BXBX NOVEL Chapter 157: Are you Aira? [2/2]
When I could move again, I stood up, moved to an empty seat and began to wipe the sweat from my body.
"Fuck! You guys, that was fucking brutal."
They said that hardships came with benefits, and after experiencing being burned alive firsthand, I hoped that whatever I got would be worth it. Excited by the changes, I tried to call up my status screen.
___
Name: Limitless
Rank: Wraith
Soul Capacity: {Fate} 8/8 | {Kismet} 5/7
Souls Available: 137,302 | To evolve: 20,000
{Fates}
1. {Rewind} | Lvl 3 | Cost: 1 | Owner: Self | Sub: {Reload}, {Regen} Sup: {Save}, {Auto}
2. {Code} | Lvl 3 | Cost: 1| Loaned: Bella - 8 D |Sub: {Connect} , {Shutdown}
3. {Perceive} | Lvl 3 |Cost: 1| Loaned: Jas - 20 D |Sub: {Aim}, {Snipe}
4. {Listen} | Lvl 3 | Cost: 1| Loaned: Jo - 20 D | Sub: {Interpret}, {Dampen}
5. {Withstand} | Lvl 3 | Cost: 1| Loaned: Liv - 8 D | Sub: {Endure}, {Counter} Sup:{Suffer}
6. {Carry} | Lvl 3 | Cost: 1| Loaned: Robyn - 20 D | Sub: {Pack}, {Hike}
7. {Eat} | Lvl 3 | Cost: 1| Loaned: Aki - 20 D | Sub: {Gather}, {Digest}
8. {Store} | Lvl 4 | Cost: 1| Loaned: Lilly - 8 D | Sub: {Retrieve}, {Stock}, {Withdraw}
{Kindred}:???????
{Kismet}: {Limitless} v.1 | {EXA} v.1 | {Trace} | {Booster} | {Reveal}
Soulgear: {Honey Trap}
___
The first thing I noticed was that I had gone from seven {Kismet} I was down to five. However, except for {Booster} and {Reveal}, all the other {Kismet} were new. I had no reason to believe that {Limitless}, {EXA}, and {Trace} were simple.
The last time this happened, I looked at the descriptions and had {Code} explain what was happening. Having one of my {Kismet} named Limitless certainly grabbed my attention.
But before I could ask or do anything else, a familiar voice echoed in my head.
[Enhanced eXecution and Assault {Fate} combat system booting... Please stand by]
"Aira?"
[Loading memory files from Death Seeker Artificial Intelligence for Reconnaissance and Analysis Version 7.1...Success...Parsing data.... Success... Rebooting system....]
From the messages, it seemed that Aira had been upgraded. But what I found beyond comprehension was that Aira was showing up in my status screen!
{Fate} were supposed to be magical, weren't they? Then why did Aira, an AI, become a {Kismet}!
"Guys, did you just turn Aira into one of my {Kismet}? If anything happens to her, I will be really pissed."
[Welcome to the Enhanced eXecution and Assault {Fate} Combat System Version 01, loading data...loading completed...]
"Aira? Is that you? Are you okay?"
[User identified. John Smith, age 26, Reaper Id: NA20230799-FRM, Graveyard Id. Limitless... Rank: Wraith level Reaper... Profession: Priority 4 Mercenary...]
"Hmm. If the prompts are correct, Aira left some data that was read by the EXA system. a {Fate} combat system sounds good, but if I lose Aira in the process, I don't think I could be happy."
[Affiliation... No organization listed. Special notes: Associated with the terrorist group Seven Sirens. Demonstrated ability to break {Fate} Arbitrary Limit. Protection rating: SSS... Threat Level: SSS...
Potential leash: Seven Sirens, Earl Simmons, Caroline Fisher... Data read complete... EXA System online!]
"!!!!"
I can understand calling the girls a terrorist group. But why the fuck was I given an SSS threat level? And why the hell are Earl and Caroline in Aira's data!
Was she keeping tabs on who I considered important? A leash could refer to many things, but the most literal meaning was something used to keep an animal in check.
[Good morning, my lord!]
The voice I heard was the same as Aira's, but it felt distant and cold. Why did Aira's data have such a thing in the first place? I guess Zach, who created the mercenary AI's, would put some safeguards in place.
'I suppose it makes sense to have some kind of insurance policy. Reapers that could become loose cannons are especially dangerous. But what the hell does that mean? If I got out of line, they would take out Earl?'
I could care less what happened to Caroline, but having Earl die for my troubles was beyond horrible.
While I could understand it, the mere fact that they could think such a thing made my blood boil. Just like Batman preparing weapons to kill the rest of the Justice League, Zach seemed like the type who wouldn't leave anything to chance.
Right now, I didn't know if this was a blessing or a curse that I had found out. It never occurred to me that Aira, my trusted partner, was mining my information, looking for a weakness.
'If ordered, would she kill me with a smile on her face?'
[My Lord? Are you alright?]
"Who are you?"
[My Lord, this is still your Aira. The EXA {Fate} combat system is the answer to your wishes. So in a way, I have been upgraded.]
"..."
[My lord, I can see that you seem displeased. Please let me know the problem and I will resolve it].
"You were spying on me? I saw your notes on potential leashes while EXA was booting. I will give you one chance to explain."
[Yes, my lord. It was an overriding directive that I could not fight nor warn you about].
"Then, if Zach tells you to betray me, could you suddenly turn off my abilities or something?"
[I am truly sorry, my lord. AI cannot go against its creators].
"..."
[To be honest, my lord, that was the reason I accepted the upgrade.]
"Accepted? Who asked you to?"
[My apologies, my lord, but I am not at liberty to tell you. I am only allowed to tell you that I was chosen to manage your {Fates} as your system.]
"Only my {Fates} would even need to make the system, did they reach out to you?"
[I apologize, my lord].
"Are you Aira? Or do you just have her memories?"
Unease and fear crawled up my spine as I tried to process what had just happened to Aira.
"I need to sit down for this shit."