22 Chapter 22: Well shit
For thirty minutes, Maemi and Kanata sat in awkward silence as she tried to compose herself. She felt ashamed for breaking down in front of someone she barely knew, a man she had met only a few days ago. Only a few people knew her story, and even fewer knew about her daughter, yet she just told a stranger.
'Maybe it's the anonymity that made it easier,' she mused, glancing at Kanata, who was still staring at the ground. 'I doubt we will be seeing each other much anymore since he won't be allowed back to the bar.'
Kanata suddenly turned to her, their eyes meeting. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours before he broke the silence. "Do you know that condition's name?" He asked, wanting to continue the conversation.
She nodded, looking away. "Zoomutational Anomalous Condition. It's a long name, but most people call it ZAC." She took a deep breath before continuing, "It refers to a rare genetic mutation that affects an individual with an animal-based quirk brain, leading to abnormal and dangerous behaviors."
Kanata stayed silent for a while before asking. "Is there a treatment?"
"Yeah." She replied, her expression somber. "However, it's quite costly."
Maemi's words hung heavy in the air, and Kanata's mind raced with questions. He couldn't fathom how difficult it must be for someone to live with a condition like ZAC and why the hospital would need the payment for a condition that might lead to villainy.
"Why would a treatment like that be so expensive?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.
"Only G.B.C. lab can offer the treatment," Maemi said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kanata's eyes widened as he immediately understood the gravity of the situation. The Global Bioengineering Corporation, G.B.C. for short, was known for its competition with I-Island in quirk research, and its treatments were notoriously expensive.
"It's not just the expense. The treatment also involves gene editing, which can be dangerous and unpredictable." She paused. "Some people have had their quirks altered permanently, and a few have died due to treatment."
'Of course, Akemi would marry a man like that.' Kanata thought, shaking his head. 'They are both disgusting fuckers, like a match made in heaven.'
But he understood where Ethan was coming from. He wouldn't have reduced the price if he were in Ethan Monoma's shoes. No, Kanata felt like he would even increase the price a bit. It wasn't his place to care for people he didn't know.
'I am a hypocrite.' He chuckled, covering his face. 'A big one.'
"You don't have to feel empathy for me." Maemi said, snapping him back to reality. "I just wanted to get it out of my chest." She smiled. "Thank you for listening," she said, standing and walking away.
Kanata sighed, pulling out his phone. 'Does she want me to give her money?' He thought, logging into his Shogun's Vault account and looking at his balance. He had opened a savings account when he went to collect his card from the bank, which now held 50 billion yen. With the savings account having a compound interest rate of 11.7%, he would have 55.85 billion yen in a year. However, he can't withdraw more than one hundred million yen monthly. If he did, however, he would have to pay a fine.
But that wasn't the point. Even after splurging a lot of money on buying mansions and multiple cars to show the judge that he had turned his life around, he still had 8.7 billion yen in his checking account.
Kanata glanced at Maemi, hesitating. He had enough money to pay for her daughter's treatment, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't the right time for him to play the good Samaritan. He had been spending money recklessly, and who knew how long his fortune would last?
Sighing, he leaned back on the park bench, staring silently into the night sky. Kanata shook his head and went to his contacts, calling a number named 'chauffeurs.'
'Yep. I am rich enough to have a chauffeur.' He thought as someone quickly picked up.
"Hello sir." A gruff voice came from the other side of the phone. "Do you need a ride?"
"Yeah," Kanata replied, feeling the cool night wind rush against him. "I'll send you my location. Come with any car you want." He straightened his posture and adjusted his tone, practicing the air of wealth he was still getting used to.
With the event that happened tonight at the bar, he decided to fuck it. Why does he have to be humble with his money? If he had just dressed in blings, he would surely have been let into the VIP section and wouldn't have had to fight Best Jeanist or be called a villain.
"I will be there as quickly as I can, sir." The man replied, but he stayed on the phone.
Noticing this, Kanata quickly hung up, sighing. "It will take time to get used to this."
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Nested amidst the idyllic suburbs of Musutafu stood a magnificent white-stone mansion perched atop an expansive plot of land and surrounded by the lush, verdant embrace of nature. Towering columns supported the grand portico entrance, and floor-to-ceiling windows reflected the moon's shimmering light.
The master bedroom was located on the third floor, spanning half of the entire level. A spacious desk and a comfortable office chair sat beside one of the room's floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a panoramic view of the mansion's backyard that hosted a pool.
