Inside the Braindance Simulation, Ethan found himself standing in a place that felt both familiar and distant.
It was his old home in the Seabrook University District.
Everything looked exactly the same as it had been fifteen years ago.
The worn wooden floor.
The soft sunlight falling through the window.
Even the faint smell of dust and old furniture—it was all real.
At that time, Ethan had been just a small child, not even six years old.
And his little sister, Sophia… she had only been four.
"This is your memory, Ethan."
A calm voice came from behind him.
Ethan turned slightly. It was Master Faming, standing quietly with a faint smile.
"You must use this memory to complete the AI construction for Sophia."
Ethan frowned slightly.
"What exactly do I need to do?"
Master Faming clasped his hands together and spoke slowly.
"You must recall your deepest memory."
"Not just what you saw—but everything."
"The sounds… the smell… the emotions… even the things you have forgotten."
"Only when your memory becomes complete… can the AI truly be restored."
Ethan took a deep breath.
"…Alright."
---
Memories were strange things.
Especially childhood memories.
Most of them faded with time, becoming blurry and incomplete.
Even Ethan couldn't remember much from his childhood.
But there was one memory…
One that stood out clearly.
---
It happened when he was about six years old.
That afternoon, he and Sophia were alone at home.
Suddenly—
CRASH!
The sound of something breaking echoed from the living room.
Ethan rushed over immediately.
What he saw was his little sister sitting on the floor…
Crying.
---
As this memory surfaced—
The world around him began to change.
The space twisted and reformed.
Two small figures slowly appeared in front of him.
A boy.
A girl.
Their shapes became clearer… more detailed… until they fully formed.
It was his younger self… and Sophia.
---
On the floor lay shattered pieces of porcelain.
A broken vase.
Sophia's finger had been cut by a sharp fragment.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she whimpered softly.
The young Ethan stood frozen for a moment.
"Sophia… what happened?"
"B-Brother… it hurts…"
Her voice trembled.
---
Ethan's heart tightened.
The memory continued to play.
The young boy quickly grabbed her hand, checking the wound.
"Wait here, I'll get a bandage!"
He ran off in a hurry.
Moments later, he returned and carefully wrapped her injured finger.
"Don't cry anymore… I'll clean everything up."
Trying to imitate their parents, he picked up a broom and started sweeping the broken pieces.
But Sophia didn't stop crying.
She clung tightly to his clothes.
---
"What's wrong? Does it still hurt?"
Ethan knelt down and gently held her hand.
Through her sobs, she said—
"Th-this is Mom and Dad's favorite vase…"
"I broke it… they'll punish me…"
---
The young Ethan hesitated.
Then—
He made a decision.
"Then… just say I broke it."
---
Sophia shook her head immediately.
"But Mom said we shouldn't lie…"
Her small face was still covered in tears.
Ethan gently patted her head.
"Then don't tell anyone."
"I'll take care of it."
---
Sophia looked at him for a moment.
Then—
"…Okay."
"Thank you, brother…"
Her tears turned into a small smile.
And suddenly—
She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
---
"Brother is the best!"
---
The young Ethan smiled helplessly.
"Hey… don't cling to me…"
He didn't know how to deal with her affection.
---
Watching this scene—
The adult Ethan also smiled.
This memory…
Had always been the warmest part of his childhood.
---
Because of that day—
He took the blame.
And later—
He was beaten badly by his parents.
His back hurt for days.
But even so…
Whenever he remembered it—
He only felt warmth.
Because to him—
That was what family meant.
---
Just then—
Ding—
A system notification appeared inside the simulation.
"AI construction in progress…"
"Progress: 50%"
"Please add more details."
---
"…What?"
Ethan's expression changed.
"Only fifty percent?"
"What's missing?"
---
Before he could think further—
Master Faming spoke calmly.
"This is normal."
"For the same memory… different perspectives exist."
"What you remember… may not be complete."
---
Ethan frowned.
"…What do you mean?"
---
Master Faming raised his hand slightly.
"Amitabha."
---
Suddenly—
The entire world reversed.
Time began to flow backward.
The broken pieces rose from the ground…
Reforming into a perfect vase.
The two children moved in reverse—
Returning to the moment before everything happened.
---
And then—
Ethan saw something he had never seen before.
---
One minute earlier—
Sophia stood quietly beside the vase.
There was no fear.
No panic.
Only a faint smile on her lips.
