When the Stellaron Hunters learned that in the future, Herta would gather the wisdom of all beings within The Blue star system and break beyond the level of Emanators, it triggered intense emotional reactions among them.
The one most affected was Silver Wolf. She quickly asked, "Elio, you once said that level 999 is the peak of an Emanator. Then the level beyond that is the realm of Aeons... Does that mean that, in your eyes, the future Herta has broken past the 999 limit, reached a higher tier, and become an Aeon?!"
Elio's cat head nodded, then shook. "In the possible future I've seen, Herta did indeed gather the wisdom of all beings, break the limitations, and reach beyond 999... into a domain above Emanators. However... she did not become an Aeon."
"But didn't you say that beyond 999 is the domain of Aeons?"
Elio shook his head. "If ordinary Pathstriders are like a drop of water in the ocean, then high-level Pathstriders are small waves. Emanators are the crest of a tide, while Aeons are the ocean itself."
"With that description, Silver Wolf, you should understand the gap between Emanators and Aeons."
Silver Wolf's heart trembled. "So that means, in the future, Herta broke the 999 limit and reached the realm of one thousand—and that realm is merely closer to the Aeons?!"
Elio nodded. "Exactly."
Filled with curiosity, Silver Wolf asked, "Then Elio, can you tell me what level the Aeons actually are?"
This time, Elio did not answer. He fell silent.
The reason was simple. If one were to describe the level of Aeons using Punklorde-style data, then their level was not in the thousands, nor even in the tens of thousands, but something far higher...
"Tell me, please tell me!" Silver Wolf clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture. "I'm really, really curious."
Elio replied, "This isn't knowledge you should know right now. When you break past level 999, I'll tell you."
"..."
Silver Wolf fell silent. Then a thought arose in her mind:
In the future Elio saw, Herta broke the limit, used the wisdom of countless beings to build a Tower of Intelligence, and surpassed the limit of Emanators.
If she could do it... then I definitely can too.
Thus, Silver Wolf asked Elio about her own future—whether there were greater possibilities for her, such as surpassing the level of αWolf 999.
"You're overthinking it, little wolf cub," the consciousness of αWolf within the Soul Gem immediately retorted. "You're far inferior to that Herta."
"That's nonsense, pure nonsense... and we're the same person! How can you boost others while putting yourself down?!"
"I've simply recognized myself earlier than you have."
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible. I definitely have a better future ahead of me."
After fiercely rebutting in her heart, Silver Wolf looked expectantly at Elio—only to see him shake his head.
"In the futures I can currently see, αWolf 999 is already your most formidable possibility. Of course, now that you've joined the Stellaron Hunters, when the future arrives, I believe you can break your limits."
Hearing this, Silver Wolf finally felt better. She lay back on the sofa, thinking:
The big boss Herta can break her limits in the future!
So I definitely can too!
I believe that my future self will be closer to the realm of Aeons than Herta—perhaps even surpass them!
Meanwhile, Elio, lying on the ground, watched Silver Wolf begin to hum softly and thought to himself:
Silver Wolf, if you follow the script, you have a chance to break free from the predetermined future and become stronger. But Herta is different.
Every moment, she is breaking the established future and moving toward something even more unpredictable.
For example, in a previous future I saw... the Warp she developed grew naturally over time. After countless Amber Eras, she could stand as the Lord of the Warp—an Emanator of Erudition—and strike against Leviathans.
But now, her future has changed again, reaching beyond the level of Emanators...
And as Herta continues her research in reality, developing even more unimaginable technologies, her future will undergo even more incredible transformations.
She is like Stelle in the future, fused with the most special Stellaron—possessing the potential to change and save the entire cosmos.
Perhaps, before the final moment of that ending arrives, Herta can complete the ultimate, most unbelievable transformation and save the cosmos... she has that possibility.
As Elio reached this point in his thoughts, he heard Kafka ask, "Elio, you just said Herta planted a Devil Tree, and that it bears Devil Fruits—meaning the Brain-Brain Fruit she consumed is only one of them?!"
"That's right, only one—but also the most special one." Elio nodded. "When developed to its peak awakened state, it can create a domain of intelligence, enhancing the intellect of others. It's utterly extraordinary—calling her the goddess of human wisdom or an incarnation of an Aeon wouldn't be an exaggeration."
Kafka asked, "If the Brain-Brain Fruit has such effects, are there other special fruits on the Devil Tree?"
"Of course." Elio nodded. "In the future I saw, the tree will bear an Operation Fruit, which contains humanity's longing for immortality."
Kafka's pupils contracted. "Immortality?!"
