translator's note: Holy shit this is a 16500 word chapter
"Hey? Stelle, look, what's that?"
March 7th rubbed her bottom as she got up from the spotless floor of the Parlor Car, where she had just been swept away by Pom-Pom. Her eyes were immediately captivated by the scene outside the window. Pawing at the window pane, her eyes sparkling, she shook Stelle, who was sitting on the sofa looking a bit dizzy from the jump.
"A silvery-white planet that looks like a scoop of ice cream... and a ship that's way~ bigger than the planet!"
She made a large circle with her hands in front of her chest.
"I feel like this giant ship is even bigger than the sun of this star system... What do you think it is?"
"What is it?"
Stelle looked out the train window at the colossal starship with a hint of bewilderment. A slight tremor went through her heart, and her eyes filled with curiosity.
After losing her past memories, while Stelle was certainly not a complete blank slate... she had no idea what her past identity was, whether she was a member of the Stellaron Hunters or something else. But for now, at least, she was just an ordinary girl who hadn't seen much of the world.
Even with a Stellaron inside her, it couldn't change the fact that Stelle was curious about everything she saw, having never experienced the world before. She joined March 7th, pressing against the train window to gaze at the great ship sailing through the sea of stars.
But apart from these two innocent girls, the mood of the others was not so cheerful.
Himeko, Dan Heng, and Welt's expressions changed slightly, and they spoke in unison:
"Is that... the Xianzhou?"
Dan Heng stared at the Xianzhou [Luofu] outside the window, his expression growing desolate. He murmured to himself, his voice tinged with an unstoppable bitterness.
"The Xianzhou [Luofu]...?"
His mood instantly plummeted. Although he looked no different from his usual reserved self, if he was normally a stoic man, now he was a stoic man whose heart had been crushed to dust...
Dan Heng, who had once been exiled from the Xianzhou [Luofu], clearly had extremely complicated feelings about this place... He had thought that after being "banished from this place, never to set foot upon it again," he would never see the Xianzhou [Luofu] again. He never expected that after all this time, he would run into it in such a bizarre fashion.
"The Xianzhou [Luofu]... Is that the flagship of the Xianzhou Alliance?!"
Hearing Dan Heng's soft murmur, March 7th turned around in excitement and looked at him.
"So the Alliance's Xianzhou is even bigger than a planet... I've never seen a ship this huge..."
Dan Heng's face was tinged with melancholy, yet a trace of nostalgia could be seen in his eyes.
He softly said, "To the people of the Xianzhou... this ship is their [planet]."
"The earth is the cradle of civilization's survival and development. However, some civilizations can leave their childhood behind and pilot starships to cruise through the void... The Xianzhou Alliance is one such case."
"I've only seen it a few times, but... it's still so magnificent..."
Listening to Dan Heng's nostalgic words, the great detective's DNA in March 7th was instantly activated. A tuft of pink hair on her head twitched as she asked curiously:
"What's your story? You look so full of nostalgia and loneliness."
"I..."
Hearing March 7th's question, Dan Heng couldn't help but fall silent.
Seeing Dan Heng's obviously abnormal reaction, March 7th, who was always adept at reading the room, instantly felt she had said the wrong thing. She subconsciously covered her mouth and looked around pleadingly at the others...
What do I do! Did I say something wrong? Can someone save me? This topic has made the atmosphere in the whole car so awkward!
—That's what her eyes were saying.
But unfortunately, not all the Nameless on the train were paying attention to the two of them. Himeko had already gone to the engine room to find Pom-Pom the moment she saw the Xianzhou, and Welt had long since run off to the archives, pushing his glasses up as he performed environmental calculations, completely oblivious to what was happening in the Parlor Car.
As for Stelle... well, Stelle couldn't read the air, let alone understand the pleading look March 7th was flashing at her.
Just as the air began to stagnate and everything turned awkward, leaving March 7th at a loss for how to continue, the door to one of the passenger cars opened, and a gentle voice drifted in:
"Let the past be the past... The passage of time changes everything. The last strand of hair you saw on that person will fall away with time, and your old friend will live on only in memory."
"Henceforth, no matter what, you should meet as if for the first time."
"When the current general of the [Luofu] sees you again, perhaps his attitude toward you will change somewhat."
Ron walked over calmly and sat down on the luxurious sofa in the Parlor Car, nestling up next to Bronya, who had been sitting there silently. He naturally inserted himself into the conversation, looking at Dan Heng with a meaningful gaze.
"Everything that has passed is but a bygone landscape you can only see by looking back. Your path forward lies at your feet; you should not be trapped in the past."
"After all... none of that is even your past, is it?"
"...I stand corrected."
Dan Heng let out a breath of stale air, shaking his head to clear it of all the chaotic thoughts. But his eyes, as he looked at Ron, were now tinged with a hint of vigilance.
"But I wonder how you know of my past, sir? The Ten-Lords Commission should have sealed the records. No one should be able to spread these secrets..."
"Oh," Ron's expression was quite ordinary. "I'm on decent terms with the high-ranking members of the Alchemy Commission. I occasionally hear them talk about you."
"What you guys are saying is so hard to understand. I recognize every word, but when you put them together, I just don't get it..."
