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Not only was it thanks to Yennefer that the creation of all these Witchers became possible without fatality, but it was also thanks to his 10 million protein foldings of Dawnwalker that these creations were possible in the first place.
After all, Dawnwalker and Witchers had something in common. Both used the Trial of the Grasses as a method to force the evolution of the human body.
But he also knew that no matter how many protein structures he had discovered, now totaling 440 million, Gustave understood that this vast database of protein structures was just data, not a set of inventions that could magically solve the problems of Dawnwalker creation or any other biological issue.
Similar to how human eyes can perceive billions upon billions of things—sand, food, rocks—and each object only becomes useful once someone decides to study and apply it, Gustave saw that the protein database was just a catalog of big data, waiting for its uses to be discovered.
That's why, even though he already had two hundred and thirty million protein structures from known biology, similar to what AlphaFold had achieved, plus two hundred and ten million protein structures from the biology of Dawnwalker alone, Gustave was still unable to use this gold mine he had unearthed to improve himself.
Simply because, like a primitive ape before evolution staring at fire with curiosity or fear, Gustave, just like those apes not yet enlightened, was still unable to understand the proper use of the fire represented by these protein structures he was simulating in his Elder Blood neural networks. In other words, he could see it, but he could not yet use it.
That was also why he could acknowledge that, when it came to biology, having this big data without knowing its use was essentially useless, so much so that he was a generation behind the mages in front of him, who were able to find a use for one of the protein structures from the mere ten million he had given them.
But he also knew that, sooner or later, in anything related to science, Gustave would become a leading figure in any field, after reinventing the wheel of this ability, which he could now officially call [Elder Blood - Neural Network].
Or, more accurately, the combination of abilities and numerous mathematical models that he had re-created over the past two months, starting from semi-spirit transistors and progressing toward understanding the material structure of Vibranium.
He had to re-create them because, in all his life—reading books and watching videos back on Earth—he had rarely delved into computer science. That's why he had to start from scratch at that time: recreating the algorithms and general intelligence models, which he only understood in terms of what they did, not their inner workings, leaving him clueless at the start.
But because he grew up in a society that taught him how to do science, he was able to reinvent the wheel quickly, considering that he already knew the basic principles of computer science from school.
Eventually, relying first on the instinctive use of his [Elder Blood - Neural Network]—which he had subconsciously used, like in Cintra when creating a lathe after being awakened by Baldy O'Dimm and realizing the value of his last two centuries of knowledge—he managed, over the past two months, to create numerous models to help him simulate structures of any kind.
These included models for discovering new spell structures from the catalog of spells that Cintrian mages had gathered, such as all kinds of Sign modifications, using higher-dimensional geometry models, like a magical version of AlphaGeometry;
Simulating unknown material structures of Vibranium using fictional concept material models, drawn from his fantasy and sci-fi concepts and adapted to this reality using existing objects in the world, like a magical version of GNoME;
Language model translations that converted his scientific knowledge into magical knowledge, employing LLMs trained with Elder Speech and Rune data to transform physics-based concepts into magical reality, like a magical version of Gemini;
Determining protein structures in Dawnwalker from the data provided by Yennefer and his own blood, using molecular biology simulations of this world's bestiary, combined with information from Yennefer and Cintrian mages, akin to a magical version of AlphaFold;
Enhancing his own adaptable and agile body in real time, making it vastly more flexible than Sequence 8 could achieve, effectively maximizing his hardware as a node in the vast [Elder Blood - Neural Network], akin to a magical version of Gemini Robotics;
Helping him design the blueprints of his RDBM 2.0 and locomotive, using reinforcement learning-based architectural magical contraption models, like a magical version of AlphaChip, though with a broader, more general focus;
Categorizing spies and their motives based on the census he received from his [Knowledge] ability, using a scaffolded network of LLMs to find consensus among many points of view, like a magical version of the Habermas Machine;
And many more models that he had created over the past two months to assist him in day-to-day tasks—without turning himself into a cyborg.
Because, just like the famous quote from Einstein that said, "Time and space are modes by which we think, not conditions in which we live," he didn't need to upgrade his brain into a silicon-based life form. With any form of time-relativity magic, like Elder Blood, the conditions he lived in did not constrain him to a singular, ordinary computing mind.
But because he knew that, living in the physical world, he still had to follow the rules of the universe—not just understand them conceptually—he understood that having big data, or even a supercomputing mind capable of conceptualizing scenarios on an local infinite scale, was essentially useless if he didn't know how to use it or turn it into Tangible Power.
Although he could simulate local infinite scenarios, he knew this didn't mean he could actually affect the real global infinite universe, considering that his [Elder Blood - Neural Network] only worked within this Witcher universe, based on his parameters—not in unobservable universe like back on his Earth or in the many fantasy universes out there.
