(Grand Sage Azar: She... she really has power as strong as the Geo Archon?)
(Morax: At least the sentence Cloud Retainer said earlier was not wrong. Nahida's previous strike can already be compared to the stone spears I projected down toward Osial.)
(Azar: ...)
(Faruzan: As expected of the incarnation of the Irminsul, she indeed becomes very strong after stepping onto a Path.)
(Alhaitham: I really want to observe the scene of Nahida fighting the Aurumaton Gatekeeper Captain more. Unfortunately, Cloud Retainer has no way to get too close.)
(Tighnari: It's not just these troubles. More Aurumaton Gatekeepers are coming toward Lisa and Cloud Retainer. Cloud Retainer probably won't have time to film Nahida's battle with the Captain later.)
Just as Tighnari said, when more Aurumaton Gatekeepers attacked them, Cloud Retainer no longer had time to film Nahida's battle scene. After all, the ones coming were Archon-level Aurumaton Gatekeepers. Even though there were two gatekeepers left by Nahida in front of her and Lisa, she and Lisa had to respond cautiously.
But even though Lisa and Cloud Retainer responded cautiously, cooperating fully with the two gatekeepers left by Nahida, the number of enemies was greater. Before long, one of Nahida's gatekeepers was completely destroyed. The other had also lost its mechanical arm equipped with a weapon. But before them, there was still a relatively intact, though damaged, Aurumaton Gatekeeper.
"It's just like a real Archon War. It's a wonder we've been able to last this long," Cloud Retainer sighed with emotion.
"Yes, when the gatekeeper left by Nahida can no longer even serve as our shield, perhaps it's time for us to bow out and go see Takagi," Lisa said with a sigh.
Although she wanted to use her intelligence, talent, and even her skills in potions and alchemy to fight, the Aurumaton Gatekeeper moved too fast, and Lisa found it difficult to find an opportunity to strike. Cloud Retainer was the same; even though she had used this time to replicate the Guizhong Ballista in the Simulated Universe, she still couldn't find an opportunity for a decisive blow.
Seeing the gatekeeper left by Nahida once again using its body to block the enemy's attack, both Lisa and Cloud Retainer wore a wry smile. Just then, a dazzling emerald light shone from the gatekeeper. Immediately, Nahida's voice rang in the ears of Cloud Retainer and Lisa.
[I have left the power to create a cyclical dream on the Aurumaton Gatekeeper.]
[I cannot extricate myself now, so I can only use this power on you.]
[Miss Lisa, Cloud Retainer, I will bring your consciousness and the gatekeeper's consciousness into the cyclical dream together.]
[Please constantly accumulate experience through endlessly cycling battles and find the possibility of winning the fight.]
As soon as she finished speaking, the emerald light burst forth from the gatekeeper. The light quickly formed an emerald palace, enveloping the two gatekeepers, as well as Lisa and Cloud Retainer. In an instant, everyone within the energy palace seemed to be frozen in place, as if a pause button had been pressed.
Meanwhile, the people of Teyvat who hadn't heard Nahida whispering in Lisa's and Cloud Retainer's ears were completely bewildered by this scene.
(Barbara: What happened? Why aren't they moving?)
(Rosaria: Is the power that erupted from the gatekeeper, which was previously brainwashed and controlled by Nahida, a power that can freeze everyone, regardless of friend or foe?)
(Azar: Is it related to Nahida's power? What exactly did she do?)
(Kamisato Ayaka: It's a shame Miss Nahida is currently still fighting the Captain and that Aurumaton Gatekeeper Captain; otherwise we might be able to ask her.)
(Arlecchino: Lord Takagi should know something; after all, he is monitoring the operation of the Simulated Universe.)
(Takagi: I do know. Nahida merely used her power to bring the consciousnesses of Lisa, Cloud Retainer, and the two gatekeepers into a dream.)
(Alhaitham: A dream? Can gatekeepers, being mechanical life forms, still dream? Or is it because of Nahida's power?)
(Furina: But what's the point of bringing everyone's consciousness into a dream? Everyone is frozen, so won't Lisa and Cloud Retainer be unable to attack the enemy?)
(Candace: Perhaps it's because Nahida, while fighting the Captain, couldn't control the range of her ability's effect.)
(Navia: Could it be that Nahida intends to freeze both the enemy and her own people first, and then, after she deals with the most powerful gatekeeper, come back to handle the situation with Lisa and the others?)
(Charlotte: It doesn't seem impossible.)