March 7th scratched her head, a very innocent smile on her face.
...A single glance was enough to feel the adorable foolishness she exuded.
"It's nothing... I just used to live on the Xianzhou [Luofu]."
Interrupted like this, the heavy feeling in Dan Heng's heart dissipated.
He let out a small sigh and explained calmly:
"I am forbidden from setting foot on the Luofu. 'The banished shall not tread upon this place,' is how they announced it."
"...If you guys want to go have a look, I can't go with you."
He hesitated for a moment, then added another sentence:
"In my memory, the Xianzhou [Luofu] is quite magnificent, and it doesn't shun tourists... If you want to go, I can stay behind on the train."
"I wanna go! I wanna go, I wanna go!"
"I heard the Xianzhou [Luofu] has a giant, world-piercing tree, fox-people with fox tails, Vidyadhara with dragon horns and tails, and immortal Xianzhou natives... I've never seen any of these things, I have to go see them!"
"Once we're done trailblazing Jarilo-VI, let's go trailblaze the Xianzhou [Luofu] too~"
March 7th's eyes shone with a brilliant light; she was clearly very interested in the Xianzhou [Luofu].
But she had barely said two sentences when the train, which had been speeding along the Star Rail, gradually approached Jarilo-VI. The door to the conductor's room suddenly opened, and Pom-Pom waddled out on its short little legs, followed by Himeko, who had a rather helpless look on her face...
"Sorry, little March, to interrupt your beautiful fantasy—but it looks like we won't be able to visit the Xianzhou [Luofu]."
Her tone was somewhat helpless, while Pom-Pom stood before everyone and announced sternly:
"Spatial readings abnormal! Star Rail stability has dropped to 2%!"
"Change in docking plan. Stopover time at this station has been extended from 7 days to indefinite!"
Stelle, who had been quietly watching everyone chat, was slightly taken aback and asked curiously:
"Abnormal? What happened?"
"The imaginary domain this world is in has encountered... some kind of situation. The track the train is traveling on has been blocked by something."
Himeko explained in detail:
"To use a regular land train as an analogy, it's like the railway track ahead has suddenly broken, and below is a ten-thousand-foot abyss that has caved in..."
She spread her hands helplessly. "At a time like this, we have to make an emergency stop, right?"
As she spoke, she pointed to Bronya, who was sitting quietly on the sofa, her gaze always following Ron, having not participated in any of the crew's conversations.
"Bronya mentioned before that her hometown is suffering from a Stellaron disaster. The current situation might be worse than we imagined."
She said, letting out a sigh.
"I had originally thought that since Miss Bronya could leave the Jarilo system so easily, the Stellaron on Jarilo-VI must be in a stable state, perhaps even already under human control, existing merely as a double-edged sword—"
"A stable Stellaron like that usually doesn't cause any problems... We would just need to escort Miss Bronya home and then proceed with our original plan to trailblaze Jarilo-VI."
"But now that we've arrived at the Jarilo system, we've discovered that the Stellaron on Jarilo-VI has been completely activated. Although we don't know the reason for now, it might be related to the sudden appearance of the Xianzhou [Luofu] here..."
Himeko spread her hands helplessly again. "In other words, we're trapped here now, powerless to leave."
Little Pom-Pom at her side nodded in agreement, crossing its arms with a super-serious expression and warning Stelle:
"If we try to force our way out, it could cause the Star Rail to rupture and the train to go off course, leading to especially terrible consequences, pom!"
"Aww, what's with that..."
March 7th's head drooped. "This is so dangerous, does that mean we won't have a chance to go play on the Xianzhou [Luofu]? How did things suddenly turn out like this..."
Just as her complaint fell, the door to one of the passenger cars was pushed open.
"Preliminary test results are in... The [Stellaron] is extremely active. The Xianzhou [Luofu] has many starskiffs going back and forth between Jarilo-VI. No shipboard weapons or Emanator-level energy fluctuations have been observed. It can be confirmed that the Xianzhou [Luofu] is only engaged in normal exchange with Jarilo-VI."
"Considering the friendly practices of the Xianzhou Alliance, if there is no [Abundance] faith or blessings from the Plaguespreader on Jarilo-VI, it can be confirmed that the Xianzhou [Luofu] is assisting Jarilo-VI in resolving the Stellaron disaster."
The mature and steady voice of a middle-aged man sounded out. Welt returned to the Parlor Car, placed a thin stack of reports on the table, pushed up his glasses, and looked at Stelle, who was clearly extremely curious about the Stellaron and was pointing at herself, wanting to say something.
"No need to point, Stelle. This is indeed the same substance as the [Stellaron] implanted in your body."
"It really is the same substance...?"
Stelle murmured to herself. Thinking of everything she had just experienced at the Herta Space Station, a trace of worry couldn't help but appear in her eyes.
"Then what should we do... do we still have to go to Jarilo-VI?"
"Don't worry. We've actually dealt with this kind of thing many times before."
Himeko gently patted Stelle's head, comforting her.
"Although there are many mysteries surrounding the [Stellaron], so many that even Herta can't fully analyze it—we at least have the means to counteract its influence."
