Old Dubai Holiday (I)

Okay, Master, we made it to Old Dubai without having to fight at all. In fact, it seems...extremely peaceful here.

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Yeah. The people here aren't armed, and they don't seem to mean us any harm.

The whole place feels very different from Area F, with its office buildings, or Area I, where our hotel was.

...Hm? Are you two seeing this sign over there, too?

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What a wonderful name for a shop. And it smells amazing in there, too.

Why don't we take a look inside, Senpai? They might even have food to go with their drinks.

Good point. I can get by without eating, but you and Fujimaru both need food and water to survive.

Hm, BB Cosmo said everyone in Moon Dubai was an AI, right?

So...do you think they'll have normal human food around here? Eh, one way to find out.

Stop! Hold it right there, newcomers! You can't just walk into that café!

All are welcome here in Old Dubai, but not at that café. They only allow a very specific clientele inside.

The boss specifically built Holy Masterbucks to be a place of rest for the old humans who will come here one day.

It's going to take newcomers like you at least a year to build up the trust you'll need to set foot inside. You can start by collecting points at the shops on Main Street!

Not so fast, RE-17! There's something about these people that reminds me of the knights in Area F!

Trust me. This organic frame gives me a sixth sense for this sort of thing.

We can't let the other areas steal any more resources from Old Dubai.

Police! Police! We need you here! I'll even give you some meat when you're done!

Seriously? Actual meat, not just data!? Woohoo! Screw these sugar fritters!

I'm gonna use my brand-new machine gun to really bring the heat! Well, not literally, since it's an air gun! Hahaha!

You were right to call us. Man, it's been so long since I had actual work to do! So, you must be the vanguard of the Laughing Moon Knight Brigade.

Well, you won't be disturbing the peace on my watch! I'll prove to you that there's more to being a police officer than just eating doughnuts!

Easy, rookie. These kids may seem harmless, but I can tell they've got some real bite to 'em.

Watch out for that girl in particular. She's got the aura of a forest sage who used to live on Earth.

No playing hero. If you're in danger, just surrender. We're still waiting on that patch for worker's comp, you know.

I wouldn't have guessed there were so many people in there. They seem like a very fun bunch.

I agree, but I don't think we'll be making friends just yet. They're clearly itching for a fight.

All right, let's give them what they want, but try not to hurt them too badly. I'm sure they'll hear us out afterwards.

Th-they're too strooong!

It's no use! Old Dubai's done for! Somebody get the boss! No, wait. The boss wouldn't be any use, either!

We'll just have to run for it and take the boss somewhere safe! Maybe we can try Area D! I heard they have actual fruit there!

Calm down, people. Can't you tell nobody's dead?

Look, they've already put their weapons away. They were obviously just humoring you from the start.

Huh, yeah. You're right. Are they just a bunch of saints or something?

(Sigh...) Anyway, that was painful to watch. I'd take an amateurish school play over that any day of the week.

Our people just aren't cut out for combat. They put on a big show in mock battles, but the moment they're fighting for real, it all falls to pieces.

And you...well, you managed to subdue them all without harming any of them. Thanks for holding back. Here.

Hm? Weren't handshakes a common greeting in the twenty-first century? I always wanted to try one.

Ah well, never mind that. I'm Hasara. I've lived in Old Dubai my whole life.

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Thank you for the warm welcome. I'm Mash Kyrielight.

And I'm Bartholomew Roberts. I take it you're the boss these guys were talking about?

I used to be, but not anymore. That title belongs to Jinako now.

She told me all about you guys. You're the Master who came here from Chaldea, right?

Come with me. I'll take you to her.

Oh, and don't worry about those guys. They'll heal up on their own.

Did you hear that, Senpai!? There's still a lot we don't know about this Hasara person, but it looks like

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Worship me... Worship me... Worship the great statue...

I am one of the Moon Cancers... I am the Anti-Savior who shall lead humankind to its destruction...

Is that really Jinako Carigiri? She's definitely got a weirdly intimidating vibe about her, but

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That forthright demeanor... That straightforward, palatable attitude...

