Expectedly, there were no fireworks, no explosions and no other notifications on behalf of the game AI. There was only the pleasant and calming silence which engulfed the entire space around me, letting me know that this was only the beginning of a very long and lonely endeavor.

Since time was frozen, it gave me the opportunity to take things slow and ruminate through the details I was provided so far with. To rush in headfirst without a plan, sounds like a horrible idea to me. Therefore, it will be way better to explore everything else first, as well as prepare mentally for what’s to come.

So let’s see what I know so far:

One, like the game AI already said in the achievement description, this is a competition; therefore haste still holds priority in my future planning. The only thing I’m unsure of, is how exactly I’m I competing with the other Gods, given that each one of the players with Manual Mode selected has their time frozen. Is it the type of ‘frozen for the Automatic Mode players but still ongoing for the others’, or is it like each God having his own pocket dimension in which the time is frozen while the achievements are standard for each one, without holding a need for being the first to do anything…

Since I don’t have enough details about it, I can only speculate and prepare for both options.

Two, there’s a 90% or higher chance, that every God received the same second-last tutorial mission, therefore the same reward. That implies the choice of either using the free purchase or not regarding the acquisition of the Sun, further affecting the choice to ‘import’ Earth’s template. It’s safe to assume that at least 50% of them picked Manual Mode, in order to save funds like I did. I really can’t see anyone using SP to buy both, since that means absolutely no funds left…

But again, that’s still speculation. In the end, if I was to take in consideration that 50% of the people picked the free purchase on the Sun and then another 50% of the same group picked Manual Mode to further avoid using the 100 million soul points, it brings me to at least 25% of the total 1000 players being in the same condition as me, while at least 25% others skipped through both and are left with half of the original funds.

Three, the U.I. (user interface) suffered slight modifications and the World Management received some updates regarding the previous ‘???’ symbols. Now, actual numbers replaced them, proving that I was right about the hints that I might get from the description. After all, as funny as it might be for him, the Reaper wouldn’t let the scales tilt and have me be at a disadvantage when compared with the other players. Now all I need to do is to check exactly what each one of those fields represent and what do I need to do in order to get this show on the road.

Four, if there’s a word or a box that is blinking, shining on and off, it pretty much means that changes occurred to it and new information I didn’t previously checked is now available. The current ‘blinking’ box was the ‘Auction house’.

So, without any further build up, I just lightly tapped it and opened up a new window.

Auction House Store Achievement Store Locked Manual Mode Assistant: 100AP

“Right… the first store should be locked for 500 years or something, so that’s to be expected. The Achievement Store already having one product available however, now that is a welcomed surprise. By the name of it, is even better than what I hoped for…”

Manual mode assistant:

Containing the knowledge accumulated on Earth since the beginning of it, it will prove itself as a useful tool capable of assisting the player through the creation of his/her world.

Being able to provide insights, as well as tips and tricks that will become shortcuts when starting the world from scratch, it is highly advised to have it purchased by both Automatic Mode players and especially the ones playing on Manual Mode.

Cost: 100AP

And there it was: my hallelujah! My Hail Mary! My Eureka moment!

“It really seems that the useless game God kept his word regarding evening out the playfield for everybody. Now I might actually be able… to… do…this???”

My reverie and exuberant self had a bucket of cold water poured on them, as I felt the boundaries of my ‘room’ shaking violently and with them a secondary Sun, brighter than the original one I bought using my ‘get a free ice-cream’ card, appeared in the right corner of it… right above me.

Surprised (understatement of the year) by the sudden occurrence, I moved slightly closer to it and I realized once in front of the stupidly strong source of light, that I didn’t have a problem in staring directly at the otherwise blinding thing. On the contrary, I saw clearly a door being opened, thing that rattled my cage quite a bit, but also had me calm down quite a bit, since my newly created world won’t suddenly explode and leave me standing there like a complete idiot.

If this sudden appearance was shocking, the following scene made the soul almost escape my body: a leg passed through the ‘door’!

The highly feminine body part revealed itself starting with the small toes painted in a burning red color, continuing as a bare foot with glistening fair skin, creating an incredibly erotic sculpture before the entire body even arrived. It made one think that if shown herself to other mortals, this beauty about to honor myself with her presence, will make anyone drop to their knees in worship.

I gulped loudly and watched as, slowly, almost teasingly, a similar bare thigh made its way inside, leaving me enraptured and thinking to myself that any profane thoughts would be sacrilegious, however absolutely impossible not to possess them.

Interrupting myself from enjoying the new fetish I just discovered I favored quite severely, I felt both ashamed and rather expectant for the remaining things to arrive. I mean, I have seen naked women before, however such mouth-watering skin color and beauty was rare to non-existent back on Earth, therefore I have no built-in resistance towards it. That much I was certain of!

