Herta Space Station.
Dottore's laboratory.
"You really stepped onto a Path?"
"Is it The Erudition? Or the Path of Propagation~?"
Another Dottore "segment" looked at the colorful energy mass in the former's hand, which seemed filled with turbid power, and asked with full curiosity.
"I did step onto a Path, but unfortunately, it is not The Erudition, but the Path of Propagation."
Dottore raised his head and looked with interest at the brand new Dottore "segment" he had painstakingly created.
He felt fortunate that he had prepared before coming to Herta Space Station.
If he hadn't brought enough materials to create "segments" before coming to this Herta Space Station.
He would have had no way to truly create a Dottore "segment" in such a short time.
"But why did you step onto the Path of Propagation? Why didn't I get this power?"
Dottore "segment" asked, frowning tightly.
As an individual with consciousness.
He naturally also wanted to step onto a Path.
"Probably because I only made you."
"And not you making me."
Dottore laughed.
Hearing this, Dottore "segment" couldn't help but let out a long sigh:
"Forget it, let's talk about the power you gained."
"After stepping onto the Path of Propagation, can you self-replicate like the Aeon of Propagation in the Simulated Universe?"
"Can you make your creations also have the power of self-replication like the Aeon of Propagation?"
Dottore's mouth curved upwards, saying:
"You mean to ask if you yourself can get the power of propagation from me, right?"
Dottore "segment" nodded, confirming Dottore's statement.
"If I were the Aeon of Propagation himself, perhaps I could let you also obtain the Path Power of Propagation."
"Unfortunately, I am not the Aeon of Propagation himself."
"What I can do is probably only this much."
As Dottore spoke, his body was suddenly enveloped by a turbid energy mass.
Then this energy mass separated from Dottore's body and transformed into another Dottore under the gaze of Dottore "segment".
"This... you can create another "segment" so easily?"
"Wait, what's going on!"
Dottore "segment" exclaimed.
The Dottore who had stepped onto the Path also narrowed his eyes, frowning tightly as he looked at the other "segment" he had split off.
He saw that after the "segment" took shape for a moment, a large amount of silkworm cocoon-like substance suddenly appeared around his body, tightly wrapping it.
As the cocoon pulsed, a hard-shelled reptile about the size of a human crawled out of the cocoon.
"A bug? How could you split off a bug?"
"Could it be that the power of [Propagation] can only make you split off bugs, and not another you?"
Dottore "segment" looked at Dottore and asked in confusion.
"It seems that's the case now."
"This power, it seems it still needs a considerable amount of experimentation."
Dottore took a deep look at the reptile that had split off from his body and squatted down in front of it.
Dottore: "Can you talk?"
Reptile: "..."
Dottore: "Do you have my consciousness?"
Reptile: "..."
Dottore shook his head:
"Unfortunately, it seems it doesn't possess our minds."
"It's just a simple bug that possesses a bit of my power."
Dottore "segment" also squatted down in front of the reptile and said with interest:
"But it seems to be very close to you."
"It seems you should be able to control it."
"By the way, since it possesses your power, can it self-replicate?"
Dottore shook his head and said:
"The energy it possesses is too low, I'm afraid it can't self-replicate."
"If I give it enough Path Power, perhaps it can."
Dottore "segment" nodded and said thoughtfully:
"I see, why don't we try dissecting it."
"Perhaps we can find some reasons why it turned into a bug."
"We can also learn more about the Path Power of Propagation."
Dottore glanced at Dottore "segment": "I thought you would suggest dissecting myself."
Dottore "segment" raised the corner of his mouth and said:
"If you are willing to offer yourself, that would naturally be even better."
Dottore shook his head and said:
"Let's forget about that, I have another set of research plans for myself."
"However, there's no problem with researching this bug."
"However, before that, I think we need to apply for some basic research materials."
"After all, cultivating you has almost exhausted the basic materials of this laboratory."
Dottore "segment" agreed, saying:
"Indeed, some basic materials are needed."
"Since that's the case, why not apply to Asta, Station Master?"
"If it's just basic materials, I don't think she will refuse."
"As for me and this bug, I don't think we need to hide."
Dottore: "No need, anyway, the situation here should not escape the eyes of Takagi and Asta."
As he spoke, the Dottore intended to use the equipment in the room to contact Asta.
...
[Congratulations to the Host for helping the Dottore embark on the Path of Propagation, receiving a lottery ticket and an increase in Imaginary Energy.]
[Note: By using the lottery ticket, the Host can draw any character template from the Honkai Star Rail.]