"The arrival of a [Stellaron] brings about changes to civilization and ecology, and it also creates spatial distortions like Fragmentums... In the Astral Express's archives, Jarilo-VI was clearly a lush and vibrant planet, but now it has become so cold and desolate... This is inextricably linked to the influence of the [Stellaron]."
Himeko said, letting out a light laugh.
"According to our guess, the [Stellaron] is a seed of calamity sown by a certain Aeon throughout the various worlds... If we don't uproot the source of this disaster, there can be no talk of [Trailblazing]."
"Although the Xianzhou [Luofu] has already stepped in, it's not as if we can't lend our assistance as well."
Hearing the implication in Himeko's words, Stelle was slightly taken aback.
"You mean...?"
"I mean, our Express crew has work to do~"
March 7th, at the side, had her spirits lifted once more. Not at all like the dejected person she was a moment ago, she clenched her fists with determination.
"Even if there's a super-active Stellaron on Jarilo-VI and the trailblazing journey is fraught with danger, we still have to solve the Stellaron problem beautifully, and then make a special trip to the Xianzhou [Luofu] to have some fun before we leave!"
"Isn't the Xianzhou [Luofu] helping Jarilo-VI right now? Maybe we can even meet some friends from the [Luofu], which would save us the time of looking for a tour guide!"
Himeko nodded and looked at Stelle, entrusting the mission to her.
"For this [Trailblaze], I hope to hand it over to you, March 7th, and Dan..."
She glanced at Dan Heng, who clearly had a look of rejection on his face, and amended her words.
"...Considering Dan Heng's special situation, he cannot come into contact with people from the Xianzhou [Luofu]."
As she spoke, her gaze shifted to Welt, but before she could say anything, a gentle voice reached her ear.
"What about adding me?"
Ron smiled, stood up from beside Bronya, and calmly walked over.
"Cancer of All Worlds, Seed of Destruction, Heart of the Star—the Stellaron has many names, but its essence has always been one, and it is all known to me."
"Bronya needs to return home safely. I can't rest easy about her, so I will get off the train with her and help her resolve this Stellaron along the way..."
"If you don't mind, you can travel with me."
Looking at Ron's calm face, Himeko felt a sense of... confidence that was hard to comprehend.
This confidence wasn't ostentatious, but a quiet calm that nourished things silently—Ron simply felt that he could do it, so he didn't put on any special airs. He just stated this seemingly arrogant fact in a plain tone, yet it didn't feel the least bit presumptuous.
It was as if... he really could do it with a wave of his hand.
With this feeling in her heart, Himeko had no reason to refuse Ron.
They had begged Ron to come on the train in the first place, so the crew had no motive to stop him... The man wanted to escort his friend home; were they supposed to stand in his way?
And since they weren't going to stop him, why not choose to travel with him?
After all, he was someone Herta considered a dear friend... Perhaps he really could solve the Stellaron problem with ease. In that case, this trailblazing journey would be much, much easier.
"In that case, I'll be troubling you, Mr. Ron."
Himeko smiled, then looked at March 7th and Stelle.
"Then for this trailblazing journey, I'll leave it to you and Mr. Ron."
"The goal of our journey is also very clear: safely escort Miss Bronya home, then find the [Stellaron] that brought disaster to this world and caused the spatial distortion, and bring it back to the train—"
She said, gently placing a hand on her chest.
"The rest of it... just leave it all to us."
"Alright, Stelle-baby! We can team up for a mission again~"
March 7th affectionately clung to Stelle's side, making Stelle a bit flustered and unsure how to handle her.
But putting aside the two girls' happy roughhousing, at this opening [Moment] of the space opera, there were still those who cared about more important things—
"Before we set off, I'd like to ask our cute little conductor a few small questions..."
Ron looked at the little mascot-like Pom-Pom, his voice carrying a tangible respect.
"I wonder if the conductor would be able to... clear up some simple doubts for me?"
Seeing Ron's seemingly solemn inquiry, Pom-Pom's long, soft ears wrapped around each other and tilted on its big hat. A question mark popped up above its head.
"Passenger Ron can just say whatever you want to ask. The conductor will never ignore a passenger's questions, pom!"
As Pom-Pom spoke, it seemed to understand Ron perfectly, turning and heading toward the conductor's room.
"But considering that passenger Ron has just boarded the train, there might be some private questions that need answering... Let's go to the conductor's room, pom!"
Ron nodded lightly, his gaze glancing out the Parlor Car window. He could faintly make out a chaotic mass twisting in the dark cosmos, with wisps of empty, cold sensation faintly appearing behind him...
The movements of IX [The Nihility] were faster than he had anticipated.
But... he was already accelerating as well.
Following Pom-Pom's footsteps, Ron left the Parlor Car where everyone was gathered, moving away from the prying eyes and ears to a region that could be considered relatively private.
"Passenger Ron, if you have something to say, you can say it here, pom."
Walking down the corridor leading to the conductor's room, Pom-Pom, who had been waddling like a chubby little doll, stopped and turned to face Ron. Its tone was no longer as lively as before.
If the previous Pom-Pom was the diligent and warm-hearted conductor who only pretended to be stern, like a cute little mascot, the current Pom-Pom had become the "Star-Taro Pompom" that March 7th spoke of...