Being able to understand the concept of infinity and imagine all kinds of infinite scenarios was fundamentally different from having the Power to actually do infinite things, and it was outright impossible, just as traveling into the past was impossible according to Quantum Mechanics.
Or, in more accurate terms, traveling into a past universe was impossible unless one treated a past universe they traveled to as the real past that had the exact same parameters as past memory, while convincing oneself it was the same universe altogether simply because it matched the expected parameters.
Not only that, after confirming the Many-Worlds Interpretation, he knew that anyone claiming to be omnipotent, omniscient, or omnipresent was only bullshitting themselves.
Maybe, within a single cluster of that universe, such beings could be called the Supreme Being, but considering the infinite scale of existence, he knew they were nothing more than big fish in a very small, infinitely atomic pond, and it would always be that way, since he was already living in and confirming the existence of infinite universes.
Not a multiverse, omniverse, or megaverse—just an infinite universe without any poetic embellishment, which tended to be overhyped, even though he knew that many scientists back on Earth already considered the infinite universe—or even the observable and unobservable universe—to be sufficient and the best description of it.
At the end of the day, he knew that these terms were merely extended language created by Hollywood and fiction writers to describe a universe so vast that it could be divided into realms, just as islands and continents are separated by large bodies of water.
He also knew this because even the observational tools of advanced universes—like those seen in Marvel—were unable to perceive the true infinite distances. The separations between each realm were so vast that every individual Supreme Being could only believe themselves to be the true god, even though he now knew they were merely kings of their own islands.
So, with that realization, Gustave—rather than looking up at the heavens—now simply looked ahead and sideways, searching for the Ethereal Plane, having understood that the gods or Supreme Beings did not exist within Quantum Mechanics, since Quantum Mechanics is not a place but simply the rules of the universe.
Perhaps the degree of ambiguity of the Ethereal Plane, or of many unobservable universe like the Elemental Plane, is far more potent than that of the observable universe he inhabits.
But he knew that, at the end of the day, even though these realms were governed by Quantum Mechanics rather than General Relativity, they were still not the mythical, overhyped heavens beyond reach—they still obeyed the fundamental laws, just like he did. If they could be observed, it meant that no matter where they were, they were essentially the same as him.
Perhaps their terraforming technology was already advanced enough to turn their observable universes into lands of Quantum Mechanics—likely the work of Order and Chaos, acting without informing other souls—where everything could be created out of thin air with just a wave of their hand, thanks to their greater Quintessence.
But now, at last, he realized on a fundamental level that these gods were simply other beings outside the "island" in which he lived. He couldn't help but sigh in disappointment, the discovery finally dissolving his long-held stigmas about gods, demons, and the notion that realms like the Quantum Realm or the Divine Realm are actual "places" in higher dimensions.
Especially considering that these gods and demons, instead of studying their own observable universes, had chosen to come here to study the General Relativity of his Witcher-island universe, he knew they were nothing more than other beings and places within this infinite space and time.
Perhaps that place could allow him to exist in an entangled body, following the Law of Conservation of Energy—where he merely changed form rather than being destroyed.
But at the end of the day, there is no true distinction between the conceptual world and the physical world, or between a physical body and a spirit body.
Parapsychology might call it a mystical "spirit," one of those unknown mystical phenomena, but he knew that it was simply another body composed of a different material-based lifeform.
A material that allowed him to exist in both places simultaneously, following the rules of entanglement, with a lower-density atomic structure that enabled him to float and perform all kinds of seemingly impossible acts. As a result, his body attuned itself to the freaky and ambiguous rules of Quantum Mechanics, existing in a state of uncertainty.
Just as someone born in the medieval era is no different at a fundamental level from someone born in the modern era—except for the society and time they live in—so too, ordinary people and mages are not inherently special; the difference lies only in the accessibility of tools.
He categorized these entities—or rather, these people or things—living in unobservable universes, such as the Ethereal Plane or the Elemental Plane, as having nothing inherently special about them. They were essentially the same as normal people, the only difference being that their bodies were composed of entirely different materials.
Likewise, just as someone born rich is no different at a fundamental level from someone born in the slums—only their place and circumstances differ—Gustave saw these beings as people living on a different "island" with more abundant and unique resources.
Sighing once again for the umpteenth time, he lowered his subconscious worship and reverence for all of these concepts, relics of the Renaissance era through the tribal deity era.
"What are you sighing for, insufferable kid? Did your Eyes of Knowledge pick up something outside known magic behind these Witcher creations that I don't know about? Care to tell me?"
Shaking his head at Yennefer, who was overseeing the whole process, Gustave only gave a perfunctory answer. "No, there is nothing wrong with your experiment, Lady Yennefer. It is just that I suddenly realize the gods and demons are not that special."
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
Ignoring Yennefer and the fifteen sorcerers staring at him oddly, Gustave, although already knowing the answer, decided to conduct a small test. Entering his Steampunk Metropolis through the entanglement body of himself that existed in another time and space, he once again activated all kinds of models within his [Elder Blood - Neural Network].
