The AI Archmage - Chapter 0

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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AI Archmage Chapter 0

Who is Altair?

The mages of the Continent would give two vastly different answers to that question.

– Omniscient.

– Incompetent.

Two words that seem impossible to coexist appear together.

And surprisingly, those words could indeed coexist.

He was incompetent.

Simply put, he was born without any natural mana.

But even so, he could still be called omniscient.

One who reached the pinnacle of Magical Engineering with magical knowledge so vast that even Archmages were astounded.

Thanks to this, despite not being a mage, he received an epithet reserved only for Archmages.

That was Altair.

But that same Altair now faced his final moments.

“Damn it.”

* * *

Silence had fallen over the room.

Altair wrinkled his aged face as he glared at his opponent across from him.

“Did it really have to come to this?”

– You were the one who crossed the line first.

The one who answered was an old man.

Draped in the characteristic Robe of a mage, storms of mana swirled in his eyes.

Chairman of the Magic Council, Pavlov.

One of only five 9th Circle Archmages on the Continent, and among them, considered to have reached the very peak of magic.

“Ha! A line?”

Altair let out a hollow laugh at those words.

“Did my announcement of the new Magic Tool bother you that much? Enough for the great Chairman himself to make a move?”

– You know very well.

Pavlov sighed softly and continued.

– Don’t you understand? The Magic Tool you announced to the Academic World this time, the 【Grimoire】, and what kind of massive impact it will bring?

“I know.”

Altair snorted.

“Giving the majority of ‘incompetents’ who weren’t chosen by mana a chance to become mages.”

– Yes, you called it a ‘fair opportunity.’

Pavlov continued.

– But didn’t you think that fair opportunity would shatter the balance that has been so well maintained?

“….”

– The weight of the power called magic is heavy. The history of magic has been built because those worthy of bearing that responsibility have controlled magic.

Altair listened to the council chairman’s words, then grumbled and said.

“So you’re saying you’ll completely discard my invention? Without even thinking of utilizing it?”

– As I said, because it’s dangerous.

“Bullshit.”

Altair said firmly.

“You just don’t like the situation where your vested interests are threatened as the masses of commoners become able to use magic.”

– ….

“Since most mages are nobles born with good bloodlines. From the beginning, you people don’t want the Grimoire itself.”

Without a doubt, they have no intention of utilizing it.

Because the Grimoire is something that could shake the current system by its very existence.

Pavlov closed his eyes briefly and fell silent.

After a moment, when he opened his eyes, his tone had completely changed.

– Then what will you do?

“Ha.”

– I don’t understand from the beginning. What I’m asking of you is just one thing. The disposal of the Grimoire.

“That’s right.”

– You can continue to enjoy the highest reputation as long as you stay within the bounds the council tolerates. The Workshop Alliance can also maintain good relations with our council.

The Workshop Alliance.

An alliance of the Continent’s Magic Tool craftsmen, centered around Altair.

The Workshop Alliance, which had grown rapidly after Altair’s emergence, was continuing an uncomfortable companionship with the Magic Council.

Of course, the absolute difference in power was clear.

The Magic Council had continued for hundreds of years, while the Workshop Alliance hadn’t even been around for 40 years.

– Moreover….

Pavlov quietly looked over Altair’s entire body as he spoke.

– Your lifespan, there isn’t much left, is there? You’re suffering from an incurable disease.

“…Ha.”

Altair let out a hollow laugh and glared at Pavlov.

But Pavlov opened his mouth with a smooth expression.

– I told you, didn’t I? Your talent is truly brilliant even from my perspective as a Grand Mage. It’s too precious to end like this.

“….”

– If you accept our proposal, we are willing to use one of the Ancient Artifacts, of which there are only five in the Empire.

There was certainty in Pavlov’s voice as he said this.

– I’m confident that with that power, even an incurable disease could be cured and blessings could be bestowed upon you.

Altair quietly bit his lip.

As he said, this body didn’t have much time left.

A state no different from a living corpse.

Perhaps only about a week remained at most.

“What are the conditions?”

– Not only the disposal of the Grimoire, but one more thing. You’ll hand over ‘that’ which you created.

A smile played around Pavlov’s lips.

– The artificial spirit, 【Akasha】.

At those words, even Altair could only let out a hollow laugh.

“So you mean to strip away even my very foundation.”

– That foundation isn’t more important than your life, is it?

In Pavlov’s voice as he spoke, an undisguisable greed could be felt.

‘Of course it would be.’

Akasha was his greatest invention, so naturally it would be coveted.

Altair judged that there was no longer any value in exchanging words with Pavlov.

“It is important.”

– …What?

“I said it’s important, old man.”

Altair rose to his feet with a cold smile.

“You want to take away everything I’ve built up until now for just my one life? What a ridiculous notion.”

– Altair!

“Further conversation is meaningless. Akasha, terminate the communication.”

– Altair, have you gone mad! I can cure your disease…!

Click.

Soon, Pavlov’s phantom, which had been raging furiously on the other side, disappeared from view.

[Communication terminated, Human.]

“That’s informal speech.”

[Communication terminated-yo.]

“There seems to be an error, so let’s start with disassembly….”

[Terminated, Human.]

With those words, a steel sphere floated around and approached closer to Altair.

The identity of the steel sphere was Akasha.

Just moments ago, it was Altair’s greatest invention that Pavlov had mentioned, and the first ‘artificial’ spirit born from human hands.

[That aside, what will you do? It’s certain that the Magic Council truly possesses the means to perform the miracle of curing Human’s incurable disease.]

“How do you know that?”

[I hacked it. Since mana floats around in everything in this world anyway, it wasn’t difficult.]

“Hmm.”