Although it seemed utterly incongruous with its appearance, a palpable pressure could be felt emanating from it... an aura completely different from the little mascot from before.
This was... the divinity, the godliness, that only an Aeon should possess.
But that was exactly what Ron wanted.
A knowing smile bloomed on his lips as he softly asked Pom-Pom a question—
"On the day you climbed to the top of the Tree of Existence, what was it that you truly wanted to do?"
"What did you do to bring about your own demise... Akivili?"
Pom-Pom... no, Akivili of [The Trailblaze] used its hands to fiddle with its two pairs of large ears, its voice calm as it spoke:
"You should not know the answer to this question... Do you know what price you must pay to learn of it, my friend?"
"If you went through all the trouble to come to this train just for the route map of [The Trailblaze] and this uninteresting answer buried in history... then you should leave."
As it spoke, it glanced at the rose-colored mist that was always trailing Ron, existing in places that were hard for most to notice.
"Even though I only have a heart left now... I can guess what you want to do."
"Even with this jellyfish-head helping you, it's impossible—"
"It was born from the [Good Vultryhotre] of Fuli of [The Remembrance]. Having seen all of the past, it believes the end of this sea of stars is due to the fixation of the 'past,' an inevitable future born from calculation..."
"But how can the future be determined by the 'Moment' of Nous, the Erudition?"
The tone of Akivili of [The Trailblaze] was calm, as if it knew more than Mythus of [The Enigmata].
"When Nous, the Erudition, calculated everything in this sea of stars, the first thing it calculated was the Moment of [The End]'s arrival—"
"But this 'Moment' does not occur because of Nous's calculation. It simply exists. It will not disappear because no one knows of its arrival, nor because someone confirms its inevitability."
"It is just there... simply there."
As it spoke, a trace of melancholy tinged its voice, and it said something that sounded nothing like it should have.
"Terminus, The End, is inviolable... Everything after [The End] is unknowable."
Listening to Akivili's desolate words, Ron could tell just from its tone that the things it had encountered in the past had dealt it an incredibly deep blow... This might even be the reason for its death.
After all, even Terminus could not kill an Aeon; it could only control them—
The transcendent status of an Aeon was brought about by their true power. At that time, Akivili of [The Trailblaze] was by no means weak. Although it was impossible to resist Terminus, it was still very possible to survive as a half-dead being, resisting Terminus's control.
But now it seemed that the reason it died back then was just as it said now. It had lost faith in [The Trailblaze], given up on [The Trailblaze], and submitted to the unknowable—
Since it betrayed its Path, the Path would naturally abandon it.
Akivili, abandoned by [The Trailblaze], would naturally fall easily... but upon learning this, a smile spread across Ron's lips.
After hearing Akivili's words, Ron's mood inexplicably improved.
The reason, of course, was not because of how Akivili had died... but because everything Akivili had predicted had missed the point entirely.
It still thought Ron wanted to simply confront Terminus, believing that everything after the "ending" was unknowable...
This ancient Aeon, after its fall, had no power to sit at the Aeons' table, and had no idea what the current sea of stars looked like.
It was even less possible for it to know of Ron's plan and the current schemes of Terminus...
In short, it was behind on the current version.
It didn't even realize anything was wrong. The concealment provided by Mythus was perfect. Ron suddenly felt that with a reliable teammate like Mythus, victory was practically within his grasp...
However, now was not the time for a mid-game champagne toast.
Ron looked at Akivili before him and snapped his fingers without hesitation. His mood had improved considerably, and he was even in the mood to mimic Akivili's tone in jest.
"Jellyfish-head... is it? Come on out, let's start a fog of war."
He looked at the bewildered little Pom-Pom, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Let's update our old predecessor... on what the current version is!"
As Ron's voice fell, a misty undercurrent suddenly appeared from the air. A rose-colored mist precipitated from it, silently dissolving into the air and spreading throughout this section of the Astral Express's corridor.
Standing within this rose-colored mist, one could smell a strange, illusory fragrance. The faint aroma was like roses, and just smelling it seemed to make one forget their pain, their mood gradually becoming relaxed and cheerful.
As the rose-colored mist permeated the sealed space, everything before Ron and Pom-Pom seemed to have its foundation erased, and reality was then redrawn upon it—
In an instant, the mist before them dispersed, and a magnificent library materialized.
They were standing before the library's exquisite, heavy doors, which slowly creaked open, as if welcoming their arrival.
Looking up, one could see an entire sea of stars flowing above the library. Countless star systems were twisted together by fine silk threads, churned into a gelatinous mass like the sludge of the Milky Way, flowing slowly.
In the center of the library, an ancient staircase spiraled up into the sky, piercing through the thick sea of stars and disappearing into the darkness among the twinkling stars, its end out of sight.
Countless enormous, towering bookshelves stretched toward the sky just like the spiral staircase. Thick tomes were stuffed onto the shelves, packed so tightly that not a single gap could be seen.
An annoyed voice echoed from the majestic, star-sea dome of the library—
"What jellyfish-head? Can't you two show me a little respect and call me by my name!"
As the annoyed voice echoed, a dapper little old man with a thick book tucked under his arm "clattered" down the long, spiral staircase and walked up to Ron and Pom-Pom.
