If someone could walk the Path an Aeon governed, they would receive its distant sensing, like a glance cast across galactic light-years.
Those gazed upon by Aeons could walk the Path, becoming the rare Path walkers of the entire interstellar universe.
If only this phenomenon, for the present Path walkers, it wasn't unfamiliar.
They'd all more or less received Aeon glances and become Path walkers, which was how they wielded their current power.
However, even Himeko who'd seen similar occurrences many times couldn't explain the current phenomenon.
Generally speaking, besides the gazed person themselves, no one else could perceive an Aeon's gaze—even fellow Path walkers couldn't detect it.
Even if someone present drew an Aeon's attention, bystanders shouldn't be able to see the Aeon's phantom.
Yet at this moment, this law was broken.
Nous the Erudition personally appeared before everyone. For believers of the Aeon of Erudition, this was practically a divine miracle descending.
At this moment, seeing this scene, all space station members froze.
With their talents, they couldn't reach Genius Society standards in their lifetimes. Even joining the Intelligensia Guild had thresholds. But now, the greatest miracle they believed in appeared right before them. Some excited researchers even shed tears, some directly prostrating in worship.
Even non-believers in Erudition would be shocked by this divine descent scene.
As highly abstract philosophical concept incarnations, Aeons rarely revealed themselves. The few times—whether the Hunt's arrow of light, Memory Aeon Fuli's manifestation, or Preservation Qlipoth's wall-building—were all major events affecting the entire observable universe.
And today, the long-silent Nous the Erudition manifested. What could it be for?
Almost instantly, everyone present focused their gazes on Ryuga and Holou.
They didn't believe their own wisdom could attract Aeon attention. The only possibility was these two outsiders.
"The Aeon of Erudition... did it predict the variable, or is it for something else?"
Under everyone's focused gazes, Ryuga calmly faced the light phantom, his gaze not only showing no reverence but filled with inquiry and composure.
This completely unsurprised expression was as if he'd expected this to inevitably happen from the start.
If not excessive arrogance, then he must have predicted the Aeon's action patterns.
But predicting an Aeon—moreover Nous the Erudition with the strongest computational power—was such a thing really possible?
Under Himeko and others' shocked gazes.
Suddenly, the Machina that everyone had subconsciously overlooked underwent changes.
Invisible energy surged into their bodies, becoming power they could freely control. The Machina collectively performed self-checks.
"Report to Lord Ryuga, detected imaginary energy spontaneously gathering in all Machina bodies. According to database records, all Machina have walked the Erudition Path and become Path walkers. Do we need to remove this abnormal state?"
Soon, Schwi spoke, reporting their changes to Ryuga.
Hearing this, before Ryuga could answer, Asta exclaimed.
"What? She means the Machina's such powerful combat capability was still their standard before obtaining Path power?"
Not just her—all researchers present found it incredible.
In terms of individual strength, the Machina could be called upper-middle class among Path walkers. Though quite good, other major forces weren't necessarily without the same foundation.
However, to obtain the same foundation, almost all relied on Path energy enhancement.
If the Machina legion before them had this scale of strength without walking a Path—
Then if they walked a Path, wouldn't they strengthen considerably more?
Even Himeko and others who knew Ryuga's background and why the Machina were only now walking a Path felt suffocated thinking this.
Antimatter engine, dark matter engine, Erudition Path enhancement—with the Machina's strength, receiving three more evolutions like this, their power would definitely rise beyond Doomsday Beast level.
Ryuga's subordinate forces would undergo qualitative leaps, able to stand out even among various factions, second only to organizations with Emanators.
This level of force was already rarely shakeable.
"Could it be Nous the Erudition appeared for these Machina?"
After understanding the situation, March 7th scratched her head.
Aeons and Path walkers had various relationships—some completely indifferent, some who'd actively establish factions.
Among them, Nous the Erudition belonged to the type with deeper Path walker connections. The Genius Society under them were all geniuses personally interviewed and selected.
Though no precedent existed, if their appearance was for these ten-thousand-plus new Path walkers, wouldn't that also make sense?
"Impossible!"
Regarding March 7th's guess, Asta immediately negated it.
"Nous the Erudition rarely manifests personally. Things that can make this Aeon manifest—I remember Ms. Herta once told me... but, no way?!"
Speaking to the front, Asta pondered slightly as if recalling some answer.
But by the end, her head jerked, pupils contracting sharply, obviously thinking of some absurd possibility but not daring to believe.
"What 'no way'? Asta, explain clearly!"
Regarding her riddling behavior, March 7th questioned in confusion.
But at this moment, Asta seemed unable to hear March 7th's words. Her gaze fixed tightly on Ryuga and Holou's faces, expression extremely tense, as if awaiting some judgment.
This made everyone also look back at Ryuga.
At everyone's focal point, Ryuga calmly answered the Machina's question.
