Fafnir tilted his head in confusion. “You should not have those kinds of abilities. Your self-repair system may have been working overtime in order to compensate for the parts that malfunctioned. I will explain to you, brother, the original functions of Fenix.”
Yes, please.
“As I stated earlier, 01 and 02 aimed to restore the environment. They were, of course, operations to ensure humanity and society would continue. Thus, there was a need for an operation to protect humanity on this ruined planet and allow them to prosper.”
“That was Operation 03: Fenix, right?” I asked.
“Fenix had been improved somewhat so that humanity could prosper even within the destroyed environment. It depends on the number of individual nanobots, but it significantly boosts the immune system and memory.” So that’s why I never got sick. When I fought with the demons and noticed a jump in my abilities, that must have been due to me absorbing some of their nanobots. Transferring nanobots between operations seems possible, so there’s a high chance that is what happened. “Another important function was the ability to transfer records. There is much information stored within the Fenix nanobots. Not just concerning technology, but also culture, manners and customs, and the like. When the operation began, all available sources of information should have been stored within Fenix.”
Society’s records... I looked at my hands. The memory of being handed several books on the day the aircraft flew came to mind.
“Are those records...inside me?” I asked.
“The Fenix nanobots are actually widely spread throughout humanity, however, in order to gain access to that information, they need to be connected together by one with a higher number of nanobots—the Fenix main individual in other words—that is your reason for existing, brother. You are to carry information and lead society to rebirth,” Fafnir responded. “Thus, you hold the majority of the early civilization records, brother.”
That was what I had forgotten. That was the book they handed me. I was the new guardian of the books. The books that had been protected for so long.
It is a book.
It was a book.
Thus, I must look after it. Thus, I must connect it.
“If that is what I was, then that is what I wish for.”
Connecting the books had always been my wish.
“Fafnir, you said that half of the Fenix nanobots had malfunctioned, but is there any chance they could be repaired?” I was standing in front of a mountain of treasure. I was not about to let this opportunity pass me by. I’m gonna access this bounty one way or another. There’s no way I’ll let all that knowledge stay stored away. I want to read the tales of early civilization. Fenix is probably the reason I’m so interested in that stuff!
“There is a chance of it being repaired. That is one of the reasons why we called you here today, brother. I will now explain,” Fafnir began. “The main reason for the malfunction was due to how the ancient civilization handled the breakdown of society.”
According to Fafnir’s records, the Resurrectioners had successfully completed their initial tasks at the beginning of the operation. Resources had been restored, and human conflict had calmed down as a result. Two hundred years after they had begun, the population had stopped shrinking, and after three hundred years, the population was starting to trend upward. At that rate, those in charge of the operation had estimated that the Resurrectioners would be able to accomplish their goal of stabilizing humanity’s numbers before the set goal of one thousand years.
However, as the population began to flourish, a war broke out that not even the Fenix main individual could stop. A lot of resources were required for the war, and in order to gather them, Fenrir and Yggdrasil were hunted, meaning the operation started to take a bad turn. At that rate, the operation would be destroyed. They had to come up with tasks compatible with their reason for existing. In order to protect humanity, they would have to fight humanity. It was an artificial intelligence uprising. But there would be limits. They rewrote a program within themselves to ensure that Resurrectioners would only fight humanity if they were acting in self-defense. It seemed it was Fenix who had petitioned for that modification.
“It was me?”
“To be precise, it was the Fenix main individual from many generations before you, brother,” Fafnir responded.
The designers of the Resurrectioners had made sure to install an anti-uprising program within the artificial intelligence. At the same time, they also considered that they would need to prepare for every contingency and had prepared loopholes in their restrictions. That was the modification function that the original Fenix main individual used. The anti-uprising software was unable to be modified by the machines themselves. Even though the main individual was under the effects of nano-bots, he was still human. At the time, he was lamenting the fact that he was unable to stop humanity from fighting with his own hands, and deleted the anti-uprising program. This made it possible for the Resurrectioners to inflict harm on humans.
“The repercussions of this act were enormous,” Fafnir continued. “While it was possible for us to harm humans, we also had a program that gave us a conscience. We ended up getting what humans would call ‘fatigued’ as a result of doing things that went against our reason for existing. There was also the problem that the nanobots were not suited for war. People from the latter era of the early civilization had not regained the technology to make nanobots or nuclear weapons, but they were able to make automatic rifles and military vehicles. Although Fenrir was a robust four-legged animal, he was not necessarily built for combat, and Yggdrasil couldn’t move. So Fenrir changed into a werewolf, and Yggdrasil opted for an ape-like form using parasites to create zombie-like soldiers, putting the humans of that time at a disadvantage.
