Herta's private office.
Countless puppets were neatly arranged in every corner of the room. At this moment, all of them had their eyes tightly closed and remained motionless.
In the very center of the room, a massive device was emitting a low hum.
It was the core terminal of the Simulated Universe, and also the crucial foundation of the operation Herta was about to begin.
At this moment, Herta stood in front of the terminal.
Behind her, everyone was waiting for her next instruction.
However, just before Herta was about to activate the Simulated Universe, her fingers suddenly stopped.
"Before we begin, I need to confirm something first."
Herta's tone became unusually grave.
"You… are all really fine with this, right?"
The question came rather abruptly, causing everyone present to pause slightly.
Only then did Herta turn around.
"This simulation is different from an ordinary simulation."
"An ordinary simulation merely allows simulated Aeons to perform deductions inside a virtual universe. The impact on the participants is negligible."
"But this audience is different."
"I will create a model within the Simulated Universe and establish an information channel with a true Aeon."
"During this process, the consciousness of the participants will be directly exposed beneath the Aeon's Path."
Herta paused.
"To put it simply, during the audience, Nous's Erudition will affect the consciousness of everyone present."
"For Emanators, this influence is entirely bearable."
"But for ordinary Pathstriders…"
Her gaze fell on Welt and Dan Heng.
"At best, it may cause mental disorientation. At worst… consciousness collapse."
The office went quiet for a moment.
Welt was the first to speak.
"Madam Herta, you need not worry."
"My mental strength may not compare to that of an Emanator, but I have experienced no small number of hardships."
"A mere oppressive influence from an Aeon's Path is still something I can withstand."
Mm. As expected of the Herrscher of Reason, the strongest man aboard the Astral Express. He directly expressed confidence in himself.
Dan Heng also nodded slightly.
"I have no problem either."
As the former Dragon Sovereign Dan Feng, even though he had only recovered part of his strength, his mental fortitude was absolutely not something an ordinary Pathstrider could compare to.
As for Jing Yuan and Yaoguang, there was even less need to mention them. As Arbiter-Generals and Emanators of the Hunt, their mental strength was already at the Emanator level.
Jing Yuan even added, "Madam Herta, rest assured. The generals of the Xianzhou Alliance are not so easy to break."
"Although we have indeed been thoroughly infuriated by that witch recently, we are still far from mental collapse."
Yaoguang did not speak, merely nodding lightly as her response.
As for Kiana and Mobius…
Herta glanced at the two little fellows whispering to each other in the corner. After a moment of hesitation, she chose to accept it by default.
"Fine."
Herta withdrew her gaze and turned back toward the terminal.
To be honest, she was not especially worried.
Although this audience did carry risks, the people before her were either Emanators or top-tier figures among Pathstriders.
With their mental strength, there truly should not be any problem.
The reason Herta had asked was merely out of a genius's rigor.
"Since nobody has any objections, let us begin."
Herta offered no further explanation and directly began operating the terminal.
First, she brought up the core framework of the Simulated Universe.
Erudition.
That was Nous's Path.
During the previous experiment with the Simulated Universe, the descents of Nanook and Nous had given Herta a new discovery.
She had discovered that although the Aeons in the simulation were false, if true Aeons cast their gaze downward, those simulated Aeons would be entirely replaced by the true Aeons themselves.
And as an Emanator of Erudition, Herta did still possess a method to make Nous cast his gaze down.
Herta lightly tapped that node with her finger, then began entering data.
The data was not fabricated from nothing. Rather, it consisted of fragmented information about Nous that she had collected through various channels during her past research.
Individually, each piece of information was incomplete.
But once integrated together and placed into the framework of the Simulated Universe, they might be able to assemble the outline of a virtual Nous.
Of course, this virtual Nous was not the true Aeon.
It was merely a simulation constructed from existing data. The accuracy and depth of its answers depended on the quality and quantity of the data input.
Even so, judging from the amount of data Herta currently possessed, this simulated entity could at least answer most questions regarding galactic history and the laws governing the operation of Paths.
As the final set of data was entered, the Simulated Universe's core terminal released an intense wave of fluctuation.
Immediately afterward, Herta began the second step.
She raised her hand and waved it toward the surroundings of the room.
In an instant, all the puppets quietly arranged around them opened their eyes.
Countless little Herta puppets lit up with faint purple light in their eyes. Then, they began walking toward the Simulated Universe.
One after another, the puppets transformed into pure energy the instant they touched the terminal and were swallowed by the Simulated Universe.
