[Screwllum: The one who fell, could it be a member of the Genius Society?!]
[Ruan Mei: A member of the Genius Society? Are you sure, Screwllum?!]
[Screwllum: If my memory module is not malfunctioning, he is indeed a member of the Genius Society.]
[Herta: Screwllum is right, the one who fell is indeed a member of the Genius Society,
and he is the one who was killed by Polka Kakamond, whose face wasn't shown in the projected photo in Herta's Office.]
[Ruan Mei: In other words, this is the murder scene of the Lord of Silence Polka Kakamond?]
[Herta: That should be correct.]
[Herta: How surprising, a simulation related to the Aeon of Propagation would actually simulate such a scene.]
[Herta: Could it be that Polka Kakamond or the fallen one studied the Aeon of Propagation?]
[Herta: Interesting, truly interesting. It would be even better if we could find out where Polka Kakamond is through this Simulated Universe.]
[Screwllum: There might be something in the manuscript in Lord Takagi's hand that we are interested in.]
In the Simulated Universe, the voices of Herta, Screwllum, and Ruan Mei rang out directly in the room through the special mechanism of the Simulated Universe.
Hearing this conversation, everyone except Takagi, who had played the Swarm Disaster in the game, including Himeko and Lisa, were startled.
"He's actually a member of the Genius Society?"
"And he was killed by the one whose face was not shown in the projected photo in Herta's Office!"
Cloud Retainer looked at the person lying in a pool of blood, her eyes filled with surprise.
"A member of the Genius Society? No wonder this is a lab."
Dottore looked around, clearly very curious about the things in the lab.
"Could it be that the Lord of Silence will appear later?"
Himeko cupped her chin with one hand and murmured.
"The Lord of Silence has destroyed all portraits and photos of her appearance throughout the entire universe using unknown methods."
"If we learn her appearance in this Simulated Universe, I wonder if it will attract her pursuit."
Dan Heng said.
"This, this is too exaggerated, right?"
"That shouldn't happen, right?"
March 7th said in surprise.
"Even if we learn the appearance of that Lord of Silence."
"She might not necessarily know."
Lisa raised her head and looked at Takagi, who was reading the manuscript in his hand.
"You can't say that for sure."
"The Lord of Silence is able to make it so that people in the current world don't know her appearance."
"This shows that she has considerable ability."
"Maybe, when we know her appearance, she herself will sense our existence."
Takagi raised his head and looked at Lisa, March 7th, and the others.
March 7th also swallowed nervously.
"And then, she'll probably start chasing us."
"Of course, if it's better, it would be to erase our memories through some means."
Takagi smiled.
"No, I don't want to be hunted."
"And I don't want my memories to be erased again."
"Takagi, you'll protect me, right?"
March 7th hugged her head and looked pitifully at Takagi.
"Of course, I'm very happy to protect the adorable Miss March 7th."
Takagi nodded.
"I knew it, thank you Takagi."
"Wait, who are you calling adorable?"
March 7th stomped her foot angrily and said.
[Furina: If we knew Polka Kakamond's appearance, is it possible she could find her way to us?]
[Neuvillette: Hard to say, but I think we shouldn't gamble on this matter.]
[Arlecchino: Indeed, knowing the Lord of Silence's appearance is of no benefit to us, and could instead bring danger. Since that's the case, it's better not to know.]
[Arataki Itto: What's there to be afraid of? If this Lord of Silence shows up, I'll protect everyone.]
[Kuki Shinobu: Boss, Polka Kakamond is also a member of the Genius Society,]
[a powerhouse on the same level as Herta. You can't protect everyone.]
[Arataki Itto: Shinobu, you should believe in me. Although I'm not very strong right now,]
[as long as I step onto a Path, I will definitely become strong enough to protect everyone.]
[Arataki Itto: It's all this Sakoku Decree's fault. If there wasn't a Sakoku Decree, maybe the Astral Express would have arrived in Inazuma long ago.]
[Even if Takagi's Astral Express doesn't come to Inazuma, I could still go abroad to find him.]
[Ahhh, I can't stand it anymore, Kujou Sara, come fight me.]
[Kujou Sara: Hmph, I will throw you in prison.]
"Lord Takagi, may I ask what is written on the manuscript in your hands?"
At this moment, Dottore asked Takagi with a curious expression.
Hearing this, everyone looked at Takagi with curiosity.
Takagi: "It's nothing much, just some research manuscripts related to the Aeon of Finality."
Dottore: "Aeon of Finality?"
Nahida: "An Aeon we haven't heard of?"
Cloud Retainer: "Could it be one of the 5 Aeons Lord Takagi mentioned?"
[Ruan Mei: A creature that goes against time, the Aeon who holds the Path of Finality, a phantom traversing the cosmic domain, muttering prophecies that are bound to come true!]
