αWolf: "In the future, I will replace Polka and take control of Device IX. It is a cosmis-wide dark web through which countless pieces of information circulate, but... as far as I know, no Emanator is capable of performing the miracle of resurrecting another person."
Silver Wolf: "But according to Elio, she did it. And the one she resurrected wasn't an ordinary person, but a Lord Ravager."
αWolf: "I can't understand it either... Perhaps this is Herta's wisdom. Or perhaps, just as Herta herself said, she truly has no limits..."
Silver Wolf was inwardly shaken by those words. After thinking for a long while, she asked the αWolf consciousness residing within the Soul Gem a crucial question. "If Emanators can't resurrect others, what about Aeons?"
"They probably can. Isn't my existence itself a miracle performed by Terminus?" At this point, αWolf added, "Of course, the reason I can continue to exist stably is not only Terminus' divine power, but also the Soul Gem developed by Herta."
At that moment, Elio also spoke. "In fact, the reason Phantylia was able to revive was also because of the Soul Gem."
Everyone present was stunned. None of them had imagined that the Soul Gem also possessed the power of resurrection. It was simply absurd.
After all, Soul Gems were not particularly expensive. They cost only ten thousand Credits and sold extremely well across the universe's millions of worlds.
Now, Pathstriders in every world purchased them specifically to amplify their Path energy.
Stelle widened her eyes. "Unbelievable. Soul Gems actually possess the power of resurrection? Then I have to carry one with me at all times! And not just me. Firefly, you need to carry one too, in case something unexpected happens."
"I need to carry one too?" Firefly pointed at herself, looking somewhat bewildered.
"Of course. Although Ruan Mei has temporarily stabilized your Entropy Loss Syndrome with the Cat Cake colony, there may come a day when some accident causes you to become separated from the group again... If Entropy Loss Syndrome begins troubling you once more, the Soul Gem will protect your life."
"Thank you, Stelle." Firefly thanked her happily.
"Humanity's development and understanding of Soul Gems are still far too shallow." Silver Wolf, who was sitting on the sofa, sighed at that moment.
"At first, I only treated it as an ordinary amplifier item capable of increasing a player's strength. Yet now, time and again, it has displayed the effects of a super item—a Curio."
"For example, it preserved αWolf's consciousness in this world. And now, it has even resurrected a Lord Ravager..."
Elio nodded in agreement. "Herta exists outside of destiny. To the entire universe, she is an exception. The technology she develops is likewise filled with impossibilities. Perhaps this technology still contains even deeper mysteries awaiting discovery."
Stelle's eyes lit up when she heard that. "I'll research it and see. Maybe I'll discover something new."
"You?" Silver Wolf curled her lips. "Only a player could uncover more secrets from a super item like the Soul Gem. For example, me!"
"Don't underestimate me." After speaking, Stelle pulled the Soul Gem from her pocket and immediately began studying it.
Meanwhile, Silver Wolf muttered to herself as she communicated with αWolf, attempting to use the consciousness residing within the Soul Gem to uncover more of the gem's mysteries.
Watching this scene, Kafka and Elio believed that if the Soul Gem truly contained deeper secrets, those two would certainly uncover them.
After all, neither of them was an ordinary person.
Although Stelle had yet to be implanted with the correct Stellaron, her essential nature remained closely connected to the power of Trailblaze. She was a special existence destined to change fate and overturn the script.
As for Silver Wolf and αWolf, both were players, and one of them had once stood at the summit of Elation.
...
Within The Blue star system, Herta herself was currently speaking with Ruan Mei.
"Your biological research has advanced considerably. Even the Starcrusher Swarm King can now exist for an extended period instead of disintegrating after a little more than fifty seconds."
Ruan Mei gazed seriously into Herta's eyes. "This is all thanks to your Swarm Emperor Fruit. Without that fruit as experimental material, I truly would not have been able to revive the Starcrusher Swarm King in a form so close to its peak during the Swarm Disaster."
"Have you tested how long this Starcrusher Swarm King can remain in existence?"
"The test is still ongoing. We will see whether it can endure for twenty-four system hours."
