Reaching the end of its conversation with itself, the entity made another decision.
Without delay, movement, or any visible indication, a new speck appeared within the immense framework of the Miliverse. The speck was impossibly small compared to the endless structure surrounding it, yet it marked the beginning of something significant—the creation of a being meant to rival even the entity itself.
If the entity possessed eyes, it would have stared directly into the newly formed point, watching as it connected itself to the greater structure of the multiverse. Within that point, a universe began to form around a central core. Time flowed within it, and the universe slowly developed, eventually branching into countless additional cores and universes.
The entity observed this process for an incomprehensible span of time.
Watching the multiverse evolve was one of the few activities that entertained it. Rather than creating everything exactly as it desired, the entity often allowed universes to develop on their own. It found that observing natural evolution was slightly less boring than simple creation.
The growth occurred quickly by cosmic standards, though not nearly as quickly as when humans became involved in the branching process. Humans, despite not possessing the greatest intellect among conscious species, were often the most indecisive. Their constant choices, doubts, and conflicting decisions produced far more branches than any other beings.
Eventually, however, even this observation became dull.
To alleviate its boredom—if only slightly—the entity sent an immeasurable portion of its own existence and power into the universe it had been watching. It had done the same for every other universe within the Miliverse, placing fragments of itself into each one.
The action was entirely unnecessary.
The entity already possessed the ability to see and control everything within every universe simultaneously. Sending pieces of itself into those worlds served no real purpose.
It simply hoped that doing so might make existence slightly less monotonous.
It never did.
When the fragment of the entity arrived within the universe, it found nothing but empty void surrounding it. Without a physical form, it searched for a suitable place where it could exist.
Eventually, it chose a planet orbiting a massive star.
The world was enormous—roughly seven or eight times the size of Earth—and several other planets rotated between it and the star. Of all the worlds in the system, this one seemed the most suitable.
The fragment descended onto the planet and began shaping a body for itself.
It chose a human form.
The body it constructed was simple, with a modest build and minimal muscle definition. Black hair formed across the head, accompanied by a small amount of scruff along the jaw. The clothing followed shortly after: a plain white shirt beneath a black suit jacket that carried a faint purple inlay along the buttons, cuffs, and lower edges. Dark blue jeans covered the legs, and a pair of black boots completed the outfit, each decorated with simple purple rings and lines.
Finally, it formed a wristwatch with a silver frame accented by gold and royal purple.
With its appearance complete, the fragment considered one final detail.
It needed a name.
After some brief thought, it settled on one.
Hacker.
With the infinite knowledge inherited from the entity, Hacker already understood the events that had shaped this world. Naming conventions here had grown rather unusual over the past two centuries as the population expanded. Many individuals no longer relied on traditional names and instead adopted titles based on personal traits, abilities, or simple preference.
Because of this, a name like Hacker would attract far less attention than something ordinary like Steve.
Most people still possessed formal names, but they were rarely used in daily life.
Satisfied with the choice, Hacker stepped onto a bustling city street.
The city around him was vibrant and alive. Towering buildings stretched toward the sky, their designs blending futuristic construction with classic architectural styles. Many structures were layered with multiple businesses stacked vertically, and the streets themselves were unusually wide to accommodate the various vehicles traveling through them.
Hacker quietly observed the environment, taking in every detail.
Eventually, he began searching for someone interesting.
His task—though ultimately pointless—was to find individuals worth sending information about to the entity that had created him.
As he scanned the crowd, two figures caught his attention.
One was a grown man. The other was a boy who appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen.
They walked side by side down the street.
The man carried a staff.
The boy wore two large gauntlets.
Both of them were heroes.
The older man was tall and exceptionally fit, with a light complexion and dark brown hair. He wore a dark brown jacket over a dark green T-shirt along with black slacks that allowed for easy movement. In his right hand he held a dark green staff composed of several connected fragments, giving the weapon a segmented appearance.
This man was not simply a hero.
