Source Code
The one-sided beating continued for a little while. I actually got even worse at fighting because I was adjusting to the mental strain of downloading while also trying to concentrate intensely on the fight. However, that paid off fairly quickly.
The most crushing part of the sparring so far had come when Gilda could throw me or knock me down in some other way. If I didn't immediately escape, she would usually go into some grappling technique to force me to submit. That was really demoralizing, not to mention exhausting. However, shortly after I starting downloading martial arts forms, I came across a style that was designed for grappling, called Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Once I started applying those moves, it became more difficult for Gilda to force me to submit.
That improvement in my performance helped my confidence recover a bit. The constant intense movement was also helping me regain some of the physical conditioning I had lost by secluding myself inside the simulations for so long. So, gradually I was able to hold my own to some degree. However, I was still outclassed, which prompted a question I didn't actually mean to ask out loud.
"... how can she be so fast and strong without magic?"
I was surprised when Gilda answered because I didn't even realize I had said anything.
"Every cell in my body is a manufactured product, precision-engineered for maximum efficiency and output. I cannot use magic. However, my body and mind are the results of technology that, by humans standards, might as well be magic. If it just comes down to body strengthening and enhancement, this level of technology is not in any way inferior to magic."
It was amazing she could spit all that out while continuing to attack me at a furious pace. She really did mean to answer my questions while we fought. Trying to keep up with her, I managed to croak out a reply.
"...so technology isn't actually always weaker?"
She seemed to be enjoying the conversation. Maybe she thought of it as just another way to show her superiority.
"Not at all. Our technology is vastly superior in some ways. However, when it comes to defending against purely magical attacks, our technology has not found a solution, other than using monster materials as armor."
She calmly said that last bit while she forced me into submission with an arm lock. After I was painfully forced to tap out, I found myself feeling really thirsty.
"... I need a break... just a few minutes to get a drink..."
She popped up as if nothing was wrong and looked down at me lying there.
"I'll be right back with some drinks and a snack."
It was a bit eerie to me how her mood and attitude seemed to improve so much just from beating the crap out of me. I guess she had some pent-up frustrations to vent. As she left the room, I sat up into a meditating position and tried to calm my breathing and heart rate. The nanites were working overtime to deal with the damage, so I was actually in reasonably good shape despite all the wear and tear.
By the time Gilda came back, my heart rate and breathing were once again under control. I had also increased my download rate to take advantage of the mental downtime. I found that I could now concentrate on something else while using up to 50% of my mental bandwidth for downloading information.
Gilda handed me a drink, and in between sips, I continued the conversation.
"So your technology is not actually inferior to magic, but it is incompatible. That seems really weird that it could be so advanced and yet so weak at the same time."
She sat down across from me and took a sip from her own drink before answering.
"This may perhaps sound somewhat religious, but bear with me. My theory is that mana is the underlying energy source for the manifestation of the universe. If that theory is correct, then magic is a way to access a small part of the power of that system. I think of mana as a form of source code, like computer code. Magic would then be a set of hacking tools and techniques to get access to that code and tweak parts of it. The cycle of organic life created and supported by mana is cyclical, like a closed loop. Our technology is another form of hacking tool that recreates and optimizes materials that exist outside of that organic system. These are like parallel lines of power development."
I could kind of understand what she was getting at. I had seen plenty of this in effect for myself, but it still was a bit difficult to wrap my brain around the idea of mana being the source code of the universe.
"That's kinda hard to understand. I guess what you're talking about is the reason magic can sort of be used to rewrite parts of reality, right?"
"Yes. There is a school of thought that says all things consist only of physical matter, commonly known as materialism. Our technology is built on this worldview. So an easy way to think of it is that my body is manufactured from matter exclusively since it is the result of many interventions by technology. However, it appears mana, while tied to matter in some ways, is a non-material phenomenon. A common term would be supernatural, meaning outside nature. However, I believe that isn't really accurate. I think a more accurate statement would be that nothing is more natural than mana. Mana is the source code of nature itself. And because we have removed ourselves from the cyclical flow of nature via technology, we have alienated ourselves from mana."
I guess she could tell by my expression that I still wasn't getting it because she continued to speak.
"Another way to think of it is like the simulations. You can kill the creatures in there, but they cannot affect you at all out here. The reason is they and you are operating within a different set of limitations. You can cross over and affect them because you have access to both spaces. They do not, so they can only compete when you are operating on their terms in their space. However, when you are operating within their limitations, they can be a legitimate threat. The same is true for magic versus technology."
I thought I had a good grasp of what she was trying to say, but it still seemed a bit slippery to me. Maybe she was right when she said this was a bit religious. Despite everything I had seen so far, I guess my mentality was still materialist. I felt far more comfortable with technology than magic. Even my conceptualization of magic was from a scientific point of view. But maybe as I continued to use magic, I would get a better feel for what mana really was.
"I think I got a good idea of what you're trying to say, but I'll probably just need more experience to figure it out for myself."
Somehow that actually made her look a bit sad.
"I think these are useful concepts, and I personally enjoy discussing them. However, these unconventional ideas are what ultimately earned me the label of heretic."
Luckily, this actually took the conversation in a direction I wanted to pursue. I needed to get a better understanding of what was ahead of me.
"So, I take it that means these topics will not be covered when I get to the training ground?"
She reached over to grab the energy bar-like snack and handed it to me. It seemed break time would be ending soon.
"No. Once we are separated, you will likely never hear about any concepts like this again."
"So you still think you'll be imprisoned as soon as we arrive? What if I speak on your behalf?"
Her eyes widened a bit in shock. Maybe she hadn't considered the possibility that I would do something like that for her.
"Even if that were to happen, I think there are far too many political complications to just allow me to go free. Some form of punishment is surely going to be handed down."
"And you're gonna walk right into that punishment, knowing it will happen?"
Her expression went back to a blank mask again. Whatever emotions she had on the subject, she wasn't willing to show me.
"When I made my choices, I did so knowing the likely consequences. There is no point in regretting anything now."