After saying that, Ruan Mei seemed to remember something and continued, "When I finished my research in the laboratory just now, I not only noticed that you were fighting Phantylia, but also saw the message you sent me. You want us to jointly develop the Simulated Universe?"
"Yes. An Emanator of Nihility needs our help." After speaking, Herta turned her gaze toward the distant figure with dark purple hair standing amid the violent wind, one hand gripping the sheath of a long blade. It was Acheron.
Ruan Mei followed Herta's gaze and exclaimed repeatedly in astonishment.
"Another self-crowned Emanator, and one who walks Nihility... Incredible! I suppose when one has lived in this universe long enough, nothing remains impossible to encounter."
"Also, I agree to the Simulated Universe · Izumo development project. I am extremely curious whether Acheron can truly stabilize her own anchor by recalling the past, preventing herself from falling deeper into the abyss of Nihility."
At this point, Ruan Mei added, "Of course, before the Simulated Universe can officially begin, we still need to make certain preparations and collect several special elements. Moreover, I am not the only one who must prepare. You and Screwllum must do so as well."
"Naturally, I understand. The Simulated Universe is a massive undertaking. I will make the necessary preparations, and I have already notified Screwllum to prepare for its development as well."
Ruan Mei nodded, then asked Herta another question. "Just now, I saw IPC vessels and the Xianzhou Alliance's Xianzhou Yuque taking away large numbers of Herta Puppets. Have you established a deep partnership with them?"
"Mm... The expansion of the Warp requires them to transport Herta Puppets to more worlds." Herta nodded. "The Herta Puppets they took away have undergone special modifications and can now serve as anchors."
"They have undergone your modifications, and the level of their spiritual vitality has risen significantly. I can see that clearly." Ruan Mei nodded and sighed. "Your progress in life-science research has also begun accelerating rapidly. Perhaps one day, you will be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with me."
Herta smiled faintly without denying it.
Ruan Mei said, "Next, in addition to preparing for the Simulated Universe, I must delve even more deeply into biological research. I cannot truly allow you to surpass me. No matter what, I am still your senior in the Genius Society."
After speaking, Ruan Mei stamped her foot and rode the Starcrusher Swarm King back to the laboratory. She was going to conduct research.
Stimulated by Herta's progress, her motivation to research had reached its peak.
Watching Ruan Mei depart, Herta also felt the flames of research ignite within her eyes. She intended to continue her own scientific work.
As for the Eastern Federation's merger, that task had been entrusted to the Supreme Leader of the Blue Federation.
She also trusted that the IPC, which had established a deep partnership with her, would properly maintain order on The Blue. After all, the IPC had already dispatched a large number of high-ranking immigrants into the region surrounding The Blue.
More importantly, the fact that she had killed the Lord Ravager Phantylia once in full view of everyone was enough to deter many factions throughout the universe.
After considering this, Herta handed control of her body to Herman, while she plunged directly into the Simulated Laboratory. She intended to conduct research on several projects.
Project One: Use the positive emotions within the Warp in combination with stellar energy to construct a Plasma Spark Tower. Once the Plasma Spark Tower was successfully built, she could even create a race of giants within the universe whose hearts naturally yearned for the light, allowing them to maintain cosmic order... Doing so might create a large number of Pathstriders born to walk the Path of Order. It might even allow the long-dead Aeon of Order, Ena, to return.
Project Two: Use psionic formulas to convert emotional energy into sufficient psionic power, then forge a Soul Society within the Warp, creating a true afterlife where souls could reside for extended periods without succumbing to madness, thereby negating Nihility.
Of course, if this project were completed, the eternally motionless Aeon of Nihility, IX, might take some action beyond everyone's expectations.
Project Three: Use the Super Herta Astral Computer to construct Herta's own Xianzhou ship, then attempt to transform the completed vessel into a shipgirl, thereby creating a colossal galactic shipgirl megastructure!
Once this project was completed, Herta would possess a super combat force capable of output comparable to an Emanator, accompanying her just as Ruan Mei's creations accompanied Ruan Mei.
...
Herman's consciousness awakened within Herta's body. With a brief examination, he discovered that Herta had already devoted herself entirely to scientific research. Since that was the case, this was the perfect opportunity for him to carefully investigate what new achievements Herta had triggered on her journey to this point.
