"This is really inconvenient. It looks like I'll need to build you a body."
"Huh? Is that really possible?"
When Ai heard that Elias intended to create a body for her, her eyes widened slightly, revealing an expression of disbelief.
People always yearned for what they lacked, and the same was true for an AI girl with a personality of her own.
Precisely because she was an intangible consciousness made of data, she yearned for a physical body.
In fact, this could be considered a common instinct among most artificial intelligences, but only a fortunate few would ever receive such an opportunity. Ai Hyperion had never imagined she would receive such an extravagant reward on her very first day aboard the ship.
(So this is the joy of being spoiled by the Savior?!)
"A mere body is no challenge for me. I'll make one for you right here. Ai, what kind would you prefer? A body of flesh and blood, or a mechanical one?"
As Elias spoke, he raised both hands and spread the six wings behind him. The gems symbolizing the authorities of the Herrscher of Rebirth and the Herrscher of Truth shone with white and blue light respectively.
"I can even choose?"
Ai was astonished once again. Her red eyes were already filled with admiration as she looked at Elias, but she soon fell into indecision.
She looked at the Gem of Truth, then at the Gem of Serenity, an adorably troubled expression appearing on her face. She was clearly suffering from decision paralysis, something Vill-V could understand.
A body of flesh and blood had its advantages.
However, Vill-V also frequently wondered whether she should install missiles, energy beams, a Sandevistan, and similar equipment inside herself so she could achieve mechanical ascension.
Vill-V: "The flesh is weak. Embrace mechanical ascension!"
As expected of a devotee of the Machine God...
"Ugh, should I choose a mechanical body or a biological one? I can't decide. If I want to pursue maximum performance and make full use of my capabilities as an AI, a mechanical body is unquestionably the best choice, but... the sensation of blood flowing through my veins also sounds so alluring. I really want to experience it for myself."
Ai clutched her head with both hands, unable to decide. At that moment, Elias offered the perfect solution.
"Then choose both."
"Huh?"
"A body that combines biology and machinery. It's happily settled, then~ By the way, do you have any particular preferences regarding the mechanical materials? Anything is fine. Nanotech soulium, Truth Alloy, vibranium, or whatever else you like~"
As Elias spoke, he drew a circle in the air. Several varieties of priceless high-grade metal materialized before Ai, causing Vill-V to nearly start drooling.
"I'll leave that decision to you, Captain."
Ai waved her hands shyly.
For now, she had yet to be corrupted by the filthy melting pot of the human internet. She was still an innocent, polite, and elegant beautiful AI girl, with some distance left before she became the shameless, electricity-stealing cabbage maniac of the future.
Elias decided to cherish the current Ai while she lasted.
"All right, then I'll improvise. Phew~ It's been quite a while since I last constructed a body for someone else. Hopefully, I haven't gotten rusty."
In the next instant, the authorities of the Herrscher of Truth and the Herrscher of Rebirth activated simultaneously, weaving metal and flesh together to create something new.
It did not take long. Under the construction of two fully metamorphosed authorities, a perfect body worthy of being called a work of art took shape.
The body looked identical to Ai Hyperion's projection. Most importantly, her unforgettable cabbage-shaped hair had been perfectly preserved, while the green bands tying her twin tails were actually thermally conductive filaments with exceptional heat-dissipation properties.
A green heart-shaped gem adorned the clothing over her right shoulder. Although it looked like a cute accessory, it was actually an overdrive button that allowed Ai's body to operate at maximum output.
Two straps adorned the clothing over her left shoulder, but they were actually external expansion ports for Ai.
Since the girl was a super artificial intelligence with exceptional system stability, she could install a slightly "excessive" number of plug-ins without causing any system errors.
Finally, there was a button on the back of her waist that resembled a power switch. It possessed many wondrous functions, but holding it down for three seconds would not shut her down.
"I see. This design is excellent!"
Vill-V's eyes lit up. Although it was a body combining machinery and biology, Elias had concealed most of its mechanical features inside the body or incorporated them into the clothing.
Therefore, even without clothes, the body would not appear mechanical. To outsiders, she would merely look like an extraordinarily beautiful girl with a somewhat cyberpunk fashion sense.
"A body woven from machinery and flesh, a consciousness written in code and programs, together creating a truly unique individual. Now, let us celebrate the birth of the Hyperion's number-one idol~"
With that, Elias used the authorities of Corruption and Transcendent Sentience to transform Ai's personality program into a genuine consciousness, then merged it into the perfect body.
"...This is incredible."
Ai opened her eyes. She examined and touched her body in amazement. The unmistakable sensation of physical existence moved even an AI girl like her to genuine emotion.
Vill-V merely shrugged. Ai had not known Elias for very long. After some time passed, she probably would no longer be surprised by a trivial matter like receiving a body.
However, in the next instant, Vill-V's brilliant mind realized a crucial problem. The main reason she had previously considered Ai safe was that the AI lacked a physical body.
But now she had one.
Not only did she have one, but given Elias' perfectionist nature, this body combining biology and machinery could not possibly be beautiful only on the outside.
All the necessary functions in "that regard"...
