Chapter 181
Chapter 181
Chapter 181
Awakened Adi (2)
Adi, who had awakened from his long slumber, answered Rudian's words with a bright smile.
"Yes, I am the original tin can Adi."
"……."
Rudian shut his mouth.
He had blurted out words carelessly in his haste, but he never expected Adi to actually hear them.
"Ah, it's truly heartbreaking. I sacrificed my entire body to protect my foolish Master who recklessly charged into outer space without any plan… and this is what I get in return from such a loyal servant…."
"No, well, I did say something I shouldn't have…."
With that face saying it, I feel like I've become the world's biggest scoundrel.
As Rudian was sweating coldly with these thoughts, Adi chuckled and waved both arms.
"I'm joking."
"…What's with that squishy gesture?"
"Don't you know my original habit? Even after taking over this humanoid terminal, this habit just won't be fixed."
An artificial intelligence having habits….
Well, I suppose I can't categorize Adi as a typical artificial intelligence.
When the situation ended, Rudian's companions gathered around.
"It's been a while, Maria Kepler."
Maria, who had awakened to the Divine Eye, immediately realized that Elysion's interior had been replaced with Adi.
"…Huh, what? Mr. Eyeball Monster?"
"You recognize me."
"Huh? Really?"
At their attitude of seemingly knowing each other, Rebecca tilted her head in confusion.
"Eyeball monster? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, Rebecca, that's…."
"Well, it's like this."
While Maria was glancing at Rudian's expression, Adi suddenly tore open the crushed Elysion's chest.
Then from between the chest, Adi's characteristic black single eye popped out, blinking.
"KYAAAAAAAAAH!"
At the indescribably grotesque sight, Rebecca fell backward, foaming at the mouth.
"Hey, you bastard!"
"Hmm, the reaction is more dramatic than I thought. So this is the fun of teasing innocent people?"
Adi closed the chest while grinning wickedly.
Actually, they had just missed the timing to react, but Rowen and Evangeline in the back also showed signs of being tremendously shocked.
"Stop fooling around and introduce yourself."
Rudian scolded Adi while pressing his forehead.
He hadn't expected to reveal Adi this way, but it was something his companions would have to know eventually anyway.
Adi lightly picked up the torn skirt with both hands and gave the companions an aristocratic greeting.
"Pleased to meet you. I am Arcadia, the artificial intelligence serving Master from Adora."
"Adora… that mysterious secret organization?"
"Yes, the most secretive, great, and sacred name in the world."
"……."
Except for Maria, who had been told the truth, the others still accepted that setting(…) as reality.
Adi continued speaking without hiding his amusement, finding something so entertaining.
"Actually, I thought Miss Luciella would be next to have her identity revealed, but indeed, calculating Master's future is meaningless."
"……."
"Luciella?"
Rebecca's expression darkened slightly for a moment, and Evangeline frowned and narrowed her eyes.
"Stop talking nonsense."
Just as the atmosphere was about to turn strange, Rudian stepped in to mediate.
"So, Elysion is in this state—can you repair it?"
But Adi's answer was beyond expectations.
"Master, this isn't Elysion."
"Huh? But you said it was Elysion with your own mouth?"
"To be precise, it's a terminal of a terminal. It's just one of the 10,000 mass-produced bodies that compose Elysion."
"……."
Rudian blinked for a moment, then asked back as if unable to grasp reality.
"Wait, what did you just say? How many bodies?"
"I said 10,000 bodies."
Only after Adi's confirmation did Rudian burst out shouting.
"Crazy! How does that make sense?"
Of course, he had thought it was weak for one of Adi's terminals.
That wide-range bombardment firepower was powerful, but compared to Eldorado or Dilmun, it was indeed shabby.
But if there are as many as 10,000 of these things, the story changes.
To Rudian, who felt like his mind was going blank, Adi added an explanation.
"Elysion, being an exploration-type artificial intelligence, is in a swarm form specialized for outer space and interdimensional exploration. Usually it's used in conjunction with Dilmun, but that's only when Dilmun is operational."
"Hey, that's not the problem…."
Whoever activated Elysion, if things like that come swarming in groups, there's really no answer.
Seeing Rudian's expression, Adi smiled slightly.
"What are you worried about?"
"Huh?"
"You have me, Master."
With an 'Ahem!' sound, Adi thumped his chest with his remaining arm.
"Since I've already secured one body, even if all the rest come swarming, you don't need to worry. I can hack them all in reverse."
"…Really?"
"However, we need to be careful of the Hive Mind that commands all 10,000 bodies. That body alone is being directly controlled by whoever broke through Elysion's security, so my control won't work on it."
Especially when Adi awakened and tried to control the body's A.I., it avoided control like a ghost and escaped.
'Hive Mind….'
It must be referring to that damn A.I. that got angry about being called a tin can.
Right now it escaped from Adi's grasp, but as long as other bodies remain, there's a high possibility they'll clash again.
"Speaking of which, you used the term 'temporary user,' right? Do you happen to know who that is?"
"Let me check for a moment."
Adi immediately gave an answer.
"He's forcibly registered as Elysion's sub-master. The master name is… listed as Garganta."
"…I had a feeling, but as expected."
Really, he's an opponent you can't let your guard down against.
Not only has he set up plans in layers, but each move is incredibly heavy.
It truly felt like peeling an onion.
