Chapter 98: [] (2)
by fnovelpia
[Server Shutdown]
Woooooooong.
The world began to freeze.
One world, one server, was about to halt its function under the GM’s command.
[Humans, how dare you!]
The massive entity of the [System], realizing what was happening, trembled with rage.
‘Was it a god with a personality?’
Neither Albus nor the Guide knew much about the [System].
It was certain that it was a transcendent being, surpassing ordinary gods, but whether it was a purely systematic entity with no personality, as its temporary name suggested, or if it had a personality and claimed to be the ruler of the universe, they did not know.
In previous cycles, as seen through the Guide’s memories, the [System] declared its reason for destroying Albus as if it possessed a personality.
‘But this enraged display… It’s clear. This thing has emotions.’
If that were the case, was this being in front of them moving under someone else’s orders or by its own will?
[Do you think freezing this world will stop me?!]
KABOOM!
A massive divine force erupted from the [System].
CRACK.
“Ugh!”
The server trembled.
The world could not withstand the overwhelming power.
‘I just need a moment.’
Anyway, the server would eventually… (The text became too distorted to continue.)
‘If I can just buy some time… that will be enough.’
THUD.
The server shut down.
The world turned black.
Trapped within, the [System] froze solid.
“Guide!”
-Leave it to me, Master!
Albus confirmed that the Guide’s energy had reached the [System].
‘From now on, it’s just a matter of buying time until the Guide completes the analysis.’
Using all of the command powers available, Albus maintained the server shutdown and recalled the plan he had devised in the past.
“The problem is we know too little about our opponent!”
Albus, attaching an image of the [System] to a whiteboard floating in midair, spoke.
The operation room for stopping the [System].
Dua, the Guide, and Albus put their heads together, desperately trying to come up with a way to defeat the [System].
Written on the whiteboard were the few pieces of information the Guide had gleaned from the [System] after multiple regressions.
The [System] possessed overwhelming power that surpassed that of ordinary gods, rendering the GM’s authority useless.
The reason the [System] sought to destroy Albus, Rudera, and the continent was that the creation of a world by a mere mortal violated the fundamental order of the universe that the [System] managed.
The [System] had no intention of communicating. – If there was an existence that violated basic laws, it would destroy that dimension.
There was no information about the entity that created the order the [System] followed or any being higher than the [System].
“We don’t even know the basic information needed to take them down. How strong is the [System]? What are its weaknesses?”
Albus had only managed to block the [System]’s attacks in previous cycles through sheer effort.
Because of this, even the Guide, who had encountered the [System] multiple times through regression, had very limited information.
Even if they somehow managed to defeat the [System], if a new [System] or a higher-ranking entity appeared afterward, it would be meaningless.
On the other hand, if they destroyed the [System], which maintained the order of the universe, and caused the balance of the universe to collapse, that would be catastrophic in a different way.
“In the end, we have to analyze the [System] when it appears and find a way to break it….”
Even in a previous cycle, when he had reached the pinnacle of mastery as a GM, he had only been able to freeze the opponent for a brief moment.
Was it even possible to analyze and strategize against such a foe?
“Guide. If I freeze the [System], can you analyze it?”
“I can.”
The Guide recalled the [System] they had encountered in previous cycles.
“I never had a chance to run an analysis because I couldn’t get close enough, but if we can stop it, it’s possible.”
“You’re saying it’s possible?”
If they could figure out the inner structure of their opponent and convert it into data within the game, they could use the GM’s authority to take control.
In other words, if the Guide could analyze the [System], they could neutralize it, no matter how powerful it was.
The key to this fight was whether or not it was possible to analyze the [System].
“Yes. I can do it. …But the problem is the [System] can’t resist even a little.”
Analyzing the internal structure of a being as advanced as the [System], developed to the level of a god, required intense focus.
Even for an AI as advanced as the Guide, the analysis would be impossible unless the [System] was completely immobilized.
“We need it to be fully stopped, huh…”
Albus drew a black line on the plan, summarizing his thoughts.
“Hold on.”
Then, as a sudden thought occurred to him, he stopped.
“Guide.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Do you remember when we talked earlier about setting up a separate server to block the [System]’s waves and using that as the battlefield?”
“What if. What if, I mean.”
Albus slowly raised his head.
“What if we lure the [System] into that server and then shut it down?”
“Shut down the server?”
“We close the server, trapping the [System] inside.”
It was a revolutionary idea, something that hadn’t crossed their minds before.
If executed well, it could end the situation easily.
The Guide shuddered at Albus’s idea.
“W-Wait a second, Master! Let me run a simulation.”
After running countless simulations, Albus and his team came to a conclusion.
No matter how they tried to trap the [System] in a separate server and shut it down, the [System] would eventually break out and escape.
If Albus used all his authority to trap and freeze the [System] within the server during shutdown, the Guide would have enough time to analyze the [System].
Their original goal was to bind the [System] in the frozen shutdown world and have the Guide disassemble and analyze it.
‘Everything hinges on the success of the Guide’s analysis.’
Breaking from his thoughts, Albus poured his strength into maintaining the server.
The creation he had made, which had brought the continent to the brink of crisis, was now his greatest hope.
But Albus trusted her.
CRACK.
The [System], frozen inside the server, was completely immobilized, but the server itself was slowly collapsing.
‘Guide… There’s no time left.’
‘Quickly… Finish it… quickly…’
[Analyzing]
[Coding]
[Data Processing]
At the same time, the Guide used all her authority and intelligence to analyze the [System].
Both the future and current versions of the Guide’s CPU were fully utilized, converting the massive internal structure of the [System] into data code.
Knowing this was the answer to this cycle,
Knowing this was the only way to save her beloved master and end the cycle,
The Guide pushed herself to the limit, even as her internal systems began to overheat.
‘Just a little more… Just a little more…!’
And then—
‘I can’t… go any further…!’
21C OVIE VII H.
CRASH!
With a deafening roar, the server collapsed.
[How dare you…]
The [System], freed from the crumbling, vanishing server, slowly reappeared.
‘Was it a failure…?’
Albus instinctively knew.
The data received from the Guide wasn’t enough.
The complete datafication of the [System] had failed.
They had tried to make the [System] a part of Rudera’s world, but they ran out of time.
[Humans… how dare you…]
Albus’s physical body stood directly in front of the [System]’s massive form.
[Initiating Irregular Elimination Protocol.]
Woooooooong.
A vast divine energy gathered around the [System].
‘But…’
[Protocol Halted.]
Wooooong.
With a single command from Albus, the [System]’s power scattered.
[!!!!!]
With just one order from Albus, the [System] had been neutralized.
Though he hadn’t fully datafied the [System], he had achieved what was necessary.
‘Good job, Guide.’
To have analyzed a transcendent godlike entity of such overwhelming data volume, it was all thanks to the Guide.
[Initiating Protocol!]
The [System] once again began to gather power.
[Protocol Halted.]
At Albus’s command, the power scattered once more.
[Target Lock.]
[Freeze.]
Albus’s smile deepened.
“Why don’t we have a little chat?”
The operation was a success.
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