“Oh my dear useless game God, I am not sure if you’re trolling me or not, but the thighs are reaching divinity levels and the following parts are next…”

Unsure if I should turn around and miss out the most important thing in my entire life, I just sat there conflicted… that until the light intensified and by reflex I closed my eyes, making me immediately curse inwards at my own stupidity and forcing them back open. A pair of piercing brown eyes stared back into my own, making me draw a breath of cold air at the sudden appearance. Also…

[Greetings! I am the Goddess of Time and Fate Aethernithas. I have arrived at thy divine domain… in order… in order to… apologies, but if may I inquire, why is thee so displeased to see this one?](Aethernithas)

Oh shit! It showed on my face!? What!? I can’t help being disappointed given that I’ve missed on her… entry. Plus that she’s fully dressed now… except for the legs apparently.

A dark knee-length dress embraced her curvaceous body, blessed with outrageous hips, a tight waist that one could easily wrap one arm around and a voluptuous bosom, that was neither too big, nor too small… just a perfect God-like body!

Golden locks of flowing sunlight seem to caress her shoulders, as her right hand passed through them, making me realize that it was in fact her hair. A slender neck with the same fair milky skin, small red lips slightly parted into a smile revealing her pearly white teeth, while a pair of brown eyes that were as mesmerizing as the night sky, curiously sized me up.

How could such beauty even exist!? It makes it impossible to compare with any other woman I’ve seen in my entire life, having them fall short by a rather big amount. She’s a goddess that’s gorgeous to an impossible degree! Only one night and… Wait! Goddess!? Shieeeeeet!

It was quite obvious if I wouldn’t have been thinking with the wrong head for this entire time… I can only hope I can recover from this bad first impression she already has about me… but only if she can’t read minds…

“Apologies milady! This one is called Michael Corbett and I serve in this game as a God of Chaos. Please don’t be mistaken as I am not even slightly displeased by seeing such a celestial beauty as yourself. On the contrary, I was merely taken aback by your sudden appearance since I wasn’t aware that it was possible to meet other Gods once the game began.”

“Motherfucker, that was an Oscar worthy performance! Ten points for the save!!!”

[Oh? Was it not because you didn’t get to see me naked?](Aethernithas)

I almost chocked with a mouthful of inexistent air when I heard that. No save! It was an out…

“So it was on purpose? I must admit that knowingly or not, I would gladly be tricked again…”

Someone once said that if a lie doesn’t work, the truth will always save your ass! Or something among those lines…

[Hehe! I like myself an honest God.](A)

A pleasant girlish giggle, as clear as a flowing mountain river echoed through the ‘divine domain’. Yup! I’ll have to thank Reaper later for this…

[Eh? Did you say that you are the God of Chaos?](A)

“Indeed miss. Is there a problem?”

[While I don’t spend as much time with my divine brothers and sisters, I am knowledgeable of every one of them that ever came into existence, as well as those that faded with the passing of time. You however, I hold no recollection of. Since you are here, the administrator vouched for you, meaning that you are genuine, but I still can’t feel proper divinity from you. Why is that?](A)

“That is to be expected given that I am not a proper God. Not in the actual sense of it, I guess…”

[Care to explain?](A)

I could swear that her eyes twinkled for a second, as soon as I let that one slip. The fact that she demanded an explanation, as politely as she did, still didn’t give me enough courage to refuse. We’re talking about an actual Goddess here! She might be hot, but she can still probably wipe me out of existence as easy as flicking a finger.

Also, this curious look of hers is diabolically cute. I’m not as cold-hearted as to refuse… but I’m not as soft hearted as to give out information to an actual competitor of mine for free.

“While I don’t mind storytelling, since this game began I must get started with the creation of the world, since I found myself in quite the need for achievement points for the future.”

[That’s probably fine though…](A)

“Bingo! There we go!”

“I’m sorry?”

[You are the only one that chose the Manual Mode, or so it seems. All others are locked in time currently and it will only resume once you finish your quest.](A)

Eh? Did this celestial beauty just say that I’m the only moron that picked the Manual Mode? Why!? Did I make a mistake somehow by choosing this option!? Are there hidden risks to it!? I was both slack-jawed and utterly anxious about this revealed piece of information.

“And you…”

[Same as them. But I’m the Goddess of Time. How can I be locked by that which I rule over?](A)

“…but…why? Was it a mistake to select this mode? Why I’m I the only one!?”

[Nah, I can speak for the others when saying that it was too much of a drag to create the world from scratch. Meaning that we were too…](A)

“Lazy? Hahahah! Uwah… thought I fucked up there for a second. So? Should I expect others to visit as well?”

[Nope, just me. The others are time-locked, something like a deep sleep for them. Helps conserve divine power and stuff. Now my question. Please!] (A)

“Sure…”