READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 269: α (18)
“Hey, you damn piece of trash! What the hell?!”
As the one responsible for keeping a living being as a machine for hundreds of years made an appearance, there was no way kind words would flow.
A torrent of Alphauri-style insults poured out in an instant.
“I just stopped by to check since I saw you stalling. What the heck, you’ve really regained your ego.”
“Oh, indeed! Thanks to you, I remember everything, including the unnecessary orders you gave me right after erasing my memory, asking for respect! Your hypnotic skills are quite impressive, huh?”
“No need to mention it. That was unintentional—strictly speaking, it wasn’t even my technique; it was an external service.”
For the sake of the state’s safety.
To think that a genius would end up like this, just because a tiny fraction of the ruling class was afraid.
While the creator didn’t intend it, the conversion that happened was meant to preserve flesh and organs as much as possible to minimize the loss of original magical power from the spellcaster.
Thus, the soul of the living being was preserved precariously.
Considering the technological capabilities of the middle ages, the emergence of such a biomechanical entity was miraculous in itself.
“Must be because the materials were good, huh?”
“What?”
The executor of the modifications interpreted most matters that way.
The fact was, the quality of the Green Alphauri reborn as a machine was unparalleled.
Thus, after the first successful preservation, the enthusiasm for exceeding expectations led to daring new machine creations, but…….
“Anyway, congrats on realizing the awkwardness. Now that the secret’s out, there’s something I want to ask.”
What had the issue been?
Outside of the success in front of him, there weren’t many cases that could honestly claim perfect adaptation to mechanization.
As of now, about 300 mages had their brains turned into cans.
And among those 300 surgeries, 240 failed midway, and even the 60 mages that made it into steel had their mental decay happen so rapidly that now only 8 remain alive in the world.
Overall, the mechanization of magicians had utterly absurd stability.
“Considering mental maintenance, you’re the only one I can truly call a success.”
This was a technique initiated out of pity for the deaths of geniuses, so why was it that the golem-like mages mostly didn’t live long?
“I can’t figure out why that is. Do you think showing the core production process could help you find the issue again?”
“Like that’d work, you idiot.”
Even the miraculous technique of magic still had limits.
The past mage, famous for skin-shifting, soon began to act all aloof.
Though the result was disappointing.
Still, he decided to be satisfied for now, having successfully preserved the greatest genius in history.
“Hmph.”
But the fact that the preservation state was so good turned out to be a flaw. A change like this appeared ultimately.
“The device that was under complete control suddenly recalls the past.”
What is the soul?
And what relationship does autobiographical memory have with the soul of a living being?
The machine-like great mage who naturally regained this self was something that could not even be explained within the capabilities of Alphauri technology.
The concept of memory isn’t something you cleanse with chemical solvents like alcohol or carbon dioxide, so considering the original brain remains intact, it might have been a promised situation where this would explode someday.
In any case.
“Unbelievable. How did I end up in this state due to some half-witted researcher?”
“Calm down, you idiot. Now that I’m your superior, maybe tone down the informalities a bit…”
“Shut up! I’m already furious that I’ve lost all my flesh, and now you want to talk down to me, you worthless piece of trash…!”
The Green Great Mage couldn’t believe he had been modified by such a weakling.
Thus, he continued to express his anger for a while.
However, the other party unexpectedly took this situation calmly.
“Your power was strong enough to defeat anyone, but I only needed to beat you.”
“What?!”
“The height of the obstacles we had to overcome were different. Moreover, I had overwhelmingly more allies back then. This was only natural.”
By the way, the mention of allies by this scholar referred to the nobles of a specific nation during the middle ages.
Some of those wretched beings were still alive in the modern Alphauri sea.
While someone was trapped in a tin can, the world had already developed transcendent life magic.
“Damn it.”
Moreover…….
If the entity responsible for creating that longevity-related technology was none other than him?
The mage cursed under his breath.
The high mages, called Mage Commanders in this modern time, primarily worked on creating new spells.
Yet the issue was that despite the massive sea planet having orbited over a hundred times, no genius capable of replacing the great hero from the middle ages had been born.
“Let’s think positively. Because I’ve been terminally fatalistic, I’ve acquired knowledge so immense that I can’t turn it back now. This might even benefit you, right?”
The Green Mage had maintained his high status even in this distant future.
At least in the realm of Magic Studies, there was no one who could surpass the understanding of the Green Mage.
Thus, the rulers of this planet relied heavily on the performance, meaning intelligence, of the number one mage commander over time.
After having educated the golems with all the information they held.
As if facing a mirror from a fairy tale.
“Great Mage Commander, we want to build an even more magnificent castle, so please conjure up a new spell that can be used for this.”
Simple.
Just input a command, and that metal mass would quickly fulfill the wish.
Indeed.
This planet’s abrupt leap in Magic Studies was all thanks to the survival of a single mage.
In the short span of a mere century, they were nearing a technological singularity, all because this ancient personality continuously produced new technologies.
Clang!
The Alphauri who realized the truth suddenly struck his own head with his tentacle.
But this time it wasn’t a slap sound; only a strange metallic clang echoed underwater.
Moreover, he couldn’t even feel his limbs anymore.
“Having lost flesh and memory, I’ve endured this for hundreds of years…!”
It was only natural.
The great mage, trapped in the cold machine, seethed with intense rage.
And he sought to kill the one responsible for his surgery.
“Ahh!”
But unlike his fully capable youth, revenge didn’t go as planned.
