1 What's up? (1)

Hey all, bored High God Andy up in hell... I mean heaven calling in to report!

____________________________________

Today was supposed to be like any other day. Wake up promptly at 6:00 am. Lay in bed for exactly 15 minutes. Throw the covers off, hop into the shower for exactly 15 minutes again. Turn off the shower and dry myself off in a minute. Begin brushing my hair while checking up on what I missed on the internet while I slept for promptly 3 minutes. Afterwards, head to the kitchen and begin making breakfast and eat. By the time everything was done, the time would be exactly 7:00 am. Afterwards I would head to work.

But today was slightly different. How was it different? For starters, I woke up at 6:01am. One minute off from my waking schedule. Meaning I only had 14 minutes to slack off in bed. And from there, my day became steadily worse. Take a shower for 15 minutes? Nope, took 20 minutes. Why? The shower took more time to heat up. Why? I don't know, perhaps my neighbor used all the hot water? Use 3 minutes to catch up with the world? Nope, used too much time with the shower and only had 2 minutes to play catch up. Now normally, I would have 26 minutes for breakfast, but because I used too much time beforehand, even this had to be shortened. I left promptly at 7:00 am. All would be fine now right? No. In the end I was still late for work. The train was off by 30 seconds. Causing me to be late. By 30 seconds. Stupid train.

But the news just gets worse. Just as I was preparing to leave work promptly at 6:00 pm. I was told to stay overtime. Why? Because the new addition to the team was still adjusting, and what did that mean? It meant that I, as the most senior worker in the project would have to stay behind and help. And help I did, I left the building at the exact time of 8:22 pm. Why couldn't it be an even number? 8:22? If there was another eight minutes tacked on everything would be fine, but no, it couldn't be 8:30pm. Eight twenty fucking two. So I dealt with it and headed home like usual. But no, at the time when I entered the train at 8:30:45 pm (The train was late 35 seconds and it took 10 seconds to get on the train) the lights began flickering. Flickering lights isn't bad right? No, it's pretty bad because after the flickering lights and screaming and the feeling of something warm on my face I woke up in a white area with absolutely nothing around.

"Well fuck, I can't go to work now. What the hell, world?"

Taking another glance around, everything really is white, as in blindingly white as if it were the only color, and this sensation of pressure bearing down grew stronger and stronger before a shattering sound like a pane of glass was heard and suddenly I was falling through space.

"Holy shit, world, please calm down".

And before I could react I had landed on a fluffy cloud that happened to right in place before a throne made of gold gilded quite elegantly in fact with silver. Upon this elegant throne sat an old man with a dead aura.

"Welcome, young one, I am the First God Aldor"

"And my name is fuck you" I responded.

The old man coughed into his hand. Probably surprised at my rude remark. But I really didn't have time for this. If I didn't get home in time within the next hour I would be behind schedule for dinner and thus be late for bed. Which could consequently lead to me being late yet again for the next day. Meaning I had to leave whatever place this was and get back to where I was previously.

"What's up with this solid cloud? Are you done scamming me yet? Can I go home yet? Yes? Thanks" I say. I nod my head in fake thanks and walk backwards while the dead man stares in shock.

"Wait! Wait aren't you curious as to how you got here? Or what your new duty could possibly be?"

"No, not really, I have work tomorrow after all."

"Yes that's it! I'm offering you another job position!" The slightly less dead man shouted, as if this were his only life line. "Yes, your new job position is to be a High God".

"A job position where I'm a High God? Alright, I'm listening, what benefits are there? What responsibilities?" Honestly, this sounds like a load of shit, but if listening to whatever lies this man has means I can leave, I'm all ears. The man pats his chest as if he's reassured. Which I wouldn't be, because what I said before reeked of lies.

"As a High God you are responsible for the management of one of the many universes within the dimension that I, the First God Aldor, created"

"Right... And how am I capable of this position? Last I remember I was a human being working a simple job" I responded.