(Kujou Sara: It seems Cloud Retainer and Lisa ultimately have no way to defeat any of the Aurumaton Gatekeepers.)
(Lyney: Perhaps it will also be difficult for the two of them to step onto a Path through this battle.)
(Razor: Even if Master Lisa... doesn't... step onto a Path... through battle this time, she will definitely be able to... step onto a Path through research later.)
(Rosaria: Waiting for Nahida to summarize the battle? I rather hope Lisa and Liyue's Cloud Retainer can create a miracle.)
"Perhaps, there's no need to wait for Nahida to defeat the strongest Aurumaton Gatekeeper Captain. Lisa and Cloud Retainer themselves might be able to resolve the enemy before them," Takagi muttered, looking at the discussions in the forum.
They had no way of seeing the situation of Lisa and the others inside the dream. But Takagi could see clearly what Lisa and the others were experiencing through the terminal of the Simulated Universe. Just like how Nahida in the Genshin game made Scaramouche, who had become a god, cycle through dreams.
At this moment, Lisa, Cloud Retainer, and the gatekeepers were constantly cycling in the dream. Lisa and Cloud Retainer continuously learned about the gatekeepers through battle, seeking the possibility of defeating them. In just this short time, Takagi saw Lisa and Cloud Retainer cycle through more than twenty times.
"However, Nahida is actually able to utilize the power of dreams to this extent. Even if her main body isn't present, she can still make others enter a cyclical dream. The enhancing effect of the Path of Memory on her power is simply too strong," Takagi sighed, and once again turned his gaze toward Lisa and Cloud Retainer, who were gradually finding a way to deal with the gatekeepers in the dream.
As the number of cycles increased, the two of them not only began to summarize the combat patterns of the enemy. They even combined the mechanisms and potion techniques mastered by both sides, and repaired their own gatekeeper that was originally damaged and unable to move. Although the repaired gatekeeper's power couldn't compare to the original, combined with the techniques of Cloud Retainer and Lisa, plus the experience accumulated through constant cycles, it was only a matter of time before the two of them would defeat the hostile gatekeeper.
And that was indeed the case. When Lisa and Cloud Retainer cycled 150 times, they finally succeeded. The two of them did not rely on the collective summaries of all Sumeru's people like the Traveler in the original work, but simply relied on their own wisdom and summaries to shatter the Archon-level gatekeeper.
"That's truly remarkable. Although their intelligence might not match many researchers on the Space Station, being able to modify the remains of the gatekeeper is genius enough. And being able to summarize experience and use such combat tactics, their combat talent is truly impressive," Takagi, who saw everything, exclaimed.
Just then, Takagi suddenly felt a familiar fluctuation coming from the surrounding space. In just an instant, he arrived at a very familiar space. And on either side of him, Dottore and Nahida stood quietly. Besides Takagi, Dottore, and Nahida, La Signora, who had left Herta's Office earlier, naturally also arrived in this mysterious space.
...
"Hmm?! This space is... the space where one can pay respects to an Aeon? I actually came here! Lisa, you're here too!" Cloud Retainer said in astonishment.
"Yes, it seems we're lucky," Lisa smiled and nodded. She was equally surprised in her heart. Just a second ago, she was still in the cyclical dream, but the next second she actually arrived here. And she was with Cloud Retainer.
She took a deep breath and looked up at the huge pillar of light in front of her: "Cloud Retainer, which Aeon do you think will take a liking to us?"
After a brief thought, Cloud Retainer replied: "No matter which Aeon takes a liking to us, it will be our honor."
"After stepping onto a Path, perhaps we won't need to use the remains of the gatekeeper like in the dream. Instead, we'll be able to directly defeat that one hostile gatekeeper, right?" Lisa smiled and said.
"That being said, I still really want to put the results of our joint research into practice. If we wait until we leave the Simulated Universe, we probably won't have the chance to create that kind of gatekeeper."
Upon hearing this, Cloud Retainer couldn't help but nod: "What you said is not unreasonable."
The two exchanged a smile and looked together at the giant light pillar in front, waiting quietly with anticipation for the Aeon to appear.
...
On the other side, where Takagi, La Signora, and others were located.
"This is… a space where we can meet the Aeon? Did someone trigger the reward for stepping onto a Path? Wait, Lisa and Cloud Retainer? Why are they both at the light pillar!" La Signora blinked, showing a curious expression.
"You didn't know? I thought you were always paying attention to Cloud Retainer's situation. After all, you left the field at the beginning, so you had enough time to observe their battle," Dottore said to La Signora with a strange look.