This time, did all five people finally embark on a Path?
I didn't expect this guy, the Dottore, to actually embark on a Path, and it's the Path of Propagation.
Did the Simulated Universe of the Swarm Disaster really give him the opportunity to embark on a Path?
Takagi thought to himself.
"Lord Takagi, what's wrong?"
Ruan Mei saw Takagi stop in the middle of speaking and asked with some confusion.
"Just noticed a small situation."
"You don't need to worry, Miss Ruan Mei, go and be busy with your own matters."
Takagi smiled and said.
"Is it really a small situation?"
Ruan Mei raised her eyebrows and looked even more confused at Nahida, Lisa, and others whose expressions seemed to have changed 180 degrees.
Takagi: "It's really nothing, it's just that the Dottore I mentioned earlier suddenly embarked on a Path."
[Tartaglia: I didn't hear clearly just now. Did Lord Takagi say earlier that the Dottore has already embarked on a Path?!]
[Arlecchino: You didn't hear wrong. It seems this guy, the Dottore, succeeded before the duration of Lord Takagi's Blessing reached zero.]
[Scaramouche: Humph! This guy is quite capable.]
[Pantalone: It's a pity, there is no live broadcast from Cloud Retainer on the Dottore's side, so there's no way to know how he embarked on the Path.]
[Columbina: The Dottore.... I hope he doesn't embark on the annoying Path of Propagation.]
[Lynette: Since it's the Dottore, he should embark on the Path of Erudition.]
[Lyney: Yes, based on what we currently know about the performance of the Aeon of Propagation, the probability of the Dottore obtaining its power should be negligible.]
[Arlecchino: Lyney, you don't understand the Dottore deeply enough. As for him, he might really be able to embark on the Path of Propagation.]
[Lyney:!!!]
"That Dottore just embarked on a Path?!"
"Could it be through your power, Lord Takagi?!"
Ruan Mei asked in surprise.
By now, Herta had learned about Takagi's magical power that could quickly help passengers embark on a Path through Lisa, Signora, and others.
As Herta's colleague, Ruan Mei naturally also learned about this magical power of Takagi.
Takagi smiled slightly and did not deny it.
"Then, Lord Takagi, can you sense what Path he embarked on?"
Ruan Mei asked.
Takagi: "That guy, he embarked on the Path of Propagation."
Ruan Mei: "Propagation?!"
[Kaeya: Good heavens, someone actually embarked on the Path of Propagation!]
[Rosaria: I suddenly dislike the Fatui even more.]
[Arlecchino: Speaking of which, the Dottore didn't turn into a bug, did he?]
[Alhaitham: What research did the Dottore do to be able to embark on the Path of Propagation!]
"Lord Takagi, I plan to go and see the Dottore to see what that guy did, is that okay?"
Signora asked.
"Of course, no problem."
"Rather, I also want to see what he did."
"If you don't plan to rest for a while, then come with me."
Takagi nodded and looked at Lisa, Cloud Retainer, and Nahida, who hadn't spoken.
Without exception, they, like Signora, wanted to go and see the Dottore.
"As far as I know, almost no human can embark on the Path of Propagation."
"I am also very interested in what that Dottore did."
"Lord Takagi, can I go with you?"
Ruan Mei asked.
Takagi: "What about Herta's matter?"
Ruan Mei: "Delaying for a little while, I don't think she will mind."
Takagi: "Alright then, let's go and take a look together."
After speaking, Takagi took the lead and walked towards the Astral Express exit.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Sumeru, Akademiya.
"Your segment has embarked on a Path, so have you embarked on a Path?"
Grand Sage Azar watched Takagi and the others walk towards the Dottore's location step by step.
He turned his head to look at the Dottore in front of him and asked with a trembling body.
Obviously, he was very excited at this moment.
"Very regrettable, although I also want to be able to embark on a Path."
"But it seems only the me over there has embarked on a Path."
"Perhaps it should be said, only one of me has embarked on the Path of Propagation."
The Dottore said with a regretful expression.
"Since that's the case, what kind of power did the you over there gain?"
"Can that you over there defeat Nahida, who has embarked on a Path?"
Azar asked immediately after.
"I think you don't need to worry about that."
"The Path of Propagation seems to have granted the me over there powerful vitality."
"If the me over there were to fight with Nahida, his probability of being killed in action would be very, very low."
The Dottore laughed.
"That's good, that's good."
"This way, we don't have to be afraid of Nahida returning."
Azar patted his chest and let out a long sigh of relief.