These puppets were not ordinary toys.
Inside each puppet was stored a considerable amount of Imaginary energy.
They were the core vessels Herta used in daily remote control and research.
Although they were all special puppets without self-awareness, as fuel under certain circumstances, they could indeed relieve an urgent need.
But that was still not enough.
"The final step."
Herta took a deep breath, then pressed a button on the terminal.
Ha!
The entire space station trembled slightly in that instant.
That was the space station's own energy system being temporarily taken over in its entirety by the Simulated Universe.
In simple terms, Herta fed the entire space station, countless puppets, and those precious external energy reserves all into the Simulated Universe in one go.
The cost of such an operation was enormous.
Compared to the Divination Commission on the Luofu previously going bankrupt, this was no less extreme.
But for this audience, Herta felt it was worth it.
Then, a dazzling white light erupted from the terminal and swallowed the entire office.
When the white light faded, everyone discovered that they were no longer inside Herta's office.
In its place was an endless void.
"This place is…"
Dan Heng looked around, a trace of uncertainty in his voice.
"This is the interstice of the Path of Erudition."
Herta's voice came from ahead.
She stood at the front of the group, her back facing them as she looked into the depths of that blue-white void.
"The Simulated Universe has operated successfully. Where we are now is the virtual space constructed from Nous's Path data."
Jing Yuan's gaze swept across this space, a trace of vigilance flashing through his half-lidded eyes.
Although he knew this was only a simulated space, the aura belonging to Erudition still made him feel a pressure originating from the Path itself.
Jing Yuan subconsciously clenched his fist slightly and suppressed that discomfort.
Yaoguang, standing nearby, seemed much calmer.
She closed her eyes faintly, seeming to adapt to the aura of this space in her own way.
After all, as someone who had originally been a diviner, she had naturally dealt with Erudition many times before.
Welt's reaction was somewhat subtle. His left arm trembled faintly, but he soon steadied himself.
Although his current physical condition was indeed poor, in terms of mental strength, this former high-end combatant of Earth still had sufficient confidence.
As for Dan Heng, his expression did not change much. Only his blue-green vertical pupils contracted slightly, a purely instinctive reaction to the pressure of the Path.
And naturally, there was even less need to mention Kiana and Mobius.
As the starter account, after undergoing the many layers of tempering involved in fabricating history, Kiana was already the only max-level account that had never once used persona correction.
As for Mobius?
She was the max-level account herself!
"It's here," Herta suddenly said in a low voice.
Then, under everyone's gaze, a change began to occur in the deepest part of the blue-white void.
Countless points of light converged from the void, finally condensing into a massive figure before everyone.
That was the aura of Erudition.
Nous, the Aeon of Erudition.
Although it was only a virtual simulated entity, at this moment, the simulated Nous had already been replaced by the true one.
Herta still stood steadily at the very front, raising her head to look at that enormous figure.
Without any preamble, she went straight to the subject of the day.
"O omniscient existence, I ask you…"
"I wish to know everything about the Witch of Nihility, about Kallen Kaslana."
"I wish to know her origins, her purpose, and what method she intends to use to revive the girl named Bianka."
"Please resolve my doubts."
In an instant, the entire Path interstice fell silent.
The others were all more or less stunned.
Damn, no preamble at all, just asking directly? Are you people of Erudition always this easy to talk to?
Then, Nous's voice rang out.
This Aeon of Erudition decided to answer Herta.
Kallen Kaslana.
Nous spoke the name.
She is not a naturally born lifeform.
The very first sentence caused the expressions of everyone present to change slightly.
Of course, this was merely an answer that had already been revealed before.
Next, Nous began explaining Kallen's origins.
A long, long time ago, Qlipoth was once contaminated by Nihility.
That contamination was not fatal, but it still left an indelible mark on Qlipoth's shell.
In order to purify himself, Qlipoth chose to shed the portion of his shell eroded by Nihility.
And that shed shell was Kallen's predecessor.
Jing Yuan's brows furrowed.
A shell eroded by Nihility…
In other words, Kallen's essence had never been something purely of Preservation from the very beginning.
Within her body, the factor of Nihility had flowed from birth.
And this also happened to prove that Madam Herta's earlier conjecture had been correct.
Because she was born from a shell eroded by Nihility, from the moment she descended into the world, she was not a complete existence.
She was both a creation of Preservation and a remnant husk of Nihility.
These two different Paths coexisted within her, yet never fused. They repelled one another and tore at one another.
And this contradictory essence destined her to be a natural-born Self-Annihilator from the moment of her birth.
