Beneath the colossal pit lay the remnants of human ruins. The Machine Ex Machina girl temporarily took residence there, communicating with the System.
Her declaration, 'I want to become human,' completely bewildered it. 'What, you want to start a band too?'
It later understood that she meant she wished to recover her lost emotions and complete herself.
The System, which had once merely wanted to 'lie flat' (do nothing), now found that its host was, in a physical sense, no longer human, and required its active care. It couldn't help but sigh.
'Alright, alright, I understand what you mean. I'll help you find your soul fragments.'
'The most important thing now is to collect world records. They're useful for both restoring your soul and enhancing your strength.'
'My suggestion is to just follow the main storyline. After the great war ends, you should at least be able to collect a Star Grail-related record.'
The System quickly analyzed the situation and soon proposed the safest approach. In its view, protecting its host was paramount, and the current Schwarzer was too 'weak.'
Her small frame was draped in a brown hood, found somewhere unknown, concealing most of her mechanical features. Streams of data flowed through Schwarzer's eyes, clearly indicating she was also engaged in analysis.
What the System said was indeed correct. She had already been 'killed in action' on the Machine Ex Machina's side. If she did nothing now and simply survived until the war's end, she would gain something.
Compared to fighting the Vanishing Dragon to the death and then having to 'watch three years of ads' just to revive, this arrangement was indeed much easier.
However, the great war was still several years away from ending, and Schwarzer had no intention of wasting her time here.
'[PROPOSAL] Seek activities in other worlds.'
'Can't you speak normally? I recall the simulated personality shouldn't consume much energy.'
'[NEGATION] This is this unit's 'true self.' This unit has begun to recover emotions.'
Schwarzer had, not long ago, deactivated her personality simulation. According to her, this was her true self now—not her previous life's self, nor a heartless Machine Ex Machina.
'[ADDENDUM] I require more 'records,' immediately.'
What she called 'preliminary recovery of emotions' was, in fact, merely the stimulation brought by the Vanishing Dragon's data. However, this current obsessive inclination could indeed be considered an emotion.
The only shortcoming was that the System had deliberately refrained from suggesting world-traversing.
'Uh... my dear host, there's a tiny, insignificant piece of bad news...'
'The System's energy is insufficient. The next time we traverse worlds, I'll probably need over a decade to recharge. But after waiting for centuries, a mere decade or so shouldn't make much difference...'
Seeing that it couldn't hide it any longer, it confessed freely. This was why it had suggested waiting for the great war to end.
Whether due to a guilty conscience or something else, the System perceived a murderous aura on her unchanging face.
"..."
'[QUESTION] What does 'insufficient energy' mean?' For the first time, she expressed her displeasure.
'The world of No Game No Life does not permit resurrection. Reviving you here consumed an enormous amount.'
The System chose to give up. Insufficient energy was insufficient; there was nothing it could do.
Moreover, its reason was perfectly valid: it was an unavoidable expenditure made to save its host.
Upon hearing this, Schwarzer knew there was no point in arguing. So, the so-called 'revival loading bar' had been consuming the System's energy for resurrection?
What should she do now?
She silently calculated. Even with foreknowledge, it wouldn't be of much use in this world. Riku had already mastered every calculation. What she lacked was true hard power.
Even if she knew everything beforehand, with her current strength, surviving until the war's end was no problem. She could even save Schwi if necessary. But if the Machine Ex Machina didn't gain a heart, it would alter the war's trajectory...
Without the Machine Ex Machina's assistance, Riku's plan couldn't succeed, and the great war wouldn't end. Even if it did succeed, she couldn't save the Machine Ex Machina that went to confront the War God. The price of ending the war was, in fact, the near-total annihilation of the Machine Ex Machina.
At this thought, a surge of irritation filled her—the lingering humanity seemed a bit too much.
The data streams in her eyes continued to flicker, an abnormally long duration.
This was a symptom of massive computation, and by all appearances, it far exceeded the processing capacity of an individual Machine Ex Machina. However, the System, in its guilty state, didn't perceive anything amiss.
No, that's not right. It can be done. It's entirely possible.
Schwarzer suddenly realized she had overlooked a variable: herself.
She was currently like a shattered teapot. After using the Vanishing Dragon's core data, the overflowing energy had strengthened her entire being.
Her current strength already far surpassed any Machine Ex Machina, reaching an unprecedented peak. Even challenging a Flügel was not impossible.
Importing herself as a variable into the calculations, right under the System's nose, she accessed its database. The vast amount of data was something she couldn't have handled before, but now, it was different.
Not only had she grown stronger, but also, she wasn't fighting alone...
Her brain entered an overclocked state, her processor visibly overheating, and the air grew scorching. Schwarzer's thoughts became slightly sluggish, and in a daze, she saw her own shadow.
She seemed to have overestimated her endurance, or perhaps underestimated the System? The overwhelming information caused her to black out.
'Why is my head pointy? Oh, it's just the hood...'
'Thump~'
'Hey, hey, hey! Host, what's wrong?!' Schwarzer's sudden collapse startled the System.
'Wake up, host, I've brought two lives...'
'Please, if you're not here, I...'
...
Ignoring the clamoring System, Schwarzer regained consciousness and saw a red-haired man appear before her.
This was not a real physical location, but a data space constructed purely for communicating with her, a special individual.
'You've worked hard, 'Observer' Schwarzer. I am the All-Link Commander. You may call me... Einzig.'
'The authenticity of the 'No Game No Life' intelligence has been confirmed. Leave the rest to us. All Machine Ex Machina will now commence analysis based on this...'
Not long ago, she had attempted to connect to the Commander. As an individual previously recorded as damaged in the database, her reappearance naturally drew the attention of the Machine Ex Machina.
After much deliberation, she decided to upload and share the No Game No Life data, in exchange for the assistance of all Machine Ex Machina. It now seemed to have been a very correct decision.
More possibilities, which Schwarzer herself couldn't perfectly calculate, were all discovered with the combined computational power of the entire Machine Ex Machina. Soon, a new plan appeared before her.
A very bold, yet upon closer inspection, entirely feasible plan.
Inside the underground ruins, Schwarzer, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly sat up. Her peculiar gaze left the System bewildered.
And what she was about to say next would bewilder it even more.
'The situation is urgent. Let's go kill Artosh.'
'?'
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