Echoes of Pioneering

Ever since receiving the Group Leader's information, she had decisively parted ways with Acacia, whom she had only just met.

Then.

As she traveled the world, perhaps guided by fate, she took in Ichiryu, Tsukiji, and Midora one by one.

She resolved to raise these three children well.

These children would all possess the power to change the course of the world in the future!

Floze was someone with great love in her heart. She had traveled across the land and watched countless people die from war, hunger, disease...

Among them, most were children unable to fend for themselves!

How heartbroken must she have been, watching those children die one after another before her eyes?

Therefore, she would regard these three children as family.

Then.

She would teach them everything she knew, shape their values, and strive to turn this war-torn era into the gourmet Heaven of her dreams!

And this was something difficult for her to accomplish alone.

It was not that she lacked strength.

After joining the Dimensional Chat Group, she was confident that her strength would surely surpass what it had originally been.

But in this world, not everything could be solved through sheer strength alone.

And the three children she had adopted possessed the potential to change this era!

So, she was deeply grateful to the Group Leader for telling her this vital information.

As for the future in which she was originally meant to die?

Compared to the future of the entire world, it weighed less than nothing in her heart!

Pioneering Wisdom: "Excellent food. I calculated its ingredients, and substitutes for nearly all of them can be found across the Universe."

Pioneering Wisdom: "But the data tells me that even if this dish is replicated exactly, the final result would still be far inferior to Floze's [Seven-Colored Rainbow Brew]. As expected of a Gourmet God capable of ushering in an era!"

Multi-Fandom Great Female Protagonist: "..."

As expected of a genius—he could even find substitute ingredients across different worlds. He was simply absurdly powerful.

Seeing the group still discussing Floze's food, Hermes took another small taste, then stored it in a special collection room aboard the starship.

This collection room had been specially modified with technology that froze time within it. Whatever was put inside remained exactly as it was when taken out, so there was no need to worry about expiration dates...

He then closed the Chat Group and began studying the Devil Fruit.

He brought the Devil Fruit to a relatively secluded laboratory aboard the starship.

Though he specialized in Energy Studies, that did not mean he was ignorant in other fields.

Thus, when he had designed this starship, he had also set up this Bioengineering laboratory.

Inside the circular laboratory, holographic projections broke down the Devil Fruit's three-dimensional structure into flowing streams of data.

Watching Alpha's calculations, Hermes frowned and sighed. "It seems I need to research and design a more advanced computer. Advanced Artificial Intelligence alone can no longer fully meet my research needs!"

A Celestial Computer?

A Quantum Computer?

Or a Biological Computer?

Hermes found it difficult to decide.

To be honest, all three types of computers were excellent.

First was the Celestial Computer. Even Lord of Wisdom had ascended through Dimension Ascension from a Celestial Computer, so its computing power was self-evident.

Then there was the Quantum Computer. The essence of this world was one of Imaginary and quantum mechanics, so its prospects needed no further explanation.

Finally, there was the Biological Computer. Ruan Mei had also shown Hermes its potential.

During an earlier exchange, Ruan Mei had said that she had personally activated nine planets, then used the network of the Brood of Insects as a reference to construct a Biological Computer composed of the Eidolons of those nine activated planets!

Even Screwllum had been amazed by that level of computing power!

Now, Hermes also had to consider building his own dedicated Supercomputer. It was something every genius inevitably needed to go through.

After all, while every genius possessed supercomputing abilities themselves, only with a dedicated computer perfectly suited to them could they be considered a genius in their complete form!

Even as his mind rapidly calculated, Hermes's hands did not stop moving as he began the next step. "Alpha, extract the ancient beast gene codenamed [Phoenix] from Collection Storage No. 3. Begin producing a new Devil Fruit!"

"Experimental materials extracted. Beginning energy infusion."

Within a cultivation chamber, Alpha placed the [Phoenix] gene inside. Pale blue nutrient fluid then filled the chamber, supplying nourishment.

Soon, the phantom of a fruit covered in spiral patterns gradually took shape.

Finally, after precise calculations and energy infusion, the fruit phantom was fully materialized.

Devil Fruit: Phoenix Form had been born!

Hermes was not surprised that his research had succeeded on the first attempt. It was only natural.

Afterward, he and Alpha quickly worked backward through the entire experimental process, preparing to thoroughly grasp every principle behind it.

That way, he would be able to build a Devil Fruit Production Machine and achieve Devil Fruit freedom.

In the future, whenever he wanted to create a particular Devil Fruit, he would no longer need to go through so much trouble.

Of course, for now, this was limited to Zoan Types.

Even now, he still could not figure out how to refine everything in nature—lightning, light, magma, and even more abstract concepts—into a tiny fruit.

This was not a field of research he excelled in.

"But that's fine. Where there's difficulty, there are naturally rewards!"

The corners of Hermes's lips lifted slightly. In high spirits, he summarized the experiment: "Zoan Types are one thing. At most, they've merely added a bit to my knowledge of Life Construction Studies. But if I can figure out Logia Types and Paramecia Types, I have a feeling there will definitely be tremendous gains!"

Just then.

Hermes suddenly sensed something and turned his gaze toward the unknown distance.

"This feeling..."

An uncontrollable smile appeared on the man's face. His already peerlessly handsome features gained an added touch of approachable warmth.

"Paimon has awakened from his slumber?"

"Looks like Himeko is about to become the Navigator of the Stellaron Train and lead the Pioneer Faction to explore the stars once more!"

After all, as a former Trailblazer who had crowned himself, his authority within the Path of Trailblaze was nearly among the highest, second only to the fallen Aeon of The Trailblaze, Akivili.

"I should calculate where they are now. Since Paimon has awakened, I still need to offer the Trailblazers of the new era a little help!"

Although he had already gotten off the train, he had spent long years aboard the Stellaron Train.

Those were days he still fondly remembered even now.

After all, exploring the stars had been the romantic pursuit spanning both of his lives.