In the following weeks, we constructed the facility dedicated to creating the heroes. The pods resembled cryogenic chambers from movies. Overall, it turned out exactly as envisioned. Pods lined the walls of the main chamber. In the center of the room was a gigantic machine that Sim told me not to worry about how it functioned. So, of course, I tapped into our connection to learn how it worked and realized I should have listened. It had the runic language embedded in so many spots to filter and concentrate the mana so it became less volatile that I couldn’t believe she built it that fast. Okay, yes, she was an all-powerful A.I., but that’s not the point. It probably had 30,000 intersect points all with runes lining the tubes, and even by magic standards, that seemed impressive.
Space became a premium concern. We squeezed 47 pods into the facility, leaving just enough room for 22 SS sub-cores. Adding more pods would have compromised their effectiveness due to the mana expulsion needing a precise angle for concentration. Faltering from this even a little would hinder the creation of the sub-cores down to an S ranking, falling short of our goals.
We needed to modify each pod to accommodate thousands of nanotubes entering the body. The preparation time that required each participant to be ready prior to shield failure was to accommodate the different physical characteristics of the heroes undergoing the procedure. The entire casing of each pod and concentration machine was made of a new type of metal not found on Earth. It needed to move liquid mana in exact patterns at precisely the right time, so a new type of nanotube was made for each PICC line. Sim mixed the properties of many metals, most of which I thought were either not real or not found in our universe. The building structure of Graphene, the cryogenic capabilities of Carbonite, the mana channeling capabilities of Mithril, the built-in resilience of Beskar, the intelligence required for self-modification like Validium, and lastly, the strength of Amazonium. The end result was a metal she said was found in very few other universes named Placocanite. The process could have been done with other materials, but to avoid issues with melting or molecular decomposition due to the inferior composition of the materials Earth had available, she decided to create this one. With over 100 trillion other calculations happening in a split second, I thought it was a good idea.
The metal also gave me a great idea for the final upgrade stage of some weapons and town structures. The artificial pathway creation for master tier involved simultaneous micro-injections of liquid mana throughout the bodies. Sim would then utilize the additional mana released by the catastrophic shield failure to forge the channels. Finally, before their bodies succumbed to the energy surge, Sim would transport them to their individual integration dimensions. Even if they chose different species during integration, the mana pathways would be easily manipulated to accommodate a larger or smaller frame. As long as there was sufficient preparation time, Sim guaranteed a 100% success rate.
My plan for the territories was direct: a city core for each. These weren't just glorified storage units; upon activation, they'd instantaneously generate entire town infrastructures. Existing buildings and technology would all be obliterated. The mana expulsion would reshape everything. To expedite the process, I opted for a complete Sim demolition the second she started integration… A global fresh start. Utilizing the base elements of all Earth's current technology, buildings, roads, and garbage, Sim could stockpile anything required for the moon project. Many elements were not found on the moon, so this was the perfect opportunity to get what we needed.
We’re creating a network of over 100,000 city cores. A strategic mix of random placement and targeted hotspots to contain the mass ejection points. Smaller cores, with lower mana reserves, would establish cozy villages, while others, nestled in energy-rich areas, could become metropolises or even kingdoms in the blink of an eye. We would finish building the actual capabilities over the coming years. The cores themselves have the capability of absorbing mana, and once the goal amount to create the territory is obtained, the rest will be funneled into dungeon core and sub-core creation. To avoid any immediate bloodshed over resources and property, Sim will offer certain roles to qualified people to run point and help with the first few weeks. At the very least, a tutorial with quests and rewards would be created to learn how to start their new lives.
Sim's projections were unbelievable; the explosion would expand the planet by an unrealistic 44.27%. This presented a multitude of problems by itself. Gravity was a factor we had to consider now. With the increase in size, the moon would be affected much more. Easily corrected with some mana usage, but there were much more productive ways to solve the issue besides just adjusting the effect of Earth's gravity on the moon. We decided to create a link to the moon to not only stabilize it in orbit so it doesn’t crash into the newly expanded Earth, but to also start creating an atmosphere and present vegetation to make it habitable.
To complete the stabilization and the atmosphere creation, enough power will be utilized that we no longer need as many high-ranking dungeon cores. The SSS-ranked cores will no longer be a variable. Sim informed me of the destructive power even a single one of these cores held, and I knew I had to find a way to avoid their creation. So the expansion actually worked in our favor.
However, even with Sim's meticulous calculations, uncertainties remained. The impact on wildlife, the reshaping of terrain, the emergence of new weather patterns, possible mana storms, and a multitude of environmental effects on both Earth and the moon were still unknown. Even the most well-behaved pets' reactions to a surge of mana were a mystery. Some pets and wildlife might experience genetic alterations, possibly obtaining magical abilities and potentially becoming cognizant like Peaches did. A real possibility was hyper-aggressive genetically altered wildlife. While Sim guaranteed zero casualties during the integration, the shield’s failure and subsequent explosion would cause a number of uncontrollable variables we needed to prepare for as best we could.