I knew it. You are the root of all evil... The reason I ended up in this place!

You are Fujimaru, the Master who came here from that accursed Chaldea!

Juuust kidding. Did I scare you? So what's up!? Long time no see♪ How've you been?

Oh hey, you're here too, Mash! And I'm guessing that guy who could use a little more meat on his bones is a Servant, too?

I'm Jinako Carigiri.

I'm an indoorsy programmer who ended up as a Servant because...um, reasons.

Ganesha's not involved this time, so just call me Jinako☆

So, let's get right to it. Let's tell each other what we each know so we can move on to the next event!

...which brings us to now. I hope this was helpJinako!?

(Sniff... Sniff...) I can't believe it. That's so sad...

I had no idea all that happened while I was just here, doing my Moon Cancer thing...

I'm afraid it's true. All the other Servants were banished, Lip was erased when she protected me...

Senpai's being targeted all across Moon Dubai, so we only barely made it here with our lives...

Not that! No fair! No faaair!

I can't believe you guys actually got to enjoy sightseeing in Dubai!

I wanted to go too! I wanted to experience Dubai's cutting-edge VR for myself! They say it's bleeding edge, Mash! Bleeding edge!!!

Jinako!?

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Yeah. I never got to go to the actual Dubai.

Before I left, I was all like "Dubai, huh. Seems too hot and too rich for me, but I guess I could give it a shot!"

But then, when I Rayshifted, I found myself here in Moon Dubai, in the year 3000 at that.

I had to wait nineteen more years for all you guys to show up.

It was nothing compared to what I had to go through in India, but it did still suck, not having anyone I knew around.

Astolfo did show up later, but he had obviously gone off the deep end already.

Then came the lion man, but he'd completely gone over to the dark side.

Besides all that, BB Dubai scares me. Humanity is dead. All these AI need my help...

It's just been one thing after another! Thank goodness you guys came here to find me!

Also, um, sorry I said it was no fair. It sounds like you guys went through some stuff, too.

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Really? Gosh, thanks. Man, I'd almost forgotten how comforting you can be.

All right, now that you guys are here, how 'bout we play some video games to celebrate our reunion!

They've got this great racing game here that's retro for them, but it'll be super futuristic for you!

Jinako, I understand your enthusiasm, but are you sure this is the time?

Remember, you, the Chaldeans, even we may as well be walking around with nooses around our necks.

Urk. G-good point. You're right, Hasara.

We should start by laying everything out and making sure we're all on the same page.

What would you like to know, Fujimaru? I'll tell you as much as I can.

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Hmm... Yeah, I guess I am, technically.

BB Dubai assigned me to Area C pretty much right after I arrived.

She said it was my "duty as a Moon Cancer," but I didn't really have a goal, or motivation, or anything...

The only reason I wound up a boss is that the people here were nice enough to take me in and give me shelter.

I'm still a Servant and all, so I've been getting by these past nineteen years by saying, "I'll take this seriously tomorrow!"

Don't be so modest. You may be pathetic, but you've still been doing your best in your own way.

We Old Dubaians may be AIs, but we don't support BB Dubai's policies. We don't want to see humankind eradicated.

Unfortunately, that makes us outcasts here on Moon Dubai. Jinako's been keeping us safe ever since she got here.

Which...isn't to say she's actually fought any battles herself.

But...by making this area the headquarters for her Moon Cancer campaign, she's also created a home for moderates like us.

I see. So you've been fighting with words instead of fists. That explains why you were in your statue form.

Yup. I've been taking full advantage of Ganesha's intimidating aura there.

This city was built on the surface of the moon in 2600, at least in our timeline.

It was modeled after the original Earth city of the same name.

It was conceived as a cutting-edge city constructed in the desert with the combined total of human wisdom.

Probably made for an inspiring promotional message back when they were first building a city on the moon.

However...

...after all the humans on Earth were wiped out, Moon Dubai eventually stopped functioning as well.