[The first Legendary Achievement:
Planter, completed.
Plant trees? Plant trees!
Within the Yongmei Star System, you planted a chakra seed. By absorbing the life force of an entire world consumed by the Swarm Disaster of Propagation, you harvested a God Tree! You artificially created what many considered a miracle of Abundance.
As long as you wish, you can plant chakra seeds within one galactic civilization after another... harvesting star after star.
Legendary Achievement Point +1.
The second Legendary Achievement:
Transcendent Liberation, Emanator! Completed!
Emanator of Erudition? Emanator!
Through knowledge, you pushed open the gates of truth, completed your self-ascension and self-coronation, and became an Emanator.
You accomplished all of this in less than two months. In the eyes of all living beings, you are a genius surpassing even the many geniuses of the Genius Society. Only Zandar One Kuwabara, creator of Nous, can rival you in wisdom!
You are a true genius of the universe!
Legendary Achievement Point +1.
The third Legendary Achievement:
Goddess of Wisdom! Completed.
Wisdom? Wisdom!
You consumed the Brain-Brain Fruit and developed it to the point of awakening. Through the fruit's awakening, you shared your wisdom with all living beings throughout the universe, and an entire civilization had its fate completely transformed because of you.
You have already become the embodiment of wisdom for an entire civilization. There can be no doubt—in any mythology, you would be a goddess of wisdom!
Legendary Achievement Point +1.
The third Mythic Achievement:
Warp? Warp! Completed!
Mind over matter!
You created an inconceivable dimension, protecting souls that would otherwise have fallen into Nihility.
You changed the way all living beings in this universe view death... Before your arrival, every living being in the universe returned to Nihility after death.
After your arrival in this universe, all living beings instead return to the miraculous black sun of the Master of the Warp.
Mythic Achievement Point +1.]
After reading the achievement information, Herman blinked and thought silently.
Three Legendary Achievement Points, plus one Mythic Achievement Point?
Not bad at all... especially the Mythic Achievement Point. This is Herta's first time completing one.
More importantly, Mythic Achievements are ten thousand times harder to complete than Legendary Achievements, and the effects of Mythic Achievement Points are correspondingly immense.
Simply using a Mythic Achievement Point to increase research points would add one thousand points at once.
Herta's essential research-point total was currently only two thousand. The reason it could rise to three thousand was because of the Universal Genius buff.
Yet a single Mythic Achievement Point could increase Herta's fundamental research ability by another fifty percent.
Of course, Mythic Achievement Points were not limited to increasing research points. They could also be used to answer questions... questions concerning the universe's essence and truth.
As long as Herta wished, she could expend a Mythic Achievement Point to learn the true essence of the universe, or even discover the precise method of attaining Aeonhood...
A Mythic Achievement Point was that kind of all-purpose resource.
Herman therefore immediately contacted The Herta, who had just entered the Simulated Laboratory. He informed her that she had once again obtained three Legendary Achievement Points and one Mythic Achievement Point, then explained the special effects of Mythic Achievements.
Herta asked with a smile, "Well? Should Herta spend one Mythic Research Point and have me tell you the precise method of attaining Aeonhood?"
"No." Herta refused without hesitation. "Rather than answering the question by consuming a Mythic Research Point, I would prefer to research and solve it through my own abilities."
"Furthermore, I believe that with my abilities, sooner or later I will independently complete my research into the method of attaining Aeonhood. I will fully deconstruct it and turn becoming an Aeon into a viable path for geniuses!"
At this point, Herta paused before adding, "Also, I desire more questions. Can a Mythic Achievement Point make Nous ask me a question?"
"No." Herman shook his head.
Herta looked somewhat disappointed. "Then spend the Mythic Achievement Point to amplify my research points."
"All right."
Herman agreed without hesitation.
In an instant, Herta's research points surged from two thousand to three thousand, increasing by fifty percent.
More importantly, the Universal Genius buff remained active, providing another fifty-percent amplification.
As a result, Herta's research points reached four thousand five hundred!
Judging from the surface-level data, this was four and a half times Herta's original value. In reality, however, that was not the case.
After all, increases in research points did not enhance research ability through simple addition...