"A Self-Annihilator…"
Everyone present knew what a Self-Annihilator was.
Among those who walked the Path of Nihility, almost all had once experienced a period of complete denial toward the meaning of life.
Aside from those who had been contaminated by Nihility through special accidents, other Self-Annihilators usually walked toward the denial of all existence after losing loved ones, seeing their ideals collapse, or despairing of the world.
But Kallen was different.
She had not become a Self-Annihilator later in life.
She was born as one.
From the instant of her birth, the factor of Nihility had already been carved into her essence.
Hearing this, Welt and Dan Heng's gazes sharpened.
This was different from the information they had heard.
Previously aboard the Astral Express, Kallen had said that she became a Self-Annihilator because of Bianka's death.
It seemed that Kallen had not told the truth at the time.
Nous's voice rang out once more, giving them little time to digest the information.
At that time, after leaving Qlipoth, she walked alone through every corner of the galaxy.
From one star region to another, from one civilization to the next.
She witnessed countless rises and falls, and saw countless meetings and partings between life and death.
Her power was peerless. The dual Paths of Preservation and Nihility granted her strength far beyond all others. It could even be said that among Emanators, she was the most special and most powerful one.
Herta's brows moved slightly.
The most special and powerful among Emanators…
For such an evaluation to come from Nous, its weight was not light.
After all, although the number of Emanators in the galaxy was not large, every single one of them was an absolute powerhouse whose name shook all sides.
Yet Nous said Kallen was the most special among them…
As an Emanator of Erudition, Herta found this somewhat displeasing.
However, no matter where she went, no matter what she saw, her heart remained empty.
She did not know why she existed, did not know where she should go, and did not know what meaning her existence held.
She merely walked, aimlessly.
Like a body without a soul.
Like her predecessor, the hollow, empty husk shed by Qlipoth.
The Path interstice went quiet for an instant.
Herta pressed her lips together faintly.
An existence born without knowing the meaning of life had wandered aimlessly through the galaxy for who knew how many years.
That kind of experience…
Herta found it difficult to imagine how the other party had survived.
No wonder the Amber Lord had held back against the Witch of Nihility before.
Looking at it now, the reason this Aeon had done so was very likely due to a trace of guilt in his heart.
Then, Nous continued.
Until one day, she met someone.
A girl named Bianka.
Everyone's breathing paused slightly.
Here it was.
Bianka.
This name had been mentioned too many times today.
And clearly, now was the moment to unveil the truth of the past.
Bianka was the last bloodline left in this world by Akivili, the Aeon of Trailblaze.
Although Akivili had already passed, their daughter still lived. And as long as Bianka lived, the road of Trailblaze would not disappear.
Bianka was the final spark of Trailblaze.
From the very start, Nous declared Bianka's importance to Trailblaze.
This information also made the expressions of the two Nameless present turn solemn.
After all, today's Trailblaze had already declined.
Although no one on the Express had ever cared about that, if possible, they naturally still hoped that Trailblaze could return to its most prosperous era.
Instantly, the two of them became fully attentive.
The process of their meeting was not special. It could even be called an extremely ordinary encounter.
But to that cast-off shell, who had never known the meaning of existence, this encounter was the beginning of everything.
Together, they traveled across countless star regions and experienced countless dangers and hardships.
During those years, it was Bianka who told her that her existence had meaning.
Kallen.
That name was given to her by Bianka at that time.
Before then, she did not even have a name.
She was only a cast-off husk, an empty shell that did not even know what it should be called.
Immediately afterward, Nous's voice sounded again.
And this time, what he said caused the atmosphere of the entire Path interstice to sink abruptly.
However, after those happy years, a calamity descended.
Trailblaze… began to become the fourth Path of Finality, and also the most dangerous and lethal among them.
Although Akivili had already passed, as long as Bianka still lived, the road of Trailblaze would not completely perish.
Because she was the child of Trailblaze. The final spark of Trailblaze.
Yet precisely because of that, she was also the fuse that would lead Trailblaze toward Finality.
As long as Bianka lived, the road of Trailblaze remained. But the shadow of Finality would also follow like a shadow.
Because in the distant past, Trailblaze was the first fuse that led the galaxy toward Finality.
If this chain of causality were not severed, the Finality of Trailblaze would inevitably arrive. At that time, the entire galaxy would fall into the abyss of Finality.
Herta's brows furrowed to the extreme.
As a genius, she naturally understood the logic within Nous's words.
