A new qualitative transformation of imaginary energy had manifested within the test subject's body.
Unlike any power from the established Paths.
Though this transformation lasted only for a fleeting moment before dissipating entirely, failing to stabilize or remain.
'Ruan Mei' wasn't concerned.
They had already found the right direction.
"Continue! Continue! Don't stop!"
Herta was rarely this excited. A new power, distinct from all known Paths, was truly on the verge of being born by their hands.
If they could truly perfect it, did that mean they were about to witness a new Aeon's ascension right before their eyes?!
It wasn't just Herta.
Even the ever-composed glint in Ruan Mei's eyes had shifted.
An Aeon!
The highest form of life known to Ruan Mei.
If she could personally witness the very moment of an Aeon's birth…
The rewards would be immeasurable!
'Ruan Mei' nodded. She was aware of her own state and had no intention of wasting time.
Though puzzled as to why the Lord of Silence hadn't intervened…
But who cared?
The present moment was what mattered!
--+--
Meanwhile, far away in the void above.
A strange jester mask pointed towards Herta City.
Its gaze pierced through the emptiness, landing upon the soft glow emanating from the experiment platform.
"Aha~"
He was nearly dying of laughter.
Someone trying to create an Aeon? That was fine, others had tried before.
But this would-be creator of gods, instead of forging a brand new concept of her own, just kept leeching off the concepts of existing Paths!
Good grief.
Aha had given a little help.
The Hunt, Preservation, Erudition, Abundance, Harmony, Trailblaze, Permanence, Equilibrium, Elation… and so on.
He was absolutely losing it.
The Aeons who were already dead… fine, whatever. But he wasn't dead yet, and this little one was already trying to lay claim to his own Path!
And she wasn't stopping with just him! Preservation, Harmony, Equilibrium… they weren't dead either!
This kid was basically declaring the greatest god-war of all time by herself.
One person declaring war on the entire cosmos?
So Aha intervened.
His great hand reached out, helping this audacious little upstart cover her tracks.
But only for a short while. The moment this new little sister was truly about to be born, even Aha wouldn't be able to hide it.
When the others all looked over at once… now that would be the greatest show in the universe.
Aha could hardly wait to see the gathering of Aeons.
Would the Hunt's arrow strike Abundance first, or target the newborn Aeon?
Would Equilibrium's hand intervene, or would it acquiesce, judging this new power could help maintain cosmic balance?
If Destruction saw it was a protege he'd once sponsored who was now crafting a Path aimed against him…
Would he smack her down first, or regret his constant poaching finally coming back to bite him?
Oh, the new Path didn't include Destruction? He might not even notice this place.
And…
If this new concept could truly emerge…
What changes would it bring to that ever-elusive Finality?
"Aha~"
Just thinking about it all made Aha want to laugh.
He couldn't wait to see it.
Therefore.
Today, he was that little one's guardian deity!
No one was allowed to disturb her grand enterprise!
That Lord of Silence, that Knowable Domain? Shattered with a wave of his hand!
Don't bother her.
"Hahahaha~!"
Aha's laughter echoed through the uninhabited star sector.
Pity there was no one around to hear it.
Of course, 'Ruan Mei' didn't know that Aha's intervention had blocked many troubles for her.
Had she known, she'd probably have kowtowed to him too.
All she knew now was that she had truly touched a realm that once seemed utterly unreachable.
'Ruan Mei', Herta, and Ruan Mei's true self—they now shared a single thought.
To perfect it completely, to let this new power truly descend upon this world!
The coordination between the three grew increasingly seamless.
Their work became more and more synchronized.
And before them, the power churning within that ball of light grew clearer and clearer.
From its initial fleeting existence, it gradually stabilized, clarified.
Until—a specific moment arrived!
The very instant that power was born within the laboratory!
A strange sensation, accompanied by an imaginary-quake, instantly descended upon the entire star system!
No words were needed, no communication required.
Whether it was Herta, 'Ruan Mei', her true self, or even Aha, light-years away…
They all knew one thing simultaneously.
A new Path was about to be born!
And as the first, the only, entity to tread this Path…
That nascent light-being, still in its innocent state, was about to ascend the steps to Aeonhood at this very moment, becoming yet another Aeon in this vast cosmos!
However—just as this Path was about to manifest, as the Aeon was poised to ascend…
The masters of the multiple plundered Paths all felt the tremors within their Pathways.
A new Aeon was trying to tear their Pathways asunder, siphoning their power to fuel its own ascension.
Even for Aeons, a question arose in that moment.
By all logic…such a situation should have been detected by them the moment the new Path first showed signs of emerging, allowing them to react immediately.
But now, this new Path was damn near fully formed before they sensed the disturbance.
This was clearly wrong.
Someone was meddling!
Several Aeons realized this simultaneously.
But it was too late for that now.
They had no time to find the meddler.
They had to address this matter concerning their very Pathways first.
And so…
They all turned their gaze towards Herta City.
And then, they fell silent.
This new Path wasn't just tearing from one of them?
The gathered Aeons, sensing each other's gazes, lapsed into a brief, profound silence.
And then…
Aha finally couldn't hold it in anymore. He laughed like a madman.
"AHAHAHAHAHA—!"
This time, Aha's raucous laughter reached not only the ears of the other Aeons, but reverberated across the cosmos.
It fell upon the ears of 'Ruan Mei' and the others.
But now…
They had no attention to spare for Aha.
Because…
"Preservation, the Hunt, Elation, Harmony, Equilibrium, Abundance, Destruction, Erudition, Remembrance, Enigmata… Good heavens, an Aeon convention in my backyard, is it?"
Herta gazed up at the spectacle she had never witnessed before.
She swallowed instinctively. Even a genius like her had never beheld such a scene.
Countless precious instruments within Herta City fried instantly under the erosion of immense Imaginary Energy.
All Herta puppets, without exception, shut down.
Only the six Giants of Light, created by 'Ruan Mei', managed to hold on.
They even flew to the side of their three mothers, combining their strength to erect a shield against the terrifying pressure.
Ruan Mei, who had been fixated on the ascension process on the experiment platform, now couldn't help but lift her head at this scene.
Every living being present fell into a temporary, stunned silence.
Only Aha's manic laughter continued to echo throughout the cosmos.
--+--