"First meeting, family! I've been wandering until now, making my debut!"
Everyone, when reading novels, don't overthink it. Just deposit your brain here for a better reading experience... This is the world of honkai: star rail, a world where Destiny Walkers run rampant.
At this moment, a massive starship in a remote star system hung silently, hovering beyond the gravitational pull of a devouring black hole.
Looking out the starship's viewport, the outline of the horizon seemed to have a large bite taken out of it by some cosmic beast. Hermes tidied his silver hair on his forehead slightly, then a deep blue light spot was cast onto his iris again.
The cold light of the laboratory outlined the young man's silhouette; white hair, like refined moonlight, fell across his forehead, and his emerald eyes, like cracked jade, were filled with nebulae.
"How many years has it been since I came to this world?"
Looking at his appearance in this life, a long-lost sadness surfaced in his heart: "I remember, my mother used to tease me, saying that when I grew up, I would surely step onto the Path of Penacony. Who would have thought I would first Trailblaze, then turn to knowledge?"
The Path of Penacony embodied his mother's beautiful hopes for his character, appearance, and qualities when he grew up.
Reincarnated into this world, he had a deep affection for his mother in this life.
But even though he had researched over a dozen techniques for extending life and reversing aging, his mother still passed away at the age of 150.
Longevity is not something every short-lived species can bear.
Even the Xianzhou people, who are naturally long-lived and have such a leisurely pace of life, their spiritual lifespan is generally only over 800 years, isn't it?
He shook his head, sweeping away his melancholy, and plunged back into his research.
The artificial intelligence, alpha, was operating at full power.
Under the powerful computing supply of alpha, constantly collapsing data models were reflected in Hermes's deep green eyes.
"The Imaginary torrent is beginning to exceed the safety threshold."
alpha's voice carried the calm of electronic synthesis, "The shadow of Ix is about to spread, and the shield is accelerating its fluctuations. It is recommended to begin preparations for evacuation."
Hermes ignored alpha's warning. In his gaze, constantly flickering numbers were rapidly flashing, and in his mind palace, new books were rapidly forming.
That was the precious information he had collected by forcefully enduring the pressure of the Aeon of Nihility.
If he hadn't traveled far enough on the Paths of Trailblaze and knowledge, he would have long been enveloped by the shadow of Ix, stepping into an irreversible abyss of self-destruction.
Hermes's eyes were deep. The power of Trailblaze opened up a higher Path of wisdom for him, and the spark of wisdom also guided the direction of Trailblaze.
The two complemented each other, forming a Taiji.
After he transmigrated to honkai: star rail, his innate talent—Heaven Rewards the Diligent—came into effect... Although Hermes simultaneously embarked on and traveled far enough on the two Paths of Trailblaze and knowledge, he was still not an Envoy.
If other top Destiny Walkers reached this point, there were only two ways to advance further.
One, of course, was to pray for the favor of the Aeons, granting the authority of an Envoy.
Otherwise, they could only continue walking on their Path like Acheron, becoming a self-crowned Envoy.
But both these Paths are extremely difficult.
Especially the second one; throughout Galaxy, such existences are so rare that many people believe they don't exist.
But Hermes was different; he had the talent of Heaven Rewards the Diligent. As long as he worked hard, he could continuously break through without bottlenecks.
Back when Hermes first transmigrated, his intelligence was already considerable. On the planet he was on, he was praised as a once-in-a-century genius.
But looking at the endless Galaxy, such talent could only be described as insignificant, like fish crossing a river.
Not to mention being compared to the famous geniuses of the Genius Society.
But now, Hermes was confident that his talent was no less than that of Herta and other members of the Genius Society.
This is the terrifying aspect of the Heaven Rewards the Diligent talent: as long as you work hard, you will definitely reap rewards.
And this was far from Hermes's limit!
At this moment, the alarm suddenly sharpened, and red warning lights flashed continuously inside the cabin.
"The Imaginary overflow phenomenon is spreading, and the shield is about to shatter!"
alpha's calm synthesized electronic voice sounded again: "Initiating Mobius Ring startup."
And it was at this very moment.
Hermes's consciousness seemed to be pulled into an unknown spacetime wrinkle, glimpsing the collision of Imaginary flow and Quantum tides.
A hint of joy welled up in Hermes's heart. After so many years of research, he finally glimpsed an iceberg of the Tree of Life's multidimensional truth!
Seizing this opportunity, the power of the Path suddenly boiled, and he intercepted a wisp of power more fundamental than Imaginary and Quantum.
The data in his eyes rapidly collapsed and re-established... Finally.
He constructed a complete formula, the Emerald Tablet, and with this formula, refined a fist-sized philosophers stone!
And at this very moment, an incomparably vast mechanical phantom descended above the starship.
The Aeon of knowledge, Nous, silently watched Hermes through the starship with its electronic eyes.
An hour later, Hermes finally completed his Envoy leap, condensing his Great Authority: Alchemy, and began to respond to Nous's gaze.
Nous looked at Hermes, and a mechanical voice sounded: "Question: What is the substance you have created?"
Hermes: "This is the philosophers stone, capable of equivalent exchange for all phenomena in the world."
A red light flashed.
Then, the large machine head spoke again.
"Are you willing to become an Envoy walking on the Path of knowledge?"
Am I not an Envoy yet?
Hermes was about to say this, but then fell silent.
He began to think.
So, a self-crowned Envoy and an Aeon-certified Envoy are not the same?
Could it be that I can get another Great Authority for free?
"Alright, I also want to see what a regular Envoy is like."
Hermes nodded, accepting Nous's invitation.
The Aeons in the honkai: star rail system are not conspirators.
As the pioneers of their Paths, every Aeon is a steadfast follower of the Path they carved.
This Path is unwavering, this ambition unchanged.
He naturally wouldn't be overly concerned about any conspiracy from Nous.
As a red light entered Hermes's body, Nous disappeared.
At the same time, a peculiar lottery ticket fell before him.
A wondrous item: Genius Society Invitation Letter!
This invitation letter is bound to every member of the Genius Society.
Just like the Masked Fools' Tavern, the Doctor's faction also has a similar place, a gathering spot with other Genius Society members.
Hermes was slightly stunned, and a rather peculiar feeling surged in his heart.
An seemingly infinite Path became clearer to him than ever before.
His mass seemed to climb endlessly!
And, along with it came the Great Authority of knowledge: Astrology.