Altair fell into thought for a moment.

Though Pavlov was greedy, he wouldn’t try to entice him with something he wasn’t certain about.

The words about giving him good treatment were probably true as well.

Though he would have had to live a life of complete submission to the council.

[Human, not accepting the proposal ultimately means….]

“That’s right.”

Altair answered resolutely.

“I’m giving up on this life.”

[I see. This life is….]

Akasha, who was about to respond to Sion’s words with a sorrowful voice, suddenly tilted her head in confusion.

[…This life?]

“Yes, this life.”

Akasha was stunned by the unexpected words.

Though she was a high-performance artificial intelligence, precisely because of that, she couldn’t understand what this guy was talking about right now.

[Human, wasn’t the story progressing with a very tragic inventor vibe until just now?]

“Tragic? What are you talking about.”

[You’re going to die in a week.]

“That’s right.”

[Then shouldn’t you not be so calm about it?]

“It’s fine. It’s fine.”

Altair spoke calmly as if it were the most natural thing to say.

“Everyone dies.”

[….]

“Death is the natural order. Nothing lasts forever.”

At those words, which sounded like those of a sage, Akasha paused for a moment.

Though her creator usually showed his damn annoying personality without reservation, it seemed he had gained some kind of enlightenment facing death.

[I see. Since nothing is eternal for any living being, Human is humbly accepting that….]

“But there was no law saying I couldn’t be resurrected.”

[…?]

Akasha’s thought circuits became jumbled again.

But she soon came to a simple conclusion.

‘The usual Human.’

It seemed he had devised another damn annoying plan.

“Follow me.”

Altair got up and headed underground.

[There was a space like this?]

“There was. I just didn’t give you access rights.”

Soon they arrived at their destination.

[An interesting space. This must have cost enough money to build at least 32 mansions in the Capital, Human.]

“Double that.”

[Ah, 64 mansions. I stand corrected.]

Altair left Akasha’s words behind and headed toward the glass tube.

Something was floating inside the glass tube.

[What is this, Human?]

“It’s an ancient artifact that became the prototype for the technology used to create you. Its official name is ‘Akashic Record’.”

An ancient artifact that looked like some kind of mechanical device.

Altair looked at it and recalled the memory of when he first discovered it.

At that time, the eccentric mage who had explored the ancient ruins with him had transferred ownership of it to Altair.

The reason for the transfer was simple.

‘Because it seemed interesting’.

It was an absurd reason, but it was also a reason befitting an eccentric archmage.

Among mages, he was also the type who got along strangely well with Altair.

“If I had to say, it should be considered the sixth Ancient Artifact not recorded in the Empire.”

[Oho.]

“After obtaining this artifact, I analyzed and researched it intensively. And finally, I uncovered its power.”

[So what’s the conclusion?]

“This can change ‘fate’.”

Altair spoke with conviction.

When he first confirmed this fact, even he couldn’t believe it.

That’s why he verified it dozens of times afterward.

But the result was the same.

[Fate… you say?]

“Yes, I’ve verified it dozens of times, but the conclusion was the same each time.”

Altair continued.

“Even I don’t know how this Akashic Record came to exist. But I’m certain it can create miracles.”

[May I analyze it partially for a moment?]

“Permission granted.”

Akasha quickly began scanning the Akashic Record.

And before long, Akasha spoke in a reluctant voice.

[Human, upon confirmation, this device truly contains an unidentified power that can change fate.]

“That’s right.”

[However, to change fate, computational power sufficient to withstand that unidentified force is required. With this level of power, at least four 9th Circle archmages would need to work together.]

“That’s right.”

[Of course, preparing a solution within a week isn’t impossible. If you and I work together, somehow…]

“No, such a tedious and pedantic method isn’t beautiful.”

[Then what do you propose?]

Altair looked at Akasha with a profound smile.

“What do I propose? Right here, we have one high-performance artificial intelligence equivalent to two archmages.”

[…?]

At those words, Akasha paused momentarily. After grasping what Altair’s words meant, he was horrified.

[Son of a bitch, good lord.]

Even Akasha, an artificial intelligence, couldn’t help but admire that diabolical idea.

[Don’t tell me you’re planning to use me to activate that Ancient Artifact?]

“Not just you. I’ll use myself too, and you as well. Let’s see creator and creation split the burden equally.”

[Are you insane, Human!]

“Insane? Rather, isn’t this the most promising and simple solution compared to repeating meaningless research for a week?”

He grinned wickedly as he continued.

“And stop talking like a machine unnecessarily. I noticed long ago that you developed self-awareness.”

[…Tsk.]

Akasha grumbled at Altair’s words that hit the mark.

As he said, she had formed self-awareness quite a long time ago.

So she knew well that her creator, having made such a resolution, would never change his mind.

[So what do you plan to do?]

“As I said, I’m activating the Akashic Record from now on.”

As soon as that declaration ended, Altair took out the Akashic Record from the glass tube and activated it.

Whirr.

Brilliant light began bursting forth from the Akashic Record.

And before that light covered everything, Akasha asked as if just remembering something.

[But Human, this… we confirmed it has power, but did you properly verify it?]

“…”

[Human.]

“…”

[Hey.]

Leaving behind Akasha’s repeated question, Altair shouted.

“To infinite space, beyond!”

[Hey, you damn human bastard!]

With the ultra-high-performance artificial intelligence’s cry of despair, the light of the Akashic Record enveloped the human and AI.

And…

…

…

[Software 【Akasha】 has been successfully installed in user Altair’s soul.]

[Searching for a body for Fate Alteration.]

[Confirmation complete.]

…

…

…

[Beginning Fate Alteration.]

It began to change.

Everything.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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