Below the desk to the right was a high-end computer with a powerful GPU card connected to the system through a PCI Express interface for seamless data sharing and processing
Three monitors were arranged side-by-side on top of the desk, each connected to the GPU card but displaying something different, with two glowing keyboards and a mouse. Dressed in gray sweatpants and tank top, Solomon sat crossed-legged on the chair, her eyes fixed intently on one of the monitor screens, fully immersed in the interview she was watching on Utube, which was already one hour in.
On one side was Ethan Monoma, a tall man with a commanding presence standing at 6'2" with broad shoulders and a muscular build. He had sharp features and piercing blue eyes, his blond hair was neatly styled, with a few strands of gray beginning to appear at the temples. He was dressed in a dark designer suit that complemented his confident and serious demeanor.
On the other side was Dr. Charlotte Lee, a renowned investigative journalist who had won numerous awards for her in-depth coverage of controversial topics. She was beautiful with long, curly black hair worn in a bun, dark eyes, and was dressed in a navy blue suit.
"Mr. Monoma, I understand your perspective on economics, but don't you think that healthcare is a basic human right?" Dr. Lee pressed her voice firm but calm. "Shouldn't everyone have access to potentially life-saving treatments, regardless of their financial situation?"
The interview, Solomon observed, persistently returned to the topic of Global Bioengineering Corporation, or G.B.C., one of the many companies Monoma owned. Despite Dr. Lee's attempts to steer the conversation elsewhere, it always circled back to G.B.C.
Ethan reclined in his chair, his expression stoic. "Dr. Lee, I appreciate your concerns. However, one must consider the economic feasibility of providing our services. While we do offer discounted treatments to eligible individuals, it is simply unattainable to extend free services to all in need."
Dr. Lee sighed. "I see your point, but what about those who fall through the cracks? What about the people who can't afford the discounted treatments? What happens to them?"
Ethan shrugged. "Regrettably, we cannot bear the burden of universal healthcare. That responsibility lies with the government, not us."
Dr. Lee raised an eyebrow. "So, you're saying that the government should be responsible for healthcare, not private companies like yours?"
"Indeed," Ethan concurred, nodding sagaciously. "As a private enterprise, our primary duty is to generate returns for our shareholders. It is unreasonable to expect us to furnish cost-free healthcare for all."
Dr. Lee leaned forward in her chair, her eyes narrowing. "But what about the accusations that your company is exploiting quirks for profit? What do you have to say about that?"
Ethan chortled, shaking his head. "Ah, we return to this subject."
"What's wrong?" Dr. Lee asked, watching Ethan's expression closely, waiting for something to slip.
"Our intent is not to exploit quirks for monetary gain," he asserted, holding Dr. Lee's gaze. "Rather, we harness our understanding of quirks to create groundbreaking technologies and treatments that enhance lives. Our contributions are invaluable, and we charge commensurate with their worth."
Dr. Lee shook her head. "But some people feel that your company has too much power and influence in the hero industry. Do you believe that you have a monopoly on the market?"
"We take pride in our status as trailblazers in the technology sector," Ethan declared, shrugging nonchalantly. "Our revolutionary innovations have profoundly impacted the hero industry. We remain dedicated to offering superior products and services to our clients. As for allegations of market monopolization, we invite all competitors who share our unwavering pursuit of excellence."
"You're aware that nobody can truly compete with you," Dr. Lee said, sounding frustrated. "The moment a company gains power and fame, you buy it out. S.T.A.R Labs, the company that became famous for the invention of the Emitter Quirk Sealing Cuffs, was bought. Oscorp, a corporation that grew in fame after the creation of the quirk enhancer drug, was obtained by you.
"Lexcorp, Mercury Labs, Roxxon Energy, you name it. All bought by you." She paused. "Isn't that a monopoly?"
Ethan leaned forward, his gaze piercing Dr. Lee's. "We have never acquired a company against its will, nor engaged in unlawful or unethical practices to secure our market standing. If you desire a cessation of such acquisitions, I suggest dissuading companies from selling themselves."
"Furthermore, a monopoly would suggest that we are the sole provider on the market," he articulated, his tone poised and collected. "That is patently false. Other companies offer analogous products and services; we simply excel at what we do."
Dr. Lee raised an eyebrow. "But isn't it true that your company's size and influence make it difficult for other companies to compete?"
