Cyberpunk: Ultimate Cyborg System-Chapter 146: MagiChapter

An Enhanced Individual is someone whose abilities have been elevated above the natural average of a human. Said abilities refer to the things a person can do on their own without outside assistance. For example, someone who has a prosthetic limb that can be turned into a gun is a Level 1 Enhanced Individual, while a normal person using a normal pistol can’t be considered one, even if they allegedly have the same destructive power.

There are only two types of EIs: Cyborgs and Genomes. Both were born from humanity’s continuous scientific breakthroughs. That made it so most people had no trouble accepting their existence, but for the exact same reason, the idea that a third type might exist out there never crossed their minds.

’Magic...’ After his resident AI dropped the bombshell, Dante found it all the more difficult to only show a moderate level of anxiousness. ’You’re telling me we’re dealing with magic....’

[Aether manipulation and manifestation are the more accurate terms.] Volcan said. [It is for that reason why I suspect that the Threat Level of this individual might be greater than what my initial evaluation has concluded.]

’You don’t say...’

[My evaluation is based on the quantity of Aether currently in his possession, as well as the rate at which he’s absorbing the energy from his surroundings. That alone is insufficient to determine the true extent of an Aetherion’s abilities as the quantity of Aether is not proportional to the potential of the phenomena manifested through it.]

The trip through the long corridor soon came to an end as Dante and his guide arrived at a set of five elevators lined in a neat row. The suited man stopped at the first one and tapped the control panel beside it. Not long after, the door split open and he walked inside, his sharp eyes turning to Dante as if ordering him to get inside.

Maintaining his not-so-fake nervous act, Dante got into the small box and stood behind the man. Being trapped in such a cramped space with a Level 3 EI was an overflowing source of stress, and as if that wasn’t enough, this particular EI turned out to be a wizard of all things.

’So... how are we gonna deal with them?’ Dante asked internally. ’Do you have some type of anti-magic armor?’

[Type 9 specializes in Aether disruption and absorption, but I do not believe there is a reason to rely on it.]

’Are you sure?’

[Yes. Though Aetherions are quite dangerous due to the variety and versatility of Aether type enhancements, it is possible to counter them in the same way as Genomes and Cyborgs.]

’I see...’ Dante contemplated something, his eyes focused on the man before him. ’So, let’s say he’s a Level 3 Ice Wizard. Does that mean I can defeat him with Type 1-3?’

Though he had yet to try any of its armors, Type 3 is supposed to be focused on heat, fire, and combustion. The abilities it grants seemed to be oriented toward dealing damage and not utility, making it a good choice for direct combat.

[Yes. Though I would suggest Type 1-4 as a precaution.]

Knowing that he could deal with mages like any other enemies brought some relief to Dante’s heart, even if it was a little bit. He still struggles to accept that something of that nature exists, but the more pressing question he had was how people with that type of enhancement were able to remain in the shadows for so long.

’Maybe I’m just not important enough to know about such things...’

In a lot of stories that revolve around them, mages and magic are usually treated with secrecy and are always kept hidden from the eyes of the mundane population. In some cases, the supernatural could be happening in the open and yet those without special senses would go through their lives without noticing it.

"You stare too much."

An even voice snapped Dante out of his thoughts. It took him a second to realize that the speaker was the suited man. He was glaring at him through the reflection on the elevator’s closed door, and going by his expression, he didn’t seem too pleased.

Dante met his gaze then looked away after a few seconds, playing the role of someone who’s trying to appear tough while being visibly scared. He was indeed scared, but if it were any other situation, he would’ve done the exact opposite.

The elevator came to a stop soon enough and the two got out. A moment before that, Dante checked the floor number on the small screen above the door and learned that they were on the thirty-sixth, the one right below Klaus Stahlwölfe’s mansion.

’You got to be shitting me...’

He asked his resident AI to summon the 3D module of the hotel from the day before. The blue dot representing him was right under the dark gap where the thirty-seventh floor, almost consumed by the darkness, but when he looked up, the ceiling was just there.

’Do you sense anything?’

[Yes. There seems to be a barrier of some kind separating this floor from the one above it.] Volcan answered. [I believe it would be for the best to avoid extending my reach at the moment, as it risks exposing us.]

’Didn’t you say they can’t detect you snooping?’

[That was before I became aware of the enemy’s nature as an Aetherion.] Volcan replied. [The barrier might be directly linked to its caster, and if that is the case, they might be able to detect anyone who tries to analyze it.]

’... You should have said so from the start!’

Dante wanted to scream. This whole time, the answer to why he was suddenly being summoned by the hotel’s security was right there. They must have detected the scan he performed using Type 8-3 and quickly figured out that he was behind it. He was literally walking into the lair of an enemy who already marked him as their target, and yet his AI companion was only informing him now.

Just as he thought things wouldn’t get worse, Dante noticed that the path he was proceeding through led to another one of the black areas. He was already so deep in enemy territory that he might as well be considered not just missing in action, but also dead.

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Author’s note:

For the months of May, June and July 2025, the first and only Privilege tier will cost only 1 Coin! Please read the latest Chapters as they come out!