"Version... what do you mean?"
A trace of doubt inevitably appeared on Pom-Pom's face. It looked at Ron and Mythus, its eyes full of bewilderment.
Akivili had been away from the great chessboard of the sea of stars for too long... It truly didn't understand what Ron was talking about.
"Nothing much. You just died too long ago, so you know too little. That's all."
Mythus said irritably, clearly still displeased by Pom-Pom's earlier slight.
"Here, see for yourself... I've already made a record."
It pulled out the thick book from under its arm. The book automatically floated in front of Pom-Pom and opened, flipping through page after detailed page of records.
These records were of what Ron had done in the previous "simulation"... that is, the things he did during the previous restart. But Mythus clearly didn't intend for Pom-Pom to see everything. It only paused at a few important junctures for Pom-Pom to see, and quickly flipped to the end of the book.
At the end of this book, it detailed the crazy plan to overturn the sea of stars that Ron had discussed with Mythus in this fictional library...
"Burn the Tree of Existence, let the Sea of Quanta pour into the observable universe... What on earth made you think of something like this?!"
Pom-Pom's two large ears tangled together, then shot up in shock. A huge exclamation mark popped up above its head. Its gaze toward Ron was filled with reverence.
It was as if it were looking at... a terrifying entity capable of endangering the entire sea of stars.
It had to be said, Ron's performance was indeed that of a terrorist—what did "all greatness shall be forged by sacrifice, and the other beings in this sea of stars may not understand, but they will obey" even mean???
This is too savage... Are the juniors these days all this terrifying?!
Seeing Pom-Pom's shocked expression, speechless for a moment, a smile tugged at the corner of Ron's lips as he said softly:
"You see, this is the current version..."
"To connect every world within the sea of stars, to trailbraze all that is unknown—your idea of connecting this sea of stars is not wrong, but your version is simply too outdated..."
"This world has long been at a stalemate. What we need are not such gentle methods, but a strong medicine, one that can cure this stubborn disease."
"The Tree of Existence is the stubborn disease of this sea of stars, and the Sea of Quanta greedily guards its own power, knowing nothing..."
Ron spoke, his tone tinged with a chill like a winter blizzard.
"I do not care if this is their inherent right and power... I only know that their existence has already affected my life."
"In order to live a peaceful life... I will overturn this sea of stars and completely burn away the flames of all shackles."
"So... speak, Akivili."
Ron said, his gaze fixed on Pom-Pom becoming resolute, his voice tinged with an inviolable authority.
"Tell me... that time you climbed to the top of the Tree of Existence, what was it that you truly wanted to do?"
"..."
After a long silence, Pom-Pom finally sighed and said:
"If you can truly complete your plan, perhaps you can indeed break the stalemate of this sea of stars."
As it spoke, a trace of reminiscence colored its fluffy, cute face.
"You've seen my route map... You should know that the reason I climbed to the top of the Tree of Existence was precisely because the destination of the Astral Express's journey was there."
"Just as [Erudition] has the 'Moment' of [Erudition], [The Trailblaze] naturally has the 'Direction' of [The Trailblaze]..."
"The top of the Tree of Existence... that is the direction pointed to me by the compass of fate."
Pom-Pom said, spreading its hands helplessly.
"A pity the compass has been destroyed... [The End] would not be willing to leave me this compass, because it knows it cannot kill me. If it really left that compass behind, sooner or later, the Astral Express would set sail again, heading toward the destination pointed to by fate."
"The destination pointed to by fate... so that's the 'Direction' of [The Trailblaze]?"
Ron thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "What does the 'Direction' of [The Trailblaze] represent?"
"It represents Deific Authority. Passenger Ron's path to godhood seems to be a bit bumpy, pom."
"...Alright, that is true."
Ron's face stiffened. He found that although this old geezer hadn't updated his version, he knew his way around the old version's mechanics much better than him.
But this was obviously a good thing for Ron... He looked at Pom-Pom before him and prostrated himself without hesitation.
"Conductor, teach me!"
"Why are you calling me so affectionately all of a sudden? You should just call me [The Trailblaze]. I'm tired of pretending to be cute all the time."
Pom-Pom sighed helplessly and explained:
"An Aeon has its own Deific Authority. I can feel the power of a Path that has never appeared before on you. I know you have been an Aeon... Although your current state is different from a typical Aeon, you already possess the status of an Aeon, so you naturally possess that unique Deific Authority."
As it spoke, it specifically added a reminder:
"Note, I'm not talking about the branch authorities constructed by the extreme tendencies of the Path after you opened it up. I'm talking about the most fundamental Deific Authority that this Path represents."
"Just as the Deific Authority of [Erudition] is pure 'Calculation,' the Deific Authority of [Enigmata] is pure 'Mystery,' the Deific Authority of [Equilibrium] is pure 'Balance,' and the Deific Authority of [The Trailblaze] is pure 'Trailblazing'..."
"The most fundamental Deific Authority of the Aeons is their Path itself. It can basically be referred to by the name of the Path. Even if there are some deviations, it is at least the most fundamental manifestation of the Path's power."
"This power is the true, unique, and fundamental reason why an Aeon is unique from all other existences, apart from the endless imaginary energy..."
