Chapter 1: The Creator

Yawan opened his eyes and found himself in a strange, otherworldly place. He looked around, bewildered, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was going to bed after a long day at work. How had he ended up here?

"Welcome, Yawan," a voice boomed. "I have been waiting for you."

Yawan spun around to face the source of the voice. Before him stood an imposing figure, taller than any man he had ever seen. The figure was shrouded in a cloak of darkness, but Yawan could feel its power emanating from every fiber of its being.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Yawan asked, his voice trembling with fear.

"I am the Creator," the voice replied. "And you are in my realm."

Yawan couldn't believe what he was hearing. The Creator? Was this some kind of dream? But everything around him felt too real to be a dream.

"Why am I here?" he asked.

The Creator chuckled. "You are here because you are my son, Yawan."

Yawan's eyes widened in disbelief. "Your son? But how is that possible?"

The Creator explained, "I created clones of myself because I'm bored, and you were the son of one of my clones. So isn't it possible to count you as my son, right?"

Yawan struggled to wrap his head around the idea that he was the son of the Creator. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Seeing Yawan quite dumbfounded, the Creator let out a deep, rumbling laugh. "I created clones of myself because I can, I want it, whatever you say, Yawan. And with that, there are many of my clones out there; some have sons like your father, some have daughters, children, even grandchild, grand-grandchild, and you just happen to be the son of one of my clones."

Yawan's eyes widened in shock.

"So, I'm not entirely human? But how is that possible?" Yawan asked in disbelief.

"No, you are not," the Creator replied. "As my 'son', you had inherited a portion of the Creator's divine power that should be his, making you a god yourself."

Yawan was speechless. He had always felt like he was meant for something greater, but he never imagined that he would be a son of God.

"I don't understand," Yawan said, still trying to make sense of it all. "Why did you create clones of yourself?"

The Creator spoke in a deep voice. "I created them to help me create and shape the universe. It was too much for one person to handle alone. After all, I, myself, am not an omnipotent being."

Confused by the word the Creator said, Yawan asked, "Then if you are not an omnipotent being, then who? Aren't you the Creator?"

"Haha, The One." That's the true Creator; even me and any other being named Creator have been created by him, and only he is the beginning and the end, the true immortal God, he who created everything. Remember that name, Yawan, for you cannot belittle him," the Creator says simply.

Yawan was dumbstruck. He had never believed in gods or divine beings, and the idea that he could become one himself seemed preposterous. And hearing that even the Creator himself was created by another being makes him even more speechless. How big the world is!

"Well, I have summoned you to this realm to bestow upon you a gift. You have been chosen to become a god, and I will grant you a portion of my divine power just like I said before."

Yawan suddenly felt that he was filled with unbelievable power. He, who was just an ordinary human, now feels like a superhero who can punch meteors to destruction, and his strength continues to grow.

The Creator continued. "You now have the power to create and shape worlds, to bring life into existence, and to wield the power of the universe at your fingertips. You are no longer bound by the limitations of mortality."

Yawan felt a thrill of excitement and fear wash over him. The power the Creator had bestowed upon him was overwhelming, and he had no idea how to use it.

The Creator paused a bit, seeing Yawan try to feel the power he bestowed, and then said something just like it was a matter of fact. "It's just a fraction of my power. Not even 1% of it, so it's not a big deal, so you have no worries. And worry not; as long as you continue to use your power, it will also grow stronger and stronger. And again, remember you are not the only one, so don't be too proud or you will suffer in the future."

"Maybe someday you will meet them, though who knows?" Says the Creator again with a nonchalant voice, it's just like he says, who cares? It's not my problem.

"..." Speechless, Yawan doesn't know how to respond. But well, who knows, The power is his, and as for who gets it, Yawan cannot do anything except accept it with open arms. And for the other being who also got the same power as him, it's for the future for him to worry; for now, all he can do is immerse himself in the thought of having the unimaginable power he just got, which is thrilling to say.

"But I don't know how to use these powers," he said. "I don't even know where to begin."

The Creator smiled. "That is something you will have to learn, Yawan. It will not be easy, but I have faith in you. Use your powers wisely, grow, and you will create something that will stand the test of time. Although I don't care for what the power you got was used for, it's you anyway."

