‘Thinking’
“Talking”
“Attack”
Act 4 — Meeting Between Geniuses (Final)
[ Location: Genius Society Meeting Dimension ]
[ POV : Kiana Kaslana ]
After a prolonged, heavy silence settled over the table, Herta looked around at Ruan Mei, Stephen, and me.
“I have a request for the three of you,” Herta began, leaning forward.
“Screwllum and I are currently collaborating on a major initiative called the Simulated Universe project.
The ultimate goal is to model, observe, and research the Aeons, universal history, and various cosmic phenomena of the past.
I originally intended to invite Mei and Stephen onto the team…
but now, with you here, Kiana, I want you on board as well.”
Screwllum turned his optical focus toward me, adding in his refined cadence, “If you are amenable, Madam Kiana, we could even expand the scope of the project to model multiverse simulations.
However…” He paused, looking over at Herta.
“Herta, our primary obstacle remains the severe lack of raw computational throughput and energy supply required for a project on that scale.”
I swirled my wine glass, offering them a confident smile.
“The project sounds like fun.
Count me in.
As for the energy source, we can utilize a Star Plasma Tower here is a miniature prototype and schematic.”
Tapping into the Authority of Truth, I manifested a gleaming, intricate blue blueprint and working construct above my palm.
“However, there is no need to rush into multiverse-scale simulations just yet; that is not something to take lightly.
Regarding the computational power required, I will share the schematics for an advanced quantum mainframe processor to upgrade your server architecture.”
Herta looked at me with rare, genuine gratitude.
She then turned her gaze toward Ruan Mei and Stephen.
“Are you two on board as well?”
Ruan Mei nodded calmly.
“It will significantly advance my current research into the Propagation and the nature of Aeons.
I am in.”
Stephen hesitated for a few moments, shifting uncomfortably under their stares, before finally caving in with a sigh.
“Fine…
I’ll join the project too.”
Herta smiled brightly as the entire room reached a consensus.
I turned my attention to Herta and Screwllum.
“Have either of you begun writing the core code for the Simulated Aeons yet?”
Screwllum tilted his head.
“Not yet.
Is there an issue?”
I shook my head, my tone turning serious.
“No issue.
But when you begin, make sure to code Aha first and hardcode a specific logical loop so that Aha can never become your direct enemy in the simulation.
If possible, actively entertain Aha within the test sessions.”
All four of them stared at me, dumbfounded by the bizarre advice.
Herta frowned.
“Why are you insisting that we program Aha so that he can’t become an enemy?”
“Because with the scope of what you are building, you will eventually breach the Knowledge Domain established by Member #4, Polka Kakamond,” I explained plainly.
“Simulated Aha will prove instrumental in disrupting her Knowledge Domain.
After all, disrupting an assassination plot targeting young geniuses simply for the sake of entertainment…
is right up Aha’s alley.”
Ruan Mei looked at me as if I had completely lost my mind.
“Why would a simulated construct of Aha help us, when we are the ones probing their divine nature?”
“Because of the divine nature of Elation itself the core concept of The Fool,” I replied, a smirk playing on my lips.
“Aha’s code will inevitably achieve self-awareness within the environment.
The literal personification of Elation will willingly lend a hand just to pull off the ultimate cosmic prank.
And what is a bigger joke to the cosmos than Polka Kakamond failing an assassination attempt against a junior genius and being forced to retreat in total disgrace?”
I couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.
Stephen stared at me in bewilderment.
“Put like that…
But how can you be so certain that we will breach Polka’s Knowledge Domain in the first place?”
I offered him a faint, knowing smile.
“The same way I know about the alternate timeline possibilities: the timeline where Herta becomes Rubert III; the timeline where Ruan Mei helps to creates a Lord Ravager of Abundance with the remains of the Aeon Tayzzyronth ,Member of Xianzhou’s High-Cloud Quintet and Arbiter-General’s divine weapon; the timeline where the wielder of the Star of Eden a weapon that manipulates gravity to create black holes clashes with Zephyro, the Lord Ravager of Nihility who summons white holes, causing the universe to shatter; and the timeline where the universe loses the Will of Trailblaze on Melustine at the hands of Celenova.
These are all failed scripts…
what the Slave of Destiny calls Myriad Celestia.”
Stephen looked utterly horrified, clutching his head as he listed them off.
“S-So let me get this straight…
In one timeline, Herta becomes a Lord Ravager.
In a second, Ruan Mei creates a Lord Ravager.
Right now, Zandar’s fragment is trying to create another Lord Ravager.
That’s three Geniuses linked to Lord Ravagers!
Meanwhile, Dr.
Primitive is busy regressing entire alien civilizations into monkeys, Polka Kakamond goes around assassinating her own faction members instead of doing something useful, and then we have Rubert I and II who ignited the Anti-Organic Wars that devastated countless galaxies!”
He threw his hands up in despair.
“No wonder the rest of the cosmos calls the Genius Society the most dysfunctional faction in existence and treats us like unhinged lunatics!
To pursue research and breakthrough, our members will literally do anything!”
I watched his panicked rant with pure amusement.
“It is simply the nature of elevated minds to look down on lesser lifeforms.
With your level of intelligence, don’t you find talking to ordinary people exhausting?”
Stephen slumped in his chair, unable to deny it.
“…That’s why I rarely leave my lab.”
Herta shook her head, forcing her mind back to business.
Her eyes fixed on me.
“You mentioned the wielder of the ‘Star of Eden’ earlier.
What is that weapon?”
“A Divine Key of Devouring,” I answered.