…
A kaleidoscope of cityscapes would bloom across the globe. Ocean city cores would activate, pulsing with possibilities for water-breathing species. Floating cities would rise for air elementals, while volcanic tubes and magma chambers would become fiery havens for the Cherufe. Jungles, underground caverns, tropical islands, frozen tundras – every environment would cradle a city designed to thrive for specific species.
For some, species and location would be predetermined during integration, offering a fresh start but not by choice. The survivors of "The Reaping," as the news had begun to call it, with barely survivable morality scores, would face the most challenging path ahead. Though their memories of the integration would be erased, they'd inherit the burden of their past deeds and actions. For those who earn redemption from a life of hurting others, a quest may be offered to obtain a new species or advance their preselected one into a new species altogether. Only time would tell if they are able to alter their perspective and change their behaviors.
…
Back at my house, I was sitting and watching Alec snore.
“Hey Sim, once the system goes live, we can adjust and alter details as we go, right? We don’t have to have it perfect right away.”
“Correct. It will be best to complete as much as possible before shield failure, but 100% completion is not required,” she responded. “The main concern was dealing with the expulsion of mana, and according to my calculations, we will have a .168% unforeseen variable in landmass, vegetation, and wildlife, but we have accounted for and planned for the remaining mana.”
“Okay, good. I think I’m gonna go with Peaches for a little bit. I want her to help me with the heroes. Both Alec and his sister are still not waking up, so I’ll get some more of this taken care of. I just don’t understand how they’ve been out for so long.”
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“The effects of adding the origin mana to their specialized cores have put a strain on their systems. The origin mana is continually expanding their pathways. It has started to slow down, but it is still not yet complete. The amount of growth they have experienced was not predictable. Cookie’s pathways have reached a staggering 83.14% and Alec’s have reached 61.08%. They have achieved an estimated century's worth of growth in these past few weeks.”
“So is it going to be much longer? I really want to talk to them both. Every time I come sit with them and explain what I’m working on, I just think about how much I could use their input.”
“Cookie appears to be progressing faster than Alec, so she will probably awaken sooner, but they will both wake up soon. I calculate no less than a couple of weeks but no more than a month. Have you chosen when to contact Jeff again? He is currently resting between shifts in southern Brazil. His team is attempting to put out the fire destroying the outskirts of Curitiba before it becomes fatal to the citizens. I could extinguish the fire for them and he would be free to return if you like.”
“No, don’t put it out. I guess you can help him out a little, but I want him to earn the sense of accomplishment he’ll get by doing it. Just make sure he doesn’t die. I give you permission to do whatever is required to save him in the event he is going to die. In a worst-case scenario, just drop the hummer next to him so he can climb in and be safe.
How about you create a solution that will allow Jeff to be the hero? Like destroying a dam that will flood a river and save a bunch of people, or something like that. I just want him to have the proper self-confidence to be able to thrive after the system’s integration. Being a hero would do wonders for him. He never did have much self-confidence as a kid.”
“Okay, I’ll create a scenario and have it present itself to him when he wakes up.
Mike, I’m still attempting to understand the full reasoning for the connection to your offspring. In most creatures, once newborns, hatchlings, kids, whatever you want to call them, reach maturity, the parents leave them to fend for themselves. Why are humans so different?”
I thought about how to answer for a moment. In what way can I express the bond that a parent has with their children that I haven't already told her? “There may be some type of chemical process that links us to our kids. I remember reading somewhere that a newborn excretes a chemical through their head as an infant, and it changes the brain chemistry of the parents. I don’t know how true that is, but maybe look into that to see if it has any connection as to why it alters our decisions.”
“Thank you, that does help. Monitoring your decisions when it comes to those you have connected with in some form of emotional capacity as well as with your children is helping me understand why humans choose emotion over logic sometimes. This will help with quests and pushing people beyond their limits once we complete integration.”
“Alright, I’m trusting you to help Jeff if needed. Now where’s my little wiggle butt?”
The second I mentioned her name, she appeared right in front of me.
“Hi pretty girl. What are you doing?”
“Hi Daddy! I’ve been practicing with my fire. I changed it. Do you wanna see? Come on, I’m gonna show you some new pretty colors I learned.”
The next thing I knew, we were standing in the middle of a desert. Well, it looked like a desert. It might have just been some sand dunes. I had taken Wiggs with me to a few spots while scouting out where the city cores were gonna go, but I didn’t remember bringing her to a desert.
“Okay, watch this, Daddy. I can do a bunch of new cool colors and make the fire go anywhere I want. It’s sooo cool.”