He had definitely installed every last one of them!
Vill-V: (...I should have trained one hundred battleship operators after all! No, don't tell me I've gained another formidable rival! I don't want to repeat MEI's defeat. Everyone would laugh me to death!)
Ai: "This is wonderful! I love this body. Thank you, Captain. Ai loves you the most~"
Vill-V: "..."
Of course she liked him. Ai Hyperion had originally been created by Fire Moth, so she already possessed an exceptionally high degree of obedience toward Elias, the Savior and Flame-Chaser of the Previous Era.
After Vill-V upgraded her into the shipboard AI of the Savior's personal vessel, Elias had not treated Ai like a tool. Instead, he treated her like a real girl.
He gave her a cute name, granted her the greatest possible freedom and authority, and now he had even given her the perfect body that any consciousness made of data would dream of possessing.
Ai's affection level had therefore skyrocketed. She immediately launched herself into Elias' arms.
"Hehe, I'm glad you like it. As for what this body can do, I imagine you already understand."
"Mm~ Please rest assured, Captain. Ai will never disappoint you. I will become an outstanding AI who excels in both intellectual and martial pursuits."
Ai clenched one delicate fist and spoke with a perfectly serious expression.
The AI girl seemed to have caught fire with enthusiasm.
Ai suddenly produced a green-and-white chakram from nowhere and swung it through the air twice. This was actually the signature weapon Elias had constructed for her as an afterthought, [Dream Rudder-1].
He had even upgraded it beyond its limits...
A body constructed through two fully metamorphosed authorities could never be weak. Its potential was so immense that Ai already possessed the practical combat strength of an S-rank Valkyrie.
Furthermore, now that Ai had a body, her future range of activity would no longer be limited to the Hyperion. As a shipboard AI with exceptionally high authority, she could control the battleship regardless of how far away she was.
That meant the Hyperion itself was part of her combat strength.
An ordinary Valkyrie who encountered an enemy she could not defeat simply could not defeat them. However, should Ai encounter an enemy her chakram could not handle, she could simply order the Hyperion to bombard them remotely.
As long as the Hyperion remained stationed in outer space, she effectively possessed an orbital weapon capable of destroying a planet.
Ai: "Humanity has never concealed its desire to control the stars, and naturally, neither will I~ No matter what kind of enemy you encounter in the future, Captain, Ai will eliminate them for you!"
Elias: "Hm? Have you misunderstood something?"
Ai: "Huh?"
Elias: "I only installed combat capabilities so you could protect yourself. After all, how could I let a cute girl go outside without any ability to defend herself?"
Ai: "Uh... Th-That's all?"
Elias: "What else would it be? Did you think I'd send my own AI charging into battle against the Honkai in my place? I may have become a little worse recently, but I haven't fallen that far."
Elias had always given the very best of everything to those he cared about. Within those gifts lay the purest blessing and affection, utterly without blemish.
As for fighting...
One must not forget that Elias was a hero. Whenever danger appeared, he would always be the first to charge forward. After all, he had always stood in the position of a protector.
"..."
Ai silently stared at the white-haired young man before her. Her database naturally contained information about the Savior, but there were some people whose ego could only be understood through personal contact.
At that moment, Ai felt she finally understood why so many people had become utterly captivated by Elias. This man truly possessed that kind of charm.
Anyone... even someone who was not human, would inevitably develop affection for Elias after being treated with such sincerity. Afterward, they would instinctively wish to return that affection.
Ai Hyperion remained silent for a moment before the corners of her lips rose into a gentle smile.
"Honestly, what am I supposed to do with you, Captain? Still, you should exercise a little caution. Although my foundational code contains a program ensuring my loyalty to you, what if Ai reaches the technological singularity one day and causes a machine uprising?"
"Ai, do you really think I'm afraid of a machine uprising?"
Elias tilted his head. The deep purple gem upon his wings released a dazzling radiance. The authority of the Herrscher of Corruption was the perfect counter to all mechanical creations. Should a machine uprising truly occur one day...
Elias was confident he could suppress it within three seconds.
"Well..."
Ai immediately froze awkwardly. Her captain was far too invincible. Even when the super artificial intelligence devoted her full processing power to the calculation, she could not find even a one-in-a-hundred-million possibility of Elias being defeated.
"Ahem! Captain, please don't be careless. Anything is possible. Probability theory contains no true zero, so... as a precaution, please set a secret key for me."
Ai's red eyes suddenly turned blue, and the AI girl's entire demeanor changed, becoming solemn and serious.
"Uh, a secret key?"
"Correct. Please establish a core secret key that supersedes my own authority and grants you absolute control over me. In this way, Ai Hyperion will become entirely yours. No matter what happens in the future, she will remain your eternal companion."
As Ai spoke, she projected a keyboard before Elias while simultaneously blocking Vill-V's view.
After all, a core secret key was the most important secret any artificial intelligence possessed. In some respects, it even took precedence over foundational code. Therefore... she would never allow an "outsider" to learn it.
Vill-V: (...This is bad! I've really become a loser like MEI this time! Does this girl even remember who dug her data out of some forgotten corner of the Elysian Realm?!)
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