[Screwllum: The Creed Exequy are dedicated to deciphering the prophecies of the doomsday from the Aeon of Finality's cryptic words, awaiting a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.]
[Herta: Terminus, the Aeon of Finality, huh? So what's recorded in our colleague's manuscript is the prophecy of Terminus?]
[Furina: Prophecy?]
[Navia: It reminds me of the prophecy in Fontaine.]
[Neuvillette: There are even Aeons related to prophecy in the Universe.]
[Venti: Going against time, huh? If one can do such a thing, then predicting the future is naturally also possible.]
[Arlecchino: I hope this prophecy won't be like the prophecy in Teyvat, which is like a curse.]
[Herta: Takagi, what's recorded on the manuscript should be a prophecy related to the Aeon of Propagation, right?]
Hearing Herta's voice, Takagi smiled, raised his head, and waved the manuscript in his hand towards the air, saying:
"You're right, Herta, this does record things related to the Aeon of Propagation."
"See for yourself."
As he finished speaking, the manuscript automatically opened under Takagi's power, displaying itself to Herta, Ruan Mei, Screwllum, and the others.
[...Aeon of Propagation Tayzzyronth, an Aeon who ascended amidst hatred and loneliness, learned from the ravings of Terminus that his death was destined for his birth, his entire life confined to the Path of Propagation.]
[If interested, observe his peculiarities, discontinuities, and points manipulated by fate in the following story...]
[Herta: Our colleague actually learned the prophecy of the Aeon of Propagation's birth from Terminus!]
[Herta: This is truly an unexpected gain, I must record this.]
[Herta: I see, the reason Takagi and the others came here is because this place can be considered the beginning of the Aeon of Propagation's entire history.]
"To be precise, the current time period is not yet the beginning of the Aeon of Propagation."
"It's in an even earlier time period, where the birth of the Aeon of Propagation is still in the stage of prophecy."
Takagi said calmly.
"So, Terminus knew about the birth of the Aeon of Propagation and what he would encounter next from the very beginning?"
"As fellow Aeons, his authority is simply too powerful."
"Able to know the future of other Aeon existences, is the Aeon of Finality an omniscient and omnipotent being?"
Signora said in surprise.
"Since Terminus has already prophesied the birth of the Aeon of Propagation."
"If he had the intention, he should be able to stop it, right?"
"Or is he an Aeon who only prophesies and doesn't take action?"
Nahida murmured.
"Terminus may not take action, but some of Terminus's believers might reveal Terminus's ravings."
"Presumably, this member of the Genius Society was able to write this manuscript containing the ravings of Terminus because of this."
Himeko said, looking at the manuscript floating in the air.
Just then, the manuscript suddenly ignited, flames instantly engulfing its entire body.
"W-what's happening?"
March 7th exclaimed.
"I think we should be entering the next scene."
Takagi said.
Indeed, as his words fell.
The scene around everyone suddenly changed, the original laboratory instantly transforming into a battlefield.
Lisa, Himeko, and the others looked up and surveyed their surroundings, only to see endless smoke and corpses.
As far as their eyes could see, there wasn't a single person standing.
"A battlefield?"
"But why are there no bugs?"
Dottore murmured.
Just then, a rustling sound entered everyone's ears.
Everyone turned their heads and saw a person dressed as a soldier crawling out of a pile of corpses.
His face was filled with frustration and dejection.
[Herta: The sole survivor! Takagi, quick, go take a look.]
"Alright, alright, I know."
Takagi muttered as he stepped towards the soldier.
Lisa, Dottore, Himeko, Stelle, March 7th, and others quickly followed Takagi's steps.
"You're alive too?"
"You must be very disappointed as well."
The soldier heard the movement, turned his head to look at Takagi and the others, and said with a tragic expression.
"Disappointed? Are you very disappointed?"
Dottore asked strangely.
"Aren't you disappointed?"
"Are you not Self-Annihilators?"
The soldier asked in confusion.
"Self-Annihilators? What is that?"
Lisa looked at Takagi in confusion.
"The so-called Self-Annihilators are members of the Aeon of Nihility's faction."
"Self-Annihilators believe that existence is void."
"Everyone is listless and falls into decay."
"His reason for going to the battlefield should be to seek his own demise."
Takagi explained.
"Aeon of Nihility?!"
"Another Aeon we haven't heard of?!"
Lisa muttered.
"They actually seek self-annihilation?"
"Are these members of the Aeon of Nihility's faction?"
Lisa was surprised, and a hint of sympathy appeared in her eyes as she looked at the soldier.
"In that case, there's another candidate for the five Aeons that Lord Takagi mentioned."
"However, the concept of void doesn't sound like an existence that would concern itself with the Aeon of Propagation's matters."
Dottore said.
