After several days of planning, I finally decided that I needed help. Planetary cores work similarly to artificial intelligences: they regulate the necessary changes to ensure life thrives. Values like gravity, atmospheric pressure, oxygen levels, and many others are controlled by cores, always taking their inhabitants into account.
As for me, although I am now a core, I don't want to be thinking about all these details all the time.
That's why I decided I needed an assistant, and what better option than the gem itself? It's the closest thing to an artificial intelligence: it can handle all those physical and biological problems for me… hehe. Honestly, sometimes I'm a genius.
To make it happen, I had to inscribe a formation within my core, using the gem as the formation's nucleus, and then define its parameters. It's very similar to programming.
I learned all this from the information the gem shared with me. Finally, I decided to name the gem Elena, and she would be responsible for handling all those boring, troublesome tasks. I also modified the formation so that she would have the voice of a sensual, alluring woman. Why not? Hehe.
The second task of the day was to define what kind of energy to create. Generally, when a zero-grade planet is about to ascend to grade one, its core is saturated with different types of energy. The one with the highest concentration is the one that is ultimately preserved, while the others act as catalysts to help the planet ascend.
In my case, I only had three types of energy: mana, aura, and soul energy. These would be fused to form the Origin Energy—that's what I decided to call it. If I ever came into contact with other types of energy, fusing them with the Origin Energy would only serve to improve its quality or add new characteristics.
Another important point on my list was the planet's name. Since this planet fuses different types of energy, I decided to call it Genesis. That would also become my name from now on.
A crucial issue was the birthrate of my inhabitants. In this universe, as species ascend—or if they are extremely talented or have very long lifespans—their birthrate decreases exponentially. This represents a serious problem for me, since my inhabitants are my only army. Having too many or too few could mean the difference between survival and destruction.
Therefore, I decided that I could not grant them excessively long lifespans, and their offspring would always be mortal. It doesn't matter if their parents are level-six Ascendants: their children will always be born mortal. However, they would still be highly talented.
But mortal nonetheless.
If they want to strengthen themselves, they must cultivate energy on their own. This ensures that birthrates won't drop drastically, as happens with other species in the universe.
Once all planning with Elena was complete, I prepared to ascend.
The good news was that, once these modifications were recorded in my core, they would become laws of the planet after ascension. The bad news was that I would no longer be able to remove them; at most, I could only modify them slightly.
That's why I had to be prudent when altering my core, because once I ascended, there would be no turning back.
Honestly, I was very nervous. I didn't know if I could succeed. What I was about to do was unique in this universe; yet, it was something I had to do for my future and my survival. If I were ever discovered, I at least hoped to have the means to protect myself.
Genesis: "Elena, what is the probability of success?"
Elena: "The probability of success is thirty percent, Host."
Frankly, those numbers weren't very reassuring. Still, it was far too late to back out.
After a few minutes of silence, reflecting and trying to calm myself, I gradually gathered the necessary courage. My determination strengthened. Overall, if I failed, I would simply die… something that, in a way, had already happened before.
Genesis: "Elena, initiate the ascension process."
Elena: "Understood, Host."
At that moment, the planet began to tremble. The winds grew violent, the oceans churned chaotically, and the volcanoes started erupting.
My core—the very source of my existence—emitted a blinding, intense glow. Then I felt something familiar… pain. Intense pain.
It was as if I were being torn apart from the inside.
Elena: "Ascension at twenty percent."
Elena: "Ascension at thirty percent."
As Elena announced the progress, I could barely pay attention. Cracks began forming on the surface of my core, and I had to focus on stabilizing them before it was too late.
Elena: "Ascension at forty percent."
.
.
.
Elena: "Ascension at eighty percent."
I had never felt time move so slowly. Every second was torture. On the surface, the animals were terrified; as I neared ascension, they suffered the most, aside from me. The weather and tremors only worsened it.
Elena: "Ascension at ninety percent."
Elena: "Ascension at ninety-five percent."
Elena: "Ascension at ninety-eight percent."
Elena: "Ascension at ninety-nine percent."
Elena: "Ascension complete. One hundred percent."
Upon reaching one hundred percent, my consciousness blurred…and I fell into a deep sleep.