorance regarding that subject became zero.
The aspect of learning something new in that field vanished. And with that, their motivation to learn in that field too vanished.
Presently, the students were experiencing that thanks to his simulations. Everything that they have to experience in a real situation was already being fed to them, making them less ignorant with time.
And eventually, as they felt that they didn’t have much to learn in regards to being a Hero, they experienced a sudden fatigue, which was the direct cause of Millie’s anger.
She felt that she was being groomed to become the perfect Hero that was able to react according to any situation. Normally, this was a good thing to wish as a Hero. But at the same time, if she knows everything, then she won’t even need to react to any scenario.
She could just mechanically deal with everything out of sheer reflex. And there wasn’t any heroism in that, just a robot that was capable of doing everything.
It was the ‘Ideal’ Hero one would aspire to be. But when they become one, there would be nothing but a vacant heart in them.
The contrast between the two alignments frustrated her to no end. She wished to and didn’t wish to become that. And the greater the simulations she was put through, the greater the frustration that accumulated in her.
Finally, she couldn’t endure it anymore and took it out on him.
Compass Carburettor gained the full picture, understanding the reason, “Human errors are an integral part of being human. Once they become perfect, it’s like they’re not human anymore. And their humane mind resists that.”
“I see, now the quote that too much medicine makes poison speaks volumes.” He nodded in response, sighing as he felt another stirrup inside him, shocking him, “Seriously?”
Psyche Star—Blissful Ignorance!
He gained three Psyche Stars in the time frame of a few minutes. It was pretty shocking, to say the least as Compass Carburettor sensed his body almost becoming no different from a human. Or rather, he could claim that he was entirely human now.
After all, Blissful Ignorance was that powerful of a power and something that he indeed lacked the most. With it, he gained the strongest trait of being a human, making it equal to two Psyche Stars, or even more.
He had never expected such a powerful Psyche Star to exist, for it was in a league of its own as compared to all the other Psyche Stars. At the thought, he laughed at the irony, “Blissful Ignorance indeed.”
And also, Blissful Ignorance was the strongest weapon he now possessed, with it alone capable of reducing any omniscient being into a human.
With that attained, he now thought back to the problem at hand, ‘My methods are making them less human. Even though it’s something necessary, it’s also not beneficial in the long run. While it would make them perfect Heroes, their room for growth is stolen too.’
He nodded, “Indeed, there is a limit to simulations. After all, no matter how real they seem, they aren’t reality. Even if they were to lose their loved ones there, it would indeed affect them at the time. But once they return to reality, they would have their loved ones waiting at home.”
“But, even a hostage’s life lost in reality means a life lost. Every time they head to that location where the hostage lost their life, they would remember that incident. So, it will serve as a reminder and give room for their growth. Whereas, if they experience the same in my simulation, it would only give them experience, but not that room for growth.” He muttered, “It seems my merchant mentality is still there even if I’m no longer bothered with accumulating money.”
“Permanent losses too are necessary to go about with one’s life.” He sighed, saddened by the thought, “That’s a pretty messed up reality.”
He shook his head, smiling wryly, “Why am I missing something so obvious recently?”
He muttered, “It seems knowing everything also makes me blind to the most basic of things that only someone without my level of knowledge and experience understands, huh.”
Just like the fear of the dark and unknown. Compass Carburettor didn’t have that whereas every normal human had it. For his goals, just gaining all the strengths of humans wasn’t enough, he must also embrace all the weaknesses too.
That was what it meant to be human, a fragile lifeform.