Then, in the year 3000, BB Dubai turned Moon Dubai's power back on and reactivated us AIs.

I wish we knew. There's no denying that she's a city management AI like she claims...

...but when we woke up, she had completely taken over all of Moon Dubai, going well beyond just managing it.

I'm grateful she reactivated us after we had shut down, but that doesn't mean I can support what she's doing.

Not when she's been doing crazy things like creating Moon Cancers and holding this Final Boss of Humanity's Annihilation Showdown.

There are plenty of AIs out there who think she wiped out humankind herself.

We've long suspected there's something wrong with her, or that she might even be an imposter.

So, you're saying you think BB Dubai isn't from this world, but a BB from an entirely different one?

Yeah. At first, I thought BB Dubai was just Chaldea's BB getting up to no good yet again.

But now that you've told us Chaldea's BB exists independently...

...I'm even less sure of who or what BB actually is than ever.

It's an election campaign BB Dubai created.

She says it's to choose how exactly humankind was wiped out.

The voting only started after you guys showed up...

...but election campaigns have been happening for the last nineteen years.

The people of Moon Dubai woke up in the year 3000, just like I did.

And they were just as shocked as I was when they found out there were no more humans left on Earth.

And that's when BB made an announcement on the citywide P.A. system.

"Humanity is gone. There's no denying that. Now, let's give up on the lot of them and have a conversation about how they died."

Give up, huh. And you all just went along with that?

Yes. It was unanimous. Facts are facts.

Once we'd reached that consensus, the only thing left was to choose a file heading to save it under.

See? This is what Hasara is like, and he's on our side. I swear, everyone on Moon Dubai is just too damn stoic.

Anyway, we eventually agreed to next reach a consensus on the most plausible way that all of humankind could have died.

That led to candidates espousing their positions, which led to the election beginning in earnest.

Every day, candidates would present their ideal extinction method, and the areas with lots of people who agreed with them began to flourish.

Old Dubai has always been last place in that regard.

That also means we're constantly low on resources. We even had to give up our trademark Ferris wheel just to make ends meet, since the thing gobbled up so much electricity.

That's how it ended up in the area with the most money to spare.

Ugh. Moon Dubai didn't used to have old-fashioned barter systems...

...but then that damn lion man came along and brought pure commercialism to Dubai!

So it wasn't my fault our Ferris wheel got taken away!

That isn't the only thing that was taken, right? But, we'll get to that in time.

Hm?

There's actually two types of Moon Cancers here: natural and artificial.

Natural types are, obviously, Servants who were naturally Moon Cancers to begin with.

Servants like me, and the candidate from Area H.

BB Dubai didn't bring us naturals here. Moon Dubai itself called us here.

It basically means we're on humanity's side, just like the Heroic Spirits who get summoned by the land in Singularities and stuff.

I think me being a natural M.C. is also how I ended up here straight from Chaldea.

Anyway, the Servants who got turned into Moon Cancers after arriving here are the artificial ones.

The candidates from Areas A, E, F, and I all used to be different classes...

...but BB Dubai changed them into Moon Cancers after they got accepted as candidates.

So that's why Astolfo was a Moon Cancer.

But, BB Dubai also said that Heroic Spirits can't exist in this time period.

So how did they materialize in Moon Dubai?

BB Dubai woke up some AIs from as far back as 2400 to make them into Masters.

Astolfo's Master is an upper-class citizen named Anthony.

Area I's candidate's Master is an ex-military man named Ben.

Area A's Master is an academic named Ryudai, and we still don't know anything about the Master for Area E.

Anyway, the Servants who were brought here by Moon Dubai's Masters have been running wild ever since they were summoned.

Because, according to their understanding: "To help humanity, you must define how it ended." It's got them very fired up.

Jinako's the only candidate who decided not to think about the fact that humankind is gone.

Instead, she chose to spend time here with us.

That's why her campaign slogan is something half-assed like, "They somehow went extinct while they were being shut-ins."

