Just as Jack was about to dive into planning the development of his new dimension, a flood of information hit him. It was as if Genesis itself was reaching out to inform him of its nature. The interface before him displayed three distinct ways he could grow and develop his dimension:
Souls from the Main Universe: By absorbing and integrating the souls of beings from the physical universe, Genesis would grow more powerful.
Automatic Development via the Source: The core's natural auto-growth feature would allow Genesis to evolve and expand on its own, slowly but steadily, without his direct intervention.
Personal Growth: As Jack grew in strength, his dimension would mirror that growth, expanding and evolving based on his power.
The weight of this information settled in his mind, making it clear how central his development would be to shaping Genesis. As he absorbed these revelations, another detail popped up—his current strength level.
Though he was now a cosmic entity, Jack wasn't as powerful as he'd imagined himself to be. According to the system's calculations, his current strength was equivalent to Odin, the All-Father of Asgard. Not bad at all, but it came with a caveat: unlike beings naturally woven into the fabric of the universe, Jack was still something of an outsider. He wasn't yet integral to the structure of reality itself.
On top of that, Genesis itself, despite being vast, was only the size of a galaxy—a single, self-contained galaxy in an ocean of infinite potential.
"Guess I've got a lot of work ahead of me," Jack muttered to himself, grinning at the challenge.
After sorting through this information, Jack turned to ARI for guidance. "Alright, ARI, what's the next step in developing this place? I need to make this dimension more than just an empty cosmic sandbox."
You've just unlocked a new achievement: First Dimension Lord, ARI replied, the tone calm but tinged with excitement.
"First Dimension Lord, huh?" Jack chuckled. "That sounds important."
It is, ARI said. With it, you've gained a new ability: Dimension Sight. According to the system description, this ability allows you to see into other dimensions and universes at will. Even more, no one will be able to sense that you're observing them. This power is second only to that of the One Above All.
Jack's eyes widened in surprise. The utility of this ability was obvious—being able to observe other realities without fear of detection would give him a huge strategic advantage in the future. But for now, Jack decided to put that aside and focus on the matter at hand: shaping Genesis.
"What's next, ARI?" Jack asked, ready to dive into the development of his dimension.
Do you wish to develop life naturally within your dimension, or would you prefer to create life yourself? ARI asked.
Jack paused. "Wait, I thought dimensions couldn't create souls on their own. Isn't that only possible with the help of souls from the main universe?"
Normally, yes, ARI agreed. But because you possess the Source as your core, you can generate souls within Genesis. However, these souls will be of a lower quality compared to those from the main universe. Souls from the physical world can tap into the power of multiple dimensions, while your created souls will be limited to the specific types of energy you infuse them with. Only in rare cases will they be able to access other forms of energy.
Jack leaned back, thinking deeply about the implications. While the souls he could create wouldn't be as versatile as those from the main universe, they still had potential. There was a path forward here—one that would allow him to build a unique realm with its own beings, but with the understanding that his creations would have certain limitations.
After a moment, he made his decision.
"I'll split my dimension into two parts," Jack declared. "One that will develop naturally, with minimal interference from me, and another that I'll personally use and control."
Understood, ARI responded. Shall I assist in setting up the boundaries?
"Yeah," Jack said. "I'll start by isolating the areas for specific purposes. Let's divide Genesis into sectors."
Using the immense power of the Source as a conduit, Jack reached out with his mind and began to section off the dimension. His personal portion of the realm would be filled with smaller sub-dimensions—each tailored to his needs. He could already see the benefit of having a variety of workspaces, each suited to a different aspect of creation and destruction.
"These sub-dimensions," Jack mused, "I'll call them… Canvases."
The Canvases would be his personal workshops, spaces where he could test the boundaries of his cosmic powers. Each one would allow him to hone different aspects of his abilities—whether it was creating matter from nothing, destroying it with a thought, or manipulating energy on a fundamental level. He had a lot to learn, but with time and effort, he knew he could master the delicate balance between creation and destruction.
With the groundwork laid, Jack spent what felt like eons practicing within the Canvases, molding entire star systems, galaxies, and then wiping them out of existence with a flick of his fingers. Time was an abstract concept here, and the system recorded his progress, ensuring that each act of creation or destruction refined his cosmic mastery.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of practice, Jack felt something click within him. He was ready.
Standing in the center of his personal Canvas, surrounded by the swirling energy of both life and death, Jack whispered to himself, "It's time."
He was ready to create life.