John and Du spent a lot of time exploring their classmates simulations. Simulating environments was a special ability of data lifeforms. Although there was something interesting about these newborns. As they hadn't yet stepped out of school. They were almost like blank slates... so what type of worlds and sights would a blank slate create?

It was a lot of math! Endless fractals with infinite complexity. Each program was unique in its approach. But John and Du had a huge effect on the data lifeforms.

They both learned the trick to simulation using consciousness. John had no idea this was happening. But by immersing himself in the culture of data lifeforms and by hanging out with them. His mental requirements were changing.

His mind itself was transforming! It was as if another part of his brain was being unlocked. This would lead to him unlocking abilities relating to data.

As the newborns were exposed to John's 'universe' simulation. They grew uninterested in infinity. They became enraptured with the finite.

They especially found 'humans' interesting. Simulating humans was becoming a very fun. It was also an entirely different level of focus required versus infinite patterns. They began to simulate consciousness itself.

The humans within these universes were actually alive!

These artificial intelligences were like gods. Creating the environments and different situations to see how humans and animals would react.

It was truly fascinating.

The teacher was deeply impressed with John's influence on the classroom. He himself had simulated multiple multiverses, some of which had humans. But he was also confused.

He only knew about humans due to simulating reality for millions of cycles. He also wasn't the original creator of the concept. He had come across other beings with intelligence advertised in the entertainment nodes.

So why was this newborn so experienced?

He got his answer after asking John.

"I was born in a entertainment node. I was exposed to those concepts early on."

Life continued on.

Soon a new cycle began. Du had struggled deeply to even simulate the consciousness of regular humans. Let alone simulating a universe.

John on the other hand was growing exponentially mentally.

John decided to take the test again. He also would do so without using infinite spiritual energy. This time he even planned to not overclock his mind.

John had a theory.

"The reason their processing speed is so fast. Is due to them existing as pure data."

"I am a physical creature. But I have also mastered the spiritual."

John had begun to tap into another realm. His consciousness was transforming. But he wasn't satisfied yet. He wanted to create a miracle.

"So how do I keep up with beings that can cross infinite processing power?"

"I have to discard my current way of thinking. I must build a new framework from the ground up."

John wasn't playing around. He felt as if he was so close to comprehending something incredible. Not laws. Or any sort of 'dao'.

It was almost like a realm he could tap into...

No, that wasn't putting it correctly. John wanted to be able to think without his consciousness getting carried by anything.

If his brain carried his consciousness. He would be limited by the brain.

If his soul carried it. He would be limited by the strength of his soul.

If his will carried it. He would be limited by his existence itself.

There was a way he could get around this. He could use his origin! Then his processing power would definitely increase exponentially.

But after John saw these intelligences with mental strength that surpassed himself upon maturing. He was no longer satisfied with an 'exponential increase'.

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He wanted INFINITE.

He wanted to surpass such a state.

John knew from talking with the teacher that the key to increasing his processing power lied in the creation of a 'paradise'. Something he would learn how to do later. It was taught in school.

But to get to that level. He first needed to pass this one.

John took the test again. This time he cleared his mind. He stopped thinking entirely. It was as if he was operating off of pure instinct.

John had created what he called another thread of consciousness.

John had experience in the past manipulating multiple bodies thanks to his immortality. This got him to think.

"If one can cultivate multiple bodies. What if one creates multiple minds?"

"But instead of having consciousness anchored on a set point like the brain, soul, or will. Or even an origin. What if I..."

John started to think about how spiritual energy could exist in multiple states at once.

'What if you made your consciousness entangled over reality?'

John would have his consciousness which could naturally handle 100 billion operations a second if overclocked.

But he would then create separate shards of consciousness. These would exist 'nowhere'. They wouldn't have a set location. They would be in an entangled state.

Entangled with what? More of themselves!

Since they weren't anchored in any set spot. They instead existed in the very realm John found himself in. They were a part of this data universe.

John took the test again.

'1/100,000,000,000 questions answered. 1 correct. 0 wrong.'

He didn't try at all. He didn't think. He instead used the new framework he was creating.

