The early spring sun streamed softly through the windows of Souta Minakawa's classroom, casting long, golden beams across the wooden floor. The scent of chalk, old paper, and warm dust hung in the air—a familiar setting, yet it no longer felt ordinary.
He sat behind his desk, seemingly correcting worksheets. But his gaze was distant, focused not on the page but on the translucent interface only he could see.
[Host: Minakawa Souta]
Lifespan: 39 Years
Brain Processing Power: 1.1x
Life Points: 1.6
Followers: 3
Three glowing indicators next to each follower's name pulsed gently. It had been only days since he had granted them subsystems, and already, change was beginning to take root.
Souta navigated to the Follower Panel.
[Follower: Yamada Koji]
Brain Power: 0.7x
Life Points: 2.0
Link Quality: Stable
Status: Active
Task: Record a daily observation log of plant behavior under changing light.
[Follower: Kana Ishikawa]
Brain Power: 0.6x
Life Points: 1.0
Link Quality: Stable
Status: Active
Task: Survey classmates on attitudes toward long life and intelligence.
[Follower: Takeshi Murata]
Brain Power: 0.45x
Life Points: 0.8
Link Quality: Weak
Status: Active
Task: Document and sketch science lab tools, explain their functions.
A week earlier, he had quietly pushed these updated tasks to each student through their subsystem links—age-appropriate, grounded, and meaningful. His initial ideas had been too ambitious; now he saw the value in steady foundations. To his quiet satisfaction, none of the students had rejected the assignments. In fact, they had begun working on them with surprising dedication.
A soft chime broke his concentration.
"Follower Yamada has submitted a complete 5-day observation log.+0.5 LP awarded to follower.Resonance generated: +0.1 LP returned to Host."
Souta smiled. That made two points this week. He tapped Yamada's log open and skimmed the entries.
"Day 3 – Plant #2 closed earlier than expected under low light. Is this linked to the weather yesterday? Possibility: reaction to barometric pressure or delayed circadian rhythm?"
The boy was asking the right questions. Not parroting what he read—thinking.
After class, Souta found Yamada still at his desk, quietly flipping through his notes.
"You're staying late again," Souta said softly, his tone casual.
Yamada looked up, a little surprised. "Yes, Sensei. I just wanted to finish the log while it's fresh."
"Five days," Souta said, sitting beside him. "Most people stop after two."
Yamada offered a small smile. "I didn't want to leave it half-done."
Souta nodded slowly. "You've changed, you know."
"I feel different," Yamada admitted, hesitating. "Not smarter… but it's like my thoughts organize themselves more clearly."
Souta raised an eyebrow. "That clarity comes from consistent effort. It's how growth works—slow, silent, rooted."
As the boy nodded, Souta saw a flicker on the interface:
"Link Quality with Follower Yamada strengthened: Stable → Strengthening.""+0.1 LP returned to Host."
Later that night, Souta sat cross-legged within the Growth Matrix Space.
The floating island had transformed—where once there was empty soil, a modest forest now rustled under an artificial sky. The trees swayed gently as time accelerated around them. A quiet wind blew, carrying the scent of unseen seasons.
He stood and opened his Host Panel again.
[Host: Minakawa Souta]
Lifespan: 39 Years
Brain Processing Power: 1.1x
Life Points: 1.8
Followers: 3
He hesitated, then tapped the [+] beside Lifespan.
A soft pulse shimmered through the space as the interface changed for the first time.
Lifespan Parameter Expanded
↳ Current Age: 39
↳ Biological Cap: 52
↳ Next Upgrade: +1 Year (1 LP)
Souta's breath caught.
Fifty-two?
The system had measured him—not just his age, but his body's natural biological limit. Thirteen years left, unless he changed the equation.
So that's the game, he thought. It doesn't grant immortality. It gives you the tools to push the boundaries.
He pressed [+1 Year].
Biological Cap: 53
Life Points remaining: 0.8
There was no visible change. No glow. But something within him settled—like the steady tick of a clock slowing just slightly. A kind of stillness in the marrow. A promise that time, too, could be cultivated.
He looked around the forest.
These trees were the beginning. But people—people were where the real growth lay.
The next day at school, Kana was in the middle of surveying classmates. Her approach was direct but polite, her questions precise. She carried a clipboard as if it were a relic from a previous life.
Takeshi, meanwhile, had sketched nearly half the lab. His entries, once chaotic and doodle-filled, were now careful, labeled, and neat.
Souta's thoughts drifted again to Yamada.
He found the boy outside, seated on a bench beneath a budding cherry tree, notebook in hand.
"Still recording observations?" Souta asked as he approached.
Yamada looked up and nodded. "I started a second set. This time I'm using colored filters to simulate different light environments."
"That wasn't part of the original task."
"I just got curious."
Souta smiled. "That's how scientists are born."
Yamada's eyes lit up—and with it, another chime.
"Follower Yamada:Passive Insight triggered.+0.2 LP awarded to follower.Resonance return: +0.1 LP to Host."
Souta turned and left quietly, a faint smile on his lips.
That evening, the system interface glowed with new clarity.
[Host: Minakawa Souta]
Age: 39
Biological Cap: 53 Years
Brain Processing Power: 1.1x
Life Points: 0.9
Followers: 3
The forest in his Growth Matrix whispered with potential.
And back in the real world, his students were beginning to lean into the unknown—learning not because they were told to, but because they wanted to.
Souta closed his eyes beneath the digital sky.
This is the real cultivation, he thought. Not just of life—but of minds.