kscans

Chapter 371 - An AI's Education

The tide of battle in the Great Forest of the Undead had turned.

The most significant shift occurred around Mist's Mansion. Where the New Demon Lord's Army had been dominant, the old Demon Lord's Army was now making a comeback. The New Demon Lord's Army had occupied the mansion, but Noat, who had been defeated once, had returned and used her song skill "Requiem" to suppress the appearance of undead.

That skill alone wouldn't have turned the tide, but Alvie and the members of "Kiss of Death" were so moved by the song of the memory-restored Noat that they performed with more motivation and power than ever before. Furthermore, the orchestra "Brunhilde" also overwhelmed the area with their music, which was more magnificent than usual.

Being skilled at singing or playing music doesn't grant a bonus to in-game skills. The effect would be the same even if one were to hum or sing poorly, but how one reacts to hearing a song or music that gives them goosebumps depends on individual sensibility. Some players, both friend and foe, were so captivated by the performance that they just stood there. But when it was an ally's song, it raised morale; when it was an enemy's, they faltered. While there was no change to their in-game status, Noat's song created a clear difference in morale between the two sides.

Furthermore, information spread that the old Demon Lord's Army's Demon Lord Lunaria had begun her advance. This was influenced by Rosalie and the others loudly announcing her usual "sallying forth."

The New Demon Lord's side had attacked the Area Stone with monsters in tow, but the Demon Lord's Army's dark knights and maids unflinchingly annihilated them. With Lutz of the "Starkest" clan achieving the great feat of soloing the high-rank rare monster "Rejected Hero Prototype," the old Demon Lord's Army had gained considerable momentum.

The New Demon Lord's Army found that the samurai who were supposed to be their allies had disappeared from the battlefield at some point. There was a rumor that the samurai leader had lost to a female samurai, but its authenticity was unknown. Because all of this happened at once, the players on the New Demon Lord's side came to the realization that things were looking "pretty bad."

At the northeastern rocky area, the Demonfolk were said to be fighting, but information had also spread that a giant octopus had appeared and was rampaging, and more than a few players were worried if things were really okay. If there was any hope for the New Demon Lord's Army, it was that the main forces of the "Rampage," "Bounty Hunter," and "Despair Angel" clans had not yet been deployed. Losing today didn't mean losing the event, but if they couldn't win today, when could they? At least, there would be no victory at "Deep Impact." With so many airships prepared by the enemy, their chances of winning were slim.

And so, the players on the New Demon Lord's side, hoping to change the current situation, wished for their new Demon Lord, Amanda, to join the battle.

"You're back rather early."

Amanda said this to Nanagi, who had come to her room in the Demon Lord's Castle, without even looking at her. She was watching a monitor, which displayed the rocky area where Hayato was.

"I'm not one for overtime."

"Overtime, huh? You should at least fight until closing time."

"I don't want to hear that from a NEET like you."

Amanda finally turned to look at Nanagi. She smiled, seemingly composed enough to handle the sarcasm.

"You say some interesting things."

"Maybe I should have aimed to be a comedian."

"I don't think it's too late. You seem to have more talent for that than for being a samurai, don't you?"

"Do you decide what you want to do based on talent?"

"...You're right, talent had nothing to do with it. Everyone has the freedom to live as they please."

"That's right. So, what do you, who is overflowing with talent, want to do?"

"What do I want to do? Isn't it obvious? My goal is world domination and—"

"To live a normal life with Hayato, is it?"

Amanda's smile gradually hardened. She even exuded an aura of killing intent. Normally, such an aura would make one's body freeze, but this was a virtual reality, and moreover, Nanagi had lived here as a strong person. Without flinching, she glared back at Amanda.

"If you try to get everything, you'll end up with nothing. You're free to do what you want, but you should focus on one goal."

"Is that advice from an elder?"

"No, it's an observation report. You have talent, knowledge, and wisdom. And yet, you have nothing. The reason you don't participate in the battle is because deep down, you think you'll end up with nothing again, isn't it?"

In an instant, Amanda closed the distance to Nanagi and swung Durandal. Nanagi deflected the attack once with "Flying Swallow." Then, she blocked the slash, which had stopped for a moment, with her own sword.

Amanda's eyes widened at the action, then she smirked.

