Artificial Intelligence

Zack, Fannie, and the clones strolled down the corridor and headed up to the 95th floor, which was Zack's turf in the tower.

Once they got there, Zack gave the clones the instruction and sent them off to the clone storage room. With the coast clear, Zack and Fannie made a beeline for Zack's room. As soon as they were behind closed doors, Fannie lunged into Zack's arms, "Congrats, Teacher!"

"Haha, thanks," Zack beamed back.

Before the upgrade, Zack had given Fannie the lowdown: if things seemed chaotic from the outside, it meant the upgrade went smoothly. But if everything looked calm, it meant something was off. The chaos meant Zack could still manage things outside to make it look crazy. But if it was calm, it meant the upgrade was so intense inside his mana heart that he couldn't spare a thought for the outside world.

That's what Zack had briefed Fannie, so she wasn't too worried when things got chaotic. In fact, she grew calmer as the chaos escalated.

Then they both freshened up and hit the hay. As Zack settled in for sleep, he noticed something odd. Even though he'd integrated and consolidated his soul in his sigil, his senses were sharper than ever. Yet, he managed to keep them under control, ensuring they didn't disrupt his sleep. He could still slow down his metabolism and brain activity like usual, drifting off without a hitch.

As for checking on his body strength, mana, spells, sigil, and domain, he decided to save that for later. Right now, all he wanted was some shut-eye. Zack closed his eyes and drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

***

The next day,

Zack woke up to the sight of Fannie's peaceful sleeping face, and he couldn't help but smile. 'This girl must've been tired from watching my upgrade. But she still didn't complain,' he thought.

As he contemplated slipping away from Fannie without waking her, his movements caused her to stir. Her sleepy eyes brightened instantly upon seeing Zack's face, and she grumbled, "Not fair, teacher! Sneaking off without me!"

"Heh, pot calling the kettle black. You've pulled that move plenty of times," Zack teased, flicking Fannie's forehead. "Alright, since you're up, let's hit the tower's cafeteria. I don't have much time to cook today; I've got a meeting with the level 2 wizards."

"Heh, teacher, just admit you're being lazy. We've been together long enough for me to read your face. Looks like you don't even want to walk today, let alone cook," Fannie smirked playfully.

Zack felt a bead of sweat forming. 'Darn, this girl knows me too well!' Quietly, he canceled the floating ability from his mana cores and tried to stand up and walk normally.

"Actually, I'd prefer to walk today, not float. And as for food, I really am short on time," Zack said with forced calmness.

"Fair enough, but are you sure about the cafeteria? I've prepared one of your favorites: herb-crusted fillet mignon," Fannie said, her voice drawing out as she tried to tempt him.

Zack hesitated for a moment, then decided, "You know what? I think I'll check the kitchen. There's bound to be some leftovers from earlier." With that, he swiftly slipped out of the room, dodging Fannie's playful taunts.

Hahaha

Even from outside the room, Zack could hear Fannie's infectious laughter. But he shrugged it off, thinking, 'Who cares if I get a few laughs? As long as I get to chow down on some good grub!'

'No contest, really. The tower's cafeteria only dishes out the usual steak, tasty but nowhere near as delicious and varied as Fannie's. Obviously, I'll choose Fannie's steak any day.'

He hummed to himself as he strolled down the corridor, daydreaming about the mouthwatering steak awaiting him. Luckily, Fannie didn't tease him and actually had the steak waiting on the kitchen table. Before long, they were both digging in.

Afterward, they parted ways—Fannie headed to the library for more books, while Zack made his way to the 90th floor for his meeting with the level 2 wizards.

Entering the meeting room, Zack spotted all three wizards seated and ready.

But something seemed off. The head seat, usually occupied by Lady Evangeline as the tower master, sat empty. Instead, she sat where Zack usually did. As Zack walked in, all three wizards stood and saluted, "Greetings, Sir Zack!"

Zack's eyelids twitched. He took a deep breath to calm himself. 'Technically, they're following my instructions. They're not kneeling like yesterday, and they're calling me "Sir Zack" instead of "Esteemed One." But why does this bug me?' Zack sighed inwardly.

"Alright, thanks everyone, you can take your seats," Zack saluted back and then headed for the head chair. He realized he couldn't push the wizards to act too casually, given his higher realm status—it would just make them uncomfortable. And he couldn't ask Lady Evangeline to switch seats either, considering his higher wizard realm. That would just put her on the spot.

