Evolution Paradise, are you the disaster?

Chapter 446 The Tribulation of the True Self and the Tribulation of Reincarnation

One failure is nothing; the most fatal failure is when you see no hope of success and no signs of growth.

The "World Reincarnation Reshaping" event has been activated, and the "Humanity Leader" has arrived at the second playthrough with the decent gains from the first playthrough.

Meng Yi added the "White Demon's Study - Origin Method" cheat, and the negative effects became apparent.

That is, the "second playthrough" includes all the thought processes and consciousness belonging to human civilization that were present in the "first playthrough"!

If a civilization travels back five years, how would it view its past self? Would it allow the existence of its "past self"?
Different situations cannot be generalized, and different personalities cannot be generalized either; there is no single answer to this question.

The horror of the apocalypse comes from the spirits of the dead five years after the first playthrough, and their choices after contacting each other are different from those of their past selves five years before the second playthrough.

Some people, accounting for 40% of the total population, have reached a consensus on their "future self" and "past self".

Some people are extreme in believing that the "past self" has no value and that the existence of the "past self" is an obstacle to saving the world. So they take up a knife and kill the "past self". This kind of person accounts for 10%.

Others believe that "yesterday's me is not today's me," simply treating their "past self" as a completely new individual, and just doing what everyone else is supposed to do. This type of person accounts for 20%.

Even more people firmly believe that "I have only ever been one person." They are not driven by the ideal of saving the world, but kill their "past self" out of selfishness. These egoists account for 20%.

A small percentage of people believe that the ideal of saving the world is impossible to achieve, so they simply give up and become lazy, and even try to persuade their "past selves" to become lazy as well. This type of person accounts for 10%.

Half of the time in the "second playthrough" was wasted on the conflict between the "past self" and the "future self".

Clearly, the "second playthrough" save file was wasted.

However, the "second playthrough" also exposed a potential hidden danger for "Humanity's Great Leader, Touma Kamijou".

Kamijou Touma, who received professional training from Otto, is not stupid.

After a little thought, he foresaw that as he continued to "reincarnate," the conflict between "self" and "non-self" would intensify, and precious time would be wasted on meaningless things.

The problem has been identified, but how do we solve it?
"kill!"

After much deliberation, Touma Kamijou decided to end his life quickly and continue to stop the chaos with killing!

He retained 40% of the reconciliation faction, 10% of the radical killing faction, and 20% of the non-interference faction.

The 20% of egoists and the 10% of slackers were abandoned without hesitation by Touma Kamijou.

A total of 30% of the population, their minds and consciousness are cleansed like blank sheets of paper, becoming the nutrients for the vigorous growth of the "mind realm".

Choosing the majority and discarding the minority, Touma Kamijou makes the same choice as in his "first playthrough".

"We are all me."

The two "human leaders," who looked exactly alike, gazed at each other with complicated expressions.

"My Past Self - Touma Kamijou" glanced once more at the white hair at the temples of "My Future Self - Touma Kamijou".

"Future me, devour me! Carry on with the grand ambition of saving the world, and walk steadfastly forward!"

Touma Kamijou's "past self" willingly went to his death.

He knew that even if he didn't take the initiative, his "future self" would do it for him.

Because the "future self" that performs "World Reincarnation Reshaping" can only activate "World Reincarnation Reshaping" in the "second cycle" by assimilating the "past self".

Constant splitting and merging, constant relay and inheritance.

By focusing on specific examples, we can gain a glimpse into the true essence of "civilization."

"it is good."

Without hesitation, "Touma Kamijou, the man of the future," severed his own lineage for the sake of the world and the continuation of civilization.

He will bear an endless burden, repeating failure after failure, until he finds a glimmer of hope in "World Reincarnation Reshaping".

The two Touma Kamijou merged into one, and he declared in a deep voice, "I am, 'Touma Kamijou, the Great Ruler of Humanity'!"

……

With only a year left in the "second cycle," Touma Kamijou didn't even have time to go home to visit his parents, or rather, he was afraid.

