"I think I've got it!" I exclaimed.
I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but it was worth it.
My theory about mana was solid.
The idea is, that plants had combined hydrogen and light (photons) to create a new element, mana. While I couldn't prove this assumption, it sounded plausible for now.
It seemed that the initial conditions were similar to those on Earth. Meanwhile, I realized that I didn't even know the name of the world, but it didn't matter now.
Continuing with the theory, I believed that changes occurred in some plants over the years after they began photosynthesis.
Basic photosynthesis requires CO2 and water (H2O), which are converted into glucose using light energy.
For these changes to take root, the necessary factors must always be present, especially water and light.
Among the various plant options I could create, none of them could do without these elements.
Furthermore I think, the Mana will replace the Glucose and gives the Plant its "Food".
Furthermore, this theory could partially be "proven" since water is present in many things, both living and non-living.
This water could potentially bring about changes in the form of mana and magically influence them. For example, humans consist of up to 70% water, while a cucumber has a smooth 97% water content.
This concept also aligned well with the different forms of mana.
Water exists in three states: gas, liquid, and solid, depending on the movement of its molecules.
Mana in the air is gaseous, but it can also exist in a liquid form. Additionally, mana can crystallize, and so we can see that the density of mana particles affects its form.
My theory even seemed to align with Einstein's theory, stating that mass can be converted to energy and vice versa, expressed by E=mc² (mass-energy equivalence).
Interestingly, with mana, this transformation was possible – a remarkable connection.
"AND where… is a lot of energy contained?" I asked aloud.
...
"Exactly!" I exclaimed with enthusiasm. "In Light energy!"
(A/N: I hope I have conveyed the theory clearly. Just remember: Plants convert water (H2O) and light energy into a new atom and the known element, mana.)
Whether the theory was correct or not would be revealed over time. At least, this was a starting point for my "Mana Cycle."
I glanced at the clock, or rather my age, and saw how much time had passed.
______
Age: 0 Years 0 months 0 weeks 2 days 7 hours
EC: 28/150
• 1 EC per hour is regenerated.
_______
"Umm... a long time, but it's impressive how much I can think when I don't get tired. It didn't even feel that long... HAHA... all that lying around and doing nothing seems to have paid off!" I said aloud, then covered my mouth as I was irritated by my own habit.
I was still alone for now, but hopefully that would change soon with the completion of the first floor.
As my cycle plan wasn't fully refined yet, I decided to take a break and resume thinking.
Before that, I created a notebook and a pen, both of which didn't cost much to create. I didn't even notice a change in my [EC] count. It didn't matter. Time to get to work!
Three days later, I was finished. I thought the plan wasn't entirely complete yet, but I could perfect it as I tested it on the first floor.
______
Age: 0 Years 0 months 0 weeks 5 days 7 hours
EC: 100/150
• 1 EC per hour is regenerated.
_______
For the initial phase, I needed proper light. The white magical light wasn't appealing, and having a weather cycle would provide rain as well. I went to the corridor and opened [Construction].
_________
Construction:
[Weather]
[Seasons]
[Time]
[Cycle Creation]
///not available///
______
I noticed shortly that [Seasons] are available now, but presumed my initial work.
I clicked on [Cycle Creation] and began creating my own cycle. Similar to the other functions, my [CS] played a significant role here, and the settings related to it were more cost-effective.
The creation process was like shopping. You added items to your cart and paid for them later. After some searching, my cart looked like this:
________
/Your Cart:/
• [Time Seasons]
---> Spring: Time is 5% faster / Summer: Time is 10% faster / Autumn: Time is 5% slower / Winter: Time is 10% slower
---> Affects only non-living things
• [Day]
---> A typical sunny day, perhaps occasionally cloudy, with sunsets and sun rises
• [Time Rain]
---> When consumed, time for organisms passes twice as fast.
---> 1 Drop (1ml) = 10 minutes duration
---> Various intensities of rain, from drizzle to heavy rain
• [Space Storm]
---> A regular storm with varying intensity. From a gentle breeze to a level 9 storm
---> The stronger the storm, the higher the chance of space rifts forming, sucking in air from the surroundings for a period.