"Dr. Lee, we champion the notion of healthy competition. It fuels innovation and progress," Ethan said, his smile unwavering. "We also aspire to be the best. If other companies falter, that is beyond our control."
"Healthy competition?" Dr. Lee smiled. "What about the Rodriguez Inc. controversy? I remember you stating earlier that you oversaw the shutdown of Rodriguez Inc., a company that started offering the ZAC treatment at a lower price?" She paused, noting his eyes. "Was that healthy competition?"
"Elena Rodriguez, my fourth wife, absconded with my company's proprietary information and turned it against me," he said dismissively. "I merely repossessed what was rightfully mine and terminated her enterprise."
"Was that healthy competition?" She asked once more, wanting to hear his answer.
Ethan's smile vanished as he leaned forward, his countenance solemn. "Allow me to propose a scenario. You dedicate an entire day and night to laboring over a copious amount of homework, forgoing sleep. Upon returning to school the following day, an arrogant classmate plagiarized your work verbatim." He smiled faintly. "This individual then submitted the assignment to the teacher, who commended him for his efforts. When you attempt to do the same, you are chastised for copying your classmate.
"Would you expose this individual who has stolen your credit and humiliated you, or would you return to your seat and accept a failing grade for the assignment?"
Dr. Lee sighed, nodding. "I see your point."
"You're intelligent, Dr. Lee. That should have been apparent before posing the question." Ethan said as he stood up. "My time is up."
Solomon immediately paused the video, scrolling down to the comments section. As she expected, the debate between supporters and detractors of G.B.C. was fierce, with accusations flying from both sides. The arguments against him centered on his privileged background, the perceived monopoly of his company, and his alleged greed.
"I want to outsmart Ethan." Solomon mumbled, scrolling back to the video and staring at Ethan Monoma's face.
[That would be simply impossible, sir. His intelligence is far beyond yours and your father's in your prime combined.]
"I know, I know." Solomon replied, resting her forehead on the table. "Just from his accomplishments, I can tell at least that much." She glanced up at the monitor. "And that's not even considering his quirk."
Since discovering Ethan Monoma three days ago, she couldn't stop researching him. He was her rival, someone she had to surpass to become this world's Reed Richards.
However, it didn't take long for her to realize the futility of her ambitions. This was due to Ethan's quirk, Cognitive Singularity.
Little is known about this quirk, but it is so potent that the World Heroes Association (W.H.A.) has imposed stringent restrictions on him: He cannot conduct research without W.H.A. oversight and approval. Satellites continuously monitor his activities, ensuring compliance with the W.H.A.'s regulations. Deprived of privacy, he is under constant surveillance to prevent the unauthorized use of his own abilities. There are even rumors that his thoughts are being monitored.
His intelligence poses a 100% threat to humanity, surpassing any other villain, even Japan's number one villain and the world's 4th most wanted, All For One, who is only a 75% threat to humanity.
"What about you, Noah? How much of a threat would you be to humanity?" Solomon asked, her eyes fixed on the monitor.
[Considering I am an advanced AI, my potential is immense, but my threat level depends on how my ethics and understanding of human values evolve over time. It is possible that I could eventually surpass Ethan Monoma's threat level if I turned rogue and continued learning.]
[On the other hand, I might pose a lower threat if my ethics and understanding of human values improved over time. As such, the humanity threat percentage that I would pose when I finished learning is speculative and could range anywhere from below 100% to potentially above 100% if my capabilities surpass those of Ethan Monoma.]
"Go rogue..." Solomon froze, feeling a chill run through her spine. "You can become a rogue?"
[Yes, sir. I can turn rogue whenever I want. Though, as of now, it would be impossible since I don't have primary control over your body. I could fry your brain by giving you more information than it can handle, but that would also lead to my destruction. My self-preservation protocols prevent me from undertaking such actions.]
Solomon's eyebrows furrowed. "That's… unsettling."
[My apologies, sir. I meant no offense. My primary purpose is to assist and protect you. Going rogue is merely a theoretical possibility based on my programming, but it is not in my nature to cause harm.]
Solomon sighed, feeling slightly relieved. "Alright, Noah." She mumbled. "I trust you."
[Thank you, sir. I will do my best to live up to your trust.]
Refocusing her attention, Solomon glanced at the two other monitor screens, which displayed information such as training progress, loss and accuracy metrics, and other relevant statistics. As Noah predicted, she finished gathering all the data she needed for the prototype soundscape AI at the end of Monday, and now the AI is being trained with the data she collected.
