"Do you really know everything?" Gustavo asked in dazed.
[Yes, however, the Dimensional Origin Library only divulges knowledge, not personal information.]
"I see..."
The Spirit of Knowledge seemed to sense his thoughts and anticipate his actions.
Knowing everything in the Aeon Plane, the path of knowledge was becoming more tempting.
Since the Spirit of Knowledge knew everything about him, Gustavo no longer hid what he wanted.
"Give me a Tier 10 Awakening Potion using mostly the local materials of the Crystal Blue Realm."
Soon, out of the millions of books before him, only two remained.
"Crystal Awakening Potion..."
Opening the book, he was prompted to pay 15 origin coins before he could browse its contents.
"This—"
Gritting his teeth, Gustavo reluctantly paid for the knowledge.
A few hours later, after reading the recipe, he couldn't help but frown.
Although most of the materials for the potion could indeed be found locally, there were still key ingredients that could only be bought from the Dimensional Alliance.
Looking at the other book, which bore a title unrelated to his dimension, he knew it wouldn't be any better.
"Don't you have any recipe that only uses the local materials of the Crystal Blue Realm?" Gustavo asked helplessly, not expecting an answer.
[There is none. Do you want to deduce it?]
"What—you can deduce knowledge?!"
[Yes, as the embodiment of knowledge, deduction is one of my capabilities.]
Hearing the response, Gustavo nearly cursed out loud.
Since the Spirit of Knowledge had such a function, why didn't it say so from the start?
Not only had he wasted 15 origin coins, but also precious time in the Tower of Knowledge.
"Then deduce one! Since you're oh-so-powerful, why not deduce something that could easily be made by a mortal using only the common materials of the Crystal Blue Realm, with a hundred percent probability of helping a Tier 9 individual advance?!" Gustavo asked absurdly.
[This would cost 122 trillion origin coins. Do you proceed?]
"What?! How much?! Can you do it?!"
Initially, he was only joking; he didn't expect the Spirit of Knowledge could actually do it.
But looking at the price, it was equally absurd.
122 trillion? Why not just buy the Blue Crystal Realm? It should only cost a few trillion origin coins.
"Ahem, just create a normal Tier 10 Awakening Potion using Crystal Blue Realm local materials," Gustavo relented.
He didn't have much money left; he couldn't be picky and add various prerequisites.
[This would cost 125 origin coins. Do you proceed?]
"Proceed."
Taking out his money, he looked at the 20-minute countdown before him.
---
"I'm just deducing an alternative array, not a full-fledged alchemy weapon." Nola rolled her eyes.
The two were the twin rising prodigies of the Fritz family, one of the top families in the Dimensional Alliance.
Curious about the Shadowcrest family often touted by the elders, the two were sent to investigate the Tower of Knowledge.
"Tsk, this library is so expensive yet so inefficient!"
The floor they occupied was the highest accessible one in the Tower of Knowledge, costing a million origin coins per day.
Spending several days to deduce knowledge was not only a waste of time but also money.
"Then you can go to the lower floors; it only costs a few dimensional coins."
"Go down? Hmph! Staying with those low-lives would tarnish the name of the Fritz family," Valentine muttered in disgust.
"Valentine, you should fix your attitude. If someone from the Shadowcrest family saw that expression, the marriage alliance the elders were about to propose could fall apart."
"So what?! We're one of the top families! Do we really need to stoop to a marriage alliance?!" Valentine snapped, looking at her sister in anger.
"We can't do anything about it. Although we're considered rising stars, for a top family, we're just another generation of perfect collateral." Nola sighed, shaking her head.
The rise of the Shadowcrest family had been too sudden and powerful.
With many forces eager to support them in their early stages, the Fritz family didn't hold back, presenting their finest treasures.
Especially recently, as a massive turmoil was brewing in the Aeon Plane, the Fritz family knew that aligning with the Shadowcrest family would secure a powerful ally.
Being one of the Primordial Candidates and the strongest of them all, having the Shadowcrests on their side would be a powerful pillar.
Understanding the importance of the alliance, they had no choice but to follow orders.
"Anyway, I'd rather die than marry into that family!" Valentine muttered rebelliously.
"Hey, it's not even certain the Shadowcrest Family would agree to the marriage alliance. Don't be so dramatic."
"Not certain? Hmph! They'd have to be blind to reject a beauty like me!" Valentine said, despite her true feelings.
"We can only wait..."
...
On the highest floor of the Tower of Knowledge, Maximus looked at the multiple projections before him.
"You found five people suitable for the Path of Knowledge?" Maximus murmured in surprise.
Although anyone could embark on the Path of Knowledge, Maximus didn't want to select just anyone.
First, they needed to have a supreme-grade ultimate physique; second, a high affinity for the path of knowledge; and finally, an unwavering loyalty that could be nurtured.
The first condition alone filtered out most people in the Aeon Plane.
A supreme-grade ultimate physique was second only to an origin-grade physique.
(Heroic, Mythic, Supreme, and Origin.)
Having such talent virtually guaranteed mastery of the River of Law, with a high chance of progressing to the Ocean of Law.
As for affinity for knowledge, they needed to be enterprising, always seeking a more logical and comprehensive understanding.
Lastly, loyalty—a loyalty that would obey him, not a tiger waiting to bite off his fingers.
Maximus planned to cultivate an army, not create enemies who would stab him in the back.
Looking at the profiles of the five individuals, a wide smile appeared on his face.
"Huh? The Fritz family? These two..."