"Not bad. I didn't think you'd be able to block it."

"The fruits of my training. So, what do you want to do? Do you want to become a superman? Or do you want to be normal? You can do anything you set your mind to. And yet you've obtained nothing. Is it that you don't really have anything you want to do or want?"

"...Are those your last words?"

"That line is ridiculous in a virtual reality. Or are you going to steal my consciousness and turn me into an NPC?"

Amanda gritted her teeth and glared at Nanagi. She gradually put more force into her sword, pushing towards Nanagi, but Nanagi pushed back.

"Whether you conquer the world or get Hayato, you should do what you want. But if you lose this event, you'll get nothing. Are you fine with just watching a monitor in your room?"

"Are you saying I'll lose to Lunaria?"

"Then can you say with certainty that you'll win? In a one-on-one fight, your sword is undoubtedly the strongest. If you focus on defense and drag out the fight, you probably won't lose. But Hayato is on their side. There's a possibility he'll give Lunaria a weapon even better than that sword. You should think of yourself as fighting not just Lunaria, but Hayato as well."

The prospect of Hayato being an enemy was effective on Amanda. She clicked her tongue. She released the force from her sword and returned it to its scabbard. Then she turned her back to Nanagi and looked at the monitor.

"Even if all your territories are taken, if you win at the end of the event, you'll become strong enough to defeat Diite, and you'll be able to take control of the spaceship Aphrodite through Hypnos. If you say you can definitely win even with a difference in stats, I won't say anything more, but can you really win?"

"...In both reality and virtual reality, there's no such thing as an absolute."

"Then you should increase your chances of winning, even by a little. You don't have time to be admiring Hayato here."

"Who's admiring Hayato!"

"Am I wrong?"

"...I won't deny it, but."

"...So it really was true..." Nanagi looked exasperated.

Amanda, who had her back turned, looked back at Nanagi.

"Speaking of admiring Hayato, it reminded me of something. Can I ask you one thing?"

"I don't want to be asked something that was reminded to you for that reason."

"It's fine, it has nothing to do with Hayato."

"Then, what is it?"

"Have you ever heard of the Zodiac Foundation?"

"The Zodiac Foundation...? Are you talking about reality?"

"Yes. Have you ever heard of such a Foundation in the reality of a hundred years ago?"

Nanagi tried to recall something, but shook her head.

"No, I haven't. I didn't know all the organizations with 'Foundation' in their name, but is it famous?"

"I thought you, a historian, might know, but I guess you don't."

"Is it related to history?"

"It's an organization that has existed since ancient times. It's said to be involved in every major incident. The owner of the research institute that created me was that Foundation. The spaceship Aphrodite, too. Oh, and they're also the organization that planned the Another Frontier Project. On the surface, another organization was in charge, though."

Nanagi frowned. Such information had never been made public anywhere. The Frontier Project and the Another Frontier Project were planetary-scale initiatives that transcended national borders. And she had said it as if she was reminded of it from admiring Hayato. What was the connection? And why bring it up now?

"That's not a lie, is it? Tell me the purpose of your question."

"I was just a little curious."

As a sign that she wouldn't say any more, Amanda looked away from Nanagi. Nanagi was curious, but she quickly gave up, figuring Amanda wouldn't say anything even if she asked. However, she made a mental note to check with Hypnos.

Ignoring Nanagi, Amanda began to leave the room.

"Are you going to fight?"

"...I have things to do today, so I'll pass. But I might join from tomorrow... Oh, and I'll give up on Hayato too. I'll prioritize world domination, so don't worry."

"Is that so. Then you can be with Hayato after you've conquered the world."

"Do you think Hayato would be swayed by me after I've conquered the world? At the point where I have to destroy that girl, Diite, there's no way Hayato would forgive me. And perhaps—"

Amanda stopped mid-sentence.

"What's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing."

It was unclear what she hesitated to say, but assuming it was about Hayato, Nanagi suggested a countermeasure.

"Just erase Diite from Hayato's memories. That will solve it."

"I wonder if that would be the same Hayato I like? —Ah, it's not like I like him or anything."

Are you a child? Nanagi thought, but decided not to comment on the matter.

"Well, fine. So you're giving up on Hayato completely?"