The naive boy had the courage to endure all hardships, but he lacked the courage to face his parents in his current state; this was a dead end he was stubbornly clinging to.

Kamijou Touma didn't waste the last bit of time. He turned his frustration into motivation and, with "Second Cycle: Human Civilization" on his shoulders, stepped slightly upwards.

A year has 365 days in 12 months, which is neither short nor long.

As the doomsday bells rang as scheduled, the cosmic blockade maintained by Touma Kamijou broke as soon as the probes of human civilization flew out of the star system.

As the aftershocks of the battle between the two mythical creatures swept away, the chaotic universe vanished.

"World Reincarnation Reshaping!"

Despite his grief and exhaustion, Touma Kamijou initiates the second "World Reincarnation Reshaping" to embark on the "Third Cycle" and face new challenges.

……

Once the "third playthrough" was started, sure enough, the spirits of the dead from the "first playthrough" and the "second playthrough" also came back to life.

The self-reconciled "Humanity's Great Leader" swiftly and decisively eliminated 30%... no, this time the percentage was 37.9%.

The percentage change from 30% to 37.9% indicates that 7.9% of people in human civilization have chosen to abandon their ideal of saving the world.

Looking only at the total remaining population in the "first playthrough", "second playthrough" and "third playthrough", it is definitely growing steadily.

The problem is that population growth is additive, and the current upper limit is the total population of the Earth, while the reduction caused by the Great Cleansing is calculated as a percentage!
One approach involves adding population with a fixed upper limit, while the other involves lowering the lower limit by a percentage; the outcome is predictable.

If one day, everyone gives up their shared great ideal of saving the world in the face of despair, only Touma Kamijou will still persevere.

At that time, would Touma Kamijou still be able to hold on?
What was the point of his persistence? What exactly did he save?
The choice between more or less has come again.

On one side is a 100% self-destructive, lazy bum, and on the other side is a dark, one-man savior.

Abandoning everyone but not yourself → the goal of salvation is gone → the goal of life is gone → the meaning of struggle is gone → self-existence is denied → the world is heading towards its end.

Choosing everyone and abandoning oneself → denial of self-existence → the world is heading towards its end.

The problems encountered in the "third playthrough" are more acute than the "struggle between self and non-self" in the "second playthrough".

"Mr. Otto, is this why you're tired?"

Sitting on the golden throne, enjoying power, one must also taste the loneliness of life; the young man has no one to confide in about his inner suffering.

Touma Kamijou's once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless, and his straight back appeared slightly hunched.

"How many failures did you experience to become like this?"

"I... I only managed twice before I couldn't hold on any longer..."

The boy didn't bother Otto; he wanted to figure out the problems he encountered in the "third time loop" on his own and come up with a solution before humanity's self-denial reached 100%.

The normal development of human civilization in the "third cycle".

Even without the coercive orders of "Humanity's Supreme Leader, Touma Kamijou," the remaining 62.1% of those who struggle and strive unite as one, dragging human civilization forward.

In just five years, human civilization has developed to the sixth level, possessing the ability to modify the ecological environment of a planet.

Of course, battles against clusters of mythical creatures are also inevitable in this process.

War is a catalyst for technological development.

Technological marvels such as "Doomsday Judgment," "Neutron Annihilation," "Angel of Peace," and "Brahma's Divine Weapon" have been unveiled one after another, allowing many weak mythical creatures to learn what 'love and peace' truly mean.

Five years have passed, and the doomsday bells have tolled as scheduled.

"World Reincarnation Reshaping..."

In the heart of human civilization, between the tightly closed thrones, a hoarse voice, utterly weary, emanated.

……

The fourth playthrough begins, and the percentage of humans eliminated is 37.9% → 46.3%, which is very close to half of the population.

Touma Kamijou couldn't come up with a solution, and he almost gave up on himself during the process.

If we define the "struggle between self and non-self" in the "second cycle" as a "cognitive tribulation".