As it spoke, it pointed meaningfully at Ron.
"You are not currently connected to the branches of the Tree of Existence, nor are you drawing endless imaginary energy from the Spacetime Manifold... but do you think you are an Aeon?"
Hearing this question, Ron hesitated for a moment, then thought carefully and confirmed without hesitation:
"I think I am."
"You don't need to think. You are indeed an Aeon right now."
Pom-Pom stated with certainty, "What makes an Aeon an Aeon? It is this unique authority, not the endless imaginary energy."
"Emanators can also use endless imaginary energy under the protection of an Aeon, but how can they be compared to an Aeon?"
It said, pointing at itself with a small, furry finger.
"After becoming an Aeon, one truly becomes a player, gaining the qualification to make a move on the great chessboard of the sea of stars—"
"Ron, look, I lost in the divine war against [The End]. My compass was also destroyed by it. But even now, I can still act as the conductor, have the Astral Express set sail, and re-walk the path of [The Trailblaze] throughout the sea of stars."
"Have I truly lost completely? Even though I have fallen to such a state, in this endless time, perhaps there will always be a chance for me to complete my [Trailblaze]... This is not an impossible thing."
"In this sea of stars, no Aeon has ever fallen into a state of eternal damnation... [Beauty] lost in the divine war against [The End], but its fragments are hidden in mirrors, already close to being pieced back together, and will sooner or later return in dazzling splendor under the embrace of its Knights."
"[Permanence] was split into [Abundance] and [Propagation], but the dragon-kin still live on... It might have been the one who lost the worst, but if [The End] fails, then [Permanence] will no longer exist in [The End], and will have the possibility of returning once more."
"[Order] was swallowed by [Harmony]. You might think that was the complete fall of Taiyi, but I was there at the time, and I know clearly that it was just a transaction between Aeons..."
"[Order] and [Harmony] are seeking a more special Deific Authority. They have combined to try and do more things with it, but it seems they are still lacking something... otherwise, the one controlling this sea of stars wouldn't be Terminus."
"[Propagation]... It never truly died. Sooner or later, its scions will return to the throne of [Propagation], and at that time, it will return, even more easily than me and [Beauty]."
Pom-Pom listed the Aeons who had once "failed" in this sea of stars, one by one explaining their fates, its tone unhurried.
"You might think that Terminus is an existence that Aeons cannot contend with, and I agree with that idea, because it and [Nihility] are of the same extreme, already close to touching another level. We are indeed no match for it."
"But... we will not lose."
"The status of an Aeon, once certified, is eternal—after we become Aeons, your unique Deific Authority will be immersed in your shell, closely bonded with your soul..."
"No matter how many times [The End] comes, no matter how many times the Tree of Existence restarts, we will all achieve Aeonhood within a fixed period of time... This is the proof of our existence."
"Even if this world disappears... the proof of our existence will be firmly imprinted in the void outside the world."
"All of this stems from the unique Deific Authority of the Aeons... Take me, for example. My own Deific Authority is pure [Trailblazing]. The compass of fate will point me in a direction, and after I [Trailblaze] it, all that was unknown and unknowable will become known because of my Deific Authority."
"Do you know... what this means?"
Hearing Pom-Pom's question, Ron was momentarily lost in thought.
Although it sounded like the Deific Authority of Akivili was a bit weak, after careful consideration, he felt that something was not quite right.
What did it mean that after [Trailblazing], all that was unknown and unknowable would become known?
Could it be...
Ron pondered for a moment, his pupils constricting slightly. He thought of the power this Deific Authority represented...
Seeing Ron's reaction, Pom-Pom nodded and said:
"It seems you've thought of it... That's right, this is a pure way of understanding all things."
"I only need to walk there, and all the information there will be completely understood by me... If I walk all over this sea of stars, then I will be omniscient."
"That is true omniscience... not the 'omniscience' derived from the calculations of [Erudition]'s Deific Authority."
Pom-Pom said, letting out a small sigh.
"My Deific Authority is too powerful... and so it came into conflict with [The End]."
"You should have been to the top of the Tree of Existence as well—that place is actually a gateway to a higher-level world, a node for ascending to a higher dimension."
"Our universe is too crude. The system of the Tree of Existence and the Sea of Quanta is too different from a normal universe—I have always felt that the Tree of Existence and the Sea of Quanta are hindering the development of our sea of stars, so I did my best to connect them. I never thought that this method was still too gentle; it's far less effective than your method of flipping the table."
As it spoke, a trace of memory flashed in its eyes.
"The seat of [The End] is not a comfortable one... By relying on this concept, it has become the most powerful Aeon, but it has thus fallen into a superposition of being born and unborn. I thought it didn't have the spare energy to protect the top of the Tree of Existence."
"But I indeed underestimated it... At that time, it wanted to completely end this sea of stars, complete its Deific Authority, and thereby ascend to a higher dimension. It was not willing to let me, this [Trailblazer], open up the node at the top of the Tree of Existence..."
"After all, it doesn't know what I would become if I completely trailblazed this [Final Point]..."
"If I became omniscient about this node that leads to a higher dimension, then I would naturally have a way to ascend to a higher dimension... and I would also have the power to stop it from completing its thorough [End]."
