LOCATION - I'VE GOT A PLAN

|Location: Wasteland, battle|

-OMNISCIENCE-

Without any moment to waste, Zero leaped away. Then, as Zero leaped high, SAI automatically refilled the energy in his muscles and bones, causing his body to steam up. His body's luster and vitality had returned to his bone-dry appearance. With all the adrenaline he is experiencing, Zero feels as though he could take on the entire world.

With the surrounding fog gone and the sun shining brightly over the wasteland, Zero could make out abandoned buildings both over the horizon and close to the land's edge. The area is surrounded by a long-forgotten ancient civilization and is composed of a vast sea of dark trees with numerous pits and craters. Additionally, in Zero's opinion, it appeared as though a forest had emerged within a sizable city.

Zero landed with his two feet directly on the ground. Dust whirled around him, and as it began to settle, SAI materialized in front of him. The biometric scans of Dia that Zero had previously requested were now complete.

[Dia, biometric check]

[Dia- uncategorized species]

[Cells on her body behaved like those of a plant; her entire body is continuously photosynthesizing.]

Zero is shown anatomy diagrams and data about her abilities, including her capacity for regeneration, her capacity to influence the plants around her, the composition of her body, particularly the materials that make it up, and the particular biological mutation that occurs in her body. Everything has been written in great detail. where the update is visible to Zero.

Additionally, SAI described how her body is currently functioning differently from how it did in her previous form.

Zero can't help but picture Dia as a person with a few plants attached to her body based on the report he just read. Additionally, he can't help but say it aloud. "Wait, does she now qualify as a plant lady because of this?"

Even though SAI's voice was monotone, it expressed dissatisfaction. Zero can't even begin to imagine it. SAI tried to describe what happened to Dia as simply as it could.

[In a striking analogy, her head's antlers are functioning as a solar panel, soaking up the sunlight above her.]

[A genetic source discovered the presence of Elysia Chlorotica genes.]

Zero switched his mental image from a plant person to a slug with Dia's face on it and asked, "Are you saying she's a slug?"

[Affirmative.]

Due to its host's agreement, SAI is powerless to prevent letting it go. Based on its analytical upbringing, it also concluded that Zero might need more explanation of the difficulty that its host will face. It was therefore decided that it was necessary to remind him.

[Additionally, she emits signal waves that interfere with the flora's cycle of growth, allowing for the manipulation of the plants around her.]

Zero replied, assuring him that he was aware of what it said, "No need to say that, I saw it first-hand," but he also didn't seem to be aware that he was having a decent conversation with SAI. He then pondered where his slug foe might be. "Anyway, where is she?"

SAI immediately displayed the location of the "slug enemy" of its host.

"It seems that she's getting close to where I am," Zero said, glancing at the map, which showed Dia was on the move and heading in his direction. [Detecting life signatures is approximately 21 km away.]

Zero then remembered not to be complacent and to raise his guard, and despite his confidence before when he said that we can end Dia, he doesn't have the slightest clue what he needs to do to defeat it. Beating it into a pulp seems reasonable, but he also reasoned that it would be pointless because her vines would block him before he could even land a hit, and even if he did, pure physical damage would be useless because she has an extreme capacity for regeneration. Therefore, he chose to ask for the thing that could help him.

"Then, do you know how to defeat her?"

Zero only stared at SAI's [-_-] in one of its panels with confusion.

[To extinguish her life energy. When the central core is taken out, her body will stop functioning.]

Zero is presented with a holographic visual presentation of Dia that includes all the information he requires. When Zero examined the information in front of him, he remembered what he had seen in the update he had just received.

He gasped a little and stared at it with skepticism in his eyes, but he also was powerless to deny it since he knew it was a reliable SAI analysis. "This is the seed for Yggdrasil, right?"

[Affirmative.]

Zero was able to recall everything he had read in the files, including how it had been planted, how to filter, the project's name, and even the diary log. Zero has a nagging suspicion that he is the victim of some kind of elaborate ruse. When Zero realized that there were still things he needed to know in addition to what this world could teach him, he clenched his fist. However, he was unable to consider it further when he suddenly felt the ground tremble.

Zero appeared to be satisfied with something as he said, "I see," but he quickly dissipated when he noticed Dia was approaching.