The "contemplation on the meaning of life" experienced in the "third time loop" and "fourth time loop" can be defined as the "trial of the Dao heart".

This "trial of the Dao Heart" is not only something Touma Kamijou must endure, but also something the remaining 53.7% of humanity's saviors are suffering from. Exhausted! Very exhausted! Extremely exhausted!

I tried three times, but failed each time.

In the best-case scenario, the probe was barely sent beyond the edge of the solar system; the blitzkrieg attack on the mythical creature relied entirely on "space-time projection technology."

Even if a human civilization in its fourth cycle starts by standing on the shoulders of a civilization in its third cycle, possessing the basic stats of a crippled sixth-tier technological civilization, how much can it change?
The individuals of human civilization who have persevered to this day know very well that if they give up, human civilization will have no hope left and no future to speak of!

Over the five years of the "fourth timeline," the saviors of human civilization have become taciturn.

At some point, the saviors seemed to tire of communicating and focused on their own tasks.

Does a civilization like this still have potential and a future?

Everyone is working in isolation, and the "realm of thought" and "cosmic exploration" have come to a complete standstill.

Five years have passed, and the end of the world is coming again.

"World Reincarnation Reshaping..."

A more weary voice than before came from the throne room, where the doors were tightly shut.

Undeniably, the "fourth cycle" is the most unsuccessful "reincarnation" so far, during which human civilization made almost no progress.

……

The fifth cycle begins, and the percentage of human cleaning activities increases from 46.3% to 67.5%.

The initial massacres resulted in a more than 20% increase in casualties, and less than 30% of players are still persisting.

Everything has two sides, good and bad, and we cannot simply distinguish between good and bad. We must find unity in opposition through a dialectical perspective.

Thinking can be both good and bad, an opportunity and a calamity.

"call……"

The cleanup of human civilization has exceeded the warning line of 50%.

No matter how exhausted he was, "Humanity's Great Leader, Touma Kamijou" had no choice but to step forward and announce emergency rescue measures.

Acts concerning clones, cyborgs, synthetic humans, and replicants were passed one after another.

In an effort to save the world, human civilization has gradually abandoned its bottom line and broken free from the shackles of morality.

A demon has escaped from the lock on the mind. Everyone knows this is like drinking poison to quench thirst, but what can be done?

A brief period of survival is better than a complete wipeout right now.

"I can't be responsible for the majority; I have to be responsible for those who are still persevering! I can't let everyone down!"

"If even I give up, what's the point of persisting through five 'cycles'?"

Touma Kamijou escaped one vicious cycle, only to fall into another.

Despite his truly saintly nature and his fierce and radical methods, he still couldn't escape the altruistic framework of "for others."

The "Tribulation of the Dao Heart" was not fully overcome, so Touma Kamijou chose to temporarily numb himself and postpone the arrival of the "Tribulation of the Dao Heart" a little.

The poison that dripped into civilization also seeped into the parched, cracked, and weary soul of "Humanity's Great Leader, Touma Kamijou," giving his soul, which was on the verge of collapse, a glimmer of life.

Kamijou Touma forced himself to cheer up, which boosted morale but had little effect.

The saviors who are still persisting simply don't buy it.

They are not even afraid of death, so what is a mere "Great Leader of Humanity"?
Damn it! If you've got the guts, kill them! Perfect excuse to give up now.

Left with no other choice, Touma Kamijou had to continue innovating the "Bio-Synthetic Human Project".

Every bio-engineered human is given the necessary thought patterns and is instilled with the most advanced knowledge of civilization the moment they are born.

……

Five years have passed in the blink of an eye. The influx of new blood has enabled human civilization to make remarkable progress, leaving its footprints almost covering thousands of light-years in the vicinity.

The newly created bio-engineered humans are not yet mentally numb and have a strong curiosity about everything.

On the other hand, the human saviors who have persisted to this day have inevitably faced various forms of diminished influence and power during the rise of synthetic humans, leading more and more people to choose to give up.