What he didn't know was that the Dottore's gaze towards him was quite playful.
It's probably very difficult for the me over there to be killed in action.
But wanting to defeat Nahida, it's probably also quite difficult.
The Dottore thought to himself.
...
Space Station.
Outside Dottore's research workshop.
"Asta, you're here too, what happened?"
Takagi looked at Asta, who stood at the workshop entrance looking a bit conflicted, and asked with some confusion.
"Lord Takagi, great, you're here."
"Ms. Ruan Mei is here too!"
Asta exclaimed.
"Hmm, what happened?"
Ruan Mei nodded and asked.
"Actually, nothing major happened."
"It's just that Dottore suddenly became two."
"They were asking me earlier if I could arrange more basic research materials and an extra research room for him."
Asta said.
"Two people?"
Signora frowned.
"I think I understand."
"No matter how many Dottores became, just treat them as a single entity."
"There's no need to provide extra research rooms."
"Nor do you need to provide double the research materials."
"After all, I only gave him one ticket, not two."
Takagi said.
"Okay, I understand." Asta nodded with a smile.
But soon, Asta's expression became somewhat grim again.
"What's wrong, Asta?"
"You seem to be looking a bit unwell."
Takagi asked.
"It's not really a big deal."
"It's just Dottore's research... Never mind, Lord Takagi, see for yourselves."
After Asta finished speaking, she decisively stepped back, clearing the doorway.
As Takagi opened the door to the research room where Dottore was located,
Two Dottores standing in front of the experimental platform appeared before everyone.
Besides that, what was most eye-catching was the human-sized crustacean crawler lying on the experimental platform, its body divided into several parts.
[Alhaitham: Dottore actually turned into two people!]
[Kaveh: Did Dottore split like an insect using the Power of Propagation?]
[Albedo: Perhaps Dottore split into two Dottores before obtaining the Power of Propagation.]
[Alice: I think I understand a bit now, this man must have embarked on the Path of Propagation because he created another version of himself.]
[Faruzan: The Aeon of Propagation can self-split, so Dottore's act of self-splitting is indeed very consistent with the behavior of the Aeon of Propagation.]
[Columbina: Anyway, it's a good thing Dottore didn't turn into a bug, otherwise I would have hated Dottore.]
[Tartaglia: As if you don't hate Dottore now.]
[Sandrone: You're celebrating too early, Columbina! Look at that bug on the experimental platform, don't you think it looks very similar to some of the bugs that appeared in the Simulated Universe?]
[Rosaria: Did Dottore ultimately gain the power to create bugs because of the Path of Propagation? How disgusting.]
[Zhongli: Generally speaking, even if Dottore embarks on the Path of Propagation, he is destined not to possess the immense power of the Aeon of Propagation.]
[Venti: That's true, but even if Dottore can only conjure up some small bugs through the Path of Propagation, it's still enough to be repulsive.]
"Lord Takagi!"
The sound of the door opening caught the attention of the two Dottores, who immediately turned in unison to look at Takagi.
Takagi entered the room, his eyes sweeping over the two Dottores before him like lightning.
He then fixed his gaze on the Dottore standing on the left.
Takagi: "You are the Dottore who came to Herta Space Station with me, right?"
Dottore: "As expected, I couldn't hide it from you, Lord Takagi. I thought both of me looked quite similar."
Takagi crossed his arms and said with a frown:
"Even if you and your copy look the same, there are obvious differences between you."
"You possess Path Power, while the other person does not."
"I'm not so blind as to miss that."
"As for the bug on the platform..."
"It has a very obvious Path Power on its body."
"I think it's something you created using the Power of Propagation."
Although Dottore had long known that Takagi would likely see through him.
But upon hearing Takagi's words, Dottore's heart was still filled with emotion.
"As expected of Lord Takagi, you saw right through me with ease."
Dottore shook his head, but soon a smile appeared on his face again.
"Thanks to your 'Blessing', I successfully embarked on the Path of Propagation by creating another me."
"Although it's a bit regrettable that I didn't embark on the Path of Erudition."
"But being able to reach a primary Path is already enough to satisfy me."
"The Path Power is indeed excellent."
Dottore spread his arms and said with a joyful expression.
Ruan Mei, who was nearby, fell into contemplation after hearing his words.
Creating a copy of oneself allows one to embark on a Path?
Isn't this a bit too simple?
Can Takagi's Blessing really make embarking on a Path this easy?
Ruan Mei looked at Takagi's face and murmured in her heart.