A New Life in Eleceed

"Maintain your handstand for another five minutes!"

I gritted my teeth, focusing on keeping my balance as my grandfather, Sang-Hoon Lee, barked out commands. My arms trembled slightly, but I held firm. I can do this. I can do this.

To anyone else, this might seem like a standard endurance drill, but it was more than that. My grandfather wasn't just training my body—he was training my control. Maintaining a handstand while suppressing the urge to use my powers forced me to develop a deep awareness of my own body. Cryokinesis wasn't just about freezing things; it was about precision, discipline, and understanding the natural flow of energy within myself. If I couldn't control my own body, how could I expect to fully control my powers?

"Stop. You can rest now. This is the last set of training we'll have for the day"

I let out a sharp breath as I flipped back onto my feet, shaking out my arms. The strain in my shoulders burned, but I ignored it. Grandfather gave me an approving nod, his sharp eyes assessing me as if committing my progress to memory.

"You did well, Rheon," he said. Praise from my grandfather was rare, so I took it for what it was—a victory.

"Where will you be after this?" I asked, watching as he gathered his things, clearly preparing to leave.

"I'll be traveling to Busan earlier than your family," he replied. "This will be our last training session for the week."

I nodded in understanding. So that's why today's session was harsher than usual.

Once he left, I immediately collapsed onto the ground, lying flat on my back as exhaustion settled in. The urge to use my powers to cool myself was strong, but I resisted. Grandfather had made it clear—I wasn't allowed to use cryokinesis to regulate my body temperature during training.

At first, I thought it was just another unnecessary rule, but the explanation made sense.

"If you rely on your abilities to cool yourself," he had said, "your body will never develop its natural endurance. Sweat is the body's way of managing heat and exertion. If you suppress that, you'll be conditioning yourself incorrectly—you'll weaken your stamina, not strengthen it."

I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the sleeve of my shirt, letting out a tired sigh. Fine. No ice. Just suffer. I also started practicing intangibility behind close doors to which I am now getting the hang of it.

After a few minutes of resting, I forced myself up and headed toward the training facility's showers. The cool water was refreshing, washing away the grime and sweat from training.

It had been a year since I met Hwan Lee and his family. Now, it was August 2007, and I had just turned eight years old.

Yu-jun, Hwan Lee's eldest son, had awakened at nine years old, which was earlier than average but still within the expected range. His younger brother, Seongha, had awakened a month after we met, also at nine years old. Their sister, Ha-yoon, awakened at ten, which was the typical awakening age.

It was an interesting contrast. Three siblings, all talented, but each awakening at different points.

But none of that mattered at the moment.

Because my little sister had been born this year.

On January 5, 2007, the day of my birthday, my mother gave birth to my younger sister, Subin Lee.

I remembered when we first got the news. Our family doctor—who was also an awakened individual—had predicted the exact due date down to the hour. Because of that, I made an easy decision.

I wouldn't celebrate my birthday that year.

There was nothing more important than Subin's safe delivery.

And when she was finally born…

She was perfect.

A tiny, fragile thing with soft black hair and round cheeks, her small hands grasping at the air as if trying to reach out to the world. The first time I held her, she barely weighed anything, but somehow, she carried an overwhelming warmth. A bundle of joy, wrapped up in a tiny body.

She is my little sister.

Her birth wasn't just celebrated by our immediate family. The entire Lee family and the Union acknowledged it as an important event. Other powerful families and associations even sent congratulations.

To some outsiders, this might seem excessive. But I understood. Our family was strong. The birth of another potential powerhouse within our family was always a momentous occasion.

Mother wouldn't be coming to Busan this time. She would be staying behind to take care of Subin, which was expected. It would just be me, my father, and my grandfather making the trip.

I let the water from the shower run over me for a few more moments before turning it off.

I grabbed a towel and dried myself off before heading to the locker room. There, I changed into the clothes I had brought with me.

I put on a black bomber jacket over a white undershirt, paired with dark green pants. But the finishing touch?

A pair of red Nike Dunk Lows.

I grinned as I looked down at them. A pleasant surprise to learn that these existed here which made me buy them the moment I knew. Actually a lot of the popular shoe brands from my previous life are here.

After tying my shoelaces, I walked over to the mirror, glancing at my reflection.

I took a moment to examine myself.

Sharp black eyes. Neatly cut dark hair. A face that was still youthful but steadily growing more refined.

Not bad.

Not bad at all.

A smirk tugged at my lips.

"Damn," I muttered to myself. "I look good."

With that, I grabbed my things and left the locker room.

-----

Lunch at the Union's cafeteria had become a routine for me. Not just because the food was decent, but because it gave me a chance to interact with the people working here—staff, researchers, agents, and even lower-ranked awakeners.

I wasn't just here to eat. I was here to observe.

Getting to know these people now meant they'd also get to know me. The future chairman of the Lee family. If I was going to inherit that position one day, then it was only logical to familiarize myself with the people who made the Union function.

At the same time, bootlickers are also on the prowl.

I grimaced at the thought. There were always opportunists lurking around, trying to get into my good graces, acting as if they were my best friend, as if flattering me would secure them a better position in the future. Tch. Annoying.

After finishing my meal and exchanging a few casual conversations, I left the cafeteria and headed home.

Tomorrow, I would be traveling to Busan for the family gathering. Father would be working late—no surprise there—so I had the rest of the day to spend time with Mom and Subin.

Sitting in the backseat of the car, I stared out the window as we drove through the city.

The streets were filled with students in school uniforms, walking home in groups, chatting and laughing without a care in the world.

Ah. Right. Summer vacation ended.

I watched them for a moment, feeling an odd sense of detachment. I had never attended a normal school like they did. I never would.

My father had made that decision for me early on after first grade.

"You don't need to waste time in a classroom. With your intelligence, private tutors can advance your studies far beyond what a regular school can offer."

I didn't argue having to go to school again can be a hassle. It wasn't like I was missing out on anything. In fact, this setup benefited me. I had already covered material far beyond my age especially with my education from my past life, and thanks to my tutors, I could pace my education however I wanted and breeze through it.

But still… I wondered what it would have been like to have that kind of normalcy.

I shook the thought away as the car pulled up to the Lee estate.

The moment I stepped inside, I went straight to Mom and Subin.

I found them in the living room—Mom cradling my adorable little sister in her arms while humming softly.

She looked up as I entered and smiled. "Oh, Rheon, you're home early."

I walked over, glancing at Subin, who was staring up at me with her big, round eyes. So cute.

"Grandfather left for Busan earlier than expected, so training ended early," I explained.

Mom nodded in understanding before shifting the conversation. "Your tutor mentioned you won't have any lessons until next week. You already finished the study plan ahead of schedule, and your assessment scores were excellent."

She beamed with pride. "As expected, you got your intelligence from me."

I couldn't help but smirk. "Of course, Mom. It's all thanks to you."

Her smile widened in satisfaction.

Then my attention returned to Subin.

She was so tiny, wrapped in a soft pink onesie, her tiny hands reaching out randomly, her face full of innocent curiosity.

And just like that, my serious thoughts melted away.

I cooed at her—yes, cooed. The future heir of the Lee family, the prodigy of cryokinesis, was currently making silly noises at a baby.

"Subin-ah, your big brother is here~!"

She responded with a tiny giggle, and my heart just melted.

I spent the rest of the day with her, cherishing these small, quiet moments before the inevitable storm of family politics in Busan.

For now, this was enough.