The Divine School had always been a fortress of tradition.
Its curriculum was built on ancient rites, sacred hierarchies, and the belief that gods must be worshipped to wield power. Students were trained to build temples, recruit priests, and craft doctrines. Infrastructure was considered mortal work—beneath divinity.
But Adrian had shattered that model.
His Internet system had spread across kingdoms, empowered mortals, and generated Divine Power at unprecedented rates. He hadn't demanded worship. He had offered value. And the world had responded.
The Council of Ascension reconvened.
This time, not to judge Adrian—but to reform the school itself.
Dean Solenne opened the session with a simple statement: "We must evolve."
The reforms were sweeping.
Curriculum Overhaul: Infrastructure design, user engagement, and divine systems engineering were added as core subjects. Students now studied feedback loops, incentive modeling, and adaptive blessings.
Mortal Collaboration Track: A new program allowed divine students to partner with mortal developers, scholars, and strategists. Joint projects were encouraged. Mortal insight was no longer dismissed—it was prized.
App Development Studio: The school built its own divine sandbox, allowing students to prototype apps, simulate user behavior, and test blessing mechanics in real time.
Ascension Metrics Update: Worship volume was no longer the sole metric. Influence, stability, scalability, and ethical impact were added. Gods who empowered mortals were now ranked higher than those who demanded obedience.
Adrian was invited to teach a guest lecture.
He stood before a packed auditorium—divine students, mortal interns, and faculty members. He didn't preach. He presented.
He showed how the Internet had adapted to culture, scaled across borders, and turned users into creators. He explained how Divine Power could be generated through engagement, not fear. He demonstrated how infrastructure could be sacred.
The students listened in awe.
Some took notes. Others asked questions. A few began sketching app ideas on their screens.
Adrian left the lecture with a quiet smile.
He hadn't just built a system.
He had changed the syllabus.