Keshav's POV
The next morning, Keshav walked through the gleaming corridors of the academy. The walls were lined with soft, shifting holograms depicting stars, nebulae, and ancient gods from mythology.
The high ceilings sparkled like they contained constellations themselves.
Around him, students were buzzing with excitement.
> "What kind of world did you awaken?"
"Mine's pretty barren... but huge!"
"I hope today's lesson helps me grow it faster."
"I heard someone awakened a 'Mountain World'! Can you believe it?"
Keshav quietly moved among the groups, heading toward the designated classroom.
He still felt a little overwhelmed by everything — this new life, this new civilization — but deep inside, he was excited too.
This was a chance he had never gotten on Earth.
The classroom was massive, like a lecture hall for hundreds, but with floating seating pods arranged in tiers.
Keshav slid into a seat near the side, keeping to himself.
Soon, the room quieted as a tall man with silver hair and a floating data-slate entered.
It was their lead teacher, Master Vallin.
Master Vallin's eyes swept across the room, then he smiled warmly.
> "Congratulations, all of you," he said. His voice carried easily, even without any mic. "You have crossed your first threshold toward godhood. You have each birthed a World. Treasure this moment — the beginning of eternity."
The students sat straighter, pride glowing on many faces.
> "Today, we will give you your first gift: your Sun," Vallin continued.
"Your Worlds, while structurally stable, are cold and dark. Without a source of light and warmth, no true life can form. Thus, each of you will receive an Artificial Star."
He made a gesture, and several floating drones entered the room, each carrying glowing crystalline objects.
Each crystal pulsed gently — some gold, some blue, some red, others white-hot — miniature stars contained in cages of woven energy.
> "These Artificial Stars are not matter-based objects," Vallin said. "They are constructed purely from stabilized laws — fragments of reality itself.
They will bind to your World's fundamental framework and act as a permanent light and heat source. And as your world grows, it will also grow till it becomes the first star of your world."
Murmurs of awe spread through the students.
Vallin smiled.
> "Choose wisely. A wrong selection, or incorrect implantation, can damage your World permanently."
---
Keshav's Turn
Following the line of students, Keshav approached the hovering crystals.
His terminal pulsed lightly, giving guidance.
Golden star = balanced light and heat, good for ocean-worlds.
Blue-white star = extremely hot, fast evolution but higher risk.
Red dwarf = low energy, very slow world growth, but easier to control.
Keshav chose a standard golden star, recommended for general development.
As soon as he touched it, the crystal dissolved into light and was absorbed into his terminal.
> [Artificial Star Acquired.]
His terminal's interface flickered, projecting a 3D view of his barren planet.
Following Vallin's instructions, Keshav slowly willed the Artificial Star to appear above his World's atmosphere, adjusting its orbit carefully through thought-input guided by the Terminal.
When he confirmed the positioning—
—there was a sudden surge of golden light.
The once-dark planet brightened for the first time.
Oceans shimmered.
The barren land warmed.
Mist rose from rivers as water began to cycle naturally.
> [World Update: Artificial Star Successfully Implanted.]
Keshav felt a deep pride swell inside him.
---
System's POV
Meanwhile, far deeper inside Keshav's mind-space, the System was multitasking at full efficiency.
Using its [Calculate] ability, it had divided its attention into three streams:
Monitoring Keshav's surrounding.
Monitoring Keshav and his World
Monitoring the terminal's interfaces and data
Monitoring the anomalous world of the unconscious soul
Observation 1 : surrounding of Keshav
While the teachers demonstrate how to implant an artificial star into their worlds, System secretly scans the entire process.
> [Scan Activated.]
But because life creation and star implantation involve direct manipulation of "Law Fragments", System's scan shows:
70% = Unreadable encrypted data
20% = Basic framework understood (positioning, stabilization logic)
10% = Potential loopholes detected, but unreadable
Result:
> [Knowledge Gained: Stellar Implantation Basics 1%]
System thought silently:
> "If I accumulate enough fragments over time... I might not need Keshav to buy everything.
I can help him 'grow' stars and life... cheaper, better, faster."
But for now...
All I can do is record everything.
Energy Cost Note:
Performing such deep scans cost 0.01 EP — as it was negligible System paid it from its own energy.
---
Observation 2: Keshav's World
Smooth implantation.
World stabilization reaching expected parameters.
Growth rate normal.
Energy scan:
Environment stable.
Oceans and rivers adapting.
No spontaneous life detected — as expected.
---
Observation 3: Unconscious Soul's World
The System's focus sharpened.
Something bizarre was happening.
Outside the influence of any Terminal, without any guidance, a burning sphere was coalescing high above the chaotic world.
Proto-light. Proto-heat.
A Proto-Sun.
It was raw, violent, and unstable —
Flames licked at the edges of space.
Shockwaves rippled across the thick, misty atmosphere of that world.
System immediately activated deeper [Scan].
> [Scan Complete.]
Result:
Proto-Sun is self-generated by the chaotic World Core.
No consciousness guiding it.
Self-sustaining, though highly unstable.
Law fragments involved: Gravity, Thermodynamics, Fusion.
> [Warning: Law Interference Detected.]
Additionally, by using extrapolation, the System noted that even when parts of this chaotic world temporarily disappeared — swallowed by chaos energy — when they reappeared, they continued evolving as if no time had been lost.
It was... unprecedented.
System whispered internally:
> "A self-growing anomaly.
If harvested properly...
It could grant unimaginable benefits."
But for now, it kept silent.
Not even Keshav knew this other world existed.
---
System made Secret Plans:
Exploit Keshav's World normally, providing him upgrades and assisting him in a 'normal' way.
Observe and secretly harvest phenomena from the unconscious world later — without alerting Keshav.
Study Life Creation Process today — by recording everything the teachers explain.
Save Energy Points for a future chance to replicate Law-Based objects like Artificial Stars and Life Seeds.
System thought smugly:
> "Keshav thinks he's the only special one.
Oh, just you wait, my dear host."
And with that, it resumed recording everything silently, calculating endless possibilities.