The Cheat Goes Online

In a hazy daze, Borne seemed to see blindingly bright lights, with several blurred white figures hovering around him...

Beep!

"What is that sound?"

Beep...

Beep... beep...

When Borne's consciousness returned to his body, his brain felt as if it had been split open and stuffed with a wad of cotton; it was swollen and throbbing with pain.

Magic backlash!

On top of that, his mental energy was severely overdrawn; controlling two fifth-circle spells simultaneously was still too much of a stretch for Borne.

As his body slowly regained sensation, a tingling numbness spread through his neck and shoulders.

A series of sounds echoed in his mind...

"Beep, system is initializing..."

"Spinal nerve connection established..."

"Visual nerve connection established..."

"Cerebral neuron connection established..."

"Module area startup..."

Although his brain still throbbed with unbearable pain, his heart trembled with uncontrollable excitement.

Borne swore that this was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard in his life!

Unlike others, whose Ioun Stones hovered around their brains, Borne's was fused directly to the cervical vertebrae at the back of his neck, where it connected to every neuron in his brain.

The tingling sensation slowly faded, and a strange yet familiar interface appeared before his eyes.

"It worked?!"

Even though he had performed countless deductions and simulations, now that it had truly succeeded, Borne still found it hard to believe, and the Breathing Technique he had practiced for years fell into disarray.

Borne sat on the ground in silence for a long while.

Hoo...

He took a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart!

The image was projected directly onto his retinas; currently, the system consisted of nothing but a massive stream of zeros, ones, and a mess of chaotic commands.

That was right, this was a blank system.

It was a "computer" with all the hardware but no operating system!

No matter how miraculous magic was, it couldn't conjure a system out of thin air, but since the most difficult hardware was already finished, writing the system programs was merely a matter of time for Borne.

As it happened, he would have plenty of "free time" in the near future.

The magic backlash was quite severe, and he estimated that he wouldn't be able to use magic for at least a month or two.

The Intelligence Chip utilized a human-brain-like architecture.

Although it was called an Intelligence Chip, it was not actually a true artificial intelligence.

To reach the level of AI seen in science fiction, there was still a very long road ahead.

Fortunately, Borne didn't need all those flashy functions; he had no use for Minesweeper or games.

The earliest computers were used for military ballistic calculations and testing firing tables; computers were, after all, meant for computing!

The Intelligence Chip was the same: its purpose was analysis, calculation, and storage!

Analysis and calculation were simply basic logical modeling and analysis—collecting data samples and performing comprehensive analysis and simulated deductions based on the subject and the data stored in the storage area!

This function was combined with Borne's exclusive mage runes to assist in execution.

As for storage, it could record everything the subject experienced.

Having experienced memory loss after transmigrating, Borne knew that sometimes the human body's own memory wasn't reliable; in a world of the extraordinary, there were too many ways to deceive a person's five senses!

The hippocampus was the memory center of the brain.

The storage area connected to the neurons of the hippocampus, sharing information.

Even if the subject's senses were tampered with, the storage area would faithfully record the true information!

One week later, in the underground laboratory.

"System! Scan my entire body, optimize data information, and display my physical condition!"

Borne issued the command in his mind.

As for the name of the chip, that was his own little quirk.

From today on, he was a man with a system too!

Heh heh!

"Beep! Scanning initiated... Optimizing current data..."

"...Scan complete."

A mechanical Chinese voice echoed within his mind.

Before Borne's eyes appeared a three-dimensional model—it was his own body.

The Chip, connected to his visual neurons, projected the image onto his retina, with various data points labeled beside the 3D model.

Borne Ioulaum (Human)

Wizard 7 / Arcanist 3 / Monk 3

Level: 9

Base Attributes: Strength 1.9 (↓0.8), Agility 1.5 (↓1.0), Constitution 1.1 (↓1.2), Intelligence 4 (↓5), Perception 0.4 (↓0.7), Charisma 8

Status: Cerebral neuron weakness, multiple capillary ruptures; casting magic and meditation are prohibited.

Recommendation: Practice Breathing Technique 89 times; rest after 369 minutes. Estimated recovery in 21 days. It is recommended to combine with medical treatment to accelerate recovery.

