Unlike the Genius Society, the Erudition Society is distinct.
Every member of the Genius Society is incredibly precious, as the prerequisite for entry is to catch the glimpse of Nous. To be noticed by Nous means one's intellect has already surpassed the reach of any mortal.
Each member of the Genius Society is a rare treasure. Any random genius among them is someone every major power in the universe craves.
Soon, these factions began their search, but unfortunately, the Genius Society released very little information. They only let the universe know such a genius existed; as for where, there were no clues to investigate.
A remote planet? The universe is vast, and there are countless worlds capable of sustaining life. Who could possibly know which one it was?
Anyone wishing to meet this new genius would likely have to wait for him to emerge on his own. Major powers were incredibly curious about this new arrival, and so were the other geniuses of the Genius Society.
In particular, member #81, Ruan Mei—an expert in the field of life—was naturally fascinated by a scholar who could create life that even Nous could not deconstruct. The idea of life that even an Aeon could not analyze filled her with curiosity. Even someone as unsociable as she was felt the urge to meet this new member.
Perhaps they would have much to talk about.
***
"Whew! That was a massive haul!"
Su Ran looked entirely at ease. It was an understatement to say his luck was off the charts.
He had merely cobbled together a simple imitation, not even knowing how much it resembled the real thing, yet it resulted in a glimpse from an Aeon.
He had been granted a blessing at the level of an Emanator. Now, he possessed both the intellect and the power.
Even if he wasn't a combat-oriented Emanator of The Erudition, he still held the combat prowess of one. His power already exceeded that of the vast majority of pathstriders, placing him firmly in the top tier.
As for the absolute peak, that still belonged to the Aeons themselves. But that didn't matter; to him, surpassing the Aeons was only a matter of time.
After all, with his system and intellect that was practically omnipotent, there was almost no problem in this world that could stump him.
"But if this is the Honkai Star Rail universe, where exactly am I?"
Since Aeons existed here, it was safe to assume he was on some planet within the Star Rail cosmology. The Plasma Spark had reinforced his body and granted him vast energy, while the Emanator-level blessing provided him with numerous safeguards for his combat ability.
How did it feel to have just started his career and already achieved total freedom? Was it because he was just too talented?
The sound of crunching snow outside the cave interrupted Su Ran's revelry. Several strangers had trespassed into his dwelling.
"Is this the source of that power?"
"Who are you?" the leader demanded.
Su Ran looked displeased. "This is my home. As the master of this place, shouldn't you be the ones explaining who you are?"
On this planet, his power should have placed him at the very pinnacle of the pyramid. Unless there was another Emanator here, or an Aeon suddenly popped up, he held all the cards.
These people should have been deferring to him instead of questioning him.
The armored man in the lead stepped forward. "This is the frozen wasteland of Snezhnaya, land belonging to Her Majesty the Tsaritsa. You are the intruder!"
'Snezhnaya? The Tsaritsa? So it wasn't just Star Rail? There was also Genshin? That made things interesting'
Su Ran's eyes brightened. If that was the case, identifying these people was easy. The man in armor was clearly one of the Harbingers of the Fatui—the Captain. That dull, stern voice wasn't something a mere grunt would possess.
"Is that so?"
Thanks to the reinforcement of the Plasma Spark and the blessing of The Erudition, Su Ran's current strength was terrifying.
"Leave now, and no one has to get hurt."
The Captain and the rest of the Fatui were bewildered. The situation had completely flipped. This was the Tsaritsa's territory; was this man trying to turn the world upside down?
"Otherwise, you will all die!"
The Captain's expression darkened. Seeing the sheer fighting spirit radiating from Su Ran, he shifted into a combat stance. "In that case, there is no room for negotiation. I will take you down and deliver you to Her Majesty to be judged personally!"
***
The blizzard raged across the frozen plains. Inside the cave, the corpses of Fatui soldiers lay scattered.
In the face of absolute power, the foot soldiers were nothing more than a way to make the battlefield more gruesome; they weren't even a threat worth mentioning.
Su Ran stepped firmly on the Captain, one hand crushing the man's helmet. "Your strength is not to be underestimated. You almost forced me to get serious."
The Captain remained silent. The disparity in their strength was indeed immense. Su Ran had only intended to test his power, but once he realized the fight might damage the items inside his cave, he became tense. He had dispatched the minions in a flash and brutally suppressed the Captain, leaving him with no room to counterattack.
"I'm actually quite curious what you look like under that helmet."
The Captain gritted his teeth, responding, "You are insulting a warrior!"
He valued honor above all else. Even within an organization like the Fatui, he remained the most upright and righteous of them all. He had never expected to suffer such humiliation.
"Oh? How about this, then? I'll do you a favor and crush your head along with that helmet. That way, even when you're dead, nobody will ever know what you look like."
As he spoke, Su Ran began to exert force. The Captain's helmet, forged from exquisite ore, began to groan and crack. Deep fissures spread across the metal. Realizing the end was near, the Captain ceased his struggle.
"Please, cease your hand, strange visitor from beyond."
The sudden voice made Su Ran pause. He looked around, eyes narrowing. The area was empty; the speaker was clearly not present.
"Then beg me for it."
As soon as he spoke, the Captain, still pinned beneath his boot, began a futile, desperate struggle, trying to hold on.
"I beg of you, do not harm him."
Oh!?
Su Ran released his grip and let the Harbinger go.