"I suppose so. But if he won't be mine, I won't let anyone have him. Is this what you call a 'yandere'?"

"I vaguely know the meaning of the word, but don't ask me."

Amanda let out a short laugh, "Hmph," at Nanagi's words and left the room. And Nanagi relayed the information to Ox of the "Rampage" clan that Amanda couldn't make it today but would join the battle from tomorrow.

"Is it true that Noat-san has regained her memories!?"

"Mist-san, please calm down."

Hayato was being pressed by Mist at the rocky area. When a normally calm person was flustered, it felt like something truly terrible was happening. Hayato was a little taken aback seeing Mist in such a state.

Mist had originally been a fan of Noat's songs and had listened to them in the real world. Hayato hadn't known, but apparently, even after regaining her memories, Mist would occasionally log into the virtual reality and have Noat sing for her. Now that Noat had her memories back, she could listen to her songs not just in the virtual reality, but in the real world too. Hayato figured Mist's excitement stemmed from that.

However, if that was the case, there was something he had to tell her.

"Mist-san, Noat-san has definitely regained her memories."

"Incredible...!"

"But, it seems she can't log out."

"I-is that so?"

"Yes, she said the logout button on the menu isn't appearing."

"In my case, I was able to log out as soon as my memories returned."

"Perhaps, even if your memories return, you can't log out unless Diite-chan gives permission."

"Ah, I see."

"However, Diite-chan's ability to meddle with the system is currently restricted, so she might not be able to log out until this event is over."

"I suppose that can't be helped. It's a shame, but I'll have to be patient until she can log out. Did Noat-san say she wants to live in the real world? She didn't say she wanted to stay here forever, did she?"

"She didn't say that. Something about making a comeback as a mysterious singer called Miracle☆Donuts."

"Ah, Miracle☆Donuts. What a nostalgic name. By the way, the official name has a heart mark between Miracle and Donuts. That's important."

"Ah, yes."

(Mist-san really loses it when Noat-san is involved,) Hayato thought, remembering Parsha, who had acted similarly. Parsha had declared she would back Noat as an investor. Hayato had internally retorted, Just how big of a deal is a singer backed by a Foundation?

Incidentally, she apparently intended to do the same for Alvie. She had said she would scout him in the real world after the event. The Pisces Foundation originally protected the arts, not just works of art, but artists as well. The reason Parsha had become the owner of the Colony "Museum" was to do so at will. It was more important to Parsha than being the head of the Foundation. That same Parsha had been as excited as the current Mist, exclaiming, "This is the will of God!" which had left Ney and Jolth quite taken aback.

Noat herself seemed to think it was only natural, but her interest seemed to be more focused on real-world donuts. When she heard that Hayato ran a cafe with Esha, she had told him to add more than ten kinds of donuts to the menu. She wanted to eat proper donuts, not the imitation ones made with colony ingredients, but when he told her that was impossible since they could only be eaten on Earth, Parsha had started to say, "I'll invest, so please make them!" In the end, Ney and Jolth had objected.

As a result, a non-aggression pact was formed where no one would invest in Hayato's cafe. Hayato's own intentions seemed to be irrelevant, but for Hayato, it was a welcome development. A cafe funded by a Foundation would no longer be Hayato's cafe. Should he consider himself lucky to have connections in the Foundations? Having people with the power to reject unreasonable demands was quite helpful for Hayato.

After various things were decided, everyone except Hayato and Esha returned to the event battle. He reported this to Mist via voice chat, and she had rushed here, leaving the battle behind. Of course, Mist hadn't just lost her head and come; she had considered the surrounding situation, so there was no problem with the battle. The Demonfolk were having a hard time with the giant octopus summoned by Mikan and the demons summoned by Adrian and the others, and they couldn't get close, so this place was safe.

"So, Mist-san, did you fight the Demonfolk?" Thinking that if they kept talking about Noat, she would stay in her flustered state forever, Hayato decided to change the subject.

"Yes, I did. But, as Diite-san said, the Demonfolk with simple AIs are just like strong monsters and not much of a threat. At least, the members of Ambrosia I saw in the old Clan Wars were much stronger."

"Is that really so?"

"AIs will do things a normal person wouldn't. Besides, they don't seem to understand that we're aiming to destroy their equipment. I was able to destroy several pieces because of that."

