Level 25

Level 4 Artificial Intelligence

It’s Valentine’s day 2024, and this day marks as the official release of Level 25. “Can you beat a game completely created by an Artificial Intelligent Machine?” is displayed on billboards promoting the event. The official site announces the first winner of Level 25 will receive both ingame and cash prizes in addition to the title of “Best in ICBA.” Players all around the globe rushed to their game helmets to try their luck and participate in this worldwide event.

“The response is better than we thought” Sam smiles while talking with Oben in his personal cabin. Oben sees the data but he is still not convinced if it was a right move. He tried to stop with the Level 25 update but Sam keeps doing what he likes. Their differences have finally started to ruin their working balance. Sometimes Oben wins at other times it’s Sam. Sam reminds Oben about launching the Neural Command upgrade without including the ability for users to feel inside the world of ICBA. He accepted his failure and allowed the game to be updated rather than wait a few more months. Even so, Oben hates being undermined, he is supposed to be the boss here. Sam just released an update that even the developers could not complete, they have no idea of bugs or even the possibility for this game to ever have a winner. Sam did it, he believes it will not have any bugs because all the levels before did not have any. Similarly, he knows it can be completed because all the levels before had a criteria needed to fulfill and so will Level 17 and above. It must be a simple solution, something testers could not foresee but maybe the gamers of the world would. That's how far this event was tested. Level 17 could not be beat in anyway, even cheats for health did not help. Oben alerts Sam about his knowledge on the next Networld Upgrade. Sam is still working with his idea to safely add the experience to feel in the game. 

“You can’t be angry about that. Oben. We have an AI powerful enough to do most of the hard work in building this game. We still have no competition in the market, so you feel it's unnecessary but if anyone brings the ability to feel in gaming it should be us.” explains Sam in his usual slow but accurate manner. Oben is a businessman, a very good one. He has his own plans for ICBA and Sam is becoming more of a bother than an ally with his recent jabberings. “For now, continue.” That is all he says. Sam is dismissed from their meeting and leaves without saying anything else.

Oben sits by himself in his office room for a minute; thinking. He calls a number on his phone. “Yes, Is it ready?” he wants to know. Getting a confirmation from the other side Oben grabs his coat and leaves. Downstairs, the valet brings him his car. Oben drives by himself to a different office building. Here, the programmers are working very hard developing a new product for Oben. The chief manager guides Oben to his room explaining about the day to day workings. It is a very small office and the number of workers are comparatively low. Oben wants to know if the clearance system is strictly maintained or not. “Making sure the program’s knowledge remains within this building must be your first priority”, commands Oben. He sits in his office and wants an audience with the chief developer as soon as possible. Mr. Manager rushes to fetch chief developer Abdul.  

Mr. Abdul arrives with excitement to share his recent advancement with his boss. According to Abdul, Oben plans on creating another platform which will act more like a social gathering than hardcore gaming. In this new platform he wants to fully exploit the feeling features from ICBA. Mr. Abdul is an exceptional developer who ensures Oben about his success in making it possible. Although he cannot dim pain, it is something the users will know and want to try because no users will have access to weapons or super powers in here. Abdul has only one problem he wants to share with Oben. His team is unable to copy the AI used in making ICBA, he explains this AI to have more knowledge and structure than anything else. It is somehow able to upgrade itself writing its own logic. Oben knows the complexities of this AI from before, even Sam had failed to duplicate it. It’s original developers are mostly dead or in hiding. Oben took a lot of risk using something that was acquired illegally by Sam during his work with Rhino Tech. The only way to do it is using the same AI. Oben provides access to the AI to Abdul and wants this project to be done by the end of this month without any delays. 

While Sam tries to develop a way to use this technology without pain, Oben wants to use it for fulfilling human desires in a safer environment than ICBA. In both ways Oben ensures himself more money and control, that is how he prefers it anyway. Oben is happy with how things are moving along with him. 

