Project: Alternative

Chapter 7: It's hero time (Jun)

While waiting for the results of the scan, I was browsing through the System Records of the Server, especially about magic. I have to be prepared on how to fight in this world.

My abilities as a Coder weren't really meant for combat. It was only useful for fighting Bugs and Dump Files. I wouldn't have time to write out commands when fighting sentient creatures like mages and soldiers. Also, I had to be wary about showing off my abilities as a Coder.

According to the System Records, there was no such thing as "Reality Magic." If Pekora would ask someone who was good at magic, she would find out that I was sort of lying. Magic in this world could be simplified into one thing: "Doing magic costs mana. The greater the effect, the more mana you need."

For example a spell that affects one person would take lesser mana than a spell that affects a group. Also, the more complicated the effect, the more mana was used. A spell that would push an object required lesser mana than a spell that would translate languages.

I tried looking up some magic from the System Records and started coding them. To prepare for any enemies, I had to make a Patch for myself. Preferably, an offensive one.

What was a Patch? I said that everything could be a code, right? What if I told you that even actions could be a code? Learning how to cook a meal could be broken down into codes. Those codes are read by the brain and would bring out a proper response. Even knowledge could be a code. Memorizing the multiplication table could be turned into a code.

A Patch is a collection of codes about knowledge. For example, I could make a Patch about martial arts. If I install that Patch to myself, I would be an expert martial artist despite having no training. The only hard part was converting it to a code.

Luckily, the System Records contain everything there was to know. All the needed information was in there so I could analyze and convert it to a code. That's right. I was learning magic. All I had to do was properly code it and I could cast a Fireball or something.

However, there was a limit on Patches. Every person had a different "Memory." Whenever a Coder would install a Patch, it would cost Memory. Kind of like installing software on a computer. A Patch about complicated spells would have larger Memory than a Patch about cooking.

Here was the twist: as a Coder, I have infinite Memory. If I wanted to, I could learn every single magic and skill at once. But where was the fun in that? What was the point of becoming skillful on everything? The point of living was acquiring experiences and skills. If you learn a skill instantly, you are taking away the spice of life.

And besides, "using" was different from "mastering." Learning how to use Fireball was easy but mastering it was hard. For example, even if I learned how to use Fireball, it would be useless if I don't know when to use it. You need real experience to effectively use a skill.

This time, however, was an exception. I was in a world where killing was common and monsters existed. They were different from Bugs and Dump Files so I had to fight them using their own rules.

A violet screen appeared with a message from the Administrator.

[Suisei Hoshimachi ID found. Location: Fallster Forest]

I looked up information about Fallster Forest and a chill ran down my spine. It was a forest that was filled with dangerous monsters and was around 300 km west from here.

This was bad... I had to go to her immediately or else, she wouldn't survive!

A violet screen appeared in front of me and I placed the commands [move_self X:637.94827309513 Y: 427.19036482749 Z: 12.74927883721]