"So it killed me. It's that simple."
After finishing its somewhat complicated explanation, Pom-Pom looked at the pondering Ron and said seriously:
"But what you're doing now is right... If you can truly succeed in burning the Tree of Existence, then you will completely shake the foundation of Terminus's existence. Even IX of [The Nihility] will fall because of what you do."
"At that time, this sea of stars, apart from becoming stronger due to the endless influx of imaginary energy, will also break through to a higher dimension because you have broken the boundary between worlds and connected that ascending node of the Tree of Existence with this sea of stars."
"Perhaps... the sea of stars at that time will become a true sea of stars, far better than the current false Tree of Existence and Sea of Quanta."
As it spoke, it looked at the pondering Ron and suddenly threw out a question:
"However... what is your Deific Authority?"
"Your plan completely lacks your own Deific Authority as an important fulcrum... Although it is indeed feasible right now, why don't you use your Deific Authority?"
"The vast majority of an Aeon's power comes from this... Are you really not paying attention to it?"
Hearing Pom-Pom's words, Ron's mouth couldn't help but twitch, and he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.
To be honest, this was truly awkward.
He really hadn't paid any attention to his Deific Authority... because he had become an Aeon in a simulation, and in reality, he had only inherited the Guiding Spirit Lantern. He had subconsciously treated it as a temporary Path, and had never actually cared about the Deific Authority on it...
The main reason was that the Deific Authority hadn't had much of an effect in Ron's hands. At most, it was used for small things, like anchoring Phantylia's foolish future in the last simulation...
This thing had been more effective in Herta's hands more times than in his own.
But now, reminded by Pom-Pom, Ron started to pay attention to it. He thought carefully for a long time, rummaging through the garbage heap of his memory to find what effect his Deific Authority was identified as having in the life simulation game...
"My Deific Authority is... Hope Manifests."
After pondering for a moment, Ron didn't hide it, revealing it to the two before him.
"I can fix a future that I want to happen. No matter how irrational it is, it has a chance to be triggered as a miracle and completely come to pass."
"...A fate similar to [The End] and [The Elation]?"
Pom-Pom was somewhat stunned, then completely understood.
"No wonder it would be you... it had to be you."
It sighed with emotion, then said seriously:
"Since that's the case, then you must use your Deific Authority to fix a future that is important to you, but that few people care about... Go and turn its future into the shape you want."
Akivili had sailed the sea of stars in ancient times. The paths this fellow had walked were longer than all the space Ron had ever seen combined. Such little tricks were child's play for it.
"Terminus is indeed powerless to stop you personally, but you must be careful. It is capable of guiding fate—it's very likely that you will encounter many obstacles because of its actions. This is no coincidence; it is pulling the strings of fate."
"You might still be thinking that it doesn't know what you're doing right now, but I advise you to let go of that侥幸心理 (wishful thinking/侥幸心理)—there are many Aeons who have opposed it, and you are just one insignificant among them. This jellyfish-head next to you can't protect you that well. At most, it can just prevent your plan from being completely understood by [The End]."
"Didn't I tell you not to call me jellyfish-head?"
Mythus, at the side, was a bit annoyed, but it didn't refute Pom-Pom's words.
Because it could indeed only do what Pom-Pom said... Terminus controlled the sea of stars. Although it couldn't see everything clearly, it was simply too familiar with it.
It could guess.
And a guess would lead to action... even if it was a wild goose chase.
Hearing Pom-Pom's warning, Ron was slightly taken aback. He immediately thought of the chaotic void he had just seen outside the Astral Express's window...
The fact that IX of [The Nihility] had suddenly noticed his situation was indeed very coincidental. Ron had initially thought it was because IX was powerful enough, but now that he thought about it, it was also possible that Terminus was guiding it from behind the scenes...
...Or, they were both smart enough.
What the hell is this...
Ron couldn't help but let out a bitter smile. These old geezers were all as sharp as ghosts... He clearly had the help of Mythus, the most secretive Aeon in the sea of stars, yet his intelligence could still be guessed by these other Aeons.
Damn it, why are you so strong?!
Can't you give the younger generation a break?!
He complained twice in his heart, but Ron's mood didn't really fluctuate that much.
Because Ron was well aware that his enemies were the most powerful Aeons in this sea of stars. It was within his expectations that they would have such abilities.
After all, he would have to face them eventually... So what if they knew his intelligence a little earlier?
It was just a bit more trouble... Besides, from the looks of it now, it might not necessarily be that much trouble.
There was even this assistance that he had never considered before.
Ron thought thoughtfully, pondering his own Deific Authority.
Just like Akivili's [The Trailblaze] and Nous's [Erudition], these unique Deific Authorities would all lead to special consequences. Trailblazing would guide 'Direction,' and Erudition would calculate 'Moments.' So what would Hope Manifests... or rather, [Hope], do?
After thinking carefully, Ron immediately understood everything.
[Hope]... would fix a 'Path Marker.'
Under the guidance of the Path Marker of [Hope], the development of fate would always shift toward it.
To be honest... it wasn't that strong.
At least, Ron felt it wasn't as strong as [The Trailblaze].
