The sound of rain against the tall glass windows echoed across the wide lecture hall.
Hundreds of students filled the seats, their notebooks open, their eyes locked on one man standing before a glowing digital board.
Professor Elias Verdan.
To the world, he was known as The Genius Who Taught the World How to Think.
His reputation stretched across continents. He was the man who broke learning barriers, who made complicated science simple enough that even a child could understand it. Yet he never bragged. He just smiled softly whenever people called him a prodigy.
Today, like every other day, he was teaching with a calm but powerful voice.
"Let's think about this differently," Elias said as he drew a line on the board.
"It's not just about formulas or equations. Knowledge isn't memorizing words — it's understanding how the world breathes."
The students were silent. Even the older professors at the back of the hall listened carefully.
Elias looked around, seeing faces young and old, eyes full of curiosity. That always made him happy.
"Now, when heat touches metal, what happens?" he asked.
A student raised his hand. "It expands!"
"Exactly," Elias said with a proud smile. "That's the beauty of understanding. You don't need to fear mistakes — you just have to ask why."
Everyone laughed lightly, and even the assistant professors smiled.
Elias always had this gentle way of teaching, as if he was telling stories rather than giving lectures.
After an hour, the class ended.
The students stood and clapped loudly, some even taking pictures.
"Thank you, Professor Elias!" one shouted.
Elias laughed softly and waved his hand. "Alright, alright. Go home before the rain gets worse."
He turned off the board, packed his notes, and looked out the window.
The rain was pouring harder than before. The city outside was covered in mist and sound.
He stood there for a moment.
Another full day of teaching, he thought. How many more students can I inspire before I grow old?
That thought always made him smile.
He grabbed his umbrella and walked out of the university building.
His shoes splashed into puddles as he walked down the quiet street. Neon signs flickered through the rain.
He loved this — the sound of water, the cold air, and the smell of the city after a long day of learning.
But then—
A sudden flash of light cut through the clouds.
The sound was not thunder. It was something else. Something unnatural.
"...What was that?" Elias whispered.
He stopped walking. The world around him began to twist.
It was like the air itself was being torn apart.
His body froze, his umbrella flew from his hand, and before he could even think—
A bright sphere of light shot down from the sky and swallowed him whole.
When Elias opened his eyes again, everything was quiet.
The sound of rain was gone. The smell of the city was gone.
He was lying on soft grass, surrounded by tall trees and the song of strange birds.
"What… happened?" he muttered, slowly sitting up.
The air felt different — clean, almost magical.
He looked around. He was in the middle of a forest.
The trees shimmered slightly as if their leaves reflected sunlight even though there was no sun above.
He touched the ground — it was warm, alive.
"Did I… die?" he whispered to himself.
"Indeed you did."
Elias froze.
A deep, calm voice echoed from ahead.
He turned and saw it — a large clearing, and in the center stood a throne made of white stone and gold.
A figure sat upon it — glowing, yet gentle. His hair was silver like the moon, his eyes shone with stars.
"W-who are you?" Elias asked, standing up carefully.
The figure smiled softly. "I am Aion, the god of this world. And I owe you an apology."
Elias blinked. "Apology…? Wait. God?"
"Yes," the being said with a deep sigh. "You see… I was performing a new divine experiment. I was supposed to test a spell between worlds — but my calculation was off. I sent a small burst of energy toward another realm… and it struck you instead."
Elias stared at him, speechless. His mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out.
"I–I died because of an experiment?"
Aion looked ashamed. "Yes. It was a mistake. I even asked permission from your world's god, but… let's just say the message got delayed."
Elias blinked twice, unsure if he should laugh or cry.
"So I was hit… by divine crossfire?"
Aion nodded. "You could say that."
For a moment, there was silence between them. The soft wind moved through the trees, carrying small sparkles of light. Then, Elias let out a short chuckle.
"Well… that's new," he said. "I always thought I'd die of old age. Not from divine misfire."
The god looked surprised, then smiled. "You take it rather calmly."