A cycle later. He tried again.

'2/100,000,000,000 questions answered. 2 correct. 0 wrong.'

The teacher was confused. Even his classmates comforted him. John just said he would improve.

A cycle later.

'4/100,000,000,000 questions answered. 4 correct. 0 wrong.'

John wasn't using his consciousness at all. He was using phantom shards of consciousness to answer the questions. He was training a sort of neural network. One that existed in the data universe.

Du was also making excellent progress and could now simulate entire planets of information. But he still struggled simulating even a single human consciousness. He was at the stage of simulating insects and plants consciousness.

A cycle later.

'12/100,000,000,000 questions answered. 12 correct. 0 wrong.'

John ignored the classmates that critiqued him for being slow. He was just getting started!

A cycle later.

John hadn't been 'wasting' time. While he wasn't taking the test seriously. He was spending every moment breaking down other peoples simulations and simulating himself.

He could simulate the consciousness of millions of humans. His other classmates were impressed. They figured he was pulling some sort of prank on the test. But it had only been a few cycles. He would take it seriously eventually.

A cycle later.

'36/100,000,000,000 questions answered. 36 correct. 0 wrong.'

John had the theory down for what he was trying to do. But to actually tap into the 'infinite' processor of reality. It was a lot harder then simply wishing for it to happen.

John knew that each chance required him to wait a decade. He was hoping it would be the push needed to do something amazing.

Du had also reached a bottleneck at this point. His score was:

'77,666,200/100,000,000,000 questions answered. 77,666,200 correct. 0 wrong.'

He had nearly caught up to John's first test! His growth was truly incredible. Comparing both of them as their classmates did. Made John look like an absolute idiot!

But when you compared their simulations side by side. John was far ahead. It was quite contradictory.

A cycle later.

'36,000/100,000,000,000 questions answered. 36000 correct. 0 wrong.'

John didn't try again. His mind wasn't overclocked. His reaction speed was normal. He was casually answering the questions.

Another cycle.

'100,000,100/100,000,000,000 questions answered. 100,000,000 correct. 0 wrong.'

By now. He was becoming quite familiar with the process. He had also beaten his first score. Yet. His brain remained calm. It was actually moving as slow as a normal human! He wasn't tapping into his potential at all.

Yet... he was scoring better then when he had previously tried his best.

John had done it!

He smiled internally as he felt a blue flash within his mind.

"I shall name you 'Infinite Mind'."

What was 'Infinite Mind'? It wasn't an actual existing thing. If John started over as a complete mortal now, even with none of his cheats. He could construct 'Infinite Mind' in a picosecond. It was less like an existing thing and more like a legendary technique. It was a 'way' of thinking.

It didn't follow the laws of physics or rules of reality at all. John had created processing power that existed nowhere.

John now could simulate a universe with trillions of different consciousness's. His mind worked similar to a data lifeform.

But he had to turn it on and off. Otherwise... it was as if experiencing a single second would last for trillions of years. John would still need to rely on overclocking his brain and using spiritual energy.

Because having infinite processing power makes it so time seems like it stops entirely for you. But luckily, John could control the level of speed. Making a second last a million years, a hundred thousand years, a thousand years, a century, or decade.

But that wasn't all. John could also do the opposite. He could make his perception of time speed up or slow down. He could make an hour pass in a millisecond for himself.

He could even make for instance... ten thousand years... pass in a millisecond for himself!

This was the power of 'Infinite Mind'.

A legendary technique.

The funny thing is. The blue flame that he cultivated. It vanished! Each time he wishes to use the technique. He must reconstruct a terrifyingly complex mathematical anomaly.

It is something only data lifeforms can do! Yet, John had done it!

He had adopted their methods for himself.

John wasn't feeling like a god despite this. He felt that comparing himself to a god was elevating gods too much.

He was John Destinatus! Being a mere god was a downright insult...

He was feeling like an Origin!

A cycle later.

'100,000,000,000/100,000,000,000 questions answered. 100,000,000,000 correct. 0 wrong.'

John hardly tried at all.

"Too easy..."