Formula: ...

This was data far more detailed than an [Identify] spell!

"It's going to take that long? Although I had prepared for the worst, the result is even worse than I imagined!"

Despite the grim data before him, Borne still felt a sense of relief.

Using two 5th-circle scrolls simultaneously had already exceeded his control; suffering only mental damage was the lightest possible outcome.

But it was fine; this was the perfect opportunity to test the Chip's functions.

"System, build a model and simulate an optimized Breathing Technique."

"Beep! Task established! Scanning subject's physical data, character model building!"

Suddenly, a stream of pale blue data cascaded rapidly down the side of his field of vision.

Inhale... Exhale...

As Borne controlled his breathing, a translucent 3D figure appeared in the right side of his vision, continuously simulating and adjusting through specific movements and frequencies.

A massive waterfall of pale blue data was rapidly reorganized.

"Data collection complete!"

"Optimization starting, estimated time required: 112 minutes."

"Oh? Less than two hours, that's fast!"

Borne raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

Time passed quickly.

Ding...

The Chip's mechanical voice sounded again.

"Breathing Technique optimization complete. Each session takes 17 minutes. Combined with the specified movements, efficiency is increased by 15%. Perform three times daily; estimated recovery of subject's injuries in ten days."

"Ten days?!"

Borne was astonished.

He had practiced the 'Breathing Technique' for so many years and had made adjustments along the way, thinking he had fully adapted it to his own body. He never expected there to be so many flaws!

"System, transmit the Breathing Technique to the memory bank!"

Borne ordered impatiently.

A massive amount of information was transmitted directly into his mind, and soon he discovered a brand-new memory had taken root.

"This is..."

The new 'Breathing Technique' incorporated a vast amount of information and memories from Borne's past life, including not only the postures of the Taoist guiding art 'Baduanjin' but also various 'martial arts' routines like Indian Yoga.

In the past, Borne had actually suspected that those 'martial arts routines' from his previous life might not have been mere flashy displays; it was simply that the supernatural did not manifest on Blue Star, so those techniques never reached their true potential.

Furthermore, Borne hadn't dared to practice them blindly, causing him to miss out on a treasure trove.

Now, with the System Chip to perform deductions and simulations, his final shortcoming had finally been addressed.

The deduced information was extensive. Even with Borne's current mental power, it would take three to four hours to fully digest. The data contained a wealth of details, such as at which stage of the breathing cycle to extend the inhalation, how many CCs of air volume were required, and how to coordinate muscle and joint movements with the breathing force.

The System's simulation was not the final, complete version; there were still many processes within the deduction that required verification. The 'martial arts' data contained numerous 'technical terms' that had to be validated in practice.

Since it was simulated by the Chip, even if this part went wrong, the damage to his body would be minimal. After all, for any minor internal injuries, there was always 'Healing Divine Magic' to fix them.

Borne's eyes glowed.

They were truly glowing!

This was a manifestation of his mental power reaching a certain threshold.

Although the simulation and deduction through the Chip could not yield perfectly accurate results, they were 80% to 90% there. Scientific research was the same; from theory to product, it required multiple experiments, constant practice, verification, and further experimentation—a continuous cycle.

And one of the truly important components was the theoretical part; experimental verification was always practice based on theory.

This process is the same when applied to magic; runes, magic circles, structural combinations, and the like all require massive calculations and deductions. This task, which consumes the most time and energy, will now be solved by the system chip.

Hoo...

Borne took a deep breath, adjusted his emotions, and then couldn't wait to verify his hypothesis.

"System, establish an arcane project, deduce the spell 'Firebolt'."

Borne's eyes burned with fervor as he issued the task to the chip.

'Ding. Extracting "Firebolt" data. Commencing deduction simulation. Estimated time: 1138 minutes.'

"Nearly 19 hours, then..."

Borne frowned. "System, synchronize deduction and intervene."

'Ding...'

Instantly, a massive amount of data was projected onto his retinas.

"Here... here... substitute the deduction..."

Four hours later.

'Ding. [Firebolt] deduction complete. Simplified by 57%, 17 optimized routes found, incantation reduced by 37 phrases...'

"Brute-force method, huh..."

