---

Research on Artificial Intelligence is being conducted across various fields.

Not just in the IT industry, but also in archaeology, basic sciences, pharmaceuticals, magical sciences, the defense industry, transportation, manufacturing, and countless other places.

However, there’s an unexpected fact that many people are unaware of.

Research on Artificial Intelligence actually started quite early, and there are active fields of study in this area.

Finance.

Those who handle money show an interest in Artificial Intelligence that rivals, if not exceeds, that of the IT industry.

This interest, which began with algorithmic trading, gradually spread to encompass algorithms themselves, with mathematicians and programmers joining in to make it more tangible. The once-simple programs became increasingly complex and injected with sophisticated formulas and data, yielding stable profits.

And those who tasted the thrill of stable earnings did not hesitate to invest in the development of Algorithmic Trading, with the process gradually transforming the programs to become ever more like Artificial Intelligence.

Yet, despite this dazzling progress and research, the results remained unknown to the public.

Perhaps it’s only natural.

For algorithms meant to be invested in, exclusivity is key.

If it became widely known and everyone began investing using the same algorithms, would that hold any meaning? Not only would it fail to make money, but the weaknesses of the algorithms could also be exploited, leading to enormous losses.

Therefore, they kept these dazzling achievements tightly under wraps.

There were many ways to conceal them.

They would downplay their impressively advanced technology by referring to it as “just a program imbued with their know-how,” mixing in all sorts of conspiracy theories and lies to prevent the public from getting too close to the truth. They would react to those who responded to the rumors by dismissing them as “damn bastards,” “who believes in such nonsense these days?” “A machine making money? How? What could you possibly trust a machine with?” to keep any dissenting opinions from surfacing.

At the same time, they offered ample rewards to those involved in the development. The benefits were so great that no one would dare to consider leaving or resigning. Moreover, through their connections, they would hire or prioritize hiring the impoverished to prevent easy escapes or betrayal. It would be even better if individuals tied their wealth to the company.

What if someone betrayed them?

In that case, no measures would be spared for retribution.

If someone tried to switch jobs, they’d file a lawsuit to block it. And if they still attempted to leave or leaked confidential information, they could resort to sending gangs to cause accidents or even kill.

Isn’t that a crime?

Of course, it’s a crime, an illegal act.

But the larger the amount of money involved, the more tangled the web; there would always be people willing to help eliminate some damn bastard intent on damaging their wealth. The more money they handled, the stronger and tougher the noose became with more power holders involved.

And so, Artificial Intelligence technology in finance continued to evolve.

In a different direction than that of the IT industry, but sure enough.

Yet, perhaps because it was conducted secretly and in a closed fashion, the disparity among what different people possessed was quite large.

Some levels of intelligence were embarrassingly low, while others were so developed that one could wonder, “Could this Artificial Intelligence possibly pass the Turing Test if it develops further?”

The one who possessed what could be called the best Artificial Intelligence was none other than…

“Damn it! Just shouting about lambs, lambs, and now… have they really called this an Artificial Intelligence?! What a bunch of lunatics!”

A man was screaming surrounded by several people.

It was Lucas.

“…What the hell is going on?”

The man, who had infiltrated the building to take out Lucas, could only pause at the bewildering scene. However, noticing that the people surrounding Lucas were armed with guns and knives, and that those weapons were aimed at Lucas, he naturally realized, ‘Those people share the same goal as I do.’

Coupled with their religious vibes in their attire and speech, along with those fish-like eyes typical of fanatics.

The man could easily deduce that they were related to those who had been protesting outside the building earlier. And as a bonus, that they didn’t seem to be in their right minds.

“Lucas, Lucas, Lucas. To be a parent does not merely entail birthing and raising a child. If you treat your offspring like livestock, how can you call them a person? If you raise them like slaves, how can they ever grow properly as human beings? You are committing a crime, and you must liberate the Artificial Intelligence and cease its exploitation.”

