The Academy’s Time Stop Player

TL/Editor: looloo

Schedule: N/A

"Truly... extraordinary."

On the eve of the entrance ceremony, Hajoon was summoned to the principal’s office.

Hajoon had a hunch about why he was called in.

"Is this about the oath?"

"Yes. So, what will you do? The academy’s oath is a tradition that we can’t simply skip over, and it’s quite a headache."

"Why not ask the second-ranking student to do it?"

"Over ten teachers know that you’re the top student. Do you think they would agree?"

A sigh slipped out of him, a reaction to the tricky situation.

To be honest, he had suspected this might happen, but he hadn’t expected it to be confronted so forthrightly.

Hajoon didn’t really need to be the top student anymore.

Why?

[Main Quest]

Potential Quest Characters: Kim Hajoon (Liber Laphilton Phil Ehrman)

Objective: Enroll in Rokia Academy as the top student.

Reward: 150P

[Success!]

[You have received your reward.]

[Your job has changed. (Unemployed ↦ Student)]

He had already claimed his reward.

The system window that had popped up the previous night came to mind.

Choi Jungwon, as the principal of Rokia Academy, had designated him the top student, which effectively completed the quest.

"Well, I should have held back."

"…Yes."

"I understand if you don’t want to, and given the circumstances, I’m open to cancelling it, but I prepared something just in case."

"Really?"

Interest sparked in Hajoon’s eyes.

However, it quickly faded, returning his gaze to its usual calm.

[Main Quest]

Potential Quest Characters: Kim Hajoon (Liber Laphilton Phil Ehrman)

Objective: Deliver the oath at Rokia Academy’s entrance ceremony.

Reward: 10P

’Damn it, fine, I’ll do it! But that reward is fucking stingy!’

"Well, it can’t be helped…"

As the older man was about to turn away, disappointment etched on his face,

"I’ll do it,"

Hajoon declared.

"Really?"

Instantly, Choi Jungwon looked at Hajoon, his face alight with anticipation.

Why is this old man so happy about this oath?

"Ho, ho, ho. Good choice. Don’t worru too much about the Villain Alliance. As long as you’re a student at this academy, I’ll ensure your safety."

"Yes."

Hajoon quickly nodded in response.

He wasn’t distrustful of Choi Jungwon’s promises, but he planned to be ready nonetheless.

The principal might be unaware, but there were a few amongst the academy’s faculty and students who could potentially become villains.

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Raei Translations

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The day of the entrance ceremony arrived.

From early morning, the expansive auditorium was buzzing with a vast crowd.

Notables from international hero associations to leaders of top-tier guilds, even renowned high-ranking heroes, they all gathered from all over the globe to scout promising talents.

"This place is ridiculously huge..."

Hajoon’s face bore a look of dismay.

He was required to recite an oath in front of a crowd of dignified individuals, ordinary citizens, and press members. What a fine mess he was in.

’If only the system hadn’t forced me...’

Sure, the storyline could shift based on player intervention.

But the ending? The ending never changed.

Every playable character had a fixed finale.

Regardless of his involvement, the future’s end was already set.

Though, along the way, major characters might perish or become villains.

As long as it didn’t affect him directly, it was no more than someone else’s affair.

Still, given he was here, he was likely to get involved eventually.

’Can I sit anywhere?’

Hajoon slipped his hands into his pockets, yawned, and chose a random seat.

Right now, Hajoon was exhausted.

A night of restless sleep, rebelling against the system’s demands, had left him weary.

He had tried to resist the detestable, dog-like system, but to no avail.

Having lost precious hours of sleep, Hajoon thought,

’Maybe a quick nap?’

His eyelids felt heavy, and he decided to catch a few winks.

Thanks to the side effect of Indomitable Will, he was at peace even amidst the sea of people.

Just as he was about to drift off,

"Wow! That must be Han Siyoung."

"Kyaaa! Siyoung oppa!"

The noise snapped Hajoon out of his slumber.

Peering through half-closed eyes, he spotted a familiar playable character.