"That's right. Those who consume it and reach the awakened state can perform the operation of immortality. Those who undergo the procedure gain an extremely long lifespan—living for tens of thousands of years comes easily to them."
"In the future, many factions will wage wars over this fruit, affecting multiple galaxies."
"And more importantly, the Devil Tree will bear not just the Operation Fruit, but many others... In that possible future, aside from Pathstriders who draw power from Paths, there will also be Devil Fruit users who become interstellar pirates wanted by the Interastral Peace Corporation."
Kafka said, "What a fantastical future. But Elio, I still want to know—why are they called Devil Fruits? Do they have any connection to devils as a race?"
Elio blinked. "The answer to that question... probably only Herta knows, meow."
Kafka said nothing further.
At that moment, Blade finished cooking and walked out of the kitchen. "Enough chatting. The food's ready. Time to eat."
"Coming."
"Alright."
...
Meanwhile, on another side, Pearl had already finished handling the affairs of the Penacony Reverie Hotel. She boarded a spacecraft and swiftly returned from Penacony to The Blue star system.
She immediately sought out Jade and the Supreme Leader of The Blue to discuss the details of the large-scale immigration commercial contract.
Not long after the system appeared, the interstellar immigration contract was signed. Herta secured the largest share of the profits—sixty percent.
The Interastral Peace Corporation and the Blue Federation each took twenty percent of the remaining profits.
At the same time, in Astropolis and Pier Point, billions of corporate immigrants arrived aboard spacecraft.
Such a massive move by the Interastral Peace Corporation naturally alarmed countless factions across the cosmos, prompting them to begin their investigations...
Across the cosmos, the first to notice the Interastral Peace Corporation's massive movements were scholars from the Intelligentsia Guild, who maintained deep cooperation with the IPC.
Within the Guild's scholar group chats, discussions had already exploded into chaos:
"What's going on? The IPC's upper management families are relocating en masse?"
"Could it be that the terrifying war foretold by the Aeon of Preservation is about to arrive? Is the IPC evacuating people to avoid it? Or perhaps a war between Aeons is about to break out?!"
"I knew it! That war in the Yongmei Star System ended too abruptly—there had to be more to it!"
"Wait... I contacted a scholar from the Astral Ecology School stationed near the Aeon of Preservation for observation. He says Qlipoth is still building walls as usual, showing no abnormal activity."
"Then that's strange. If no war is coming, why are the IPC's elites accelerating their relocation? Could there be internal conflict within the IPC?"
"Hold on, I just asked Yabuli, one of the Guild administrators. The reason the IPC's upper management are relocating their families is because of Herta's research results in The Blue star system!"
"That newcomer of the Genius Society—the 83rd Seat?"
"That prodigy who roams among the stars has produced new research again? What exactly did she create to cause such a massive reaction from the IPC?"
"Quick, tell us!"
"It's like this... Miss Herta, the 83rd Seat, has developed a Devil Tree in The Blue star system. This tree can extract humanity's understanding of genius-level intelligence and condense it into the Brain-Brain Fruit. After consuming it, Miss Herta gained greater intelligence—and further developed the fruit so that its enhancement extends from individuals to entire groups!"
"Now, billions of lives within The Blue civilization are basking in Herta's light of wisdom."
"What?!!"
"The Brain-Brain Fruit—plant-based technology that increases intelligence? Unbelievable!"
"This is the wisdom of a genius who walks among the stars? Truly astonishing!"
"You should know, according to information provided by Scholar Patavia... Miss Herta has been a recognized genius for less than two months. In terms of age, she's only eighteen—a first-year university student. Unbelievably young."
"Comparing people really is infuriating. I'm considered a top scholar within the Guild, yet compared to her, I'm far behind."
"Tell me about it."
"Everyone... since the IPC has already begun large-scale migration, it proves that Herta's intelligence-enhancing technology is real. If this enhancement could be applied to us scholars, could it create artificial geniuses?"
"That's possible!"
"Worth trying!"
"Our Candelagraphos will establish a base in The Blue star system."
"Our Armed Archaeologists will do the same."
"The Astral Ecology School as well..."
After their discussions, numerous factions within the Intelligentsia Guild decided to establish bases—or even laboratories—in The Blue star system to experience Herta's wisdom enhancement halo.
At the same time, in the depths of space, Polka Kakamond, the Lord of Silence of Device IX—who oversaw the Magical Girl Transformation Device—also noticed the IPC's massive movements.
She immediately activated the Knowable Domain.
With its expansion, she quickly uncovered the truth: the IPC's large-scale relocation of upper management families was for migration to The Blue star system, and the root cause was Herta—who had developed miraculous technology capable of increasing intelligence.
