Arin floated through space, spinning and "running" around the sun, still annoyed at the system for giving him skills meant for marathon athletes instead of newborn planets.
But something new was happening.
Something subtle.
Something he didn't notice until it became impossible to ignore.
A faint hisssss spread across his entire surface.
Volcanoes erupted nonstop, spewing clouds of gas.
Massive plumes of sulfur, carbon dioxide, steam, and ash poured upward, filling the space just above him.
Arin felt… heavier.
Warmer.
Like something was wrapping around him.
"…Huh? Why is everything so foggy?"
Then he sensed it.
A growing layer of gases hugging his body.
He realized instantly:
"Wait… WAIT! Is this—"
Before he could finish, the system chimed.
[Notice: Host is exhaling.]
Arin's brain—if he had one—short-circuited.
"EXHALING? SYSTEM, I AM NOT BREATHING OUT! I'M FORMING AN ATMOSPHERE!"
But the system ignored him:
[Notice: Host is continuously exhaling in large quantities.]
[Exhalation includes: Ash, smoke, fire-element gas, earth-element dust, and unknown fumes.]
"Unknown fumes!?" Arin shouted. "It's just volcanic gases!"
But the system proudly continued:
[Recording collected: Heavy Exhalation ×9999+]
[Recording collected: Tired Golem Sigh ×142]
[Recording collected: Host blowing air aggressively ×360]
"AGGRESSIVELY!? No! That's not me breathing out! That's a supervolcano exploding!"
But the system refused to listen.
[Notice: Sufficient exhalation records gathered.]
[Generating skill…]
Arin braced himself.
If the previous skills were stupid, this one was going to be legendary in stupidity.
[Skill generation successful.]
[Skill Generated: Breath]
{Effect: Host can exhale 1% more efficiently while reducing internal heat accumulation by 1%.}
Arin stared blankly at space.
"…I— I'm done. I can't. A 'Breath' skill. A BREATH SKILL. For a PLANET."
Volcanoes erupted in a synchronized blast of anger.
Boom.
Boom.
BOOM.
The system chimed:
[Notice: Host is panting.]
Arin almost fainted.
"I'M NOT PANTING! IT'S A VOLCANIC CHAIN REACTION!"
The system listed more records:
[Recording collected: Host panting heavily ×999+]
[Recording collected: Host overheating and cooling down simultaneously ×532]
[Recording collected: Host releasing toxic air due to exhaustion ×211]
"Toxic air!? IT'S SULFUR GAS! NOT BAD BREATH!"
Arin fumed as more volcanic clouds thickened around him.
His atmosphere—still thin, but forming—wrapped him like a glowing orange blanket.
He sensed pressure building.
Heat rerouting.
Energy movements across his mantle.
The system beeped again:
[Notice: Host's breath is getting stronger.]
"I swear system, stop saying that—"
[Notice: Host unlocked new ability: Continuous Breathing.]
"NOOOO— THAT'S THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT!"
[Host's breathing ability is stabilizing internal temperature.]
"That's LITERALLY an atmosphere regulating heat!"
[…]
Silence.
Of course.
Arin finally gave up arguing and sighed— mentally.
"…At least the atmosphere is forming. Even if the system calls it 'exhaling.'"
He examined his new layer of gases.
Thick clouds.
Burning skies.
A swirling veil of toxic fumes.
Primitive.
Chaotic.
Deadly.
But it was an atmosphere.
Arin felt a spark of hope.
"…Maybe one day, this world of mine will have water. Life. Weather. Storms."
The system suddenly spoke:
[Notice: Host is daydreaming.]
[Recording saved.]
"…I'll kill you, system."
He couldn't kill it.
But he could evolve.
And the next stage of planetary evolution was coming.
A stage filled with storms, lightning, oceans, and new skills the system would, inevitably, misunderstand.