'Guess I'll have to settle for them not kneeling and dropping the "Esteemed One" titles,' Zack thought.

Breaking the silence, he spoke up, "As I mentioned before, I can't accept the tower master position. I want to focus on my magic."

"But being the tower master comes with many benefits that could accelerate your magical progress," Lady Evangeline countered.

Sure, being tower master meant access to resources and authority over the black markets, which could speed up his magical advancement. But Zack didn't see the need. With his mana talent, he didn't need to rush mana gathering, and his knack for spell comprehension was already top-notch.

"Sorry, but I'm just not interested in that," Zack declined firmly. "Plus, I've got plans to travel the world, so sticking around to manage things here isn't in the cards for me."

"But what about the lightning tower? It's been a long time since a level 3 wizard graced our ranks. You could lead us back to our former glory," Lady Evangeline pleaded, her expression earnest.

Zack knew the history well from the books he'd devoured in the library. It had been centuries since the lightning tower had seen a level 3 wizard. Traditionally, the tower master would ensure the grooming of a successor to reach level 3 before their passing. Despite the rarity of level 2 wizards advancing to level 3, due to the lengthy lifespan of level 3 wizards, the tower master usually managed to find a talent capable of overcoming the barrier and ascending to level 3.

Lady Evangeline was, in fact, the talent identified by the previous tower master to inherit his mantle. However, his untimely demise during the Holy Empire war cut short his plans. Raised from childhood with the weighty responsibility of assuming the role of tower master, Lady Evangeline felt duty-bound to restore the lightning magic tower to its former glory, even if it meant she would not ascend to the position herself.

Previously, Lady Evangeline had made remarkable strides in her magical advancement under her mentor's tutelage. However, upon his passing, her desperate pursuit of level 3 status to safeguard the tower proved counterproductive. Anxiety clouded her mind, hindering her comprehension with each passing day.

Thus, when the enigmatic wizard with power akin to a level 3 powerhouse emerged, Lady Evangeline's hopes soared. Suspecting this wizard might be Sir Zack, she eagerly considered him for the role of tower master. Yet, she sensed his reluctance, unable to compel him without the requisite level 3 status.

Her strategy rested on tradition, stipulating that a level 3 wizard should assume the role of tower master. However, even tradition and its accompanying benefits failed to sway Sir Zack.

Contemplating this dilemma, Lady Evangeline couldn't shake the nagging worry: what fate awaited the tower if its sole level 3 wizard refused the role of tower master? Uncertain of her own path to reaching the elusive level 3, she fretted over the tower's future deterioration. Anxious thoughts plagued her mind.

Zack could see the turmoil brewing in Lady Evangeline's eyes, and he pondered, 'Is having a level 3 as tower master really that crucial?' But he couldn't just leave her—or the tower—in this state. After all, he owed much of his current strength to the lightning tower.

Thanks to the tower, Zack could now earnestly pursue his research on returning to his previous world. Seeing a wizard so dedicated to the tower's well-being stirred something in him.

"Alright, let's do this," Zack decided, flicking his finger.

BOOM!

The sudden noise drew fast footsteps outside the meeting room, followed by the door being punched in. Two figures barged in.

Lady Evangeline, Sir Cedric, and Sir Archibald jumped to their feet, readying their magic.

"Uh, sorry, everyone. These two are my friends. They're not used to doors, so they accidentally broke it. Please forgive them; they mean no harm," Zack coughed awkwardly.

As the dust settled, two figures in gray robes stood before them. One had an ordinary face with medium-length brown hair, while the other had a similar ordinary face with short hair. Ignoring the shocked expressions of the level 2 wizards, they saluted and greeted the room normally.

"Greetings, wizards. I'm Gandril."

"Greetings, wizards. The name's Mystara."

Yep, they were his clones. Zack let out an exasperated sigh, covering his face, as he forcefully directed the clones to stand behind him. Meanwhile, he utilized his mana to patch up the door temporarily.

"So, my introduction yesterday was a tad misleading. These two aren't exactly my friends; they're my disciples. I stumbled upon them in a forest and saw potential, so I took them under my wing and taught them some magic. Now, they can be considered my disciples," Zack clarified.

