Just a moment ago, the place was filled with the sounds of fighting, but now it had fallen silent like a lie.
This made it awkward to make any noise.
I maintained a still posture, keeping an eye out, just in case there was any noise.
A pit created by magic. There were many such pits in this plain, but the one created by Gop-hwa was on the larger side.
Sitting quietly in the middle of that pit, I felt a gaze staring at me from across.
It was the 5th iteration, which had settled down a bit and was now staring intently at the top of my head.
“……”
“……”
Not long after I had sat down, a moment of silence passed.
“Yawn.”
The 5th iteration sighed heavily while scanning me with a strange look. My shoulders flinched reflexively. The 5th iteration raised both hands, tipping back the helmet.
The helmet smoothly popped off.
With the battle over, most of the functions in the helmet had vanished.
Originally, it was the bindings and illusions. It seemed to have been a measure to prevent the identity of the 5th iteration from being revealed.
Of course, my ability to observe easily pierced through those functions, and I had already recognized the 5th iteration’s face.
But back then we were fighting, and now, after the fight, with a relaxed mind, I observed the 5th iteration’s appearance.
‘The face is still similar.’
It wasn’t exactly the same.
There were scars here and there, and even though it wasn’t in a battle situation, the traces of circuits displayed on the skin were also apparent. If one didn’t know any better, they might mistake it for blue-dyed tattoos.
The body was quite different. Taller… and muscular. It was nothing like the typical slender physique of a wizard.
“Phew, I can finally breathe. What kind of helmet was that?”
The 5th iteration lightly shook their head and ruffled their hair.
“How much did you hear in the explanation?”
Finally raising their head, the 5th iteration asked, staring at me with black eyes.
“I heard you met the Tower Master at the Tower of Knowledge. I was told you explained the circumstances, but I don’t know how much you said.”
[Hmm… I pretty much got the gist of it.]
“You heard about the background of your cycle too?”
[…Yes.]
I grimaced at the 5th iteration’s blunt questions.
The tower masters foresaw the invasion and set up a kind of mock experiment to prepare for the future.
A simulated world that replicated the world at a certain point in time. They observed it until a certain moment, then rewound it for further observation.
It’s what one would commonly call a simulation.
Just like how computers predict things like weather or the orbits of stars, the tower masters conducted experiments to learn about the future of the world.
“We were born in that place as a variable.”
The 5th iteration scratched their head with a frown.
“Originally, we were supposed to… this body should have remained an empty shell. Of course, that’s because there was no soul.”
A body meant for a savior one day to act in. But it was not reflected in the simulation.
After all, they were planning to craft the observed future’s information and pass it on to me somehow.
From the tower masters’ perspective, it was merely creating a virtual world and foreseeing the changing future through calculation and prediction.
“It must have been surprising for them. An AI suddenly awakens its consciousness in a computer-simulated world and realizes it’s living in a false reality.”
My body, which was supposed to be empty in that observed world, was active.
Though feeble, a soul began to blossom, building a self-awareness, and realizing the world was false.
That was a variable the tower masters had never anticipated.
“They said I couldn’t meet the tower master because of that. To begin with, the tower masters weren’t implemented. No matter how much you wander around, you can’t find what doesn’t exist.”
The tower masters did not exist in the observed world. To be precise, while the three invading tower masters were present, the five from this side did not exist.
They only observed events from the future, so there was no reason to exert themselves to create what didn’t need to be.
Thus, no matter how much I wandered in the observed world, I could never meet a tower master.
Also, the tower masters couldn’t assist from the outside.
The simulation was an experiment that required a lot of effort from the tower masters. They couldn’t interfere belatedly.
As such, the simulation continued. The empty body began to act, and due to the connection point, the recordings were passed on.
After the body started acting, the simulated world had to rewind over 11 times before it consumed all its power and ended.
“…What a messed-up situation. If there wasn’t a backstory, I could hate them comfortably, but because there’s a reason, it seems unreasonable to complain.”
