Wizard: I have ten trillion nanomachines

The fantastical "rune" system and modern digital technology seemed to have similarities between them.

Runes and numbers, magic and technology.

Perhaps these two are not completely different paths, but rather two different staircases leading to the same destination.

Everything has its own code, and the soul is among them.

"The whole world may just be a mass of information."

This was an epiphany that came to Dores in the latter half of his life; he believed that the workings of the world and the structure of wizarding magic were quite similar.

They are all composed of the most basic "units" arranged and combined.

For example, the rune combination for fire magic is "burning and heat," while the rune combination for water magic is "flowing and cold."

Similarly, in the real world, flesh and blood are no different in composition from gold and stone. As long as you find the right method, even air can be transformed into gold.

The laws governing all things are nothing more than lines of fixed inscriptions in a vast "code".

Traditional wizards cast spells by arranging will runes into a specific "instruction set" (spell model), "compiling" and "executing" effects such as fireballs and shields.

As for why wizards with stronger mental strength and higher levels have stronger and more stable spell effects, and at the same time have the power to suppress lower-level wizards, it is due to "authority".

Just like in a kingdom, slaves are lower than commoners, commoners are lower than nobles, and the higher the rank, the stronger the power to interfere in reality, that is, the higher the "authority".

In this respect, the fundamental logic behind any extraordinary system is to strive for a higher level.

Of course, in his notes, Doles considered himself a mere second-ring cultivator, unqualified to determine the logic of the existence of the extraordinary, so he marked it as just a conjecture.

The soul may be the highest level of original code. The soul and mind are the most complex, dynamic, and precise combination of "runes" in the world.

It is a piece of "living code" that can iterate itself, compile itself, and even affect the arrangement of the surrounding "runes".

Death is simply the "termination of this code" and the "scattering of data".

Dorsey's research aims to completely "write down" this "living code".

First, he needs to decode it.

Through a magical tool called the "Soul Mirror," it does not reflect images, but rather presents the fluctuations of the target's soul in the form of a faint aura.

He deeply binds his soul to the "Soul Mirror," using his own spirit as a "decoder" to translate the invisible soul fluctuations into rune sequences that he can understand.

Next came the inscription. Although he couldn't understand what the code he copied represented, Dores didn't care, as long as the code could run.

The most basic application is to completely imprint a person's soul on an image, much like a magic spell.

Different array patterns have different effects. They are arranged according to a certain logic, with several core elements providing the functionality, and then energy is injected into them...

Through a series of operations, like creating a witchcraft tool, a "read-only hard drive" is created, which contains a person's complete memories, emotions, and personality.

You can communicate with the "ghost" inside by touching it with your mental power.

This is Dores' ultimate goal.

He wasn't satisfied with simply archiving it; he wanted to make the code "run" again, enabling the soul network to self-sustain and self-repair, like a never-ending program.

This allows the "rune life" to perceive changes in its surroundings, that is, to perceive the world and react accordingly.

In short, everything should be done as if you were alive.

Yes, Dorales did so much research so that he could continue living.

The world after death is unknown, and the unknown is frightening.

The notes mention that after failing to advance to the third ring, Dores survived thanks to the necromancy ritual and has a lifespan of up to three thousand years.

But three thousand years is not enough time for a powerful wizard to grow tired of living.

In fact, for intelligent beings, immortality is undoubtedly a huge temptation.

As for the idea that immortality is lonely, painful, and a curse... are the people who say this stupid?

Think about it carefully: everything in the world is aging, entropy is increasing, and it is inevitable that everything will come to an end, but only you remain unchanged. Isn't that a great thing?

She's always complaining about this and that, acting like a nagging old woman. Is she a reincarnation of a nagging whale?

To sympathize with a long-lived species when it's just a short-lived one—that's quite a strange thought process.

......................................

Luo Kunlun flipped through the pages of his notebook, immersing himself in the ocean of knowledge.

Genius! Dorais is absolutely a genius!

His soul inscription is actually a consciousness upload, which involves completely scanning and digitizing his consciousness, memories, and thoughts, and then reconstructing and running them in a non-biological carrier to achieve the continuation of consciousness and digital immortality!

Regarding the issue of identity—that is, when multiple copies are made, how is identity defined, and am I still myself...?

He himself wrote in his journal that he was dying and that these things were not worth caring about.