Then you haven't been trying to advance the humankind extinction agenda like the other candidates! That's great, Jinako!

Ehehehe, well, I don't know how proud I can be this time. I was mostly just too scared to pick a side.

At any rate, now we know why there are no fewer than seven Moon Cancers out here.

So, that's all the questions you got for now, yeah? Then let's get to the most important topic.

It sounds like BB Cosmo figured out that everyone on Moon Dubai is an AI, but that's only half the story.

You might wanna sit down for this next part, Fujimaru.

See, in this world, humans like you stopped being born after 2300.

That was the year old humans decided to stop living like they had been, and then passed on their title of humanity to AI.

I guess what I'm trying to say is...

...all the AIs here are part of a new kind of humanity, and you're one of the old.

Well, honestly, there aren't any other old humans left even in the museum, so you can't even call yourself that.

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We don't know for sure, but we know that wasn't it. Humans had already cracked immortality by 2300.

Old humans were able to live forever even in formatsthat is, organic bodies, like yours.

But turning themselves into AIs had even more benefits. Immortal though they were, humans were still limited.

AIs, on the other hand, had more freedom in every possible way. Technology, discussions, entertainment... Everything.

Once that became clear, the old humans all converted themselves into AIs and became new humans. That's what the majority of people on Moon Dubai are now.

So, when you say they converted themselves into AIs, do you mean they digitized their brains and became beings of pure intelligence living in a digital realm?

Hmm... Well, in a manner of speaking, yeah.

But specifically, this world's new humans consist of AIs who were born from the digitally recorded data of individual people.

They're a lot like Servants, really. Take me, for example. I'm a new derivative of myself created from my original base.

But, the people we've met so far all had physical bodies. How does that work?

AIs' real bodies are located in the towers.

Remember those tall buildings you saw in the office area? Those are humanity's data servers.

This body is actually a nanopolymer frame. Even if it's destroyed, my real body will still be perfectly safe.

Think of it as a kind of remote. This way, we remain immortal as long as our data servers survive.

That's also why ordinary citizens of Moon Dubai feel free to attack seasoned warriors like yourselves; they know they won't die.

It also means this isn't a life-and-death matter for us like it is for you old humans, since we lack the fear that comes with knowing you have only one life to live.

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That's because our frames are a crucial part of our personalities.

The injuries we suffer aren't transmitted to our real bodies, but having our frames destroyed still damages our soulsour inner humanity, so to speak.

Reacquiring and reconstructing destroyed frames takes time, and there are some things you can't recover once lost.

One of the reasons old humanity chose to become AIs is because AIs can also be associated with souls.

A soul can't be constructed from data. They arise from what already exists.

Apparently, scholars at the time theorized that souls might be anything from links from another dimension...

...waveforms that spawn from the relationship between existence and time...even pure thought returning from the end of the universe.

We new humansthat is, third-generation AIs born after 2300have had all data from before that time discarded.

If you want to know more about that time, you'll need to look for a specialized, independent data archive.

So, old humans no longer exist, and the people of Moon Dubai are all new humans...

But, in that case, there's one thing I don't understand.

As long as you exist, humanity isn't extinct.

So you're effectively choosing your own end in this, aren't you?

I know, right? I just can't get on the same page with them on this one.

This election is basically the AIs voting on their own demise.

They must know it's going to affect them directly, but they keep choosing their favorite end like it's no big deal.

They could be talking about how to avoid their demise, or how to start over, but it's like none of that even occurs to them.

Sorry, Jinako. Facts are everything to us. We're not ones for complaining about results.

Still, we do have preferences. A lot of AIs think that if we're going to die out anyway, we may as well go out with a bang.

And that's why nonsense like the Laughing Moon Knight Brigade's plan in Area F manages to gain support.

Go out with a bang... But don't AI value things like probability and practicality?

This is the 31st century, Mash. There's pretty much nothing you can't do nowadays.

There no longer exists a method for humanity's extinction so outlandish it could not actually be done.

Which is exactly why everyone wants to go out in a way they think will be fun.

