Chapter 80

"Area construction failed. Transfer space vanished. Seventh experiment terminated."

"It was wrong."

While listening to the low announcement, Craig shook his head.

"The process of manipulating the artificial domain was unstable from the start. If the first button isn't right, there's no way it can proceed properly."

A vast underground chamber.

Every visible wall was lined with thick steel plates, creating a sealed space where not even a breath of air could escape.

Dozens of black mages were busily adjusting the massive magic circle that filled the space, which spanned several hundred meters in diameter.

Dark magical power continuously rose and dissipated, slowly merging with the space.

Craig silently gazed down at the lower part of the chamber for a while before turning his head.

Where his gaze fell, dozens of monitors were displayed, and even more people were diligently tapping away at keyboards.

"How is the algorithm's operation?"

"The logical structure is complete, but when the spell formula activates, the artificial intelligence gets tangled up and doesn't function properly."

A man with thick glasses, standing with his arms crossed at the back, replied.

"Moreover, after each experiment, the algorithm mutates into a different form, making it useless to back up the data."

A phenomenon that couldn't be explained by thorough logical structure and calculations.

"At this point, I can only say that we need to collect more data on the stage where the artificial intelligence reacts immediately after the invocation."

The man with glasses smiled slightly at the silent Craig.

"Well, at least it's interesting. While you're not the first to attempt this, it's rare to see someone choose such an intriguing theme."

"......"

"Can a god live inside a hard drive? This has been a topic of discussion in various academic fields for decades, separate from the religion we believe in. This incident will certainly give the old fogies a new stimulus."

The man was freely speaking his mind in front of Craig, a powerful black mage, fully understanding that without their abilities, this matter would become extremely difficult.

Craig stared at the man for a moment before changing the subject.

"We don't have much time."

A low voice emerged from beneath his beard.

"The temporary base we set up to gather data from Palsion was attacked. The speed at which they are tracking our movements is faster than expected."

"Agents from the megacity? I remember them as being quite slow and lazy... It seems they've changed quite a bit in recent years."

The man, who replied indifferently, continued while operating the computer.

"The pillars we set up to disrupt the city's ley lines are being removed at a rapid pace. Although we managed to secure an alternative power source with the funds from investors after the conference, how long the energy will last is a different issue. We need results within at least a month."

"It will be troublesome if those thieves don't have much time left to provide cover."

Craig frowned silently at the man, who seemed to be treating it as someone else's problem.

The man's expression was incredibly relaxed, even when talking about criminals who burst human heads like balloons.

Perhaps it's because the god that the man and other programmers worship is an even greater monster than Craig.

Ironically, the most fanatical believers are also the masters of computer programming, a field that requires precise and meticulous logic.

But if Craig couldn't accept such contradictions, he wouldn't have existed in this world long ago.

Sometimes, he reflects on the moment he didn't accept the deal offered by the city government.

But the answer is always the same.

To resist those monsters, he must also be able to summon a monster.

Even now, as a city-scale criminal, his ultimate desire hasn't changed.

The eyes of the dull-witted mage, which are usually harsh, soften only when looking at the children moving below, following his movements.

That's all there is to it.