The Academy’s Time Stop Player

TL/Editor: looloo

Schedule: N/A, just catching up to the previous tl

Illustrations: Here

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Exhausted, Hajoon returned to his spot.

Immediately after, Instructor Han Eeseul stepped out of the circle, directing a question to the students about the fight they’d just witnessed.

"What impressions did the fight leave on you?"

Silence ensued.

Students hesitated, unsure of how to answer Han Eeseul’s question. Breaking the silence, Ma Jinhan raised his hand to ask a question. He quickly glanced at Hajoon, then focused back on Instructor Han Eeseul.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Did you hold back in the fight?"

At this, all eyes turned towards Han Eeseul and Hajoon. Unfazed, Han Eeseul smirked and asked Hajoon for his thoughts.

"What do you think, Kim Hajoon?"

"I think you went easy on me."

"Why do you think that?"

Well, why indeed?

If I didn’t clarify, the students would continue thinking of me as someone exceptional. Searching for an explanation, I vocalized the first thought that came to mind.

"Didn’t you fight as a hero, Instructor?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you’d fought as a villain, I wouldn’t be alive."

"That’s correct. Well done."

Unexpectedly, my response was right.

Grinning, Han Eeseul nodded and continued.

"Kim Hajoon’s error was failing to finish me off. Villains are cunning. Do you think the sword or spear techniques you’ve learned are meant to protect you?"

"To protect people."

"Do you think I’m asking such a straightforward question?"

His expression hardened, and he scanned the students with an intense gaze. Then, Han Eeseul singled out one student.

It was Han Siyoung.

"Han Siyoung. Give it a try."

"To kill someone."

Han Eeseul, pleased with Han Siyoung’s answer, nodded.

He scrutinized the young students who aspired to be heroes, confronting them with harsh reality.

"Indeed. While it’s easy to believe that every technique you’ve learned carries some deep tradition, they’re all simply methods of killing. Therefore, shouldn’t they serve their intended purpose? If you come across a villain, there are only two options: run away or fight and kill. So, don’t dare to act casually when facing a villain. Unless, of course, you possess skills on par with Kim Hajoon."

In the solemn silence that followed, Hajoon stared at the instructor, disbelief written on his face.

’No, why...’

The instructor’s last remark was really... unnecessary.

True enough, thanks to that troublesome comment, the students’ gaze drifted towards me.

"Wow... The top student is different indeed."

"You could see from his duel earlier, he’s really extraordinary."

"Hey, do you think those rumors could be true? The one about a student defeating the Full-Power Man with just one hit?"

"I was doubtful too, but now it seems plausible."

Whispers filled the air, and before long, the rumor about the Full-Power Man began to spread.

Students eyed Hajoon, seeking confirmation.

’Damn... really?’

I didn’t respond, of course.

I’m not sure what they were expecting by staring at me... Did they think I would openly confirm it?

This situation could disrupt my peaceful daily life.

Frankly, I wasn’t worried about dying at the hands of the Villain Alliance at this point.

But I did fear my everyday life would get more chaotic.

Like getting ambushed or kidnapped, for instance.

Just then, the instructor, done with his explanation, walked over to me.

With a satisfied smile, he asked me,

"You don’t seem exceptionally strong or enduring... Do you have an Ability?"

Ability.

That’s what Rokia Academy calls skills.

In the real world, we call them skills, but here at Rokia Academy, they’re known as Abilities.

I nodded in response to the instructor’s question.

After all, it would be odd if I didn’t have such power.

"Yes."

"I see... impressive..."

Upon hearing my answer, Instructor Han Eeseul looked at me with admiration.

In this game world, an Ability is activated due to the purity of magic or advanced growth.

Essentially, it’s a second awakening.

But the process is far more challenging and complex than it sounds.

There are numerous adults who still haven’t activated their abilities.

"I wonder how I hadn’t heard of you before..."

"Instructor, if I may."

"Yes, what is it?"

"May I leave? I’m feeling weak."

"Of course, permission granted."

Anyone would have allowed it.

It was a duel with the instructor, after all.

No one would expect the student who fought him to be in peak condition.

Yes, I was just a bit stiff, but that doesn’t mean I was perfectly fine.

More than anything, I wanted to skip morning classes.

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Raei Translations

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Now excused, I found myself in Rokia Academy’s infirmary.

Although it’s called an infirmary, it was more like a fully-equipped hospital at a major university. I was lying on one of the beds.

’I guess I can skip the afternoon classes...?’

Just so you know, I didn’t really need to put much effort into or attend the afternoon classes.

Was it a class on magic control and spells?

Originally, as someone who lacked magical power, there was no need for me to attend magic-related courses.

While I wasn’t sure about the basics, I knew students could select subjects according to their aptitude.

"Sigh... What to do now..."

Closing my eyes momentarily, I sunk into deep thought.

