[783] Alpha fish (1)
The Ex-Machina was a cube 4 meters wide by 4 meters high and weighed 7 tons.
It was made of smooth metal and had henna, the language of angels, engraved in gold on the black surface.
“It looks like a giant metagate.”
Minerva agreed with Sirone’s words.
“Even if Archangel Kariel made it, the technology is still based on the mecha system.”
Woorin added.
“Meccas like cubes. It may be for technical reasons, but this form itself can be seen as a mecha.”
I nodded my head naturally when I recalled the civilization of the Meccans I encountered in heaven as well as in Istas, the magic warehouse.
“Let’s begin.”
When the god of death opened the Ex-Machina, there was room for five people.
The people playing the card game, which had already been demonstrated, entered first, followed by Iruki last.
“Iruki, cheer up.”
Four people sat side by side on the second floor, and Iruki took his seat in the center of the first floor.
When I put my palms on the hemispherical glass on both armrests, a device resembling a drone descended from the ceiling.
With the EEG sensor covering his nose, Iruki turned his right hand over and raised his thumb.
“You don’t have to work too hard from the beginning.”
After the voice of the god of death, the exit of the Ex-Machina closed, and after a while, a terrifying mechanical sound was heard.
Sirone covered her ears at the noise that filled the large warehouse and slowly stepped back.
As time passed, the sound got louder and when the 7 ton weight was about to shake, the god of death shouted.
“Damn it! Don’t overdo it!”
The noise was so great that only my lips seemed to move, but I was able to fully realize the seriousness of the situation.
“Iruki…”
20 minutes passed quickly, and finally, the hellish sound disappeared and the exit opened.
As thick steam spewed out, the iron door opened, and Iruki immediately jumped out.
“Wow! Whoa!”
Seeing him lying on the floor and vomiting gastric juices, people kicked the ground and ran.
“Iruki! are you okay?”
Looking down at the ground with shocked eyes, he hadn’t yet realized that it was real.
“What happened?”
When Sirone turned her head away with resentment, people playing card games descended with bitter expressions.
Gudio looked down at Iruki and said.
“Passed.”
It was a brain function that could be said to be monstrous.
“Our tutorial is to manipulate the winner of a 4-player card game.”
“So what?”
“In the middle, Iruki struck first. Are you bored? So we raised the plate too.”
said Ness.
“This is the test. Changing the final winner in a tournament of 300-player card games as we designate.”
Agaya added.
“It’s a difficulty where you have to manipulate not only the win and loss of each game, but also the real-time financial status of 300 people, and even the drawing lottery. It passed the test by making the 17 characters we designated, one blinded by greed, one foolish, one beautiful woman, in turn, the final winners.”
“…You said you did that simulation in 20 minutes?”
In real life, it was the amount of information that would take a month, and just hearing it made my head throb.
“Oh, I’m going to die. My head spins around.”
Shirone, who supported Iruki as he stood up while wiping his lips, threw a tantrum.
“Be honest! Did you overdrive?”
No one can live long enough for the sparks from the cortex to escape through the pupils.
“are you okay. That’s about it.”
Transcendence refers to transcending the barriers of a specific system, and this also applies to Overdrive.
However, what Iruki destroys is not the natural world, but the biological world as well as his own body.
“What is this about! What should I do if I overdo it in the test, not in real life? I…”
The memory of Iruki going into overdrive during the graduation exam remains painful for Shirone.
“If you do anything wrong…!”
Sirone’s eyes grew hot.
“Sirone’s father said that. There are many people in the world who want to do this but can’t.”
Just because it came to me doesn’t mean it’s mine.
“Unless those who can do it do it, we humans will never be able to move forward.”
Shirone remembered the day she first met Iruki.
‘Yes, you were that kind of person.’
People playing card games in a solemn atmosphere also acknowledged him with one heart.
‘I thought it was a childish act…’
A young man who was willing to carry a burden as heavy as his enormous talent, and was a good partner to fight with.
Iruki patted Shirone on the shoulder.
“Anyway, I’m used to it now. There won’t be any ugliness like this in the future, so don’t worry.”
said Ness.
“No, you did really well. When we first started the Ex-Machina, it stretched for almost an hour.”
Achaia said.
“Let’s start training in earnest tomorrow, and today we’ll do some briefing. Come follow us.”
As long as it was accepted as a team, what the people who played card games knew, Iruki had to know too.
“See you later, Sirone.”
Iruki, who was following them, looked back at Shirone and winked one eye.
“…”
It meant not to run away.
* * *
The imperial capital seen from the spire was as dark as the deep sea except for a few small lights like fireflies.
‘Amy…’
Shirone couldn’t sleep because he knew why Iruki insisted on meeting him today.
“sorry. The meeting is late.”
Iruki descended from the top of the spire as if on a slide, and stopped with his foot on the railing just before he fell.
“Oops. Is this your room?”
Lying on the slope with an arm pillow in his eyes, Iruki’s eyes captured countless stars twinkling in the night sky.