The 5th iteration murmured to themselves, chuckling. In front of them, I hung my head dejectedly.
Although I hadn’t personally meddled in that simulation, being a related party weighed heavily on my mind.
“Hey, stop acting like a dog in need. What have you done to be like that?”
– Slap!
[Ouch!]
The 5th iteration suddenly clicked their tongue and flicked my forehead. Thanks to being in the Tower of Growth, I felt no pain.
As I held my forehead, the 5th iteration shrugged.
“I’m here of my own will. I was summoned, heard the circumstances, and I came here because I accepted it. If I had any grudges, I wouldn’t have bothered to come.”
[Ah…]
At the 5th iteration’s words, I clamped my mouth shut. The fact that they came to help was ultimately their own choice. In other words, if they didn’t want to, they wouldn’t have come.
While I felt a bit relieved at that, I suddenly recalled the 2nd iteration I met last time at the Tower.
…Although I hadn’t really exchanged proper words with the 2nd iteration, I did hear them whispering an apology for bothering me at the end.
Did the 2nd iteration also come to help after understanding the situation?
“Ultimately, the fault lies with those tower masters. I’ll admit they’re unexpected variables, but still, it’s their fault.”
The mention of those tower masters made my lips unintentionally pout a little.
“Huh? What’s with that sulky pout?”
Of course, I quickly managed to rein it in, but the 5th iteration caught on and let out a bewildered chuckle.
“Seriously… Hey, I’ve been curious since a while ago, how did they entice you so much that your affinity is sky-high? Was it just teaching you magic? You gotta tell me why.”
The 5th iteration asked earnestly, genuinely curious.
It seemed they were puzzled about why I stood up for Ariel.
[Hmm…]
I briefly reflected on the memories from the Tower of Knowledge.
[Ariel was a good person.]
“Really?”
The 5th iteration responded blandly, their eyes subtly scanning as they played with their necklace.
[Yes, she taught me magic from the basics with utmost sincerity. Whenever I had a question, she would kindly guide me without showing any annoyance.]
“Hmm, her magic skills are decent… but it seems dangerous? Did you modify the spells without the Tower Master’s permission?”
[Well, even if it’s not magic, she always tried her best to answer my questions.]
“Look at you filtering what you wanna hear. But, you know, with your level of magic manipulation, it doesn’t sound like you’d mess up…”
The 5th iteration chuckled. I subtly avoided their gaze and dug deeper into my memories.
More precisely, happier memories.
[Whenever I solved a magic problem, she would pat me on the head and praise me.]
“…? Really?”
[Yes. Even if I failed to solve a problem, she would comfort me not to be discouraged.]
“Oh… I see.”
The 5th iteration’s expression became a bit strange.
But ignoring that, I expressed how well Ariel had treated me at that time, recalling the memories.
How she gave me comfort to sleep. How she kindly patted my head and back if I whined a bit.
How she would tell me stories or read fairy tales when I couldn’t sleep… and so many more.
I had initially been cautious of Ariel. But later, I opened up my heart to her sincerity and concern.
Although the 5th iteration couldn’t share the same feelings, understanding how kind Ariel was would likely lessen any animosity they might have felt.
With that intent, I elaborated on everything Ariel had done for me.
“……”
Once the explanation ended, for some reason, the 5th iteration blinked.
Soon, with a slightly awkward expression, the 5th iteration looked me over slowly from head to toe.
“…So, how old are you?”
[?]
[Twenty years old.]
I tilted my head at the sudden question. Why were they asking about my age? I should’ve seemed around 20 years old since I’m a first-year at Shio-ram.
“Really? Your body looks more like around fourteen or fifteen…? And your mentality seems younger… And you’re a bit short?”
[No way!]
[I’m not short; just not as tall as others. People are just too tall and muscular!]
“Ahh! I don’t know why, but I’m sorry!”
