The Void Awakens
Ronan nodded silently. He had heard these words since before he could even remember.
Even as an infant, his mother had whispered the same warnings into his ears.
Power invited greed.
Secrets invited survival.
Our bloodline must be truly terrifying… if even Mother fears to speak of it.*
Seraphina smiled softly, her hand resting on his head. "Good. Now, my little shadow… watch carefully. I'll teach you how to feel the void."
"Mmm!" Ronan nodded eagerly, eyes shining with excitement. For the first time, his mother was about to teach him something directly—something that belonged only to their bloodline.
"You haven't felt anything related to our bloodline until now, right?" Seraphina asked with a gentle tone.
Ronan shook his head. "No, Mother."
"It's because," she continued, her voice taking on a faint echo, "our bloodline is… special. The Voidmere bloodline does not rely on elixirs, herbs, or monster cores. It draws from something far more fundamental—energy from the void itself."
"Energy from the void?" Ronan tilted his head. "Mother, how many types of energy exist in our world? And… how do I absorb something like that?"
Seraphina chuckled lightly, her hair shimmering under the pale sunlight filtering through the window. "There are many forms of energy, my son. The most common is mana. Then there are elemental forces—fire, wind, water, earth—and rarer ones such as life energy, soul energy, and temporal essence. But void energy…"
She paused, her expression softening into reverence.
"Void energy is one of the strongest of all. It is formless and ancient that almost no one knows about."
Her fingers brushed through the air, and a faint ripple appeared before her. "To absorb it, you'll need a medium. I crafted this ring for that purpose."
From the ripple, a slender silver-black ring emerged, seemingly woven from starlight and shadow. She slipped it onto her own finger and whispered an incantation. The ring pulsed faintly as she poured mana into it. A small tear—no wider than five centimeters—split open in the air before them. Through it leaked a dense, unseen presence that made the air tremble.
"Like this," she said softly. "Pour a little mana into the ring, and it will open a gateway—a small link to the void. But remember, Ronan…" Her tone turned grave, her eyes sharp with warning. "Never use this when someone else is nearby. Firstly, because our bloodline must remain hidden. Secondly, because void energy is not meant for ordinary beings. It can corrode the body and shatter the mind of anyone unprepared."
Ronan nodded quickly. "I understand, Mother."
"Good." She smiled faintly, removing the ring from her finger and placing it on his small hand. The metal glowed for an instant before shrinking perfectly to fit him.
Ronan's heart raced as he poured mana into it.
"Curious as always," Seraphina murmured, amused, stroking his hair as she stepped aside to observe. "Let's see how you handle the void."
Ronan sat cross-legged on the floor, his back straight, palms resting on his knees. The air grew heavy as the ring's sigil shimmered. A small rift tore open before him—pitch black, silent, and impossibly deep. From it flowed a faint mist of darkness, thick and cold, like the breath of a slumbering cosmos.
The moment it touched his skin, pain flared through his body.
"Ah—this… this energy… it's so much more painful than mana," he hissed under his breath.
"It feels… alive, but chaotic… like it's trying to tear me apart.
[You are absorbing void energy. Body Strength +0.5 | Void Energy +1 | Voidmere Awakening Progress: 0.01%]
[You are absorbing void energy. Body Strength +1 | Void Energy +1 | Voidmere Awakening Progress: 0.01%]
[You are absorbing void energy. Body Strength +0.5 | Void Energy +1 | Voidmere Awakening Progress: 0.01%]
"As expected," Ronan thought through clenched teeth. "The Use It or Lose It attribute is adapting my body faster… The pain's lessening bit by bit. Is the void energy… strengthening my body while awakening the bloodline?"
His mind flooded with uncertainty and wonder. The sensation of his cells burning, reforging under the oppressive tide of nothingness, was both excruciating and exhilarating.
Meanwhile, Seraphina observed silently. Her eyes softened with pride and pain.
He was enduring far better than she had on her first attempt.
An hour passed in near silence, broken only by Ronan's ragged breathing.
[You have absorbed void energy for 1 hour. Body Strength +500 | Void Energy +100 | Voidmere Awakening Progress: 5%]
Ronan's eyelids fluttered. His body trembled, drenched in sweat. "Ngh… I have to stop. Any more, and my body will tear apart."
He exhaled slowly and cut off the mana flow. The rift sealed itself with a faint shhhhkt, leaving behind only a fading hum.
