[After analyzing the data in the simulation, based on the specifications given I decided to arrange the world as follows: there will primarily exist only two main continents that each can support between 4-7 billion people, surrounded by water making up to 78% of the planet’s surface, which would ensure perfect balance between oxygen consumption at the peak of humanity and the oxygen generated through underwater plant-life. Like requested, out of the two continents, the smaller one will be able to support a civilization up to a total of 5 billion people, while the second one can at max reach 9 billion. Any smaller and the balance will be broken, any bigger and the smaller one will be required to be split into multiple islands. In that scenario, we will also need to take in consideration higher oxygen consumption/creation in the future, in order to maintain the purity of the atmospheric air.](Mia)

“No, that’s fine! What’s the new estimated timeframe for pressure and oxygen requirements to be met after the change?”

[50 years in Midgard time, give or take a few months. Should I proceed with the structure remodeling master?](Mia)

“Please do!”

The same holographic projection appeared once more and Mia began fiddling with it. First notable thing that occurred was the raise of two humongous masses of earth above the rest while the surroundings have been flattened like a pancake.

Secondly, blue streaks began converging, following where her small fingers traced lines on the newly designed continents. Watching this AI look like a child in pre-school taking art classes, I also curiously gazed at the valleys created around the continents in order to easily have water gather in a single spot. Not only that, but inland as well, small ponds, bigger lakes and even impressively long and intricate rivers were giving a new color to the boorish brown ground.

She then turned her head over to me, as if asking for permission to actually make the changes she designed. What I saw on the screen she played with for less than five minutes, was similar to the North and South Pole back on Earth, only that on Midgard they were positioned East and West, connected by an Ecuador line, this time physical, made of actual land mass.

Impressed by the fast pace which would put any architect back on Earth to shame, I nod my head in agreement and handed over to her the rights to implement the changes onto the real thing.

With a small quake that made the domain tremble once again, the genuine brown with streaks of blue globe, covered still in a red colored film, quietly resumed its rotation around the nearby star.

[The changes have been applied master! In 240 years, the planet would have accumulated enough water to sustain the first submerged world-wide ecosystem. Should I skip forward to the point where the pressure and oxygen goals have been met?](Mia)

“Go ahead!”

[Understood! Forwarding 49 years, 11 months and 20 days!](Mia)

After some spinning, there were changes which became visible after each rotation around the Sun. The bright red film covering the planet, slowly changed into a violet and then into a light pink, only to finish as a marine blue, color which remained. That signified that the air was finally humanly breathable.

Major Achievement: Cradle of all Life!

That notification surprised me by the time the 42nd spin completed and I immediately brought it up for all three of us to see and check the description:

Cradle of all Life

Requirements: develop an early life form.

Life reached spring on your world after a long and harsh winter. Watch it bloom into an unstoppable civilization that will withstand the test of time.

Reward: 500AP

[It’s kind of annoying that you got 500AP that easily… I should’ve picked Manual Mode as well…](E)

“Hehe! There’s always a valley after every steep mountain you climb! I always hope that mine is a continuous free-fall in good luck. But truth to be told, this is the first time it actually happened…”

[That’s rather sad…](E)

“It is isn’t it…”

[Master, the fast forward is complete!](Mia)

Mission two completed!

Pressure and Oxygen have been stabilized!

Reward: two World Tree seeds

I looked at the two pebble-sized seeds that materialized in front of me and grabbed at them with my left hand. I opened my fist and glanced curiously at the small things, intrigued by the name they were given and puzzled by the unassuming look they had.

I turned at E which ignored the notification window and shrugged once she saw me asking and just shook her head, while Mia’s eyes were literally glowing like freaking lanterns. I’m not saying that in order to make her look cuter than she already was… I mean that her eyes were literally glowing which kind of spooked me.

“Uhm…Mia? What’s wrong? Are you that happy to see these small things? Do you know anything about them?”

[Yes master! I just read their description and they are very useful. I will connect it to the main system’s interface and bring it up.](Mia)

I chose to ignore the part which sounded like she was planning to hack the main system which created her and focus on the reason for her hype. The same type of feeling I got when seeing the pocket-mines resurfaced, meaning that my Chaos-senses were tingling…

World tree seed

A tree that grows from times immemorial. It thrives if the planet does and the planet thrives if the World Tree does.

Effects: +500% plant evolution rate; oxygen control; mana control.

Restrictions: only one seed can be planted per world.

The tree can increase in levels as it grows older, unlocking further benefits once it reaches maturity.

“…or so it says. I can see why Mia was so happy. Here love, you plant this one on the best spot on Midgard.”

[What…what about the second one?](E)

Seeing this prideful Goddess swallow her pride (quite audible if one might add) and turn as red as a tomato after the question, really surprised me. After all, I was planning to give it away to her as a gift. Why? Because it’s useless to me otherwise and it might actually help me build up an alliance with the oldest God in the game, which also planned to build a world full of demons…

That begs the question:

“Is trade between the two of us possible Mia?”

[Yes master! However do keep in mind that an object or offer of the same value must be provided in return, all in order to maintain fairness and to have the trade recognized.] (Mia)

“I see… and who decides the importance of the counter-offer?”

[…you do master.](Mia)

“Figures… Then Aethernithas, can you promise that you’ll enter a trading alliance with my world, once it’s possible to do so?”

[Just that!? That’s a natural mana regulator you know! It can literally upgrade a world’s level!](E)

“The what now!? The world has levels?”

