If one sets foot upon the Path trod by an Aeon, they will receive its distant perception, like a glance cast across the light-years of the galaxy.
Those gazed upon by an Aeon can become Pathstriders, a rarity in the interstellar cosmos.
This phenomenon was nothing new to the Pathstriders present.
They had all, to some extent, received an Aeon's gaze and become Pathstriders, which was how they had gained their current powers.
However, even Himeko, who had witnessed such events many times, couldn't explain what was happening now.
Generally, an Aeon's gaze is only perceptible to the individual being watched. Others, even fellow Pathstriders, cannot detect it.
Even if someone present were to attract an Aeon's attention, the onlookers shouldn't be able to see the Aeon's phantom.
But at this moment, that rule was being broken.
Nous, the Aeon of Erudition, had appeared in person before them all. For believers of the Erudition, this was nothing short of a divine miracle.
At this moment, every member of the space station who witnessed this was dumbfounded.
With their talents, they would never meet the standards of the Genius Society in their lifetime; even joining the Intelligentsia Guild had its own high bar. But now, the greatest miracle of their faith had manifested right before them. Some were moved to tears, while other researchers even prostrated themselves in worship.
Even those who were not followers of the Erudition were shaken by this divine descent.
As highly abstract, philosophical concepts given form, the Aeons rarely revealed themselves. The few times they had—be it Lan's arrow of light, Fuli's manifestation, or Qlipoth's wall-building—were all major events that affected the entire observable universe.
And today, after a long silence, Nous had appeared. What could be the reason?
Almost instantly, everyone present turned their gazes to Su Mo and Holou.
They didn't believe their own intellects were enough to attract the attention of an Aeon. The only possibility was these two outsiders.
"The Aeon of Erudition... did it foresee a variable, or is it here for something else?"
Under everyone's focused gaze, Su Mo met the phantom's eyes with a calm expression. Not only was there no hint of awe in his look, but it was filled with inquiry and composure.
This unsurprised expression suggested he had anticipated this event from the very beginning.
If it wasn't supreme arrogance, then he must have predicted the Aeon's behavioral patterns.
But was it even possible to predict an Aeon, especially one like Nous, who possessed the greatest computational power of them all?
Under the shocked gazes of Himeko and the others, something strange happened to the Ex-Machina, whom everyone had subconsciously overlooked.
An invisible energy poured into their bodies, transforming into a power they could freely command. The Ex-Machina collectively ran a self-diagnostic.
"Reporting to Lord Su Mo. Detected spontaneous accumulation of Imaginary Energy within all Ex-Machina units. Based on database records, it is hypothesized that all Ex-Machina have stepped onto the Path of Erudition and become Pathstriders. Is it necessary to eliminate this anomalous state?" Schwi quickly reported their change to Su Mo.
Before Su Mo could even answer, Asta gasped.
"What? Does she mean that the Ex-Machina's incredible combat ability was their standard level before they even gained the power of a Path?"
It wasn't just her; all the researchers present found it unbelievable.
In terms of individual strength, an Ex-Machina could be considered upper-mid tier among Pathstriders. While impressive, other major factions likely had forces of similar strength.
However, achieving that level of power almost always required the enhancement of a Path's energy.
If this Ex-Machina legion possessed such strength without having stepped onto a Path...
Then if they did step onto a Path, wouldn't they become even stronger?
Even Himeko and the others, who knew Su Mo's background and understood why the Ex-Machina had only just now stepped onto a Path, felt a sense of breathlessness at the thought.
Antimatter engines, dark matter engines, and now the blessings of the Erudition Path... If the Ex-Machina, with their current strength, underwent these three evolutions, their power would surely surpass that of a Doomsday Beast.
The strength of Su Mo's forces would take a quantum leap, allowing them to stand out even among the major factions, second only to organizations that possessed Emanators.
A power of that level was something few could hope to challenge.
"Could it be... that Nous appeared for these Ex-Machina?" March 7th wondered aloud, scratching her head.
The relationship between Aeons and their Pathstriders was varied. Some Aeons were completely indifferent, while others actively established factions.
Nous was one of the latter, having a closer connection to their Pathstriders. The members of their Genius Society were all geniuses personally interviewed and selected by Nous.
Although there was no precedent, if Nous appeared for these ten thousand-plus newborn Pathstriders, wouldn't that make sense?
"Impossible!"
Asta immediately refuted March 7th's guess.
"Nous rarely appears in person. The circumstances that would cause this Aeon to manifest... I remember Madam Herta telling me once... but no, it can't be, right?!"
Asta trailed off, seemingly having thought of an answer.
Then, her eyes widened in shock, her pupils shrinking. She had clearly thought of an outrageous possibility but couldn't bring herself to believe it.
"What can't be? Asta, be more specific!"
March 7th pressed her, confused by her cryptic behavior.
But Asta seemed not to hear her. Her gaze was locked tightly on Su Mo and Holou, her expression incredibly tense, as if awaiting a verdict.
