Chapter 148

  “I can't say a lot about this, sir. I apologize. It is a difficult topic,” Ellie excused herself, taking Kaufman’s proximity not that well. She stood further away than before, closer to the wall and them.

  “Liar.” Kaufman chuckled and returned his interest to William. “What library needs information about itself or what it holds? That doesn't make any sense to me, while Walkers are the opposite. We want to know ourselves and what resides within us or others because it is up to our benefit. Generations are why, and continuity is there, as this is no run for the quickest end. It is an endurance run. We can't lie. We can't stop. It is strange to call it something normal, but it is a journey, to say the least.”

  So far, Kaufman began to talk a lot, sounding old and eccentric, which was pretty much within William's expectations.

  “You are a founder and massive Walker, so what does this questioning matter? Do you want to stop me?”

  “Say more...”

  William was starting to get more and more frustrated and flustered but didn't show it too much. He quenched his fists and looked down as he considered his words.

  Perhaps Kaufman read him like an open book and observed what he wanted after William followed up his curiosity.

  “There are no names or words to speak, but some notes state the nickname of the founder a few times. You. The Flash. I don't know the rest. Walkers haven't been mentioned around the lower floors a lot, so it is probably not that important. Some diaries were nice, however. In bits, though. I couldn't really understand some words.”

  “Yes, that would make sense.”

  “Ranks are strange and diverse powers means Skills and strategies, or imagination, which I read from them. Not out of some leaves or organs, there is body arts and even weird magic. More is here, isn't it, hiding in the upper floors, or... you?” William pointed to the main door, describing what he managed to think, before pointing at Kaufman.

  “Or after your Forced Awakening that is awaiting some approval? Wel, it is not waiting. You are still here like a devil guests. I sure hope Mi-Yung will resolve it before it is too late.” Kaufman revealed.

  “Mi-Yung?”

  “Yes; she got troubles ahead and wanted you so much she disregarded some warnings and pains. She is handful, so don't blame her.”

  “I don't think I can.”

  “Clever boy. Anyhow, Walkers of Rank 1 are nothing for Rank 0s. Rank 1 is considered official because various gates open up and flood us. In truth, Rank 0 is like a foundation where an error of judgment occurs and naughty testaments and tests can bless us. Something about the System and Emblem breaks off from that time, but the proper System arrives at Rank 1. This makes Rank 0s unstable and hard. Arcana or Vectors could do a whole lot to such young heads, bodies, or minds, while the System is the worst. Have you learned, heard, or seen some images? Words? Symbols? Numbers?”

  William furrowed his brows. “I learned... some stuff about this. Nothing much.”

  “From whom? Any specifics? I reckon nothing about it is on the lower floors unless....my silly daughter changed some shit again. Ah, daughters. Regrets....” Sighting, William almost saw some melancholic father in Kaufman for a split second. It looked unnatural.

  “Unless you say something yourself, I won't say a word,” William said firmly and crossed his arms.

  “Oh, youngling wants to play tough with an elder? Interesting.” Kaufman didn't refute such an idea and obtained one more reason to like this boy.

  Some bits of knowledge were hard to imply, as some were weak and lost in many other words. Perhaps some of them weren't even under this library's knowledge. After all, who in their mind had time to read through so many books and documents, or look for new ideas out in the wild? Walkers? Normal people? Both?

  The best ones to do so were workers and various librarians in this place, set by knowledge and determined values, while those on the field looked out for anything.

  If a Walker became both, it was even better, albeit rarer. Outside, protective defenses mattered more than taking care of some people, so looking for interesting materials was up to Walkers, who usually had many other priorities depending on where they belonged.

  Bringing and finding some research wasn't pretty. Darks were waiting, hunting, and frequently looking for something specific like finding a needle in a mountain of hay was rarer than sunflowers in the north.

  Kaufman understood that fact more than anyone and even his daughter Heidi followed such principles.

  One required context and views of many ordeals. One had to understand the whole picture until some information could be interconnected, hinting at something else, or bringing out shocking news or discovery. Some stood on their own as factual and bare for a reason, for this current humanity did not need everything. Bones? Those were useless. Old lost cultures? There was no hope in them, even if remembering what one was wasn't baseless.

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  For the greater example, the Federation was working with complicated creation and history, and who knew what kind of sacrifices and work it took to build it to last? Kaufman should know it. Every little and obvious aspect was concrete and evident, so the need for questioning wasn't acceptable to most of its residents, let alone the citizens. It had its darker history, while the essence of humanity was more like the tip of an iceberg.

  Connections to the majority of the world was the baseline to keep things afloat. Then, many layers and records showed off the rest, not warping the real world with some meaningless lies. The reality was a fortress of mankind, and touching layers and connections whether it was possible would broaden this fortress.

  It might be smaller compared to the past, but humanity was smaller, so many people worked with what they could do.