"You did exceptionally well, my son," Seraphina said softly, her voice filled with warmth and pride.
"Yeah… but Mother," Ronan muttered weakly, forcing a smile, "will it always hurt this much?"
Seraphina chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. "One can only grow strong through pain and hardship, my dear. Do you wish to take the easy path?"
Ronan smiled faintly despite the ache in his limbs. "No, Mother. And… my body really does feel stronger."
"Good." She helped him stand. "You've taken your first step into the void."
Then his eyes lit up again. "Oh, right! Mother, can you tell me more about the Voidmere bloodline now? Please?"
Seraphina smiled mysteriously, placing a finger to his lips. "When the time comes, you'll know everything. For now… be patient."
Below is your revised scene — **same events, same beats**, but polished, sharpened, and elevated to a professional fantasy-novel tone, while keeping Ronan's youthful voice:
---
She patted his head gently.
"Go outside for a while and have fun, my little shadow. You've worked hard today."
Ronan hesitated for a heartbeat, then nodded obediently.
"Alright, Mother."
As he stepped toward the door, Seraphina's gaze lingered on his small frame. Wisps of void energy still clung to him—unstable yet frighteningly pure.
Her voice sank to a whisper only the empty chamber could hear.
"The void has accepted you, my child. And the world… it will never be ready for what you will become."
---
In one of the palace's secluded side gardens, Ronan strolled aimlessly, hands behind his back and eyes half-closed.
"It's so quiet here," he murmured. "I love this place. Peaceful. Hidden."
He inhaled deeply, excitement bubbling within him.
"Alright. Let's see the changes. 0001, show me my status."
A faint pulse of energy flickered in his eyes.
[Status Window]
Name: Ronan Blackwood
Age: 3 years
Level: Adept (Middle)
Bloodline: Blackwood (Awakened Stage 2), Voidmere (Progress: 5%)
Title: Genius of Blackwood
Strength: 180
Agility: 140
Mana: 240
Vitality: 300
Qi-Blood: 500
Constitution: 100
Void Energy: 100
Skills: Shadow Blade Art (2nd Form)
Traits: ???, ???, ???, ???
Blessings: ???
Condition: Healthy
Potential: A+
Honor Points: 1000
"These question mark still makes me curious." Ronan started seeing the question mark on his blessing and traits section for quite a while but no matter how much he tries and even asked 0001 but he just got a simple answer "you are not strong enough."
"Let's forget about it for now, let's see what else i have" he says as his eyes brightened.
"So the Voidmere progress really reached five percent…"
Then his excitement spiked further.
"And now I'm in Stage Two of the Blackwood bloodline. Let's see this."
He tapped the glowing Blackwood line.
Blackwood — Stage 2: Veilcraft
Shadows may be bent, thickened, or shaped into simple forms—ideal for stealth, concealment, or illusionary confusion.
The dead may be awakened, bound to shadow and night, and commanded.
"Woah… I have to try this."
He scanned the garden carefully, making sure no one was around. Satisfied, he steadied his breath and focused.
"But I can already coat myself with mana… so how do I trigger this ability?"
His brows knit in concentration, mind racing.
"The ability allows shaping shadow… or controlling corpses like a necromancer…"
"Then maybe I should start by controlling the shadow itself."
He gathered mana and pushed it into the shadow beneath his feet. At his command, the shadow slowly rose, obeying his will. A grin crept across his face.
"Yes… I was right."
He shaped the dark mass into a blade and grasped it.
Cold. Weightless. Razor-sharp.
"It's solid… sharp… and yet has no weight."
But something still felt incomplete. He paused, thinking, and then he cut off the mana flow.
But the shadow-blade remained intact in his hand.
Ronan's heartbeat quickened.
"Oh… that's amazing."
He realized it in that instant—mana is not needed to control the shadow . Control came purely from thought. But there is still a limit to how much he can control "i have to focus on increasing my constitution."
Efficient. Silent. Deadly.
"It doesn't drain mana for activation. I can control it with just my will."
His small hand tightened around the shadow-blade, awe and excitement dancing in his eyes.
"This… this is perfect, i can fight longer if i can save even a little bit of mana" but then suddenly—
Clank!
Clank!
CLANK!
Ronan was startled by the sound "the sounf of sword hitting something hard... Who is it and at this seculded garden of all place." Ronan murmured as he starts walking towards the noice....
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