Deep Sea Embers

Under the cold and dark ancient stars, Duncan and the dark red core of Pilot 1, which was like a giant eye, looked at each other quietly. The whole world seemed to be stagnant at this moment. In a daze, Duncan had a feeling: a disagreement. point, a divergence point that determines the direction of the entire world's history, is approaching him.

In this silence, he recalled a piece of information he heard from the "tombkeeper" after entering the Tomb of the Unknown King:

The observer who arrived at the end of the timeline sent back the first and last message - time has ended, and the fire usurper has set the entire world on fire.

After a long time, he breathed softly and broke the silence: "Do you think this is a bad omen? Do you want me to take over the world to avoid such a future?"

However, Holy Lord Yousu's response surprised him again.

"No," the dark red core trembled, making a calm voice, "I do not rely on any 'revelations' or 'omens' that lack sufficient data support, because in the absence of key information, only partially incomplete data can be used. The judgment of 'good' or 'bad' is not rigorous. I don't know whether you will really ignite the world in the end, and I don't know under what circumstances you made the decision to ignite the world - there is insufficient data and it is impossible to get conclusion.

"I hope you will take over all of this, simply because this is the most likely to be realized within the scope of the currently known intelligence, and the most stable plan to maintain the shelter - compared to a future that is incomprehensible and impossible to judge. , I believe in my current calculation more."

In the response of this dark red core, Duncan heard a unique kind of reason and precision - that was after stripping away the title given by the world like "Sacred Lord of the Netherworld", and stripping away the title "Ancient God". After its identity, Pilot One has its original characteristics as one of the core hosts of New Hope.

In front of the fire usurper, in front of the divergence point in history, this ancient "machine"... is using the way of thinking it learned when it was born to explain its own views and calculate the future of the world.

Duncan thought for a long time, and the dark red core seemed to have infinite patience, waiting for his response.

After a long time, Duncan broke the silence softly: "What will happen if I really take over?"

The dark mountain range roared and trembled again. In a series of low roars, its "main peak" began to shrink downwards, and the dark red core fell from the sky - like a star falling from the sky. As it descended, it quickly enlarged in the vision of Duncan, Shirley and others, and came to Duncan from the top of the mountain with a suffocating sense of oppression.

At such a close distance, Duncan discovered that the core turned out to be larger than he had imagined - it was almost as large as Pland's Storm Cathedral, and the surface of the huge sphere had a certain crystal-like texture, and Deep inside a crystal-clear red spherical shell, countless intricate line structures can be seen, and there are multiple flickering light sources flickering near the center of the sphere, surrounded by some kind of viscous substance flowing around it. .

"After you take over, all the flaws in the sanctuary will be made up for. Throughout the Infinite Sea, many 'contaminations' and 'distortions' caused by cognitive bias and out-of-control observer effects will be absorbed by your cognition. Recalibration - there will be no more dangerous nights, no more out-of-control supernatural phenomena swallowing humans, the sea will become safe, and a new era of prosperity will begin among city-states... In the foreseeable and extremely Prosperity and peace will continue for a long time to come...if this is what you want, it will come true.

"And you will return to one of the ancient kings and your rightful place... You will become the fifth god besides the four gods to protect the world - and your rule will be greater than any of us. Be stable, because you will not gradually go crazy like other ancient kings, nor will you fall out of control... At least according to Pilot 2's calculations, your state is more stable than all of us.

"After that, you can continue to do whatever you want - everything, including returning to the real dimension and continuing your travels and adventures for as long as you wish."

"...Sounds like everything is a good thing," Duncan said slowly after being silent for a few seconds, "Isn't there anything bad that happened? To me, or to the world."

"Within the scope of the currently known information, and in my knowledge, there is no such thing." The light deep in the dark red core flickered on and off, and the response from the Holy Lord Netherworld was unexpectedly simple and direct, "Everything will go well." direction, and according to my judgment, this should also be in line with your wishes."

"...Under normal circumstances, you should talk about some less important hidden dangers or flaws at this time. This can enhance the persuasiveness of what you just said."

The dark red core was silent for two or three seconds: "...Confirm again, there are no hidden dangers or defects."

Duncan and the core fell into silence again coincidentally. Shirley on the side looked a little unable to hold back. Her eyes turned between the captain and the "Holy Lord". After a while, she whispered softly. : "Captain, do you really want to become one of the gods? Although it sounds very powerful... But why do I always feel... not so practical..."

Duncan didn't speak, but still stared at the huge core quietly. After a while, he slowly spoke: "...What should we do specifically?"

The dark red core was silent for a moment, and the light in its depth gradually brightened: "Light me up."

Duncan's expression finally changed slightly: "...Ignite you?!"

