Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: The Grandfather’s Meeting

Neuro stepped into a massive ancient hall deep within the Voldi Godo estate where time itself seemed to slow the moment he entered the air felt different heavier and denser as if the space was filled with invisible pressure at the center of the hall stood his grandfather a silent figure whose presence alone distorted the flow of mana around him he was not simply standing he was dominating the space without movement the grandfather observed Neuro for a long time without speaking his gaze calm but extremely deep as if reading layers of existence rather than a single person finally he spoke in a controlled voice "Stage 5 Beginner at five years old…" Neuro did not react outwardly but internally he immediately began analyzing the pressure the structure and the flow of mana around the man the grandfather slowly raised his hand and released a controlled pressure not an attack but a test the mana in the room compressed like gravity increasing instantly Neuro responded not by resisting but by adjusting his internal flow redirecting the pressure around his body instead of allowing it to crush him the energy passed around him like water flowing around a stone the grandfather's eyes narrowed slightly showing the first sign of interest then he spoke again and this time he began explaining the structure of power in this world "Stage 1 is the destruction of stone…" his voice was calm and precise "Stage 2 is physical enhancement of the body…" "Stage 3 is the awakening of mana perception…" "Stage 4 is direct mana manipulation and killing without movement…" he paused briefly "Stage 5 is elemental control transforming mana into fire water earth wind and ice…" Neuro listened carefully not with surprise but with structured understanding "Stage 6 is semi-transcendence where the body begins to break its natural limits…" "Stage 7 is city-level destruction where mana output can erase entire urban regions…" "Stage 8…" the grandfather's tone lowered slightly "is country-level domination where presence alone can affect vast territories…" then he paused again "and Stage 9 is a myth-level existence beyond natural laws almost no confirmed record exists…" silence filled the hall again the grandfather looked directly at Neuro "you are now inside the real system of power"