I Became the Academy’s Disabled Student Chapter 184

Ti flowed, and the first day of the second sester's Tower Entrance arrived.

It was a busy ti for everyone—students, residents, staff, and professors alike.

Previously, the hustle was due to preparations, but today it was because of the schedule for entering the Tower. The entire Siyoram Academy was bustling with activity.

"Why are the second-years gathering in the plaza?"

Hong Yeonhwa, who had clung to tightly before falling asleep last night, glanced around and asked.

As she ntioned, many second-year students were heading toward the plaza.

"This ti, instead of a competition, the first and second years are entering together. Next week, the third and fourth years will enter."

"Ah, I see…"

Baek Arin, who was walking alongside us, responded. Nodding casually, Hong Yeonhwa frowned sharply and glared at Baek Arin.

Since that day—when I treated Baek Arin to dinner—she began visiting occasionally to join us for als.

For reasons unknown, it might have just been to eat alongside Hong Yeonhwa.

Since I had no reason to refuse, I simply prepared als for her without complaint.

Yesterday was no different. She slipped in casually and sat at the dining table, so we naturally ate dinner together.

But after finishing her al, she didn’t leave and lingered instead.

Despite Hong Yeonhwa’s pointed glances silently asking when she planned to go ho, Baek Arin stubbornly endured and stayed.

Eventually, she commandeered a room and spent the night as if it were no big deal.

As a result, we all ended up heading to the plaza together straight from the dormitory.

'…I hope no strange rumors spread.'

I scratched my cheek as I recalled the stares we received in the first-floor lobby.

When Hong Yeonhwa, Baek Arin, Elia, and I descended together, curious and sowhat dubious glances shot our way.

Of course, we hadn’t done anything to warrant such stares, but rumors tend to ignore the truth.

Not that I was overly concerned.

Anyone who dared spread baseless gossip would likely find a letter bearing the seals of the Guhwa Flas and Changae delivered to their family mailbox.

So, without much worry, I boarded the bus.

The central plaza of Siyoram Academy was teeming with people, a sight not seen in a long ti.

Was it the first assembly in nearly half a year? Ti had flown by so quickly; it was hard to believe the events of the first sester's Tower Entrance were already so far behind us.

Feeling a mix of emotions, I stepped into the bustling central plaza.

My gaze naturally turned to the ivory tower that stood tall in the center.

The enormous tower, continually bestowing the Blessing of Growth to fuel my rapid progress, would soon issue trials to spur my developnt further…

‘……’

I briefly observed it with my Authority of Perception.

My proficiency with this ability had improved significantly since before, to the point that, with effort, I might delve a little deeper.

…But I chose not to push it. I hadn’t forgotten the ti I bled out and fainted after accidentally revealing one of its secrets.

I had no desire to risk a catastrophe like losing my Tower entry privilege by being reckless here.

‘I should probably schedule a consultation with the Vice President after this entrance.’

The atmosphere was as chaotic as it had been during the first sester.

Students continued arriving in droves, gathering into their respective groups under their professors’ guidance.

With the inclusion of second-years this ti, the plaza was even more crowded than before.

‘I see Jiyeon-sunbae is here as well.’

She stood among what seed to be her friends.

Jiyeon-sunbae’s popularity was evident, as many students approached her. Occasionally, I observed her playfully reassuring a nervous companion.

Compared to the timid state she had been in before, she was like a completely different person.

I still didn’t understand why soone so confident around others showed such a shy side to .

In any case, we soon headed toward the group led by Professor Riana for the Entry Spring class.

Having been through this once before, the students gathered efficiently even without the need for a massive hologram above Riana’s head.

“Lee Hayul! It’s been a while!”

[It’s good to see you too, Julia.]

When I joined the group, I was greeted with warm welcos and inquiries about my well-being from those who had arrived earlier.

Most of my ssenger history consisted of ssages asking if I was okay, reflecting my reputation as a troublemaker.

While it felt a bit odd, I appreciated the concern and tried to respond to each ssage individually, though it was a daunting task.

Still, I figured it ant I’d built a decent reputation—though, for many, it was likely an attempt to stay on my good side.

“At least there’s no competition in this Tower Entrance. Just thinking about competing with you, Lee Hayul… whew.”

“Competition? I don’t think it’s even possible anymore.”

“That’s exactly why I said it.”

The comnt ca from Lorraine, a secondary specialization student who sighed with visible relief.

He was a unique individual with lavender hair—a student I had t during the first sester's Tower Entrance.

He had been part of a group that had used the “three-on-one” strategy against , only to have his head nearly lopped off.

After chatting briefly with my classmates, I approached Professor Riana.

Thanks to the now well-organized students, she seed more relaxed than before. Standing silently next to her with arms crossed was my ntor.

When I approached, both greeted warmly.

“Oh, right.”

[Huh? What is it?]

It was then that Professor Riana, who had been smiling and patting my head, suddenly narrowed her eyes and began pressing my nose.

[Why…?]

Though it didn’t hurt, I couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

When I asked, she chuckled and replied.