Borne rubbed his temples. Without his intervention, the system would have calculated every single option, consuming a vast amount of time.

It was a pity that software programming wasn't Borne's strong suit. If he hadn't studied the underlying code of supercomputers in his past life, the deduction level might have dropped several tiers.

"The mechanical chip still has its limitations. Developing new programs must be put on the schedule."

Although Borne used the chip to replace a "personality," the binary mode was far too simple; it couldn't even be considered a true AI. Its so-called "logic" was merely a pre-set program.

Simplicity also meant that it required a large amount of hardware space to function efficiently. This was why supercomputers were so massive. If Borne wanted to further improve his computing power, he would either have to start installing various hardware or craft more "Chip Ioun Stones."

The former was unrealistic, as the disciplines involved would be equivalent to moving the entire modern civilization of Blue Star over, and Borne lacked that capability. The latter was feasible, but not right now; after all, the "chip" was impossible to explain. One was fine, hidden within an "Ioun Stone," and since Borne wore it around his neck, it would basically go unnoticed. Even if discovered, it would only be considered a special "Ioun Stone," but having too many would easily invite suspicion.

Every special "Ioun Stone" is unique!

"System, transmit data, assist in constructing the projection!"

Borne thought to himself.

'Ding...'

'Data transmitting...'

'Transmission complete.'

Complete information regarding [Firebolt] appeared in Borne's mind, including the specific modifications and improvements made.

"Start projection, initiate simulation construction..."

[Firebolt] was a 0-level cantrip, posing no difficulty to Borne at all, yet he still followed the system's construction.

The entire process was like placing a sheet of paper over a drawing to trace it; it was even simpler than copying the answers.

Following the direction of his fingertip, a thin line of fire instantly sank into the rock of the wall!

For a split second, Borne's mental power surged, and the injuries caused by the magical backlash actually recovered slightly.

"This is... the Weave?!"

Borne was slightly startled.

It was the emergence of a new magic that triggered a resonance with the "Weave," soothing the mental damage caused by the magical backlash.

Although he already knew that the system chip's modification had exceeded 70%, he hadn't expected it to trigger a "Weave resonance." Low-level arcane arts could no longer pull Borne into the Weave, but they could restore his mental damage.

"Does this count as exploiting a bug? In the future, whenever I suffer a magical backlash, I'll just create some new magic and let the Weave 'heal' me."

Having regained his ability to cast spells, Borne's mood improved significantly. His thoughts began to wander, but he soon shook his head.

Magical backlash was truly painful; he never wanted to experience that feeling a second time, and he might not be so lucky next time.

The appearance and name of a spell might remain the same, but the emergence of every arcane art represented that this magic had been interpreted and cast in an entirely new way!

"It seems I really have created something extraordinary!"

This was only a 0-level cantrip. What if it were a high-level spell?

9th circle?

Or even a super-tier spell above the 10th circle?

The higher the circle of the spell, the harder it was to master. The sheer volume of calculations alone occupied a vast amount of the caster's time and energy.

In the library, 5th-circle spells occupied an entire bookshelf!

The higher the magic, the more it involved. Sometimes, the unfolded structural diagrams alone could cover an entire room.

That wasn't even mentioning other factors like incantations, modeling, projection, and so on. It wasn't just a matter of reading along; the mental frequency and the way of projecting into the Weave differed for every spell's author.

It was already difficult enough for a learner to imitate; they had to go through a massive amount of trial and error, adjusting the spell to their own casting style before they could successfully cast it.

To seek change and innovate to achieve the path of the Arcanist, the difficulty is increased tenfold!

This is precisely why there are many spellcasters, but few Arcanists.

Even Dean Giles, Borne, and Concinnio are merely Legendary Mages, not Arch-Arcanists!

The gap between them is not just significant; it is immense.

And the reason why Borne's grandfather, Count Ioulaum, holds such a high status in Nether is because he is one of the few most likely to ascend to the rank of Arch-Arcanist (Legendary Tier).

Every arcane art is like a mathematical problem; setting aside the deduction function of the Chip system, the sheer computational power of the system alone would make any spellcaster drool with envy!

Now, this is truly "using a cheat code"!