Polka Kakamond froze in place.
The reason was simple—she had just returned from The Blue star system not long ago, having confirmed that the Warp and psionic energy were not forbidden knowledge. Yet in such a short time, Herta had already developed another new technology.
The speed and efficiency of her research were utterly outrageous. More importantly, this time she had developed technology that could enhance the intelligence of an entire civilization—something far beyond expectations.
"Herta's research ability ranks among the very top even among geniuses. I only hope she does not touch forbidden knowledge," Polka murmured.
With that, she left Device IX, preparing to return once more to The Blue star system to personally examine this so-called group wisdom halo.
Meanwhile, at the far reaches of the cosmos lay BananAmusement Park—a place filled with monkeys across mountains and plains, all emitting only "banana banana" cries.
They were once human, but after being infected by a memetic virus developed by Dr. Primitive, they had devolved into monkeys. They could no longer speak, had lost all reason, and could only cry out endlessly, "banana banana banana banana"...
Within this paradise, one man observed everything. It was Dr. Primitive, the creator of the atavism experiment. He intended to use this method to filter out civilizations with the potential to re-evolve into higher forms.
He stared at the screen before him—information purchased from the black network and Device IX—and muttered, "Technology that increases intelligence... a junior genius has actually developed something so extraordinary. Though different from my atavism plan, its essence is the same—driving the further evolution of civilization."
"Still, I would very much like to understand the specifics of Herta's Brain-Brain Fruit and its Wisdom Halo. It seems necessary to make a trip to The Blue star system."
As his words fell, Dr. Primitive activated the power of the Path of Erudition and initiated a form of gravitational technology. In an instant, his figure vanished from Jiao-Jiao Paradise.
He was already on his way to The Blue star system...
At the same time, even more factions and forces began gathering intelligence. Before long, news spread that Herta had consumed the Brain-Brain Fruit, gained a group wisdom halo, and evolved The Blue civilization. The major factions all took further action.
...
Time flew by, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
During this period, the first wave of corporate immigrants arrived. They experienced what felt like a second development of the brain and confirmed that within The Blue star system, both administrative work and learning efficiency far surpassed that of other places.
As expected, The Blue star system could enhance intelligence.
This was the unanimous conclusion of the IPC's upper management families.
Arriving alongside the corporate migration wave were many other factions:
Scholars from the Intelligentsia Guild, as well as members of the Candelagraphos, Armed Archaeologists, and Astral Ecology School. Upon arriving in The Blue star system, they immediately felt the powerful effects of the wisdom halo.
They instantly confirmed that The Blue star system was a promised land for scholars. Many even began to consider:
If this is truly the promised land of scholars, perhaps we should follow the IPC's example and immigrate here.
This thought lingered in their minds. And when they learned that in Herta City on The Blue, a laboratory for the 81st Seat, Ruan Mei, had already been established—and that construction for the 76th Seat, Screwllum's laboratory, had begun—their desire to immigrate grew even stronger.
Some scholars even made the decision to apply for immigration through the Blue Federation government.
As for the Blue Federation, these past ten days had been both painful and joyful.
Painful, because the number of immigration applicants had surged from the initial ten billion to hundreds of billions, even approaching the trillions—far beyond what the Federation's immigration bureau could handle.
Joyful, because the quality of these immigrants was extraordinarily high—Intelligentsia Guild scholars, descendants of corporate elites, highly educated individuals... all of them were top-tier talent.
Unlike the Federation's joy, however, Herman felt somewhat disappointed.
Over the past half month, he had been observing carefully, only to find that among both the Intelligentsia Guild scholars and the corporate immigrants, not a single person had research points approaching one thousand.
This meant that even with the wisdom halo's enhancement... none of them could become artificially created geniuses.
Of course, aside from failing to find individuals with genius potential, Herman made other discoveries. For instance, through Attribute Appraisal, he detected that Polka Kakamond and Dr. Primitive had both arrived in The Blue star system...
And beyond those two members of the Genius Society, there was also an avatar of the Lord Ravager Phantylia.
This Lord Ravager was also investigating the situation within The Blue star system.
The Xianzhou Alliance, Elixir Seekers, the Family, Masked Fools, and Memokeepers of the Garden of Recollection... individuals from numerous cosmic factions had all arrived.
They all wanted to experience the sensation of increased intelligence—the feeling of a second brain development.
At this moment, The Blue star system was more lively than ever.
But such attention was inevitable. After all, the intelligence-enhancing technology Herta had developed this time was unprecedented.
Looking back across hundreds of thousands of Amber Eras, no one had ever created anything like it...