"I suppose it's pointless to be angry at a god," Elias replied with a small shrug. "Besides, you seem sorry enough."
"I truly am," Aion said sincerely. "So as an apology, I shall grant you all blessings this world can offer."
Elias blinked. "All… blessings?"
"Yes. Every skill, every talent, every protection. You will be immune to any disease, resistant to all curses, and blessed with a body that will never decay. You will have the mind of the wise and the heart of the teacher you always were."
Elias felt light fill his chest. It was warm — comforting, not painful.
His vision blurred for a moment, and when he opened his eyes, he felt stronger.
It was as if his body had been rebuilt perfectly.
"This… feels strange," he said softly. "Like I'm made of energy."
"It's your new form," Aion said with a kind smile. "You're no longer on Earth. You are now in Aethralia — my world. Live freely, Professor Elias Verdan. Teach, explore, and create."
Before Elias could ask another question, the light around Aion began to fade.
"Wait! What do I do now?!" Elias called out.
The god's voice echoed faintly as his figure disappeared.
"Follow your curiosity… as you always did."
And then, he was gone.
The forest fell silent once again.
Elias stood there, blinking.
"Well… that was fast," he said to himself. "No instructions, no guide, just—"
He waved his hand around. "—a forest."
He sighed deeply. "At least he said I'm blessed."
He looked down at his hands. They felt strong, almost glowing with invisible energy.
A sudden thought crossed his mind — something he had seen in fantasy games before.
He raised his hand. "Status!"
A soft ding! echoed in the air. A translucent blue screen appeared before his eyes.
Elias's eyes widened. "No way…"
The screen listed everything in neat rows:
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Elias Verdan
Race: Human (Blessed)
Level: —
Titles: The Accidental One, Divine Scholar, God's Apology
Skills: Every Known Skill (All Rank MAX)
Blessings: Divine Protection, Eternal Immunity, Infinite Mind
Talent: Creation
Condition: Perfect
Elias's mouth fell open. "This is… insane."
He scrolled through the screen with his fingers.
Everything was maxed out. Every skill he could imagine — swordsmanship, alchemy, cooking, spellcraft, survival — all mastered instantly.
But one skill stood out from the list.
Creation.
He tapped on it.
[Creation]: Allows the user to create anything they can imagine, from simple tools to worlds themselves. No materials required.
Elias froze.
He read it again. Then again.
"I can… create anything?"
He laughed softly, still trying to process what that meant.
"This is like… the ultimate sandbox," he said, half-joking. "Alright, let's test this."
He closed his eyes and imagined a loaf of warm bread.
In an instant, it appeared in his hand, soft and steaming.
His stomach growled quietly. "Okay… that's real."
He took a bite, and his eyes widened. "It even tastes perfect!"
He chuckled. "I might actually survive here."
Suddenly, another sound echoed in the air.
Ding!
A golden screen popped up in front of him.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Dear Elias, it is I — the god, Aion.
I may have left too quickly earlier, so here's something to make up for it.
I've given you this forest. It's now officially your land! Here are the ownership papers (divine version). No one can take it from you. If anyone tries, they'll be cursed forever. Also, you can build whatever you like here, hunt any monster, and create your own kingdom if you wish. Have fun!
— Aion, The Apologetic God.
Elias stared at the message with his mouth half open.
He slowly exhaled.
"…He… gave me an entire forest."
He looked around at the endless sea of trees. The sound of wind passed through them, almost as if whispering a welcome.
"An entire kingdom's worth of land," Elias said to himself. "And all I wanted was to go home."
He scratched the back of his neck and laughed. "Well, I guess home is wherever knowledge begins."
He sat down under a large glowing tree.
The night sky above shimmered with two moons. The air felt gentle, almost inviting.
He looked at the divine scroll floating beside him — golden and shining softly.
Property of Elias Verdan — The Forest of Beginnings.
"That's a nice name," Elias said quietly. "Maybe that's what I'll call this place."
He leaned back against the tree, watching the stars above.
"Another world, huh?" he whispered. "Then I guess it's time to start learning again."