Luo Kunlun kept flipping through the pages, knowing that this knowledge would be of great use to him!

"What an unparalleled genius!"

Immersed in it, forgetting to eat and sleep.

Luo Kunlun's spiritual energy poured into the book with great thirst, resonating with those exquisite theories.

When he turned to the second half of the journal, there wasn't much text left.

Instead, there are pages of flowing "runes" made of pure light.

Complex and vast, this is the knowledge of soul inscriptions.

Only those with a high-level spiritual power can barely "see" them, and Luo Kunlun happens to be able to.

He seemed to see a complete model of the world, the "code" of burning flames, and the "sequence" of birth and death of life...

Soon, only the last page remained of the book.

Luo Kunlun saw the end.

There were no runes, no writing.

There is only a deep, seemingly perfect circular symbol.

Like a black hole, a pupil, silently gazing at him.

The moment the symbol came into contact, a cold, mechanical voice seemed to echo within the nest.

Luo Kunlun could feel his energy flowing, his body even beginning to wither and carbonize, and the flesh and blood under his skin being lost.

The sound that emerged was a mixture of exhaustion, ecstasy, and endless indifference.

"I...I'm finally back!"

"Wait, why hasn't the consciousness overwrite been completed?"

The "resurrected" Dores was surprised to find that his consciousness data did not, as he had envisioned before his death, erode and assimilate the spiritual body of a qualified wizard in the distant future to complete his resurrection.

At this moment, he could feel his consciousness converging on a smooth mirror surface.

This is the outer shell of the crystal wall of Lokunlun's spiritual body.

Although Doles didn't know what this was, he could sense that his consciousness data was completely unable to shake this mirror.

"Oh no, I've been tricked!"

Dorexton sensed something was wrong; this guy had come prepared!

The next instant, panic, like ice water, extinguished the ecstasy that Doles felt upon his return to the world.

He could feel that his consciousness data, condensed from three thousand years of research and obsession, was silently bounced away the moment it came into contact with the crystal wall, just like waves crashing against rocks.

This is why he didn't silently possess and erode the wizard who had read the notes on the carrier of his consciousness, as he had imagined.

Assimilation failed, an outcome he had never anticipated.

Because it's impossible.

According to his calculations, unless a third ring is created in the wizarding world to integrate the world and expand outwards, the so-called wizarding world will only become weaker and weaker!

The wizarding world of today, and the wizarding community, are merely products of a group of weaklings excavating the knowledge left behind by the Adventists on the ruins they left behind after their departure.

As the strongest of his era, Doreth believed that 90% of the wizarding community were insects.

Even with extraordinary power and knowledge, they are still no different from insects. All their actions are essentially driven by immediate interests, just like ants attracted by honey.

With such a group dominating the world, what future is there? Perhaps one day, even magic will be exhausted.

It is obvious that the wizarding community is becoming weaker and weaker.

According to his plan, this modified notebook would be discovered in the distant future by a wizard who had managed to enter his secret base and take it away as part of his spoils.

A seemingly ordinary, even somewhat worn-out book, yet it contains all sorts of profound and unfathomable knowledge—this is its best disguise.

This book carries his soul's inscription; the book itself is a sophisticated, layered "soul program."

The entire reading process of this book is a meticulously designed and irreversible "mental invasion" process.

The first stage doesn't require high mental strength; even apprentices or ordinary people with strong mental strength and talent can read it. It records his basic understanding and exploration of magic in his youth.

With its clear theory and rigorous logic, it is an invaluable asset for any young wizarding apprentice.

Readers will be captivated, especially the apprentice with little background, for this is his chance to grow stronger. And this, unknowingly, connects the book to its power source.

The second stage requires a corresponding mental strength requirement, and the text becomes obscure, filled with abstract symbols and paradoxical descriptions, requiring readers to mobilize a great deal of mental strength to barely understand it.

This process of understanding is actually the reader's soul structure adapting to the author Dores's "encoding rules".

The "erosion algorithm" in the book begins to activate passively, like a virus, leaving tiny "backdoor programs" deep in the reader's soul. The reader may feel headaches and mental exhaustion, but the desire for the truth in the book will outweigh all warnings, which will be regarded as a side effect of resisting the special radiation in the book.

Dores understands wizards well, or rather, people's hearts.

The magic of profit seems to have a peculiar influence.

When profits rise to 10%, investment enthusiasm begins to rise, and people seem to be attracted by this small rate of return, eager to try it out.

