MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 4: Awakening-2

A few hours after the entity departed, Anthony snapped awake. Checking the time, he saw it was only 6:03 AM. With the awakening ceremony scheduled for 10:00 AM, he reflected on the being's parting words: they would only cross paths again once he reached a level just below its own. Anthony immediately dismissed any foolish notions of actually catching up to such a power.

Filled with anticipation, he called out internally, 'System.'

[Acknowledging, host...]

[Systems are currently binding. Estimated time: one hour.]

A grin spread across Anthony’s face. During the five-minute grace period he had been granted, he had requested a variety of systems. Knowing it was impossible to recall every specific ability he might need, he spent three minutes designing the systems and their functions, leaving the final two minutes to list every talent and ability he could think of or invent on the fly.

He suspected the being might be uncompromising, granting his wishes literally without any helpful adjustments. He had read enough novels to know that powerful entities often grant outrageous requests exactly as phrased, without fine-tuning them for the user's benefit.

The first was an Infinite Resource System. This would provide him with an endless supply of anything—health and stamina potions, currency, mana cores, Cultivation manuals, or skill books. However, a restriction had been placed by the entity: a monthly spending limit. Without this cap, he would essentially rule the planet instantly. As his strength increased, this limit would rise, eventually allowing him to pull out legendary items like Excalibur for free, though such feats were currently beyond his reach.

He envisioned building a private army, using the system to provide talent-enhancing pills to turn ordinary soldiers into geniuses. It was effectively a shop where everything cost nothing.

The second was a Sign-in System. This allowed him a daily check-in to receive random rewards of at least Divine Rank. He had specifically mandated that 70% of these rewards be abilities, while the remaining 30% would consist of artifacts, items, and various miscellaneous treasures.

Furthermore, he demanded an infinite storage space for any item, regardless of its origin, and an integrated AI capable of answering his inquiries.

For now, these were his primary systems. His specific skills, however, remained dormant until his awakening.

Anthony waited on his bed, watching the minutes tick by. At 7:05 AM, a chime echoed in his mind.

[Systems have been successfully integrated...]

[Commencing host synchronization...]

[1%... 18%... 45%... 67%... 75%... 94%... 100%...]

Ding!

[Synchronization complete.]

[Host, please provide a name for the system. As a merger of multiple entities, it is currently nameless.]

Anthony pondered for a moment. Given his prestigious background and his path toward becoming an overpowered force, the choice was obvious.

"I’ll name it the OP System," he declared.

Ding!

[Name registered.]

Ding!

[OP System at your service, Master.]

Anthony’s face lit up with the joy of a child. He felt like screaming and jumping for joy, but he maintained his composure, acting with the dignity of a man.

"System, show me the menu."

Ding!

[Host: ANTHONY NULL]

[Age: 10 years old]

[Race: Human]

[Class: Unawakened]

[Physiques: Unawakened]

[Bloodline: Unawakened]

[Talent: Cursed]

[Skills: Unawakened]

[Affinities: Unawakened]

Ding!

[Host must undergo awakening to unlock all attributes.]

Anthony’s initial excitement as he scanned the interface turned to horror when his gaze landed on the talent section. He nearly shrieked aloud.

Instead, he roared in his mind,

'What the hell? I’m cursed? Did that being lie to me about my suffering? No... it can't be him. Who did this? A rival family? Damn it, what's the point of an OP system if I'm cursed? Am I going to fail my family today?' His heart hammered against his ribs as anxiety took hold.

Suddenly, a realization hit him. 'Wait! The Infinite Resource System! It can provide anything—it must have a way to break a curse!'

'System, who is responsible for this? How am I cursed, and what kind of curse is it?'

[The host is afflicted with the Talent Blockage Curse. This is an Ancient Curse designed to seal the natural talents of a being prior to their awakening. As for the perpetrator, the host must uncover that identity through his own efforts.]

Anthony was reaching his breaking point. After ten years of waiting, he wouldn't let a curse ruin him.

'System, what item in the resources can break this curse right now?'

[Host, while many items can dispel this, they are currently unavailable. Your spending limit is tied to your rank. Because this is an Ancient Curse, you would need to reach S+ Rank to afford the necessary purification item.]

'DAMN IT!'

He felt his sanity slipping as he stared blankly at the ceiling. He had asked for limitless talent, yet it was all being blocked. Time slipped away until 9:30 AM, when he was summoned to the awakening chamber.

He walked toward his family, nerves frayed. He saw the same hopeful expressions he had seen all week. Noticing his tension, they simply smiled, assuming he was just experiencing normal pre-awakening jitters.

They entered the chamber exactly at 10:00 AM. His grandmother, Irene, produced a shimmering Awakening Stone.

"Place your hand upon the stone, Anthony. Channel the mana from it through your body, and your awakening will begin," she instructed, stepping back to give him space.

With a sense of grim resignation, Anthony stepped forward and pressed his palm against the stone. It erupted in a brilliant blue radiance, signaling the start of the process as mana flooded his Meridians. Soon, the system chimed.

Ding!

[Host has successfully awakened.]

[Host has gained the 'Magic Swordsman' class.]

[System detects host is under the effect of a curse.]

[By the authority of ???, the curse is hereby dispelled. Backlash has been redirected to the caster.]

[Host has awakened the Primordial Bloodline.]

[Host has awakened the 'Beginning of All Things' Physique.]

[Host has unlocked mana and elemental affinities.]

Anthony stared at the notifications, his expression shifting from despair to shock. He was thrilled by the Magic Swordsman class, but the mention of the curse nearly killed his joy—until he read the next lines. He wanted to scream to the heavens that he was the greatest talent in existence.

Seeing him standing there in a trance, his family called out to him. He shook off the daze and looked at them, a wide smile breaking across his face. His mother was the first to ask.

"What class did you get, dear?"

"Magic Swordsman," he answered.

The room erupted in cheers and congratulations.

"I knew my son would be a genius!" his father exclaimed proudly.

"Hmph, you’ve been gone for ten years," his mother teased. "He’s my son, not yours."

As they playfully bickered over who he took after, Anthony eventually retreated to his room. The moment the door closed, he pulled up the system interface to re-read every detail.

'System, why didn't you tell me you could just remove the curse?'

[Host, the entity '???' commanded that it remain until the last moment so you would experience the weight of being cursed. He stated that he found your emotional distress quite entertaining.]

Anthony wondered if that being was a god of the void or a high-ranking demon, but he didn't care. Everything had worked out. He turned his attention to the skills he had wished for.

'System...'