Bloom

“Number One, report.” I state as I watch through my senses at a group of four as they approach the test site.

Two centuries. Two bugger damn centuries and finally we’ve got the [Chaos Tree System V.000X1] ready to deploy.

I have to say, I am clearly more of a Dao attuned idea Tree. All the nitpicky little details are not my thing.

Thankfully, Number One is the best AI servant a Tree could have when designing a world altering energy manipulating system.

Coding? Calculations? Yeah, I can do those too, but I’d rather stick to the enjoyable stuff!

“Phase One, Test One, commencing.” Number One says in her robotic female voice. I’m sure it would give a normal person nightmares, since her voice essentially sounds like hundreds of females talking at once.

I think it sounds rather nice, almost like a symphony!

The group of four adventurers were carefully selected based on a single criteria.

The Fire Mage.

I really could care less about Light, Metal, or whatever that rogue type has.

If they survive great, if not, I couldn’t care less.

The Fire Mage though, he’s got my attention. The way humanoid races like kobolds, goblins, dwarves, humans, and others use the Dao on this planet is fascinating.

Paths. They have a concept I haven’t given much thought to since the Dao itself is easier due to me being closely linked with Chaos.

However, I feel like I could progress easier if I structured my research towards Paths.

It’s nothing like a lightning bolt of realization mind you, more a feeling.

A feeling that Flame and Time, even Air have a multitude of ways to be understood.

I must admit, my few millennia of existence has been more of a blind Tree stumbling in a dark, realizing inspiration, and getting mad lucky.

That couldn’t possibly work out forever.

So on this planet, where Cultivation is very advanced, I feel an immense opportunity to grasp something that could push me further forward.

Something that could aid me in shattering all the golden runic chains on my soul and pushing me to a new height.

What that height might be, well I have no clue.

I’m a Tree, not a Seer after all.

I move away from my pondering thoughts as I watch the effects of the Chaos System deployment.

The Mana Crystals were both bait, and fuel. By linking with the resonating structure of the human’s own mana it will imprint the Chaos System deep into their soul. Removal at that point would be impossible without Runes of the perfect type.

I don’t want a passing Divinity to steal my research after all. I suppose the result of turning the user of the system into so much organic mush and decomposing mana is a fatal side effect.

“System deployment, finalized. All test subjects currently metamorphosing.” Number One said, as the four humans fell to the ground screaming in agony.

Intense threads connected them to the Mana Crystals, weaving a complex Runic structure through the fabric of their very being.

Our attempts to make the process painless had resulted in death every time, so I suspected there was actually a need for pain.

Although I have no proof, just conjecture at this point.

Hours pass as the Chaos System embeds itself into the humans, before they finally slump to the ground unconscious and twitching.

“Status, Number One?” I ask, hope filling my voice.

None of these humans exploded into organic chunks this time!

“Testing.” Number One said, her metallic orb floating around me in a circular orbit. I’d made her a humanoid form, but she only seems to use it when teasing Dryad. The mind of the machine is very weird sometimes, I guess.

“Test sat, commence Link?” Number One said.

“Link!” I shouted in glee.

When I had been designing the Chaos System, there was a primary overriding concern.

Me.

What benefit do I gain from empowering others?

To design a system that aids the growth of the user in incredible ways, grants power, extends life, uplifts the soul and more is easy.

To do so for free would probably violate a cosmic balance.

There is no arguing, humans, elves, even goblins have something I sometimes lack.

A special Spark from their own understanding of Flame, something deep within that pushes them to greatness.

The Chaos System is my remedy.

It is both a blessing and a contract.

Power? I can grant.

Longevity? I can grant.

In exchange though, I take my pound of soul.

For every benefit there must be payment in return.

My form of payment, through the Chaos System I have engineered, is enlightenment.

What that means, in the most simple terms, is when a user experiences a breakthrough so do I.

For minimal cost, to me, I gain access to the cosmic mysteries that other races unearth.

The Dao of Air? Light? Metal? Space?

Not my cup of tea! My understanding is null, my logic on them minimal!

Yet, that won’t matter at all! It won’t even make me break a sweat!

For I will have endless users teaching me their own mistakes, and successes!

The system will spread, far and wide, like a virus infecting its hosts.

While I will sit back, sleeping, growing, and learning at a speed that would put the finest AI to shame.

Twenty-four branches, and forty-eight minor branches along with hundreds of leaves. I have grown, and with my growth as I come closer to breaking the shackle on Air comes the expansion of my mental power.

As my mental power has grown, so too has the ability to process even more information. While I cannot claim to run every mind on the planet through my branches, I can certainly tap the ones linked to my current issue.

That’s right.

I’m going to run this new organic soul software straight to the stratosphere!

With this, I should be able to at least break Air, perhaps even get started on another Dao like Earth or Water!

The possibilities are endless!

“Excellent work, Number One.” I said, as the humans started to wake up.

Now that success had been achieved I turned my attention to other matters.

When I had first landed in this world I spun the Glass Garden from the endless storm of sand.

After accomplishing that, I started to create what I have now, the Thousand Minor Window Worlds.

There was a minor issue though.

Apparently the Storm itself had been a barrier blocking a type of creature from escaping the Deep desert.

A worm.

Not those small things birds eat.

No, this worm was enormous.

That alone wouldn’t be the issue.

The problem was, they came in waves.

I had no doubt if I wasn’t here, this planet would have serious issues.

Never mind that my removing the Storm would be the cause of those issues!

Well, at least these creatures taste good.

I guess its ok to keep eating them, at least till Wen gets back.

They do add a bit of spice to my diet after all!