Years passed since Otto arrived back on time, now he lives a different life, in this different time. In his previous timelines Otto had no feelings left, he devoted himself to ICBA, trying his best to win Level 25. Yet now he has a day job and no time for gaming. Otto works in a media outlet as a video editor. He keeps himself busy keeping a low social status. Now, he has zero connections with his old gaming buddy Lenny. He occasionally meets Ted for drinks after work. Otto wanted to know if Ted can have drinks today. “Comeon Ott, today is valentines, and I have a date with Sophie. You really should start dating.” Ted wants Otto to find someone and move on, something he cannot seem to do at all. He finds the process of getting to know someone tiresome and uncomfortable. Getting rejected by his only friend Otto sits in the bar by himself grabbing a beer. 

He does not stay out much longer. Something about this day can make lonely people feel alone and he did not like it. With everything that happened, Otto has almost no one left to share his memories from previous life; memories that have become vague and reside only in his imagination. Now Otto has a very different hobby; he looks into the mysterious time travel adventure. From what he remembers it’s clear his last memory was inside ICBA. He was in excruciating pain and unable to move.

for a way to go back in time once more. He spends hours researching everything we can from whatever knowledge he could gather through Melenie’s last video.

His laptop has tabs open on ICBA, Artificial Intelligent, the most advanced AI ever created. The article elaborates on the level of sophistication this particular AI possesses. ICBA remains the only company even after various attempts by others to reproduce similar features in gaming helmets only because they cannot replicate the involvement of this particular AI. Level 25 is a challenge to humans by this AI is written in one of the articles written which was in another tab. Otto watches a video of CEO Oben Ken conversing with the ingame AI about Level 25. 

Oben asks about Level 25. The AI talks in a computer generated voice like any other but it shows more capacity to hold a meaningful conversation. It throws all gamers a challenge to beat it. “If you wish, to be the best gamer, try your luck. I will be waiting for you in Level 25. Come meet me if you can and challenge me to a duel.” it has a certain sense of pride, something very cynical when it taunts gamers for this challenge. Otto gets into Reddit to find more information on Melenie but she has disappeared without a trace. No one can answer if Melenie is alive or dead even. With no other option, Otto kept commenting on every post related with Melenie and all videos she had uploaded. “I need to know what happened to her. If anyone knows what happened or any information about Melenie, it would be a great help.” writes Otto. “Everything is a dead end. One thing is sure, I am not the only one and it may not also be Melenie. I need to know more. It’s all a dead end! Damnit!!!” shouts Otto frustrated with the same results all over again. Otto gets to his fridge and takes out a bottle of cold beer. He sits alone on his sofa, drinking directly from the bottle. It is the same small apartment, it’s still messy. Otto’s sad eyes fell onto the game helmet, kept aside collecting dust. He looks away, back to his laptop. A mail notification pops up.

An unknown mail account sends Otto a picture file. Otto downloads the file to see the image of Melenie’s board on display. This is something Otto did not accept. All the clues are jumbled but it was there for Otto to rearrange them into something meaningful, something he needed. Otto types a reply to the unknown sender thanking them and asking for more information. He waits a while for any reply but none appears.

Otto did not want to waste anymore time waiting for more information and start to utilize whatever information he has found. After deep examination, Otto sets up his own board. He writes, prints information and looks for more clues hidden with all the information on Melenie’s board. Soon enough Otto has some idea about what happened. Otto talks to himself laying out the details from his board. He finally has a new lead.

October 3, 2024 the day corresponds directly to the last date I remember before going back to 2022. Looking more closely at the timestamps of all the weird videos posted by Melenie we were both back at the same time, September 5, 2022. It is the same date when the AI is given access to ICBA online. Melenie says the AI kills her, the same AI in charge of building Level 25. Does this mean the same for me? I remember dying as well. So to answer Melanie's first question, did we actually die or not, I would say we did but even this cannot be certain, her second question may seem simple but it may not be. Did I really come back in time or is it an illusion or afterlife? The only way to find out those answers is from the answer of her third question. How is it all related to Level 25? This is something I never imagined. Playing ICBA led to all this. In the Networld Games team photo, the faces of two people are circled. One of them is Oben Ken, CEO of Networld Games, another is Sam Riley chief developer and the man behind ICBA. If anyone is directly involved with this AI it’s them as no one gets access to this AI. Last but not least is Rhino Tech, it is no longer there but the last project Rhino Tech took involved working with telepathy. Their main building burned down with no hope of getting any research information. Sam Riley was working as an intern on Rhino Tech during this incident. Soon after a simple intern builds up a powerful AI capable of converting human thoughts into character actions. If what I think is right, this AI is powerful enough to do a lot. Can it make our consciousness travel back in time? I need to speak with either Sam or Oben but that meeting does not seem probable. If I was still making videos about ICBA I could have arranged a conversation. There is something else though. I can talk to the AI. Damn luck, I need to get to Level 25. 

