"Activate, 'Scribe,' initiate diagnostic scan on the target!"
[Command received. Executing command. Deploying 'Scribe.' Commencing scan of target unit.]
Four translucent crystal panels descended slowly from the air, positioning themselves around Dolly. Upon the command, the panels turned toward her, emitting blue beams of light. The crystals then began to rotate rapidly around her as the center.
[Artificial carbon-based lifeform. Current status: critically weakened, near death.]
"Access her computational system, probe her genetic factors, and analyze her Personal Reality."
Superpowers, officially termed "Personal Reality," are defined as "the artificial creation of one's own reality"—in essence, "you create your reality." It's an esoteric explanation.
Thus far, while most organizations in Academy City possess data for testing and training superpowers, few truly understand the precise composition of these abilities.
Samuel was among those few.
Superpowers, or "Personal Reality," are theoretically grounded in the idea that "the information humans receive is not obtained through conventional physical senses but perceived through the mind."
This "mind" does not strictly refer to the brain. Despite the immense computational capacity of espers, their brains differ little from those of ordinary people.
The "mind" leans more toward intangible concepts like "intuition" or "telepathy"—things difficult to define.
Perhaps the religious concept of a "soul" is a more fitting term.
Superpowers originate from the soul, which is linked to the physical body. This explains why all twenty thousand clones derived from the genes of the future Level 5 Railgun possess "Electromaster" abilities.
However, because they are clones, their physical bodies and souls are misaligned, leading to suppressed emotions and underdeveloped abilities.
Samuel's theory was not mere speculation or sentimental conjecture. While he couldn't definitively prove the existence of a soul or fully define the concept, he had sufficient evidence to support his hypothesis.
Until a new theory emerges to thoroughly disprove it, his stands.
Science, after all, is a relentless pursuit, a continuous exploration.
There is no eternal truth, only knowledge that evolves ceaselessly.
Now, let's introduce our protagonist, Samuel, and what he's currently working on.
Samuel holds many titles: one of only two Level 5 espers in Academy City, designated "Eternal Variable"; Director of the Prometheus Institute; shareholder in the majority of Academy City's assets; head of the Judgment disciplinary committee; decision-maker in the underground powerless organization, Rule; and chairman of the Prometheus Group.
These are impressive, but to him, the most significant is his identity as a "Transmigrator."
Transmigration refers to crossing time and space, and a transmigrator is one who accomplishes this feat.
Regrettably, Samuel didn't achieve this himself—it had nothing to do with him. It was entirely facilitated by an entity called the "Ark of Civilization."
Where is this "Ark of Civilization"? Samuel doesn't know, but he can "see" it.
It's an enigmatic space, filled with endless gray-white mist flowing like water, dotted with crimson "stars." Some are large, others tiny; some lurk deep within, others float on the surface.
They seem within reach, yet as elusive as reflections on water.
At the center of these stars hovers a mysterious orb.
Golden threads of energy weave across its surface, like a flowing river cycling endlessly... yet the initial stream, upon returning to its origin, becomes a new one.
The surrounding crimson stars shimmer constantly, as if sharing a special connection with the central orb, responding to it every moment.
They seem to exist, yet also seem intangible, undergoing infinite multiplicative changes every instant, yet appearing unchanged.
When Samuel focuses on this golden orb, he realizes it's a world.
A world composed of data, where every life, object, and minute change spawns new processes. These processes multiply and intersect, developing endlessly.
This world exists perpetually between established calculations and newly generated ones, its essence defined by ever-growing computation.
Transmigration, then, is the process by which the "Ark of Civilization" identifies a gap, pulls Samuel through it, and slips him into another.
Of course, Samuel has no memory of this process. While he can harness the power of the "Ark of Civilization," he's merely a passenger.
Like a human picking up an ant, walking a few steps, and setting it down in a new world.
Samuel didn't notice anything; he simply arrived here.
His twenty-something body, for reasons unknown, became that of a seven-year-old. Fortunately, he could still grow.
His luck held when an Academy City researcher, using technology, identified him as a "Gemstone" and brought him back.
Samuel suspects his "Gemstone" status is tied to his transmigration.
The researcher? Don't ask. Let's just say their time was up.
Samuel's superpower is "Calculation and Learning."
Beyond differences in ability and consciousness, an esper's strength is measured by "computational capacity."
Every esper is like a computer, their computational capacity akin to internet speed. The greater the capacity, the faster they achieve their goals.
Their abilities are like software used online, with applications akin to websites. Higher computational capacity means faster ability activation and access to other techniques.
Samuel's ability is computational capacity itself—the "network."
Theoretically, he's a blank computer, starting with nothing but the system.
But with a network, software can be downloaded. Websites can be installed.
Samuel can emulate others' computational patterns, thereby replicating their superpowers.
So far, he possesses only basic abilities like "Pyrokinesis," "Aerohand," "Optical Refraction," and "Electromaster." His interest in Dolly stems from wanting to study and upgrade her "Electromaster" ability.
After all, the gap between individuals can be greater than that between a human and a pig.
The talented and the mediocre are worlds apart.
Software running on a low-end computer versus a high-end one? The performance difference is night and day. If the opportunity arises, of course you'd upgrade...
***
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