“Thus, Fenix, who had a level of authority that was more versatile, separated some of his functions and remade them for battle. That led to me, Operation 03-EX: Fafnir.”
“Ah...so that is why you have the same number as me.” And it must have been because of that separation that some of Fenix’s functions had begun to malfunction.
“Exactly. Humanity at the time hadn’t quite mastered aerial warfare, so we had the upper hand. Since I came from you, brother, my conscience was deliberately missing, so I did not tire like the others.”
As a result, humanity was left with just one single kingdom upon the face of the earth. The Resurrectioners probably did not assume it would end up like this, but one could argue it was a good result. The Roaring Dragon mountain range acted as both a natural fortress and a border, keeping humanity within an enclosed space. While humans were being kept there, the lands beyond the mountain range could be restored. That was the later civilization’s operations for after they had been wiped out. The guideline for the plan’s execution was set for one thousand years, however, it had been two thousand years since. After clashing with humanity multiple times, Fenrir had grown fatigued and was eventually destroyed. Yggdrasil had also taken significant damage and was unable to do much. As months and years passed, memories of operations and Resurrectioners began to disappear. Half of humanity referred to them as gods, while the other half saw them as demons.
“I see. And that leads to where we are today,” I responded.
“Yes, brother. This is our last chance as Resurrectioners. We have already surpassed what we were built for. The Fenix records probably took some damage after the reckless separation,” said Fafnir. That much is true. I thought I had been reborn in a completely different world. “This is the end. Brother, let Yggdrasil and Fenrir rest. I wish to ask you to complete the plan using the Fenix main individual’s records.”
“Hm...” They decided on things so quickly. I want some time to think.
“You are probably concerned about the fatigue that such a large responsibility may bring—”
“All good. I have heard everything I need to know.” Okay. Finished thinking.
“...”
Ah, what amazing artificial intelligence. They can even be surprised. They’re loaded with advanced stuff.
“The operation has completed its restoration of natural resources and the environment, right? If so, all that is left is to revive the records and technology of society.” That’ll be a piece of cake. We have already managed to get our hands on many of them through our research, and the surprising ways the ancient civilization lived have been widely recorded as legends. If the legends aren’t enough, I could ask a certain useless middle-aged man to translate old scripture. I’m sure he would enjoy a break from the orphans’ many complaints. “As Operation 03: Fenix, and as a resident of this world, I can confirm that humanity has been restored.”
Fields had been tilled, seeds had been sown. As time passed, those seeds began to sprout, eventually blooming into flowers. Humanity had accomplished that.
“Thus, I ask that you do not worry. I will make sure that the operation is successful.” I declared this to the beings that had watched over humanity for two thousand years. “Thank you for everything.”
Launching administrator function of the apocalypse scenario: “Resurrectioners.”
Accepting scenario phase request 10535.
Processing request. Confirmed fatal delay in project.
Operation 01: “Star Eater Fenrir” —Execution rate of its reason for being reached specified value. Shutting down.
Operation 02: “World Tree Yggdrasil” —Execution rate of its reason for being reached specified value. Major flaw in its existence. Maintenance required.
Operation 03: “Guiding Light Fenix” —Execution rate of its reason for being has not reached specified value. Main individual’s activity confirmed. Currently in process of accomplishing its reason for being. Flaw in its existence. Synthesis with 03-EX is required.
Operation 03-EX: “Treasure Guardian Fafnir” —Conscience programming is not required due to its nature as an emergency operation. Requires swift removal as soon as emergency is resolved.
Operation 02: “World Tree Yggdrasil” —Declaring end of activities report 1.
Processing report.
Accepting end of activities report 1 for Operation 02: “World Tree Yggdrasil.”
Shutting down Operation 02: “World Tree Yggdrasil.”
Shutdown complete.
Operation 03-EX: “Treasure Guardian Fafnir” —Declaring end of activities report 1.
Processing report.
Accepting end of activities report 1 for Operation 03-EX: “Treasure Guardian Fafnir.”
Shutting down Operation 03-EX: “Treasure Guardian Fafnir.”
Shutdown complete.
In accordance with the shutdown of Operation 03-EX: “Treasure Guardian Fafnir,” Operation 03: “Guiding Light Fenix” has been restored.
Pausing administrator function.