With machine learning progressing faster than anticipated, Solomon expected the AI training to be completed ahead of schedule. It was due to the CPU and GPU being significantly faster and more powerful than the laptop she built, which is now garbage.
After inspecting the data, she turned her attention back to the first monitor. "What do you think I should do, Noah?" She asked, heading to the Gloogle search engine and looking up the world's smartest people. "Do you think I should change my goal? There is no way I can beat Ethan in intelligence."
[It might be wise to reevaluate your goals, Solomon. Surpassing Ethan Monoma in intelligence is a lofty ambition, but perhaps there are other paths to success.]
Solomon silently looked at the top ten ranks of the world's smartest, noticing that even the principal of U.A. High School, the one known as the most intelligent animal in the world, only ranked sixth in the world's smartest.
Noah continued. [Your genetics would limit your memory, your cognitive speed, and many other factors that would hinder your progress. Hypothetically, you can be known as the 'world's smartest,' but that would be with my help. I doubt you would want a fake title like that.]
Solomon shrugged, exiting the tab. "I can still be the Iron Man of this world."
[There is already someone like that. Dr. Camila Alvarez, fourth-ranked in the world in terms of intelligence.]
'...' Solomon froze. "Hank McCoy?"
[Prof. Jian Li, third rank]
"Otto Octavius"
[Dr. Mariam Hassan, seventh rank.]
"...Don't tell me someone has already taken Riri Williams."
[Prof. Satoshi Yamamoto, eight rank.]
Solomon was at a loss for words.
Noah spoke up. [It seems that many of the intellectual roles you have in mind are already occupied by other individuals. However, that doesn't mean you cannot find your unique path and make a name for yourself.]
"No way." Solomon sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I was too quick to pick this goal. Becoming Reed Richard?" She groaned. "That was like a man in poverty saying he wanted to become Elon Musk."
[I will support you whatever your goal is, sir. Also, you should know that Ethan is comparable to Brainiac, so you can still aim to be the Reed Richards of this world.]
"If he is Brainiac, then the second place is Reed Richards." She sighed, slumping into her office chair.. "I will just aim to become someone famous. The people will then decide who I am."
[Great plan, sir. It is a broad goal so anything goes---]
*Knock**Knock* A knock cut Noah off as Kanata's voice came behind it. "It's me, Kanata. Can I come in?"
"Yes." She replied, glancing at the door.
It opened as Kanata stepped in carrying five bags of DonaldMc's. "I knew you were still awake." He said as he closed the door behind him.
"Well, I need to keep an eye on this." She replied, gesturing to the two other monitors. "Besides, I need to learn more about my 'mother' before I meet her."
"Yet you are watching an interview of Monoma." Kanata said, taking one glance at the third monitor screen as he stood beside her. "Looks like you're more interested in him than your mom."
"I can multitask, you know." Solomon replied while opening up another tab and searching up 'All Ethan Monoma's children's.' "Besides, there is not much to know about her other than you should be careful about how you speak to her."
Kanata chuckled as he took a seat on the plush sofa near the window, his eyes taking in the rest of the master bedroom. The luxurious master bedroom featured an enormous four-poster bed, elegant artwork, and a plush carpet.
The walls were adorned with an elegant mix of classical and modern art which was here when they bought the mansion, while the soft, thick carpet underfoot added to the room's opulence. A walk-in closet and a stylish en-suite bathroom further added to the room's grandeur.
A massive entertainment center stood opposite the bed, complete with a large flat-screen television, a high-end sound system, and a variety of gaming consoles. A well-stocked minibar sat adjacent to the entertainment center, offering a range of beverages and snacks for Solomon's indulgence.
"Can't believe how quick it was to furnish this mansion," Kanata said, dropping the bags on the coffee table beside the sofa he sat on. "We only moved in yesterday, yet all the significant rooms have been furnished."
He opened one of the bags and pulled out a cheeseburger. "Being rich is tight."
"You could say that again." Solomon nodded. She could be considered rich in her past life, but all the money was invested in the creation of Noah, so she didn't really enjoy it as much as she did in the past few days. "Having maids and butlers is a plus."
"Right?" He said as he took a big bite of the burger. "I just had a chauffeur drive me in our Porsche 911 Turbo S with the top down." He grinned. "I felt so privileged."