This made everyone else turn their gazes back to Su Mo.
At the center of everyone's attention, Su Mo calmly answered the Ex-Machina's question.
"No need to eliminate the anomalous state. Accept the energy of the Erudition Path and record the modification process."
"Understood!" Schwi immediately acknowledged the order. The Ex-Machina legion fell silent, beginning their AFK leveling up.
Then, Su Mo and Holou exchanged a look.
"Reporting to Master God. Holou also has Imaginary Energy here. It's strange!" The young goddess placed Su Mo's hand on her Divine Core, letting him feel the change within her.
"It's fine. Activate your Divine Core according to the knowledge I gave you before. Just accept it," Su Mo said immediately.
After being baptized by the Imaginary Energy, Holou's Divine Core would gradually evolve toward the direction of Artosh's.
Her power would break through its previous limits and increase rapidly.
As the creator god of the Ex-Machina, her strength would never be weaker than her creations; it would only grow stronger.
In fact, the same change was happening within Su Mo himself.
Through his research in the world of No Game No Life, Su Mo already had ample experience in acquiring Imaginary Energy and could actively draw it from the void, just like the God of War, Artosh.
And now, as the holder of a wisdom-related divine persona, the energy of the Erudition Path was naturally open to him, at a magnitude far exceeding that of Holou and the Ex-Machina.
In truth, if Su Mo wished it, he could use his various divine personas to draw upon different types of Imaginary Energy.
For him, who held the collective mythologies of countless parallel worlds within him, he was a suitable candidate for every existing Path.
No matter what kind of mental fluctuation, will, or ideology a Path required, Su Mo could find a corresponding figure in the annals of mythology.
Even if an Aeon didn't cast its gaze upon him, he could take the power for himself.
Of course, the Aeons themselves still held absolute control over their Path's energy. If an Aeon specifically forbade it, his technique of actively drawing power would fail.
But clearly, Nous had no such intention at this moment.
The phantom of the mechanical eye silently observed the two otherworldly beings before it, analyzing the force fields they emanated.
After a long moment of mutual observation, two silver keys floated out from the mechanical eye, gently landing in the palms of Su Mo and Holou.
Then, the phantom of Nous abruptly dissipated, leaving only the empty expanse of the cosmos.
"It's... gone?"
Seeing the phantom disappear, March 7th blinked.
When Su Mo and Holou landed, she hurried over to them, full of curiosity.
"That's the first time I've ever seen Nous! It's just like the legends say, a really impressive-looking machine. Lord Su Mo, are you two okay?"
She clearly saw the event as just a strange encounter, with no intention of digging deeper.
But what March 7th failed to notice was that everyone else was silently watching Su Mo, their shocked gazes now tinged with even more respect.
"A silver key, personally bestowed by Nous... I can't be mistaken, can I?" Himeko murmured in a low voice.
"It shouldn't be a mistake. It's the Key of Erudition, as recorded in the data bank," Dan Heng said, nodding with a grave expression.
"If someone who has seen one before could confirm it, we could be absolutely sure."
Just then, Asta, who had been maintaining the remote communication, couldn't hold back her excitement any longer.
"Miss March 7th, if Mr. Su allows it, could you please get a little closer? I want to get a better look at the key in his hand."
"The key?" March 7th tilted her head. Instead of immediately pointing her phone at it, she glanced at Su Mo for permission.
Su Mo had no intention of hiding it. He opened his palm, revealing the silver key that hovered between reality and illusion.
Asta's eyes widened as she observed it. With just one look, she confirmed her suspicion.
"Mr. Su—no, Lord Su, do... do you know what this Key of Erudition represents?"
She was almost too excited to speak, her form of address for Su Mo switching to a more respectful one. Her reaction left the surrounding researchers baffled.
What could be so special that even their station director was acting like this?
"Since it's a key, it must be for opening a door," Su Mo replied calmly with the simplest answer.
"Well, that's true..."
Asta was momentarily at a loss for words. A helpless expression crossed her face, and the look she gave Su Mo was now a hundred times more fervent than when she had learned he was the One True God.
"As you say, this key is for opening a door. And according to the information I have from Madam Herta, the door this key opens is none other than the library of Nous itself!"
At these words, the researchers around Asta finally understood. Disbelief filled their eyes.
"How is that possible?"
"A key to the library, personally bestowed by Nous?"
"Doesn't that mean?!"
They looked at Su Mo with expressions of fervor, respect, or deep envy.
Amidst the murmurs, Asta nodded, confirming their suspicions.
"That's right. This Key of Erudition is a personal invitation from Nous. The holder of this key has the right to enter the library. In history, eighty-four people have accepted this key, including the owner of this space station, Madam Herta."
"And without exception, all of them became members of the Genius Society."
With that, Asta gave Su Mo a deep bow.
"Congratulations. No, I should say, congratulations to this world for welcoming the arrival of two new geniuses at once."