After that night, Derek's days continued to pass slowly and peacefully. He had to grow strong, awaken that hidden power fully, and tame that properly. But that's not something that would just happen in a day. So he continued with his training but layering the base properly.
"First what I need to do is to get strong, so that I can at least move my limbs properly. And once my body is a bit stronger and ready, I will try and check this new power." He felt ecstatic.
Though the power felt eerie and dangerous, mankind had always possessed a knack for attempting the impossible, uncovering the mysterious. Anything new brought a thrill to the heart. No matter how reckless and dangerous it might be.
And Derek? It was like he was born for these things. Otherwise, how else could he have reached the peak of cultivation even without any academy training or a master?
But still, his power fell short in front of those demons that destroyed everything. He was at the top of the cultivators[1], but not all humans. Compared to Aurans[2] and Mages[3], he was far behind.
Other than training, he continued enjoying his baby life. After losing everyone, he had been carrying the burden of their death for a long time. But now he was with all those people again. No way he would miss this chance. To cherish his 2nd life, to enjoy the warmth of being with family, with the people he loved.
Each day was like a blessing for him. He had no responsibilities. No sorrow griping his heart. All he had to do was giggle whenever Arthur or Daisy were around, eat, poop, and give an occasional baby-blank look.
He would spend all day either in the crib or in bed beside his mother. In the day he would have fun with all his family members.
Sometimes Arthur was there bragging about his deeds or showing him different tricks. With every one of Derek's giggles, his face would light up with joy. But that joy wasn't only his. Derek felt it too.
Then there was Daisy. The eldest child in the family. She was only ten, but her maturity was unexplainable. Not at all times, though. Only when she was being the elder sister. Sometimes she would cradle Derek in her arms with affection, sometimes, when Martha was a little busy, she would feed him, fix his hair, and even try to cheer Derek up whenever he felt down or looked sad.
Anyone who didn't have an elder sister, upon seeing her, would surely regret it.
Sometimes, as Daisy held him close or brushed his hair with those small, careful hands, Derek's heart tightened. Faces of the past would flash in his mind, people he had wanted to protect, but lost in the end. Their warmth was gone forever, yet here it was again, offered to him in a new form. It was painful and comforting at the same time, like an old wound being covered with a soft cloth.
Meanwhile, Martha was always careful about his health, food, and sanitation. She would sing lullabies to him at bedtime, caress his head with affection, and whatnot.
She was a housewife who always worked hard for her family and was devoted to imparting the lessons of life to her children.
Derek's father, Rudeous, however, was not present at home all the time. He was the head of the village keepers[4]. He always helped anyone who was in need.
But when at home, he would also dote on Derek and play with him. Though he looked like a strict person, his affection always felt natural.
That's what his days were like. Sometimes when he felt tired, he would sleep without caring about anything.
And finally, at night, when everyone would fall asleep, his training started.
He already had all the knowledge about cultivation. He also had a great breathing technique which he had luckily stumbled upon.
In his past life, when he had saved Vanessa from the very jaws of death during an incident, she was utterly shocked witnessing his capabilities, so she complimented his potential and rewarded him with that technique for saving her life. That was also how the two of them first came to know each other.
The technique was called the 'Void Realm Breathing Technique'. It was considered one of the best breathing techniques — perhaps even the ultimate best. No one actually bothered to compare, since every breathing technique produced different results for different people.
Derek's days continued to pass like this, balanced between training and enjoying life. And then, one night, after a month had gone by…
The clock ticked softly in the silence. Everyone had already fallen asleep.
Derek's eyes were closed as well, but he wasn't asleep.
Lying on his back, he drew in a deep breath, held it in his chest for a few moments, and then slowly let it out.
With each exhale, a faint mist-like vapor slipped from his nose.
Every breath made him feel just a little stronger. The change was small, almost unnoticeable, but inside, he felt refreshed, as if hidden impurities were being dragged out of his body.
He could sense his blood flowing more vividly, a gentle warmth spreading through every vein.
Compared to his past life, this strength was nothing. But for this infant body, the improvement over the last month was immense.
Every night, this had become his schedule. While everyone else slept soundly, Derek stayed awake, training alone in silence.
After what felt like hours, who knew how long exactly, he finally opened his eyes.
He still didn't have full control over his limbs. But at least now, he could wiggle his fingers, move his shoulders, and twist his body left and right at will.
After blinking his eyes open, he slowly raised his tiny hand and stared at his fingers. He could feel it. Though so small, they carried strength.
He giggled softly.
"It's really amazing how fast I'm improving," he thought.
[1] Cultivator— using internal energy, they can strengthen their body which helps in boosting strength or speed.
[2] Aurans— using internal energy, they can emanate an aura that they use to strengthen their attacks with different weapons. But they can't manipulate any external mana.
[3] Mages— using internal energy, they can manipulate elemental mana like fire, water, air, and others.
[4] Keepers are law enforcers responsible for maintaining the peace and security.