Ahem, ahem… sorry for interrupting, but I’ll leave a note for reference:

  || — indicates records of a dark entity

  () — characters’ thoughts; if not specified whose, then the main character’s

  "" — dialogues (self-explanatory)

  {} — author’s words

  Enjoy your reading!

  ?? Reset

  Chapter 1: Creation

  Endless whiteness swallowed everything. At the very center of this space stood a man — completely black, as if carved from shadow itself. Only his bright white eyes shone on his face.

  — So this is… the void, — he said.

  His hand trembled. The moment he raised it, a black panel materialized in the air, flickering with lines of commands.

  — I was granted this power so that I could create an IDEAL WORLD. A story I could truly enjoy, — he slowly clenched his fist. — But without sacrifices, no plot can ever become great.

  He cast his gaze over the nothingness.

  — Let’s begin with the land itself.

  His fingers rapidly slid across the panel. The emptiness beneath his feet turned into lush green grass. A few more commands — and above him spread a sky with lazy clouds and a bright sun. Code poured endlessly until an entire village was woven out of thin air. Dozens of residents immediately went about their daily lives, unaware that their existence had begun just seconds ago.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  This is a story about him… About the one who called himself the CREATOR. A god, in whose hands lay every life in this modest village.

  | This world has come alive. It is no longer a dead void, but a space filled with hopes and dreams. But… this kind of story feels too bland. Should I continue, or simply reset everything to zero? |

  The Creator raised his hand over the panel, but a smirk appeared on his lips.

  — Although… why not give this worthless world a chance?

  {He calls it that because he considers his creation to still be infinitely far from perfection.}

  Somewhere in the village.

  Nagi Yumeni, a seventeen-year-old boy with gray hair and an empty, neutral gaze, approached a well.

  (Heh, it really is hot today…)

  He scooped up some water and took a sip. At that moment, a seven-year-old girl ran up to him.

  — Can I have some too, big brother? — Hina peered into the bucket with her bright blue eyes.

  — Of course, — Nagi smiled warmly and handed her the water.

  The girl drank eagerly, then ran off to her friends, laughing cheerfully.

  (A good day for playing. I’m glad she’s not bored.)

  Nagi sat down on a bench, watching his sister. But suddenly, the sky began to grow heavy.

  | The sun won’t give birth to anything interesting. I need a storm… Let lightning strike! Sacrifices are needed for a true hero to be born. |

  Nagi straightened abruptly, sensing something wrong. From the direction of a massive cliff, a coal-black cloud was rapidly approaching the village.

  — Hina! Home! Now! — he shouted, pointing at the sky.

  The streets instantly filled with screams.

  {The scale of the cloud was so terrifying that panic seized everyone at once.}

  The teenager and the girl burst into the forge that served as their home. Their mother froze by the stove, while their father, abandoning his woodcutting, anxiously looked out the window.

  — What the hell is that?! — he gasped.

  The family locked themselves inside. Outside, the elements went berserk: thunder roared, screams of terror echoed, and then the smell of burning filled the air. When the noise finally subsided, Nagi rushed outside. Two nearby houses were engulfed in flames.

  (No… those are Hina’s friends’ houses… Damn it, what will happen to her now?)

  Nagi ran toward the smoldering ruins. Among the debris, he saw only charred bodies. In horror, the boy covered his mouth with his hand.

  — No… — he whispered.

  His clothes were scorched, his hair disheveled by the heat, but he didn’t notice, staring at the ashes.

  (Damn weather! How am I supposed to tell Hina? This will break her…)

  The Creator watched this scene from above.

  | No, this is getting boring. Too crude. The sacrifices came too quickly… |

  {He criticizes his own actions like a capricious author.}

  | I gave this world a chance, but it disappointed me. Therefore, I… |

  The Creator’s finger decisively pressed the command “RESET.”

  The world around Nagi distorted strangely. A sharp pain pierced his head, then instantly faded. A neighbor calmly walked past him, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

  — Hey, Nagi, what’s with that look? Since when do you wear your hair like that? And why is your pant leg burned?

  (What is he talking about…?)

  Nagi turned toward the place where the fire had been. In place of the smoking ruins stood a perfectly intact, unharmed house.