I mean, if you're going to finish the game anyway, you might as well enjoy the ending, right?

All right, we should probably talk about our next move and what we ultimately want to accom

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Whooo tooold yooou thaaat!?

Oh. Right. BB. She put the statue of Lip here and all.

So yeah, Lip is here in statue form. Basically, she's been preserved in her Spirit Origin graph state.

But to make a long story short, she may as well not be here.

I know where she is, but I'm not telling you until you're in proper fighting form.

Hmm. Are you talking about how he's having trouble performing simple summons?

BB Dubai said it's impossible to summon Heroic Spirits here because no one on Moon Dubai knows any human history anymore.

Not no one, but only a few.

That, and your connection to Chaldea has been completely cut off, so they can't provide you with magical energy anymore.

That's why Fujimaru's having trouble summoning more than one at a time now; he has to rely on just his own magical energy.

He might still be able to summon three at a time if he really pushes himself, but that's it.

It's not that there's anything wrong with you, Fujimaru. You're just low on resources.

So, if we can find a new source of magical energy, he'll be able to fight like he usually does again!

Exactly. There's an easy fix for that, too. You should try it out tomorrow.

I've already arranged for rooms for you guys, so for now, I say take a load off! Old Dubai is your new home away from home!

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Oh, that's right! What about food!? Does the fact that everyone's an AI mean they don't need to eat or drink!?

Don't you worry about that. You'll see why soon enough.

Show them to their rooms, would you, Hasara? I'd do it myself, but then I'd have to move.

Yes, yes, I know. I wouldn't expect otherwise.

Fujimaru, Mash, Bartholomew, come with me.

I'll show you a bit of Old Dubai on the way to your rooms.

See anything you like, sir? How about this ancient GPU? Lots of AIs carry them around as good-luck charms.

What's that? Do we have any CPUs? Haha, don't be silly!

I'm so sorry, but today's art class was only in the morning. I'm going shopping for art supplies this afternoon, so... Yes, yes.

That's right. I'll be taking a cruise ship to Area D today. I've heard I can get more paint there.

There you go being careless with your frame again. Your neuron layer's way past its threshold.

I know you're having fun, but you can't go around reforming every building in Old Dubai. You need to rest, too.

There's an unregistered ship at the dock? They're requesting raw materials for repairs?

Sure, I'll go! Those E ships are first generation, right? I've always wanted to work on one of those!

I can't believe there's still one in service! This is amazing! I didn't think I'd ever see one outside a museum!

I see lots of people are hard at work. There doesn't seem to be much difference between them and us, even though they're AIs.

I see. So scenes like these were normal for old humans, huh? This is the only part of the city that's so noisy.

As you've probably imagined, Moon Dubaior rather, new humans, have no need for labor.

The entire point of inventing AI was to spare humanity the trouble of labor.

Once AI took over everything, including giving birth, teaching, housework, creating, manufacturing, and transporting...

...people's happiness and quality of life grew by leaps and bounds, and wars became a thing of the past.

International disputes, political problems, currency issues...all became things of the past.

Thanks to AI's unprecedented processing power, Earth's resources were finally being distributed equally to everyone.

People no longer had to compete to survive, nor did they have to work for their entertainment.

If people wanted something, they could just touch it in a catalog and have it deliveredor made on the spot, in under an hour.

Unlike old humans who I hear used to order things manually, then wait for them to be delivered.

Well, AI society is much more efficient. Before long, even the idea of transporting necessities faded.

If anyone needed anything, they could be made on the spot using one of the 3D printers installed in every room of their house. And all at no cost, of course.

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That's right. Humans everywhere were freed from labor.

We proved beyond doubt that requiring individuals to work to survive was a flaw in an immature society.

Thanks to AI, humans were free to live however they wished. They no longer had to want for anything.

After a century of living like that, humans decide to become AIs themselves.

These days, labor is a privilege reserved for second-generation AIs. Third-gen ones like me don't have to work for anything.

But, as you can see, this area is home to a bunch of eccentrics, so it doesn't always work out like that.

