8 Chapter 8: Future plan

Solomon rubbed her temples, feeling the familiar frustration building in her. 'Noah, can you give me more information about quirks?' she asked, trying to focus on the task at hand.

[In this world, approximately 78.3% of the human population possess unique abilities called quirks. These quirks can be classified into three main categories: emitter, transformation, and mutant.

Emitter quirks are those that allow the user to produce and manipulate a certain type of energy, such as creating fire, generating electricity, or shooting lasers. Transformation quirks involve changing the physical state of the user's body, such as enlarging body parts, stretching limbs, or changing into another form altogether. Mutant quirks are those that cause the user to have a permanent physical abnormality related to their power like extra limbs, fiery hair, and so on.]

Solomon listened intently as Noah went on to describe the different categories of quirks. When Noah finished, Solomon asked, 'What is your opinion on the categorization system for quirks?'

[I believe the categorization system for quirks is straightforward and efficient, but adding sub-categories could provide more specificity.]

'I think I need a break,' Solomon thought, feeling tired and hungry. 'How much information have you gathered? I doubt my calories can handle you using your ability any longer.'

[I've collected and processed 128 gigabytes of data from various online sources. Do you need me to stop?]

'That's enough for now, let's take a break.' Solomon spoke, and Noah promptly ceased his data gathering from the web. She let out a deep breath, relaxing and watching the cars drive by the street from her position at the end of the alleyway.

Remembering something, she asked, 'By the way, what's the state of technology in this world?'

[The technology in this world is similar to our own, with a few differences. People use mobile devices, but a significant portion still uses flip phones. The transportation system is similar, but self-driving vehicles don't exist. The medical sector has technology and equipment comparable to ours, but they have more advanced prosthetic limbs. The general level of automation and computer and television designs are the same as ours, with not much difference.]

[Although, it's worth noting that the technology is not much different from ours despite it being the year 2174 because the world's technological advancements in this world are focused on quirks and supporting heroes--]

Solomon frowned. "The year is 2174?" she exclaimed.

Kanata looked at her. "Yes, the year is 2174. Is it different from the time you died?"

"Yes," Solomon said, looking down at her phone to confirm it was indeed 2174. "I died in 2024. One hundred and fifty years ago."

[It is possible that crossing into a parallel universe might have sent your soul flying through time.] Noah chimed in, with Solomon sighing.

"Wow, that's surprising." Kanata didn't know what to say as he stared at Solomon silently, staring at her phone. "You wouldn't get to see your family since you reincarnated more than one-hundred-and-fifty years into the future." He spoke softly, looking at her with sympathy. "I am sorry."

Solomon stared at him for a while before smiling brightly. "I like you. You are a good friend."

Kanata chuckled awkwardly. "Thanks, I guess. Even though I know a 44 year old man is living in that body, it is weird having my daughter say that to me."

Solomon burst out laughing at his reaction, jumping to her feet. "I can imagine." She looked at Kanata, still sitting on the ground, leaning against the building wall behind him. "So, you don't have any idea what AI is?"

"You mentioned that earlier," Kanata said, remembering when they were talking back in the apartment. "You said you created an AI called Noah, or something."

"Yes, I did. AI stands for Artificial Intelligence," Solomon explained. "It's a computer system designed to mimic human intelligence and perform tasks typically done by humans. The goal is to create machines that can think and learn like we do, making them more efficient and accurate at tasks than we could do alone."

Kanata nodded thoughtfully. "Interesting. So, Noah was the best AI you created?"

Solomon nodded, looking up at the sky that was slowly going dark, with nighttime coming. "I plan on creating an AI and selling it to a company for money."

"Do you really think you can create anything good?" Kanata asked, confusing Solomon. "Even though technology advancement stalled due to the appearance of quirks, 150 years is long enough for technology to advance past whatever you know."

"You are right." Solomon watched the sky as she saw a humanoid figure fly through the clouds, probably someone with a flying quirk. 'Noah. What is the level of AI in this world?'

[From the data I have collected, a bit more advanced than those on Earth, but I haven't found any as sophisticated as I am. They may be many but just hidden.]

'With my memories and knowledge only being at the level of a bachelor, I doubt I can make any improvement in the technology in the hero field, so I should focus on the general public.' She thought, clenching her fist. Her stupidity annoyed her. 'Don't worry. This body's brain should mature enough to hold all my memories in a few years. I just have to wait a few more years to become as intelligent as I am supposed to be.'

"Something on your mind?" Kanata asked, not liking her silence. He looked at the sky, trying to find what she was staring at but finding nothing. "I am sorry if what I said ruined your plan."

"No, no. You are good." She smiled, looking down at him. "You snapped me back to reality. Thanks. I will think of something else to do." She went into deep thought. 'Noah. Any ideas that don't include heroes or quirks?'

[You can develop an AI system that creates a playlist based on the listener's preferences and mood.]

'That is too overused.' She shook her head. 'All apps have an algorithm like that. I mean, all music apps.'

[Not in this world. As I mentioned earlier, the technology of this world is focused on quirks and heroes. Technologies for the general public aren't advancing as fast as before quirks came into this world. That app would be 'groundbreaking' for the people of this world. I am 88.98% certain.]