Why is this "Pilot One" so unexpected every time he speaks? !

But the dark red core didn't seem to notice the change in Duncan's expression and tone. The voice coming from inside was still as calm as ever: "Ignite me, just like you did when you ignited the frost, cover and reorganize everything with your flames. ——In this process, all my authority and influence on the world will be taken over by you, and this may also help you dispel all worries... You should know that your own flame can do this."

Duncan frowned slightly: "So, you actually 'touched' my flame when I lit the frost, or strictly speaking, when I lit the frost deep sea, and understood my power at that time. Have you formulated this 'takeover' plan?"

"...Yes, when the split cluster was burned by you, it sent back the last data to me, including the analysis results of your power. I compared the results with Pilot 2's observations that year The records were compared and the takeover plan was formulated - the calculations told me that it was feasible."

"The 'split cluster' you mentioned that was burned by me is the tentacle in the Frost Deep Sea? Isn't that the wrong copy you produced when you lost control?" Duncan reacted quickly and recalled at the same time Another thing that the other party mentioned at the beginning came up, "Wait a minute... you also mentioned before that you sent the data fragments containing LH-03 to the real world, and this was also done through that tentacle... these are all Did you control it consciously? You didn't actually lose control?!"

He looked at the dark red core in front of him in confusion, and the huge body behind the dark red core that looked like an astonishing mountain range. He suddenly realized that he did not understand the current "state" of the Holy Lord of Netherworld. This person who was trapped in Netherworld Is the "ancient god" at the bottom of the world really out of control?

At this moment, he saw the lights on the surface of those winding "mountains" growing on and off again. Then, at the end of one of the "mountains", there was some kind of new "twigs" that seemed to grow from the surface of the main trunk. It spread out, growing rapidly in the darkness.

But the next second, the newly born twigs were swallowed up by some invisible force. It became torn into pieces. Part of it rose into black smoke and floated towards the countless floating islands and dim starry sky above. The other part turned into The flowing mud fell back onto the trunk's tentacles.

"... Fire Usurper, this is my 'loss of control'."

The voice coming from the dark red core drew Duncan's attention back.

Duncan withdrew his gaze and vaguely understood: "...overgrowth?"

“This is my instinct—and the duty my Creator gave me.”

Duncan gradually came to his senses: "Your duty is..."

"Reshape my hometown and restore the mother star that was swallowed by me," Dark Red Core slowly said, "But in this narrow shelter, my mission is destined to be impossible to achieve - so starting from a certain moment, I The instinct begins to... break away from the original design. Those individuals that are constantly dividing from my body and constantly devouring each other and returning, those branches that are overgrown and constantly declining, and the 'tentacles' that pierce into the real world, They are all the result of a gradual loss of control.

"It's just that this 'loss of control' can sometimes be exploited. When the main body has lost its ability to move, those overgrown parts... can sometimes act as a medium for perception or communication, helping me understand what is happening in the world. change, or send a message outward.”

"...So that's it." Duncan nodded slowly and said thoughtfully.

A huge body that has lost control and has covered the entire bottom of the deep but is still overgrowing. A host core that is unable to move and is trapped deep in the huge body. A person who can still think clearly but is destined to be unable to complete the original mission. Ancient AI - all of these are the true appearance of "Holy Lord Netherworld".

And now, this ancient AI trapped in his huge body has once again sent him an invitation——

"Fire Usurper, what is your response? Are you willing to take over all this and return to the ranks of the ancient kings?"

Duncan raised his head from his contemplation and saw that the dark red core was getting closer to him again - he only had to raise his hand to touch its completely undefended crystal surface.

"...Captain, what it says is true." Alice suddenly said from the side.

Duncan glanced at Alice in surprise, and the doll nodded slowly, with a troubled expression: "I... don't know how to explain it to you, but I just know that what it says is true. "

Duncan didn't make a sound, just listened to Alice's words silently, and slowly raised his hand after thinking for a moment.

He touched the dark red core, and felt a slightly warm touch from his fingertips.

It beats slightly like a heart.

"...Light the fire, Fire Usurper," the core vibrated gently, "Then, I will be freed from this long mission."

Shirley opened her eyes wide, and Agou on the side also watched all this motionlessly.

For a moment, they seemed to have seen green flames rising into the sky. The dark red core and the dark mountains in the distance were instantly ignited, and the entire deep sea was engulfed in flames.

They seem to have seen that all the hidden dangers of the deep sea era have been smoothed out, the flaws in the original design of the shelter have been repaired, and the world on the boundless sea has returned to peace, forever and ever...

A new god will return to his rightful place, like cogs meshing and a puzzle complete.

Suddenly, however, Duncan withdrew his arm.

"wrong."

History took another branch.