If there are theoretically superior synthetic humans, then what's the point of having ordinary mortals like them?
Lie down and give up, become a basic building block in the "heaven of thought". Who cares whether you save the world or not?

Once the bio-engineered humans save the world, they can be resurrected if they can, and if they can't, they can just die.

Disaster struck.

With fewer and fewer of his old companions remaining, the increasingly lonely "Humanity's Supreme Leader, Touma Kamijou," said blankly, "The World: Reincarnation Reshaping."

……

In the "Sixth Cycle", the proportion of human cleanup operations was: Humans 67.5% → 81.4%, Bio-engineered humans 0% → 17%.

A multiple-choice question is presented to Touma Kamijou: should he choose the "new" or the "old" option this time?
It's almost become a bodily instinct to make choices for the indecisive Kamijou Touma.

"Increase the proportion of investment in the new generation!"

With the will of the "Humanity Supreme Leader" issued, all major assembly line factories went into full operation, and new assembly lines were gradually built.

The number of synthetic humans is growing exponentially.

They are grateful to the "Human Supreme Leader," but they also want to fight for the rights that their group deserves, such as changing the derogatory term "synthetic humans" to "new humans"!
What is this? The beginnings of a bio-engineered version of "Omnic Crisis"!

"Hey! My past self, pass the baton to me! You've already tried your best!"

"Sixth Cycle - Kamijou Touma" looked at the white-haired "Humanity's Great Leader - Kamijou Touma" with pity.

He couldn't bear to let his other self bear these burdens, so he wanted to do something.

"No, you don't need to endure this."

"All hardships have come upon me, but what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger!"

"Humanity's Great Ruler, Touma Kamijou" stepped out of the Throne Room and assimilated his counterpart from the "Sixth Cycle".

A young man, whose body is still young but whose heart is decayed, steps out from the throne he has not left through several "cycles" and raises his hand to shield his eyes from the blinding sunlight.

The dark savior stood there dumbfounded, two lines of tears sliding down his theoretically dry eyes.

Six cycles! A full six cycles!
Less than 20% of humans have survived to this day. His parents have been with their child, who has never returned home to visit him, struggling for 30 years through six reincarnations.

Touma Kamijou never dared to go home to see his parents, or even check on them through the "Mind Heaven" that connects to civilizations, for fear of receiving news that he had treated his parents like trash and swept them away.

The bearded man, who looks like a middle-aged man twenty years later from Touma Kamijou, is his father, whose name is Touya Kamijou.

Beside the man was a gentle woman with a demeanor like a Japanese Nadeshiko; she was his mother, named Kamijou Shirai.

Six cycles of reincarnation made the jealous mother less irritable and the father, who was constantly attracting women, silent and withdrawn.

It is evident that both have persisted from the "first cycle" to the present, and have reached a consensus with all "selves" to struggle in the cycle of reincarnation with their children, just so as not to cause trouble for their children and not to let their children's hands be stained with their parents' blood.

"Toma, no matter how many times, Mom will be with you."

"Son, you're pretty good! Just like your old man back in the day!"

The comforting words from his parents became the last straw that broke the camel's back, and the "Great Leader of Humanity" burst into tears like a helpless child.

The companionship of loved ones also became a key opportunity to strengthen willpower.

“Mr. Otto, I understand what you mean by responsibility and the weight of the world.”

After seeing his parents off, Touma Kamijou wiped away his tears and felt no more uncertainty about the future.

　The more I write about dark saviors, the more I realize how illogical it is for someone who usually slacks off and spends all their time on romance, only to save the world by shouting a few slogans at crucial moments...

　　……

　　A dark savior, possessing a strong will, clear thinking, a well-thought-out plan, a belief in saving the world, the courage to overcome all obstacles, and the ruthlessness to achieve his goals.

　　Why would this type of ruthless character lose to a loud, catchy one?

　　A rational analysis suggests that the latter's explosive growth is at best comparable to the normal state of a dark-themed savior.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)