---> Starting from storm level 9, large rifts can form, pulling in objects and living beings. Each rift closes on its own after a certain time.
• [Snow]
---> Effect depends on the rain type; [Time Rain]
---> When in snow form, it slows time for covered objects and living beings by half.
---> When it melts, it becomes regular water.
• [Mist in the Space]
---> If mist occurs, it depends on the source of water.
---> [Time Rain]; The denser the mist, the more distorted your sense of time.
---> [Aqueous Space]; The denser the mist, the more distorted the space.
• [Beautiful Night]
---> Causes a transition between day and night.
---> Has no special abilities.
---> The moon has a cycle from full to new moon, and the night sky is adorned with stars. A violet belt of stars stretches across the night sky.
• [Location-based and Logical Weather]
---> As the name suggests, weather is partially determined by the location.
---> Weather occurs logically, as in the real world.
_____
Total Price: 28 [EC]
____
I was quite satisfied with this setup for a start, so I proceeded to create it. If I found anything missing later, I could always add it afterward.
[Successfully Created]
Once this was successfully completed, I witnessed a beautiful blue sky, sunshine, and a few small white clouds that enhanced the sky.
"Ah... how wonderful!" I said, savoring the sun's rays for a moment.
I stood on the island, a gentle breeze caressing me. I rested my hands on my hips and turned my face toward the sun, eyes closed.
"This is it," I said. "Just like back then, when I returned to Earth after three years in the space!"
I couldn't help but briefly reminisce about the past; the sensation was similar to what I was feeling now.
I felt a sense of happiness in achieving something and returning to where I felt most comfortable.
The biggest factor, however, was the weather. When I left the rocket and removed my helmet, the sun's light momentarily blinded me, and a breeze finally tickled my face again. I felt happy.
I shook my head and said, "Enough of that; that was nearly 100 years ago now!"
With that, I started my second phase of construction.
______
Age: 0 Years 0 months 0 weeks 5 days 8 hours
EC: 73/150
• 1 EC per hour is regenerated.
_______
The next step in the mana cycle was plants!
On the flat half of the island, I first created fertile soil as described in the textbooks:
1. Humus -> [Space and Time Humus]
2. Topsoil -> [Space and Time Topsoil]
3. Weathered rock fragments -> [Space and Time Weathered rock fragments]
4. Bedrock would have been here, but that's already covered by the [Space-Hardened Stone] that the entire island is made of. With some rain, groundwater would form, and the natural development process would begin.
The whole procedure cost 2 [EC] as it was a ordinary task.
Since this was the most cost-effective option, that I could afford at the moment, it could store only three times more nutrients and water, and helping decomposers break down dead matter more quickly.
Additionally, it would aid plant growth.
Due to the various abilities, plants wich reach an additional layer, with their roots, would grow twice as fast as they could reach. Per layer.
To make the most of this and save [EC], I decided to start by creating only the seeds of the plants.
My goal was to create vast expanses of lush grass with scattered trees.
Even though I only created the seeds, I exhausted a lot of my [EC], mostly because I opted for slightly better plants. Now I have only 30 left.
I chose 200 different grass types, 500 different flowers, and two types of trees.
The grass and flowers aimed to provide biodiversity, with some rarer variations.
For instance, grasses that only grew near water or flowers that bloomed for a short period once a year, like the [Frozen Time Flower] that would bloom under snow in rare cases during winter.
Each possibility had a corresponding grass and flower type. Biological selection would refine this over time, causing less adapted plants to die off.
Nevertheless, I decided to populate the majority of the area with ordinary [Space and Time Grass].
Their description highlighted their ability to adapt easily and provide a secure food source. Furthermore, more than 20% of each grass species had developed from the original grass.
[Space and Time Grass] had an additional function: their interior was twice as large as they appeared externally, and their chemical processes occurred twice as fast.
Amazing! This meant faster production of mana.
On the other hand, the "trees" were different.
They propagated slowly and infrequently, preventing the formation of big forests out of many diffrent trees. They had near-infinite lifespans and produced a substantial amount of mana.
Therefore, they would grow up to 1km in height. However, reaching such heights would take around 200 to 400 years.
These trees were simply called [Big Spring Trees].