Chapter 313

Is that Geralt real?

This question is thought-provoking... this melon, it's indeed not quite ripe for the picking.

But if one could change perspective, things would become complex and subtle——this actually can't be said to be entirely fake either.

After all, when it comes down to it, in terms of memory, emotion, cognition, and so on, these core elements of thought and personality, that Witcher has reached an unbelievable simulacrum.

Every thought of the Witcher, every fluctuation of emotion, is as if truly genuine.

Even the Witcher himself firmly believes without doubt that this body and soul are the true "Geralt".

An existence powerful as a god, effortlessly shaped a mind, an artificial intelligence——

And bestowed upon this mind corresponding memories, also granted corresponding various abilities.

And this bestowal of memories was not simple information instillation, but a direct simulation of a vast spirit particle world. In this world, "Geralt" truly experienced those stories, felt those emotions.

Therefore——

In a certain sense, these memories, these emotions, can actually be counted as real.

Although ultimately in essence, it's like a ghost slipping through the cracks of time, with no past, and no future, only existence in this moment.

However it also cannot be denied that "Geralt's" that wasn't acting, but the most genuine expression, after all he himself doesn't know the truth, so naturally it's from the heart.

It's precisely this kind of expression that could make Miss Ciri subconsciously feel that this indeed is "Geralt".

Because compared to acting, genuine from-the-heart emotions that are truly in place.

……………………

Naturally sitting in the airship, Xia Zhi's gaze was deep, watching the images on the screen.

Do artificial lifeforms also have souls?

This is without question, of course they do.

Mrs. Alice and her daughter already count as living proof, and if tracing further back, one can trace to Winter Saint Justeaze——the Einzbern family head from two hundred years ago.

Although that Saint has long since died, her residual consciousness still remains in the core of the Fuyuki City Holy Grail System, which is the Great Void of Yuan Cang Shan.

So this intelligence later also fell into his hands.

However residual consciousness cannot count as a complete soul, so this intelligence also appears incomplete, to the extent that attempts to recreate the Third Magic from it have never succeeded.

But one cannot deny——

That Winter Saint is the proof of the Third Magic, even if she is a close-to-exquisite woven fabric, rather than the weaving technique itself.

And the Third Magic... is "Materialization of the Soul".

If even this premise of the soul is missing, then how can one speak of materializing the soul? Therefore, artificial lifeforms naturally also have souls.

——However...

——This seems to be the crux of the problem.

Xia Zhi couldn't help but seriously ponder, whether between soul and soul, there actually exists some subtle distinction?

Not the distinction between synthetic diamonds and natural diamonds, but something deeper, purer, determining more innate elements.

Creating life, creating souls, these are undoubtedly the domain of gods.

And he has already unmistakably touched this domain, but...

——Perhaps gods and gods are also different?

Artificial and natural, acquired and innate, certain more essential and decisive distinctions, aren't so easily crossed.

Gently exhaling a breath, the youth tapped the table beside him with his knuckles, he felt he needed to do a proper verification.

Being rigorous naturally means properly researching, designing some precise, meticulous, fine experimental procedures, preparing a suitable experimental site.

And a rougher approach naturally also exists...

Let that avatar over there who is climbing the sacred ladder, dedicated to developing its own divine power, just do a direct comparison.

For example, see if the souls one creates would attract those things from the lower planes, whether they can normally enter the normal cycle, or become a god's prayer/believer or something...

In short, compare more, the differences between artificial souls and natural souls in many aspects, perhaps one can discover some issues to some extent.

Of course, the drawbacks are also obvious, too rough...

He shook his head in his heart, his gaze also slowly withdrawing from the images on the screen.

Not only is the Witcher an artificial human...

The current Miss Ciri is also the same...

Xia Zhi still couldn't bring out the real Miss Ciri, at the last moment of stepping through the transmission gate, he only scanned all of Miss Ciri's "intelligence" at that time.

However, deriving conclusions from intelligence output is easy, and he also exactly achieved the finest operation he could do, guaranteeing the "3D printed" result is exactly the same.

The body is the same, fine down to every strand of hair, even every molecular structure.

The mind is the same, fine down to every memory, even the emotional changes at that time.

But, clearly exactly the same, she lacks the most important talent, that potential, that innate aptitude.

——Ancient Blood...

——Door of All Worlds...

If that really was simply magical potential latent in the bloodline, it wouldn't be this troublesome.

From the current situation, Xia Zhi can only believe there should be some element missing on the soul level, simply completing materiality, copying bloodline and genes is useless.

The soul is the power that grants thinking creatures life and unique existence.

It is most likely the unique identifier.

"This side is already prepared, Mr. Xia Zhi."

At this time, a languid voice came, Reine Murasame with obvious dark circles walked over from the bridge, nearly tripping over herself along the way.

Just like a sub-healthy person lacking sleep, severely lacking mental energy, looking like they'd topple over and fall asleep at any moment.