“It’s punishnt for teasing your professor last ti.”

[What…?]

Punishnt for teasing her?

I hadn’t done anything…

…Well, actually, I had.

Now that I thought about it, there were quite a few instances.

It was karma, and I had no choice but to endure the nose pressing for a while.

“Do your best in there.”

“I know you’ll excel, but make sure to learn as much as you can.”

Unfortunately, the entrance was imminent, so we couldn’t chat for long.

After enduring the nose presses, I relished the affectionate gesture of her stroking my hair before returning to my place.

“…Hmm.”

[Huh? What now?]

In that brief ti, Hong Yeonhwa had managed to puff up her cheeks and grab hold of mine.

This ti, I had to endure having my cheeks squeezed for reasons I genuinely couldn’t comprehend.

Those unjustified touches only stopped when the professor on the podium began delivering the announcent.

"I will now provide details regarding the second sester's Tower Entrance."

The one making the announcent was none other than Professor Albert Carniazhel, the sa professor responsible for the announcents during the first sester.

Being one of the eldest and most experienced professors, it made sense for him to lead such events.

"The the for this Tower Entrance is 'Introspection.' The goal is to overco yourself, as implented within the Tower."

Overcoming oneself… it was no easy feat. Even in a figurative sense, fighting against oneself was a challenging task.

Actually fighting a replica of your own body, abilities, and techniques? That wasn’t going to be easy either.

"The opponent you face will be based on your state at the mont you enter the Tower."

There was, however, a silver lining. The replicas in the Tower only represented the state you were in upon entry. Any growth achieved within the Tower would not be reflected in them.

In other words, as long as you grew stronger inside the Tower, defeating the replica wouldn’t be impossible.

Moreover, the Blessing of Growth was amplified within the Tower. Eventually, after repeated attempts, the original self would surpass the replica.

When you considered the conditions, it wasn’t an impossible challenge—just a difficult one.

"The Tower Entrance will last five days. Those who overco themselves may either transfer to a specialized training room for the remainder of the ti or, upon request, face specially implented opponents for simulated combat."

If there was any ti left after that, students could use it to train further or test themselves against other foes to maximize the amplified blessing.

‘I should make use of that if I have the ti.’

Although it wasn’t an impossible challenge, it wasn’t sothing you could breeze through either. Many students would likely finish with little ti to spare—or not finish at all.

Of course, with my heightened application of the Blessing of Growth, I should manage to pass without too much trouble.

"—That concludes the explanation for this Tower Entrance. Reflect upon yourself from an outsider's perspective, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and move forward. The Entry Spring class will now begin their entrance."

Professor Albert concluded his explanation succinctly and imdiately began directing the students into the Tower.

The arched entrance at the base of the Tower rippled with dark, swirling energy, and the students filed in without pause.

Unlike the first sester, where students entered in staggered intervals to avoid imdiate combat scenarios, this ti entry was simultaneous, as individual spaces would be allocated.

Also, unlike the first sester, where the Rainfall class entered first, the Entry Spring class was now at the forefront.

"Hayul, do your best!"

"Grow a lot, and let’s reunite later!"

"If I finish early, I’ll see you in the training room!"

[Thank you, everyone! I’ll be cheering for you, too!]

Thanks to this, I was able to stand at the entrance of the Tower without much waiting.

Waving enthusiastically at the cheers from behind, I stepped into the entrance, ensuring I didn’t hold up the line.

This was my second Tower Entrance.

My consciousness, which had been fading, abruptly sharpened.

The dulled senses turned razor-sharp in an instant.

A stale wind battered my body, and the flapping of my clothes rang loudly in my ears.

I imdiately checked my condition.

‘No issues with my body. Core and circuits are stable. Entry was successful.’

There was a slight sensation of unfamiliarity, but nothing uncomfortable.

I clenched my right hand tightly. No problems there either.

The prosthetic on my left arm was intact, and the Sky Wings were still with . Had this been the first sester, such artifacts would have been confiscated, but this ti, with no competition, there were no restrictions.

After all, if the original brought artifacts, the replica would carry them too.

The air was dry and stale. As I tapped the ground with my toes, the hard surface sent a rigid sensation back—definitely not grass or soil.

‘Authority activation: Observation.’

I reactivated the Authority I had briefly set aside. For an instant, my head buzzed sharply.

It felt as though I was bearing the weight of sothing enormous.

There was resistance—an oppressive force compressing the range of my Observation.

During my previous Tower Entrance, I couldn’t overco this pressure, which suppressed my spatial perception, leaving to navigate blindly.

But not this ti.

My Observation expanded in an instant, shaking off the pressure. Information flooded in, updating the previously darkened map with clarity.

I was standing in a wasteland. The horizon was a dull brown, devoid of the lush greens of vegetation. The ground was cracked and dry, evidence of the lack of moisture.

‘So this is the default setting? I heard it varies by student…’

I stroked my chin in thought.

This wasn’t a place abundant in vitality. While I could extract so by squeezing the earth dry, it wouldn’t compare to what I’d get in a dense forest.