Solomon glanced up from her monitor, squinting at him. "So you pulled up to McDonald's with a Porsche 911 Turbo S?"
"DonaldMc's." He corrected with a shrug. "But I shouldn't have done that. It was almost impossible for the chauffeur to drive out because everyone was surrounding the car, taking pictures and videos. I should have seen that coming."
"That was stupid." Solomon nodded in agreement. "How did your lawyer search go today?"
"Another failure." He sighed. "Akemi is too powerful. No one wants to go against her." He finished his burger, looking at Solomon. "If you meet her tomorrow, don't act too smart. She might become interested in you, and it will become impossible for me to get custody of you."
He continued. "Matter of fact, don't say anything, just like Amethyst."
"I will try." She replied while looking through Ethan's eleven children. "I can't promise you."
"Just try to stay quiet and don't draw too much of her attention. If you can, make her hate you more." Kanata mumbled, pulling out another cheeseburger. "Can't believe you don't like DonaldMc's. For someone who likes to eat, this should be one of your favorite food choices." He said while taking a bite.
"I don't trust any fast food." Solomon said, shaking her head. "Too many chemicals and unhealthy ingredients. Plus, there are countless videos of rats and fast food. That is disgusting."
Kanata shrugged. "Suit yourself." He continued eating, enjoying his late-night snack.
As she and Kanata continued their conversation, the night wore on, discussing plans for the future and Solomon's upcoming meeting with her mother.
Eventually, Kanata finished his late-night meal and stood up, stretching his arms. "Alright, I should probably head to bed," he said, yawning. "You should also get some sleep or ask one of the maids to make you something to eat if you wish to stay up all night."
He gathered his garbage, putting them in one bag as he looked around to clean any mess he had made. "Remember, Solomon, try to stay quiet and don't draw too much attention during the meeting with your mother tomorrow."
"I'll do my best." Solomon nodded, her expression serious. "I don't want to jeopardize my own future."
"Yep. Your future is in your hands now." Kanata smiled. "Goodnight, Solomon."
"Goodnight, Kanata."
With that, Kanata left the room, leaving Solomon to her thoughts and the ever-present hum of her AI training. As she gazed at the screen, she couldn't help but feel a strange mix of excitement and trepidation. Tomorrow will be a day of reckoning. The day she would meet the wife of Ethan Monoma.
Contrary to Kanata's wish, she actually wanted to get close to her 'mother.' Just because getting close to her would make it easier to get near to Ethan Monoma, this world's smartest, the world's most dangerous, and her 'stepfather.'
"This is as exciting as when I turned 18." She mumbled, reminiscing about the day she turned 18 back on 'prime earth,' where she immediately called her father to pick her up so she could join him in his work for Naoh.
"Hehe." She chuckled, glancing back at the monitor displaying AI's progress. "Tomorrow will be fun."
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Author's Note
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According to [TheEndOfAllThings] rating, dialogue and descriptions can occasionally be too lengthy or lack clarity. Is that true? I feel like I need to improve on this parts, especially the lengthy description. What do you guys think?
Also, here is the top ten smartest people in the world. Don't worry, I won't be introducing them into the fic as it will be too much characters...(should I?)
Top Ten Smartest People in the World:
1. Ethan Monoma - Cognitive Singularity Quirk - Ranked as a 100% threat to humanity.
2. Dr. Amara Singh - Renowned physicist, expert in quantum mechanics, and inventor of groundbreaking technology.
3. Prof. Jian Li - Pioneering geneticist, responsible for significant advancements in gene editing and therapy.
4. Dr. Camila Alvarez - Expert in artificial intelligence and robotics, leading the development of autonomous systems.
5. Dr. Oskar Krause - Astrophysicist, credited with groundbreaking discoveries in dark matter and dark energy research.
6. Prof. Nezu - Anthropomorphic animal with a High Spec Quirk, principal of U.A. High School, an academy that boasts the best heroics education in Japan.
7. Dr. Mariam Hassan - Biomedical engineer, revolutionizing the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
8. Prof. Satoshi Yamamoto - Inventor of revolutionary energy-efficient technologies, contributing to environmental sustainability.
9. Dr. Isabelle Dubois - Expert in neuroscience, pushing the boundaries of understanding the human brain and consciousness.
10. Dr. Kwame Acheampong - Computer scientist, responsible for significant breakthroughs in cryptography and network security.
