Sacred Souls: Genesis

Neither Ocean Blue nor Jiang Qiao knew a thing about programming.

It was fortunate, however, that Ocean Blue did not require trouble in changing her world, and creating the core system of the game could be achieved through her own means.

“The most interesting aspect of a game is to be simpler than the real world.”

Being a veteran player, Jing Qiao proceeded to instruct Ocean Blue on how she should create the ‘all-too-realistic’ world.

Nonetheless, she took a step forward. Her toes, slightly extended, suddenly landed on Jiang Qiao’s forehead.

“Human communication is too primitive and outdated. I’ll now release my power into Maker mode.” Ocean Blue’s white cheeks suddenly shone with trails of complex golden lines, with her eyes unleashing radiances as well.

“In this state, everything you think would come true. The world you want—what it looks like, including any creature, city, and character you could imagine would be presented in an arrangement under the best optimal conditions, hence creating a new world.”

“Does this count your second personality?”

Jiang Qiao could see that Ocean Blue’s hair was turning pure golden, with her voice slowly turned inhuman as well.

“Yes. Close your eyes and experience the feeling of being a Maker.” As she spoke, Ocean Blue poked Jiang Qiao’s head once again albeit using her fingers this time, and he felt a mysterious power unleashed from his mind.

It felt as if his intelligence had suddenly magnified a thousand-fold, and he completely lost his sense of self under that most violent storm of consciousness.

Meanwhile, Ocean Blue started to read through his thoughts and the things that existed only in his imagination, before performing a calculation of extreme proportions.

“Three hundred and seventy-seven thousand imagined creatures and composites found. By basing Jiang Qiao as standard combat ability, the energy required to manifest is one hundred seventy-seven million, two hundred and thirty-two thousand units. Energy reserves insufficient. Selecting assortment of inferior creatures for construction.”

“Hold on! We are only creating monsters for a game, don’t just create an entire ecosystem at once! And aren’t Slimes supposed to be the bottom of the food chain?”

Jiang Qiao’s voice suddenly interrupted Ocean Blue’s tone, with surprise appearing over her previously impassive face.

She did not expect a human’s will to withstand the thought of a god.

“Things like a reproduction cycle or reincarnation system are all unnecessary! They don’t need to feed or even any habits—all you have to do is give them a reaction mechanism… whatever, I’ll do it!”

“Seventy-three thousand and eight hundred imagined buildings and topography found in map and building blueprints categories. Commencing best logical construction of present world: Lionheart City, Canyon of Descent, Dark Gold Tomb, Heavenly Behemoth, Sky Tower. Connecting to character world line, constructing main, and side quest systems. World branch reached; expansion stopped. Continued manifestation failed.”

After two hours, Ocean Blue’s mumblings ceased while her hair reverted from golden to its previous clear indigo, and she promptly withdrew her finger which had still been touching Jiang Qiao’s forehead.

“Where… Where am I?” She looked confusedly around her. They had been standing on a plain, but now they were in the middle of a city.”

“Isn’t this what you created?”

Holding his own forehead, Jiang Qiao shook his head—the consciousness storm which lasted two-hours left him feeling omniscient and omnipotent.

Truth be told, it was not a fine sensation. If it wasn’t for his mind which differed from normal people’s, he would probably have been reduced to a vegetable.

“I was only reading your consciousness, but I couldn’t retain my memories in Maker mode.” Ocean Blue bit her lip as she spoke, as if those words were humiliating. “You best make sure this world creation works! I don’t have any energy left to adjust the world on a wider scale.”

“I see. Relax, the creation of the game world is very successful.”

Jiang Qiao stared at the game UI which had already appeared within his sight, displaying a half-transparent HP bar, mana bar and level on the upper right corner of his vision.

The Level 1 label was very distinct, although there are no other labels.

Then, with a slashing motion in the air, another long half-transparent UI selection tab appeared before him, displaying character attribute, carried items, skills, and other functions.

After flipping through the main page, Jiang Qiao opened his character attribute tab which displayed a huge pile of data.

[Name: Jiang Qiao]

[Class: Game World Creature Data Reference Template]

[Level: 1]

[Physique: 10]

[Strength: 10]

[Agility: 10]

[Intelligence: 10]

[Spirit: 10]

[Luck: 10]

[Character Description: to prevent you from forgetting the description above, the combat ability of this world’s creatures is set with you as reference—a monster which strength reaches 20 could be described as having 2 ‘Jiang Qiao’ strength. Please explore the rest of the content of this game by yourself, Maker Jiang Qiao. Also, I have put the items to change name and class in your bag.]

“Why do I find myself hating my Maker personality?” Jiang Qiao complained as he feebly opened his bag.

“Me too!” Ocean Blue echoed beside him.

“…”

Jiang Qiao did not try to continue the conversation. Instead, he drew out one of the two items in his bag: the tome for changing class.

After all, he should not be calling himself a reference template for the rest of the game.

The tome itself was as heavy as a dictionary, with silhouettes of text appearing before Jiang Qiao when he flipped it open.

“Warrior, Mage, Assassin, Cleric, Gunslinger, Knight, Priest… it actually worked.”

Jiang Qiao stared at the hundreds of different classes—it was an idea he had before when playing games, to build a class system like no other in terms of its [class-change] settings.

At Level 25, 50, 80, and 100, each class would respectively be granted a class-advancement, an awakening, another class-advancement, and another awakening.

Typical class-advancement includes changing from Warrior to Magic Swordsman or HeavySwordsman. However, if the warrior preferred hammerlike weapons before his class-advancement, they would have a chance of triggering a class change to helm-splitter or giant-hammer warrior in their class advancement quest.

That sort of class advancement would reduce a standard warrior’s increase in agility, instead adding more to their strength points and armor-piercing attributes.

It was merely an example, but Jiang Qiao did succeed to create that complex class system in Maker mode.

In fact, from the class and skill system alone, Jiang Qiao was positive that the world was now more than a game—even if it was technically a game.

“I’m quite good.”

Jiang Qiao said as he closed the class-change tome since he was not in a hurry to change his class.

However, that was the moment when a line of text suddenly appeared.

“The level cap of this world is fifty. The world map size is two hundred and forty square kilometers—equal to three GTA5 maps put together, but that already took up eight percent of Maker Ocean Blue’s energy. Note: increase size of world map and energy intake.”

Jiang Qiao read the words and then looked up at Ocean Blue.

Her face seemed to say, ‘Are you blaming me for making the world too small?’

“Next, we’ll talk about the game’s expansion pack… I mean how we should widen the new map and how to solve the problem of energy.”