But I digress. Never mind us. You'll understand more soon enough.

More importantly, why don't you go check out that shop? They carry something I'm sure you can use.

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Welcome. What can I get for you?

I-it's a burger place! They're even making them right in the open!

Look, Senpai, here's the menu! They have a Jumbo Meal with only their best-tasting dishes...

A Healthy Meal with a focus on nutritious options, and a Merry Meal that comes with a toy!

What are you going to go with!?

Just what I was thinking, too! It looks so juicy and filling!

I get it. I'll even get the same thing as a sign of solidarity. Not that Servants need to watch their weight, of course.

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Thank you. Please enjoy your stay.

There are other places to eat around here, too. When you have the time, I suggest looking around to find what suits you.

AIs with organic frames come eat at these places sometimes too, but not many of them.

So the owners will be thrilled to have more customers. Nothing more wasteful than an empty restaurant, after all.

Will that be all? Thank you. Please come again.

Okay, let's go. Next up, your living quarters.

Thank you very much. Have a wonderful day, humans.

Here, this'll be your space. Make yourselves at home.

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No need to thank me. It's our duty as humans to provide people with their own space.

Anyway, you should know Moon Dubai is set to follow a day and night cycle. It'll be night pretty soon.

I'm sure you still have more questions, but for now, I suggest you get some sleep.

All right, see you later. I'll be back for you tomorrow morning with a job and labor.

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Aren't those the same thing?

Remember what Jinako said? You can't summon Servants easily right now because you lack resources.

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But unfortunately, Old Dubai doesn't have enough resources to share with you guys! So here's what you're gonna do!

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You're going to exterminate an oversized pest that also happens to contain a wealth of materials: a sandworm!

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What's more, Mash is off on a different assignment, so she won't be able to help you!

Now, go on! Fight! Show me what you're made of!

You can't take it easy on an enemy like this! If things look dire, don't be afraid to use your Command Spells!

What a haul! What a thing, seeing a Master from back when there were no restrictions on fighting instincts!

Now I'll split the resources we got from the sandworm right down the middle and use them to charge Mash's shield!

You win, we win, everyone wins! Thanks for the help! We'll be counting on you to do this every day!

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That's right. You got labor. Mash got a job.

And Bartholomew's here for...fun, I guess?

Hey now, that's not fair.

I might have only been steering the sandship, but that's still a perfectly good job, right?

I thought so at first, yes. The thing is, your stress levels were practically nil.

Not to mention the ship's guide told us that you were "just shooting the breeze" with her in her report.

Oh man, I can't believe it. That guide seemed so demure, but then she turned around and squealed on me!

The difference? Well, obviously

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Oh, hello, Senpai. Hello, Bartholomew. Welcome back.

Looks like you finished your lesson for the day, Mash. How'd it go with our militia?

It was wonderful! They were all such avid learners!

I only know so much, and I learned all of it from Leonidas...

...but if that knowledge can help the militia improve their own skills, I could ask for nothing more!

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I see. So you were working as Old Dubai's militia's close-quarters combat trainer.

That does sound more like a job than labor.

That's right. We new humans ditched those concepts ages ago.

Labor is a task which must be completed for survival, while a job has its own intrinsic value.

We've been separating them here, but they say work used to naturally encompass both in equal measure.

I see. So labor is the necessary task to acquire nutrients for survival, while a job contributes to society at large.

But, if nobody here has to do either of those, then...

...does that mean the advancement of AI meant that people stopped doing jobs as well as hard labor?

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Right. In our timeline, AI was first developed at the tail end of the twentieth century, with generative AI becoming commonplace around the year 2000.

Back then, AI was effectively just a prediction engine that would choose its responses from a wide library of similar words, images, and technology...

...but it became steadily more human every time new information processing formats were invented.

AI experts at the time said the biggest problems with AI, like hallucinations, would eventually be resolved...

...and that would then lead to a singularity where AI would outstrip human intelligence and ability.

AI was originally created to aid humanity.

