Chapter 2: AWAKENING THE ETERNAL VOID SYSTEM

The news channel moved on after showing the Ashbourne heir. A middle-aged reporter started talking about rising dungeon activity near the northern districts, but I barely heard a word of it.

My attention was still on the protagonist. Even now, it felt unreal. For two years, I had read how that person struggled through disasters, academy politics, betrayals, and wars. And also how he chased a harem sometimes ignoring his responsibilities.

Now that same guy I read about is real. Breathing somewhere in the same city as me.

"Bwother."

I glanced at Luna "Why are you sitting like a statue, browther?."

I looked at her seriously and said, "...That’s because I died."

Her eyes widened immediately. Then she smacked my arm with her spoon. "Don’t say scary things!"

"Ow. Don’t hit your big brother." I frowned at her.

"That’s what you gwet for saying such things." What a violent child. I took the spoon from her before she escalated things further and continued eating quietly.

Across from the table, my father slightly lowered his newspaper, looking at the scene with amusement in his eyes. My mother placed another plate onto the table before lightly flicking Luna’s forehead.

"You," she sighed, "stop bothering your brother while he’s eating."

"Bwut but..." tears welled up from her eyes while she clutched her forehead.

"Don’t hit Luna, mom. She just wants to play with her big brother." I said as I picked her up and placed her on my lap.

"Ywes, Luna only wants to play with big bwother." Luna stuck her tongue out as she said that to mom. I stared at her silently. A quiet laugh escaped my father before he hid it behind his coffee cup.

This feels nice, I never got to enjoy this since I was an orphan in my last life. Luna’s nonstop talking filled the entire room. Three days ago, this world had been fiction to me. Now my biggest problem was losing arguments against a four-year-old.

"Ren."

I looked up.

My mother was watching me carefully now, concern faintly visible beneath her calm expression.

"...were you able to sleep well last night?"

There it was. I hesitated briefly before giving a small smile.

"I was. I was just worried about what the academy entrance exam would be."

"You said that yesterday too."

"And the day before," my father added without looking up again.

"I’m fine. You all not need to worry too much." I replied.

"Mhm." My mother clearly didn’t believe me. "Try sleeping earlier tonight."

Luna suddenly raised her hand proudly beside me.

"I can help."

"No need, I can sleep alone without anyone’s help."

"I’ll hit him if he doesn’t slwep."

"...Why is violence your solution to everything?"

She frowned slightly like the answer was obvious "Because it works."

I stared at her for a moment before looking toward my parents.

"I think your daughter might secretly be a criminal."

"Haha....She learned from you," my mother replied immediately. Absolute slander to my good name. I finished breakfast while enduring relentless attacks on my character before finally getting upstairs.

Naturally, Luna followed behind me immediately.

Tiny footsteps chased after me through the hallway before she jumped onto my bed the second we entered the room.

"Mine now."

"You already have your own room." Sigh, this girl is just impossible.

"But yours feels nicer."

"It’s literally the same."

"No, I like your room more." Luna started kicking her leg. Why are all kids so unreasonable? I opened the wardrobe while Luna rolled across the bed behind me like she was claiming territory.

The academy uniform hung neatly inside. This looks like it would cost a fortune. Nobles truly enjoyed wasting money on appearance. I pulled the shirt over my head quietly before suddenly freezing. Pain exploded through my skull without warning.

"...Ahhhh"

My hand slammed against the desk instinctively. A sharp pain spread through my mind violently enough to blur my vision. It felt like something was forcing itself into my head.

"Bwother?!" The panic in Luna’s voice cut through the pain slightly.

Another wave crashed into my thoughts before I could answer. Then everything went silent. The pain in my head vanished like it had never been there. And then a screen appeared in front of my face.

[The Eternal Void System has awakened.]My breathing slowed after reading it.

Then more lines appeared.

[Host Detected: Ren Valecrest][Synchronization Complete][Analyzing Current World- Amon][Analysis Complete]A dull ache spread through my head as information flooded into my mind.

Cultivation, origin qi, the different realms of cultivation. Knowledge poured into my mind endlessly. Then another set of words filled my vision.

[Current Realm: Mortal][Body Status: Cursed][Recommended Action: Begin Cleansing To Remove Curse And Cultivate]I stayed completely still.

’Cursed?... who would curse me.’, I will think about it later. But then suddenly-

Luna grabbed my sleeve tightly now, her tiny fingers trembling slightly.

"Rwen..."

Her voice sounded small. No, it sounded more worried. The usual playfulness of Luna had disappeared completely.

"You’re scwaring me."

I just looked at her for some time. Then I exhaled slowly and rested a hand on her head gently.

"I’m okay. You don’t need to worry"

"You don’t look okay." Her eyes looked a little red.

What a bad big brother I am, making my cute sister cry, "I’m fine. I just need to rest. Thank you for caring about your big bro." I ruffled her hair.

"Hmph. I don’t care about you." But her actions betrayed her words. Children were terrible at pretending not to care.

The pain gradually faded, leaving behind an unfamiliar clarity inside my mind.

And then I felt it. Something invisible drifting quietly through the room. Thin strands of pale energy hidden within the air itself. This was definitely not mana. And I didn’t need to ponder long about it. The next line of the system answered my question.

[Origin Qi detected.]The moment I read it, the world around me changed subtly. Everything became sharper somehow. The sound of distant traffic outside felt more close. It was like seeing the world properly for the first time. More lines appeared within my vision.

[Void Origin Art available.][Void Origin Art- An ancient cultivation technique used by the Immortal Sage that dominated the heavens. Its rank is unknown and it is the legacy of the Immortal Sage.]

[Would you like to begin cultivation?]I almost laughed. So I finally get the transmigration starter pack. And it’s a cultivation system. I didn’t know I got transmigrated to an Eastern novel.

"Yes." I immediately said.

Luna blinked.

"Hm? What dwd you say?"

"Nothing."

The cultivation method surfaced naturally inside my mind. A legacy of someone who dominated the heavens only made it more valuable.

Slowly, I inhaled.

The pale strands of Origin Qi trembled faintly before drifting toward me.

Pain erupted through my veins instantly. My muscles tightened violently.

It felt like molten metal was being forced beneath my skin.

"...Tch." I stopped immediately.

The Origin Qi scattered back into the air while the burning sensation slowly faded. Sweat dripped down the side of my neck. So cultivation wasn’t so painless at all.

[It is because of your curse]

[Beginning Cleansing Process to remove curse]

[Cleansing Progress: 1%]

’It burns a lot.’ Still a faint smile appeared on my face unconsciously. I need to find out who cursed me when I’m strong enough.

Luna stared at me with wide eyes before suddenly climbing into my lap without warning.

"...What are you doing?"

"You looked hwurt."

"I’m just tired, my cute little sister ." I playfully rubbed her cheeks.

"Stwop... ." Luna pulled my hands away and hugged me.

I sighed quietly but didn’t push her away. In my previous life, nobody worried about me like this. I didn’t really know how to respond to situations like this. A few moments later Luna fell asleep while hugging me. I placed her on the bed and walk towards the window.

I’m looking forward to my cultivation journey. If I use the system well, I might be able to get even stronger than the protagonist or any other hidden powerhouse.

I will grow so strong that no one would dare to harm me and my family.