Back inside the world of ICBA, everything changed in a year, now the battlefields are constantly filled with challenges and competitions, more and more sub games are added into this world. It is not just about fighting with super powers anymore. It has become a social gathering spot for friends, a world to explore with friends, encounter new people to challenge along the way. Now there is no one using controllers, the thought commands are so fast and accurate it feels unreal. A player can move anyway they can think of moving as long as it’s physically possible. There are people who chose elasticity as their superpowers and their movements are just incredible. Two players are fighting in an arena while others watch. The fights are entertaining and so much creativity goes in forming own attacks from basic powers. If it were codes, no team of coders could think of all such possibilities, it’s all done by the AI. Something so powerful, something that should be feared if all the horrors in Otto’s dream are true.

BigBadLenny is no longer a player to be taken lightly, he moves with KillBill, MotaStriker and BattleQueenX. Their team ranks top in battles with BigBadLenny and Alisha constantly interchanging the top server player ranking. Currently it’s Lenny on number one and Alisha is the second best player on the server. It has become an official post for Lenny who just got about 500 battle requests after the introduction of Level 25. The neural update made the options panel inside a phone that each player has on default. For more earning opportunities they have also added phone skins and Lenny had a phone shaped like a tiny shark. In its display Lenny could see the 500+ battle request and an official ranking list of Level 25. The list shows players who have conquered the most levels. At number one is a player from a different server named Divinity, currently on Level 7. At number two Lenny found himself, who is also at the same level. Coming at number three and four is Alisha and Arun with Alisha on Level 6 and Arun on Level 5.

“Lenny, you! If I could have beaten you on that race it would be me on Level 7 not you.” Alisha is irritated to miss number two spot. They are very confused by Divinity, he has more ingame points and tournament wins in comparison with Lenny. It is known that no one has ever beaten Divinity. “Level 7 is a team event, it says it will unlock when you create a team with each member competing to conquer Level 7 and shows nothing else.” Thus, Lenny needs his friends to get to level 7 fast. Their new friend BattleQueenX is still at Level 3 along with most gamers. “From this week onwards the battlegrounds are going to be more fierce. We will help you in the first two rounds but the third is completely up to you Beth.” says Alisha trying to get her into the mindset to win.

“OmegaWarrior is in Level 4” sighs Lenny. Lenny reminds everyone about Otto’s attempt to win the battlegrounds. He failed every time but he was there the next week. During his last days on ICBA he didn't play at all, he just came to try and beat level 3 each week. One day he does it but then he is nowhere to be found. “Moral of the story is keep trying Beth but don’t disappear afterwards” says Lenny. “I really wish to meet this Otto character someday and maybe see him in action. He feels too made up.” implores Beth. Alisha didn’t believe Otto's knowledge on level 25 but today she sees it all for herself. “I will be the first to beat this game” Alisha exclaims all of a sudden. Lenny reminds Alisha about Otto’s future where Alisha and her team including Arun are all in Level 17 but they failed each time. “It just confirms I will get to 17 and the rest I can do no problem. You just see.” Alisha is at her overly excited arrogant self and no one can change her opinion. 

