The morning sunlight filtered softly through the classroom windows, painting warm patches on the old wooden floor. Souta Minakawa sat quietly at his desk, eyes fixed on the faintly glowing interface only he could see, hovering before him like a secret thread connecting him to another world.
[Host: Minakawa Souta]
Lifespan: 39 Years
Brain Processing Power: 1.0x
Life Points: 0
Followers: 0
The numbers remained unchanged since his discovery on the mountain, but Souta knew this was only the beginning. His mind swirled with possibilities—and responsibilities.
Today, he planned to take the first real step. To test if the system would accept others, and if it could extend beyond him.
Souta breathed deeply.
"Follower registration available. Assign subsystem?" The question appeared softly in his vision.
His fingers trembled slightly as he typed in "Yamada," the quiet, unassuming boy in his class who rarely spoke but scored above 95 in every subject.
"Subsystem assigned. Initial parameters: Brain Processing Power 0.5x, Life Points 0, Tasks assigned: Study, Report progress weekly." A gentle chime confirmed the action. The 'Followers' count ticked up to 1.
A new message blinked:
"Life Points may be rewarded for achievements. Current task: Pass the upcoming term exam."
Souta allowed himself a small smile. It wasn't a grand gesture. No explosions of power or cosmic revelations. Just the start of a carefully planted seed.
The next morning, after a restless night, Souta returned to the classroom with a renewed sense of purpose. The familiar faces of his students greeted him, each carrying their own spark of potential.
He scanned the room carefully.
Kana, the girl known for her endless questions and bright curiosity, sat near the window, her notebook already filled with neat notes. Takeshi, the class clown with a quick grin and restless energy, leaned back in his chair, eyes flickering with hidden focus.
Souta's mind worked swiftly.
If Yamada could be a first follower, why not extend the network?
His hand hovered over the keyboard.
"Assign subsystem to Kana?" The system prompted.
He nodded silently, fingers typing her name.
"Subsystem assigned. Initial parameters: Brain Processing Power 0.4x, Life Points 0, Tasks assigned: Ask questions, Summarize concepts weekly."
A soft chime sounded, and the follower count increased.
Then, his eyes settled on Takeshi.
The boy's distracted expression betrayed a restless mind — but one with untapped potential.
"Assign subsystem to Takeshi?"
Souta hesitated, considering.
"Yes."
The interface flickered.
"Subsystem assigned. Initial parameters: Brain Processing Power 0.3x, Life Points 0, Tasks assigned: Solve practical problems, Record daily reflections."
He exhaled slowly.
Three followers now.
His vision blurred momentarily as a new message glowed before him:
"Life Points may be rewarded for achievements. Current tasks updated."
The next few days passed in a blur of ordinary school life with an undercurrent of extraordinary purpose.
Yamada stayed after class, buried in books with renewed determination. Kana raised her hand more often, her curiosity sparkling like stars. Even Takeshi surprised everyone by quietly fixing a broken projector during lunch—a small act of focus he'd never shown before.
Souta kept a careful tally in his mind, awarding Life Points sparingly for genuine effort and improvement.
Yamada: Brain Processing Power 0.6x (+0.1) | Life Points: 1
Kana: Brain Processing Power 0.45x (+0.05) | Life Points: 0.5
Takeshi: Brain Processing Power 0.35x (+0.05) | Life Points: 0.5
The changes were subtle, but Souta noticed the small shifts—the sharpness in their eyes, the slight quickening of their thoughts, the faint glow of confidence growing like embers in their minds.
One quiet afternoon, as Souta prepared lessons in the empty classroom, the system pinged with a new message.
"Life Points accrued can be used to enhance host parameters. Press [+] to activate enhancement."
The plus signs beside 'Lifespan' and 'Brain Processing Power' flickered softly from gray to green.
Souta hesitated, then pressed the [+] next to Brain Processing Power.
A warm pulse spread through his mind—a sensation like the gentle unfolding of clarity, his thoughts aligning with razor-sharp precision. Memories organized themselves, ideas connecting effortlessly.
The interface updated immediately:
Lifespan: 39 Years
Brain Processing Power: 1.1x
Life Points: 0.5
Followers: 3
He exhaled slowly, a thrill of exhilaration coursing through him.
This was no mere game or fantasy.
This was evolution.
Back in the Growth Matrix Space, Souta returned often.
The saplings he'd planted before had grown taller, their leaves rustling softly in an artificial breeze. The accelerated years were adding up steadily, transforming his virtual garden into a forest.
He planted new trees with care, adjusting the time flow to balance speed and sustainability.
"1000 trees matured. 1 Life Point earned."
The system reminded him:
"Life Points can also be earned through follower achievements."
The idea began to crystalize in Souta's mind: the trees were just the beginning. His true power would come from nurturing people—minds growing like branches and leaves.
Back in the real world, Souta observed his students with a new perspective.
Kana stayed after class one day, hesitating as she approached.
"Sensei," she said softly, "how do you stay so calm, so focused?"
Souta looked up, meeting her eyes.
"It's about knowing that growth takes time. That every small effort counts. When you plant a seed, you don't expect a tree overnight. But with patience and care, it will grow."
She nodded slowly, the light of understanding kindling in her gaze.
Over the next weeks, Souta formalized the system for his followers.
He created a simple interface they could access—a subsystem that showed their Brain Processing Power, Life Points, and assigned tasks. Each student could see their progress and choose how to spend earned Life Points.
The system wasn't a shortcut. It was a tool to reward dedication and hard work.
Some students flourished; others struggled.
Souta's classroom became a place of quiet determination, a hidden network of young minds connected through a secret that could change their futures—and the fate of their world.
One evening, standing on his veranda, Souta looked out at the village nestled beneath the mountain.
Stars twinkled faintly in the deepening sky, vast and cold—but filled with possibility.
One seed at a time, he thought, one life, one mind.
The future belongs to those who nurture their seeds.