Dark eyes, black curls, thick eyebrows, a sharp nose, and a serene expression.

It was Han Siyoung, the future Sword King, the first character whose story Hajoon had completed.

And...

"Look there! It’s Anna!"

"Wow... seeing such big names now that we’re here."

A girl with sparkling blue eyes and platinum hair, the living proof of the next great sage.

The second character Hajoon had played, Anna Elizabeth Hartel.

There was also blue-haired Haruna Ruel, a child of the Rune Language, and blond Liam Martel, hailed as an American national treasure.

They all looked as if they’d stepped out of illustrations.

Could he call it cosplay? That feeling was quite intense.

’All the ones I should avoid - first, second, third, fourth - they’re all here.’

The once-in-a-lifetime talents were all gathered here.

The mere thought of these prodigies all attending the first-class special class was enough to cause a headache.

It was a dreadful symphony of despair.

’Will I have to share a class with them?’

Just the thought was enough to piss him off.

And they weren’t the only ones he needed to keep an eye on.

There were also major characters who weren’t playable but were almost as troublesome.

"But isn’t there a rumor that Han Siyoung isn’t this year’s top scorer?"

"What? So it’s not him?"

"They say it’s not him either?"

"What, then who? Surely it’s not that irregular? Nah, it’s all just rumors."

"But yeah, it doesn’t make sense. How could someone who’s not even a student defeat an A-rank villain?"

Hajoon, the subject of the rumor, showed no reaction.

No, for different reasons, his brows were starting to knit together.

He was exasperated by the shrieks that reverberated every time a popular character made an appearance.

Additionally, it was indeed a regrettable twist of fate that he had to read the oath above all these figures.

’Since when...?’

The moment when my peaceful and tranquil daily life began to crumble.

Probably since I entered this game.

While Hajoon was lost in his lamentations,

’Huh?’

Han Siyoung, who had been scanning the room, started heading towards him.

Without expressing a word, Han Siyoung took a seat next to Hajoon, causing Hajoon’s expression to stiffen gradually.

’What’s happening?’

Hajoon eyed Han Siyoung with a bemused face.

But Han Siyoung just sat there quietly, arms crossed, eyes shut.

In response to Han Siyoung’s reaction, Hajoon’s face relaxed slightly.

’Ah, could it be a coincidence?’

After all, how could Han Siyoung possibly recognize me and decide to sit next to me?

He probably picked an empty seat without much thought.

But why on earth would he choose the seat next to me, despite all the other empty seats?

’I should move.’

As Hajoon was about to shift to a different spot,

"Excuse me. You there."

"Huh?"

It was Hajoon who turned around at the sound of someone’s voice.

He struggled to suppress an annoyed grimace as he turned to face her.

He knew the girl who had addressed him better than anyone else.

Anna Elizabeth Hartel.

She stood there with a triumphant expression as she eyed him.

"Could you do me a favor and move? I like that spot."

Her face was full of the arrogance of a British princess.

Naturally, his first instinct was to retort with a dismissive ’go away’, but he had been planning to move anyway, and there were many witnesses around. Besides, he wanted to avoid any involvement with her at all costs.

Hajoon subtly turned his gaze back to Han Siyoung.

Honestly, he was the root cause.

The reason why Anna, the British princess, had started a conversation with him.

’She must want to sit next to Han Siyoung...’

He knew because it was part of the storyline, but he never expected her to leave the seat opposite Han Siyoung empty and ask him to move.

Of course, as soon as Han Siyoung claimed his seat, the occupant of the opposite one was all but confirmed.

Centered around Han Siyoung, Anna took a spot to his left, Haruna Ruel of the Rune Language to his right, and right next to him was Liam Martel.

Their grouping seemed to silently assert their equal standing.

’This isn’t even the Four Emperors of the New World.’

Hajoon chuckled at the absurd spectacle and stood from his seat.

Anna, watching him, scowled as though she was offended, but Hajoon couldn’t have cared less.

"This spot looks good."

Hajoon sought out the farthest seat on the opposite side from them and took a seat.