Swooping down from above comes a very well known player to the team. It’s OmegaWarrior meaning Otto Rey. He greets the team politely. Beth has heard a lot about the great Otto Rey who disappeared after Level 3 and it seems her wish is granted very fast. “Hi guys, nice to meet you all. Lenny, I need to challenge you and win, it's urgent.” Otto does not waste time with conversation. This really did hurt Lenny’s feelings. He tells him he cannot just lose as it will greatly undermine his ranking and character ratings, something he cannot afford. “Lenny, I am not here for fun” Otto tries to reason. Lenny defends his position but Otto has no time to hear him ramble. “Okay, lets fight.” Otto agrees. He is in a hurry to get to Level 25 and nothing else matters. 

Lenny reminds Otto that he is no longer his sidekick, he is the best in this server and he is an Omega Character. An Omega Character has four superpowers. Otto chose OmegaWarrior as his character handle knowing very well about Omega Characters. Lenny wants Otto to figure out his two new superpowers in battle. Otto does not care, he wants to fight and he will fight.

Alisha immediately goes live for this match as it's something she believes the world should see. 

Otto and Lenny, OmegaWarrior versus BigBadLenny, once they were friends now they are rivals as OmegaWarrior challenges the servers most powerful player to a duel. If it was any other challenger it would not be a big deal but if you have seen the earlier day fights in ICBA, Otto Rey dominated this server. Lets witness this epic battle together. 

“You did it just like Otto used to Alisha.” Arun reminds her. Alisha does not like the reminder and focuses on the battle about to begin.

Lenny starts fast trying to show off his new set of abilities. The entire battleground suddenly changes into the insides of a boiling kettle. Hot steam rises from the grounds hurting Otto from all directions. Otto gets hit, he is still a bit shaken off from starting this and he already challenged the best player in the server. Otto manages to fly away from ground after significant damage has been done to his health. Lenny now activates super strength and invulnerability at the same time. He launches towards Otto at high speed. Otto does not miss this chance to fight back. He quickly maneuvers behind him to strike with a super punch right at his defenseless head. Alisha continues her commentary.

Lenny tried to attack with full intention to destroy Otto but he is not just any player. One thing to note, we should know invulnerability can protect a player from piercing damage. It is useless against super powered attacks and Otto knows that very well. 

Lenny falls rather harshly, but his health is still in better condition in comparison with Otto. “I have one more trick up my sleeve Otto.” Lenny shouts and his character becomes a giant. 

Lenny  is now using all four of his abilities together, something even the best players can mess up from time to time. It requires the most concentration. Otto has no place in air or ground. The ground is boiling and in the air he is going to be squashed like a fly.

Otto uses this as an opportunity, he dodges all the attacks and uses super strength and speed at the same time to strike Lenny like a pinball. He strikes, flies away strikes again and does the same in a repeated manner. Otto’s life gets a little drained from each strike but he has regeneration activated that quickly heals Otto. It has already healed the damages done by Lenny in the start. 

“Wow, Otto really is that good” exclaims Beth. Everyone watching the live stream has already started hashtag OmegaWarriorReturns and the views keep rising. Even Alisha admires Otto for coming back and yet remaining so awesome. 

Lenny changes his size to a lesser giant, he remains bigger and more intimidating than Otto. Now he focuses his steam power to attack Otto in the skies by a sudden burst in a specific radius, capable of rising to incredible heights. The smaller the radius the higher goes the hot stream. Otto did not know that until one such blast barely hit him. Lenny tries to hit another such blast but Otto swoops down beside him and starts his trademark one, two three punch. Lenny could not dodge his punches. As the third punch is laid Otto flies above in incredible speed to dive down with the final punch. Lenny’s life and concentration are both running low. Now Otto fights him near the ground elevating himself to a height capable of hitting Lenny’s face. Lenny manages to lay a steam blast but he needs to maintain the attacks or else Otto heals very fast. With one last one to three and a strong punch Lenny’s health drops to zero.

Otto finally settles on the ground, he is colder and not happy. He is in a hurry. Otto does not stay after the fight, he just flies away. 

That was an epic battle, somehow Otto just beat an Omega Character but it’s of no surprise, he beat my three powers with just one before. Now Otto is back on the race for Level 25. Stay tuned for what's next. That’s all from your favorite Battle Adventurer Alisha aka KillBill.