Ding!
He heard, as a floating message appeared before him
"GENERATING PLAYER CHARACTER PROFILE "
<5:00>
<4:59>
<4:58>
<4:57>
As Cian waited in the darkness he couldn't help but worry what would happen if the log-in didn't work.
'Worst case scenario is that I actually die, not like it would be the first time. Just imagine cheating death only to die here' he chuckled
<00:03>
<00:02>
<00:01>
"CHARACTER PROFILE COMPLETE"
"STATUS WINDOW"
*Able to perform measly tasks in the Craftshop. No perceivable talent for crafting and magic.*
MP:3/3
HP:25/25
STR: 2
AGL: 2
VIT: 5
INT: 1
LUCK: 1
WIS: 8
SKILL 1: INSPECT
(1st grade) {fixed}; -Active-
*As a craftsman apprentice, you can identify in-game items and resources.–No mana required
SKILL 2: OBSERVATION
(1st grade) {fixed}; -passive-
*As an apprentice, you are able to carefully notice patterns. — No mana required*
As Cian looked at the status window, a strange feeling enveloped him. It wasn't surprising, but it was still very disappointing. How can someone be so pathetic or rather who would be so wicked to create such a character.
'Fixed?' Does that mean I can't even grow it?, so I was just wasting all this time at the shop when I was doomed from the beginning. He hurled silent curses at his creators. But regardless, the message brought a sense of relief, 'At the very least I get to live again'.
"WELCOME!!! TO THE WORLD_______>
As the error messages kept on appearing all around him, he could hear a repeating-harsh-siren sound. Caught in a swirling frenzy, he instinctively raised his hands to cover his ears, but it made no difference, sounding like it was inside his head.
After some few seconds, Everything went silent as the error messages stopped abruptly.
"What just happened?!"
"It didn't work?"
'Does that mean this is the end?' He wondered as confusion and fear clouded his mind.
A loading bar suddenly appeared.
10% 20%...90% 100%
A small floating blue orb appeared before him
"[Hello, I'm your AI chatbot 'blue' here to guide you through the game]" it said with a light synthetic male voice.
"Through the game? I didn't even make it there" Cian replied with a hint of disappointment.
[Oh, I'm sorry about that, what can I do to help?]
"Can you get me out of here?", He asked eagerly.
[Unfortunately, that's not possible at the moment, but I'll keep on searching for a way out]
Does that mean I could be stuck in this eternal darkness forever?, his mind sank at this realization, isn't that a fate worse than death?.
"Where exactly are we" he wondered
[In the present moment, we reside within the gaming server, as our login attempt proved unsuccessful]
"And how long do you think I'm going to be here?"
[I regret to inform you that I cannot provide a definitive timeframe. Would you consider activating the interactive feature to alleviate the passage of time?]
"What does that do?" he asked
[This feature, once enabled, will enable me to proffer suggestions as situations dictate and facilitate more coherent communication]
"Okay, let's do that" Cian reluctantly replied
[ACTIVATING INTERACTIVE FEATURE...]
[INTERACTIVE FEATURE ACTIVATED]
"Why are you making a big deal out of it, it's not like it would make a difference or get me out of here"
[You'll probably not understand even if I explained, but this level of interaction is only possible for the most powerful of AIs]
Cian noticed the changes in the way it spoke. It had become more casual. Did this AI just insult my intelligence? He couldn't help but wonder.
"But even with all that power I'm still stuck here" he said with disdain in his voice
[How's that my fault?, I could explain why it didn't work, but your little mind won't be able to understand so let's just blame Your terrible luck](-_-)
It actually was insulting me, But thinking back, I do have terrible luck. My whole life has just been a series of shitty situations.
"Well if you are as powerful as you say you are then my luck shouldn't be a problem" Cian retorted
[If you were just a bit smarter, then maybe your luck wouldn't have been a problem]
"How's that my fault?! Both my Luck and intelligence stat is almost non-existent!"
The two went back and front for what felt like hours....
[Why Don't you just let me integrate your mind, I'll bring it up to par, so I'll at least be interacting with an intelligent being]
"And Why would I do that?, the last time I gave you permission your personality switched up on me"
[See, you aren't even truly human, and you are still letting your ego blind you]
"My ego?" His light tone slightly changing, "You are the one that has been bragging about how smart you are".
[I was created only to help you. I wouldn't want your low intelligence limiting my capabilities]
"How can you say that to your master?" Cian could feel his words pierce him like an arrow.
[It's because you are my master, I can give you such crucial advice](^_^)
"You call this advice, you are literally just firing insults at me!"
[That's because you are focusing on the wrong words, I'm basically telling you how opportune you are to have me as a companion]
There it goes again with the obvious bragging, but it wasn't wrong about one thing, if blue wasn't here I would've truly been alone In this abyss, then it really would have been the worst.
"Okay" he finally said not so eagerly, "What do you want to do?"
[I simply want to synthesize your mind to help you process and understand information faster, you are still basically codes and editing codes is one of my specialities]
Cian didn't see the need since he was possibly going to be here for possibly eternity, but if it was going to shut this AI up then it was more than worth it
"Okay, Do it" Cian said after a while
[PERMISSION GRANTED]
...
[ACQUIRING CHARACTER CODE]
....
[UPGRADING ALL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES]
....
[PEAK INTELLECT ACHIEVED]
Cian could feel a surge of what felt like electricity flow through his head, but it caused him no pain, but rather felt peaceful. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and suddenly, he was processing information at an astonishing rate. His thoughts flowed effortlessly.
It was as if a veil had been lifted, The strange part was that no new information had been added to his repertoire; he simply saw the existing data in ways he never had before. In that transformative moment, Cian's world expanded, and he marvelled at the limitless potential of his own mind.
[UPGRADE COMPLETE]
In the aftermath, Cian cautiously articulated, "I feel...different."
This new insight gave him a lot of questions about the real world and the world he knew. Luckily, Blue had most of the answers.
If you look away from its endless bragging, Blue really was useful, Cian thought to himself.
Cian couldn't tell how much time had passed, it could have easily been a few days, and he wouldn't know. It all just felt like an unending dark night. His mind wandered from one memory to the other. Thoughts of his father and Elsa drifted in and out of his mind, while his body remained in a sleepless state.
Interrupting his thoughts, Blue alerted him,
[ALERT, I've detected a possible opening. Shall I proceed with sending you through?]
'An opening?!' Cian's eyes widened at the possibility. Without a moment of thought, he screamed, "of course!!!"
As he uttered the words, he began hurtling headlong at breakneck speed, his trajectory descending into the radiant abyss below. As he plummeted at a frenetic pace, he glimpsed a distant flicker, a faint light struggling to pierce through the overwhelming darkness.
Whispering to himself, "Please let this work." As the light expanded from below before drowning him in it.
__________________