  With people, it had to function, whether they liked it or not. Walkers were also leaders, while the deep research into Emblems had been happening straight away upon their old discovery. That followed fears of many years, and then some hopes carrying on legacies and desires of lost eras.

  Science. Fantasy. Intelect. Many strings kept the flow of knowledge going or hiding since information was important and power wasn't everything.

  Kaufman was an example of both.

  Willingness to learn was a point of science, the core of what many people began to believe could lead to the New Dawn. Many Walkers weren't like that, but they had to acknowledge or give people some answers if they wanted to keep afloat. It was once a layer of lies that stabilized humanity. Now it was the surviving beast with power that possessed some backbone and fear.

  For now, William couldn't understand even one-tenth of what he considered basic. And that included undercutting his lack of intellect, as Ellie often expressed and commented over the last two days on how to go about it. After all, he wasn't too dumb, which Ellie learned.

  He wasn't quite excellent in anything. That could be alright. Wit was slow. Ideas could lead to some misconceptions, but he wasn't death-set on being an idiot. That was enough for many organizations.

  Not for everyone, however. Ellie definitely wanted more out of him, so what about this Kaufman before them?

  William knew expectations could be killers, so he tried hard to listen and get a lot of things into his head. Ellie realized and helped with basics and set him onto a path that would soon be without her. After this part will be over in a couple of days, of course. Before that, multiple important matters were due, and this Kaufman before them wanted some knock on that door, or push against Ellie's hope.

  She didn't like it, though she knew she shouldn't be upset.

  Was he here to stop her? Ellie feared that his presence went against what Heidi and Burton wanted, or was it even bigger? What if Kaufman was against normal people knowing shit what Walkers from Assembly, or many from their military Divisions, knew?

  William realized he knew basically nothing about Walkers, or how the secrets and their work pushed against the Dawn and Darks. Everything was wilder than his current imagination, and even as an Outsider, or by the intent of the Federation, learning was a long process.

  Growing and developing young Walkers was a sensitive topic that had constant discussions among all societies. That had been happening for almost a century. How to let them grow better or quicker? How to train and see their powers and Emblems without giving them setbacks or preparing them just enough for their purposes?

  Some of that was impossible because how exactly perceive their Emblems, the System, or Skills? What to tell or teach their body, or let them know or use, if there could be thorns, and the whole dark forest was deadly?

  Kaufman had a lot to say to that, but many people didn't prefer that and rather went with the flow. Even more didn't like his methods and freedom. They preferred honorable steadiness, with rules, power, and order. That was ideal of old age, stemming from the military of hundreds or thousands of years. Wars were why... Humanity couldn't change itself. They couldn't help anything and everyone.

  A lot of places were bare for that reason also and some were better omitted.

  The Federation was still decent, even if one's choice was like a toss between everything and nothing. Every survivor and refugee knew its strength. The basics about the Darks were also integrated into their lives, with some of them diving deeper because they had to do it if they wanted to live out there. Walkers were the same.

  It wasn't always right for most of them. Walkers should bear with it more, yet Outside was Outside and some people were as stubborn as stupid.

  Kaufman had his experiences and understood what some could not.

  Basics weren't some forbidden knowledge. It was about understanding and the rest was a harsh reality that represented decades and generations of survivors who lost or become better or miserable. How did those monsters attack, what changes did they experience, or how to prevent massacres? Those sorts of questions meant work and actions, rather than some silly politics.

  Questions and direct responsiveness were the best lessons. Not some attempts to push youths to death or silly misunderstandings. What were the best defensive measures, with or without Walkers in sight? Some methods were as old as the Dawn, changing or hiding in history or lands of this shitty world.

  Regular people discovered a lot of ways, tips, and tricks for better survival, and that protected and allowed Walkers to flourish. Without that, the reality wouldn't live on. Those records kept on improving until the present day when the Ranks of numerous Walkers adhered to common justice systems and military orders, with many lands having their own unique or even better methods.

  One way to see Darks was in their prowess and defenses, or systematic Dark Aspects. Some could be killed with bullets or swords, while some were immune to one or every little thing humans could do. For the most menacing ones, nukes were like bullets or scratches. It was a wide spectrum that touched upon the powers of rats, before moving to powers at the scale capable of lifting earth and shattering mountains.

  Darks and their Rank depicted the potency of their Dark Aspects, the methodology of their bodies, or Madness. Some were bigger, made into types, and species, before someone or something recognized their Ranks.

  The vast majority of them always sought their prey no matter what, trying to do that until it or they were dead. It was an intense instinct that made them into hunters death-set on their target as long as something terrible didn't threaten them. But even then, nothing guaranteed they could change, or move on, which made most Darks wild and mad.

  It was natural for predators to be savage and play with what was their right. Focusing on the task upfront, ignoring the rest, and desiring fun or challenge and strength were their other commodities. Such things were normal in the animal world, but Corruption changed more than that, if not even that. After all, what came from the very start was already savage, giving Darks nothing better or worse.

  They were already capable destroyers and overflowed this world.