It wasn’t an ideal environnt for spirits to thrive.

It suited earth spirits well, and the ample wind ant wind spirits wouldn’t struggle, but other spirits wouldn’t find this place particularly welcoming.

‘Hmm…’

I prepared myself while standing still. I cast several layers of defensive spells, activated basic body-enhancing techniques, and even released several spirits as a precaution.

At the sa ti, I considered strategies for facing the "" that would soon appear.

‘First…’

I evaluated the abilities I had manifested: versatility, magical affinity.

From that foundation, I had mastered martial arts, weapon techniques, and countless forms of magic—gleaned from indiscriminately observing and storing information from magical texts.

Necromancy, learned haphazardly.

Spirit arts, encompassing five elents, hundreds of spirits under my command, and the ability to perform Spirit Fusion.

Techniques and unique abilities I could replicate using my extended ability, Thousand Variations.

Abilities such as Guhwa Flas, Changae, Taesan, White Night, Illusory Dream, Thorn, Body Amplification, Hardening, Radius, Force Compression…

Flawless movent precision and situational responsiveness, thanks to the Authority of Observation.

A plethora of tools stored in subspace, implented through the Authority of Space.

Durability enhancents and protective abilities granted by the Proof of Protection…

‘How annoying…’

I frowned.

It was an overwhelming array of capabilities. Blocking one option wouldn’t suffice, as countless alternatives were available.

A comprehensive counterasure didn’t exist. The only way to deal with such a variety was to overwhelm it with brute force before it could act.

Or to completely cut off mana flow… No, that wouldn’t work either. Thousand Variations could mimic techniques that relied solely on ntal energy.

Could the Tower even replicate such Authorities?

It seed likely that protective Authorities like the Proof of Protection would carry over, but what about Space or Observation?

‘…Might as well dive in and find out.’

Sitting here debating wouldn’t yield any further insights. Most plans developed at a desk tended to fall apart in the field anyway.

I’d experience it firsthand and formulate counterasures then.

Wasn’t the revival function here for precisely that reason?

At that mont, my expanded Observation picked up a lifeform at the edge of its range.

‘It’s here…?’

Just as I prepared to respond, my body froze. The information flooding my mind compelled to focus intently.

It was a tall figure, nearly two ters in height. Despite the ragged appearance, their physique was robust and muscular.

The man wore what could only be described as scraps of armor.

The helt was missing, exposing his head. The armor covering his body was so damaged it could barely be called armor.

Beneath the remnants of his armor was a tattered black robe.

Blood-red bandages were tightly wound around his arms.

In one hand, he held a sword, its tip dragging along the ground, the weapon’s condition as poor as his attire.

The dull black blade was chipped and worn, practically scrap tal—not sothing even a junk dealer would find value in.

‘……’

My thoughts, which had been flowing smoothly, suddenly halted.

I was processing an idea—an inference—but I wasn’t sure if it was correct.

The fragnted armor… Ironclad of the Iron Will.

A high-grade artifact. Not exceptional in defense but excellent in self-repair, capable of withstanding a single attack.

The shredded black robe… Black Wind Garb.

Another high-grade artifact, enhancing agility stats while featuring integrated mana storage and release functions.

The blood-red bandages… Bloodbinding Shackles.

A mid-grade artifact that absorbed blood to prevent bleeding and status ailnts, extending in length as it absorbed more blood.

The sword dragging on the ground… a mass-produced Black Iron Blade with no special features.

It was a unique combination of equipnt.

And the sight of it triggered a familiar mory buried deep in my mind.

‘No… it couldn’t be…’

The man, whose head had been bowed, slowly raised it.

His face was marred with scars of all kinds.

For a mont, I stopped breathing.

It wasn’t identical, but it was unmistakably familiar.

‘That’s… my face?’

It was, of course, similar to my own, as I observed myself constantly.

At that mont, the man’s vacant, lifeless pupils abruptly contracted.

Within the black depths, which seed to embody the abyss itself, my distant figure was reflected.

A primal survival instinct—a visceral warning—sounded within .

I moved instantly.

At the sa ti, the man lightly flicked his sword. The motion was so casual it seed almost indifferent, yet the blade blurred as if enveloped by mist.

‘Son of a—’

The curse never left my lips.

—Swoosh.

The warning signal vanished.

A split second later, my severed head soared into the air.

Thousand Variations Expansion Technique

Harvest Slash: Celestial Flight of White Wings

[Authority "Growth" is manifesting.]

[The Trial of Growth is activating.]

[Authority "Knowledge" is manifesting.]

[Authority "Observation" is manifesting.]

[Accessing the internal observation record of the Tower of Knowledge: "Second Instance."]

[Authority "Harmony" is manifesting.]

[Linking the Tower of Knowledge and the Tower of Growth.]

[Authority "Space" is manifesting.]

[Connecting to the internal observation record of the Tower of Knowledge: "Second Instance."]

...

[Recreating the recorded entity.]

[Incomplete Recreation.]

[Second Iteration.]

[Path of Struggle: Asura.]