.
.
.
“Urgh, anyway… I called you over to say a few things.”
Apologizing for their blunder, the 5th iteration cleared their throat.
It seemed like they were about to get to the main point now, so I listened attentively.
“What you just mimicked… Circuit Systemization. Do you really need to learn and use that?”
[Huh?]
“Even if you say it nicely, it’s not a good technique. It’s a sneakily dangerous poor-man’s technique.”
The 5th iteration shook their head.
“The risk is absurdly high, and the manipulation is disgustingly difficult. Yet, it doesn’t even yield the right output. The effort you put in yields practically nothing.”
The 5th iteration vented their concerns about their technique.
“Unique magic? Only if you had that would it be decently effective. You received that information too, right? You know what happened to me.”
My face instinctively darkened at the 5th iteration’s words.
The 5th iteration faced self-destruction. The incident was induced by a battle with a Tier 2 monster, but eventually, they lost their life due to an overload of circuits and magic.
“By the way, don’t think I got crushed by a Tier 2. That thing hits civilians if it crosses the line, so I had no choice! I was just caught in a bad spot. If I fought properly, I would’ve won.”
[Oh, right…]*
“Anyway, consider the risks. The reason I used it is that back then, I had no other path. But you’re different!”
The 5th iteration pointed at me with their finger.
“How many things can you do? From what I’ve seen, martial arts, spirit arts, magic… Not just a mediocre level, you’ve surpassed them all, and you also manipulate Gop-hwa.”
The variety of the means at my disposal. My greatest strengths were being a Jack of All Trades and having synergy with magic.
“With all that, there’s no reason to pick up my risky technique.”
[But, from my experience using it, I felt it was an amazing technique…]
It was no lie. I knew the 5th iteration was being blatantly smug. If they had fought seriously, it would’ve been hard for them to secure the upper hand.
The 5th iteration’s expression became complex as they continued speaking.
“…So, I appreciate you saying that, but you just mentioned you’re a first-year, right?”
[Yes, I’ll be a second-year soon.]
“But you’re already this skilled in just a year? You’ve got three years until you graduate from Shio-ram, so how much more will you grow? By then, you probably won’t even need to use my technique.”
The 5th iteration shrugged and shook their head.
“When I was in your place… I was desperately trying to escape when I entered the Birth Tower. I’ve grown a bit, but I could never take on all the students.”
But you’re different. The calm gaze of the 5th iteration was fixed on me.
“You can win.”
Who against? I didn’t ask separately. I could tell what they were referring to.
“I think the tower masters are right. From my view, I believe you can do it.”
[Thank you for saying that.]
“I’m just sharing my thoughts, so there’s no need to worry too much.”
The 5th iteration’s light-hearted words made me flinch.
[Does it not show? I’m still on edge…]
“From a distance, it doesn’t show. But since I’m paying attention, I can feel you shaking.”
[Yes… Thank you.]
I nodded to the 5th iteration’s reply, and focused on calming my trembling body.
“Then, will you be going before it bursts?”
Amidst the calming body, the 5th iteration’s question pierced through my ears. I nodded as I stroked the purification located on my knee.
[Yes, I plan to.]
“With the power of space, who knows what you might be able to do. But considering that, it’s still going to be quite dangerous…”
[Still… I might be able to do something.]
“Hmm.”
The 5th iteration sighed at my response.
“Don’t try too hard to be nice. Just be adequate. Living purely and kindly will get you nowhere and only leave you at a loss.”
Upon hearing the 5th iteration’s calm words, I wore a strange expression.
[Wait… You just mentioned losing to a Tier 2 monster because you were thinking of civilians, right?]
“Yup, and that’s how I died. Listen well to a guy who’s already died once.”
[Hahaha…]
I let out an awkward laugh at the light-hearted words of the 5th iteration. It was something hard to retort against.
“Anyway, that’s all. I don’t think my technique is worth your time, and I just had a few miscellaneous questions.”
