The universe was sent into an uproar.
An Aeon's gaze, a rare event that creates a mark on the world's history, occurred like flickering headlights.
It all happened in an instant, but the level of technological attainments by the major factions is more than enough to catch a glimpse of it.
They all turned their attention towards the place where all the gazes converged:
An unveiled, eternal land basking in the symbol of infinity.
"How did you..?"
A figure veiled in an ice-like transparent veil looked towards Amphoreus. Her grace and elegance are unmatched, befitting of her status as the Garden of Recollection's de-factor leader. A Pure Child of Anasrava similar to Demiurge's existence.
"A reshuffle is inevitable. Don't you think so?"
The veiled figure's gaze turned cold as she turned to Black Swan. Facing one of the biggest rebels since the Garden's inception, she held no shred of mercy.
"Stop pretending. Everything is supported by THEIR will. Crossing space and time, all to support the universe's most recent variable…"
No explanations were needed between the two. They are painfully aware of the Aeons' endgame—of Terminus' inevitability as the final station of the universe. Most, if not all Aeons, act for the sake of breaking this deadlock.
This time, Black Swan took the upper hand for their 'small' confrontation. The veiled person snorted as she said:
"Worry about something else. THEIR descent cannot be stopped by a single variable. It has only been accelerated."
"Still better than the mindless, barbaric plundering of yours, no?"
"..."
She did not reply.
Seeing this, Black Swan lost all of her interest. The person did not prevent her departure. It was futile, for Black Swan cannot be captured.
'The universe's origin and finality…'
It wasn't just the esteemed Garden of Recollection that was thoroughly disturbed.
The Interastral Peace Corporation swiftly issued notices to the star systems nearby Amphoreus. Orders to evacuate have been handed out. Star-class spaceships and above have been mobilized for the wide-scale evacuation.
Amidst the rainy night, a red paper umbrella was unfolded. Raindrops splattered onto its surface, trickling into its edges.
Underneath it was a woman with long, dark purple hair. Her left eye was covered with her bangs. Her right eye bore exquisite make-up from a planet long destroyed.
The woman, Acheron, glanced at the large television sporting evacuation notices. A clear shot of a pure white infinite symbol appeared on-screen, detailing it as the epicenter of the turbulent Path Energies amounting to a dozen.
'A familiar back…'
The memories she could not recall emerged right at this fateful moment.
Her planet's destruction has a lot to do with Nihility… with IX. Acheron treaded THEIR Path for who knows how long.
Her memories regarding her interaction with Nihility remained blurry. She only knew of its existence, not its contents.
Today, she finally got to see what it was.
A person's back.
In that place demanding nothingness and futilestruggles, one man stood tall. The darkness constantly plagued his existence. Yet, he rejected THEIR repeated persistence.
He is the only person capable of withstanding direct exposure to Nihility for countless years!
That same person reappeared once more in the living world. His brilliance could no longer be concealed, attracting the attention of everyone present.
'A possibility… that it can be done.'
Her silence ensued as the chaotic sirens, announcements, and orderly shouting echoed across the streets.
Beyond these planets are the most peculiar… curious bunch throughout the universe.
The Genius Society.
Eighty-two hand-picked geniuses by Nous THEMSELVES gathered together. The Genius No. 1, Zandar One Kuwubara, is the man responsible for Nous' creation—a man who sculpted God.
One of the most prolific Geniuses, having been chosen as Nous' Emanator, shared a database with the Aeon THEMSELVES.
Herta processed everythingNous had gazed upon just now.
"A variable… and Finality's Cocoon… Honkai."
She easily saw through Kiana's existence behind Shi Tian—the very same administrator who kicked her out from the imaginary barrier.
One was an unknown variable who spawned out of nowhere. Suspected to have come from the world outside the Imaginary Tree, he possessed a brand new power system that goes against the existence of Aeons.
Mortals cultivating into immortals and their plunder of the Dao (i.e., nature/concept) could be seen as harmful by the world. Herta was slightly puzzled by its 'harmlessness', however. It serves to reason that the world will reject such actions, viewing them as nothing more than thieves and parasites. Yet, this "Immortal Cultivation" bypasses that.
The existence of honkai is also far-reaching than what it initially seems.
Nous understood the nature of imaginary and quantum; of the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta. It is a matter of two energies clashing violently every time they meet. Like fire and water, per se.
Honkai belongs to both. It is a "third energy" born out of imaginary and quantum energy. It is something capable of accepting the two conflicting sides and making them their own. Centuries of honkai-related research by the cultivation-progressing Earth confirmed theories tied to it.
When two interesting things are brought together, it is no longer a matter of "simple" curiosity from Herta.
It is a longing.
A desire to seek out the universe's unanswered questions.
The entirety of the Herta Space Station worked full-time just like the others. They monitored the 'delicate' situation at Amphoreus, continuously seeking out changes in the middle of a dozen discordant Paths.
"Remembrance's Path Energy is rising rapidly! It…"
Click.
The world was stained in pure gray. Every voice lost its sound as cracks tethered from nowhere, creating a surface as smooth as a mirror. The cracks turned into fragments of their own as a dull white light emanated from them. It revealed scenes an hour prior to the chaotic mess caused by Amphoreus' descent.
The power of Remembrance mixed with something else did not stop at the real universe. Like an unstoppable tide, it marched towards the eleventh dimension where the Aeons reside.
This power was restrained this time, merely attempting to cut off a snippet of THEIR most recent memories—THEIR brief meeting with Shi Tian.
Some who noticed made moves, while there are some who let things happen as intended.
No matter THEIR reactions, the Dao of All Creation showed its overwhelming might to the world.
Just like that, the universe's time was reversed back to half a day ago.
Most who did not possess special qualities did not mind the brief dazedness they experienced. For those who did, it was destined to be a pursuit of truth lasting a long time.
"How strange…"
Herta glanced at the four floating mirrors surrounding her. The notion of "blanking out" had long been removed from her dictionary.
This time, she did.
A faint sense of incongruency welled up on her chest.
"Something happened."
When doubts turn into nigh-certainty, there was only one thing left for geniuses:
To dig out the answers to this question.