[Dual Post]

[thestudyof]

(( [Important Log] ))

[Announcement]

I would like to announce that all testing for the AI Duelist system has been completed.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the three rounds of testing that I had organized, and while there were multiple bumps along the way, it has been a fruitful experience.

I hope that the progress made with this system will be able to be applied soon enough in future endeavors for LDS, as well as schools such as Duel Academy and the College, and the associated programs such as the Super Junior League and New Horizons.

Thank you once again.

[Event]

*... and after that announcement was made, Mamoru's just. Spending some time right outside of the testing room. easily seen, too, even though he's currently sitting against the wall, head on his knees, as he mumbles into a phone. He eventually ends the call, before letting out a sigh.

He has not had a great day.*

Comments

[ruleroftheend]

::And you hear a drumming against the wall opposite of you. It's your boss.::

[thestudyof]

*oh no.

He stands up, dusting himself off. No time to mope.*

Sir.

[ruleroftheend]

Yamada, I'd like to talk to you in your office.

::Members of the Top Team's investigation and inspection branch are here as well. Oh no.::

[thestudyof]

... Of course, sir. *he's already dreading what this might bring. He pockets his phone and will follow without complaint, despite the severely anxious look he has.*

[ruleroftheend]

::Goes into your office and seats himself.::

I'd like you to please explain to me directly, not through reports, what's been going on during Final Beta for your system. LDS's Top Team is doing a physical assessment of the system's current state.

[thestudyof]

*oh, boy, they're going to report on the gash. oh great.*

... For the most part, sir, the final beta phase has gone to plan. Most of the duels were stable. *... he takes a deep breath.*

However, some instances occurred that made people question the high accuracy of the simulations themselves. At one point, one of them actually went and questioned the equivalent monster that they dueled against, and confirmed there was some memory retention.

I was unsure of how to proceed, knowing this, so I simply continued with the tests, prioritizing finishing them before I researched into that. I attempted to avoid the cause of the issue, especially, by testing out the final phase of the system-- the implementation of the Real Duelist AI, sir.

[ruleroftheend]

... And what exactly is this system I've paid for.

Because it sounds like it isn't a virtual reality simulator now.

It sounds like you've made a Dark Game Engine of sorts. Which was partially the point, but nowhere to this extent, Yamada.

::Takes a deep breath, sighing himself. If you look closely, your boss looks worn thin.::

[thestudyof]

*you and me both, sir*

I assure you, I did not intend on implementing those elements to this extent either, sir.

It is fully meant to be an AI simulator. To attempt to imitate duelists who sign on and agree to have their likeness and decks registered. The monsters were a stand-in, but... *... hnmn.*

... Something happened during that last test. It was absolutely unlike the previous examinations. No sign of this occurring to this level should have been possible, and I had disabled all code associated with simulating Dark Games.

[ruleroftheend]

Which is why the Top Team will be doing a full investigation into the system.

And after they have, we will be discussing if you'll be working here or if I need to be giving you your severance package.

Partially depending on the results of what the Top Team finds. And...

::Reiji flops out of his chair, asleep.::

[thestudyof]

-- sir? *he goes over, checking him.*

[ruleroftheend]

::He's fine.

Just. Asleep. He doesn't look like he hurt anything.::

[thestudyof]

*... he can't believe he's thinking this, but Reiji might be worse than him.

He considers calling for a medical team, since this isn't exactly healthy (or comfortable), but he decides instead to carefully shake Reiji's shoulder to spare him the embarrassment of a group coming in to collect him.*

[ruleroftheend]

::Groans a minute or two later, slowly sitting up.::

...

Event

[ogrewarrior]

... Oh no.

"... Hey Mamoru. Need someone to talk to?"

Re: Event

[thestudyof]

*let's say this is after he talked to Reiji and Hibiki.

He decided the wall was still nice since he still had to do some calls, though he's still in the middle of hesitating making one last very important call when he hears Kaz's voice. Glancing up.*

... Depends on what you're willing to hear, at this point.

*... the door to the testing room's ajar, too. You can still smell the slight smoking smell from the cut-into machinery.*

Re: Event

[ogrewarrior]

"... Anything for a buddy.

Someone break your machine again?"

He sits next to you with a long sigh.

Re: Event

[thestudyof]

Yes.

I did.

*... well you definitely didn't expect to hear that.*

Re: Event

[ogrewarrior]

"... Really?

Alright. Start at the beginning. What the hell happened?"

Re: Event

[thestudyof]

*he gives out a loud sigh. well, whatever to hold off the inevitable.*

I conducted the final test for the system. I decided to go forward and use a "Real Duelist" AI system-- in which the AI was to replicate an actual person, instead of a monster scenario.

It went smoothly enough, until the AI summoned "Herald of Ultimateness", a Ritual Monster. After that... things went strange. Something covered the dueling area, and I couldn't see anything. Attempting to shut down the system or even disconnecting the power didn't work. Apparently the AI had become possessed by something or another. I'm not too sure what, though...

... So I had to break into what was covering the arena myself, and take part in the duel that was happening.

Re: Event

[ogrewarrior]

"... So ya tapped into something and... possessed by something? Not like it's usually gone then?

But. Ya dueled! There's that at least. Gonna assume ya managed ta beat whatever the hell was happening. ... at the cost of your own machine."

Re: Event

[thestudyof]

This was entirely unexpected and unprecedented compared to even the worst of the previous tests, yes.

*... he makes a sound-- a noncommittal one, all the same.* And I dueled, yes. Tsukumo, the one who was participating in the test, and myself, both won. It was... surreal.

Re: Event

[ogrewarrior]

"... What's surreal about it?"

Re: Event

[thestudyof]

It was the first time I've ever used that deck. Or any of those cards.

Especially after well over a year of not dueling.

Re: Event

[ogrewarrior]

"...Yeah, fair.

... How did, uh. You handle it? I mean, clearly you won."

Re: Event

[thestudyof]

Probably as well as I could've expected. I came in during the later part of the duel. The one active problem however is that... well, whatever possessed the AI, was able to read into the system and tell where Action Cards were at any time.

That was an annoyance. So I ended up having to summon something risky to finish the duel once I had the chance to, before they could recover.