The Academy’s Time Stop Player

TL/Editor: looloo

Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun

Illustrations: Here

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Inside the cave, a chilling silence prevailed. The cold air spreading around only added to the chilliness. Before long, Hajoon turned his attention to Yoo Seolah.

Feeling his gaze, Yoo Seolah held out her hand and said, "Um... I’m just watching."

"Really? Then..." Hajoon responded, reducing the size of Maharazu and placing it in his pocket.

Liam, who had been watching his actions with curiosity, furrowed his brows.

"Here, take this," Hajoon said, after pocketing Maharazu. He then handed over the Bell Point to Liam.

Liam looked at Hajoon with disbelief. Unperturbed, Hajoon said, "Just take it, I’m tired."

He didn’t even want scores. If this had been a mid-term or final exam, one that could lead to expulsion, he might have been more eager. But this was only a virtual combat training for student evaluation, so he wasn’t very motivated. He was content just avoiding this particular instructor’s intense training.

However, Liam seemed to disagree.

"I’ll take it after we fight."

"I’m telling you, just take it."

"Please, Hajoon."

"No, just take it, please!"

"I will earn it through a fair fight," Liam responded with a smirk.

Soon after, Liam slowly started to close the distance between them.

"Sigh..." Hajoon let out a frustrated sigh. He had anticipated the rejection but still felt disappointed. Given Liam’s personality, he knew it wouldn’t be easy to get him to accept.

"Don’t blame me if you get hurt."

"I’m also planning to do my best."

"Tsk, tsk."

Hajoon stood casually, not assuming any fighting stance, waiting for Liam to make the first move. To Liam, Hajoon’s stance appeared full of openings, yet he couldn’t bring himself to move.

’Why?’ He wondered, feeling an unexplained unease. He was within reach of Kim Hajoon with his spear, yet he couldn’t make his body or his spear move.

Seeing him hesitate, Hajoon, with tired eyes, said, "Start. Let’s finish this quickly."

There was silence for a moment before Liam’s demeanor changed completely. The cave filled with magical energy so powerful it seemed to shake the surrounding elements. It was a sincere all-out attack.

As Liam directed his spear towards Hajoon with all his might, his vision went dark.

’Was this also Kim Hajoon’s ability?’

Liam closed his eyes briefly, focusing on his senses. He then swung his spear towards where he felt a presence. But the spear cut through empty air. From behind him, he heard Kim Hajoon’s voice, seeming to laugh for an unknown reason.

"Good effort."

Liam, startled by the voice that came from nowhere, quickly turned and swung his spear in that direction. Yet again, his weapon only hit air, the presence he’d detected had vanished.

In that moment, time stood still. Hajoon watched as Liam was frozen mid-thrust with his spear.

’What should I do with this guy............’

Liam Martel.

He often came off as a light-hearted, cheerful boy, but Hajoon knew the deep emotions he kept hidden. It was no surprise that he readily charged forward when Hajoon offered him Bell Points.

But he shouldn’t have been here.

The events unfolding during this combat survival training were part of Liam’s storyline. The Artificial Island Episode ’Monster Wave.’ Monsters that had been breeding for a long time in the underground cavern of the artificial island were set to cause a Monster Wave that night. Liam, who had noticed the target monster entering the cavern, was supposed to be stopping the wave of monsters alone.

While it wasn’t a critical mission, if he successfully blocked the Monster Wave in the cavern, there would be less to worry about later that night.

’First of all...’

Hajoon checked his stats:

Name: Kim Hajoon

Level: 5

Job: Student

Title: None

Fame: 300

HP: 17(+2)

MP: 0

Strength: 14

Agility: 9

Stamina: 21

Defense: 0

Magic Resistance: 999(Max)

Spirit: 999(Max)

He then purchased a new skill: Unfixed Purchase for 500P.

The name Unfixed Purchase itself was indicative of its function. Hajoon didn’t waste time in utilizing the ability.

[’Unfixed Purchase’ is being used.]

[Please designate the target to unfreeze.]

"Liam Martel."

[Unfreeze is complete.]

[The freeze will be undone for 30 minutes.]

[After the freeze is undone, the target that used the unfreeze cannot use unfreeze for 30 minutes.]

’30 minutes?’

It seemed the skill had a time limit. He wasn’t a fan of the restriction, but he had to make do.

He approached the now unfrozen Liam. He expected stiffness, but to his surprise, Liam’s skin and clothes were as they were before the freeze, his limbs moving freely.

Hajoon swiftly struck Liam at the back of his head, lifting him up with both hands. He was lighter than Hajoon expected.

Gently, he let go of Liam who remained suspended in mid-air.

"This works?"

The rigidness associated with a time stop was gone, and Liam was frozen. It was a fascinating sight.

Furthermore, there were no restrictions on his movements.

Grabbing Liam by the leg, I effortlessly carried him out of the cave as if he were a balloon.

The time limit for this effect was 30 minutes. If he remained suspended in the air, even after the ’Unfixed Purchase’ skill expired, he should continue floating. I intended to carry him to the ant nest, his original destination.