I definitely needed a way to resist the coercive forces.

The penalty given by the system for refusing the main quest.

But because the punishment was simple, I felt that I could resist it somehow.

If it were something like controlling my body, that’d be a different story, but it was merely inflicting intense pain, right?

So, wouldn’t there be a way to block that pain?

Suddenly, a bright idea came to mind.

"An artifact...?"

Why didn’t I think of this sooner?

There were certainly artifacts that could nullify certain types of pain.

For instance, artifacts that absorbed impact or broken artifacts that could extinguish such forces.

"Wait?!"

Then... there could be a chance.

"A dungeon..."

The original source of artifacts, remnants from the era of the Great Chaos.

By a stroke of luck, I remembered a dungeon in Korea from my game knowledge where the artifact I needed was located.

Hajoon’s lips slowly curled into a smile.

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Raei Translations

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The next day, Hajoon took a local train and after a 6-hour journey, arrived in Imsil, Jeonbuk.

In the real world, this place was famous for cheese, but in the game world, it was known as a dungeon.

Among all, the Imsil dungeon was the most iconic ’Monster Field’ dungeon.

Monster Field.

As the name suggests, it was filled with monsters, and it was a typical dungeon meant for standard stat growth.

In the game, he often hunted monsters for stat growth.

However, of course, today’s goal wasn’t something as mundane as monster hunting.

’It must be here, right?’

Easter Egg.

Within this dungeon, there was an Easter Egg that the developers had created for the players.

It was a magical artifact that could turn the toughest of stories into easy mode.

While he hadn’t needed it much due to his Time Stop skill, he had forgotten about it. However, at this moment, it was the artifact he needed the most.

He felt stupid for not considering it until now.

"Please write your name here and present your superhuman license... Did you come alone by any chance?"

"Yes."

Upon arriving at the dungeon checkpoint, Hajoon wrote his name in the guestbook and responded to the staff’s question with a nod.

The staff immediately began scrutinizing Hajoon with a furrowed brow.

"Did you say you came alone?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I’m sorry, but according to the dungeon regulations, it is impossible to enter alone."

The staff member seemed clearly exasperated.

He clearly didn’t want a young person like me to go in alone and stir up trouble.

I quietly showed my Academy student ID to the staff member.

The staff member’s eyes widened as he looked back and forth between the ID and me.

"Oh... Wait, are you from Rokia Academy...?"

"Yes."

"Oh! So, you’re a student. My apologies for the rudeness. I’m sorry."

The staff member, who seemed annoyed at first, instantly became polite.

With a hint of amusement, I asked him,

"Can I go in now?"

"Oh, is this your first time in a dungeon?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Well... I’m sorry. Despite being a student, our policy requires that the first entry into a dungeon must be a team of two people..."

Did such a policy exist?

Things seemed a little complicated now.

If that’s the case, it might be difficult to find the artifact.

’What should I do... Ah!’

A solution suddenly crossed my mind.

I quickly took out my smartphone from my pocket.

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Raei Translations

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The solution was straightforward: hire a mercenary using an app.

Luckily, there was a mercenary nearby who knew the local terrain well, so I immediately hired him.

"Ah, my dear client, I’m Park Cheolho, the mercenary you’ve hired. I’m at your service."

A bald man with a bandit-like face arrived ten minutes later. He started complimenting me with a sly smile as soon as he saw me.

Was it because of the reward?

It felt somewhat off to have an older man act this way around me.

"Yes. I’m counting on you."

"Don’t worry. I’ve worked in this area for ten years. Do you have a specific place you want to go?"

Initially, I planned to enter alone, activate Time Stop, and slowly search to find the artifact’s location.

Even though I had played the game and knew what the artifact’s location looked like, I still needed to wander the massive dungeon to pinpoint it.

However, since I couldn’t go in alone, I simply changed my plan to make things a bit easier.

I figured it would be quicker and more efficient to bring someone familiar with the dungeon’s layout and let them find the location, rather than me doing all the work.

"Do you know of a place with a V-shaped rock?"

"A V-shaped rock... Ah! I know exactly where that is. You don’t have to worry. I’ve been there before."

"Is that so? Then let’s get moving."

"Wait... Are you sure about the reward?"

Just before we set off, Park Cheolho, looking slightly doubtful, pointed at the reward mentioned in the contract.

I responded to his question with a light laugh and a nod.

"Yes, I’ll give you all the by-products obtained from the monsters in the dungeon. Just guide me without worry."

"Ah, in that case, I’ll lead you through the safest and most comfortable route."

Park Cheolho patted his chest confidently, smiling widely.

Shortly after, Park Cheolho led the way to the dungeon checkpoint, with me trailing behind him.

However, since I was standing behind him, I couldn’t see Park Cheolho’s current expression.

He was grinning subtly with a cunning smile.

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