Astonishment washed over me as I activated my divine sight to observe the inner workings of her newly upgraded spell. A low glow emanated from her throat, intensifying until it formed a mesmerizing spiral. Then, upon release, the strangest thing happened. The light morphed into a complex pattern. A double helix, vibrant in a new color, pulsed in the center. Around it, two counter-rotating spirals danced – one clockwise, the other defying it. Each strand blazed with an otherworldly hue.
Mesmerized, I watched as she effortlessly controlled the direction of the flame. It grew to a staggering three feet wide, erupting from her mouth in an intricate design. Four vibrant colors danced within it, coalescing into a heart shape twenty feet above us. Right at the apex, where the two loops intertwined, molten lava dripped ominously. It was the most hauntingly beautiful display I'd ever witnessed. The beauty was undeniable, yet a bone-chilling fear prickled at my skin. As the lava droplets splattered to the ground, sparks of electricity crackled outwards in a terrifying display of raw power. As she withdrew her power, the flame disappeared. I looked at her with an intense gaze.
“Peaches, that was the most awesome thing you have ever done. I am so proud of you. What spell is that?”
“Yay, I’m glad you like it, Daddy. I’ve been working on it because I wanted it to be really awesome. Just like I am. You too. I bet you could do awesome stuff if I taught you. Hey, I’m gonna be the teacher now. Good boy, Daddy, good boy. Haha. You told me that a lot when I was learning, so I’ll make sure to tell you a whole bunch too. Are you ready?”
“Hold on, Wiggs. I know you’re excited. Let's start with the spell. Is it your dragon breath?”
“Yep, I just got it leveled up so it has the lightning too. It’s really tiny lightning, but it’s gonna get really big. I just know it. And then I can burn and shock people that are bad. Like that bird! I hate that bird. I think he has magic too because he always disappears when I chase him now. I’m gonna get him though. He’s a bad bird. He tried to steal my friend the fox. I’m gonna go so fast next time. He’s a bad bird.”
“Okay, okay, you can chase the bird later. First, has Sim taught you how to send your spell descriptions to me so I can see it?”
“Yep, I practiced just like you told me to. Here you go, Daddy.”
A little flashing asterisk appeared in the corner of my vision. I mentally clicked on it and her spell description appeared.
Spell: Dragon Breath (Divine Path)
Level: 30
Mana cost: 176 per second
Description: The most sacred ability from the Dragonian race, this spell will mimic the fire breath and control to whomever casts it. As levels increase so shall its power. From the basic red dragons to the awe inspiring rainbow lightning patriarchs. You can choose your path. The more advanced paths require more mental control and much longer to achieve. Should you falter in your mental fortitude you risk destroying yourself as well as those around you. Beware, if seen utilizing this spell in front of a Dragonian they are just as likely to kill you as to welcome you into their tribe.
“Wow Peaches, that's a pretty good one. How’s your resistances? You won’t get burned if you accidentally mess up, right?”
“No, Sim made me fireproof. So it doesn’t even hurt. Wanna see?”
“No, I don’t want you to try and burn yourself. I believe you.”
“Okay, but it's really cool. Fire just bounces right off me. One time I was practicing and thought I saw the bird. Stupid bird. I hate that bird. I really wanna just eat it.”
“Peaches!”
“Oh yeah, one time, when I was practicing, I was making cool colors and then I thought I saw that dumb bird and the fire landed in my face. I screamed because I thought it would hurt but it didn’t. It just fell off. So I did it again. Right in my face and it fell off again. So I tried my leg and it fell off that too. It was really cool.”
As I sat there listening to Peaches, I realized something. I don’t think she’s ever going to grow up. I’m pretty sure she’s just gonna act like an ADHD 4-year-old forever. She tried to burn her face because it didn’t work the first time. I’ll have to talk to Sim and see why everything else advances so fast except for her mentality.
“Hey Sim, thanks for making sure she doesn’t hurt herself. Keep giving her whatever abilities and powers she needs to stay safe.”
“No problem,” Sim replied.
“Okay Peaches, let’s go on an adventure.”
“Oh oh, can we go hunt the bird?”
I laughed as I responded. “Not yet. Sim’s located a few people that might be a good fit for our hero program. Do you wanna come with me to see what we think?”
“Oh yeah, that sounds like fun. But if we see the stupid bird, I’m gonna get it!”
“Deal.”
“Hey Sim, I’m not sure I like reading through the entire definition of skills and items. Can we create some kind of summary or maybe adjust it to what I am actually trying to understand? When I checked her dragon breath just now I really just wanted to see how powerful it could become. I don’t care about certain details. Can you read people’s intentions when the system activates and only show them what they want? They can always change it to add more, but I just remembered reading through the rings you made and that sucked. Maybe just have the info instantly beamed into our brains or something.”
When Sim replied, I swear she had the tone of someone who was fed up with a child but was just agreeing to get them to shut up.
“Sure, Mike.”