"The ignorant are not guilty, Aleister Crowley."
Noah was not surprised to see Aleister suddenly as meek as a cat.
Whether it was because he came from beyond this world, or because of the power he possessed that Aleister could never hope to resist, it was only natural for him to bow down.
Twisted though this man was, until he achieved his dearest wish, he would do anything—even gamble everything for a chance so slim it was nearly zero.
"Thank you for your mercy, O great being from beyond this world."
Noah looked at Aleister calmly. "I don't care to waste words with you about anything else. You have unique value in my eyes—otherwise, I would not have come here."
"All that you wish to know is here. Absorb it. Then give me the answers I seek."
With that, Noah's Super-Primeval God's power directly injected into Aleister's memory the entirety of Teyvat's knowledge: its systems, its multiversal cosmology, its superdimensional tiers, and more.
At this point, Aleister already held the strength of a single-universe being.
Through his self-created myth-level magical formula, he could unleash an attack equal to ten times the Big Bang.
The Teyvat system was vast, capable of perfectly absorbing any magical framework. After all, Teyvat itself already held the potential for magic to lead to the Primeval God—only that potential had not yet extended so far.
But the single-universe of the Magical Index world was very different from that of Teyvat. Teyvat's Almighty Gods were truly almighty. Here, however, a single-universe level merely meant a magician's destructive power had reached that scale.
And those who had reached that level still could not freely use their power—lest they trigger distortions within the world.
Aleister's glass tube served not only to sustain his external body's functions, but also to seal away his infinitely expanding power and his countless possibilities.
Those possibilities had already split into more than a billion, each one another self—a billion counterparts of Aleister.
If he were to step outside, those billion selves would spiral out of control. This was one of his trump cards against the Magic Gods.
Yet against super single-universe Magic Gods, even a billion single-universe selves were nothing. Within a minute, they had been slaughtered until only a single female self remained.
No number of ordinary single-universe beings could ever stand equal to even one super single-universe.
"…"
Aleister was forced to accept the information. Inside, he was shaken beyond measure. Not even the Magic Gods could forcibly overwrite his mind with knowledge.
Yet before this being, he had no resistance at all. He could not understand or even perceive the power—it was like a paper doll, helplessly scrawled upon.
Even so, as the tidal wave of information poured into him, he began to parse it.
Just reading a fraction of it twisted his expression into fanatic fervor—like a religious zealot enraptured.
Teyvat. The great multiverse.
Pan-Human History.
The gods' duty to safeguard human civilization.
Only those who bore benevolence toward humanity could ascend to godhood.
The world must not be disturbed in its course—Human Principle would judge all.
Utterly fevered, he drank in the revelation, alongside the accompanying power of Teyvat.
Humanity would no longer be livestock blindly serving gods.
The will of the gods could not be imposed upon the world.
Human strength would bind the gods.
Was this not exactly what he himself sought?
In the clashing wills of the Magic Gods, any future meant the death of his unborn daughter. It was nothing more than collateral in their battles.
Mere Magic Gods—gods of magic! By what right did they define the rules of the world, by what right did they dictate humanity's fate?
And yet Teyvat's multiverse… it was the collective human will itself that restrained the gods. The gods, in turn, were bound to protect Pan-Human History, to protect civilization. If civilization fell, the gods would be annihilated by Human Principle.
This… this was Aleister's Eden.
When his fanaticism ebbed, this pitiful man—fated to fail no matter what—looked upon Noah, his voice trembling with reverence.
"Great Sovereign of Teyvat, I understand your will. I shall follow it, and I will make this world part of Teyvat."
To him, the idea of this world becoming part of another multiverse was not something to fear, but something he longed for.
In that moment, all phases and mythological realms clinging to the present world would be stripped away, while the present reality itself would be elevated into a sequence-level great universe.
It was the most ideal outcome imaginable.
As for deceit? There was no point. This being could erase him in an instant. Even the Magic Gods could be swept aside by his hand. What meaning was there in resistance?
"Good, Aleister. Then continue with your original plan," Noah said calmly. "The Sisters Project—Mass Production of Misaka Sisters."
"I will grant twenty thousand Misaka Sisters the power of Teyvat. When they disperse across this world, that will mark the moment this world merges into Teyvat."
By scattering Teyvat's power across the planet, it would become an anchor pulling the entire world into alignment.
In the end, he would personally capture the Magic Gods and brand them with Teyvat's mark, completing the higher-tier anchors.
The easiest part? This world lacked a world consciousness. There was no need for elaborate interference with its civilization.
Bestowing the Misaka Sisters with Visions would suffice to complete the step.
Such was the hand of the Heavenly Principle—direct and absolute.
Aleister bowed his head. "By your will."
Noah cast a casual glance at Aiwass behind Aleister before vanishing from the chamber.
Only after his departure did Aiwass speak.
As the angel bound to Aleister, Aiwass too had received the influx of information.
A sound like a broken radio crackled into existence.
"Multiverse… world annexation… how delightful, truly delightful."
"To think a being greater than the Magic Gods themselves has descended into this world—such unimaginable joy."
"And Aleister, how utterly humble your posture is."
"Humility? Aiwass, it seems you still cannot understand humanity. Though even now, I cannot say for certain if I can still be called human."