Takagi nodded in agreement and said:
"The existence of the Aeon of Nihility is a mystery; Its image is shrouded in layers of mist."
"It does not interact with other Aeons, believing that the essence of the Universe is void, and thus existence itself is worthless."
"Therefore, the Aeon of Nihility is highly unlikely to be involved in the affairs of Tayzzyronth."
Cloud Retainer showed a look of understanding and said:
"So that's how it is! Speaking of which, do the Self-Annihilators seek their own destruction because the Aeon of Nihility made them do it?"
Takagi shook his head again and said:
"'Existence is void.' When an existence unintentionally generates such a thought and takes it as a maxim, they may miraculously step onto the Path it governs."
"'Accepting a meaningless gaze from somewhere in the distant Void, originating from the Aeon of Nihility.'"
"And this glance, under normal circumstances, can lead to two outcomes."
"One of them is the outcome of becoming a Self-Annihilator."
"However, this is not because the Aeon of Nihility wants them to seek their own destruction."
"It is because the Self-Annihilators, under the glance of the Aeon of Nihility, realize that everything is worthless."
"Therefore, they want to self-annihilate."
Pausing, Takagi stroked his chin and murmured:
"Speaking of which, there are rumors that the Aeon of Nihility is the strongest existence among the currently existing Aeons."
"I wonder if that's true."
Hearing this, Lisa, Dottore, and the other Teyvat passengers were immediately startled.
The people of Teyvat watching the live broadcast through Cloud Retainer's perspective were also the same.
[Furina: The, the strongest Aeon?! Is it even more powerful than that Aeon of Elation who injured the Aeon of Destruction and the Aeon of Preservation who smashed the Aeon of Propagation to death?]
[Ei: The strongest Aeon is actually the Aeon representing the concept of void?]
[Yae Miko: To be precise, the currently existing Aeon. If the Aeon representing the concept of immortality, the dragon, were still alive, perhaps it would be the strongest one.]
[Ei:...]
[Venti: Speaking of which, the situation of the Self-Annihilators is a bit worrying.
Stepping onto the Path of Nihility can actually lead to self-destruction!
If someone among us steps onto the Path of Nihility, will they also walk down that Path?]
[Kaeya: Yes, although the Aeon of Nihility might be the strongest Aeon currently existing,
people who step onto its Path may also gain more power.
But the situation of the Self-Annihilators makes one somewhat afraid to step onto the Path of Nihility.]
[Lumine: The risk of stepping onto the Path of Nihility is too great. I'll just honestly walk my Trailblaze Path.]
[Andrius: The Aeon of Nihility believes the world is worthless and thus does nothing.
This reminds me of that deity who always avoids doing proper work.]
[Dvalin: Indeed, I think that deity should be careful,
and it would be best not to be subjected to a glance from the Aeon of Nihility, lest they walk the Path of a Self-Annihilator.]
[Venti: Lord Takagi mentioned that walking the Path of a Self-Annihilator after stepping onto the Path of Nihility is just one outcome for those who step onto the Path. I think there should be another, better outcome.]
[Andrius: That's true, but dare you gamble?]
[Venti: Ehe!]
[Ningguang: All in all, slacking off carries risks. It seems one still needs to work diligently.]
[Zhongli: Is that so...]
......
"You are indeed different from me."
The soldier heard the conversation between Takagi and the others and sighed deeply.
He didn't know whether he envied Takagi and the others for not being Self-Annihilators, or for some other reason.
Just then, the Self-Annihilator suddenly raised the gun in his hand and aimed it at Takagi and the others.
With a gunshot, the bullet carrying immense energy instantly arrived before Takagi.
Its speed was so fast that Lisa, Dottore, and the others couldn't react at all.
Just then, a baseball bat appeared in front of Takagi.
Accompanied by a huge roar, the baseball bat heavily struck the bullet, sending it flying.
"What?!"
Signora exclaimed, quickly ran in front of Takagi, and vigilantly watched the soldier who attacked Takagi.
Lisa also summoned lightning, her eyes fixed on the soldier holding the gun.
Cloud Retainer: "This guy is actually so strong?"
Dottore: "Should I say he lives up to being someone who stepped onto the Path of Nihility?"
Takagi smiled and glanced at Stelle, who had just swung the bat, and said:
"Thanks, Stelle."
"You're welcome." Stelle smiled sweetly, then frowned and looked at the soldier:
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Why are you shooting at Takagi?"
The soldier showed no fear on his face and said:
"You are not my comrades."
"Since that's the case, you are enemies."
"Come, let's continue the war between us."
Hearing this, Stelle's frown deepened:
"War? What exactly do you want?"
The soldier said very calmly:
"I just want to kill you, or be killed by you."
Stelle: "..."
Signora: "..."
Lisa: "..."