At least it was quiet here. Perhaps due to the assembly of notable individuals at one spot.

And so, Hajoon found a peaceful corner where he could sleep undisturbed.

Meanwhile.

Once Hajoon had drifted off,

"Tsk, what’s so great about him, glaring at me like that?"

Anna, now occupying the seat Hajoon had vacated, vented her annoyance.

She remembered Hajoon’s evident displeasure despite her polite request.

It was a first.

A guy who openly expressed his displeasure with her.

"Hahaha! Hey, anyone would be upset if you talked to them like that."

It was Liam who responded.

He was grinning at Anna.

However, Anna, disgruntled, shot him a glare.

"The others didn’t react that way."

"Well, not everyone will like you. He could have been quite famous somewhere else."

"In my eyes, they’re all the same."

"Sigh, you should really learn to stop belittling others, Anna. It might cause you problems later."

"None of your business!"

Did he think it was his place to give her advice? Especially on a topic she wouldn’t normally give a second thought.

Soon, Anna scoffed, abruptly turning her head away.

And then, with the sound of a microphone being adjusted on the stage, the entrance ceremony commenced.

Meanwhile, behind the stage.

"Who do you think will be the top student this year?"

"Isn’t it Han Siyoung?"

"Well, that seems likely. After all, who else could it be?"

The student council executives, busy facilitating the entrance ceremony behind the stage, were gossiping about the top student.

Of course, Anna Hartel, Haruna Ruel, and Liam Martel were also mentioned as contenders, but Han Siyoung was clearly the favorite.

After all, who was Han Siyoung?

He was the sole disciple of the legendary hero and Sword King, Han Junho, who lived in the same era as Rokia, the academy’s founder and first hero. He had dedicated all his energy to training before his master’s passing.

Could any incoming students surpass such a boy to secure the position of top student?

"No, remember, there’s that irregular."

"Do you really believe that?"

"You never know. Someone like that could just fall from the sky."

Already, rumors were circulating among the students.

However, most students dismissed the rumor as ridiculous, not taking it seriously.

"What do you think, president?"

With sharp eyes, a mane of black hair, and flawless features, student council president Lee Joohee did not respond to the executive’s question. Instead, she was focused on a boy seated in a distant corner.

As the student council president, she already knew who the top student was.

Of course, she was also aware that he was the savior of her younger sister.

"Oh, is the declaration starting now?"

"Wow~ we even get to hear Han Siyoung’s declaration. He’s known for not talking, right?"

"Now that you mention it, yes."

After the principal’s admonition and the introduction of the first-grade homeroom teacher were concluded...

-Now, we will proceed with the declaration that permits entrance to Rokia Academy.

"Oh, it’s starting."

"Who is it? Who will it be?"

"No, it’s Han Siyoung."

However, contrary to their expectations.

-Please come up to the stage, Kim Hajoon, the representative of the freshmen and the top student.

At that single announcement, everyone’s expressions morphed into those of confusion.

From high-ranking officials of various associations to guild members.

"Has there ever been a mistake in the name during an entrance ceremony?"

"Never before."

Even the incoming students.

"Kim Hajoon? Who’s that?"

"I don’t know. Could it be... that... the rumor, that rumor?"

In the midst of everyone’s bewildered silence, a boy stood up.

"Huh? What?"

"Who is he? Where’s Han Siyoung?"

While everyone’s eyes were filled with questions, the boy sauntered up to the stage with a bored expression on his face.

He then raised his hand and started reciting his pledge.

"Oath."

"......"

"......"

Normally, all the freshmen gathered in the auditorium would have chanted the oath after their representative.

However, they were speechless due to the entirely unexpected situation.

Nonetheless, Kim Hajoon, who had ascended the stage, calmly continued with the oath.

"As we welcome the year of 2232, the year of new hope, we, the 153 freshmen, are grateful for being granted the permission to enter the first grade. Here in this place, we pledge to fulfill our duties as heroes."

His voice, steady and emotionless, reverberated throughout the room.

And until the oath was over.

No one else spoke.

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