All Things Exist
Asrie murmured a divine incantation.
A tremendous force radiated outward from her at that instant. Far in the distance, amid the Void, a massive golden radiance flashed.
-Flash!
A sudden burst of light emerged from the Void. It was a brilliant, glowing orb shining with golden light—a colossal sphere the size of a planet.
“This is...?!”
Kim Jihun could only stare in awe at the spectacle unfolding before him. In the pitch-black darkness where nothing existed, a massive golden planet had appeared, rippling with radiant light as it proudly pushed back the Void. In the face of that majestic sight, Jihun felt the utter fragility of humanity.
He trembled with a shiver of awe. To create a planetary orb in an instant—what else could this be but a miracle of the gods! He turned his gaze to Asrie, the Creator God who had wrought this grand miracle in a single moment.
Meeting Jihun's eyes, Asrie declared proudly, as if to say behold.
“This is the initiation of a Creator God: matter creation.”
A fragment of the immense power wielded by great Creator Gods, who govern the existence of all matter. That was matter creation.
Kim Jihun blankly stared at the miracle born of Asrie's power. The orb was enormous, beautiful, and radiant. It brimmed with vitality like Earth, shone as brightly as the sun, and held mysteries like Venus. Overwhelmed by the scene, Jihun couldn't help but refocus on the potential of a Creator God's power.
Will I one day wield such vast power like Asrie?
Jihun found it hard to imagine himself handling such enormous might. He was just an ordinary human; it didn't seem possible. The power Asrie had demonstrated transcended human understanding and imagination by leaps and bounds.
“Let's make a small star system.”
Asrie muttered this and invoked her power several times.
Flash! Flash! Flash!
Brilliant bursts of light erupted in succession, once again painting the Void in vivid splendor. And there, far off, six massive orbs of light had appeared. The orbs floated serenely in the empty Void, scattering radiance in all directions.
“This Void is already a dying universe. That's why matter is drifting farther apart due to the expansion rate,” Asrie explained.
To verify her words, Kim Jihun gazed at the stars floating loftily in the Void.
They're definitely moving away from each other.
This was a universe in another dimension from Earth—one nearing its end, at the brink of accelerated expansion where its lifespan was nearly exhausted. The universe here was expanding at an insane speed, soon to tear apart time and space itself before vanishing.
A universe fated for destruction as it approached annihilation. That was the true nature of the Void.
As if for Jihun to hear, Asrie murmured while gazing at the stars.
“A universe at the end of its lifespan can be reused by recreating space and time. Like this.”
She spread her wings again and chanted another divine incantation.
"Existence is within space."
Rumble...
The entire Void shook, emitting a massive roar. Immediately after, a boundary formed, splitting the star system Asrie had created from the Void like a rift. Beyond the boundary lay only vast darkness, the Void. But within it, the six radiant orbs shone brilliantly.
“I've now separated just the star system from the Void, creating a single space. Even if this dimension's universe perishes, that star system will be protected by my power.”
With that, she chanted yet another grand divine incantation.
"Space flows with time."
Kaboom!
The separated star system began to move little by little. The six massive orbs, floating serenely, started shifting slowly. Gravity took effect, and their radiant glows rippled.
“I've granted time to this isolated star system. And I can accelerate it like this.”
-Whirr...
Asrie waved her hand. The star system obeyed her command, accelerating its motion. The six orbs sped up. The largest one stayed at the center while the other five influenced each other through gravity, beginning to orbit.
The orbital speed increased rapidly until the planets moved at tremendous velocities. Revolving around the central massive orb, the five others followed fixed laws. Some orbited the core, others became satellites of larger orbs. The five orbs moved organically, as if choreographed.
“There. That's the creation of a primitive star system.”
In the space she had crafted, a star system of six orbs now existed. Some were suns, others Earths. Some moons, some Marses and Jupiters, some comets. Mimicking Earth's solar system perfectly, a balanced star system of six orbs was complete.
“That's the power of a Creator God.”
With the star system built, Asrie beamed broadly. Watching her, Jihun felt profound awe well up from deep within. To perform such a grand miracle and smile as if it were nothing—Jihun was reminded anew of the gods' might.
