Asher's robotic companion, Renas, was currently inside his mind, communicating telepathically. A physical body would allow for better communication and general action—and, importantly, let him finally get that annoying buzzing bee out of his ear.
With that pleasant thought, the creator-god got to work. He waved his hand dismissively, as if swatting away a bothersome fly.
A human body began to form quickly before him. The process was clear to watch: first an approximately 1.70 m skeleton appeared, then skin and defined features—hands, eyes, mouth, nose, and ears. In a matter of seconds, a fully realized human body stood complete.
It was a tall, handsome teenage youth with short dark hair and bright blue eyes. As a finishing touch, Asher clothed him in a casual gray T‑shirt and loose black sweatpants.
"Is this sufficient?"
"Confirmed. It's an appropriate body," Renas's voice replied after a moment.
A faint glow, like that of a firefly, emerged from the creator's forehead. It floated over to the new marionette-like body and vanished into its own forehead, just as a drop merges with the sea.
Moments later, the boy's closed eyelids fluttered, his lashes trembling. He opened his eyes, proof that the companion's mind-link had worked. What had been an empty shell was now a living being.
"Thank you, Master. This body feels ideal and fitting," Renas said, clearly pleased to inhabit the new form.
Asher nodded approvingly and turned back to the World‑Shop interface in his mind, planning the future of his first world. He noticed his Faith Points had dropped noticeably—likely spent on time‑acceleration and creating the body—totaling just over a thousand points.
The body itself hadn't cost much—it seemed nearly free—but Asher reminded himself not to waste points on frivolities. He currently lacked any way to generate Faith Points and would need to bide his time until they replenished.
About half an hour later, the planet Asher had created gradually ceased its spinning under his time-speed adjustments and returned to its natural rotation. It now appeared vibrant—a beautiful mix of green land and blue seas.
Asher nodded several times in satisfaction.
"Very good. We can now bring forth the first true lifeforms. But first…" he said confidently, a smile spreading across his face. "I shall name this world—my first world—Gaia!"
Gaia—the personified Earth, or the Earth Goddess—seemed a fitting name for this planet that began as nothing more than a lump of rock.
With renewed purpose, Asher set about shaping Gaia. He crafted diverse landscapes: highlands, plains, mountain ranges, valleys, lakes, and lush flora and fauna. He wanted a rich variety to ensure ecological balance.
Next came creatures: earthly animals he knew—cows, goats, chickens, horses, birds, and predators like wolves, lions, and tigers. He also seeded the world with copper, iron, gold, and other metals, scattered naturally across the terrain.
One item in the World‑Shop had particularly caught his attention: Mortal Energies. These supernatural energies could be planted into worlds to generate magical power—mana. They were the same resource the previous creator of this galaxy used before his death.
Mortal Energies came in three tiers—low, medium, and high. The higher the tier, the more refined magic the inhabitants could access. Beyond Mortal Energies existed Immortal Energies, vastly more powerful, granting mortals the potential to become immortal or even godlike. Yet reaching such heights required mysterious conditions and a hidden "key."
To illustrate mortal energy power: on Earth, awakened superhumans were ranked from F to S based on power. F to D corresponded to low-tier mortal magic, D to B to medium-tier, and B to S represented high-tier energies. Immortal Energy would equate to S–SSS tier.
This clarified that while immortal energy unlocked great potential, it was no simple path—it acted as a gateway, not a shortcut.
Asher chose to invest in low-tier Mana for Gaia—he could afford only that for now, hoping to upgrade later.
With the world's design nearly complete, only sentient life remained. He chose the classic fantasy trio: humans, elves, and dwarves.
He placed elves in the west—lush forests and clear lakes. Dwarves were placed in the northwest—harsh mountains and rugged terrain suited to their hardiness. Humans were spread across the central North, East, and South: near forests, mountains, lakes, and wildlife. Initially, he created about one hundred individuals of each race.
Asher accelerated time again, but only briefly—until the world returned to its natural pace. About twenty years passed, though civilization progress was minimal.
Harsh conditions took their toll: northern humans died off from cold, eastern humans faced starvation and predators in the desert. Southern humans fared better, relying on the sea and forests.
Elves lived in the western woods near a lake, and even developed a rudimentary sign language. Dwarves had retreated into the rocky hills, carving crude dwellings with their fists—no tools yet, but sheer will and endurance showed promise.
Though overnight change was unrealistic, after a minute of accelerated time (equating to decades), Asher found these early developments expected but modest. He accelerated time again—this time beyond a minute until over a century passed.
"It really is fascinating to witness the development of a world from scratch," he mused.
Beams of light lit the dark void as Asher observed the progress: dwarves crafting rudimentary hammers and axes in caves; elves constructing simple treehouses high among the branches; humans banding into small tribes, building shelters of stone, wood, and leaf. Northern humans hunted with primitive skills, used hides for warmth, and sheltered in caves. Southerners began wooden fishing spears. Eastern humans migrated westward in search of sustenance.
Yet Asher saw the slow pace of development and realized it would take centuries to reach civilization. He pondered how to accelerate growth.
A thought struck him, and Renas confirmed it telepathically. For the first time, Asher descended into the mortal world to personally help and teach them, speeding up their progress.
He shared knowledge: improving language with new words and expressions, identifying sources of food, crafting clothing, hunting, and building sturdy shelters for weather protection.
He guided northern humans to migrate south into fertile steppes, abundant with buffalo, cattle, sheep, goats, and horses. In the south, he taught tree felling, woodworking, and boat-building for fishing.
Satisfied with his intervention, Asher accelerated time over several centuries again. Now, they began forming stable communities: hundreds of people organizing into settlements, stronger individuals rising to leadership roles.
Roughly two hundred years after his guidance, a burly man named Heron crowned himself king over several tribes and founded the Kingdom of Heron in central Gaia—becoming the first king in the world's history.