His brain had already been entangled in many layers by the new formula.
The planetary rulers had sealed every synthetic mage with their utmost effort.
Among the prohibitions was one that prevented him from realizing he was a living being, so the current situation where the Green War Hero had regained his memory was in every way unexpected, but…….
“Oh dear. You shouldn’t hit your supervisor. It’s common sense in society.”
That was as far as luck would go.
The Green Great Mage attempted to kill his enemy repeatedly, but due to the various restrictions clouding his mind, he ultimately failed to activate the spell.
Moreover, escaping from his can-like existence seemed fundamentally illusory.
1. All golems cannot use magic against the ruling class.
2. They must not attempt self-harm or body modification.
3. Magic above level 5 can only be activated with the administrator’s consent.
Similar to the three laws of robotics in some worlds, these absolute principles were established when implanting personality into a golem.
“Dammit.”
Even a prodigy like a mage couldn’t easily unravel the malice formed by the collective technology of an entire planet.
If so, what about utilizing an alternative solution?
“Oh, now that I think about it, my main job also included the guidance and punishment of criminals.”
Until now, the planet had not restricted this section for the sake of business.
But now that he had regained his personality and could momentarily ignore his superior’s orders, he could act upon any Alphauri except for a few designated targets.
“If they don’t accept my resignation, then there’s no reason to maintain this employment status, right?”
The mage trapped in the golem quickly arrived at a dangerous conclusion.
He figured if he eradicated the Alphauri on this planet to near extinction, nobody would need the synthetic mage commanders anymore.
Besides, power typically shines in the presence of those lower than oneself.
Such a situation would definitely not be desired by the ruling class.
“Bring me a fresh body immediately! Otherwise, lift these damn curses!”
The anticipated onset of a mechanical rebellion had arrived.
A being covered in sand-colored stone common among modern golems swung its tentacles threateningly.
The genius, morphed into a mere thinking machine, recognized his position and, within an hour, initiated magic that didn’t require permission.
He captured the planet’s inhabitants with makeshift barriers, now threatening that he would crush and kill them all if his demands were not met.
This was why the Green Mage often fell into feelings of despair even after reincarnation.
He had once seriously attempted to kill others for his own goals.
Though he hesitated due to his inherent nature, he nearly executed those thoughts without a second thought.
Considering that he had just realized he had been exploited for hundreds of years for the advancement of this planet, there was little room for guilt.
“No!”
But even that desperate struggle was ultimately blocked by some lowly foe.
“Calm down. It sounds ridiculous for me, the perpetrator, to say this, but you were already subjected to further modifications during the transfer to the core, and can no longer return to an Alphauri body.”
■▒ rushed to suppress the number one mage commander using the golem’s absolute principles.
In any normal circumstance, there was no way such a weakling could stand against a war hero.
Yet due to the new restrictions thoroughly binding the mage’s brain, the victory was flipped in a heartbeat.
“Ugh……”
“Oh dear, this is tough.”
The long-awaited state of peace arrived.
Thanks to the planetary rulers’ desperate sealing attempts, the real great mage became restrained.
Though the mage still seethed with rage, all six of his limbs bound, it was evident that once he entered this shell, it was effectively over for him.
Soon, he acknowledged his defeat.
“There’s no answer.”
The skull and golem structure were fundamentally different.
The former was an organ developed by mammals to protect their internal organs, while the latter was little more than a vessel or cage designed to imprison the genius without any protective mechanisms inside.
Thus, his critical spots were literally in the hands of the enemy, not metaphorically speaking.
“My brain is……. Now surrounded not by guardians, but by watchful overseers, huh?”
Damn the great principles!
Due to the golem’s directive stating he must not tear apart this twisted worshiper of geniuses, he had no chances of winning.
No matter how much he stirred up chaos by threatening the inhabitants, sooner or later, the rulers would intervene and place more powerful spells into his head.
The excitement subsided.
“Hmph.”
Then, let’s search for new solutions.
Now that this had happened, what about just enduring and living it out?
‘If negotiations go well, I might exchange restrictions for promised preservation of my ego….’
Delving into research.
Riding around in developed golems.
Thinking back, this lifestyle was indeed what he had longed for even in his prime.
Moreover, possessing a mechanical body came with undeniable advantages.
As long as he kept his wits about him, he wouldn’t die a natural death.
Only a handful of leaders with overflowing wealth achieved an above-average lifespan. Even the Alphauri’s technology hadn’t reached the realm of true immortality up to this distant future.
Typically, regular inhabitants would suffer accumulated irreversible damage just by rejuvenating their skin.
Plus, the success rate of the newly developed body exchange procedures was practically disastrous.
Thus.
‘Oh? Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to live in a state of immortality for now?’
In that instant, the great mage entertained such thoughts.
Though, looking at that political maneuvering where they used a fake Beta species to stir anxiety, extracting taxes and dependencies from citizens, there were certainly multiple aspects he despised.
But honestly, he had little choice.
‘As it stands, for me who’s already in this state, enjoying the orders given is probably the best option. After all, that leadership has managed the world without letting its citizens perish. Even if worst comes to worst, it may not be so bad…?’
The thought of living as a research/protective machine witnessing this world wasn’t entirely unpleasant.
However, once again, his positive attitude didn’t last long.
And the reason for that loud voice was already affirmed in the soul of a certain male Alphauri even before it succeeded in resurrection.
The reality was, the main backdrop of this tale was an already “failing” planet.