---
She glanced toward Ethan's room.
Confirming he wasn't looking.
Then—
She reached out.
---
Crash—
The vase fell.
Shattering instantly.
---
But that wasn't all.
Sophia calmly picked up a sharp piece…
And deliberately cut her own finger.
---
Ethan's pupils shrank.
"…What…?"
---
Footsteps approached.
"Sophia! What happened?"
---
In that instant—
Her expression completely changed.
Her lips trembled.
Her eyes filled with tears.
And then—
She burst into loud, helpless crying.
---
"B-Brother…"
---
Everything that followed—
Was exactly the same as before.
---
Ethan helped her.
Bandaged her.
Took the blame.
---
And she smiled again—
"Brother is the best."
---
But now—
That smile…
Felt completely different.
---
Ethan stood frozen.
His heart was in chaos.
---
"So… it was all an act?"
"She broke it herself…?"
"And let me take the punishment?"
---
He couldn't believe it.
That innocent memory—
Now felt strange… even unsettling.
---
"Did she… hate me?"
"Was she trying to punish me?"
---
For a moment—
Dark thoughts filled his mind.
---
But then—
He shook his head firmly.
"No."
"That's not true."
---
He remembered their life together.
All the years they had spent as siblings.
The laughter.
The trust.
The bond.
---
"Sophia would never hate me."
"She's my family."
"And I am hers."
---
His voice became steady.
His heart calmed.
---
"Even if something was misunderstood back then…"
"It doesn't matter now."
"Our bond is real."
---
"Blood is thicker than water."
---
At that moment—
Ding—
Another system notification appeared.
---
"Construction progress: 100%"
"Details completed."
"Initial AI construction successful."
---
The world around him began to fade.
Light dissolved into darkness.
---
And then—
A new space formed.
---
A vast grassland.
Endless and peaceful.
Blue sky above.
Soft wind flowing through green fields.
---
In front of Ethan—
A small figure knelt silently.
---
A girl.
Her entire body was made of silver—
Like liquid metal.
Smooth… shining… almost alive.
---
She looked exactly like young Sophia.
---
Her hands were clasped together.
Her eyes closed.
As if she were praying.
---
"This is… the AI?"
Ethan whispered.
---
Master Faming appeared beside him.
"Congratulations, Ethan."
"You have completed the first stage."
---
He looked at the silver girl with admiration.
"To succeed on your first attempt…"
"It shows how strong your bond truly is."
---
Ethan didn't respond.
He simply stared at the girl.
---
She didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Didn't react.
---
She was empty.
A shell.
---
But still—
This was the beginning.
---
The first step toward creating an AI powerful enough… to fight Johnny Silverhand.
---
"The first stage ends here," Master Faming said.
"Return with me."
---
The world shattered once again.
---
Back in reality—
Ethan asked,
"Are we continuing now?"
---
Master Faming shook his head.
"No."
"Your mind needs to stabilize first."
---
"For now… stay in the temple."
"Live with the monks."
Ethan nodded.
And so—
For the next few days—
He lived inside the Nine Lotus Temple.
He ate with the monks.
Chanted with them.
Even joined their daily rituals.
The only difference—
Was that he had no cybernetic eyes.
---
One day—
He sat among them in a circle.
Surrounding a signal tower.
---
The monks chanted softly.
Their voices calm and steady.
---
"Form is emptiness… emptiness is form…"
---
It was the Heart Sutra.
---
As the chanting continued—
Ethan felt something change within him.
The anger.
The violence.
The tension from Night City—
All of it began to fade.
---
His mind became clear.
Light.
Peaceful.
---
And more importantly—
Johnny Silverhand's influence disappeared.
---
For the first time—
There were no hallucinations.
No whispers.
No interference.
---
Ethan realized—
Master Faming had been right.
---
After the chanting ended—
He stood up and stretched.
Around him—
The temple was alive in a different way.
Monks with cybernetic eyes discussed technology.
Others operated drones.
Some adjusted signal equipment.
Buzzing sounds filled the air.
Drones carrying packages—
Flew down the mountain.
---
Inside them—
Were cyberware shipments from Night City.
---
Ethan watched silently.
---
This place…
Was not just a temple.
---
It was something else entirely.
---
A fusion of faith and technology.
---
A place where the past and future existed together.
And here—
Ethan would prepare himself.
For the next stage.
To create a true AI.
And to face Johnny Silverhand… once and for all.
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