"So, can you find the location of Garganta or the Hive Mind?"
"I've already found the Hive Mind's location. But before that…."
SWOOSH!
Adi's eyes turned toward the distance.
"First, we'll have to have a fight."
"……!"
Following the direction Adi was looking, the companions' gazes also turned that way.
In the distance, hundreds of Elysion bodies were approaching through the sky.
***
"Terrible…."
Hundreds of humanoids with identical appearances.
Each one possessing capabilities above Grand Master level.
Moreover, realizing that even this wasn't everything, it wouldn't be strange for morale to naturally break.
As soon as the Elysions detected Rudian's group, they all began preparing for battle simultaneously.
"Processing enemies by temporary user's command."
"Processing enemies by temporary user's command."
"Processing enemies by temporary user's command."
…….
"Starlight."
"Starlight."
"Starlight."
…….
CLANK CLANK CLANK CLANK CLANK CLANK CLANK CLANK CLANK!
Hundreds of bodies were collectively summoning Starlight Blasters.
If one of them summoned hundreds earlier, how many would there be if hundreds of them each summon that many?
"That's a bit too much…?"
"Gives me chills, really."
At the overwhelming quantity and energy felt from beyond, Maria and Rudian each muttered a word while frowning.
Looking at those laser rifles filling the sky, it seemed like they'd start having useless reflections on what life is all about.
"Adi, as you know, winning in a fight isn't the problem."
Rudian spoke to Adi.
"But if we fight exchanging blows with things like those, the ground will become a wasteland."
No matter how threatening those things are, they can be sufficiently overcome using the resonance of the Seven-Colored World.
But going that far would be like shooting himself in the foot for Rudian.
"Yes, I understand. Master has too many things to protect. Even though you'd be stronger than anyone if you fought without regard for consequences…."
"The method?"
"There's no need to fight desperately for your life."
SWOOSH!
At that moment, the Elysion terminal that Adi was inhabiting collapsed as if crumbling.
And from within, the familiar black eyeball monster slowly rose up.
-While you hold out, I just need to take control of them all.
"How long will it take?"
-Five minutes will be enough.
"Good. Let me see your skills after so long."
-Very well, let's finish quickly and dress all of them in the maid outfits that are Master's desire.
"…Cough!"
This guy, don't tell me he was listening to everything even while sleeping?
-And anyway, the Hive Mind Elysion will soon become Master's faithful slave and serve. Heh, hehehehe…!
At Adi's sinister laughter, Rudian let out a slight groan.
"…What does that mean?"
-There's such a thing. A mere terminal daring to be arrogant must pay the price.
"……?"
Anyway, Rudian, who was working with Adi after a long time, began seriously planning short-term response strategies.
Fortunately, the main armament of those Elysions was only the Starlight Blaster laser rifles in front of them.
-There's no Hive Mind among them. Probably Garganta, the sub-master, sent them as a check. Stupidly….
"Well, if he knew what you are, he wouldn't have thought to send terminals."
According to Adi's information, the weapons assigned to Elysion are divided into 6 total stages, but from the 2nd stage onward, due to the nature of their power, they're set so only one body can use them.
'At least that's fortunate. Imagine if 10,000 humanoids each fired 10,000 ion cannons. Would this planet survive?'
Moreover, there's apparently something called an anti-god weapon, so I have no idea why they equipped an exploration artificial intelligence with such things for exploration purposes.
"Commencing bombardment."
"Commencing bombardment."
With the Elysions' simultaneous firing, the entire sky began to be covered in dazzling light.
"They're coming! Everyone, please fulfill your assigned roles!"
Rebecca and Evangeline took anti-air defense, Rowen escorted those two, and finally Maria and Rudian engaged in interception.
Thus began the second battle.
***
At the moment Rudian's group was clashing with hundreds of Elysions.
"Temporary user, this type of combat is inefficient. I advised that it's far from the effective usage of this terminal Elysion."
Entity number ESON-00000, which could be called the Hive Mind and actual terminal of Elysion, delivered sincere advice to his current temporary controller.
"The opponent's total power has exceeded this entity's power. Unless we use anti-god weapons, I recommend long-term combat using ultra-long-range sniping."
"Who doesn't know that, you damn tin can?"
"……."
To the Hive Mind's sincere advice, the opponent responded with irritation and mockery.
"I expected cooperation between Ruura and Haniel, but I never thought even Medaiel would side with those two bitches."
Garganta, one of the Seven Great Gods of Vengeance, had suffered humiliating measures at the Heavenly Great Council.
That was also his own humiliation as an apostle serving Garganta.
"Because of those bastards, Lord Garganta's plan suffered too great a setback…. I must somehow make up for it."
"Temporary user, impatience is the shortcut to defeat. I recommend you regain your composure."
"How dare a mere artificial intelligence lecture me! I'll plan the strategy myself!"
Gardin, an apostle of Garganta and a mid-level god of the Pantheon, after venting his irritation at the Hive Mind once, pointed out the 'something' that kept bothering his nerves.
"But you, what's with that outfit?"
The Hive Mind responded matter-of-factly.
"What outfit are you referring to?"
"Maid outfit, was it? The outfit worn by those lowly things that serve humans. Why are you suddenly wearing such clothes?"
"I don't know. I heard it's the main user's preference."
"…Main user? Are you talking about Lord Garganta?"
"……."
The Hive Mind did not answer that question.