The light faded.
Ethan gasped as the System interface distorted into a storm of red warnings. Fragments of code rained across the void, dissolving into static before he could read them all.
> [Unauthorized Protocol Engaged.]
[Violation of Core Law Section 07.]
[Replication in progress — containment priority α.]
"Containment?" he said, staring into the turbulence. "I didn't even do anything yet!"
But he had. Somewhere inside the lattice of Root Space, a copy of Aion-01 was forming—an identical world, every molecule duplicated, every spark of life mirrored.
> [World Duplication — Progress 82%.]
[Integrity : Unstable.]
The very air hummed. Threads of golden light coiled through the void, weaving a cage around him. A single glyph appeared in front of him—cold, geometric, inhuman.
> [CORE MONITOR ONLINE.]
A voice followed, mechanical and utterly detached.
"Architect Ethan Vale. You have breached Creation Protocols. Identify intent."
Ethan swallowed. "Intent? I was experimenting!"
"Experimentation without authorization is forbidden. Prepare for deletion."
___
He barely had time to react. A lance of white energy fired toward him, scorching through the black. He raised his hand instinctively, forming a barrier of raw faith energy. The blast slammed into it, shaking his divine core.
> [Faith Energy - 700.]
"Okay," he hissed. "So that's how we're playing it."
He snapped his fingers. The replicated world—Aion-02—flared into existence fully, the duplication completing a heartbeat before the Monitor's attack hit again. The shield cracked; Ethan staggered but stayed standing.
> [Duplication Complete.]
[Aion-02 Status: Instable (60% Stability).]
Two worlds now glowed below him, tethered by streams of blue light. Energy poured between them chaotically, feedback arcs bursting across the void. The Monitor turned its attention to the newborn planet.
"Unauthorized instance detected," it droned. "Purging copy."
"No you don't!"
Ethan dove into Aion-02, his divine presence piercing the atmosphere like a meteor. He landed in a crater near a familiar city—Vaelion—but subtly wrong. Towers stood higher, the architecture sharper, infused with faint arcane light.
The copy had evolved differently already.
___
The ground quaked. A vast beam from the heavens speared the horizon, burning through forests and mountains as it descended toward the capital.
> [Divine Intrusion Detected.]
[Source: Core Monitor Projection.]
Ethan spread his consciousness wide. Every mind in the world flickered before him—millions of mortals looking up in terror. His power resonated with their fear.
"Faith," he murmured. "Let's turn that into a weapon."
He invoked Divine Link. Energy surged up from the people, golden threads connecting to his essence.
> [Faith Energy +2 400.]
He shaped the energy into a barrier, vast and radiant, covering the city. The beam hit, roaring like thunder, and shattered against the shield.
The ground turned molten.
When the light cleared, the capital still stood. Smoke drifted upward. The people dropped to their knees, crying his name.
> [Faith Energy +3 800.]
[Title Unlocked: Protector of Reflection.]
Ethan smiled grimly. "Guess I just passed the test."
___
In the void above the world, the Core Monitor paused. Its once-steady light flickered uncertainly.
"Resistance exceeds parameters," it said. "Initiating Analysis Protocol."
A ripple of static swept through Aion-02. Ethan felt it like a migraine, each pulse scanning every atom.
He focused, sending commands through the System interface. "If you're analyzing, I'm upgrading."
He opened System Shop again. New options blinked into existence, triggered by his unique circumstance.
___
[DIVINE SHOP — ANOMALY ACCESS UNLOCKED]
Available Upgrades (Anomaly Tier):
Mirror Core (1 000 DE): Stabilizes duplicated world.
Faith Relay (800 DE): Links energy between two worlds.
Divine Protocol Mask (1 500 DE): Hides presence from Core Monitors.
___
"That last one looks useful."
He spent everything.
> [Divine Protocol Mask Activated.]
[Signature Obscured — Monitor Visibility: 0%.]
The moment the upgrade completed, the sky shimmered—and the Monitor's gaze vanished. The beam of light withdrew, fading into the void.
> [Pursuit Aborted.]
[Anomaly Status — Undetermined.]
Ethan exhaled, exhaustion catching up to him. His divine form trembled slightly from the energy drain.
He rose slowly, looking over Aion-02—the world that should not exist, yet did.
Two planets. Two civilizations. Twice the faith. Twice the risk.
He smiled. "Let's see how long I can balance this."
___
Back in Root Space, lines of data converged into a single point, recording his every move. Far away, unseen by Ethan, Seraphis watched the footage through a translucent crystal of light.
The golden-winged god's expression was unreadable.
"So, you truly duplicated a world," Seraphis murmured. "You've caught the Core's eye already. Reckless… but brilliant."
He turned toward the empty dark where countless other gods stirred in curiosity.
"The Pantheon will want to meet you soon, Ethan Vale. Whether you wish it or not."
Light folded around him, and he vanished, leaving only faint golden dust that drifted through the void like fading stars.
___
> To be continued…