Confirm purchase of 200 Elves: Yes No

“Yes…”

Confirmation received!

200 Elves are being deployed in the previously assigned area.

“Uhm… Mia?”

[Don’t worry master. The area assigned is at the base of the World Tree.](Mia)

“Thank Reaper! I was scared there for a second that they might be split around the world at random. What no…”

Game start!

Good luck all players! Manual Mode override initiated!

Player Michael Corbett, enjoy the experience!

“Huh!?”

A shining light fully covered the entire divine domain and I blacked out for a second. Just like after blinking, I opened my eyes wide and was forced to close them back again due to the strong light. Huh!? I could literally look at and into the Sun a moment ago… what sort of light I’m I bathed in?

I took my time in having my eyes get accustomed with the change and used my right hand to block the ‘sunlight’, while my left hand pushed onto the ground in an effort to raise me to my feet. Realizing something, I gulped in a frightened matter and faced the space under my feet.

“Since when does my divine domain have grass!?”

The undignified, almost girlish voice I let out, somehow brought a moment of clarity and I began to look around me with a superb thirst. A thick forest surrounded me and a shadow was stretching over it in a dominating manner. Once more, I turned my head and regarded the obscenely tall tree that seemed to, indeed, hold the heavens on his branches.

[Master…](Mia)

“Mia… You’re here as we… Wait! Why are you so tall!?”

Leaving aside the fact that she was surprisingly still next to me, the previously adorable child that would’ve probably been mistaken as a 12 years old at best, was now a gorgeous beauty that wouldn’t lose to Eternity. Rather, with her flaming hair and blue eyes, she might actually be a grade above. She was almost as tall as I was, with similar curves to E’s body.

[Master, we seem to be…](Mia)

“On Midgard, right? Ugh… What’s this about?”

[It is Manual Mode override master.](Mia)

“And that is…???”

[Should I bring up the description?](Mia)

“…please do…”

Not bothering to ask why the hell is there a description for something I wasn’t notified about before being randomly tossed in the world I created, I watched Mia wave her hand and bringing up the same blue window interface I saw many times before.

At that point however, I noticed something else which I couldn’t decide if it was heavenly good or hellishly bad…

“Mia…before that, what happened to your ears?”

I made sure the voice I used was calm and collected, but I still squealed like a little pig when I reached the word ‘ears’, which made me feel truly embarrassed. I didn’t notice before, because of her beautiful long hair, but this AI’s ears became pointy and longer… yeah, almost elf-like.

[Is probably because of the override master! I have automatically assumed a form that will be inconspicuous and that would allow me to interact with master’s civilization easier.](Mia)

Not wanting to understand what she meant and doing my best to ignore the reality before my eyes, I stared at the tab Mia brought up for me to see, hoping to find some comfort or escape in it.

Manual Mode override

Created by the game master, this mode maximizes the interaction between creator and creation, while also focusing on providing a first rate experience to the player.

Once engaged, through this mode the player will enjoy the game while being side-by-side his followers, making it easier to directly impact the game and steer it in the direction he/she desires.

The player will still have administrative abilities; however they will be limited to once per day actions in the respective fields for any changes and further limited regarding browsing.

Also, once the transport to the physical world has been confirmed, the required changes will occur as well.

“…”

Sobbing sounds could be heard from a once pseudo-God which was now lying on his ass and hugging his head between his knees. Mia was looking at me full of pity, which didn’t really make me feel any better.

[Master…](Mia)

“…yes?”

[There… there are so many changes…](Mia)

I literally choked and started coughing once I heard that. What do you mean so many changes!? Why can’t I just normally enjoy this shit!? That freaking useless game-God and his uselessly added functions!!!

“What sort of changes?”

[Well to begin with, the user interface has been split in two: the ‘Store’ and the newly added ‘Civilization’.](Mia)

“Store? Civilization? What happened to the World Management?”

[After doing a survey on the world, it seems that the World Tree has been assigned to take over the control functions. So, the requirements such as temperature, pressure, oxygen and all others are currently being monitored by the World Tree. We can still view them due to master’s administrator rights, however there is not a need any more to involve ourselves with them.](Mia)

“Hahahaha! Of course! OF COURSE!!! Now it makes sense! That’s why I got that unusually good reward! This was all planned by that useless game God! I swear I’m gonna bitch-slap his uselessly good looking face all over the universe, until my hands are sore!!!”

After yelling and panting for another 15 minutes or so, I took deep breaths of air (which was rather new, given that I previously had no air to breathe in my domain) and realized that somehow it smelled sweet. That might be a byproduct of the mana being available in the world…

“So I’ve really been brought down on Midgard to play with the rest of the Elves. Hmm? Mia, do I have pointy ears?”

Why I asked and didn’t check for myself? Because my sanity points were absurdly low and I thought I might have a godly mental meltdown if I felt something pointy instead of what I was used with…

[Master looks the same. There are no pointy ears.](Mia)

“Huh!? But, won’t I stand out in that case? How I’m I supposed to mingle with my civilization? I don’t want to be bullied by the people I literally bought and be annoyed up to the point of using lighting to fry them…”

I have to apologize for being bipolar... without noticing I was already having a meltdown...

[Don’t worry master! You will be recognized as one of them and we are the first ones to appear here also. That means that we are here to welcome and guide them.](Mia)

“Isn’t that great? With your capabilities and all knowledge from Earth, we will be able to build up atomic bombs soon, won’t we?”

[I’m afraid not master…](Mia)

“…while I expected that answer, please tell me why not.”

[The technological tree restrictions won’t allow it, unless we managed to research it ourselves. Also, I will only be able to act as your advisor and give out pointers from time to time, or answer your questions regarding knowledge you don’t possess. In order to make the game balanced for players that won’t purchase the ‘assistant ‘pack, I am unable to interfere too much with the gameplay.](Mia)

“What’s with that uselessly balanced setting!? Then, can you become an adventurer as well?”

[No master!](Mia)

“…what about myself?”

[You are free to do anything a normal soul would do. However, keep in mind master that you will start as a LvL 1 soul and once you die you will be removed from your world as a participant and given a heavy penalty. The result of the said penalty could be loss of world levels, or at worse a monster invasion of a high degree.](Mia)

“What’s up with that!? That’s bullshit! I start as a newb and you expect me to survive against who knows how many monsters, while also leading my civilization, but once I fail and die I will be heavily penalized and might even lose a world level?”

[Or have the civilization erased by the monsters…](Mia)

“Not helping!!!”

What’s with this bullshit scenario? Did this game suddenly become protect the VIP? I’m feeling dizzy…

But after calming down and thinking seriously about it, this would be better. Don't I already have a way to make myself ridiculously overpowered?

“Mia, do the original things like Funds and Name still exist in the interface?”

I realized when trying to bring it up that I was unable to do so anymore, therefore asked Mia to. That’s what the description meant in regards to being restricted when it came to decision making and browsing. I didn’t think that I would become literally unable to browse through the goddamn interface as a result.

Anyway, having Mia meant that she could do it instead and to my utmost happiness there it was under the Player subpage: Assign Hero!

“Ahahahaha! You thought you could get me with something like this? Naïve! You’re truly naïve Reaper! Hahahaha!”

Unable to appoint yourself as hero of the world!

“Motherfuc…”

Hero must be selected from the souls migrated to your world!

Please reselect!

I think it was raining… Yeah… it was certainly raining even if the sky was clear and the Sun resplendent. Otherwise, how could you explain the water flowing down my cheeks?

[Master…](Mia)

“I’m fine… Were the other 200 Elves assigned yet?”

[Not yet master. We still have about half an hour until they will be brought here.](Mia)

“Haaah… Please bring up the ‘Store’ interface. Let’s look together at the changes…”

[Yes!](Mia)

Why did I ask her to do that? Because I resigned myself to the fact that I was literally playing Reaper’s game and I didn’t have a way out… So I gave up and decided to focus on something that would allow me to vent some of this anger, like killing some monsters. I really wanted to let loose in a dungeon…

Store Auction House Store Achievement Store Locked -

“Nothing new here. Only the name changed… What about the Civilization one?”

[One moment master.](Mia)

Civilization

Construction Policies Materials available Miracles Social Research Great People Population

I stared in awe at the newly added categories. This… What I’m I supposed to do with it? Judging from the curious look Mia had on her face, she didn’t know anything about it either…

“Ugh… please bring them up one at a time…”

[Yes master!](Mia)

I was glad that at least one of us was hyped about this whole thing…

Construction

Provides the option to decide on the order in which buildings can be built.

Keep in mind that each building provides certain benefits which affect other fields such as Research, Population growth, Production, or even the material gathering speed or amount.

Current Production Points: 0 (Production locked until the first civilization member arrives)

Buildings available: None (Buildings locked until the first civilization member arrives)

While I understood most of the description, for the Production I drew a blank. There was no further description either, but I speculated that it might have something to do with the speed with which something was constructed. Which in turn makes me believe that I can assign my people to different fields in the beginning… This could be interesting.

“Next one Mia!”

[Understood!](Mia)

Social Policies

Mainly used in representing the non-scientific or religious advancements of your society.

Also used to decide the order of cultural advancement, it consists of ten different branches one can chose between and invest in creating a unique civilization.

Each choice can influence a specific field, like for example increasing the amount of Social Policy points, increasing the amount of Faith gained or even improving the Production or Research.

Available social branches:

Tradition Exploration Liberty Commerce Military Navigation Piety Technology Aesthetics World Order Currently the Social Policies are locked and await the first person to join your civilization.

I confirmed that I was unable to further check what either of those meant, however I was certain that I will able to do so as soon as the initial 200 Elves will be brought to Midgard. It looked intriguing and it made me think of the many options I might have in deciding the path my civilization could take. Especially with the Military…

Research

Used to decide the technological advancement, it consists of multiple branching paths one can chose, each one belonging to a specific time.

Once a minimum of technologies have been researched, you can advance to the next era. Each era advancement will provide you with certain benefits.

The current Technology Tree is locked and will be unlocked with the arrival of the first member of your civilization.

Well this… makes sense I guess. What worries me is the mentioning of the word ‘era’, which entails the fact that there will be a starting point… Please don’t make my elves be barbarians that don’t even know how to speak properly…

I brought up the Miracles interface, but to my surprise there was nothing new.

“Well that one hasn’t changed much, excepting the fact that now Faith is incorporated in it. Let’s see the last two Mia.”

[Yes master!](Mia)

Population

Current population: 200 Elves (being migrated and will arrive in 10 minutes)

Your population will begin to grow through natural means, only once the bare minimum conditions have been met.

Only with enough food, a shelter for sleep and rest and sufficient protection will your people begin procreating.

Without meeting the conditions, your population won’t increase through any normal means.

Current growth: 0 ( Growth locked until the first civilization member arrives and the minimum conditions will be met)

You can assign population to specific fields only once per day.

Materials

Required in order to survive and build, different materials can be stored by your civilization.

Starting, available to you are food, wood and stone, while the maximum amount you can stockpile is up to 1000 units of each.

I believed that the last part about Population implies job assignment for the elves. Like for example, having them build something, research a new technology, pray to me and who knows what other options I might have available… As far as materials go, I felt that I should say something about it, but I stopped in order not to rage since it was being so game-like.

I must admit however, that I’m curious about the changes once the populace will arrive. Speaking of which…

Migration of the 200 Elves will begin now.

Location selected previously, confirmed!

Beginning transfer!

With a large tear in the space under the World Tree and right in front of myself and Mia, 200 Elves appeared looking curiously around for a second, after which focusing on the two of us.

Now what!?