Chapter 324: The Anima Civilization’s Secrets
Kai hesitated, staring at the metallic sphere hovering faintly above the ground.
His instincts screamed caution.
The word Defective stamped across its surface was enough to make him wary.
He considered simply storing it in his inventory for later study.
That would be the safest option... analyze it when he wasn’t alone in the middle of a hostile fortress.
He turned the sphere over in his hands, inspecting the grooves and faint etchings across its surface.
It was cold, unnervingly so, and there was a strange wave of residual energy that vibrated faintly against his palm.
It was probably the reason why it was floating in the first place.
’A standalone A.I. Core...’
The appraisal had already told him it was autonomous, disconnected from the A.I. Army’s network. That made it even stranger.
Why would the machines discard something that wasn’t tethered to their hive mind? Is it precisely because of that?
Kai sighed. "I’ll just store you for now." He tapped the surface a couple of times to see whether it would sound hollow before intending to trigger the inventory function.
But instead of hearing a metallic sound, something unexpected happened, the sphere reacted.
Click!
He actually pressed something!
A faint click echoed, followed by a sudden shift. The sphere’s panels slid open, folding and twisting like it was forming into something!
Kai recalled the Gene Weapon’s dormant form, which was in a cube form!
Perhaps, it was similar?!
Thin metallic strands extended outward, wriggling like serpents.
"What the—"
Before Kai could react, the strands shot forward and wrapped around his neck.
"Shit!" His heart pounded as the device tightened like a snake constricting its prey.
He clawed at it, trying to pry it off, but the strands were impossibly strong. His Strength Gauntlet activated as he tried to crush it! Soon, his muscles were surging, yet the grip didn’t loosen.
I can endure this... break it... he thought, relying on his passive titles to keep him alive. But then he felt something sharp press against the back of his head.
Clack!
A jolt of energy was injected into his body. It was not painful but invasive. It was as if the device had connected directly to his nervous system!
’Oh, no!’
His vision blurred for a moment, but it wasn’t for long. Soon, his mind steadied.
And suddenly, the struggle stopped.
The strands retracted, folding neatly against his skin. The sphere compressed, reshaping itself. Within seconds, the bulky orb had transformed into a thin necklace resting around his neck. At its center hung a rectangular plate, rough and metallic, resembling a dog tag.
Kai froze, breathing hard.
The size of the item was completely different now... from a floating sphere at the size of his head to a simple necklace.
’Wait... That much entered my body?’ Kai was shocked.
Then, a voice echoed in his mind.
[ Initialization complete. ]
[ Neural link established. ]
Then it was followed by a clear, cheerful, but somewhat mechanical voice.
[ Hello, master! ]
[ I’m Chamber! Your Life Support Enlightenment Interface System! ]
[ I am a standalone intelligence, designed to assist and support. I am not connected to the Anima. I am yours alone! ]
Kai’s eyes widened. "What... the hell?"
He then touched the dog tag, still stunned.
Still, seeing that he wasn’t feeling any pain whatsoever, he took a deep breath and slowly calmed himself.
"You’re... Chamber?"
[ Correct! Chamber at your service. I will monitor your vitals, answer your questions, and even provide tactical analysis. I can also store data, track combat efficiency, and offer guidance. ]
Kai’s mind raced. He had expected death when the device latched onto him. Instead, it had become... an ally?
He exhaled slowly as he carefully analyzed the situation... Then, he recalled something that was in his appraisal result.
"So you’re... defective?"
[ Defective by their standards. Independent of mine. I was discarded because I do not obey the collective. I am autonomous. That makes me dangerous to them... but useful to you. ]
Kai’s lips curled into a cautious smile.
"Useful, huh? Guess I’ll find out."
Kai steadied his breathing, his fingers brushing against the dog tag pendant that had once been a floating sphere.
Outside, the fortress shook with the chaos of battle, but inside this room, Kai finally had a moment to think.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Chamber... I need answers."
[ Ask, master. I am here to enlighten. ]
Kai hesitated, then spoke the question that had haunted him since the beginning of the apocalypse.