"Nuk already told me he's okay with killing his sister."

[Target approaching in 9 km.]

Zero relaxed his body before jumping up again into the air, where he and Dia met eyes with one another. He smirked, making Dia irritated by it. Her face burned red, and the veins on her forehead grated against her skin as she screamed in frustration.

Zero saw this and immediately covered his ears; he learned his lesson a while ago and wouldn't want to repeat it. Dia then screamed her anger out. "Zero!"

"Phew, that was close." Zero sighs in relief, and he starts to run towards Dia through the tree, using it as a foothold.

"From the looks of it, she's the strongest opponent I have ever encountered. Anyway, SAI, can you help me?"

When Zero woke up after his encounter with the "Network," he didn't get to see what Dia looked like properly, but now that he saw her up close, he could immediately tell fighting her wouldn't be that easy.

Knowing the only weakness that might kill her right now would be difficult to achieve. But SAI immediately answered its host.

[Affirmative, New function has been unlocked.]

[Due to the increase of authority, Aid has been unlocked.]

[Aid can-]

"I have no time for that; she's attacking right now!" Zero cuts it off before it even starts with a lengthy explanation. The moment Zero and Dia are nearby, Dia immediately launches an attack, and Zero slides downward to avoid it. Zero tried to rush forward and try to do what he had done before, but vines suddenly formed a protective shield around his attack.

Zero backed off, barely managing to avoid the sudden attack as Dia grinned and threw a flying thorn right in front of his face. Dia clicked her tongue when she saw her episode and only managed to scratch Zero's face. "I missed."

Dia hurriedly launched her vines in Zero's direction without allowing him to breathe. Zero quickly dodged Dia's attack when she whipped her vines in his direction, but Dia kept attacking him relentlessly.

Zero realized his weakness and immediately asked for assistance when he could no longer keep up with Dia's continuous, heavy whippings. "SAI, help me!"

Zero experienced an unexpected halt and body glitch. He then observed his body vanish and then reappeared directly behind Dia. After a brief moment of confusion over what had just occurred, Zero seized the opportunity to hide behind one of the nearby trees. He had never experienced anything like this before.

[Is the host willing to listen now.]

Zero was confronted by SAI when she appeared out of nowhere.

The SAI was a monotonous companion that did speak more than was necessary and in particular, it never spoke as if it had an ego, so Zero was taken aback by what he heard. However, Zero has recently gone through something unexpected.

Zero said, his eyes widening, almost shrieking, "Wait, since when did you talk like that? Did it happen because of the update?" However, he succeeds in controlling his tone and keeps Dia at bay.

"And what just happened?"

[Host finally noticed.]

[Due to the update, the system is now able to think and make decisions separately from the host but only to a certain degree.]

Zero still couldn't believe what had happened, and no matter how hard he tried, nothing came to mind. "What about something that just happened?" he asked.

This is where SAI appeared in a panel with a detailed explanation under the heading AID.

[Why can't the host just listen to what I have to say? ]

Zero tried to scroll down, but the text in front of him never came to an end, leaving him feeling attacked by what he saw. When he realized SAI was about to give him the short version of the new function, he attempted to laugh it off, but he interrupted himself. He was now experiencing some awkwardness over it.

SAI continued and quickly provided a brief explanation.

[AID, a new feature, has been added.]

The host can use [AID] to analyze and reenact the skills that are listed in the database. AID can independently recreate an ability while the user uses another. Storage data has a finite amount of space, so it's best to consider all your options before choosing what to record or replace.

When Zero heard something new for the second time, SAI's comment immediately captured his interest. He could even recall the moment he had first met Nuk. His reservations abruptly vanished. "Abilities? You mean the ones I see Nuk using, even his sister's?"

[Affirmative.]

Zero wasted no time and questioned, "How can I use those?"

After that, Zero felt a surge in his brain, and information about four abilities was immediately ingested into him. [Link creation and file transfer started.] Anna's pyrokinesis, Joshua's teleportation, Nuk's ability to manipulate earth, and Leila's healing ability of it were quickly engraved in Zero's head as if it were his in the first place.

After that, Zero grinned as he started thinking of a strategy to deal with Dia.

"SAI, prepare yourself—I've got an idea."

•••••••••