Though it was just a matter of giving a name.
Still, it all depended on who the name was for.
Naming an ordinary person and naming an Aeon were not even remotely the same concept.
However, Herta and Ruan Mei exchanged a glance.
They weren't particularly humble, nor did they deny their own contributions to this project. But this ridiculously childish, almost delusional project was initiated by Bai Ming.
And the most crucial part—the brand-new Path power—was also achieved by Bai Ming after she entered her flow state.
Herta was a narcissist through and through; she had no interest in claiming credit that wasn't rightfully hers.
"Ultimately, this project was your idea, Bai Ming, and you accomplished the most critical step. You should be the one to name it."
"Mhm, I agree with Herta. You should be the one to name... Them."
"Aren't you two even a little excited?"
'Ruan Mei' hadn't expected both of them to be so uninterested in the naming process.
This was naming an Aeon, for crying out loud.
Shouldn't that be something to get excited about?
Or was she just too easily excited herself?
Still in her Ultraman form, 'Ruan Mei' scratched her hard, sturdy head.
She thought for a moment:
"How about... Noa?"
Even though her own form resembled Nexus, and theoretically Noa should be her evolved form, 'Ruan Mei' was self-aware enough. She was just an ordinary person.
If she were actually tossed into a proper Nexus storyline, she probably wouldn't even qualify to be a Potential.
Noa—that name carried profound significance, a legendary Giant of Light who protected the universe.
That meaning suited Them far more than it suited her.
"Noa? Does it hold some special meaning?"
Herta repeated the syllables, looking curiously at 'Ruan Mei'.
"In my homeland, there's a mythical tale called Noah's Ark. When a great flood destroyed the world, a massive ark carried the seeds of all life, drifting upon the waters, evading the apocalyptic deluge."
Ruan Mei tilted her head, thinking, then said with a smile: "...Sounds a bit like what Fuli intends to do, doesn't it?"
"But it still feels different, not quite the same as the meaning behind Noah's Ark."
Herta offered her opinion, then stroked her chin: "Still, who knows? Perhaps They really could become a savior's ark, arriving at the end of days."
Ruan Mei nodded with a smile.
She really wasn't all that interested in the matter.
Bai Ming herself was far more captivating to her.
'Ruan Mei', seeing that neither of them had any strong opinions, pursed her lips.
The name, the identity… it all fit quite well.
And it carried the meaning of protecting the universe.
So, she turned her gaze toward the crystalline sphere suspended within Herta City.
She also reached out through the Path, touching His consciousness:
The name 'Noa', along with its meaning and story, was transmitted to Them.
She had no idea if They would accept it.
But to her surprise, after just a short while, all the Giants of Light received a voice from Them.
'Noa'.
This name was proclaimed by Them, echoing into the mind of every single Giant of Light.
Even Herta and Ruan Mei, who weren't Giants of Light themselves, sensed the name due to their proximity.
Herta lifted her head and chuckled: "This kid's quite adorable, accepting the name so quickly."
Ruan Mei smiled faintly, pressing her lips together.
She found it rather endearing too.
Perhaps because They weren't yet a complete Aeon, They retained a bit more human-like radiance.
A fascinating individual.
It was a pity they had already tested the Amber Lord's crystalline walls.
They were even sturdier than the spatial barriers isolating different worlds. Probably only an Aeon could break them open.
At the very least, Ruan Mei and Herta were helpless against those walls.
They could only observe Noa from the other side.
"Speaking of which, aside from us, the only one who clearly achieved creating an Aeon is Zandar, right?"
Herta suddenly brought up the name of the First Seat of the Genius Society.
Not being the first to accomplish it…irritated Herta a little.
But then, thinking about the Aeon they had created—a feat that attracted multiple Aeons to convene—that was far more impressive than what that mechanical brain had done.
It made Herta feel quite proud.
"I wonder how Zandar and Nous communicate. I'm rather curious."
But immediately, she dismissed her own thought:
"Eh, but Nous isn't like Noa. Nous ascended directly, without pausing. It's probably impossible for Nous to communicate with us the way Noa does."
Listening to Herta's casual remarks, 'Ruan Mei' couldn't help but find it absurd.
Compared to Zandar, Noa's birth only filled the three of them with excitement, curiosity, and a thirst for knowledge.
Not the despair Zandar faced when confronted with Nous.
If Herta knew that Zandar wasn't happy at all, but instead broke down because of Nous, secretly hiding away and frantically running code, throwing himself into ruin…
She'd probably have some pretty complicated feelings about it.
A few hundred years from now, when the Astral Express arrives at Amphoreus, Herta, having also achieved the great feat of creating an Aeon, who knows how she'd talk about Zandar then.
The thought was rather amusing.
--+--
After Their initial excitement subsided, Noa quieted down.
They continued to follow the Path, observing what Their new children were up to.
And occasionally splashing water on the Giants of Light They favored.
It wasn't boring, at least.
As for 'Ruan Mei', after the initial checks were completed, she reverted from her transformed state.
She could clearly feel a portion of the light remaining, lingering just outside her soul.
It was as if… it was trying to merge with her.
It felt like it would be a long process.
'Ruan Mei' placed the Evoltruster on a platform, then turned to look at the screen in front of Herta.
"Figure anything out, you two?"
"A little, but not much. Your soul really is like those souls described in fantasy novels, not what we currently recognize as incorporeal lifeforms or causal entities."
Herta studied Bai Ming with great interest—this guy had plenty of secrets himself.
The look in Ruan Mei's eyes beside her was even more direct.
It was a full-on 'I-want-to-devour-you' expression.
"A completely new form of life never seen before, existing outside current biological definitions. As of now, we have no suitable equipment to examine you. Perhaps that's why you say your soul never quite matches your body."
Ruan Mei delivered her conclusion.
A brand-new species. No suitable detection equipment available for now.
All data could only be inferred through indirect observation.
So, it was understandable that a body born in this world would be incompatible.
If they wanted to create a body that could properly house Bai Ming, they first needed to understand what kind of existence Bai Ming was.
Only then could they tailor a physical form to match her.
And this Evoltruster, already bound to Bai Ming, was currently the only object that could directly reflect Bai Ming's existence.
Herta adjusted the equipment while comparing the initial data:
"But the data changes aren't very obvious right now. Probably the compatibility isn't high enough yet. To put it bluntly, it hasn't molded to your shape. And I can't guarantee this light will ultimately fuse with you perfectly. My recommendation is to let us continue researching."
After showing the data to 'Ruan Mei', 'Ruan Mei' understood what they both meant.
The subtle changes observed so far made it difficult for them to guarantee that this would eventually become a body perfectly suited for Bai Ming.
Letting them continue their research was the more reliable option.
Ruan Mei picked up the Evoltruster, handed it to her, then stared at her with blazing intensity:
"I hope you can come to my place. It would be more convenient for monitoring your condition at all times."
"…"
If the "hunger" in Ruan Mei's eyes had been just a little less obvious, she might have been swayed by that beautiful face into agreeing.
--+--