If their equipment was being targeted, they should switch to backup gear, or dodge instead of taking hits, but the simple AI didn't think that far ahead and didn't try to protect its equipment. It always fought the same way. The AI just fought in a way that matched its skill composition and wasn't flexible. It was unclear what orders they had received from Amanda, but they didn't seem capable of following detailed commands and were simply continuing to fight.

"Then there shouldn't be a problem."

"However, it's just a feeling, but I felt like they weren't being serious. It's just a feeling, though."

"Not serious?"

"It's hard to say, but it's more like I don't think they have the will to defeat us. There are various types of humanoid monsters, and I think there were smarter AI humanoid monsters. I don't know if they aren't being used, but I just felt like their fighting style was clumsy."

"A new AI, you mean?"

"I don't see the point in using them, but it's a possibility."

Hayato and Mist groaned.

"Perhaps..." Esha, who had been thinking with her arms crossed, said.

"Did you notice something?"

"I think you know this, but AIs can learn just like people. And what they learn can be shared."

Esha was a programmer in the real world. Diite had said she was quite a talented one, and Esha had even fixed Hayato's corrupted authentication data before.

Hayato wanted to hear more about what Esha meant.

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. AIs learn, and that knowledge can be shared across all AIs. In this case, you could say the learned AI can be used by other humanoids, if you will."

It was unclear how the AIs were divided, but it wouldn't be strange if there were AIs for swordsmen, magicians, tanks, and so on. The idea was that those could be used by other NPCs. However, Hayato didn't quite understand.

"Could you be more specific?"

"There's a person named Grant Becker among the Demonfolk, and he fights with a rapier."

"Yeah, I think Lunaria-san mentioned something like that."

"If a swordsman AI is being used, there's a possibility that AI can be used for Ivan. If multiple swordsman AIs learn and are ultimately used for Ivan, even if it's a simple AI, he could become quite strong, don't you think?"

"Ah, so that's what you mean. The current Demonfolk are just learning to fight for Ivan and the others and have no intention of winning?"

"The event will continue until the final battle one month from the start, or until one side controls all the territory. Ivan and the others probably won't show up until the very end, but there's a possibility they're having the Demonfolk learn until then."

"I see. The learning of a single AI might not make them that much stronger, but if multiple AIs can share their learning, they might become quite formidable," Mist said, nodding at Esha's words and continuing.

"Amanda might have seen through our plan for a long-term battle."

"Fighting for a long time means they can learn that much more. They're having the Demonfolk learn to fight even if their equipment is destroyed, and then use that AI for Ivan and the others in the end, huh."

"It's just speculation, though," Esha said.

But Hayato had a feeling that it was highly likely. The Demonfolk were disposable, and the main event was Ivan and the others. Ivan's group was also equipped with powerful gear, and if a battle-hardened AI was installed in them, they might become as strong as their original selves. I should consult with Randa about this, Hayato thought as he sent a voice chat.

Just as noon was approaching, the old Demon Lord's Army was victorious. With Requiem active, Lunaria was unstoppable. Nothing could halt the advancing old Demon Lord's Army, and the battles at Mist's Mansion and the Area Stone were no contest at all. The strategist Randa was angry enough at Lunaria to exclaim, "Why'd you have to win so quickly!"

"Hmph, a Demon Lord is poor at holding back...!" Lunaria declared this with a smug face for some reason. When Rosalie pointed out that it was probably because she didn't want to fight for long where ghosts appeared, Lunaria tried to play it off by whistling poorly.

Not everything had gone according to plan, but the players from the major clans on the old Demon Lord's side had also defeated the surrounding players along with the Demon Lord's Army, so they were able to achieve a sound victory. They felt it was strange that the enemy's main forces hadn't appeared, but they speculated that the enemy disliked wasting resources in a battle they couldn't win. Be that as it may, Hayato's side had taken back two territories.

After destroying the enemy's Area Stone, Lunaria snorted and declared that they would take back all the territories with this momentum, and the players of the old Demon Lord's Army erupted in a festival-like celebration. The New Demon Lord's Army, disheartened, dejectedly left the Great Forest of the Undead. However, various pieces of information were being relayed to some of the clan leaders, and they immediately headed to another location to prepare.