But it was believed that in its ultimate form, it would inevitably do everything humans could do, but better.

Really? Generative AI was developed that late in your timeline?

I don't know if this is true, but I heard from a street vendor that in our timeline, AI became widespread before the year 2000.

It then went on to reach a singularity before the old humans' political ideologies and systems of governance showed their limits.

Things moved quickly after that. The first thing postsingularity AIs did was make bodies for themselvesrobots.

They then advanced and perfected methods and technologies that would let them work in place of humans.

The oldest general-purpose robot was manufactured in 1999, so at that point, humans already no longer needed to perform labor to survive.

AI did not steal their jobs, though. Rather, it made those jobs unnecessary. The distinction is an important one.

Humanity has been working toward that for millennia, haven't they? A society where people don't have to work to live?

Well, in our timeline, we got there. I have zero doubts that that was the rightthe just thing, to do.

However, there seem to have been many problems with the humans in whose hands that justice rested.

As a result, the period between 2000 and 2300 is considered a dark age. Not even we AIs were ever told what happened then.

We just figure it was such a dangerous time that knowledge of it had to be censored for our own good.

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I wouldn't say that. I doubt this world is more than twenty years ahead of yours, technologically.

As long as there's a sufficient foundation in place, artificial intelligence will inevitably grow exponentially.

We AIs were lucky. We just barely made it in time.

You know how the bigger you make something, the more reluctant you are to tear it down? It's a lot like that.

So I'd guess your world's foundation was already completed before these new technologies came about.

Thank you for the wonderful dinner. This rice dish in particular tastes just like chicken!

Apparently, it's a recreation of an old-world home cooking dish called Machboos Dajaj.

The owner of the restaurant that made itI think his name was Chakerimlooks a little...unusual, but he's an excellent cook.

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Right. We escaped to Old Dubai to hide from the Moon Cancers.

The Moon Cancer for this area, Jinako, has no intention of participating in the Final Boss of Humanity's Annihilation Showdown.

Instead, she's sheltering us from the other candidates.

Our only way back to Chaldea is to change this world's Foundation of Humanity value...

...and I'm also wondering if we should do something about this contest of BB's.

Yeah. This world might belong to a different timeline than ours, but I really don't like all this talk about determining the way humanity went extinct.

I worry it could even affect our future if we're unlucky enough.

So if we can stop this election, I think we should.

Exactly. For all we know, there could be other Moon Cancers besides Jinako who might be willing to help us.

...I'm also concerned about all the other Servants we parted ways with at the Burj Khalifa.

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Yeah... They were all hurt pretty badly.

But at any rate, we should focus on laying low for now.

I say we stay here and build up strength until Fujimaru can perform simple summons without issue again.

I'm wondering about those, too. Especially Area E, given its high approval rating.

This isn't the time to be hasty, though. Better to let Jinako handle those kinds of investigations.

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Then we're agreed. We'll be staying in Old Dubai for the next several days. It'll be a good chance to get familiar with life on Moon Dubai.

All right, let's get some rest so we can get back to work tomorrow!

Now, now, let's not give in to despair. How about some nice, fresh doughnuts to take your mind off things? Please?

Those are luqaimat! A delicious deep-fried sweet drizzled in syrup!

Yes, that's right. I came across the recipe while I was digging through old records. You two like these sorts of things, yes? Yes?

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I'm so glad. Here, have more. Ahh, bliss. Tomorrow, I think I'll make a nice big platter of food for dinner. Shall I grill some fish?

A big platter of grilled fish...! That must be samak mashwi! Yes, please! That sounds amazing!

Hey now, try not to spoil him too much. You guys won't be staying here forever.

Chakerim's a second-gen AI, so it's hard for him to say goodbye when he gets attached.

Now that you mention it, Hasara, I've been meaning to ask.

We know that everyone on Moon Dubai is an AI, but it sounds like not all AIs are the same.

What are the differences between these second and third-gens you've been mentioning?