"But since they were raised by animals in the forest and lacked human interaction for a long time, they're a bit lacking in common sense," Zack explained.

"But don't worry, they're incredibly talented in magic. Despite only reaching level 2 as wizards, they somehow have the ability to hold their own against a level 3 powerhouse. Gandril excels in defensive spells, while Mystara is a master of offensive magic," Zack continued.

Lady Evangeline, Sir Cedric, and Sir Archibald were already stunned by Zack's revelation that he had found and taught them magic. The news that they could rival a level 3 powerhouse left them dumbfounded.

"Pardon me, Sir Zack, but why are you explaining this to us?" Lady Evangeline interjected, sounding slightly flustered.

"Well, the thing is, I feel a bit guilty leaving the tower when, as a level 3 wizard, it's somewhat my responsibility to take on the role of tower master. So, I'm entrusting these two to you, Lady Evangeline. You can utilize them as you see fit," Zack explained.

"But what about them? Are they willing?" Lady Evangeline inquired, glancing back at Zack after looking at Gandril and Mystara, but she received no response.

"Don't worry," Zack reassured her with a smile. He then turned to his clones, Gandril and Mystara, and instructed, "From now on, you'll follow Lady Evangeline's instructions, understood?"

"As you wish, master!" Gandril and Mystara answered simultaneously.

"Now, that should settle things, right? I can leave with a clear conscience," Zack said, his smile brightening. He swiftly wrapped up the meetings, discussing the logistics for Gandril and Mystara's accommodations.

Walking back to his room, Zack couldn't help but smirk, recalling the shock on the faces of the three level 2 wizards when they saw his clones. Training those clones had been no walk in the park, but now they were able to pass off as somewhat normal, even fooling the wizards.

Still, Zack felt a twinge of reluctance handing off two of his most successful clones to the lightning tower. 'Oh well, consider it paying back the tower for all it's done for me. And it's not like I can't retrieve them whenever I want. Plus, it'll be a learning experience for them to become more human,' Zack reasoned with himself.

And then, Zack pondered the workings of his clones. They lacked a soul or consciousness, but his ability, Cosmic Weed, enabled their brains to process simple tasks like walking, standing, and sitting—basically any movement-related activity. Additionally, his ability allowed him to embed continuous-running programs in their brains, enabling the clones to execute tasks. For instance, they could walk a hundred meters and turn left at a cross section. However, the process was tedious. Then, a memory surfaced from his university days in his previous world: "Artificial Intelligence.

So, Zack delved into replicating AI using the programming capabilities in the clone's brain. Specifically, he delved into "deep learning (DL)," a subset of "machine learning," which itself falls under the umbrella of "AI." DL involves a neural network that can be trained to recognize various inputs. What made this even cooler was that the clone already had its own highly efficient neural network—the brain. Paired with the computational power of Zack's core, the clone became the perfect vessel for a DL model. Zack thought excitedly.

Zack took a moment to catch his breath, wiping away a bit of saliva and regaining his composure. He'd almost let his inner researcher take over.

Skipping over the nitty-gritty details, Zack essentially enabled the clones to learn from any situation they encountered and taught them how to react accordingly. It took five years of trial and error to train three clones to his satisfaction. However, because they continuously learned, sometimes certain parameters were overwritten, like the one for opening doors earlier.

But it wasn't a major issue, as the parameters for critical functions like recognizing enemies and allies or casting spells were prioritized, even if it meant sacrificing some learning potential.

With that behind him, Zack hummed a tune as he made his way back to his floor.

***

Meanwhile, in the meeting room, the three level 2 wizards eyed Gandril and Mystara suspiciously…

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Name: Zack

Age: 35/1000 (2,190,000)

Occupation: Official Wizard - Level 3

Contract: [Lightning Magic Tower - Official Member]

Hidden Contract: -

Mana: 40600/40600 (109,500,000/109,500,000)

Overt Talent: [Low Mana Manipulation Correction], [Low Mana Sensory Correction]

Hidden Talent: [Limitless Mana Well], [Advanced Mana Manipulation Correction], [Advanced Mana Sensory Correction], [Advanced Intelligence Correction], [Enhanced Computation Power] 

Hidden Boss Abilities: [Hidden Strength], [Thousand Faces], [Cosmic Weed]

HBP: 3

HB Progress Bar: 70/100% 

Expand Hidden Boss abilities Store? yes/no

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