However, as Herta gradually breached the system, attempting to crack the firewall, she began to feel that sothing was off.
"Huh... Why are these structural logic patterns exactly like my own style?"
While dismantling it, Herta didn't feel like she was facing off against a stranger.
Instead, it was more like confronting a mirror image of herself.
Though this firewall couldn't truly stop the real Herta, its logic, habits, and architectural thods were—without a doubt—identical to her own.
For a mont, Herta even wondered, had she, out of boredom on so idle day, written a custom firewall for the Herta Space Station, only to forget about it later?
"How could this be? Is this really my work? It can't be... No, no... tsk..."
The more she thought about it, the more it felt like her own handiwork.
After all, if she were to write a firewall for the Space Station, she'd probably just whip sothing up in her spare ti—functional, but nothing excessive.
And this firewall, in both its design and strength, was exactly what she would have created.
"Well, isn't this strange? I thought it was the work of soone from the Tavern, but now it doesn't seem that way..."
Herta's intrusion gradually slowed, and she fell into deep thought. At first, she suspected it was so Masked Fool or nosy reporter causing trouble.
But even if they could perfectly imitate her face, they could never replicate her mind.
If it were that easy to mimic her, there wouldn't only be 83 recognized geniuses in this world.
"Unless... there's so mystical artifact out there that can perfectly replicate a person? Or is so Aeon just ssing with for fun?"
After all, the universe was full of wonders.
Herta's first guess was that so strange artifact might be at work.
Her second thought was that even an Aeon might be pulling the strings.
As absurd as it sounded, that clown Aha had done even more ridiculous things before.
Herta's lips twitched, and she made a disgusted face.
If soone really intended to wreck her Space Station, then she might as well consider the whole place a lost cause.
-- --
anwhile,
Of course, the mont the main Herta appeared in the dreamscape, 'Herta' knew the lady had discovered her.
On her own panel, the lifespan that had been less than a day, along with the gacha progress bar below 10%, had just skyrocketed minutes before!
The total lifespan accumulated over the past twenty-plus days was only a dozen hours or so.
But after Herta noticed her, it nearly doubled in an instant.
As for the gacha progress bar below, in just those few minutes, it had surged to 33%. Her judgnt had been correct.
Emotional fluctuations from the original herself really did yield much richer rewards.
With a little over a day left of this painful ordeal, it was indeed about ti to wrap things up. She still needed about half the bar filled for the next gacha pull.
It looked like she'd have to put in so serious effort from here on out.
Thinking this, 'Herta' gently brushed her thumb over the ring on her middle finger.
A faint blue light flashed, and a spatial gate flickering with flas ford before her. On the other side of the gate was clearly the Curio Repository, with only a single AllSpark core floating alone at the very center.
'Herta' didn't move an inch. Instead, the spatial gate swept over and swallowed her whole.
Arriving in the Curio Repository, 'Herta' reached through the barrier, and the mont her fingers touched the AllSpark core, she activated it, marking the entire Space Station as the transformation target.
Hum—!
The AllSpark core began to vibrate intensely, a sign that it was drawing power at an extre rate.
The Space Station was massive, designed from the start to house nurous Curios. To transform a structure of this scale would require an extraordinary amount of energy.
Soon after, a brilliant light burst from the AllSpark core, striking the tal floor below.
But instead of causing damage, the light transford into massive waves of energy, rapidly spreading throughout the entire Space Station!
Of course, AI Herta was the first to detect this. When 'Herta' had originally created the AllSpark core, AI Herta had been there assisting.
So, she knew better than anyone what was about to happen.
Thus, AI Herta once again issued an ergency broadcast on all frequencies:
"Attention all Space Station personnel: Please imdiately enter the nearest cabin, sit down in the closest chair, fasten your seatbelts, and hold on tight—the Herta Space Station is about to experience its first impact!"
The broadcast, accompanied by the tremors shaking the station, reached everyone's ears and began repeating its warning incessantly.
Naturally, Lady Herta, who had just broken through the firewall, also received this unencrypted ssage.
"What's the aning of this? Hmm? The Imaginary energy readings are spiking?! Wait... Is that pointy-headed impostor trying to blow up the Space Station?!"
Lady Herta was shocked by the Imaginary energy levels detected by her mirrors.
Without another thought, she hacked into the Space Station's broadcast system and issued a stern warning:
"Damn it! If you dare use my face to destroy this Space Station, I, Herta, swear I'll make sure you suffer inside a Prison until the end of ti!!"
No sooner had she spoken than the entire Herta Space Station gave a violent jolt!
Hum—
The massive station, once quietly drifting in orbit, began rapidly disassembling and reassembling.
As for the personnel inside, they were, of course, safely secured. Everyone, along with their chairs, was shifted into newly ford spaces as the station reconfigured.
Right before Lady Herta's eyes, the Herta Space Station transford in ways that blatantly defied its original design logic, morphing into a giant, chanical version of Herta's head, complete with an oversized chanical hamr!
And then—it stood up!
"Hello, hello, hello, everyone! Wishing you all a wonderful day... Ti for a spin~ Wheeee—!"
The cheerful white-and-black Herta—wasting no ti, began waving her hamr and twirling in a lively dance.
The sight left everyone on The Blue and those inside the Space Station utterly dumbfounded.
Especially the technicians who had participated in the Space Station's design—they had no idea the station could transform into a giant robot!
anwhile, 'Herta' watched the numbers on her panel leap upward once again:
Rising so fast.
A faint smile touched her lips.
She gazed at the now calm AllSpark core, which had been re-contained. It seed she wouldn't need to face Lady Herta directly after all.
The remaining energy should be enough to fill up her gacha pull counter completely.
"Mmm~ Almost ti to go."
Just as 'Herta' was about to activate her ring and make her escape, a voice, cold and sinister as a vengeful ghost, sounded from behind her:
"Leaving? And just where do you think you're going? Why not co take a seat inside my mirror for a while... Im-postor—"
-- --
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