And sure enough, because the ambiguity of Quantum Mechanics in this place was very strong, Gustave was unable to learn any General Relativity, to the point that studying the material structure of his body felt like confronting a wall of fog he could not pass through.
So, knowing that this was likely the result of a wave function created by Order and Chaos—one that separated the domains of gods and mortals into different times and spaces—Gustave simply shook his head.
He finally realized that unless his Quintessence surpassed that of these two Supreme Beings, who sat on a higher local infinite set of evolutions, or unless his mathematical skill grew enough to dismantle and solve the wave function they had imposed, he would not grow as a scientist by remaining in this Ethereal Plane of space and time.
For someone who cared only about their body evolving, without questioning how or why it happened, this realm would be ideal—a place to remain lazy and depend entirely on the Supreme Beings who ruled it.
But for him—someone curious and determined to understand the nature of the universe—he knew such evolution would not carry over when crossing the great sea of the void or when encountering others with different wave functions or higher local infinite sets of evolutions.
Thus, Gustave decided it was better to live among the Witcher's common civilizations rather than within the so-called godly civilizations. Because at the end of the day, what differentiates civilizations is simply a matter of time and progress—progress that can transform a common civilization into one equal to, or even greater than, its godly neighbors.
So, returning to his own space and time in an instant—because now he understood he was in a state of entanglement whenever he existed in a spirit-material body—Gustave moved back with no delay.
Unlike before, when he relied on the wave function crafted by Order and Chaos and still experienced a lag, this time he returned with such a blink-of-an-atom shift that no one even noticed.
Only the Cintrian and Twin Realms mages who had Elder Blood showed a slight frown on their faces, probably feeling as if a deity had just passed through, since the tools he used to perform this quantum entanglement were the same as theirs.
"Wait, what just happened?"
Ignoring the six mages who had Elder Blood as they confused themselves, Gustave turned to Yennefer and answered her question, "What I meant, Lady Yennefer, is that gods and demons are just like us, only with more freaky and spooky magic surrounding them. That's why they are able to do things outside our mortal logic."
Frowning as she looked at this kid who had a tendency to space out and ignore his surroundings, Yennefer knew it was his way of using the Eye of Knowledge to learn something.
And because it still made her incensed and annoyed that her questions about how he was able to calculate ten million amino acid chains remained unanswered, especially since she knew he currently didn't have a magic tower to help compute large amounts of data, Yennefer decided to take what the boy said to a deeper level of focus and understanding.
After a couple of seconds, with her brain already enhanced by the Vial of Forbidden Knowledge and aided by her spell Masterful Rapid Evolutions on the thinking part of her mind, Yennefer couldn't help but straighten up, looking at this kid as if she were looking at a monster.
Completely halting the preparations for the Witcher trials altogether, Yennefer walked up to Gustave with hurried footsteps, gripped his shirtfront, and hissed the words, not wanting to accept a perfunctory reply as an answer.
"Answer me, kid?! Is this true?! Can the divine be hunted down?! Is it possible that we can travel safely on their plane with enough preparations?! And can we anticipate and defend against their attack?! And don't even try to wiggle a reply out of this!!"
Chuckling at the rabid look on Yennefer's face, seeing that gods and demons were still a difficult topic for them to broach because of their medieval society's stigma, he slowly lowered Yennefer's hand from his collar and nodded to all of them, "Yes, yes, and yes."
Shaking his head, he continued, "But I am sorry. As for how to do it, I cannot tell you because it is my personal thing. But I can confirm that what I said is true, based on tested outcomes and results."
"That's enough for me. That's enough."
Wanting to speed up the process of the trials, because she now had confirmation that divine beings capable of many miraculous things existed—something she needed, since her infertility problem was more complicated than she thought—Yennefer turned to everyone present.
Wanting to skip the celebratory part, she shouted, "Bring Leo over. Let's get this over with. Just perform the injection on the boy with the infusions, there is no need for all this documentation and verification. We have done it countless times already."
"Hmm? What for, Yennefer? What's the hurry?"
"Just do as I say."
Seeing Leo from the First Witcher game—currently the same age as him—being brought onto the operating table, Gustave saw that it seemed Adon of Carreras had changed the boy's destiny, not because he was orphaned like in the first game, but probably because of the Law of Surprise magic.
But because he knew many things would slowly change from the original trajectory of destiny, Gustave simply admired this new Witchering process, knowing this was just one among many fates shifting simply because he existed.
So, not dwelling too much on it, he just watched the process of evolution while walking toward Eskel and Lambert, who were standing in the corner of the room.
Arriving near them and watching the trial process, Gustave decided to get straight to the point. "You two. I've got a contract for you. But the process will take a long time, because I want you to retrieve something in Toussaint."
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