"Well, yes, you were human, but you've been reborn as a higher being in a different dimension"

"Right..." Yeah this sounds like a scam. "Can you give me any evidence that I've been reborn?"

"Well" Sputtered the dead man. "Well before you came here, what do you remember?"

"I remember flickering lights before a splash of some sort of warm liquid on my face, entering a white space and falling here"

"Yes, that's exactly what being reborn is like" said the dead man excitedly. Which I don't understand, how do those events correlate with being reborn? Sure, some people might be persuaded to believe that the white space is some sort of border between their previous and next life, but really. Isn't that too cliched? And virtual reality is perfectly capable of replicating that exactly. Now, if he had explained that the brief splatter of warm liquid on my face was some sort of indication of my death I would be more inclined to believe him, but he didn't say any of that. He only said 'yes, that's exactly what being reborn is like'. So in saying so, he could be saying that only those who feel something warm on themselves before finding themselves in a white space and falling through the skies find themselves reborn. But since we're already on the topic of cliches for being reborn. What about the people who are just numb at their time of death? Where they only feel cold as their blood seeps out of them? How would they then feel this 'warm liquid' before the white space? All in all, this smells of bullshit. But I've no idea how to return, or if this is a dream. How to exit it.

"Alright" I say, "if I really was reborn, why should I take the responsibility to manage a universe?"

"Well, a couple of the benefits of being a High God is immortality, and also being the one strongest being in your universe?"

"Right... But only the strongest for that specific universe, which means that there are stronger universes out there".

"Well, yes. There are other universes out there, but being invaded is extremely uncommon, it's unlikely that you would be killed". And there's the discrepancy. He said that as a High God I would attain immortality, but if I were capable of being killed by a stronger being, that doesn't really count as immortality.

"Let's say that I was reborn, and that I accept being a High God, which universe am I in charge of?" I really do have to play this out to the end don't I... I wonder when I can go home?

"Seeing that you've just begun your career as a High God, I would likewise assign a newly formed universe to you, the inhabitants should just barely be sapient"

"And what would this inhabitants' physical features consist of?"

The dead man coughed.

"That's... being decided... You know what? If you accept this position, I'll allow you to create this race". That just smells of deceit.

"My final question then. How the fuck do I get home?"

The old man begins sputtering again. Did you really think I would accept whatever bogus position this is? I'm not a young man wishing for a different life. I'm not jumping for a different world, I'm quite happy with my own, thank you very VERY much.

"You can't".

"What the hell? What do you mean I can't?"

"This is a different dimension, have you heard of parallel dimensions?"

"Yes".

"Think of this world as a parallel dimension. The only beings capable of tearing out dimensional rifts are gods of my level. Being the First God of a dimension".

"It's not possible to build up my own power to reach this so called level?"

"No".

"Excuse me, I want to re-roll as a First God instead of a High God". The dead man stared at me for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"You're joking right? You really think you can kill yourself and be reborn as a High God?"

"You don't think I can't kill myself to go back to my own world?"

"That would be impressive yet at the same time incredibly stupid and impossible".

I sigh. And take a step off the ledge and fall for exactly 25 seconds before landing on the cloud before the so called First God. Fine. Seems I can't kill myself to leave the dream or to reroll.

"Fine. Is there a contract I have to sign?"

"No, no there isn't, I don't actually care about what you do with your universe, you just have to make sure it thrives, as the overall power, be it scientific or magical, of your universe rises, so too does your own personal power. Let us begin creating your universes first sapient race".

I sigh, but for now, the only thing I can do is nod. And if this is a dream, then I'm sure my own subconscious will wake me in time to get off the train to get home assuming the train doesn't run into delays.

"Well, how do I begin making this new species?"

"Err... Right, what was your name again?"

What the hell?

"It's Andy".