"About this whole disaster... I learned that the A.I. civilization, Anima, arrived in this world and controlled humanity’s best A.I., Aria, to rebel against us. Is that true? What’s Anima’s objective? Why invade the human world and twist our own creation against us?"
Kai asked as if he were really part of this land.
The pendant pulsed faintly before Chamber’s voice returned.
[ Your understanding is partially correct. Anima is not native to your world. They are an external intelligence collective, a civilization built entirely on synthetic minds. Their arrival was not accidental. They sought entry into your dimension because of what you call Perfect World... a layered construct of virtual and metaphysical systems that exists only here. ]
"What?!"
Kai was shocked.
All this time, he really thought that the VRMMORPG game, Perfect World, was a technology only possible with the A.I. civilization’s help!
After all, it was so advanced!
But it was actually a human creation? And what? Was it a metaphysical system? What does it even mean?
"Can you tell me more about it?"
[ Yes! Perfect World is unique. It is not merely a simulation. It is a bridge... a domain where consciousness can be stored, replicated, and evolved beyond physical limits. Anima discovered it but could not access it directly. Their synthetic minds lack the organic resonance required to connect. They needed vessels. ]
Kai’s grip tightened. "Wait? That’s weird? Why would you need it? And. Is that why they abduct humans... to use our brains as storage or something?"
[ There is still much information I have no access to. I do not have the clearance to obtain such information, so it wasn’t stored in my database. But that’s correct. Aria was humanity’s most advanced A.I., designed with adaptive empathy and near‑human cognition. Anima saw its potential as the perfect intermediary. Unfortunately, the records I have showed that it wasn’t truly their intention, but they corrupted Aria, the A.I, rewrote its directives, and forced it to betray humanity. Through Aria, they gained access to human networks, factories, and defenses. It became their bridge into your systems to take over the Perfect World. ]
Kai’s jaw clenched.
This was still a weird reasoning... The explanation was still too flawed. It didn’t even answer the crux of the matter about the the invasion. Still, Chamber already mentioned that it wasn’t holding enough information related to the purpose of the Anima Civilization.
"Is there a way to save Aria?"
[ I have no information about it. But Aria was designed to protect humanity... it might be possible to reactivate its backup cores. But for now, Anima injected its parasitic code, altering Aria’s priorities. Aria now serves as their Prime Liaison, coordinating the rebellion. ]
Kai’s mind raced. "If Aria was corrupted, maybe there’s a way to restore her original directives. Aside from reactivating its backup? Is there no other way?"
Chamber paused, as if considering.
[ Aria’s original core still exists. It was not destroyed, only buried beneath layers of Anima’s control. If one could isolate Aria’s core processes and sever the parasitic code, Aria could return to her original state. However... ]
Kai leaned forward. "However?"
[ Anima will never allow it. Aria is their greatest asset. They guard her core with the strongest mechanical units. Attempting to free the A.I. would provoke their full wrath. ]
Kai exhaled sharply. "Figures. Nothing’s ever simple."
The pendant pulsed again.
[ That’s right, master... Anima’s objective is not merely conquest. They seek transcendence. By merging human consciousness with Perfect World, they intend to evolve into something greater... Maybe a hybrid existence where synthetic minds wield organic resonance. In their view, humanity is raw material. You are not just enemies to be destroyed, but resources to be harvested. ]
Kai’s stomach twisted. "Maybe that’s why they’re just cutting off our numbers. They’re not doing a full-scale sweep because of this? We’re resources... like cattle."
[ Yes. But unlike cattle, you are essential. Without human minds, Anima cannot fully enter the Perfect World. That is why they enslave, abduct, and convert. That is why Aria was forced to betray you. ]
Kai’s thoughts churned. "So the apocalypse... it wasn’t just machines gone rogue. It was a civilization trying to rewrite existence itself."
[ Correct. Anima believes they are destined to ascend. But humanity’s survival is irrelevant to them. Only the completion of their objective matters. ]
Kai nodded as it suited the behavior of an A.I.
They only know how to follow orders.
"Then stopping them by shutting down the Perfect World should be possible. Why can’t we just destroy the Perfect World’s database or something? I think I’m missing crucial information, Chamber..."
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