[After inquiring with Asta, Stelle finally arrived at Herta's office.]
[Herta: "Hey, you're finally here. I'll cut to the chase—I'm currently working on a major project with some colleagues. If it succeeds, we'll solve the ultimate mystery that has plagued us for thousands of amber eras: the secrets of the [Aeons]."]
["Aeons!—Just think about it, what incredible beings! Aren't you curious?" Herta grew more excited as she spoke. "Some Aeons were once ordinary humans like you and me, but somehow, they obtained power beyond our imagination! They are enigmatic, mighty, silent, and terrifying! The mysteries surrounding them can't be explained in just a few words!"]
["How were they born? Why were they born? What purpose did their birth serve?... Tell me, Stelle, have you ever thought about these questions?"]
"Ordinary humans?" The moment Mavuika heard these words, her eyes widened.
From the first Pyro Archon, Xbalanque, a thousand years ago, to the successive generations of Pyro Archons, they were all humans who, despite possessing divine power, could not escape the cycle of life, aging, sickness, and death inherent to mortals.
For mortals to ascend to godhood—this might sound like a fantasy to people of other nations, but in Natlan, even a three-year-old child could aspire to and strive for such a goal.
However, the weight of an "Aeon" was entirely different from that of a "Pyro Archon." The Aeons of another world seemed far more powerful in both strength and authority compared to the gods of Teyvat. When Destruction's Nanook opened his eyes and gazed at her, even someone as formidable as Mavuika felt an eerie chill.
"That dark-skinned man, Nanook of Destruction... Could he have once been human too?" At this thought, Mavuika's interest was instantly piqued. If this petite Lady Herta could truly uncover the secrets behind the Aeons' power, could such knowledge be applied to the laws of Teyvat?
Whether it was possible or not, this was absolutely worth paying attention to and experimenting with.
["The four geniuses of our club jointly developed a program. See that huge machine in the office? It contains a universe—just more streamlined and customized…"]
[As she spoke, a sly smile crept onto Herta's adorable face, as if she was immensely proud of her own brilliance. She placed her hands on her hips, subconsciously puffing out her chest as she declared proudly: "I call it the Metaverse."]
[Stelle scratched her head awkwardly: "Maybe don't hop on that trend?"]
["Really? My partners said the same thing, so now I call it the [Simulated Universe]. Go try it out—not only will you suffer no harm, but I'll also pay you a hefty reward."]
[Hearing the word "reward," Stelle finally showed interest. She walked over to the machine and was about to ask Herta how to operate it when she suddenly felt dizzy, as if her consciousness had been sucked into something in an instant. When she opened her eyes again, she was back inside the space station.]
[Except this time, there was no one else around—just a few scattered Voidrangers.]
[At that moment, a luminous screen appeared before her, and Herta's voice soon came through: "Stelle, can you see my message? If you can, tap the screen—"]
["Your physical body is still in the office. This is a simulated universe generated from memories. Of course, it's still just a beta version for now. Move around a bit, take a walk."]
"The body remains in place while the consciousness travels to another world. Hmm... If this were a cursed technique, it might be troublesome, but luckily, it has nothing to do with us~"
Satoru Gojo adjusted the sunglasses on his face, tilted his head back, and gulped down the milk tea in his hand in one go, letting out a satisfied "Ah—".
Yuta Okkotsu watched his overly relaxed teacher, unsure of what to say, and asked: "Are you interested in what's happening on the Celestial Screen, Gojo-sensei?"
"Of course. Those 'Aeons' they mentioned sound quite intriguing."
Gojo lightly tugged his sunglasses down slightly, his clear blue eyes hiding a faint trace of amusement. "You felt it too, didn't you, Yuta? That dark-skinned man…"
Recalling the moment Destruction's Nanook opened his eyes, fine beads of sweat instantly formed on Yuta's forehead.
"Haha, it's obvious even without thinking—that guy is absolutely insanely strong!" Gojo laughed heartily, seemingly unfazed. "With someone that powerful, even if I weren't curious, that guy definitely would be."
Without needing to say it explicitly, Yuta could guess that "that guy" referred to Ryomen Sukuna.
And indeed, on the other side, Sukuna was closely observing Stelle's every move on the Celestial Screen.
Though it would be more accurate to say he was more interested in what Herta had said about the "origins of the Aeons." Compared to the Doomsday Beast from earlier, the dark-skinned man called "Nanook" held far more significance to him.
Especially the moment their gazes crossed—that fleeting sensation…
Was it fear?
...He couldn't quite describe it. In any case, in the long, monotonous stretch of his thousand-year existence, he had never experienced such an emotion before.
Though the humans who died before him had often worn similarly twisted expressions in their final moments.
"Some Aeons also started as humans. Maybe Gojo Satoru is looking into this right now, researching how to become an Aeon?"
Kenjaku had somehow procured a rocking chair and was lounging comfortably on it, sunbathing. Compared to Sukuna's serious demeanor, he seemed much more relaxed.
"Boring." Sukuna crossed his arms and snorted coldly.
"Oh?" Kenjaku removed the sunglasses covering his eyes—already narrow, they squinted even further in the sunlight—and smirked playfully. "If it's so boring, why are you staring so intently at that little girl?"
"..."
Sukuna didn't bother explaining. He withdrew one arm from his crossed position and pointed a finger in Kenjaku's direction. A razor-sharp slash materialized out of thin air, instantly severing the two wooden legs of the rocking chair beneath Kenjaku. The poor chair immediately lost its balance, sending Kenjaku tumbling to the ground in a cloud of dust.
"Hey! You bastard!..."
[Following Herta's instructions, Stelle walked around for a bit. Satisfied, Herta said: "Good. Now I want you to play the role of Akivili. Go fight a few monsters first and see which simulated Aeon notices you."]
["Easy enough. Watch me." As Stelle raised her bat, ready to strike, two more figures suddenly materialized beside her—March 7th and Dan Heng.]
[Though they were virtual, their combat skills were no less impressive than in reality. With their combined efforts, the monsters were swiftly defeated.]
[Yet the moment the monsters fell, the surrounding environment abruptly transformed.]
[Stelle felt her senses being instantly swallowed as she was plunged into a void of absolute darkness.]
[But soon, an amber sky emerged, and countless minerals—copper ore, amber, and opals—rained down before her. It was a spectacular shower of precious stones.]
[Amidst the steaming, molten heat, a colossal entity stretched its spine from the veins of the earth. Its massive hands gripped an enormous hammer, and when Stelle looked up, she saw a golden figure slowly manifesting within the boundless void before her, like a mythical deity towering between heaven and earth, revealing a glimpse of its majestic form.]
[—The Aeon of Preservation, Qliphoth!]
Outside the Celestial Screen, Gojo, who had just finished his milk tea, suddenly choked and coughed violently, nearly spitting it out. He steadied the sunglasses slipping down his nose and stared in disbelief at the gargantuan entity that had appeared on the screen.
He had thought the Aeon of Destruction was already overwhelmingly powerful.
But this… There are even stronger experts?!