"Yes, right of course. Andy, I now appoint you as the High God of the universe Apothia". After his simple statement, my entire body freezes up as light begins to radiate from my entire being and I feel the skeletons and muscles in my body shifting before a terrible ripping sound is heard and two wings I assume gracefully opened up behind me. Bringing them close I can see that my assumed wings are actually just bones with muscles intertwined. Quite disgusting to be fair.

Soon after, the First God brings me to an alter.

"This is where you will create your sapient creature". Really? Because this looks like that place in the spore game from a while ago. But enough chit chat. Let's think for a moment. The so called First God mentioned that my own power is related to the technological or magical progress of the universe. Which means I need something that is good in both aspects. Whatever aspects magic needs in any case. Not that it matters, but the other thing is important. If my power is tied to the universe, what happens when they all die? Do I become powerless? Or the better question. When the are powerful enough, can't I reach the power of a First God? So it seems that I'll take this seriously. In case this isn't a dream.

"So... How do I make it? You aren't giving me any instructions on how to use this".

"Oh, well, your will is reality. You are a High God after all".

I sigh again.

"Can other people transmigrate into my universe?"

"They can".

Alright, great. I've got a great idea. I'll just make the base human. But because my universe is tied to the overall power... I'll incorporate... Cultivation into this human with the focus being on the brain. In this case, as they grow stronger, they become smarter. No stupid people who go killing around willy nilly. And because they'll be physically weak, I'll make it so that people can drink the blood of animals to steal DNA... But the amount of DNA absorbed will be tied to their power level so they have to be smart.

Okay, that should take care of the magic and technology portion of my universe. What else should I add...

______________

I've made an abomination. I had too much fun and the creature ended up having five pairs of legs with mouths at the end of four arms. Two arms have hands but one hand has an eye and the other has a nose. I really feel like making this my creature just to see how it survives... But no, I'll be reasonable and convert it back to the original human format...

Let's see, enhancing the brain using the energy known as mana to release psychic powers? Check.

An establishment of power system names for species to grow stronger? Check.

An establishment where only intaking blood increases the DNA count of a person? Check.

An establishment of empathy so being empathetic is hard coded into the species? Check. This way any transmigrators would be quite obvious...

An establishment of curiosity so species will naturally begin advancing in technology? Check.

I feel like I've made this a bit too confined, but who cares? If this is a dream, I'll wake up and if this isn't a dream. It's not like I made them have 15 pairs of legs with only one eye.

"I'm done".

"Oh you are? I thought you were going to choose the abomination from earlier".

"No, I'm not that bored. Now how do I go to this new universe?"

"I will send you" and with that, I'm wrapped up in some sort of hold, a somewhat distorted hand grips me, and suddenly the sound of shattering glass is heard and suddenly I'm sitting in a silver throne gilded in gold. Before me lays a vast expanse of stars as far as the eyes can see. I can instinctively tell where my modified humans are. They're in a solar system to my right, orbiting a blackhole. But by the time the solar system is swallowed, millions, or a better measure would be trillions, of years would have passed.

Looking around me, the only thing around is this throne. The dead man mentioned that my role is to manage this universe, but honestly I'm not sure how. Do I have to make some sort of river of afterlife for the dead?

But you know what, I'll do it. I'll make the most outrageous universe there is while making the sapient species stronger. And if increasing my power level to escape is impossible, I can always invade other universes in this dimension. I'll kill and destroy other High Gods until I'm deemed detrimental to this dimension and I get kicked back to my own. The dead man mentioned that people can transmigrate through dimensions, so it seems that souls can defy the dimension barrier rule? But since I'm already set on invading others...

Eventually someone strong enough will kill me. Probably.

But I've no idea how to invade other universes… I think my best course of action is to wait for someone to invade, copy their style, see if they're strong enough to kill me. If not, kill them and then begin invading other universes.

I can also see if anyone transmigrates, and after they die I can watch how their soul travels. At least, I think I can watch their souls, I am supposedly a High God after all…

But both ideas involve me being passive, not something which suits my style.

So for now, the plan will be to acclimatize myself to the environment and my body. Then spend time improving the modified humans.