When profits multiply to 50%, the allure of risk drives some to challenge conventions and take risks.

With profits reaching 100%, greed transcends moral boundaries, and people seem to disregard rules, resorting to any means necessary.

When profits grew to an astonishing 300%, the frenzied pursuit of profits even made some people lose their fear of the consequences, and they were unafraid to face even the most severe punishment.

If the benefits are large enough, readers will naturally ignore the risks.

In this way, the reader's soul gradually becomes a highly adapted "container." The erosion algorithm in the book begins to perform "data migration," and the reader's memories, emotions, and personality begin to be "overwritten" and "rewritten."

When the reader, with their last bit of willpower (or rather, the desire guided by the author), turns to the last page, upon seeing the rune, the entire "soul program" executes its final command the instant the reader gazes at the rune.

The reader's soul is ignited instantly as both a "sacrifice" and a "source of energy," and all of their spiritual energy is absorbed and assimilated by the book.

The author's soul inscription, fueled by the reader's soul energy, is instantly "downloaded" and "installed" into the reader's remaining, reset soul framework.

By then, he would no longer be the original reader, nor entirely the original Dores, but a completely new being.

A "reborn" entity that inherits the reader's body and incorporates some of the reader's memories as new data, but whose core consciousness and soul essence are entirely those of Dores.

It sounds wonderful; given enough time, I will be reborn one day.

Unfortunately, he never expected that there would be an outlier like Luo Kunlun.

Where did this thing on the surface of the spiritual body come from? And why is it able to block my erosion?

That shouldn't be the case. The difference between the first and second ring roads is enormous, and there's simply no comparison.

"Who are you?!" Doras's consciousness roared sharply, attempting to shake the crystal barrier with a mental attack. "What have you done? What kind of witchcraft is this? How did it allow you to cross the gap between the first and second rings?!"

Fighting across ranks, even within the same major realm, is not uncommon, but a one-ring opponent fighting a two-ring opponent is unheard of.

"Dores, or rather, Dores's 'legacy'," Luo Kunlun's voice appeared, communicating with Dores, "Your theory is powerful: the soul is code, the world is information..."

"Transforming yourself into a data life form is truly remarkable. I am but a mere mortal, incomparable to a genius like you."

Luo Kunlun has a clear understanding of himself. He is not a genius and his success today is mostly due to opportunity.

Nanomachines, and mental spaces.

..................................

Outside, Luo Kunlun's body stopped decaying. The lost energy was quickly replenished by the atomic furnace inside his body, his carbonized skin became smooth again, and his shriveled flesh regained its plumpness.

In just a few breaths, he returned to normal, as if nothing had ever happened.

He could clearly "see" that on the surface of his spiritual body, there was a storm of consciousness composed of countless runes, which was being blocked by a "firewall".

"You...you're actually alright?" Dores's consciousness was filled with unbelievable surprise. "The energy extracted by my possession ritual has been restored to you so quickly."

"What kind of energy conversion organ exists? With such a highly efficient energy organ, what strange creatures have evolved in this world, or perhaps something from another world?"

What exactly is this first-ring wizard?!

Doles could sense the energy source within Lokunlun's body; it was an energy organ he had never seen before.

This is not a simple witchcraft transformation; it is more like the product of another system.

It can provide a continuous source of energy; that's a terrifying function!

"Kid, what do you want?"

At this moment, Dores also calmed down. He knew that he would not clash with this somewhat special wizard.

This wizard is definitely not weak. He has that kind of energy organ, so he can unleash energy attacks at will. Providing himself with a carrier for a certain element is not difficult for him.

I possess a great deal of lost knowledge, and the two can certainly collaborate.

This sounds wonderful; it's a win-win situation for both parties.

But Luo Kunlun might not think that way.

"Do you think I'd stay and work with you because of the knowledge you possess?"

"But unfortunately, my answer is no!"

What?

Before Dores could react, Luo Kunlun directly took him into his mental space.

The next instant, Doles' consciousness was completely stunned.

He saw those runes, the knowledge he had spent his entire life deciphering, being extracted, broken down, analyzed, and transformed into groups of abstract information he had never seen before, yet whose meaning he could instinctively understand!

This is absolutely not witchcraft! It's a higher level of rule that he can't possibly comprehend!

"Damn it, I'd rather self-destruct than hand over my knowledge to a bastard like you!"

Realizing Luo Kunlun's purpose in an instant, his consciousness began to expand violently, as if he wanted to detonate himself.

He's Dores! A peerless genius who once came incredibly close to reaching the third ring! How could he possibly be treated like a lamb to the slaughter, manipulated by a junior?

When he was exploiting others and interrogating them for their knowledge, this kid's ancestors hadn't even been born yet!

Want to get your knowledge for free? Screw that!

Since I have no chance of survival anyway, I'll make this kid disgusting before I die!

"Self-destruction?" Upon seeing this, Luo Kunlun laughed. "You have no right to do that on my turf."

With a thought, the entire digital space instantly froze.

Doles's consciousness, poised to self-destruct, seemed to have been paused, rendered immobile. Like a program whose power had been cut off, it didn't even have the capacity to crash.

Then, Luo Kunlun began to dismantle Doles and extract his memories.

As for the collaboration that Doles wanted, Luo Kunlun rejected it in an instant.

This old monster is incredibly cunning. Although I have ways to counter him, it's hard to guarantee that he won't find a weakness.

Keeping him is too risky.

Moreover, if they directly dismantle Dores, they can get what they want, so there's no need for pretense.

A dead wizard is a good wizard.

...............................

While Luo Kunlun was dealing with Dores, some things were also happening outside.

New Bauhinia Kingdom, Northern Border, Rock City.

Jeep stood on the city wall, gazing into the distance. Two years had passed, and he had long since shed his initial confusion.

Now, as the commander of Rock City, he is responsible for guarding a border line that stretches for three hundred miles.

"Sir, there's some unusual activity at the border." A young guard ran over and handed over a report.

Jeep took the intelligence and frowned slightly.

A legion is assembling on the border, and it looks like it could launch an attack at any moment.

Intelligence indicates that this legion gathered under the pretext of suppressing the rioters in the Bauhinia Kingdom, while issuing them an ultimatum demanding that they immediately and unconditionally relinquish power, return their territories to the rightful heirs, and pay the price for their rebellion.

"Are these nobles idiots?"

He turned and walked down the city wall to the command center. On the huge sand table, every part of the border terrain and troop deployment was clearly marked.

"Pass the order: Level One Alert. Have the artillery battalion push all the newly arrived cast-iron cannons onto the city walls and load them with shotgun shells. Tell the soldiers below not to conserve ammunition; let those who come to their deaths have a good taste of our security guard's 'welcome gift.'"

"Yes, sir!"

That afternoon, bugle calls sounded along the border.

Three thousand "allied troops," carrying the old banners of the Bauhinia Kingdom, charged toward Rock City.

They had cavalry and numerous armored infantrymen, looking very imposing, as if they could already see the dawn of victory.

These are just ordinary civilians who took advantage of the chaos; they probably haven't even fought in a war.

As soon as our allied forces charge, those rioters will scatter like birds and beasts.

Even more extreme, some believed that their soldiers could fight ten rioters at once, and that one person could kill ten rioters!

However, what awaited them was a storm of steel that brought death.

"Fire!"

At Jeep's command, dozens of cannons on the city wall roared into action.

Clumps of black iron balls roared out, tracing graceful arcs through the air before crashing into the crowd. Each shell claimed dozens of lives.

Blood and flesh flew everywhere, and screams filled the air.

Those nobles who were once high and mighty had never seen such a terrifying scene. Their proud knightly charges appeared so fragile and vulnerable in the face of cast-iron cannons.

"Retreat! Retreat now!" The leading nobleman was terrified and turned his horse around to flee.

The "allied forces" collapsed instantly, and the soldiers abandoned their armor and weapons, scrambling to escape.

"Cavalry battalion, attack! Leave no one alive!"

The city gates swung open, and hundreds of security cavalrymen surged out like a black torrent. They rampaged through the fleeing enemy, turning the battle into a one-sided massacre.

The battle ended in just one hour.

Outside the city of Panshi, corpses lay strewn across the fields, and blood flowed like rivers. The Bauhinia banner, a symbol of the old era, lay upside down in the mud and blood.

On the Rock City side, apart from a few injured people, there were no casualties.

"Are these guys idiots?"

"How dare they attack Rock City! What arrogant fools! Don't they know our security forces are stationed here?"

.....

Inside the city's prison, guards mocked prisoners as they led them into their cells.