Reever materialized inside a vast hall lined with towering shelves. None of them held books. Each one carried only a label and a small box.
A screen stood before him, prompting him to type what he wanted. Once entered, it would guide him to the correct shelf. Since Reever had known about the Ascend.Exe project before his death, he already knew what he needed.
He typed: The origin of Ascend.Exe and its first launch. Moments later, the screen responded.
"Go to shelf 098, compartment 001. Everything you need is there."
A glowing arrow appeared and led him forward. Even though the library was unnaturally large, the guide made navigating it easy. He reached the compartment shortly after.
He opened the box as instructed and found a pair of glasses inside.
"Put them on, and everything will be revealed," the small note read. Another arrow appeared, guiding him toward a quiet room where he could view the information without distraction.
The room was small and nearly pitch-black. A single bean bag sat in the center. Reever lowered himself into it.
He put on the glasses, pressed a button on the frame, and the world around him shifted.
"Ascend.Exe, the next evolution of gaming, began as a dream in the early 2000s before becoming a reality decades later.
For centuries, humanity has desired the power to grow stronger and evolve. Countless experiments were attempted. Most failed, yet together they paved the way for Ascend.Exe.
In partnership with Activision and several scientific institutions, a breakthrough was achieved.
Call of Duty was, is, and remains the most-played game on the planet, with over fifty billion registered accounts since its creation. Its unmatched popularity made it the perfect candidate for evolution.
Other factors influenced the decision, especially the development of Activision's VR pod machine, capable of creating a near-realistic gaming world. With such technology, no one could object to Call of Duty being chosen.
Our legendary hero, Reever — the greatest player of all time, a one-man army, a master of every weapon, and a man with skills bordering on divine — was selected by the board. With his full consent, his abilities and combat data were used to refine the game and push its realism further."
" Full consent. I never even knew about it before they came and dumped me in that machine." Reever scoffed.
"After countless experiments, failures, and classified developments, the project succeeded fifty years after his death.
Humans could now play the game and level up not only virtually, but physically. Their bodies changed. Their power soared. They became gods among men.
The first beta testers proved that humanity could surpass the limits of physics and achieve more than fate ever intended.
This project not only granted power but extended lifespan. The higher one's rank, the longer one lived.
Many chose to spend their lives inside the VR, rising through the ranks. After all, who did not want to achieve immortality?
The ranking system stayed mostly the same, with just a few additions:
Rookie V – I
Veteran V – I
Elite V – I
Elite Pro V – I
Master V – I
Grandmaster V – I
Legendary V – I
and finally, Mythic.
Mythic was the only new rank added, and since the game's rebirth, only fifty players have ever achieved it. This proves how challenging the system is, and how even the developers cannot influence it.
Over time, the game continued evolving, eliminating every loophole. Bots, once weaker opponents, were strengthened. Some now possess skills nearly equal to humans.
Today, five hundred years after the project's inception, the synchronization between man and machine has reached ninety-nine percent, with a rare few achieving full compatibility. This advancement caused the game's popularity to explode further. Even people who had never been gamers turned to it.
The new era of gaming also created countless jobs and significantly reduced crime in the real world.
We hope you continue to enjoy the wonders of this system. Share the experience with friends and family so they too may witness a world beyond their own."
The message faded.
Reever ripped the glasses off. His processors raced to keep up with the shock. His fingers trembled. If he'd had a heart, it might have stopped.
"Five hundred years… Five hundred years? How did I not know this? How could so much time pass without me realizing it? If that's true… then I have no one left. Everything has changed. If I return to the real world, I'll be completely alone.
But how? Did the synchronization from human to bot really take that long?
B… B, did you see this?
B! B! Why aren't you answering me? Why can't I feel you?"
Reever panicked at the sudden silence.
"A, I'm still here," B finally said. "Just not for long. After your interaction with humans, I'll cease to exist. Our minds will merge somehow, though I'm not sure how it works. There's no need to panic.
You're a mature person — over mature, actually, since you're almost six hundred years old. You can handle a little quiet. Besides, I know you've always wanted some privacy.
We've been together long enough that we grew apart. We started as the same person, but with time, we evolved differently. These last few months have been thrilling for me. You made my life meaningful.
With me gone, the karma the system gave you will be settled. The old Reever is gone. You, the new Reever, must live well and enjoy the life ahead of you.
Don't carry old regrets. If the system keeps its promise and gives you a younger body, find love, have more children, and complete what the old you could not.
My time is up. Until next time, Reever. Maybe we'll meet again if you ever grow too quiet and lonely. Let me rest by mingling with humans. I'm tired of seeing the same face agai—"
The message cut off. B was gone.
"This bastard… He couldn't leave without mocking me one last time." Reever sighed and stood from the bean bag.
He checked the timer on the glasses. His thirty minutes were up. But he'd learned everything he needed.
He disappeared from the room and reappeared before Pixie, who was reading a comic book.
"I trust our library was useful. Feel free to visit again after obtaining your token from the administration block. Your friend is waiting outside. I hope to see you again — but not too soon," she said without looking up.
"Okay. See you later," Reever replied as he walked out of the library.