"No need to remove the abnormal state. Accept Erudition Path energy and record the transformation process."
"Yes!"
Schwi immediately received orders. The Machina legion collectively fell silent, beginning to idle and level up.
Then Ryuga and Holou exchanged glances.
"[Report] Main God, Holou also has imaginary energy here. So strange!"
The young goddess pulled Ryuga's hand to her Quintessence at her chest, letting him feel her changes.
"It's fine. According to the knowledge I gave you earlier, activate the Quintessence and accept with peace of mind."
Ryuga also immediately spoke.
After accepting imaginary energy baptism, Holou's Quintessence would gradually move toward Altertius's previous direction.
Her strength would also break previous limits and rapidly improve.
As the Machina's creator god, her strength would definitely not be weaker than her creations—only increasingly stronger.
Actually, the same changes were occurring in Ryuga's body.
Through No Game No Life world research, Ryuga already had sufficient experience obtaining imaginary energy. He could also actively absorb imaginary energy from the void like War God Artosh.
At this moment, as holder of wisdom divinity, Erudition Path energy also naturally opened to Ryuga, with energy amplitude far exceeding Holou and the Machina legion.
Actually, as long as Ryuga wished, he could borrow different divinities to absorb different types of imaginary energy.
For him who contained the mythological compendium of countless parallel worlds, all existing Paths—he was qualified for all of them.
No matter what spiritual fluctuations the corresponding Path needed, what will and thoughts it required, Ryuga could find correspondences in mythological history.
Even if Aeons didn't gaze upon him, he could take without asking.
Of course, Aeons themselves still possessed absolute control over Path energy. If an Aeon specifically didn't allow it, active absorption techniques couldn't work either.
However, current Nous the Erudition obviously had no such intention.
The mechanical eye's phantom silently observed the two otherworlders, analyzing the force fields they emitted.
After prolonged mutual gazing, two silver keys floated from the mechanical eye, gently landing in Ryuga and Holou's palms.
Then Nous the Erudition's phantom suddenly dispersed, leaving only the empty cosmic starry sky.
"It just... left?"
Seeing the phantom disappear, March 7th blinked.
Seeing Ryuga and Holou land, she quickly approached, asking curiously.
"This is my first time seeing Nous the Erudition. Sure enough, like the legends say, a very impressive-looking machine. How are you, Lord Ryuga? Are you both alright?"
She obviously only treated what just happened as a fantastic encounter, without investigating deeply.
But March 7th didn't notice that besides her, everyone else silently watched Ryuga, shock in their eyes mixed with more respect.
"The silver key personally bestowed by Nous the Erudition... I shouldn't be guessing wrong?"
Himeko lowered her voice.
"Shouldn't be wrong. It's exactly the Key of Wisdom recorded in the database."
Dan Heng solemnly nodded.
"If someone who's seen it could verify, we could completely confirm."
Just then, Asta who'd been maintaining remote communication couldn't contain her excitement and immediately spoke.
"Miss March 7th, if Mr. Ryuga permits, could you please move closer? I want to carefully examine the key in his hand."
"Key?"
March 7th tilted her head. Rather than immediately pointing her phone at the key, she questioningly glanced at Ryuga.
Regarding this, Ryuga had no intention to hide. He directly opened his palm, displaying the silver key existing between reality and illusion.
Asta immediately widened her eyes observing. Just one glance confirmed her conjecture.
"Mr. Ryuga—no, Lord Ryuga, do you—do you know what this Key of Wisdom represents?"
Nearly too excited to speak, she switched her address for Ryuga to more respectful honorifics. This performance left surrounding researchers somewhat bewildered.
What was so special that even the station leader showed such behavior?
"Since it's a key, naturally it's used to open doors."
Ryuga calmly gave the simplest answer.
"Indeed that's correct..."
Hearing this, Asta choked slightly, then showed a helpless expression. Looking at Ryuga with eyes a hundred times more fervent than when learning he was the One True God.
"As you said, this key opens doors. And according to information I learned from Ms. Herta, the door this key can open is Nous the Erudition's Library!"
Speaking here, all researchers around Asta finally realized her meaning. Everyone's eyes showed incredible colors.
"How is that possible?"
"The key to the [Library], personally bestowed by Nous the Erudition?"
"Doesn't that mean—?!"
They looked at Ryuga with eyes either fervent, respectful, or full of deep jealousy.
Under such noise, Asta nodded slightly, confirming everyone's conjecture.
"That's right. This Key of Wisdom is the invitation personally issued by Nous the Erudition. Possessors of this key have the right to enter the Library. Historically, eighty-four people have accepted this key, including this space station's master—Ms. Herta."
"And without exception, they all became Genius Society members."
Finishing, Asta deeply bowed to Ryuga.
"Congratulations. No, I should say congratulations to this world, for welcoming two geniuses simultaneously."
To be continued…