Bianka's existence was both the spark of Trailblaze and the root of Trailblaze's descent into Finality.
So the former Trailblaze, just like the Hunt, had once been one of the Four Ends?
In this situation…
A thought flashed through Herta's mind, one that even shocked her.
Sure enough, Nous's next words confirmed her speculation.
In order to prevent the Finality of Trailblaze from descending, Bianka made a choice.
She found the then-complete Terminus and made a transaction with him.
At the cost of her own life, she severed the causal chain between Trailblaze and Finality.
The entire Path interstice sank into a long silence.
She chose to sacrifice herself in exchange for the continued existence of Trailblaze.
Dan Heng remembered something Kallen had once said aboard the Astral Express.
"She voluntarily went to her death to prevent Trailblaze from becoming Finality."
So that was it.
So this was the truth behind those words.
"So Bianka died for the sake of Trailblaze, and Kallen could not accept that fact, so she set out on the path to revive Bianka?"
Welt's gaze fell on Nous's enormous phantom in midair.
"But there is still one thing I cannot understand. How did she connect reviving one person with plunging the entire galaxy into Nihility?"
"What exactly is the logical relationship between those two things?"
Nous was silent for a moment.
And this time, his answer was what truly caused everyone's expressions to change completely.
Bianka's death was, in essence, a transaction of causality.
She used her own life as the price and became a substitute for Finality.
In other words, Bianka's death is itself the Finality of Trailblaze. Through her death, she replaced the ending that the Path of Trailblaze should have met.
Therefore, within the framework of causality, an inseparable causal chain has already formed between Bianka and the Finality of Trailblaze.
Bianka's death is equivalent to the Finality of Trailblaze.
And the Finality of Trailblaze is likewise equivalent to Bianka's death.
Herta's pupils suddenly contracted.
She seemed to understand everything.
Sure enough, Nous immediately gave everyone the answer.
Naturally, the cast-off shell named Kallen could not accept this result. In the end, she gave herself the surname Kaslana and walked down a long road.
And ultimately, the method Kallen found was built upon this causal chain.
Since Bianka's death is equivalent to the Finality of Trailblaze…
Then, as long as the galaxy once again welcomes a Finality, a calamity great enough to rival the Finality Bianka bore back then…
Perhaps, under the causal correction sought by Kallen Kaslana, Bianka, as the substitute for that former Finality, will lose the necessity of her existence because of the appearance of a new Finality.
Causality will correct itself.
The old Finality will be replaced by the new Finality.
And as the carrier of the old Finality, Bianka will be released from death.
She will be revived into the present world.
Inside the Path interstice, everyone's breathing stopped.
So that was it.
So this was Kallen's method.
So this was why she had not hesitated to drag the entire galaxy into the abyss.
Because she wanted to create a new Finality.
A Finality caused by Nihility, great enough to destroy the entire galaxy.
And once this new Finality replaced the old Finality…
Bianka would revive.
This was why Kallen wanted to spread Nihility.
She was not doing it to destroy the galaxy.
She was doing it so the galaxy would welcome Finality.
Because only when Finality arrived could Bianka be revived.
Naturally, everyone present rejected such behavior.
To make the entire galaxy welcome Finality for the sake of reviving one person—
This conduct, this logic, had already gone beyond the realm of madness.
Join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 180)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 285
"Is this chat group even serious?" 150
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (This matter is completely finished.)
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 255
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 210
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 305
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (This matter is completely finished.)
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 130
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 155
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 120
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 155
My Harem Is Indescribable 105
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 110
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 110
Still playing traditional Honk 96
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 95
What Should I Do After Switchi 51
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 105
Checking In in Demon Slayer 95
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 105
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 95
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (This matter is completely finished.)
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 95
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 90
Why did they assign me to Uma 80
MYGO Beauties 75
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 80
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 100
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 120
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 65
The Uma Musume Who Became 70
I'm Definitely Not the King of 105
After Maxing Out Every Class 110
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 95
I, the Elden Sword Saint 60
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 60
No One Knows Pokémon Better 60
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 69
From Trilobites to Titans 57
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 75
DanMachi: My Party Members Are 86
An Anime Heroine Darkened 60
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 70
Honkai: The Fire Devil 70
Honkai Transformation Cards Volume2/30
Age of Heroes, I'm Just a Back 60
Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 74
At age 8, she co-starred with 45
Honkai: Schicksal Media 53
An Extremist in a Slice-of-Lif 30
My patreon : patreon.com/queen_sin
My patreon : patreon.com/queen_sin