That omniscience thing was too much of a bug... even if it needed to develop, it was a real chance to become an omniscient and omnipotent being.
But... [Hope] wasn't weak either.
Just as Pom-Pom said, in the fight against [The End] and [The Nihility], this Deific Authority would be nullified by [The End]. To truly use it, one had to use it in a place that wouldn't attract too much attention...
Ron thought to himself, and an idea had already formed in his mind.
Right now, even if Terminus knew what he wanted to do, it was absolutely impossible for it to know his actual plan.
Of course—as Ron acted, this plan would be gradually revealed, and at that time, Ron would face even more intense opposition. [The End] would also start to rely on its ability to control fate to influence Ron's plan.
In that case... Ron absolutely could not use the full power of [Hope] on this plan to burn the Tree of Existence.
That was not a good choice. Terminus's authority was definitely much stronger than Ron's. At that time, [Hope] would be ineffective, and it would be a waste of power.
So... he had to search carefully, to find exactly where there was a slight possibility of success.
And... it had to achieve an unexpected effect.
After some thought, a light of wisdom flashed across Ron's forehead. If this were a manga, a big exclamation mark would probably have popped up above it.
Doesn't attract attention... doesn't attract attention?
Ron thoughtfully stroked his chin, and an idea came to his mind.
Then... the backup plan he had arranged with Herta before, could that be considered "not attracting attention"?
If these backup plans could truly succeed, the Simulated Universe could indeed become a universe comparable to the current one due to the endless imaginary energy, and then use that to obtain an infinite amount of [Salvation]...
...As long as the starting point of the Tree of Existence's main trunk where the Herta Space Station was located could be burned and the Sea of Quanta could successfully pour in, even if it was only for a short period of time, Ron would obtain unimaginable support.
This was a hard-to-imagine method, but after careful thought, it did have a small possibility of success.
...No more thinking, this is it!
Ron pondered for a moment. He felt there was no better choice, so he unhesitatingly stirred his mind, activating the Guiding Spirit Lantern that was already imprinted deep in his soul, and touched upon the most fundamental, most basic Deific Authority within it...
The power of [Hope] was pulsing—this was the most basic color of [Salvation].
After Ron had responded to the hope of this sea of stars and thereby become the Aeon of [Salvation], this was already unchangeable.
Ron would gradually become the synonym for "Hope" in this sea of stars, the deified form of the concept of "Hope."
The most fundamental concept of hope... is to "want something to become a new way."
And now, Ron was activating this power he had once gained by responding to the hope of this entire sea of stars. He unsuppressedly used his divinity to speak this "want," forcibly fixing the Path Marker of miracles onto the future track—
In a daze, Ron saw a boundless river of time. This was the river of time that Terminus had once swum against. And now, Ron vaguely saw a bright, brilliant golden point of light flashing within it, like a lighthouse shining in the misty chaos of the long river...
Ron had fixed a future...
A future where the Simulated Universe would inevitably be elevated to a universe of roughly the same dimension as the current sea of stars.
His Deific Authority had succeeded... That brilliant golden point of light was the 'Path Marker' fixed by [Salvation].
For a fleeting moment, the light before Ron dispersed. Pom-Pom looked at Ron and nodded in satisfaction.
"You newcomers learn quite fast... Alright, there's no need to say any more."
"I have no power as an Aeon now. It's very difficult for me to truly fight against one Aeon after another."
"Don't tell me what you did with your Deific Authority..."
As it spoke, a trace of desolation colored its eyes.
"Otherwise... I might become the one who leaks the secret."
Ron nodded and didn't say any more.
He also knew that Pom-Pom was truly too downtrodden right now. If any Aeon felt something and came looking for it to see if they could get any information from it, Pom-Pom would be absolutely powerless to resist...
So he said nothing, swallowing everything he had done.
But before he could turn to Mythus at his side and ask it to send them back to the Astral Express to start his plan, he saw Mythus's brows suddenly furrow tightly. On the dome of this giant library, on the slowly flowing sea of stars where countless star systems were twisted together by fine silk threads like the sludge of the Milky Way, a mysterious "tick-tock" sound suddenly rang out.
A thick book flew down from the shelf next to the dome and landed in front of Mythus.
It spread the book open and flipped through it with extreme speed. The little old man's face immediately twisted into an expression of torment, as if he had just eaten shit.
"What's the situation...?"
Ron looked at Mythus's expression and immediately realized that something not so good had happened.
Remembering the abrupt and mysterious "tick-tock" sound just now, Ron couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity. A flash of understanding went through his mind—
"Is this... Nous, the Erudition?"
He asked tentatively. Mythus nodded with extreme reluctance, sighed, and said:
"Yes, my old rival, It..."
It fell silent for a moment, then spoke, its voice filled with a palpable annoyance.
"It just calculated a 'Moment'... right now, seven days from now!"
"What 'Moment'?"
Ron was a bit puzzled, but a slight chill went down his spine. He knew that for Mythus to react like this, it clearly wasn't going to be a good "Moment"...
And his premonition was not the least bit wrong.
Looking at Ron's face, which clearly showed he had anticipated something, Mythus held it in for a long time, then said angrily:
"It knows, It has calculated, It has confirmed—"
"Ron, you will die by [The End]!"