He was the most beloved hero in the entire world.
He was known as Staff.
The boy walking beside him was his younger brother.
He shared a similar complexion, though his skin was slightly lighter, and his dark brown hair closely resembled his brother's. He wore a plain white T-shirt, blue jeans secured with a belt, and a pair of running shoes.
Over his hands were metallic gauntlets with a light green color scheme. They extended up his forearms and disappeared beneath his sleeves. The devices appeared flexible enough to allow movement, though their exact purpose was unclear.
The boy's gaze constantly drifted toward his brother.
More than any fan or admirer, Grapple looked up to Staff with complete admiration. To him, his brother represented everything a hero should be. Even when faced with the darker realities of the world, Grapple believed that if he followed his brother's example, he could one day become just as great.
The boy's name was Grapple.
On this particular day, Staff was in an unusually cheerful mood.
Though, in truth, that was not uncommon.
"You know, Grapple," Staff said enthusiastically, pointing toward the sky, "this world truly is a wonderful place. On a beautiful day like today, I can't imagine being anywhere else."
Grapple smiled slightly but still seemed uneasy.
"I'd agree with you, brother," he replied, "but I'm still shocked about what happened earlier. That building exploded so suddenly."
He paused for a moment before adding another concern.
"What if there's a pyromaniac out there? What if they keep doing it?"
Staff laughed lightly.
"Ah, I see your concern," he said reassuringly. "But I wouldn't worry about it. I'm fairly certain it was just faulty wiring. Many of the outlets I saw inside the building were completely burned black."
His calm explanation eased Grapple's worries slightly, though the boy still seemed uncertain.
As they continued down the street, Staff suddenly stopped.
Something had caught his attention.
Down a narrow alleyway nearby, three men were violently beating another man who had already collapsed onto the ground.
Staff moved immediately.
Without warning, he dashed toward the alley, leaving Grapple momentarily confused by the sudden burst of speed.
Staff leapt forward, pushing off the wall of the alley as he gripped his weapon. The segmented staff shifted shape in his hands, its fragments sliding and locking together until it formed a sturdy bat.
He landed beside one of the attackers and swung.
The bat struck the man squarely in the side—carefully placed to avoid breaking any ribs. The impact sent the attacker crashing to the ground as he wheezed in shock.
Before the second man could react, the weapon shifted again. The segments rearranged themselves into a hooked form that wrapped around the man's leg. With a swift pull, Staff yanked him off balance and slammed him onto his back.
The fight was already over.
Seeing his partners defeated so quickly, the final man attempted to flee. He barely made it a few steps before Staff transformed the weapon once again.
This time it became a spear.
Staff launched it forward. The blade clipped the man's shirt just beneath his arm and embedded itself in the wall at the end of the alley, pinning him firmly in place.
As Staff helped the beaten man back to his feet, Grapple finally ran into the alley.
His eyes shone with amazement.
Watching his hero defeat three criminals so effortlessly never failed to inspire him.
Once the victim was standing again, Staff reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper. He handed it to the man and spoke calmly.
"Go to the hospital and ask for Anastasia," he instructed. "She'll take care of you, and she won't charge you."
The man seemed slightly confused by the unusual name but thanked him nonetheless. With Grapple helping to support him, he slowly made his way toward the hospital down the street.
Meanwhile, Staff walked over to retrieve his weapon from the man pinned to the wall.
Looking the criminal directly in the eyes, Staff spoke with a faint smile and a completely relaxed tone.
"So," he said, "do you want to tell me what's going on and why you were beating that man?"
The criminal stared at him in shock.
There was something strangely compelling about the way Staff spoke. Despite his calm demeanor, the man felt an overwhelming urge to tell the truth.
And so he did.
For nearly two hours, the criminal explained the entire situation to Staff.
When the conversation finally ended, the man left the alley alongside his friends. Each of them carried a similar piece of paper bearing the name of a different doctor—each with equally unusual names.
All of them were smiling.