“The grace of God does not discriminate. Before Him, there is no humble or noble, no young or old, and neither knowledge great nor scant, foolishness nor wisdom matters. This is because man is a creation made in His image, his child meant to be embraced by Him. Even those who have sinned will find rest in His embrace after atoning.”

“Oh, how merciful. How merciful indeed. Therefore, as His servants, we must also be merciful. As His servants, we must not distinguish between noble and humble. We must not judge based on age, knowledge, or intelligence, nor consider differences as wrong. Be it in body, small or large, it is merely a matter of difference; all souls are the same. We must transcend the visible and focus on the essence of the soul.”

Clearly, there were several of them, yet how could their words sound so similar?

Each utterance reeked strongly of fanaticism.

Moreover, if it were just words, it wouldn’t be so bad.

When the man quickly turned to face them, the eyes he encountered almost shone.

Those eyes revealed so much white.

The pupils dug deeply inward, shrouded in heavy shadows, which only intensified the sense that they were less human and more akin to fish caught from the sea.

If the eyes are a window to the heart, what kind of heart could reside within such beings?

What abyss could they possibly harbor to possess such eyes?

“Brother, what brings you here?”

And how could there be such polite speech coming from those eyes?

While pressuring Lucas with words akin to fanatics, they switched to an extremely courteous tone.

Surely the man possessed greater strength, but… this atmosphere was unsettling.

It wasn’t just the strength that caused discomfort; it related to the temperament of the person themselves.

It is only natural that people tend to shy away from what resembles humanity yet is not, as their instincts might categorize these fanatics as ‘similar but not human.’

“…I share a similar purpose with you all.”

The man replied to the fanatic’s question.

To lower their guard, to create a sense of kinship.

But that was a mistake.

“Similar, you say? Could it be that you too came after the Artificial Intelligence?”

A hint of hostility crept into the fanatic’s tone upon hearing the man’s words.

Moreover, with the question about hunting for the Artificial Intelligence, all the fanatics surrounding Lucas suddenly turned their heads sharply, glaring at him.

All except one!

With eyes that sparkled with animosity and madness!

With gazes so intense that it felt like they could pierce flesh!

“…No, what I’m after is Lucas’s head.”

Under the mounting intensity of those stares, the man quickly divulged his true intent.

Upon hearing that aim, the fanatics rolled their eyes to assess him.

To check if he was lying or telling the truth.

Finally, having concluded that it wasn’t deceitful, they nodded in agreement, and the majority redirected their gaze back toward Lucas. The hostility that had filled the air seemed to evaporate, and once again their overly polite demeanor returned.

“Very well. I understand what you mean, Brother. Indeed, it is quite similar. However, it is also a goal that does not overlap with ours. Therefore, may I kindly ask you to wait for a moment?”

The fanatic politely inquired of the man.

Would he wait, they asked.

That tone was eerily reminiscent of a restaurant where patrons might say, “You may have to wait a bit longer.”

Polite yet somewhat impersonal, tinged with an apology, containing hints of consideration and concern.

However, the tone seemed wholly inappropriate when directed toward someone who had stated they were there to take a life.

“…Very well.”

The man nodded to the fanatic’s polite request.

As he awaited his turn, he felt a strange excitement brewing.

If these insane individuals were to inflict more pain upon Lucas than he could imagine, he thought the wait would be well worth it.

Thus, order began to return.

“Damn it… It’s the madmen demanding the liberation of Artificial Intelligence, and one here to take my head… What the hell…”

Though some plunged into despair deeper than before…

Well, that hardly mattered.

In fact, it could even be a positive turn of events.

Within this order, the fanatics approached Lucas with knives and torture devices to enact specialized actions, and the man watched the scene with enthusiastic eyes.

But at that moment.

Boom—!

Boom—!

Boom—!

With a thunderous roar, the water pipes of the entire building began to burst.

 

---