With those words, the Creator disappeared, leaving Yawan alone in his new world, which is now just a void without anything but darkness. Yawan looked around, feeling a mix of wonder and terror. He was a god now, with the power to create and shape worlds.

But that fear turns into joy; he is exhilarated with his newfound abilities. He felt like a child in a candy store, but instead of candy, he had access to divine power. He had to learn how to control this power before he could fully wield it.

Power to create worlds and to mold and shape them as he saw fit. Yawan couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had always felt powerless in his previous life, but now he was a god with limitless potential.

But unfortunately, Yawan was not like other gods who were born into godhood, so they could wield their power naturally, just like their arms. Yawan was a mortal who had been elevated to the status of a god. This meant that he had to learn how to control his power and master it.

And then an idea crosses his mind. The power of god that can create everything—isn't it the same as playing god? Dang, this makes him excited.

With this power, he can do anything, right? Anything he wanted but could not do in his previous life is just at his fingertips at this point.

"Well, let's learn how to use this power first before doing something great, hehe," Yawan says with a creepy smile.

Scratching his hair, Yawan took a deep breath and muttered, "How do I use this power?"

While thinking, Yawan stroked his chin, which had become a habit he picked up while playing games and working as a programmer.

He tried to feel the power that now ran through his body. His body felt strong—much stronger than his original body. Well, it cannot be said how strong it is, but it's super strong, just like the difference between heaven and earth.

Yawan felt that if he wanted to, a galaxy would be destroyed with the touch of his finger. And it wasn't just his feelings or imagination, because now he had the power that he had gotten from the Creator before. This power could create something out of nothing, and it also had the power to destroy whatever had been created into nothingness.

After a moment of thought, Yawan, who seemed to have received a revelation from the sky, tapped his forehead dramatically.

"Aha, now I understand! To use this power, I just have to imagine what I want to make and channel my power to make it, right? Then I have to imagine the process on how the universe was formed! Hoho, I'm such a genius!"

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and focused his mind. He then remembered the book he had read, The Theory of the Big Bang. Maybe he can start with that?

He can try.

He could feel the power coursing through his veins like a river of energy waiting to be unleashed.

And then "Pufft," failed.

"Err, it seems hard." Yawan smiled wryly.

He then started again, now with something small, something easy, and something he was familiar with. He started picturing a small flower in his mind—a dandelion he usually picked in his childhood. With a flick of his wrist, he brought the flower into existence, watching as it bloomed before his eyes.

Yawan smiled, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment. He had a long way to go before he could create something truly remarkable, but he was off to a good start. With the power of the Creator behind him and the potential to do great things, Yawan set out to explore this new world, eager to see what wonders he could create.

Yawan practiced what he had learned, and over time, he grew stronger and more confident in his abilities. He learned to channel his power through his mind, and he could shape his creations with ease.

Yawan was amazed at what he had accomplished. He thinks it's enough that he has warmed up, and now he can start to create his own world, or maybe he can start with creating a small planet? Well, let's try.

As Yawan tried to make sense of it all, he felt a surge of energy flow through him. He closed his eyes and focused on the sensation, feeling it spread through every part of his being. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the void around him start to warp and shift, bending to his will.

With a wave of his hand, Yawan created a small planetoid and set it spinning around him. He marveled at the ease with which he could manipulate the raw energies of the universe. He felt invincible and godlike.

He focused his energy on a single point, trying to create a beam of pure energy. At first, nothing happened. But then he felt a surge of power, and a brilliant beam of light shot out from his fingertips. It hit the planetoid he had created earlier, obliterating it in a massive explosion.

Yawan gasped, shocked at the raw destructive force he had unleashed. He tried to reign in his power to make it more precise. He created a small asteroid and attempted to move it with his mind. At first, it didn't budge, but then he felt a surge of energy, and the asteroid started to move.

It was slow at first, but he concentrated and focused his power, and soon it was hurtling through the void at incredible speeds. Yawan laughed with delight, feeling the rush of power and the thrill of discovery.

"Hehehe, so this is the feel of playing World Sandbox in real life!" Yawan says this as he looks at the destruction he has caused on his small planet.

He who created can also destroy.

Playing god? It's not bad.