After experiencing the effects of the gene sphere firsthand, the scholars couldn’t control their excitement and eagerly crowded around me. At this point, my lack of a PhD was irrelevant to them.

“How on earth did you create this!?”

“Your name is Eight, right? I’m a professor at Baphomet University…”

“You don’t have a PhD? Then how about joining our research lab—”

Dodging the scholars' frantic questions, I moved to the center of the room, setting up a blackboard to start a group lecture. Now that the demonstration was over, it was time to convince them with theory.

Fortunately, this was my area of expertise. Scribbling complicated formulas on the blackboard and explaining them to those who knew nothing about them was all part of the job.

“—When you affect the 42nd chromosome in beastmen, it triggers a reaction that results in superpowers.”

“Oooh! Does that mean the 42nd chromosome is the key to superpowers!?”

“And since it also applies to humans, the act of stimulating that chromosome itself must be—”

Surprisingly, explaining the gene sphere to these scholars turned out to be a rather enjoyable experience. When lecturing top university students, it’s common for them to hide their boredom, but not here.

Everyone in this room was hungry for knowledge. They were the type who couldn’t rest until they knew more than others.

Teaching them was truly rewarding. I finally understood why some professors light up when they see students who genuinely enjoy learning.

‘No, I can’t get distracted.’

I shook my head, pushing away these thoughts, and continued the lecture. The scholars memorized what they didn’t understand and bombarded me with questions about what they did.

After a long session, the atmosphere in the room became so heated that the chairman had to clear his throat several times before stepping forward.

“Ahem—Everyone, I think that’s enough for now.”

“Chairman! We need more!”

“If you have unanswered questions, I’ll ask Dr. Eight to write a paper for us later. Right, Doctor?”

“As I said earlier, I’m not a doctor yet…”

“Don’t worry! With your level of knowledge, getting a PhD is just a matter of time.”

The chairman smiled warmly as he addressed the scholars, and once the excitement died down, he subtly brought up the main topic.

“Now—everyone, I’d like to officially invite Dr. Eight to join our Superpower Research Society. Is there anyone who objects?”

Of course, no one objected. Every scholar in the room raised their hands in approval, staring at me with the same determined eyes that new professors used to have before entering a research lab.

Even though I wasn’t someone with superpowers like Regalia, I felt slightly overwhelmed by their intensity. It was an unavoidable instinct…

“Not finding much about superpowers on the internet… is completely understandable.”

“And why is that?”

“Superpowers are essentially a type of military resource. It’s illegal to post the blueprints of a tank that’s been in service for decades online, right?”

After hearing the chairman’s explanation, I nodded, understanding. In a world where an individual’s power could surpass modern weapons, it made sense that methods to enhance that power would be kept secret.

Uncontrolled power is a serious problem for any state. If knowledge about superpowers were freely available, it could lead to an explosion of villain organizations with enhanced abilities—an absolute nightmare.

A society where villains, disguised as ordinary people, could unleash power greater than tanks or fighter jets wouldn’t function properly.

“In any case—now that you’re a member of our Superpower Research Society, you’ll have access to information that isn’t available online. But of course, leaking that information is illegal. You understand what I mean, right?”

“Yes. It’s illegal. Got it.”

Being a villain, I didn’t really care about that. It probably meant they’d turn a blind eye to me using this information within our own organization. As long as I didn’t post it online, I wouldn’t have to worry about any trouble. And I wasn’t planning on publishing anything online that I learned here.

“I’m glad you understand.”

“There’s something I’d like to look into right away.”

“Most of our resources are easily accessible through our intranet. I’ll provide you with a member ID and password before you leave so you can browse at your convenience…”

After that, I had a private conversation with the chairman in his office. We discussed things that couldn’t be shared outside—secrets only for those at the cutting edge of intellect.

Once our conversation ended, the chairman laughed with satisfaction.

“Excellent. Very excellent, Dr. Eight. You’ve exceeded my expectations.”

“Thank you. I didn’t expect to meet someone like you either.”

“With your credentials, you’re definitely qualified.”

“—Qualified, you say?”

“Yes. Qualified.”

With that, the chairman began fiddling with something in his office. Suddenly, the entire room was engulfed in darkness. Alarmed that he might be planning something against me, I subtly moved my hand towards my watch, but the chairman quickly waved his hand apologetically.

“Oh—did I scare you? I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure nothing from this conversation leaves the room…”

“…Blocking light and sound?”

“Exactly. It also blocks electromagnetic waves. No one outside will know what happens here.”

The intent to prevent any information from leaving this room was clear. Whatever was about to be discussed had to be kept secret.

I shrugged, indicating he could continue, though I didn’t remove my hand from my watch.

“Dr. Eight, have you ever heard of the name Scholar?”

“Scholar…? No, this is the first time.”

“Scholar is a global research organization, a society of the world’s most renowned scholars. The membership is so exclusive that you can count the members on your fingers.”

Hearing this, I finally understood why Regalia had sent me here, even risking her own cover.

Indeed, joining an organization with thousands of members like the Superpower Research Society wasn’t worth the risk of exposing my identity.

But if there was a much bigger secret hidden here? Then it made sense.

“Our Scholar Society offers its members the following benefits: an annual stipend of one million dollars for maintaining your lifestyle, up to one billion dollars per year in research grants, and any research materials you request.”

“…Any research materials?”

“Yes. Literally anything you need.”

There was a hint of madness in his voice when he spoke about providing any research materials. And the previous conditions were impressive, even for someone like me, who already received outrageous funding from the boss.

There was no way they’d offer such generous support without conditions. I frowned slightly as I asked.

“—What’s the catch?”

“There isn’t one. If you must know… the invitation is the condition.”

“What does that mean…?”

“We only send invitations to scholars who have made significant contributions to humanity. In other words, we support those who are likely to leave a lasting impact on science or superpowers.”

In that sense—

“Dr. Eight, you’ve already met those conditions. You’ve practically uncovered the source of superpowers, something no one else has done. And at such a young age.”

“…I’m not that young.”

“You’re still in your twenties, aren’t you? Achieving such a feat at your age… I can’t imagine how many more breakthroughs you’ll accomplish in the future.”

The chairman trembled with excitement.

“Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine.”

“It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“That’s what’s even more amazing! If something that’s ‘not that big of a deal’ comes out of Dr. Eight’s mouth, I can only imagine how incredible your major achievements will be…”

I stopped speaking and fell silent.

Should I really join this mysterious organization called Scholar?

‘If Regalia sent me here, it probably means I should join—’

If that was the case, there was no reason to refuse.

If they were offering a million dollars just for breathing and a billion dollars in support, why would I say no? It would be foolish to turn it down.

As I nodded and extended my hand, the chairman broke into a broad smile and shook it.

“Welcome, Dr. Eight. You’re the eighth member of Scholar.”

“…Oh, even here.”

“Now that you mention it, your name is Eight. What a coincidence.”

The chairman laughed at the realization.

It seemed I had some kind of fate with the number eight.

After becoming a member of Scholar, I was taken to a secret research facility.

There, I encountered Dr. Kuroi, who immediately knelt upon recognizing me.

“Oh, great god of science—!”

“…Excuse me?”

I had no idea why this was happening all of a sudden.