The first months of Neuro's life passed like a heavy fog of helplessness. The consciousness he once possessed—as a young man obsessed with combat worlds—was now imprisoned within the body of an infant who couldn't even swat a fly away from his face. He spent most of his time lying in his crib, staring at the ceiling adorned with magical inscriptions he didn't yet understand, torn between the memories of his past life and the reality of being "refuse" in the Ghoudo family.
[The System's faint voice in Neuro's mind]
"Host is in a state of physical dormancy... Latent Gohan Talent: Activated (Potential Only)... Warning: Talent provides an infinite ceiling for power, but does not grant power automatically. Host currently possesses the strength of a normal human infant at 100%."
Neuro realized the bitter truth: the System had given him the "engine" (Gohan's talent), but it hadn't turned it on. His fragile body required grueling physical effort to awaken that latent energy, and right now, he didn't even have the strength to hold his head steady.
The First Encounter: The Majesty of the Nascent Soul
In his seventh month, what he feared most finally happened. The walls of the west wing suddenly shook—not from an earthquake, but from the pressure of "Qi" that precedes the arrival of the Family Head.
The massive door swung open, and Arkan Ghoudo entered. He wasn't just a father; he was a cultivator in the "Nascent Soul Realm," a level that places its master closer to the gods than to mortals. The moment he stepped inside, the air in the room froze, and Neuro felt an invisible weight crushing his tiny chest.
Arkan's majesty was so terrifying that Neuro felt an instinctive urge to cry—not out of sadness, but because his infant body could not withstand the sheer intensity of the energy radiating from his father. Neuro tried to lock his golden eyes onto his father's, attempting to show even a spark of defiance, but his small heart began to beat frantically, and a cold sweat broke out across his skin.
Arkan approached the crib, his eyes like two ruthless, hunting hawks. He reached out a massive hand, and as his finger neared Neuro's forehead, the infant felt a chill piercing his soul, like a probe searching for any hidden talent.
"Nothing," Arkan muttered, his deep voice vibrating through Neuro's very bones. "No innate physical reaction, no self-protection even against my simplest pressure. The body is as beautiful as imperial porcelain, but it is entirely void of talent... You are just an ordinary child. Weak."
To Arkan, this infant was merely a "beautiful disappointment." He withdrew his hand with contempt and the pressure vanished instantly, leaving Neuro gasping for oxygen in his crib, feeling the bitter sting of his inability to strike back.
Frustrated First Attempts
Following that encounter, Neuro sank into bouts of scattered frustration. In his solitude, he tried to perform the simplest movements to trigger Gohan's talent:
Scene: In his tenth month, he tried to perform a "push-up" inside the crib. His tiny hands trembled, and he fell flat on his face. Tears of infancy began to flow against his iron will: "Damn it... how will I ever reach the level of destroying cities if I can't even crawl ten centimeters?"
Scene: Watching the maid, "Mira," as she cleaned. He tried to mimic her hand movements to strengthen his nerves, but in her eyes, he was just an innocent baby playing with the air.
[End of Year One]
On the night before his first birthday, the System screen appeared clearly before his tired eyes:
[Year One successfully completed.]
[Talent Status: Dormant (due to lack of physical exertion).]
[Upcoming Reward: 100 Million Power Level — To be granted in Year Two.]
Neuro closed his golden eyes, making a silent vow: "100 million power is coming... my father thinks I'm weak because I have no 'Qi'. In the second year, I'll prove to him that my 'Ki' will make his Nascent Soul tremble. But first... I have to learn how to crawl without falling."
Neuro fell asleep, and in his dreams, he saw Arkan looking down at him with disdain. It ignited a spark of rage in his soul—the spark that would serve as fuel for the brutal training to come.
Shall we proceed to Chapter 3 (Year Two)? This is where Neuro begins his secret, grueling training and attempts to master movement once he receives the 100 million power boost.