I Became the Academy's Disabled Student

Taesan activated, forging a connection between me and the ground.

Through this link, the soil, rocks, ores, and even the trees and grass rooted in the earth became an extension of my senses.

Within that network, the vitality stored in the earth was also palpable.

‘Hmm...’

Vitality perception and manipulation through Taesan were limited to “me” and “the ground.”

It was challenging to sense or manipulate vitality beyond these boundaries.

Was this what Lee Jiyeon had meant when she described vitality manipulation as a subset of earth manipulation?

Any element outside the domain of earth was difficult to sense, let alone manipulate. Manipulating such elements seemed possible only after establishing dominion over the earth.

‘The Lee Jiyeon in the original story and Taesan’s clan leader could influence external elements. This is a limitation that can be overcome with mastery.’

I began drawing vitality bit by bit. Pulling vitality from the surrounding ground, I directed it into my body.

Heat surged through me.

It was as if my entire body had been submerged in boiling water, my skin radiating heat until steam rose visibly.

‘Not yet...’

Vitality, life energy, essence—whatever you wanted to call it, the energy inherent to all living things flowed steadily into me.

My body, already brimming with vitality, was now overcharged thanks to Lee Jiyeon’s earlier infusion.

My body trembled, protesting its limits. It felt like nausea, a violent urge to expel the excess energy.

But I held on.

I clamped down on the escaping vitality, forcing it back into myself, accepting more of it against the resistance.

Crack...

Suddenly, the vitality that had reached the brink of overflow was rapidly consumed.

Simultaneously, pain coursed through my body. A disturbing sound of distortion echoed within me.

Bones creaked as they twisted and grew. Muscle fibers tore and reconnected repeatedly.

‘This... hurts more than I expected.’

I grimaced, steeling my resolve. I had anticipated pain, but facing it was an entirely different matter.

I had no choice but to sharpen my focus and endure.

My body began to change. The overflowing vitality adhered to the metaphorical vessel within me.

The vessel, once shrunken and insufficient, expanded. Bones, muscles, and my entire physique grew rapidly, filling in what had been missing.

The pain intensified.

I closed my eyes tightly and let time pass.

How much time had gone by?

“Hah...”

Suddenly, breathing felt effortless. I exhaled deliberately, then drew in a deep breath. No pain.

In fact, there wasn’t just an absence of pain—there was an overwhelming sense of refreshment. The air in my lungs felt almost sweet.

‘It worked.’

[Joy]

[Euphoria]

I smiled faintly.

The figure I observed through my perception had changed significantly.

My white hair and facial features remained the same, but I had grown noticeably older.

I touched and prodded my arms. My limbs were longer, and my height had increased.

Thoroughly inspecting myself, I confirmed there were no abnormalities. Every part of me had developed correctly.

This wasn’t the first time my body had undergone such a transformation.

Previously, when my physique regressed, I couldn’t measure my physical capabilities. But I had confirmed that the quality of my mana, along with the state of my circuits and core, had improved dramatically.

Now that my body had returned to normal, I could measure my physical strength through training.

Moreover, the optimization process likely included an increase in height. How much taller had I grown?

Grinning, I began interpreting the gathered information.

...

[What the hell.]

Still, I was back to normal, and that was all that mattered.

I chose to think positively.

Suppressing a grimace, I tapped the ground lightly.

I restored the vitality-depleted ground by mixing fresh soil into the barren patches. Satisfied with the restoration, I left the training facility and entered the commercial district.

Checking the time, I realized it was too late for lunch. Training with my mentor was scheduled soon, so I wouldn’t have time to eat properly.

Reaching into my clothes, I retrieved a handful of calorie bars from my spatial storage.

‘It’s been a while.’

These bars had been my go-to during the semester’s early days.

Even in China, I had relied on them for sustenance. Since returning, I had been surviving on bland porridge and unappealing meals.

With time running short, I unwrapped one and stuffed it into my mouth, heading toward the training grounds.

I walked purposefully, feeling the solid ground beneath my feet.

While letting a spirit carry me through the air had been convenient, I wanted to experience the sensation of moving in my restored body.

My stride attracted attention.

It was only natural.

Just hours—or perhaps even minutes—ago, I had been a diminutive child. Now, I had grown dramatically in size.

The gazes I drew were no longer ones of pity for a lost child.

They were filled with curiosity, as if marveling at something extraordinary.

‘Heh.’

I shrugged my shoulders confidently. No longer would I be treated like a child.

Standing tall, I walked with purpose, exuding pride.

Above me, the shimmering Sky Wings fluttered, reflecting the sunlight as if sharing my joy.

+++++

Atra blinked slowly, her gaze fixed on Lee Hayul standing before her.

[Ta-da!]

Hayul, who had just arrived, smiled brightly and stretched both arms upward.

It was as if a small, white bird had spread its wings wide.

The shimmering light from his Sky Wings added to the ethereal image, making him resemble a character from a fairy tale.

The contrast between the Hayul she had seen this morning and the one standing here now was striking.

While he was still as endearing and lovable as before, he had grown significantly, his childlike frame now closer to an adolescent’s.

Though his snowy-white hair and the aura of his mana remained unchanged, his physical appearance was unmistakably older.

Perhaps his earlier apology for possibly being late had been related to this transformation.

Atra, still processing the scene, remained momentarily stunned.

Dissatisfied with her lack of reaction, Hayul puffed his cheeks and flapped his arms—or wings, rather—dramatically.

[Fully restored!]

[Not a kid anymore!]

His necklace clicked as it emitted his words, carrying an air of bluntness mixed with subtle pride and excitement.

[I told you.]

[I’d be back in no time.]

Ah...

Atra had spent enough time with Hayul to understand his little quirks. The more time they shared, the easier it became to read his feelings.

This outburst? It was Hayul throwing a playful tantrum.

She recalled how she’d doubted his earlier declaration—how could someone whose body had regressed so completely return to normal so quickly?

“Well, I guess I was wrong.”

Atra let out a soft chuckle.

It was adorable how he’d held onto this minor slight, only to come running back to flaunt his recovery the moment it was complete.

Letting her affection show, Atra pulled Hayul into a hug.

New novel 𝓬hapters are published on ƒreewebɳovel.com.

He might be claiming that he’d grown, but his small frame still fit perfectly into her arms.

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe my pupil’s words.”

[Heehee.]

Hayul wriggled his face into her embrace, a smile twitching at the corners of his lips.

As Atra gently stroked his hair and back, any lingering resentment in him seemed to melt away.

“......”

Atra watched him carefully.

It was already summer, the sun blazing fiercely and the air heavy with heat. Even superhumans felt the discomfort of such weather.

Although invulnerable to burns or physical harm, even the strongest heroes like Atra weren’t immune to the sensation of warmth under the scorching sun.

Sweat gathered where her body retained excess heat, particularly in areas she had debated reducing for comfort’s sake.

She cast a worried glance at Hayul.

...But he seemed entirely unbothered.

Even as his face nestled between her chest, there was no hint of discomfort. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it, burrowing deeper.

“Sniff sniff...”

As she sighed in relief, a sweet scent wafted upward.

It was coming from Hayul. The increasingly fragrant aroma momentarily clouded her thoughts, making her head spin faintly.

“...Ahem.”

Atra shook off the haze and cleared her throat, dispelling the intrusive thoughts.

Composing herself, she tenderly tidied Hayul’s slightly disheveled hair.

[Hehe.]

Hayul grinned, his sunny smile making his expression all the more endearing.

For someone who had just declared he was no longer a child, his behavior was still that of a pampered kid.

Then again, only days ago, he had literally been a horned child in every sense of the word.