[Huh? Of course it does… depending on the quantity and quality of the mana present on the planet.](E)

“Nobody told me that…”

[Oh right! Only later on, 500 years once the game begins is the information given to the rest of the players, once the Auction Store becomes available...](E)

“…were you supposed to tell me that? Do other Gods beside you know about it?”

[Oh right… They don’t and I shouldn’t… Oups?](E)

Such a mischievous child Goddess… I guess that settles it then.

Trade window Midgard Muspelheim 1x World tree seed Research and Trade agreement Yes No

Two identical windows appeared before myself and Eternity. We both selected ‘Yes’ without hesitation. Why? Because she was getting a freebie, while I was nurturing a strong ally for the future.

Divine Achievement: Guarding of Life!

The Goddess of Time and Fate turned around like a badly oiled machine to me first and then to the smiling…no, grinning Mia. She looked proud, while us, we looked astonished.

[Divine?](E)

“That’s what it said…”

[Well? What are you waiting for? Open the description already!](E)

“Yes ma’am!”

Guarding of Life: a tall, proud tree holds the heavens on its branches.

The World Tree has been planted on your world and its benefits spread around through its vines in the ground and in the air through its leaves.

Requirement: plant a World Tree.

Award: 5000AP

“Holly sh…”

Divine Achievement: Guardian of Life!

“…”

For a moment there I thought that it might’ve been the echo of the notification from before, however, seeing another smiling Mia but in the adult form this time, I quickly made some connections. And of course…

[Tsk! I also got it for my world, but I got only 2500AP…](E) - she said while loudly clicking her tongue in disappointment

“I’d say that’s good enough though, isn’t it?”

[Way better than nothing!](E)

“Couldn’t agree more! Mia, can you do a close up on the thing? Actually, where did you plant it?”

[Following master’s wish to use the smaller continent as home for the future civilization, I planted it right in the middle of it. Here it is!](Mia)

A live feed of the world appeared again and after zooming in through the clouds of dust, a thin 1 meter tall stick was burrowed in the ground. I blinked twice in disbelief at the severely underwhelming sight…

“Tall and proud tree which holds the heavens, my ass! STICK! That’s a fucking stick!!!”

[Calm down Michael… It’s just a couple of days old in Midgard’s time, what did you expect? It will grow bigger as times goes by and it ranks up each millennia.](E)

“Well sure… it would’ve been strange to actually get an overpowered weapon for my world from the start… Mia, what’s the new estimative timeline for the…”

Mission three initiated: Water and Biomass!

Let vegetation thrive and natural sanctuaries be created! The world should prepare for its first living creatures.

Requirement: meet the Water and Biomass goals.

Reward: unknown

“…nevermind. This one looks tricky… Mia, is there anything we can do to speed up the water level progression?”

[I will look into it master. Analyzing…](Mia)

[Why only water?](E)

“The tree takes care of the biomass part and water itself will help hugely if it reaches the required level. I will focus on one thing since it will automatically help with the other.”

[I guess it makes sense… a bit…](E)

[…simulating…](Mia)

“The only problem is how long is this going to take…”

[Now I understand! That’s why you had the child look into ways to speed up the process. You don’t want to wait…](E)

“…”

[I discovered three possible ways master!](Mia)

“Three? That’s two more than what I had…”

[Huh? You also have an idea Michael?](E)

“Please don’t sound so surprised E… It’s about the newly formed glaciers. There’s no need for them anymore since the temperature already settled. That was one of your solutions as well, right Mia?”

[Correct master!](Mia)

[The other two?](E)

[Because of the ground absorbing the water like a sponge, small seas and underground lakes have been formed. In the long run they will be detrimental for Midgard’s ecosystem.](Mia)

“So your plan is?”

[Connecting them to the lowest geographical point of the planet through channels and have the water gather there.](Mia)

“Just like a drainage system. Sounds good! And the last one?”

[Weather manipulation.](Mia)

“… can you be a little more specific?”

[Of course master! We will limit the water level on the second continent, while we will increase the rain frequency on the main one. The water levels on Midgard will be boosted with 15%, however the second continent will devolve into a dessert, decreasing the biomass level speed by 50%.](Mia)

“What’s the current boost in biomass that the World Tree provides?”

[50%...](Mia)

“So they even each other out… how long until the tree grows up?”

[I estimate that about 10 years on Midgard will be required for growth.](Mia)

“Will any changes occur to the advantages it provides?”

[Is very likely that the biomass increase will become more bountiful as it grows up. However is just speculation on my part since I have no information about such a tree in my database.](Mia)

Well, what’s there to be hesitant about? In worst case scenario I can just turn back the times lost and redo the whole thing if something bad happens. So it’s simple to actually fast-forward those 10 years and see what the result is.

“Mia, fast forward 50 years into the future without any changes for now!”

[Acknowledged master!](Mia)

Why 50 years? Because nothing clicked in my head once I thought of skipping forward with 10 years. Nor did it at 20, 30 or 40, but it react at 50. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned since arriving at this divine domain of mine, is that I should try to abuse this strange power of mine. How? Well, since the inkling doesn’t tell me if something good or something bad will happen, I can use it together with the option to rewind time and make use of both to the maximum.

By the time I was making my plans, the planet completed its tenth cycle around the Sun and a notification popped-up:

World tree growth!

Your world tree is now 2 meters tall and provides a boost of biomass up to a total of 100%

It seems that my bet was the right one to make once again. The reason why I decided against melting the glaciers or turn a major continent into a desert, is that precipitations across the entire world are affected by vegetation. Even with my limited knowledge, that’s something I was certain about.

So if the World Tree does provide a higher boost to biomass after growing up, why not just use the fast-forward option and not cripple half of the world in the process?