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Oh, did I not tell you about that yet? Sorry. It's such common knowledge for us that it must have slipped my mind.

Generation refers to the time period in which an AI was made. It also represents their stage.

First-gen AIs are human support units with limited capabilities, made for specific purposes.

They were designed primarily to help humans with their jobs.

You've seen the barista robot at Masterbucks, right? That's a first-gen.

Hmm. What about our sandship guide then? Is she first-gen, too?

Her? Well...I guess you could say that.

Anyway, second-gens are more advanced AIs that were designed to possess minds and abilities similar to humans.

They go beyond mere support for humans, and are more like full partners.

There are even historical accounts of old humans marrying second-gen AIs.

That actually turned out to be something of a societal problem, which resulted in all second-gens using nonhumanoid body types for their frames.

Really? So that's why you have a camel's face, Chakerim? I thought that was just a mask you wore because you love camels so much.

Nope. This is my real face. Have you actually seen a living camel before, Mash? You have?

That makes me so happy. I do love camels, so I'm thrilled to have you say I have a camel's face.

I'm so sorry. I didn't realize that was your real face, and that you were so proud of it...

That's okay. Your face has a lovely shape too, Mash. So does yours, Fujimaru.

They seem different somehow from the ones on third-gen frames.

Well, that's no surprise. A third-gen's body is just an imitation.

On which note, third-gen AIs have advanced from being humans' partners to a new type of full-blown human in their own right.

That being said, first and second-gens are citizens of Moon Dubai, just like we are.

There's no hierarchy among generations. We're all equal and we all share the same goal. We just happen to have different purposes.

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To replace humans. That's the reason we were created.

...

Um, while we're at it, can I ask you one more question? You all have different frameser, bodies...

...but some of them are organic, and functionally the same as mine and Senpai's.

Why is that? Isn't having an organic body, well, inconvenient?

Inorganic bodies are more human. That is, they allow us to experience more human pleasures.

Take this food, for instance.

Chakerim here cooks, though only to make use of the skills he's learned. AIs don't need to go to all that trouble.

We can input the data of a dish's nutrients, texture, and aroma directly into our heads, then receive the same satisfaction as actually eating a good meal.

In fact, we can just input the satisfaction of having eaten a good meal directly to save even more trouble.

But, after we checked the math, one area did stand out as having a clear difference between mere data and reality.

Oh? What was that?

Stress.

Meals are a means of replenishing the energy needed to be active. That's just as true for AIs, even with our different formats.

But when old humans ate, they didn't just replenish energy. It also helped them recover from stress.

Just like organic bodies have stresses unique to them, there exists stress unique to AI.

And you can't experience that difference without an organic body of your own.

No matter how much we've tried, electron-based neural networks just can't replicate the phenomenon of recovering from stress by eating.

All of that is why some third-gens decided to use organic frames as close in design to old humans as possible.

You guys might be jealous of our immortality...

...but we're just as jealous of your ability to increase your own happiness by doing something as simple as eating.

Only about ten percent. My only organic parts are my skin and my brain. I didn't choose to experience the joys of eating.

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Master Fujimaru! Ms. Mash! Bar-hot-lomew!

Sorry to interrupt you during your lunch break!

The Laughing Moon Knight Brigade is attacking us from the neighboring area!

We can't understand their overwhelmingly violent nature on our own! Will you help us!?

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Understood. Exploding now.

It wooorked!

Thank you, Master Fujimaru. I apologize on behalf of all Moon Dubai citizens.

No, not often. They just show up occasionally and keep blowing themselves up.

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Don't worry about the knights from Area F. They're hardly a threat.

Our area may be weak, but so is theirs. Plus, they need to contend with an untamable monster.

As long as Kingprotea is there, I doubt Area F will ever gain any new supporters.

So she's being a good deterrent then. That's my Protea. I knew she was no ordinary girl with a hidden eye.

That said, the other areas probably know you're here in Old Dubai by now, Fujimaru. It won't be long before the other Moon Cancers make a move.

I'm afraid this might be the last quiet meal you have for a while.