"Was there a cave somewhere in the center of the island?" I wondered aloud.

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Raei Translations

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"Huh?!"

Yoo Seolah quickly scanned the area around the cave, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion.

But Liam was nowhere to be found.

The same Liam who just moments ago had been standing right in front of her, radiating intense energy.

"How did he..."

"Hey."

Startled by the voice, she turned to find Hajoon, who looked as though he could collapse from exhaustion at any moment...

"But... where’s Liam?"

"Ugh... You don’t need to know."

"Huh? Wait... Is this another one of your abilities, Hajoon?"

"Well, something like that... But why were you hanging out with him?"

"Well... Liam asked me to."

"He did?"

The Liam I knew didn’t seem like the kind of guy to casually ask for help. His kind demeanor hid something more complex.

"Why?" I asked Yoo Seolah, puzzled.

"He asked me to heal."

"Heal? Who? Me?"

"Both of us... Anyway, I see you’re okay now."

Somehow.

The energy Liam had been emitting just before I activated ’Time Stop’ had nearly reached a important point.

That’s why I had activated ’Time Stop’ just in time. If I had been a moment too late, he would have stabbed me for sure.

’Did he really mean to fight seriously?’

Was he a madman ready to die?

Well, he probably thought I would stop him.

"So... where did you send Liam?"

"You don’t need to know. Anyway, I’m going to rest."

With tired legs, Hajoon walked over and laid down on his sleeping bag.

Just before closing his eyes, he gave Yoo Seolah a cautionary look.

"If you stay here, he’ll probably return on his own. You can wait if you want."

"He’s coming back here?"

"And could you watch over me while I sleep?"

I could activate ’Time Stop’ and sleep, but the hard sleeping bag was uncomfortable.

There was a skill called ’Stop Release’, but it had a time limit too.

I wanted to sleep maintaining this comfort.

Hearing this, Yoo Seolah said,

"What, what the hell......"

She approached Hajoon, took a look at him, and let out a disbelieving sigh.

Because the moment Hajoon laid down in his sleeping bag, he fell asleep.

"Why is he so sleepy...is it narcolepsy?"

Even though it seemed absurd, Yoo Seolah decided to follow Hajoon’s words.

Yoo Seolah found him peculiar... no, very peculiar, but he had always been kind to her.

Therefore, Yoo Seolah decided to sit by Hajoon’s side and wait for him to awaken.

And the moment Hajoon fell asleep,

[A penalty will be given due to the future changing.]

[The difficulty of the episode will increase.]

A new system notification popped up in Hajoon’s field of vision.

While he was unconscious, the situation was evolving.

---

Raei Translations

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Meanwhile, Liam Martel, rubbing the back of his numb head, ventured into a mysterious expanse.

’Where am I...?’

His surroundings were entirely obscured.

In this imperceptible expanse, Liam began to move, guided solely by his intuition.

Initially, he assumed some power had blocked his sight, but this was not the case.

Looking at the walls, it was difficult to believe he was still in a cave.

It was more like... soil?

The tunnels he found himself in seemed wholly different from the cave he had been in earlier.

’That is...’

At some point, while navigating the tunnel, he noticed a ray of light at its end.

Liam headed towards it, eventually coming upon three students. They were illuminating their surroundings with light magic within a large cavity.

Upon seeing Liam, they began cheering and celebrating.

"Eh? Could it be... Liam Martel?"

"What? It’s really him?! It’s Liam!"

"Ha... such a relief. You’re alive..."

"...Huh?"

Liam gave them a puzzled look.

Judging by their reactions, these three students seemed as lost as he was.

Soon, a female student, who was standing in the middle casting light magic, cautiously approached Liam.

"Um... do you know the way out of here?"

"Ah! Yes, that’s right! We should be able to get back by retracing our steps."

"Phew... that’s a relief. We’ve been wandering around here for four hours. We found out the Bell Point doesn’t work underground."

"..."

Liam didn’t answer.

He couldn’t.

He had been forcibly brought here.

Fortunately or unfortunately, a situation quickly arose that did not require a response.

Koookkooookkooong―――――!!

"Ahhhhhh!!"

"What, what?! What’s happening?!"

"Argh!! Over there!"

Along with a rumbling that shook the entire tunnel, sections of the earth began to collapse.

Out of the collapsed sections emerged a Giant Ant, boasting a size twice that of a human.

For students, this monster could be easily defeated. However, the problem was their numbers.

A rough count revealed there were more than thirty, and the number was steadily growing.

-Kieeek!!

-Kiieek!!!

The number soon became uncountable. Dozens of Giant Ants, including those on the ceiling, began to roar threateningly, surrounding Liam and the other students.

"Ah, ah..."

"This isn’t just about training anymore!!"

"We need to run! Hurry, contact the instructor!"

"Idiot! Did you forget that the signals don’t work and we can’t contact anyone?!"

While the students were panicking, Liam stepped forward and raised his spear.

Taking a moment to survey the situation, he wore a slightly bewildered smile, and then spoke.

"This is a bit dangerous..."

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