Hearing this, La Signora immediately became furious. "Dottore, you still have the nerve to say this to me? Do you know what you did earlier? If it wasn't for you, how could I have been targeted by two gatekeepers from the start? If those two 'Archons' hadn't attacked me simultaneously, how could I have been defeated so quickly?" La Signora roared coldly at Dottore.
If Takagi wasn't still here, and if this wasn't a mysterious space where they could meet the Aeon, La Signora might have already used fire to burn Dottore, fearing that attacking him would incur the displeasure of Takagi and the Aeon.
"I was just dodging normally. I thought you, having stepped onto a Path, would be able to react. Or do you need my protection?" Dottore smiled.
"Dottore!" La Signora glared at him with gritted teeth. If looks could kill, Dottore would probably have died countless times by now.
"Alright, don't be angry. Save your strength for the upcoming battle," Takagi patted La Signora's fair shoulder and said.
Hearing this, La Signora snorted coldly at Dottore and said no more.
"Lord Takagi, what exactly did Lisa and Cloud Retainer do? Why are they able to visit the Aeon simultaneously?" Dottore asked Takagi curiously. La Signora also looked over with curiosity. After all, before this, no one from Teyvat had ever been able to visit the Aeon and step onto a Path at the same time.
Neither Dottore nor La Signora were aware of Lisa and Cloud Retainer's reincarnation in the dream realm. The only ones in the field who knew the truth were Takagi and Nahida, who had created the dream realm and likely guessed what Lisa and Cloud Retainer had experienced.
"It's nothing much, they just successfully modified and activated the defeated gatekeeper together. And, through their cleverness and wisdom, they summarized an excellent combat method," Takagi shrugged and said.
Although the Aeon had not yet appeared, Takagi could roughly guess which Aeon might appear next. The only Aeon who would likely be moved by the wisdom of Lisa and Cloud Retainer would be Nous, the Aeon of Erudition.
"They two, activated the defeated gatekeeper?! How is that possible?" Dottore's eyes widened, looking at the backs of Lisa and Cloud Retainer in disbelief.
"Because they accomplished something you haven't yet, you think it's impossible, Dottore?" Takagi said to Dottore meaningfully.
Dottore: "..."
Takagi smiled and looked at Nahida: "The fact that they could come here is thanks to Nahida. If it weren't for her, they wouldn't have been able to step onto a Path. Speaking of which, if you hadn't taken a gatekeeper far away from the beginning, perhaps it wouldn't just be Lisa and Cloud Retainer standing there, but you, Dottore, as well."
Takagi had to admit that although Dottore was arrogant, he still had some skills. After such a long time, he had already researched some things from the gatekeeper he had lured away. If Dottore, Lisa, and Cloud Retainer had worked together in the reincarnation dream to modify the gatekeeper's remains and summarized tactics to deal with the enemy together, perhaps the number of times they reincarnated in the dream realm could have been significantly reduced. Of course, if Dottore had been willing to use his full strength from the start, a single gatekeeper would not have been his opponent anyway.
Upon hearing this, Dottore frowned and looked at Nahida. Lesser Lord Kusanali, what exactly did she do? Dottore thought. Even if he was unwilling to admit it, he now somewhat regretted not acting with Nahida, Lisa, and Cloud Retainer.
Suddenly, the light pillar in front burst out with a dazzling light. Dottore turned his head and saw a giant celestial machine.
Dottore: "An unfamiliar Aeon, and this appearance, could it be…"
Takagi: "That's right, this is Nous, the Aeon of Erudition, the existence that symbolizes wisdom."
La Signora: "Nous, indeed, the Aeon is always awe-inspiring no matter how many times you see them."
Nahida: "Is it He who calculates everything in the Universe?"
Dottore: "Indeed, is Nous an existence that ascended from a celestial computer to become an Aeon?"
Dottore looked at Nous's mechanical body, his fists clenching involuntarily. Just like Grand Sage Azar wanted to create a sufficiently powerful divine being, he also wanted to create a powerful divine being. He also wanted to emulate Zandar, who single-handedly created Nous, and create a divine being capable of becoming an Aeon.
Regardless, I need to see Him. As long as I see Him, I can receive a blessing. Dottore clenched his fists and thought to himself. He remembered clearly that Takagi had mentioned that by stepping onto the Path of Erudition, his intelligence might also be enhanced. For him, as a researcher, the enhancement of intelligence was quite appealing. Furthermore, he also wanted to use his intellect to create another Nous.