The core needed more space for koi… But it had no idea how to expand the pond! Almost as if reading its mind, a prompt showed up:

You seem confused! Do you want a hint?

A hint! Yes! That sounded good! It wanted more things! Unfortunately for the core, hints were not material things… though it didn’t know it yet.

To expand the pond, you need to 1) claim all creatures in said pond, 2) claim all water and plants, 3) claim earth, 4) expand pond.

This was slightly helpful… but where was the hint it was promised? It wanted a hint! Where was its hint?!

…Hints are not material objects. They are… a collection of sentences to assist you on your path.

Wait… Did that mean the words before were a hint? Nooooo! It couldn’t be! But… if it couldn’t have hints… it would have koi! Koi! Koiiiii! Two more koi spawned in the pond. The core paused for a moment. Didn’t I want to expand the pond for more koi?

Yes! That was what the hint was for! …But how did it claim creatures, much less earth? Or water? Ahhh! It needed another hint!

Do you want a hint?

Yes! It wanted a hint!

To claim creatures, you can either a) kill them and claim the ability to spawn them, b) use your will and hope they are weaker willed then you, or c) offer them a contract to become one of your creatures and hope they except.

Yay! It would kill everything and leave only koi! Kill these lesser beings, kill them, koi! Go go go go! The koi began moving, heading towards everything living in their sight.

Soon, the core got a message.

Your red-and-white koi has killed a water skater! You can now spawn a water skater!

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Your gold koi killed a lily pad! You can now spawn a lily pad!

Your blue koi killed a beetle! You can now spawn a beetle!

Your purple koi was killed by unknown koi!

Unknown koi has been killed!

Your red koi has evolved! Please select a evolution:

Greater Koi: Greater koi are koi that are larger, stronger and smarter. These koi have taken a step closer to becoming a dragon, but lack specialization.

Lily Koi: These koi are unique. Having interacted with lilies, they have taken in lily manna, a unique combination of earth, water and air. These koi are deeply connected with life and have a chance of becoming life dragons later in life.

Bloody Koi: Bloody koi are creatures of death and destruction, caring not about others. They will ruthlessly serve you, but will have no qualms about killing those that serve you. These koi have a chance of becoming war dragons.

The core didn’t like the part about a koi dying, but it liked the part about being able to make new things and a koi evolving. It didn’t want to choose the greater koi, but choosing between lily koi and bloody koi was difficult. In the end, the core chose bloody koi.

Your red koi has evolved into a bloody koi!

Light enveloped the koi, and its body lengthened and changed. Sharp teeth emerged from its mouth, and its scales deepened to blood red. Its fins sharpens, turning into miny blades. Its tail thickened, and the tail fins sharpened. The koi seemed at first hesitant with its new body, but soon was zipping around the pond, teeth finding all things not of the core.

Your gold koi has evolved! Please select an evolution!

Greater Koi

Bloody Koi

Lily Koi

The thing didn’t include the descriptions? Well, that didn’t matter. The core could remember them perfectly. This time, it chose lily koi. The white light came again, and this time the body lengthened and thinned, becoming ribbon like. Scales lightened, becoming almost white. Fins rounded and hardened, becoming like glass. The koi’s eyes turned a hypnotic, swirling blue. The core was satisfied with this transformation. The lily koi followed the bloody koi, but much less enthusiastic.

Another two koi evolved, and for the first, the core chose greater koi. The koi lengthened and got bigger, but nothing else changed. Another koi evolved, and this one had a new evolution.

Water Koi: Having absorbed water manna, water koi have mastery over water. Able to manipulate water to their will, water koi are lithe and fast. They have a chance to become ocean, storm and water dragons.

Of course, the core chose water koi. The koi, much like the lily koi, lengthened and became thinner. The fins became thinner and more blade like, and the scales turned deep blue. The koi’s eyes deepened to an almost black blue, and the water swirled about it in an odd way.

The core began to feel tired, very tired…