She braced her hand against the corridor bulkhead beside her, the other hand pressed against her forehead, gently shook her head, as if cheering herself up, and continued walking over with staggering steps.

One must admit, this Analyst young lady does a good job maintaining her persona.

"Kannazuki Kyōhei... sir, will complete this mission well." Reine Murasame walked back over to this side, continuing to speak.

"Kannazuki? Isn't he the Vice-Captain?"

Xia Zhi asked casually, looking toward the bridge's direction.

Kannazuki Kyōhei, Ratatoskr's Vice-Commander, also serving as Fraxinus's Vice-Captain, is a genuine handsome man.

——Except he's a pervert.

"He is indeed the Vice-Captain, but he's not needed here for now; his command ability in Date Combat... isn't very good."

Reine Murasame replied: "So he can leave temporarily for now."

After all, before the plan's implementation, many simulations were run, and in each of these simulations the Vice-Captain's performance was extremely poor, causing people to lose confidence in him.

Since the greatest help is to not help, then from now on Kannazuki Kyōhei is indeed not needed here either.

"However, in actual combat command and Realizer operation technique, he performs excellently; you say you want to find a person with strong combat ability to execute the mission, I think he is the most suitable."

The Analyst young lady added this sentence, her tone very flat.

Perceiving that she seemed to have successfully deceived a certain dangerous Mystery existence, her behavior also became much more natural, just like usual.

——Whatever works.

——After observing the others' states, she felt she had found the knack to playing her role well.

That is to pretend nothing happened, on the basis of maintaining her usual persona, treat the other party as if interacting with friends, attitude familiar rather than distant, and try not to directly refuse the other party's requests.

Good, very simple.

"Alright, then it's him — call him over."

Xia Zhi nodded slightly; he didn't care who was dispatched next, instead seeming to have thought of something interesting, the corner of his mouth curling into a trace of a smile.

"Okay."

Reine Murasame nodded slightly, and the moment she lowered her head, a trace of curiosity faintly flashed in her pupils.

She wanted to see what strange Device, or technique, this existence would produce.

It definitely won't be a Tactical Manifestation Device...

Just right, she can confirm from this point, indirectly confirm what the Opposite Side's background is; after all, even just the tip of the iceberg can let one infer some things.

……………………

The other side —

The Spirit who controls time, and the Human who should control spacetime, reached a limited cooperation for the time being.

After Kurumi Tokisaki's proposal, Ciri believed she indeed needed to borrow the other's power to race against time and complete an important early objective.

The facts proved this was indeed the case.

Kurumi Tokisaki dispatched countless Avatars, directly launching a carpet-search process against the giant Cave and Fissure System beneath the Stratum.

Swift action, numerous in quantity, and keen perception.

Under such an Advantage, they were more efficient than any Search Art team; the two found Geralt unconscious in a very deep Fissure.

Only Ciri young lady's earlier nonsense didn't match up —

The other Sword was right beside the former Witcher, only it was incomplete, and even more severely damaged.

It wasn't broken in two, but the whole thing was almost completely shattered; the Fragments who knows where they shot off to, leaving only a section of Sword Hilt and a bit of blade.

"This is a Replica of the Twin Swords of Heavenly Thunder; because what was copied is an Ancient Artifact, its power is enormous, but ultimately it's still a Replica."

The awakened old Witcher coughed, explaining.

"A Strong Expert like that, even just striking a palm across a Domain Gate, can Move Mountains and Whip Heaven — Divine Ability to change the land; how can one Xiang Kang against it?"

"At the final moment, I could only detonate the Dawn Furnace Core inside the Sword, utilizing that vast Spiritual Power explosion, to barely block it..."

Finishing these words, he coughed violently again, and much blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth.

Ciri young lady, in her bewilderment, subconsciously wanted to step forward, anxiously supporting her Foster Father, but was stopped by Geralt raising a hand.

"No major harm; after all, not dead yet..."

Geralt shook his head, speaking in a deep voice, simultaneously looking toward the Time Spirit standing in the Darkness not far away.

"You came for the Spiritual Power inside the Sword, right?"

"……"

"……"

The Spirit thought for a moment, then frankly nodded, smiling beautifully: "It's that whatever Dawn Furnace Core... it has that kind of power, right?"

"Of course."

Geralt took the other Broken Sword, steadied his breath, then gently flicked a finger; only a clang of Sword Cry was heard.

The Broken Sword seemed to have been Activated; the blade even seemed to turn Transparent, faintly one could see a streak of light coiled within —

It was a brilliance dazzling like the Sun at dawn, releasing energy eternally and stably within the Internal Space.

That is extremely powerful Light and Heat.

"This is a Mo Li Dun forged using Technique established upon the Immortal Dao..."

The old Witcher said with a complex tone: "To this day we cannot fathom its mystery, but its power is undeniable, and —"

"This is merely the tip of the iceberg of that Vast Order/Sequence."

(Chapter End)