“The Star of Eden is the 9th Divine Key a weapon constructed from the core of the Herrscher of Stars, granting absolute control over gravity.
At maximum output, it can synthesize multiple supermassive black holes simultaneously.”
Screwllum caught my wording instantly, his optical sensor flaring with intense interest.
“You said ‘9th Divine Key’…
How many of these keys were created?
Are all of them this catastrophic?
Can you elaborate on their specifications?”
“Thirteen Divine Keys were created in total,” I explained.
“Not all of them were designed purely as weapons of mass destruction.
I won’t detail all thirteen today, but I will brief you on four of them.
Any objections?”
All four shook their heads, listening intently.
“First: The 1st Divine Key, the Key of Revelation also known as the Void Archives.
It houses the compiled knowledge, research, and history of an entire fallen civilization, equipped with the power of complete synthesis and structural replication.”
I held up a second finger.
“The 2nd Divine Key, the Key of Infinity also known as the Cosmic Juggernaut.
It was engineered specifically to navigate, observe, and anchor coordinates across different bubble worlds within the Imaginary Tree.”
A third finger went up.
“The 7th Divine Key, the Key of Destruction Judgement of Shamash.
The most destructive key ever created.
Its power is bound behind multiple security seals; removing even a single seal guarantees the immediate death of an ordinary wielder due to thermal recoil.
According to the Void Archives, only two individuals in history can wield it at maximum output and I am one of them.
At its 3rd Release State, the sheer heat emitted can incinerate multiple star systems.
At absolute full power…
an Aeon or two would fall before its blade.”
I lowered my hand.
“And the last one I mentioned, the Key of Stars, controls gravitational fields to crush matter into black holes.
Divine Keys are merely a fraction of the weapons in my arsenal they serve to amplify my base Authorities.”
A heavy, terrified silence fell over the table as they digested the sheer scale of those weapons.
Ruan Mei looked at me, her eyes sharp.
“How were these keys crafted?
You mentioned they were made from a ‘Herrscher Core’.
What is that?”
“A Herrscher Core is a specialized organ that acts as the focal contact point with the Will of Honkai and serves as the power regulator for a Herrscher,” I said.
Just as an Aeon’s physical body parts retain their divine Authorities like the Fool’s Masks of Aha or the Blood of Abundance Divine Keys are constructed using the core of a fallen Herrscher as the primary catalyst.”
Herta looked at me in disbelief.
“Those weapons are made from the dead remains of your own species?
Don’t you find it revolting to wield them?”
“I lost my personal memories of my past, as I told you,” I answered coolly.
“And those cores came from a world already destined for destruction.
So no, I don’t find it revolting.
Besides, an Authority belongs to whoever commands it.”
Stephen raised his hand timidly, curiosity overriding his fear.
“Y-You said a Herrscher Core is an organ that enables ascension to Herrscher rank…
Can people like us become Herrschers as well?”
Ruan Mei, Herta, and Screwllum all leaned in, visibly intrigued by the concept.
I looked at them with a playful smile.
“Yes.
In fact, all four of you possess the biological and conceptual compatibility to become Herrschers.”
I took a slow sip of my wine, then leaned forward on my elbows.
“Want to know which Authorities you are compatible with?”
All four nodded eagerly without hesitation.
“Most ordinary beings aren’t qualified to host even a single Authority, but you four are compatible with multiple—which isn’t surprising, given Stephen’s accurate assessment of our faction,” I chuckled.
“I won’t give exhaustive technical breakdowns of the Authorities, as it would be overly tedious and beyond your current comprehension.”
They nodded in understanding.
“Let’s start with Ruan Mei,” I said.
“She is compatible with the Authority of Origin—”
Bzzzt—
A sharp static glitched out the rest of the sentence.
Ruan Mei and the others blinked in confusion.
“That first one is closely tied to my own core Authority, so it’s normal that your mind filtered it out,” I noted smoothly.
“Moving on: she is also compatible with Death/Rebirth, Thunder, and Reason.
Second: Herta.
She is compatible with Domination, Reason, and Sentience.
Third: Screwllum.
He is compatible with Reason, Corruption, and Binding.
Fourth: Stephen.
He is compatible with Stars, Void, Wind, and Thunder.”
All four sat processing the list, looking thoroughly bewildered.
Herta suddenly winced, rubbing her forehead.
“When I tried to analyze those conceptual Authorities using Path energy…
I got a searing headache.
Why?”
I let out a soft laugh.
“Because trying that was foolish.
It is only because of my protective passive field that your mind didn’t suffer severe backlash for attempting to process concepts far beyond your current cognitive limits.
It’s like a Curio inside the Simulated Universe trying to comprehend Nous in the real world.
Naturally, the system strains.”
I gestured toward the empty wine glasses.
“Now then, I think it is time we wrap up this meeting.
We have been sitting here in frozen space-time for over four subjective days.”
Herta straightened up.
“When shall we officially begin collaborating on the Simulated Universe project?”
“Provide me with your personal Worlds coordinates,” I replied.
“I will establish a permanent space-time corridor connecting our domains so we can travel back and forth at will.
As for the mainframe processor blueprints, I will transmit them directly to your home bases.”
All four nodded in agreement with the arrangement.
With our meeting concluded, I raised my hand and deactivated the temporal isolation spell.
[Suspended World — Release]
The golden-Purple barrier collapsed, and the flow of space-time snapped back to normal.
The ambient hum of the dimensional hall returned instantly.
With our affairs settled, we offered our final farewells, activated our tokens, and allowed our consciousnesses to be pulled out of the meeting dimension, returning safely to our physical bodies across the galaxy.