“If there were time, I'd show you 'heaven and earth creation' and 'life creation' too, but you're not ready for that yet. For now, raise your Creation Force, Kim Jihun. I'll teach you the rest when the time comes.”
Asrie placed her hand on Jihun's forehead as she spoke. Feeling her gentle touch, Jihun's eyelids slowly grew heavy.
“Asrie...?”
Jihun seemed to have something to say, but his eyes drifted shut, and he fell asleep.
Asrie gazed at Jihun, floating motionlessly in the Void as if asleep.
“You still have a long way to go.”
She waved her slender hand, opening a spatial rift. Reaching in, she pulled out a book—the very Creator God Manual Jihun possessed.
Asrie smiled faintly at it.
“You're going to be busy from now on, Kim Jihun.”
She placed her hand on the book, imbuing it with her power. Golden light rippled as the book acquired a new function.
“Grow quickly and become my strength.”
Against the backdrop of the star system she'd created in the Void, she murmured this.
...
“Mm...”
Kim Jihun opened his eyes and looked around.
“...My room.”
He lay on his bed in his room. Jihun scratched the back of his head in confusion.
“Can't tell if that was a dream or real.”
Asrie had forcibly put him to sleep, disrupting the continuity of his memories. He couldn't distinguish if the Void scene was reality or imagination.
But Jihun stayed calm.
“Probably real, whatever.”
Since picking up the Creator God Manual, he'd had mysterious experiences that blurred dream and reality. And they had all been real. So yesterday's events were surely real too. Frequent exposure to the unreal made it familiar eventually. Though yesterday's scale was huge.
“Time to get ready for my part-time job.”
Kim Jihun was back in reality from the Void. A repeat test-taker and bookstore part-timer, he prepared to head to work.
“Huh?”
Getting out of bed, Jihun noticed the Creator God Manual on his desk glowing faintly. He'd had it for a while, but it had never glowed gold without his touch. Curious, he opened it.
A new phrase shimmered in golden letters—one he hadn't seen before.
Quest Alert.
“Quest?”
Jihun muttered in disbelief. A quest? Like what NPCs give in games? Tilting his head, he read on.
Quest Alert.
High Creator God Asrie bestows a trial upon Kim Jihun.
Chapter 1: Matter Creation 10 Times.
Reward: Creation Force +1000
Accept?
He read it slowly, then let out a sigh of absurdity.
“Felt this since picking up the Creator God Manual, but this is way too game-like...”
Jihun was a young guy like his peers. No talent for games, but he'd played popular ones before. To him, the Creator God Manual resembled an RPG system—gathering Creation Force, now quests.
“Asrie must love games.”
Muttering, he pondered the quest on the page.
“Matter creation, huh...”
Jihun was already at Creator God initiation. He hadn't created matter yet but knew he could eventually—the knowledge swirled in his mind.
Never lost following the manual. Might as well try.
“Yes. I accept.”
With somewhat reckless curiosity—maybe quests make Creation Force easier, like a game—Jihun accepted.
Linked Quest. Once accepted, cannot be stopped until all linked quests are complete. Are you sure?
“Yes.”
He should have refused then. Jihun would regret this rash choice endlessly later.
Matter creation ten times? Easy.
He had no idea of the grueling path ahead.
...
“Good. He accepted.”
Watching Jihun from her divine realm, Asrie grinned mischievously.
“You don't know yet, Kim Jihun. The hardships awaiting you.”
She chuckled softly. This rare fun she'd found in ages grew even more entertaining, leaving her satisfied.
Asrie wanted Jihun to become a proud Creator God like her. But at his growth rate, it'd take eons. Impatient, she wouldn't wait.
So she planned to share her Creation Force.
Creation Force—the power needed to create. Distinct from divine power, wielded only by elite Creator Gods with the noble talent Creation Talent.
“If not for the Great Law's interference, I'd give it directly.”
But Creation Force was too noble and influential; the Great Law forbade unconditional grants.
So Asrie used a loophole: grant Creation Force equal to trials overcome.
The Great Law guarded against one-sided power flows, especially Creation Force. Thus, she had to give it via trials and rewards.
But
“It's more fun this way.”
She enjoyed watching Jihun toil for it. Grinning, Asrie began observing him intently, anticipating his struggles.