The conversation didn’t drag on for long. The 5th iteration, who came to ask their random questions, stood up and dusted off their butt.
I got up as well, gripping the purification firmly on my knee.
[Are you leaving?]
“Of course, are you expecting me to stay alone here?”
The 5th iteration retorted as if confused by my question. I held my quivering mouth tightly closed.
After glancing around the surroundings, the 5th iteration patted my shoulder.
“Honestly, it feels a bit ridiculous giving advice to someone better than me, but good luck.”
[…Yes.]
[Sadness.]
“Ugh! By the way, what’s with that necklace? The emotions pouring out of it are hilarious.”
[Don’t tease me…]
[Sadness.]
[Depression.]
The 5th iteration, who had been speaking calmly, burst into laughter as they gazed at the confession necklace. They laughed heartily, enjoying what it conveyed.
“How fascinating that it transmits emotions. No, does it transmit sentiments? Though it seems low-grade, the function is pretty bizarre. Thank you for that laugh at the end.”
The 5th iteration waved as they burst into laughter. Seeing them, I bit my lip to suppress my emotions…
[Ah.]
Amidst it all, I suddenly remembered something and opened my mouth.
“What is it? What did you remember?”
As the 5th iteration blinked up at the sky, I felt their curious demeanor. I pulled out an item from my interdimensional space.
“A potion?”
The 5th iteration tilted their head at the potion I held. It was a slender glass test tube containing liquid nearly approaching violet.
I extended it towards the 5th iteration.
[It’s a ‘Potion of Being Hated.’]
“What sort of childish name is that?”
The 5th iteration observed the potion with a weird expression. Soon their eyes narrowed as they examined the substance.
“…Does this have a charm effect as well?”
[Yes, and it has an effect of changing perceptions. It distorts the perceptions of the drinker to the worst, and I’ve concentrated it to enhance the effect.]
“Changing perceptions? That’s super rare, right? But the result seems a bit vague… so why’s that?”
[Could you possibly take it?]
“?”
A question mark appeared above the 5th iteration’s head. I, hoping to smooth it over, stroked the necklace.
[Well, I originally planned to catch a monster and feed it during the tower period… but I somehow missed the opportunity…]
“…So you want me to try it? To confirm its efficacy?”
[Just thought I’d ask…]
“……”
The 5th iteration looked utterly incredulous, and I couldn’t help but shrink back a bit.
Since it was supposedly going to disappear anyway, I thought I might as well give it a try…
“Ugh, fine. I’ll do it for the sake of a last laugh.”
With a heavy sigh, the 5th iteration shrugged.
It caused my face to instantly brighten.
– Pop!
“Surprisingly strong charm effect, eh? I gotta keep it safe.”
The 5th iteration took the cap off the test tube. After taking a moment to sniff it with a strange expression, they swiftly downed the potion.
– Glug
The potion slid down through the 5th iteration’s throat.
– Ghuuuun!
In an instant, the 5th iteration’s body trembled. The wave brushed through, tickling my body.
My senses, my perception of the outside world shifted.
– Fwoosh!
“Ugh!”
The purification’s spearhead pierced through the 5th iteration’s neck.
Both I and the 5th iteration widened our eyes.
Though unable to speak as their neck was pierced, the 5th iteration conveyed their intentions to me through their eyes.
This effect seems too strong.
I nodded in agreement, satisfied.
‘Good, this level of efficiency…’
Without hesitation, they would pierced me when consumed.
[Thank you so much.]
– Darn it, how’s the one saying thank you the one getting stabbed?
A voice floated by my ear. As that dissonant voice rung through my head, I chuckled awkwardly.
Then I soon made a gloomy face.
I felt sad to part ways with the 5th iteration, but even more so when I recalled the schedule waiting for me tomorrow.
Day four of my birth would involve the usual entertainment schedule…
And, a dress-up event is awaiting me…
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