Chapter 2: Ye Xi—Not a Blood-Related Sister!

As soon as he opened the door, Sikong Xu saw Ye Xi curled up on the sofa, hugging her knees and watching television. This was her favorite posture—well, not in the way one might imagine. Whether on the sofa, the bed, or even a chair, Ye Xi always sat like this. Sikong Xu was long accustomed to it; at least she was much calmer than when she had first arrived. From his memories, Sikong Xu knew that when Ye Xi had first come, perhaps due to her parents’ death, she suffered from severe psychological issues. She would self-harm, attempt suicide, and erupt into screaming fits, behaving almost like someone mentally ill.

Perhaps she had once been a lively, adorable teenage girl, but by the time Sikong Xu met her, she had already become a cold, reticent, icy figure.

"You must be hungry. I'll make us something to eat," Sikong Xu said, smiling at Ye Xi curled up on the sofa. Without waiting for a reply, he headed to the kitchen.

Back on his previous Earth, Sikong Xu was something of a recluse, but his cooking skills were not lacking. After six months of instant noodles and takeout, which eventually made him sick, he had forced himself to learn to cook properly.

After bustling about for a while, he carried three simple dishes and a soup to the dining table. Wearing an apron, Sikong Xu looked over his handiwork with satisfaction. At least his parents had left him this apartment, and at least he still had a sister to keep him company.

"Xiao Xi, come eat," Sikong Xu called out from his seat at the table.

Ye Xi did not answer, but she slid off the sofa, slipped on a pair of pink plush slippers, and padded over to the table in small steps.

"Here, eat up," Sikong Xu said warmly as he filled a bowl of rice for her.

The atmosphere at the table was peculiar, chilled by Ye Xi’s icy demeanor. Sikong Xu tried several times to find a topic to converse about, but every time he saw her expression, he gave up.

Theoretically, this should have been his first meeting with Ye Xi, but in his memories, he already knew her so well.

"Here, Xiao Xi. This is your living allowance for the week."

Finally, Sikong Xu spoke again. "How are things at school?"

Ye Xi said nothing.

"If it’s not enough, just let me know," Sikong Xu said, taking out three hundred yuan from his bag and placing it by Ye Xi’s bowl. It was the last of his money.

"It’s too much," Ye Xi finally spoke. Her voice was gentle and pleasant, but carried a chilly undertone. Perhaps she realized that Sikong Xu had given her all his money, and so spoke only those few words.

"Haha, you’re still growing. Eat more, and buy whatever you like. If you run short, just ask your brother," Sikong Xu said, scratching the back of his head with a smile.

Their living expenses came from Sikong Xu’s part-time work and social assistance. As a student, he could not earn much, so three hundred yuan was quite substantial for their small household. But as long as Sikong Xu worked hard at Dawn Academy, money wouldn’t be too difficult.

After that, neither of them spoke again. Once they finished eating, Sikong Xu quickly tidied up the dishes and got ready to leave.

"Xiao Xi, do you want me to walk you to school?"

Since Sikong Xu was rarely home, Ye Xi stayed in the school dormitory. Today was Sunday; after dinner, both needed to report back to their respective schools.

"No need," Ye Xi replied coldly, slinging her backpack on and heading out the door first.

"Uh…" Sikong Xu watched her go, smiling helplessly. But he wasn't angry; his sister had always been this way.

"Does a sister like this need a little discipline… Uh… What am I thinking…" Though he was no longer the otaku he once was, those lewd thoughts… Absolutely not!

After straightening up the house, Sikong Xu set out as well. He had become a freshman at Dimensional Academy a month ago. In fact, he could have stayed at school without needing to return home, but with Ye Xi still there, he made sure to come back every weekend or holiday to cook her a good meal.

The most important task of a Dimensional Academy student was to enter the fantasy world for training, striving to grow stronger.

The fantasy world was created by the “hero” who had once stood up against the enemies from other planes. Most of these worlds were based on anime, novels, or games, though people on this parallel Earth knew nothing of such things.

Sikong Xu attended Dawn Academy, named for its mission to nurture the new light of Earth. It wasn’t far from his home, just a ten-minute walk.

So Sikong Xu walked along, recalling his experiences from the past month since school had started.

Dimensional Academy required no tuition; admission was through passing its assessment. Sikong Xu had aimed for this, but because his parents were among the first graduates of Dimensional Academy—and specifically of Dawn Academy—he was admitted directly, without any test.

Though his parents’ connections spared him the entry exam, Sikong Xu’s performance at school had been dismal. "King of the Useless in Class E" was the title he’d earned in his first month.

The freshman year at Dawn Academy was divided into five classes: A, B, C, D, and E. These were not ranked by ability; incoming students could choose freely among them.

Strangely, the E class homeroom teacher did not show up at the recruitment site, so all new students opted for one of the other four classes.

As for why Sikong Xu ended up in E class, it was because he was exempt from the entry exam. After passing the exam, new students would immediately choose their class, but Sikong Xu, being exempt, stayed home and didn’t select a class, so the school assigned him to E class, making him its sole student.

The title "King of the Useless in Class E" had its own bizarre origin.

Upon choosing their class, each student underwent an awakening of power. This awakening was a mysterious process that strongly stimulated the body without side effects, unlocking latent potential and granting an initial boost. The method was said to originate from the enemy planes.

During this awakening, some students manifested innate talent skills—abilities so rare they were like golden tickets in Dimensional Academy. These talents were inborn; acquiring them later was nearly impossible. If someone awakened such a skill, they gained a massive advantage in the academy.

Normally, students gained superhuman abilities after awakening. Sikong Xu, however, was an exception. After his awakening, he found himself with two useless talent skills and no other change—his body remained as scrawny as before. This was deeply frustrating.

So he went to see the grade director, wondering if something had gone wrong with his awakening.

The answer he received was: there was only one reason for this outcome—his potential was so poor, worse than useless, truly the king of the useless.

And so, the title “King of the Useless in Class E” spread among the freshman class, even reaching the upperclassmen.

"Sigh…" Sikong Xu couldn’t help but sigh whenever he thought of his strange homeroom teacher. Failing at awakening was one thing; at least there was still a chance to grow stronger in the fantasy worlds.

For the trials in the fantasy worlds, homeroom teachers in other classes would make careful plans for their students. Sikong Xu’s teacher, though… In truth, Sikong Xu had only met his homeroom teacher once in the entire month, making it impossible to train effectively in the fantasy worlds or improve his abilities.

But things were different now! With his memories from his previous Earth—his knowledge of all things otaku—Sikong Xu was confident he could thrive in those fantasy worlds. This was his path to strength!

"Hahaha! My springtime is here! The world of anime, prepare for my conquest!"

With boundless excitement and anticipation, Sikong Xu finally entered Dawn Academy.