Her eyes widened in surprise as a smirk grew on her face. "So, how about an AI system that creates a playlist based on the listener's preferences and mood? That would allow people to get music recommendations they might like instead of searching for it."

"...What the fuck. That's actually a good idea!" He stood up from the ground with a grin. "So, should I send them mail or something?"

"Yeah." She nodded, handing her the phone she held. "I assume your flip phone can't send mail, so use this."

Kanata took the phone from Solomon before heading to Gloogle, the world's equivalent of Google. Once he logged into his account, he asked, "Also, who should we send it to?" He glanced down at Solomon. "The only companies that I think would benefit from this AI are Soundscape or EchoTunes."

"What is the difference between them?" Solomon asked, glancing around and watching a man walk past the alleyway, eyeing them warily.

Kanata explained, "You have to buy to use Soundscape, but it's the biggest audio streaming service. EchoTunes is the second biggest, and it's free. I heard recently from the news that it rose from 55 million active users to 75 million active users in only a month, slowly catching up to Soundscape with a user base of over 90 million active users. Soundscape is also losing its users to EchoTunes because they don't offer a free tier of service."

"So, we should pitch our idea to EchoTunes since they're on the rise," Solomon said thoughtfully, but Kanata shook his head.

"The fact that Soundscape requires a paid subscription could mean that its users are more dedicated and engaged and, therefore, more likely to be receptive to the AI system. On the other hand, EchoTunes' free service could attract a wider range of users, but they may not be as dedicated or engaged with the platform--" Kanata paused, noticing a woman peeking into the alleyway while on her phone.

Without hesitation, Kanata picked up Solomon and flung her over his shoulder like a ragdoll, sprinting out of the alleyway as the woman screamed at him to get back while attempting to chase them. Thankfully, the road was empty, so there was no one to join the chase.

Solomon gasped as Kanata's speed increased, leading them through multiple back alleys until they were out of sight. Kanata gently placed Solomon on the ground and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry. I panicked. The woman must have thought I was a criminal kidnapping a child, and she was most likely calling the police. If we had been taken into custody, our records would have been checked, and your mother would have been contacted, which she would interpret as snitching. I don't want to think of what she would do to us."

Solomon glared at him before sighing and calming herself. "It's alright, but please don't carry me like that again," she mumbled, rubbing her temple. "I feel like I almost died."

"Alright," Kanata nodded, relieved she wasn't more upset. Looking around, he noticed they were on a sandy narrow, winding path that cut through the dense vegetation that led to the beach, giving him an idea. "Walk with me while we talk."

Solomon followed as she asked, continuing their conversation from earlier. "So, we should pick Soundscape?"

"Yes," Kanata replied, glancing up at the sky, now dark with stars dotted throughout. "They have a larger user base and a proven track record of success. Plus, since they're currently falling, they'll be more inclined to speak with us. Besides, they're owned by Gloogle, which would give you a good connection. I assume you don't want to stop at this AI."

Solomon nodded, impressed by Kanata's quick thinking. "You're smarter than I thought. I wouldn't have been able to come up with that, even in my past life."

Kanata chuckled and grinned. "All that college learning is coming back to me. It's a shame I didn't finish my degree, or else I could have been more helpful to you." He muttered the last part, his voice filled with regret.

"It's enough for me," Solomon said, smiling. "Write the email to Soundscape and show it to me before sending it, so I can make any necessary edits."

Kanata nodded, turning his attention back to his phone. As they walked in silence, their shoes made a soft crunching sound with each step they took. Suddenly, they both stopped in their tracks. The once-beautiful shoreline was now littered with trash and debris. The once-clear waters were now murky with pollutants.

"This is disgusting," Solomon groaned, covering her nose.

Kanata stepped back, frowning. "This isn't how I remember it. Three years ago, it was clean. I don't know what happened in the meantime."

Solomon took a deep breath and tried not to gag at the pungent smell of chemicals and oil. "We need to get out of here," she said, feeling bile rise in her throat.

As they turned to leave, a group of seagulls swooped down, screeching and picking through the garbage for scraps. How the birds could handle the smell was beyond them, but they didn't stay there any longer and left.

"Sorry about that." Kanata mumbled, sighing. "I wanted to show you the beautiful Takoba Municipal Beach Park, but it has turned into a landfill."

"No worries." Solomon replied, looking back at the beach. 'I might have to return there. Right, Noah?'

[Yes. That landfill is filled with materials that would be useful if you want to build something from scratch to touch on your knowledge.]

Although the place was disgusting, she smiled at the thought of digging through garbage and using scraps to build something. 'I will be like Iron man when he built his first suit.' She chuckled, looking at Kanata. "Let's hurry and eat, and then we will return to that beach?"

"Huh?" Kanata's eyes moved from the phone, looking at her. "You want to return to that garbage dump? Why?" He asked, squinting at her grinning face.

"You will see, my friend." Her grin widened, wondering what she could actually do with the scraps she would find in the garbage dump. The thought alone was making her engineering mind go haywire. "You will see. Now, focus on writing that letter."

"Yes, sir!"