Aleister's expression returned to calm, yet the fanatic light in his eyes did not fade in the slightest.
Aiwass, as the angel who had established contact with him, was neither his assistant nor his familiar. She had merely lowered her gaze out of curiosity, watching this existence who acted beyond her expectations.
Though clothed in the myths and names humans had given, her essence was merely that of a lifeform born of the physical world's laws.
Such beings were all categorized as angels, spirits, demons, and the like.
Every action of Aiwass could be explained as curiosity—an interest in things that diverged from monotony.
She had existed since before humanity itself, having seen countless repetitions. Only the unprecedented could stir her interest.
Her connection with Aleister was no different: born of curiosity, triggered by his laughable attempt to slay the Magic Gods, which had nonetheless brought her some amusement.
Like a human observing an ant trying to challenge a mantis—watching idly, and perhaps tossing down a crumb of bread.
"Hehehe… Of course. Not just you—even I would not dare transgress before such a being."
"If we were to measure by the multiverse's hierarchy of life, I, Aiwass, have only pushed a single domain to its cosmic limit—an Almighty God, yes, but still only a weak single-universe, unable to truly command all the powers of one universe."
"Those Magic Gods across the multiverse amount only to Primeval Gods—and even then, watered-down ones."
"Beyond the Magic Gods, there exist beings who can shake the multiverse itself: the Super-Primeval Gods."
"And above even them, that Lord—a being of unknown rank."
Aiwass's voice spilled into the room, emotions of delight, curiosity, and anticipation spreading like ripples.
"Such an unprecedented upheaval… Even more exhilarating than the arrival of the first Magic God. I can hardly wait to step into that multiverse and seek new changes, new pleasures."
"Hehehe… From the moment I first felt emotion until now, all joys combined pale before this one."
Aleister slowly closed his eyes.
That was Aiwass's nature. When something more enticing appeared, she would leave without hesitation.
He did not mind. Aiwass had lost her purpose to him, and he to her.
The plan to bring Aiwass's spirit fully into the present world was struck from his list.
Buzz, buzz…
Aiwass's voice faltered like a distorted radio. She froze, then laughed lightly.
"Hehehe… Aleister, you are truly a pitiful man."
He was severing their link.
Since this world was destined to merge into the multiverse, all related to her lost its use. Without hesitation, Aleister cut her off.
"In this, I know my place, Aiwass."
The mechanical voice resounded, and Aiwass's light slowly faded.
"Hehe…" She gave one last laugh before vanishing completely from the present world.
Her essence already lingered here. Even without Aleister, she could still gather a fragment of herself into a body, feeding on the artificial phases.
The Book of the Law had been her gift to Aleister.
The construction of the Artificial Heaven had been founded on her knowledge. There was no way she would be so easily cast back into the lowest phase.
...
After leaving the Windowless Building, Noah went directly to the largest research facility of the Second School District: the Talent Workshop (Clone Dolly Workshop).
The Talent Workshop had been founded with the intent of studying the genes of great men and geniuses, to clone them. But such research proved near-impossible, until the emergence of Level 5 psychic powers gave deranged researchers the idea: why bother creating geniuses, when you could simply brainwash them instead?
Thus began the project of copying the brain of a Level 5 psychic, turning it into a brain-machine interface accessible to anyone—intended to brainwash the world's geniuses and great figures.
At the same time, constrained by the limits of neuroscience and cloning technology, they also initiated the Level 5 Cloning Project, as well as the Ideal Project. The latter used manipulation of the AIM dispersion field to alter an individual's personal reality, thereby controlling espers and their abilities.
Many espers participated, whether voluntarily or not. More than a few died accidentally during experiments.
The names involved were familiar: Kakine Teitoku, Funaberi Ruiko, Mitsuari Ayu, and the archery prodigies Riko and Toru…
As of now, the Talent Workshop had not yet seen casualties. But some researchers with ideals and conscience already knew of the Ideal Project, as did some of the students caught up in it.
The Talent Workshop currently fell nominally under one of Academy City's eleven Board members—Director Kaihara. But this Director did not oversee the facility, merely provided research funding.
The actual establishment and operation of the Workshop lay with the lead researchers.
They submitted research proposals to the Board, which then approved new research institutions. Whichever Director supplied funds became the institution's nominal patron. But the Director did not manage it; they merely appointed a director to supervise.
Director Shundou Toshizou's round, sweating face twisted in fear. "What? Director Kaihara, our facility is to have its director replaced? Sent by Chairman Aleister himself?"
A voice came from the other end of the line.
"Yes, that's correct. Beyond that, I don't know. Funding for the research projects will continue. But all matters of the facility are now in the hands of that new director."
"As for who that is, I don't know, and you don't have the clearance to know. Just understand that this person is Aleister's full proxy over the institution."
Click. The call was cut.
Shundou's face darkened, sullen to the point of menace. "Why change the director at this time? And for Aleister to be the one…"
"If they discover I diverted funds from the Level 5 Cloning Project into other experiments, I'll be in trouble."
At that moment, a calm voice spoke from a chair nearby, startling him.
"Oh~ Trouble, is it? What trouble could that be?"
—
—
35 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven