"Aha wants to become the new Aeon of [Erudition]. Don't you think that's interesting?"
"It's precisely because nothing you do surprises me that I find it utterly uninteresting."
Adrian and Aha's bickering had become a daily routine. Slacking off was truly blissful.
"Why not learn from me? You know how boring it is to be an Aeon. For folks like us, it's just aimless wandering across the universe, day after day."
"Hmm, you make a good point, but Aha's resolve to become the [Erudition] Aeon won't waver!"
The mask spoke with righteous fervor, brimming with passion.
"Ahh, this reminds me of our old friend, Akivili."
Back in the day… Adrian, Aha, and Akivili, three Aeons, had a blast together.
Adrian and Aha disguised themselves as Nameless, sneaking onto Akivili's train for a year, ultimately blowing up a carriage.
Aha and Akivili, the two Aeons with 'A' names, infiltrated Adrian's [Eternity Church], sparking an internal war within the church in less than half a year.
As for how Adrian and Akivili pranked Aha…
Adrian tied Aha up in fivefold bindings, and then Akivili rammed the Astral Express straight into THEM.
Unfortunately, all three of THEM were playing a game under the crystal wall built by Qlipoth at the time.
The train punched a hole through the crystal wall, and Adrian, Aha, and Akivili each took a hammer blow from Qlipoth.
"I should check on Akivili's kids." Adrian adjusted his clothes and picked up his suitcase.
"Ohh~" the mask couldn't help but hum softly, "I miss the days when we disguised ourselves as Nameless and blew up the train."
"What a pity. Without Akivili, blowing up the train just isn't fun anymore~"
"Wahhh~ Akivili… you died so tragically~"
The mask conjured a pack of tissues from somewhere and began sobbing in an eerily exaggerated manner.
"[Elation] doesn't cry."
"Aha's actually laughing! Bet you didn't see that coming, haha!"
Adrian shook his head, grabbed a bottle of Immortal's Delight Tea from the fridge, flipped it upside down on the table, and inserted a straw.
"With this, I toast our fallen Aeon friend, Akivili of [Trailblaze]!"
"To Akivili!"
The laughing mask floated to the table. The moment it touched the milk tea, in the blink of an eye, both the mask and the tea vanished before Adrian's eyes.
"You came to scam my milk tea!"
Adrian's lips twitched. Aha's daily milk tea scams—he was almost looking forward to what new sparks of trickery this aeon of fun would pull next.
Sparks… hmm…
Sparkle.
This Mask of Fools, she was the ultimate prankster, almost catching up to him with a bit more effort.
Adrian considered himself quite full of [Elation]; otherwise, he wouldn't get along so well with Aha.
Across the entire universe, besides Akivili and himself, who else was on good terms with [Elation]?
Aha really had no face!
But when it came to the worst relationships among Aeons, that would be [Destruction] Nanook and [Propagation] Tayzzyronth.
Speaking of Nanook, Adrian's blood boiled.
He'd finally found a planet where life had just emerged, painstakingly guiding its inhabitants to grasp [Eternity]. The next day, Nanook and the Antimatter Legion obliterated it.
"Nanook, oh Nanook…" Adrian muttered. When he reached Herta's Space Station and the Stellaron caught Nanook's glance, that would be his moment of revenge.
My friend—Nanook, I'll find you eventually.
And when I do:
My vengeance will be fiercer than [The Hunt].
My methods will be more than [Destruction]…
He was getting carried away. Inflicting [Destruction] on [Destruction] would only be what Nanook wanted.
After that planet was destroyed, Aha was the first to show up, mocking Adrian and even blowing up another planet right in front of him.
THEY claimed it was to let him experience it twice, to "deepen the memory."
"Feeble civilizations need only destruction," Aha mimicked Nanook's tone, repeating it incessantly in Adrian's ear.
Was this some kind of [retribution]?
He'd blown up Akivili's train, and now Nanook was blowing up the planets he'd nurtured.
No, wait. Him blowing up [Trailblaze]'s train had nothing to do with [Destruction]!
Were those two related or something?
In conclusion, Adrian decided to teach Nanook a lesson. While he was at it, he'd open the Stellaron's eyes and show her what a true Aeon looked like.
Nanook? Laughable.
Aha? Even more laughable.
Akivili? Well…
Judging a fallen comrade felt like blasphemy. Adrian didn't want to dream of hitting the jackpot.
As for [Propagation] mentioned earlier…
That one was a true insect, utterly brainless.
Cowardly, dim-witted, and lacking any insight despite being an Aeon, THEIR mind was empty save for propagation, and THEIR offspring were no different.
Rumor had it a certain genius girl from the Genius Society was intrigued by THEM, but Adrian couldn't care less.
The Swarm Disaster…
Back then, Adrian watched it unfold with a spectator's mindset, just wanting to join the chaos. It had nothing to do with upholding [Eternity].
Instead, it was [Propagation] and THEIR offspring's relentless breeding across planets that piqued his interest.
Because of THEIR war with [Voracity] Oroboros, two-thirds of the universe's habitable regions were affected, countless star systems wiped out—including a planet Adrian had just instilled with the concept of [Eternity].
Destroying a planet that had just embraced Eternity might be amusing to Aha, but to Adrian, it was a grave disrespect to [Eternity].
No, [Voracity] didn't just cause destruction. Fictional historians described it thus: When THEY opened THEIR maw, swallowing the insect tide, vast star systems were consumed like specks of dust.
Fictional history was something to skim, not take seriously.
Adrian despised fictional historians and riddle-makers the most.
Later, [Order] Ena stepped in, teaming up with Qlipoth, one of the oldest Aeons, the [Preservation].
As expected, Aha joined the fun, dragging Akivili and Adrian along.
"Everything I do is to help Ena!" Aha clapped, laughing. "You know Aha's always eager to help. Assisting other aeons is my joy!"
"Same here!"
Adrian clasped his fists, nodding in agreement with Aha.
"Come on, Akivili, join us!" Aha let out a spine-chilling laugh.
"This Trailblaze Aeon doesn't want their Astral Express infested by Tayzzyronth's brood, do they?" Adrian smirked.
"Aha! I've got a great idea. Once [Preservation] smashes Tayzzyronth with a hammer, we swoop in, grab THEIR fragments, and see if we can piece THEM back together."
As Qlipoth faced off against Tayzzyronth, Aha and Adrian whispered their schemes.
Akivili's eyes gleamed, summoning a miniature train. "Great idea. I'll handle collecting the Aeon fragments."
"As expected of my Akivili! I'm with you. So, who's distracting?"
Both aeons turned to Adrian, who was munching on metaphorical popcorn.
"Me?" Adrian pointed at himself.
Fighting [Preservation]? For real?
Akivili and Aha nodded frantically.
"I just picked up a kid from a bug-infested planet yesterday. You guys really think I won't get smashed by a hammer too?" Adrian groaned.
"No worries, my friend. [Eternity] doesn't die," Aha whispered boldly in his ear.
"If you die, we'll collect your corpse."
Akivili had already revved up their ghostly flames.
"Wait a second…"
Adrian tried to protest, but Aha had already sounded the charge!
Boom!
With a single hammer strike from Qlipoth, Tayzzyronth's body shattered, THEIR concept unraveled, and THEIR Path diluted.
Qlipoth crushed Tayzzyronth, and Aha's plan kicked into gear.
"Our goal… is the sea of stars!" Aha's laughter echoed across the cosmos.
"May this journey reach the stars!" Akivili chimed in.
"Stop spouting hot-blooded lines at a time like this!" Adrian was beyond exasperated.
He turned into a cloud of black mist, charging at Qlipoth, while Akivili fired up the Astral Express, racing with Aha toward [Propagation]'s resting place…
...
"Those days are still vivid in my mind."
Adrian pulled out an amber crystal, shaking the black-red solid inside—a figurine resembling a locust?
Was [Propagation] dead?
As good as dead.
Why did [Propagation] have to die?
Because of THEIR concept's unchecked expansion, Tayzzyronth's brood consumed too much, wreaking havoc across the universe.
THEY disrupted the universe's [Order], threatened its [Equilibrium], and blocked the path of [Trailblaze]…
Listing Tayzzyronth's crimes, if THEY didn't die, who would?
This amber crystal was something Adrian specifically requested from Qlipoth. He loved collecting these.
"It's getting late. Time to find a new spot to slack off."
He pushed open the shop door, locking eyes with Qingque, who was about to knock.
"Mr. Adrian, good evening," Qingque said, surprised by the coincidence, flashing an awkward smile.
"Off work?"
Qingque nodded. "Was about to play some Celestial Jade. Thought I'd grab a milk tea first."
"Speaking of that… here, the shop's yours."
A key appeared in Qingque's hand.
"Huh?" Before she could react, Adrian vanished from her sight.
"Wow… comes and goes like the wind, Mr. Adrian."
If Qingque could learn that trick, escaping the Divination Commission's old lady would be a breeze.
It's decided! She'd take good care of the shop for Adrian until he returned, then get him to teach her that move.
But before that…
Time to play Celestial Jade~