“Good. Not even frustrating.”
Sirone smiled and welcomed him.
“Did the meeting go well?”
“It is a very sophisticated strategy. The problem is that it is not easy to find alpha fish.”
“Who loves Harvits the most?”
“huh. Alpha fish are also called pilot fish. It is the fish that enters first when raising ornamental fish and creates the environment of the aquarium.”
Iruki raised his index finger.
“Because it is important to put the first button well. If you want to find a beta fish that hates Habits, you can find it, but…”
Thinking it would be too long, he put an end to his work and went to the main topic Sirone wanted.
“The other kids are doing well too. Nade is developing technology in Yongle, and Dante has a job at the Tormia National Intelligence Service. We ate together a few times…”
I missed my days at Alpheas Magic School.
“Maya rejected the proposal from a famous agency in another country and signed a contract with a performance agency in the kingdom of Tormia. Fermi seems to have left the kingdom and again…”
Since he was a dragon in charge of events throughout the country, Iruki was also quick to know about the current situation of his alumni.
“Everyone is living a busy life.”
However, he didn’t say anything about Amy, the person he really wanted to hear about.
“…How are you doing?”
In the end, Sirone asked.
“ha.”
Iruki opened his heavy mouth.
“Since you left after saying goodbye through a dream, I passed the official exam. And not too long ago, while I was training as a Tormia Magic Corps Officer…”
“During the training?”
Sirone swallowed his saliva.
“It looks like you are dating another officer. If I meet you, please tell me that I have been thankful for all this time.”
“Eh Amy?”
Sirone’s face turned pale.
“Puhahaha! It’s a joke! There’s no way Amy would be without talking to you.”
Sirone was really angry.
“you really! No matter how joking, that’s…!”
“It would have been really nice if it had been like that.”
Iruki stopped talking.
“He left the training center halfway and came to me. He was holding the temple’s recruitment notice. He said he needed a letter of recommendation, so he wrote it through someone he knew.”
“If it’s a holy war, would it be a Valkyrie?”
“okay. Do you know what I mean? Tormia isn’t that serious yet. But the crusade searches for battlefields. Somehow, life is in danger.”
Amy’s voice lingered like a dream.
– Because I’m going.
“To meet me…”
“Yes. you called me because i needed it But not Amy. I risked my life to somehow become the person you needed.”
Raising his upper body, Iruki looked down at the capital.
“I wanted to dry it, but I couldn’t. I felt good when you called me by letter. So I understand Amy’s feelings. So is Nade, we want to fight together.”
Sirone was speechless.
“Once… Why don’t you visit Valkyrie? You can tell the queen. Are you the leader of the temple?”
“It is rather the opposite.”
It wouldn’t be nice to show a crush on Amy when he knew Uorin’s heart.
‘No, he must already know.’
He wasn’t stupid enough to ruin things out of jealousy, but there must have been a reason for not telling Sirone.
“It hasn’t been decided yet. There is a letter of recommendation for the kingdom, but that’s what all applicants have. If Valkyrie does not pass her own training, she will return to Tormia.”
“I will pass.”
There was no way she would give up trying to meet Sirone even without mentioning the Karmis family.
“…okay. That is why it is a problem.”
The two young men sighed.
“Iruki, you said you felt good when I called you.”
“It did.”
“It’s the same. Because the country will too. If the day comes when I can confidently meet Amy…”
A bright energy lingered in Sirone’s eyes.
“I really need Amy. I’m sure Amy will make it.”
if that day comes
“It’s already spring.”
It was a better morning than yesterday.
* * *
Southern Kashan.
The city of Harmatan was an area where the military facilities of the Empire were concentrated, and was also the location of the Valkyrie Army Headquarters.
“Day! row! bell! big! Day! row! bell! big!”
Amy was present at the place where Valkyrie applicants from all over the world entered the training center, raising their voices.
“hurry! Hurry in, you bastards!”
It numbered about 300 people, and unlike ordinary troops, the proportion of women exceeded 30 percent.
“The man this way! The woman over there!”
After giving a letter of recommendation and receiving a name tag, the scary instructor like a tiger yelled threats and separated the men and women.
“quickly! Why are you so slow! Do you still think that you are the flowers of the kingdom? You fools!”
All applicants were talented people who were favored by the king, but there was no one who did not excel in the temple.
‘It’s no different here.’
From going through special schools in each country to passing the official exam, they were as familiar with competition as breathing.
‘It’s just going higher.’
Amy recited the line with a calm expression, and the other applicants did not seem to change their emotions.
While I was waiting with a name tag on my chest, the instructor pointed at the iron gate with a baton.
“This is your grave!”
On the signboard hanging under the arch, ‘Welcome to all of you who applied for Valkyrie.’ it was written
‘Wrong spelling.’
It was the most terrifying thing since coming here.
“Everyone enter!”
As the military band started playing, the instructor raised both arms and shouted.
“Welcome to Hell! Corpses!”
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