Chapter 176

Those machines all obey the commands of a super artificial intelligence called the 'Deep Red Network'; we aren't even their main enemy—the Deep Red Network's primary combat targets are the war AIs of other corporate giants. We are merely insignificant bugs to be crushed in passing.

Can't we find that 'Deep Red Network' and destroy it?

The Deep Red Network is a blockchain-based distributed computing system; it has no center, no servers—it is the entire machine swarm. To kill it is no different from destroying all the machines.

In other words, we have no hope at all.

From the very beginning, we have had no hope.

"No." Suddenly a person said, "We still have hope. Go north, to the Scottish Highlands."

You're saying that again, Angel—it's just the ravings of a madwoman! There's no Savior at all! Voldemort is just a lunatic! An idiot! A murderous demon king!

That's only because he hasn't yet met the 'Prophet'.

Moreover, do you have any better plan?

……

Go on, just go north." said an old man in the tent.

That's just a fantasy……

Even if it's just a fantasy, I want to give it a try……

At least, I want to die holding onto hope.

Scene 8:

There are too many of us; spy satellites will spot us. We must act in dispersed groups.

Lukas, you lead these children.

The bright-eyed girl stood before him, saying, 'Don't look so grim—smile a little; we're just going to be apart for a few days.'

If you encounter danger, don't try to be a hero, okay?

Mm.

Make sure to stay safe.

Don't worry, I still want to go see the ocean with Lukas. Our wish hasn't been fulfilled yet—I can't bear to die.

Don't mention that word.

Okay. I'll live on properly. Pinky promise.

Scene 9:

Run! Run fast! It's a drone swarm!

In the distant sky, a sheet of iron‑gray spread toward them; they moved extremely fast, and before long, several of the fastest flying drones arrived nearby.

A buzzing mechanical sound filled their ears; a wizard raised his wand and destroyed the drone that was about to fire, which was hovering above a young wizard's head.

The next second, several laser beams struck that wizard.

Suddenly, a huge ring appeared on the ground, and then that ring rapidly shrank toward the wizard's center.

"No, no…" the wizard seemed to foresee his fate, "Apparition!"

Suddenly he vanished from the spot.

But the next instant, a bright beam of light shot down from who-knows-how-high in the air, 'Boom!' a patch of forest hundreds of meters away was set ablaze, and far off, an anguished scream seemed to be heard.

Heavenly fire!

Don't raise your wand! Use the Portkey!

Scene 10:

"Drones! Get down!"

Several drones swooped over from above the hill, failing to notice the crowd hidden in the bushes.

All right, they've passed; let's take a break and later meet up with the other teams.

The place mentioned in the prophecy lies ahead; there should be something that can help us.

"General, what prophecy?" he asked.

"A hopeful prophecy, which I heard with my own ears, concerning the Savior's resurrection."

Ānjí'ěr Bōndùn fell into thought, as if recalling, and then he spoke that prophecy:

"The child born in death, his darkness stemming from the past, the 'Seer' endowed him with boundless wisdom and left a key to him in a secret chamber… He will be resurrected after death and walk toward the Savior's destiny."

Everyone fell silent for a while, and he asked, "General, who is the Seer?"

"Seer, he was very famous long ago; I saw his name in a book— &M￥#H@#, he's a Hogwarts professor; according to the prophecy, he will become the Savior's mentor… If you want to know, I have some books here that tell many stories about the Seer."

"What does resurrection after death mean?"

"I don't know; usually prophecies only work for those they're about… Look, they're coming."

Down the hillside, suddenly, with a distortion of space, over a dozen wizards appeared.

His gaze swept around, finally landing on the girl behind the crowd.

"She's still alive." He let out a breath of relief, overjoyed.

"Wait, what is that?"

"Drone swarm! Behind them! They've spotted us!"

"Quickly warn them!"

"It's too late!"

Immediately, the drone swarm launched an attack.

He wanted to go rescue her, but the general grabbed him and said, "Quick, take the children and go!"

"No, I want to save her!"

However, at that moment, he saw the girl raise her wand; a gust of wind rose, blowing away several attacking drones, but soon several laser beams struck her.

"No, no! No!" he shouted, eyes nearly bursting, frantic, "Run! Run!"

However, in the next instant, heavenly fire fell.

Screen 11:

「This is the wolf transformation potion left by the prophets; it can turn one into wolf form and should be able to evade drone surveillance. 」Angel Bolton placed a bottle of potion in his hand, 「Pull yourself together, Lukas, you are the oldest among these children; their safety still relies on you to protect. 」

Screen 12:

Jungle, companions, wolf howl.

Weeping in the dead of night.

Screen 13:

Highland Islands, on a seaside cliff, he returned from wolf form to his original appearance.

「Is this the sea? 」

「I really wish you could see it too. 」

Screen 14:

「Lukas……cough cough, this is the Time Converter……」Angel Bolton's abdomen was blown open with a large hole, 「Take it, go find the Hogwarts ruins……」

「General……」He grasped her hand, 「But where are the ruins? What should I do? 」

「Magic Stone……」Angel Bolton gasped, 「Use the Magic Stone to resurrect the Wizard King……」

「There is still time, time conversion……those prophets' deeds you have seen, you will understand……」

「Fate, fate will guide you……」

「But……」

「Go, hurry go……」

He stumbled in flight; behind him, a flash of light suddenly blazed.

「Lukas, the last hope is entrusted to you. 」

「Boom! 」

Screen 15:

Outside the broken window were countless mechanical war chariots; in the sky, innumerable drones loomed like a dark cloud.

He glanced at a distant broken tower, then at the tens of thousands of mechanical forces arrayed before it.

He returned to the basement and took out the Diary from his bosom.

He wrote a few lines on it.

Next, he turned the knob of the Time Converter.

After a bout of dizziness, the scene before his eyes suddenly changed.

The basement seemed to have turned into a wine cellar.

He glanced at the Time Converter in his hand, now completely shattered, tossed it aside, then climbed the stairs out; outside seemed to be a tavern, people laughing and clinking glasses.

「Oh, this is no place for children. 」

A plump, beautiful woman spotted him and said, 「Get out, little brat. 」

He lowered his gaze and saw that his stature had shrunk considerably; he stumbled out of the tavern and arrived at a lively village, where wizards in pointed hats came and went, and some casually waved wands to perform tricks.

He picked up a discarded newspaper from a nearby wizard and glanced at the time.

「1990……」

「A hundred years ago……」

Screen 16:

In the basement, a diary lay open on the table.

He muttered to himself, 「Tom, when you see this memory, it means you have devoured me. 」

(End of Chapter)